3 Wounded Hearts, One HEA in Friday at the 7-Eleven by J. T. Hall (excerpt and giveaway)

fridayatthe7-eleven1400

Friday at the 7-Eleven by J. T. Hall
Release Date: June 3, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Sales Links: Torquere Press

Blurb:

Brent’s a bully who picks on his workmate Alex. What Brent doesn’t realize, however, is that Alex wants him, but is too scared to ask. Meanwhile Brent’s convinced that all he needs is a firm hand to push him down and force him to be a good guy.

Then he meets Craig, a muscled veteran working at the local 7-Eleven. Craig knows a switch when he sees it, and Brent’s got it written all over him. He needs a hard takedown and some training to harness that sadistic side. Craig decides that what might be best is for all three of them to get together. Only by embracing honesty and self-control can each of them find what they need.

Pages or Words: 17,000 words

Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly

Banner300x250

Excerpt:

Craig couldn’t help but chuckle, as the day’s events unfolded.

He’d had his eye on Brent for some time—weeks, in fact. Six feet tall with light brown hair in a neat cropped style, muscles that advertised his time at the gym, and gorgeous blue eyes. What was there not to notice? The guy scowled a lot, though, and moved with a jerky, decisive style. Brent was a guy used to giving orders, and he wasn’t happy about it.

Craig had known Brent would love taking orders. Yet, it had to be from somebody with the power and the balls to back it up.
Happily, fifteen years as a Marine had given him that power.

As he cleaned up around the drinking fountain and the snack area, Craig grinned, recalling the feel of Brent’s mouth on his cock, the way the guy had challenged him, and then ended up begging for release. Brent’s little tagalong had been watching, too.
Younger guy, blond and lean, probably more into running than lifting weights. Obviously a submissive, and pining after someone who might not give a fuck about him. But cute. Very cute.

 

About J. T. Hall

J.T. Hall has a bachelor degree in Creative Writing and a Master in Education. She has long been active in the LGBT and local leather community and does charity work including AIDS education and suicide prevention. Currently, J.T. works as a technical writer in the healthcare industry and lives with her partner and teenaged daughter in sunny Arizona.

Where to find the author:

Facebook
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JTHall7
Blog: http://jthallwriting.wordpress.com

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Friday at the 7-Eleven’. Must be 18 years of age or older. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway


Tour Dates & Stops: June 17, 2015

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Full Moon Dreaming, Jessie G. Books, Inked Rainbow Reads, Kimi-Chan, Havan Fellows, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Hat Party, Molly Lolly, Decadent Delights, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bayou Book Junkie, Redz World, My Fiction Nook, Velvet Panic

In the Spotlight: The LD50 of Memories (‘Division P’#4) by A. R. Moler (excerpt and giveaway)

theld50ofmemories1400

The LD50 of Memories (‘Division P’#4) by A. R. Moler
Release Date: June 10, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Banner300x250

Sales Links:   Torquere Books

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Navy Pilot Cameron Bradshaw and orthopedic surgeon Mason Flynn are fast working towards solidifying their new family. But life is full of bumps and bruises– from a sudden lack of diapers for their daughter to Mason’s bigoted father passing away. Cam is having scary psychic shock episodes too. After a terrible experience doing a Division P body-finding job, Cam’s shields crash hard and he suffers life threatening physical side effects. The solution complicates their lives further. Still, between Jane, their new nanny, and the men reconnecting with an adult sibling apiece, they can see their new family forming around them. Maybe it’s time to make it all official?

Pages or Words: 41,600 words

Categories: Bisexual, Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance, Urban Fantasy

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Can’t breathe. No air. Try harder. Pressure. Blackness. Fear. Can’t Breathe. Can’t breathe.

“Cam! Cam! Wake up! It’s not real!” The voice was familiar. He wanted to touch it so badly. The dirt was cold and heavy and he couldn’t draw a breath to scream. Suddenly, there was warmth against his lips and a pinching sensation on his nose. Hot air was forced into his lungs. A heavy surge of tingling energy roared through his body. More air. The blackness was lifting. More air. He coughed. His lungs objecting to the force. Gasping. Sucking in clean cool air. Warm hands on his skin. Cam’s eyes slowly dragged open.

Mason was staring down at him, an expression of blatant concern on his face. “You stopped breathing.”

Cam realized he was lying flat on the hospital bed, head tipped back a little, with Mason kneeling beside him. The woman doctor that had sedated Cam earlier was a step behind Mason. She handed Mason an oxygen mask and he pressed it gently against Cam’s face.

“Try to breathe normally,” Mason said, taking Cam’s hand and placing it over the plastic mask.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Author A.R. Moler:

A.R. Moler is a chemistry professor at a community college, a homeschooling mom and an avid science fiction fan. She is a devotee of first hand research for her writing whenever possible and to this end has – learned to fire a handgun, been rappelling, ridden with both EMS and the police, flown a helicopter, bought a motorcycle and learned to ride it. She has traveled to nearly all the places where her stories are set and taken hundreds of photos for documentation. She has been writing since her high school years, but only recently has become published. She recently launched a website for her writing http://armoler.com

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amoler
Website: http://www.armoler.com

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘The LD50 of Memories” by A.R. Moler. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Final

Tour Dates & Stops: June 16, 2015
Parker Williams, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Full Moon Dreaming, Jessie G. Books, Inked Rainbow Reads, Kimi-Chan, Havan Fellows, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Hat Party, Molly Lolly, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bayou Book Junkie, Redz World, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Velvet Panic, Iyana Jenna

Need a Romance with a Side of Fright? Here’s “Shadows Fall” by J.K. Hogan (character(s) interview, excerpt and giveaway)

ShadowsFall_FinalCoverRGB

 Shadows Fall by J.K. Hogan
Release Date: June 10, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Wilde City Press
Cover Artist: J.K. Hogan

JKBanner300x250

Sales Links: Wilde City Books

Our Mini Interview with Two Characters from J. K. Hogan’s Shadowfall, Titus and Charlie!

