Down Under Showcase Author: Renae Kaye

Down Under Author

Meet Renae Kaye!

Renae Kaye is the author of The Shearing Gun, Loving Jay, The Blinding Light, and Safe In His Arms. Her books are among Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Best of 2014!

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

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Renae Kaye is a lover and hoarder of books who thinks libraries are devilish places because they make you give the books back. She consumed her first adult romance book at the tender age of thirteen and hasn’t stopped since. After years – and thousands of stories! – of not having book characters do what she wants, she decided she would write her own novel and found the characters still didn’t do what she wanted. It hasn’t stopped her though. She believes that maybe one day the world will create a perfect couple – and it will be the most boring story ever. So until then she is stuck with quirky, snarky and imperfect characters who just want their story told.

Renae lives in Perth, Western Australia and writes in five minute snatches between the demands of two kids, a forbearing husband, too many pets, too much housework and her beloved veggie garden. She is a survivor of being the youngest in a large family and believes that laughter (and a good book) can cure anything.

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Contacts/Follow at :

Twitter @renaekkaye
Website http://renaekaye.weebly.com/
Blog http://renaekaye.weebly.com/renae-blogs
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/renae.kaye.9

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Your Books:

All Published and available at Dreamspinner Press:

Safe In His Arms – released November 2014
The Shearing Gun – released September 2014:

At twenty-five, Hank owns a small parcel of land in Australia’s rural southwest where he supplements his income from the property with seasonal shearing. Hank is a “shearing gun”—an ace shearer able to shear large numbers of sheep in a single day. His own father kicked him out when his sexuality was revealed, and since no one would ever hire a gay shearer, Hank has remained firmly closeted ever since.

Elliot is the newbie doctor in town—city-born and somewhat shell-shocked from his transplant to the country. When a football injury brings Hank to Elliot’s attention, an inappropriate sexual glance and the stuttered apology afterward kickstarts their friendship. Romance and love soon blossom, but it’s hard for either of them to hope for anything permanent. As if the constant threat of being caught isn’t enough, Elliot’s contract runs out after only a year.

Bear Chasing (part of the A Taste Of Honey anthology) – released August 2014
The Blinding Light – released July 2014
Loving Jay – released April 2014:

One thing Liam Turner knows for sure is that he’s not gay—after all, his father makes it very clear he’ll allow no son of his to be gay. And Liam believes it, until a chance meeting with James “Jay” Bell turns Liam’s world upside-down. Jay is vivacious and unabashedly gay—from the tips of his bleached hair to the ends of his polished nails. With a flair for fashion, overreaction, and an inability to cork his verbal diarrhea, Liam believes drama queen Jay must have a screw loose.

An accident as a teenager left Liam with a limp and a fear of driving. He can’t play football anymore either, and that makes him feel like less of a man. But that’s no reason to question his sexuality… unless the accident broke something else inside him. When being with Jay causes Liam’s protective instincts to emerge, Liam starts to believe all he knew in life had been a convenient excuse to stay hidden. From intolerance to confrontations, Liam must learn to overcome his fears—and his father—before he can accept his sexuality and truly love Jay.

Genre(s): Contemporary, humour, LGBTQ fiction, M/M Romance,

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Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Renae Kaye) is an eBook copy of The Blinding Light. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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When did you start writing?

January 2013.

Did you want me to be that specific? **wink** I’ve never written before because my entire life I’ve been told that I wouldn’t be able to, that I was no good at that sort of thing, that I would fail. It took me a long time (and a very persistent thought in my head) before I went, “You know, even if I fail, I can say I tried.”

That first book is still unpublished. Not because it’s crap, but because I haven’t found the correct niche for it yet. My second go at writing a book was published in April 2014 and is called “Loving Jay.”

Were you a reader as a child?

Hell yes! My mother tells me she would have a fight with me each time we were to go to the library (and this was before I was 5 and in school). I never wanted to return my library books.

Just four days ago I found my box of childhood books, lovingly kept for my children. One of the books is stamped “1957” – which I assume was my mother’s childhood book. I looked after my books.

What books as a child has the most impact on you?

As a child I read whatever I could find. I remember Cinderella being my favourite book. When I was eight, I discovered The Famous Five and devoured every one of their books I could find in the library. When I was ten, my cousin gave me a stack of Dolly Fiction books and I was hooked. Around this time I got my first job and was able to buy my own books from the local second-hand store. At 13, my sister gave me a Mills & Boon novel to keep me from bothering her. From then on, it was romance all the way.