A Titus and Charlie Interview:

1. Now that you’ve gotten together, what comes next?

Titus: We’ve been so busy running from a psycho killer, we haven’t even had a chance to think about ‘next.’
Charlie: Oh…I was thinking we’d move in together.
Titus: *cough* Maybe we should talk about this later.

2. What was the hardest thing for you to overcome that you didn’t expect to be an issue?

Titus: Well, there’s the thing with the ghosts. That’s kind of a nuisance.
Charlie: Yeah, there’s that. It can be kind of creepy talking to Titus when he’s looking over my shoulder at something I can’t see. *shivers*

3. Who or what makes you laugh out loud?

Titus: Riot.
Charlie: Riot.
Titus: Riot’s my best friend. He’s…a character.

4. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?

Titus: Duh, I own a coffee shop, so definitely mocha.
Charlie: Orange Sherbet.
Titus: You’re so weird. You’re lucky you’re cute.
Charlie: So says the kid who talks to ghosts. Uh huh.

5. What movie will you watch over and over again?

Titus: Shelter.
Charlie: Die Hard!
Titus: *facepalm*

For more of Titus and Charlie, check out the blurb and excerpt below!

STRW Author BookSynopsis

A gift—or curse—gives Titus McGinty the unwanted ability to talk to ghosts. When he starts seeing the same few apparitions repeatedly, appearing with similar gruesome injuries, he begins to wonder what they want from him.

Detective Charlie Hale has a serial killer on his hands. On the loose for weeks, the Queen City Slayer has left the police nothing to go on, no forensic evidence other than what he wants found. The city is running out of time.

The crisis brings Titus and Charlie together—Titus stumbles upon a body and finds himself a suspect. Their budding romance is tested as they are sucked into a web of underground laboratories, restive spirits, and religious fanaticism. They’ll have to work together to find the identity of the killer before he takes his next victim…Titus.
Pages or Words: 102,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Crime Fiction, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Romance, Thriller

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

I always hated walking home alone at night on the deserted city streets. But I couldn’t ask my employees to do something I was scared to do myself, so I’d taken the late shift. In the dark, the wandering dead became nothing but sliding shadows and hissing whispers. The phrase ‘jumping at shadows’ is apt, because there were things in the shadows.

Those things slithered around me, feeling much more insidious in the murky stillness of the nighttime city. Hands in my pockets, I gripped my four inch pocket knife that I always carried. Fat lot of good it would do me against mule, but there was a killer on the loose after all.

It was ill-advised, but I still blasted my music inside my headphones. I didn’t want to hear what the spirits had to say in gloam. I mostly kept my eyes glued to the sidewalk in front of me—don’t stand out, don’t make eye contact, make yourself invisible—but I cast glances all around my periphery to keep aware of my surroundings.

A tall, skinny man approached, heading toward me on the opposite side of the sidewalk. He wore dark jeans and a black hoodie with the hood pulled up, casting his face in shadow. I found that odd, as it was one of those warm, humid nights the Southern springtime was famous for. His dark eyes glittered at me from the empty void where his face should be, obviously a trick of the poor lighting.

As he passed me, he clipped my shoulder, throwing me off balance. I wanted to turn around and yell, but self-preservation intervened. I could probably take him in hand-to-hand, but he could be packing for all I knew. I put my head down and kept walking.

I yelped when a spirit appeared in front of me—unlike what movies and television showed, they didn’t usually just pop up. He was a young man, probably about my age, with pale skin, black hair, and eyes so blue they seemed otherworldly… and he was gorgeous. I blinked, hoping he’d disappear. No such luck.

He turned his head towards the building beside us that was being renovated, the entrance to which was blocked off with caution tape. Stretching out his left arm, he pointed to it, and I could see bone-deep gouges in his wrist and forearm. He glanced at me again. Look.

“Not tonight, okay?” I mumbled, trying to step around him. In the blink of an eye, he disappeared and rematerialized right in front of me. See!

“No,” I said, getting angry. I walked straight through him. Usually when I passed through a spirit, I just felt a slick, oily cold sliding through my body—but this burned like a vat of acid had been dumped over me. I screamed and fell to my knees.

He appeared in front of me again. As I looked up at him, still reeling from the pain, it occurred to me how new he must be. When a mulo first left its body, it still maintained some measure of its humanity. It was able to take and maintain a corporeal form more easily than the older spirits, and the ability faded with each day since its passing.

He pointed again and this time, his eyes took on a pleading quality. I could practically feel his anguish.

Struggling to my feet, I brushed myself off and sighed. “Fine, I’ll look. But then you need to leave me the hell alone. I ducked under the caution tape strung across the doorless entry of the run-down building. It was almost pitch black inside, but I got a vague sense of sawhorses and scaffolds. Tip-toeing for some inconceivable reason, I made my way into some kind of vestibule or foyer. I didn’t notice anything that this mulo would be so desperate for me to see, but I couldn’t really see much at all.

My foot hit something solid and I was afraid to go any further into the dark. Who knew what kind of hazards were strewn about the construction site. I dug out my iPhone and swiped it to turn on the flashlight app. A bright light shone out of the camera flash and illuminated the dusty room in front of me—and the man lying all too still on the floor.

I screamed for the second time in five minutes, stumbled back against a plastic-draped scaffolding and dropped my phone. I assumed it landed screen up, because the room was suddenly plunged back into darkness. With my skin crawling, I felt around on the floor for the hard case. Instead, I grabbed a cold leg.

“Holy God!” I shouted, scrambling backwards and sideways until my back hit a wall. My pulse pounded and my head was spinning with the urge to pass the fuck out, either from fright or hyperventilation. My muscles were on lockdown, frozen into that gray area between fight-or-flight, but I knew I had to find my phone so I could get the hell out of there.

And the body… I’d have to call someone. I poked around with the toe of my shoe, carefully avoiding the area of blackness where I thought the body was. Finally I felt the phone. I dragged it across the floor with my foot until I was able to pick it up. Everything was illuminated once again. “Oh thank God,” I said.

But once there was light, I could see him again. His head was turned to face away from me, but I knew that it was the guy from outside. Obviously he’d wanted me to find his body. It was laid out like a sacrifice, arms stretched out to reveal the deep cuts on his arms. I shivered. My brain was finally catching up to the situation, and I realized it was entirely possible that the killer could still be here.

I quickly got to my feet and lurched toward the dim light pooling at the doorway. As soon as I was out of there, I pressed my back up against the cool façade of the building and panted to catch my breath. I see the dead all the time, but I’d never actually seen a dead body before. I wasn’t sure what to do; the only thing I could think was call Charlie.

With shaking hands, I pulled up his number on my phone—I may have entered it from the business card he gave me after chasing Jay out of the shop. I pressed send and he picked up on the first ring.

“Hale.”

“Ch-Charlie?”

“Who’s this?”

“Titus.” My voice was shaking and I was embarrassingly close to tears. “I need help.”

“Tell me where you are and I’ll be right there.”

I rattled off my general location, already soothed by the sound of his voice, the confidence in it. “Please hurry,” I said.

“Stay put, I’m on my way.”

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

J.K. Hogan has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, magic happened. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her stories as she writes them. J.K. is hoping to one day have a little something for everyone, so she’s branched out from m/f paranormal romance and added m/m contemporary romance. Who knows what’s next?

J.K. resides in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. A true southern girl at heart, she lives in the country with her husband and young son, a cat, and two champion agility dogs. If she isn’t on the agility field, J.K. can often be found chasing waterfalls in the mountains with her husband, or down in front at a blues concert. In addition to writing, she enjoys training and competing in dog sports, spending time with her large southern family, camping, boating and, of course, reading! For more information, please visitwww.jkhogan.com.

Where to find the author:

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/OfficialJKHogan
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JK_Hogan
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jkhoganbooks/
Tumblr: http://officialjkhogan.tumblr.com/
Google+: https://plus.google.com/+JKHogan/
Instagram: http://instagram.com/jkhoganbooks

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: ebook copy of Shadows Fall by J.K. Hogan.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and Prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

JKBannerTemplate

Tour Dates & Stops:
10-Jun
Love Bytes
Rainbow Gold Reviews

11-Jun
Cate Ashwood

12-Jun
Nephylim
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

15-Jun
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

16-Jun
Bayou Book Junkie

17-Jun
Amanda C. Stone
Elin Gregory

18-Jun
TTC Books and More
Divine Magazine

19-Jun
Mikky’s World of Books
Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

22-Jun
BFD Book Blog

23-Jun
Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves
My Fiction Nook
Nic Starr

24-Jun
MM Good Book Reviews

25-Jun
Up All Night, Read All Day
Full Moon Dreaming

26-Jun
Happily Ever Chapter

29-Jun
Michael Mandrake

30-Jun
The Novel Approach

1-Jul
Prism Book Alliance

2-Jul
Hearts on Fire

3-Jul
Inked Rainbow Reads

6-Jul
Chris McHart
Multitasking Mommas

7-Jul
Molly Lolly
The Blogger Girls

Can Too Much Love Be Not Enough? The Bohemians by Sean Michael Has The Answer (excerpt and giveaway)

thebohemians600

The Bohemians by Sean Michael
Release Date: June 3, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Banner300x250

Sales Links: Torquere Books – Amazon

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Topaz is a free-spirit, loving easily, though searching for his true soul-mate. As soon as he meets Quincy, he realizes this is the man who has been calling for him in his dreams and he offers his whole self, body, heart, mind and soul, without thought.

Quincy gives away his heart too easily, and has been hurt in love more than once. Still, that doesn’t stop him from falling head over heels for Topaz when he first meets the man.

It seems like a match made in heaven, but Topaz lives with two men who are his best friends, and also his lovers. Will Quincy ever be able to understand that Topaz has more than enough love in his heart for his best friends and his soul-mate, or will Topaz’s bohemian ways be too much for Quincy to understand?

Originally published in the Bus Stories Anthology.

Pages or Words: 28,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Ménage/Poly, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Topaz parked the bicycle in the back yard and backed into the kitchen, bags in hand. “Daisy? Ku? I brought tomatoes and cilantro and some spinach on my way home from Rosa’s. They had beautiful honeydews, too.”

Grinning Leonaka grabbed the sacks with huge, calloused hands, shiny black hair held back in a braid. “What did she say, Topaz?”

He sighed, heading for the refrigerator for some tea. “She said I have to wait for him to come to me. That the spirits want me to be patient and calm.” He poured a glass and then brought the pitcher to the table, refreshing Leo’s and Stephan’s before kissing Stephan’s cheek. “I don’t do patient so well, Daisy.”

Topaz settled into a padded chair, watching Leo wash the food in the bright, sun-drenched kitchen. One of the kittens climbed up for her love, his fingers stroking her soft ears without hesitation.

Stephan smoothed the edge of Leo’s t-shirt down with graceful fingers and then came over and began to rub his shoulders. “You don’t do patient well? Leo, do you believe that?”

“Little bit, I have seen you sit for hours and hours, untangling a single skein of thread. You might be eager, but you are the most patient man I know.” Leo chuckled, gaze warm. “He’s that special?”

Topaz relaxed under Stephan’s magical fingers, the worries and negative energy of the day fading. “You should see his eyes, Ku. There’s something about them. Something I want to know all about.”

“They are a pretty blue,” Stephan added. “I haven’t seen you this excited about someone in a long time, Sunshine.”

“Oh, Daisy. It’s been so long since I had a soul mate. Someone who looked at me like Leo looks at you.” He turned his head, kissed Stephan’s fingers. “I know you two love me, but part of my heart is missing. Maybe making those eyes laugh is a piece of that.”

He heard Ku’s soft cluck, the worried sound that meant that Leo was sure he was leaping into open air without a net. Again.

Stephan’s hands tightened on his shoulders and then pet him gently, his friend sitting next to him. “How can we help, Sunshine?”

“Rosa did my cards, Daisy. She says he’ll come. That I should be still.” Topaz grinned, taking Stephan’s hand in his.

“That doesn’t mean we can’t let the universe know I’m interested though. I’m thinking some long meditations, a cleansing bath, a few candles lit in hope.” He gave Stephan a grin. “Maybe some more wildflowers?”

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Often referred to as “Space Cowboy” and “Gangsta of Love” while still striving for the moniker of “Maurice,” Sean Michael spends his days surfing, smutting, organizing his immense gourd collection and fantasizing about one day retiring on a small secluded island peopled entirely by horseshoe crabs. While collecting vast amounts of vintage gay pulp novels and mood rings, Sean whiles away the hours between dropping the f-bomb and pursuing the kama sutra by channeling the long lost spirit of John Wayne and singing along with the soundtrack to “Chicago.”

A long-time writer of complicated haiku, currently Sean is attempting to learn the advanced arts of plate spinning and soap carving sex toys.

Barring any of that? He’ll stick with writing his stories, thanks, and rubbing pretty bodies together to see if they spark.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004713810507
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites
Twitter: seanmichael09
Other: http://seanmichaelwrites.blogspot.ca/
Other: http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com/

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘The Bohemians’.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

SM Final Contest Ends


Tour Dates & Stops: June 15, 2015
Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Kimi-Chan, Havan Fellows, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Hearts on Fire, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Hat Party, Molly Lolly, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bayou Book Junkie, Mikky’s World of Books, Redz World, Rainbow Gold Reviews, TTC Books and More, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Velvet Panic, Iyana Jenna, Up All Night, Read All Day

Thank you and Let’s Keep It Going and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

  • Books with wings in the sky

 

So last Sunday I posted the need for LGBT YA books for the Prince William PFLAG library and the books started to arrive.  The response has been wonderful.  And the books and the donor’s large hearts so deeply appreciated.  There is nothing better than giving the gift of a book!  One book can make such a huge difference.  It can show you new worlds, give hope and encouragement, let you know that you aren’t alone in feelings or identity, or just take you away for just a moment from the pressing issues and stress that you might be facing.

PFLAG

Opening a book to me is similar to opening a TARDIS (yep, flying the Geek flag here).  The contents inside are so much bigger, surprising, endlessly fascinating and stimulating….an interior not guessed by the cover on the outside.  Why?  Because its also what we bring to it that can’t be quantified or known.  Who we are and what we bring to the books we read and what we take away from them.   From the comfort of Winnie the Pooh to the joy and pain of self discovery of C Kennedy’s Slaying Isidore’s Dragons, the gift of a book is often immeasurable.   Let’s keep them flowing.  Here is the link again to Lynn Schmitz, Prince William PFLAG facilitator and head of the donations to the  PFLAG YA Library.

 

We also added a new feature on Author Discoveries.  Reviewer BJ started it off with her discovery of author Jaye McKenna and BJ will be reviewing several of her books this week and next.  What new authors have you discovered?  Write us, tell us about their books and let us add them to our list of New Authors to read!

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words blog Badge

 

This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

familytimeanth1400Retrograde FinalThe Dom Around the Corner coverTaming the Lion cover

Sunday, June 14, 2015:

  • Thank you for the Donations and Let’s Keep It Going and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, June 15, 2015:

  • Sean Michaels’ The Bohemians Tour  – excerpt and giveaway
  • JK Hogan’s Shadows Fall Tour and Contest
  • A Paul B Review: Pride’s Children by Evan T. Konnor
  • A MelanieM Review: Protector of the Alpha by Parker Williams

Tuesday, June 16, 2015:

  • Killian B. Brewer ‘The Rules of Ever After’ Spotlight Post (giveaway)
  • AR Moler’s  “The LD50 of Memories” Tour and Contest
  • A Stella Review: Chasing the Rainbow by Kade Boehme
  • A MelanieM Review: Drama Queen by Joe Cosentino

Wednesday, June 17, 2015:

  • Parker Williams “Scent of the Heart” tour and giveaway
  • Book Spotlight: J.T. Hall: Friday at the 7-Eleven (giveaway)
  • A MelanieM Review: Scent of the Heart by Parker Williams
  • A BJ Review:  Facing the Mirror (Guardians of the Pattern #0.5) by Jaye McKenna

Thursday, June 18, 2015:

  • Riptide Tour:  The Dom Around the Corner by Christin d’Abo. (contest)
  • A New Bluewater Bay Release! “The Deep of the Sound”  by Amy Lane (tour and contest)
  • Torquere Books “Family Time Anthology” release tour and contest
  • A Stella Review: The Dom Around the Corner by Christine D’Abo
  • A Sammy Review: In the Shadow of a Hero by Anna Mayle

Friday, June 19, 2015:

  • Victoria Sue ‘Pure-Innocence‘ virtual tour and contest
  • Jeff Erno’s Guest Post, Blog Tour and contest
  • Make Me Soar by KC Wells Tour and Giveaway
  • ‘24-Karat Conspiracy‘ by EM Lynley‏
  • A MelanieM Review: Retrograde by RJ Scott

YA Saturday, June 20, 2015:

  • ISO YA Reviewers
  • A MelanieM YA Review: Wet Paint by Will Parkinson

Chasing the Rainbow coverPride's Children coverIn the Shadow of a Hero coverScent-400x600 2

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Aurora YA Review: Out of Order by Casey Lawrence

Rating:  5 out of 5 stars

Out of Order coverCorinna “Corey” Nguyen’s life seems perfectly average for a closeted bisexual whiz kid with her eyes on college and a budding romance with her friend Kate. Sixteen and navigating senior year with her tight-knit group of best friends through crushes, breakups, and pregnancy scares, Corey mistakenly believes that running for valedictorian and choosing the right college are the worst of her worries. That is, until prom night, when she’s left alone and in shock, hiding inside a diner restroom, the only witness to a multiple homicide.

With graduation looming, the pressure is on for Corey to identify the killer and ensure that the crime that has changed her life forever will not go unpunished.

I love mysteries, and I love books that really make you think, and this book does both in a masterful way. There are so few books that I’ve read that are pure mysteries or thrillers that are also YA books. In fact as I sat down to write this review, I thought for a good five minutes about any books similar to this one, and I could only think of one that I had read or even seen. I always love to read books like this, and this book was not only a standout simply for the subject matter, but it was just well written. From the larger scale parts of the book that involved the murder, which were fascinating, to the plots that involved Corey simply living life as a teenager, every part of the book was really interesting to read. In general it was just very exciting, and it kept me very engaged from beginning to end.

I love characters and the way they’re developed, I make no secret of it. And this book did not disappoint as far as character. Most notably, Corey was absolutely wonderfully written. She was endearing, I loved her, and I wanted to see her come out on top. She seemed like a real teenager without seeming like she was a stereotype. She was very interesting while, again, seeming very much like a real teenager who was simply put in an extraordinary situation, which is one of my favorite things to see in any form of entertainment. I really, thoroughly enjoyed this book and it was a very fun read. It kept me engaged the entire time, and I really liked the characters and writing style.

Aaron Anderson is the cover artist. Definitely just based on seeing the cover in a store or online, I would have picked up this book because the cover is very intriguing. It makes me wonder what the book is about and is very well put together. I think that the fact that it doesn’t feature anyone’s face is actually very smart. It doesn’t assign an image to any of the characters for the reader before they read the book, but it still makes the reader interested and still does a good job of showing what the book is about.

Sales Links:  Harmony Ink Press  –  All Romance (ARe) – Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 180 pages, and in paperback
Published March 21st 2015 by Harmony Ink Press
ISBN139781634760126
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.harmonyinkpress.com
A YA Imprint of Dreamspinner Press

 

A MelanieM Review: Fireworks & Wild Cards (The Wheel Mysteries #3) by Susan Laine

 

Rating: 4.25 stars out of 5

Sequel to Devil’s Own
The Wheel Mysteries: Book Three – Litha Festival

Fireworks and Wild Cards coverWhen Gus Goodwin’s friend and mentor, Juliette Hayes, asks him to find out who’s stealing small sums from the cashbox of her Moonlight Haven Coven, Gus agrees. What’s the worst that could happen? They catch a small-time thief and, with any luck, retrieve a few bucks. Gus enlists the help of his boyfriend, PI Niall Valentine, and Niall’s retired police officer father, Owain, to go undercover and solve the mystery.

On the night of the next full moon ritual, however, the coven is struck with a fatal blow.

Now Gus and Niall face more than a murder mystery. The coven is torn apart, and along comes an eccentric psychic and Tarot master—plus a familiar face both Gus and Niall had hoped was long gone. As fireworks ignite and wild cards are spread, Gus and Niall have their work cut out for them.

Last year after I finished reading the first two stories in The Wheel Mysteries, (Sparks & Drops, Devil’s Own) I interviewed the author, Susan Laine, to talk about the Wiccan religion and the series, which I love.  One (of the many) things that came from that fascinating interview, was that this is an eight-book series, one story for each Wicca festival.  Fireworks & Wild Cards focuses on the midsummer solstice festival of Litha, the celebration of the longest day of the year.   Into the fabric of this story of murder, mystery and love, Laine continues to weave in-depth knowledge of the Wiccan religion, its fundamental tenets, history, rites and fight for acceptance.  This unique framework has made this series not only one of my anticipated “reads” as each new story rolls out, but the author’s wide scope of knowledge and ability to make this religion accessible through her characters and plot make it a highlight of the year.

This book picks up directly after the events of Devil’s Own, a book that moves its characters, all of them, into a time of change and uncertainty.  The main characters, Gus the Wiccan bookstore owner, and Niall, the private detective, are 3 months into their new relationship and it’s a little unsteady on its new feet.  For some readers, that will be a little surprising. Most of us are used to books that move the romance and relationship right along at a steady clip.  That doesn’t happen here (8 books remember).  So the opening scenes and chapter where a simple conversation blows up into something unexpected might take some readers aback.  That’s when you have to remind yourself that this is still a very new relationship between two very strong people who weren’t even sure they were looking for love when it smacked into them.  Niall and Gus are still trying to find their way with each other and their new status as lovers.  I really like that about this couple and story..  Their attraction and feelings for each other were quick to form but we never question that they are deeply felt and real. But like any believable couple, they question their partnership, feelings and course of the relationship. Miscommunication happens!

So believable a couple.  I just love that and them.

Now add in two or more plots  that move across a landscape of the Wiccan religion and things turn engrossing.  Each story involves a self contained mystery and murders that normally get solved by the end of the story.  However, there is also a larger intrigue at work in the series.  And each book moves that umbrella storyline forward clue by incremental clue.  How I love the layers the author weaves into these books  and relationships.

Another strong element here and throughout the series are the multidimensional characters.  This includes women and men.  There are the members of the Moonlight Haven Coven, including head priestess, Juliette Hayes, Owain Valentine (Niall’s retired police officer dad), and the return of Autumnsong, an enigmatic persona as elusive as the mist.  It’s primarily through their interactions with each other and the mysteries that center on the Coven and Gus that allows Laine to explore the rites and beliefs of the Wiccan religion. And the prejudices that exist against it.

The only issues I have with this book and the others is the fact that I feel they end too soon.  Perhaps that’s because I always want more…of the couples and their relationships and more of the series storyline.  I am beginning to see more than just the vague outline of a sinister plot at work, the clues are pointing a certain way but the speculation is killing me!  And I have 5 more books to go!

So what’s in store for us in The Wheel Mysteries stories to come?  Let’s hear it from Susan Laine herself.

From my interview with Susan Laine:

“There are eight wiccan festivals, or sabbats, in a year that coincide with similar festivals in other religious and secular calendars: Samhain or Halloween, Yule or Christmas, Imbolc or Candlemas, Ostara or Easter, Beltane or May Day, Litha or Midsummer Festival, Lughnasadh or Lammas, and lastly Mabon which has no historical or modern equivalent. The cycle of these eight seasonal celebrations together forms the Wheel of the Year.

Lughnasadh, the harvest festival, is up next, and that story will feature Autumnsong more prominently, as we get to know what makes him tick.”

I can’t wait!  Until then you will find me rereading the first 3 stories, looking for clues and enjoying the start of an unusual and deeply loving relationship.  And yes, I highly recommend this story and series!

Cover art by Brooke Albrecht.  Love these covers.  The design is beautiful, its relevance spot on, and it forms a cohesive branding with the other stories and covers.  Great job.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 210 pages, also in paperback (DSP)
Published June 1st 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632169358
edition languageEnglish
seriesThe Wheel Mysteries #3
other editions (1)

The Wheel Mysteries to date in the order they should be read:

Sparks & Drops coverDevil's Own coverFireworks and Wild Cards cover

 

A Mika Review: Murder and Mayhem (Murder and Mayhem #1) by Rhys Ford

Rating: 4.5 star out of 5 stars

Murder and Mayhem coverDead women tell no tales.

Former cat burglar Rook Stevens stole many a priceless thing in the past, but he’s never been accused of taking a life—until now. It was one thing to find a former associate inside Potter’s Field, his pop culture memorabilia shop, but quite another to stumble across her dead body.

Detective Dante Montoya thought he’d never see Rook Stevens again—not after his former partner’d falsified evidence to entrap the jewelry thief and Stevens walked off scot-free. So when he tackled a fleeing murder suspect, Dante was shocked to discover the blood-covered man was none other than the thief he’d fought to put in prison and who still made his blood sing.

Rook is determined to shake loose the murder charge against him, even if it means putting distance between him and the rugged Cuban-Mexican detective who brought him down. If one dead con artist wasn’t bad enough, others soon follow, and as the bodies pile up around Rook’s feet, he’s forced to reach out to the last man he’d expect to believe in his innocence—and the only man who’s ever gotten under Rook’s skin.

Every chance I get to read a Rhys Ford book I do. Last year I was introduced to Dirty Kiss and fell immediately in love with the writing as well as the characters. I find her stories very well woven together and I absolutely love them. Here I was sad thinking of the end to come with the Cole McGinnis series, and she brings up Murder and Mayhem.

I’m happy to say I was privileged to read an Arc copy of this story, and of course it’s done perfectly.

Just the name Dante Montoya has me shuddering. Ugh, I’m still squeeing on the inside and it’s 3 days later. He was the perfect man to me. It’s hard reading any book by R.F and not end up comparing this character to Cole-ah. I can’t do it. Cole has wormed him way into my heart and ain’t anybody getting through.

But Montoya fought and clawed his way in. I really do love the class of characters that she brought to the world in this one. Rook Stevens, was done perfectly too. I loved the chemistry between these two men, and I loved Rook’s vulnerability. It didn’t make him weak, but he has every reason to be skeptical. If I had a man like Dante Montoya on my heels, I’d lay down for him and let him have his bloody way with me!

The plot was well done. Anything jewel heist/treasure hunt I’m all in. I did figure out the villain ahead of time, which I’m shocked by. My favorite thing about this story was Archie. I find Rhys portrayal of the older generation spot on. It was some heartfelt moments in here. The heat level was just right. I’m most likely going to re-read this a couple more times until book #2 comes along. Good Job, Rhys, Thank you for continuing to write these amazing books.

Cover Art by: I liked this cover a lot. I love how her books are always so colorful. I think it caught my eye because this Rook was beautiful as well as all her other covers.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook & Paperback –  All Romance (ARe) – Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details: eBook, 236 pages, June 5th, 2015 by MLR Dreamspinner Press

In the Book Spotlight: The Storm Before The Calm by Cate Ashwood (Author interview and giveaway)

StormBeforeTheCalm[The]FS

The Storm Before The Calm by Cate Ashwood
Release Date: June 5, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Anna Sikorska

Sales Links at Dreamspinner Press
E-book – Paperback

My Interview with Cate Ashwood!

1. Dancing is so very sexual. Is that what made you make it a central component of your story?
Partly. I wanted the guys dancing together because there is such an intimate connection between partners when they’re dancing together. A lot of the time it can be sexual, but it goes beyond that too. There’s a level of trust needed for lifts, a certain amount of connection needed to know where your partner is at all times, even without looking at him. I wanted all that for Charlie and Max. And since dance is such an explicit form of expression, I needed Charlie to be able to come into who he was through something he loved.

2. When I think of dancers, I think of people totally at home in their skin. What is it about dancers that made you want to make it a passion for your characters?
That was a huge part of it! Dance was the one place that Charlie felt safe to be himself, even if he wasn’t able to admit out loud who he was. It was an outlet for him as it is for so many kids (and was for me, too, which makes it very close to my heart).

3. I can think of several of my favorite movies with dancing at its heart. From The Red Shoes to Dirty Dancing to The Turning Point, even today those movies take me to another place. Do you have any favorites? Or favorite dancers?
Oh God. So many! Of course the classics like Dirty Dancing and Strictly Ballroom. One of my favourites of all time is Singin’ in the Rain (which of course isn’t a movie about dancing, but there’s enough in it to make me giddy). And I’ll admit to loving the cheesier ones too, like Center Stage (which was huge for me when I was a kid), Step Up, and Dirty Dancing: Havana Nights.

4. What was the inspiration behind this title and characters?
The title comes from the song that I imagined them dancing to. “Slow Dancing in a Burning Room” by John Mayer. I love the song and I saw a video of a dance choreographed to it that lit a spark for Charlie and Max. Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hk9-qH5fyTU
When I heard that line of lyrics, I knew it was perfect for Charlie. It’s exactly his path–the storm is within him but eventually he finds his happily ever after.
Charlie came first. To a certain degree, he’s a very exaggerated picture of me when I was younger. Thankfully, I never went through anything close to what Charlie endured, but I knew people who did. The world can be an ugly place sometimes, and often people can’t even see it. Max was created for Charlie, not only to give him the love he deserved, but to help be the catalyst for Charlie to discover who he was.

5. I have always loved the “truthfulness” you seem to bring out of every situation in your stories when it comes to exploring a person’s growing aware of their sexuality. what do you think makes your scenes stand out with such authenticity and realness?
Wow. Thank you so much! I try to write as close to real life as I can. I know there’s a certain fantasy element that’s required when it comes to writing romance, but I always strive to make my characters as authentic as I can. I’d be lying if I didn’t say there was a bit of me in all of them, but I think that’s true for all authors. It’s impossible to create someone else without leaving traces of yourself within them.

In terms of sexuality, that’s difficult for me. I was raised in a very open household (I was taught about the birds and the bees at age 4) and my parents were always very supportive and welcoming of conversation and discussion if ever I had questions. Despite it all, I’ve always been borderline prudish when it came to talking about sex. I had a hard time telling my parents that my husband and I were going to have a baby because it would mean admitting that I wasn’t a virgin (which was ridiculous, I know). So for me, writing about characters coming to terms with themselves as sexual beings and expressing those emotions and that desire is liberating because I had such a difficult time with it myself.

6. What’s next for Cate Ashwood?
Lots! I have a book coming out at the end of the month that I co-wrote with L.J. LaBarthe called Brick by Brick. That one drops on the 29th.
On the 15th of July, the second book in the Newport Boys series (Keeping Sweets was the first) comes out. This one is Colt’s story!

I have a novel in edits right now called Tasting Notes. It’s the first in a new series and it’s about a venture capitalist who one day realizes that he has money but not happiness, so he takes off for California to spread his grandfather’s ashes and take a step back from work. He arrives and buys a winery on a whim, and then meets the son of the original owners who is none too happy about him taking over his parents’ legacy.

There are a few more books in the works, as well–I am set to finish the first book in yet another series in the next few days. This one is about emergency service personnel. The first book follows a paramedic and a forensic pathologist. I also have two more co-writes that will hopefully be finished soon, one with Skylar Cates, and the other with LJ. And then eventually finishing up all the series with a few standalones thrown in for good measure. It’s going to be a busy year!

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Charlie has one passion in life: dancing. It’s his salvation when it feels like the world is swallowing him whole. When his mom secretly secures him a spot in the summer intensive at the Free Rein Dance Company in New York, he is thrilled. He knows that once the summer ends, he’ll have to return to Beacon to get a job and help support his family, but for those two months, he can spread his wings.

In New York he meets Max, a junior instructor who is everything Charlie wishes he could be. Bold and self-assured, Max radiates pride in who he is. As they spend time together, Max shows Charlie what life can be like past the walls of his closed-minded home town. But Charlie doesn’t know if he’s ready to show the world who he truly is when standing in the spotlight is the last thing he wants.

Pages or Words: 62,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Gay fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

My fingers tugged at the edge of the cardboard cozy wrapped around the cup as I waited for him to speak. The silence between us felt heavy, and the awkwardness settled in around me as he stared at me, his mouth quirked in a playful expression.

“What?” I asked finally.

“Nothing,” he replied, smiling. “So I guess we should get started.”

“Sure.”

“I think maybe just one, two songs at most. The festival isn’t until the end of the summer, so we have lots of time.”

“What festival is it again?” I asked.

“OutShine,” he responded.

“What kind of festival is that?” I asked.

“It’s a big arts festival that takes place throughout the city, mostly in parks. There are exhibits and performances, and a huge celebration at the end. It was started a few years ago to raise awareness and money for gay rights.”

“Oh. Are you… I mean….”

“Gay?” Max supplied.

“Yeah.”

“Yes. Are you?”

“I… no, uh I…,” I stuttered. I was stunned by how nonchalant and completely unapologetic he’d been about his sexuality, as though admitting to me he was gay was the most ordinary thing in the whole world. A part of me wished I could do that. I could nod and say the words like it was as natural as telling him I was blond or I liked chocolate ice cream.

“It’s okay, Charlie. No big deal. You don’t have to be gay to participate. Originally, all the artists were gay, but it has grown and evolved now to include everyone, which is how it should be,” Max said, shooting me an understanding look.

I should have corrected him. I should have told him, but I’d never said the words out loud. Hell, it was hard enough for me to form that three-word sentence in my head. Even as I sat there, my brain rebelled, doing its own version of sticking its fingers in its ears and humming. So instead of being honest with him about who I was, I let him assume I was something else.

 

RC

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Cate Ashwood wrote her very first story in a hot-pink binder when she was in the second grade and found her passion for writing. Her first successful foray into romance writing came five years later when she wrote her best friend, who was experiencing a case of unrequited love, her own happily ever after.
Cate’s life has taken a number of different and adventurous roads. She now lives a stone’s throw from the ocean, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband, her brand new little boy, and her two cats. Her life is filled with family and friends, travel, and, of course, books.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/cate.ashwood
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/cateashwood
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/cateashwood/
Other: http://www.cateashwood.com

 STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Giveaway: Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘The Storm Before the Calm’ by Cate Ashwood.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

BannerTemplate

Tour Dates & Stops:
5-Jun
Rainbow Gold Reviews
Because Two Men Are Better Than One
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

8-Jun
Chris McHart
Hearts on Fire
Boys on the Brink Reviews

9-Jun
Cathy Brockman Romances
Divine Magazine

10-Jun
3 Chicks After Dark
Bike Book Reviews

11-Jun
The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

12-Jun
Amanda C. Stone
Love Bytes

15-Jun
Molly Lolly
BFD Book Blog

16-Jun
MM Good Book Reviews
Bayou Book Junkie

17-Jun
Prism Book Alliance
My Fiction Nook

18-Jun
Inked Rainbow Reads
The Hat Party

In the Spotlight: Bound with Love (Regency Reimagined) by Megan Mulry (excerpt and giveaway)

BoundWithLove_400x600

Bound with Love (Regency Reimagined) by Megan Mulry
Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Release Date:  June 8, 2015
Sales Link:   Riptide Publishing

STRW Author BookSynopsis

A perfect life—until one letter threatens to unravel it all…

Lady Vanessa Cambury, Marchioness of Camburton, adores her life of bucolic contentment with her partner, acclaimed portrait painter Nora White. Together, they have raised two children from Vanessa’s first marriage and built a home filled with purpose, ease, happiness, and passion—always passion.

But when Nora receives word that the child she lost twenty years ago is alive and in England, ancient heartache threatens to destroy their idyll.

To salvage their love, they must come to a deeper understanding of who they are—in the world, and to one another.  Nora must learn to overcome the dark shadows of her past. Vanessa must learn to put others’ needs before her own. And Nora’s stubborn daughter must find it in her heart to forgive the mother she thought abandoned her. This unconventional family must rely on the powerful links of love and mercy to bind them back together.

To read an excerpt, visit Riptide Publishing’s Bound With Love page

Book Details:

ebook, 136 pages
Published June 8th 2015 by Riptide Publishing
ISBN139781626492639
edition languageEnglish
series Regency Reimagined

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Megan Mulry writes sexy, stylish, romantic fiction. Her first book, A Royal Pain, was an NPR Best Book of 2012 and USA Today bestseller. Before discovering her passion for romance novels, she worked in magazine publishing and finance. After many years in New York, Boston, London, and Chicago, she now lives with her family in Florida.

Connect with Megan:

Website:  http://meganmulry.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4123439.Megan_Mulry
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/meganmulry
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/meganmulrybooks/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/MeganMulry
Email:mailto:megan@meganmulry.com

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

BoundWithLove_TourBanner (1)

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a $15 Riptide store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on June 13. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to add your email so we can contact you if you win! Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Prizes provided by Riptide Publishing and the author.

Regency Reimagined invites you to enter a sensual realm that defies the rules of polite society, where convent girls are more than curious, and dukes and earls are eager to oblige them—and each other. Pull back the curtain . . . and step into a passionate world that knows no traditional bounds. – See more at Riptide Publishing’s Regency Reimagined Page.

Books in the Regency Reimagined Universe are:

  • Bound to Be A Groom): female/female, female/male, male/male, menage, multiple partners –
  • Bound with Love (A Regency Reimagined Story) female/female, female/male, male/male, menage, multiple partners
  • Bound with Passion (A Regency Reimagined Novel) – same pairing as above
  • Bound with Honor (A Regency Reimagined Novel)- same pairings as above