So fairytales and romance have always been a huge theme in my reading.

Did that impression carry over into adulthood when you started writing?

I’ll let the readers decide. Do I write sappy love stories with happy endings?

Where do you draw inspiration from?

I’m not sure about other writers, but threads come from all different places. There are visual inspirations (my character of Jay was based on a friend of mine), life experiences (Hank’s farm was based on a place my father owned when I was a child), author statements (Safe In His Arms is a book where I wish to tell people don’t give up!) and social statements (The Blinding Light is my statement of hope for the future).

Sometimes, as an author, I want to bring the experience of Australia to others, so I deliberately write Australian life into the book. Sometimes I just write a scene because it’s goddamn funny.

I try to write multi-dimensional stories, so that you feel that the character is well-rounded and understandable. I like to bring in their families and friends for the reader to meet, and these secondary characters frequently influence the character’s reactions, so the reader needs to understand the relationships and experience the familial ties.

My hope for my stories is realism. I hope my guys feel real, as if this person could be your friend.

Favorite genres to write in and why?

Contemporary and humour are what I most like to write in. I love to meet people and want to know their story. This is my go-to with writing. Normal, everyday people getting their love story in the pages of a book. So most of my characters are everyday people.

The humour is just me. Sorry about that. It’s probably a coping mechanism, but I laugh a lot in life. I can’t write non-humour.

Title or characters or plot? Which comes first?

All three.

The Shearing Gun was born with its name already firmly in place. I chose the characters to fit the title, and the plot just grew from there.

Loving Jay was a working title, until I realised it fit the book so well. This book was character hatched – my exploration of the theme “What if a guy didn’t realise he was gay until he met this glittery peacock of a man?”

The Blinding Light was plot hatched. I had this scenario of a blind man being sent mad by the smell of his new housekeeper. The characters then deemed the ending of the book. I didn’t find the title of this book until the second last chapter.

Safe In His Arms was scenario / character hatched. I had this idea of a twink and a bear in a random hook up. I didn’t know how they were going to make their relationship work, but I just kept writing until they did.

Do you have a favorite character that you have written?

Jay, Jay, Jay – all the way. (Sorry guys – I love you all too, but Jay is special).

Do you have a certain regimen that you follow as a writer?

Quite the opposite, actually. Writing fits in around the rest of my life. There are weeks when it gets chucked out and I don’t have time for it, then there are days where I will spend ten hours on the computer, only getting up to prepare a meal for the family or work out why my 5yo is crying.

What inspired you to write your first book?

There were three main reasons, that all hit me in concert that spawned that first book.

I am a stay-at-home mother, and in January 2013 I was seriously contemplating my future. After being out of the workforce for five years, and being at least two more years away from re-entering, I was considering a career change. I didn’t know whether I should go back to university to retrain, try to find a job in the same industry as previous, or just find a job where no experience was necessary. The thought of writing came to me, and wouldn’t go away. I come from a science, maths and finance background – so a huge step away from arts.

At the same time, I was feeling a little claustrophobic at home. A little worthless, and bored, and “Is this all I’m good for? Changing nappies and washing dishes?”

Then the final push came when I couldn’t find that particular book I wanted to read. I wanted Australian. I wanted humour. I wanted a twink book. Nothing filled the gap. So I decided to do something about it. I would write my own!

Do you have a specific writing style?

LOL. Chuck the words on the page and hope for the best?

What’s the hardest part of writing your books?

Editing. I hate editing.

If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your first book?

Mmm – maybe tighten up some of the editing, add a few sentences to parts of the story that I’ve found readers misinterpreted, but as a whole – NO. This is the book. This is the story.

What book are you reading now?

<cringing> I am a very bad friend. I’m still reading Nic Starr’s A Day at a Time. I haven’t had time to read for pleasure for so long, that I haven’t finished it.

How do you think books written from authors in Australia or New Zealand differ in style, language, and culture?

Of course they do. Although I know there are a lot of Australian authors who write stories based in other countries (and do such a great job of it I didn’t realise they were Australian myself!), I really enjoy the Aussie settings and the Aussie language.

Our language and culture is similar but different from other countries (such as US and UK). It’s hard to pin point exactly what, but when I read an Australian author, it feels like a comfortable old slipper – familiar and safe. There are things I don’t have to automatically adjust for – seasons, language (ie trash vs rubbish), foods mentioned. I can just read.

One of the lessons I’ve learned as an Australian is that my sense of humour is different from some others. I’m not generalising every single person, but as a whole, Australia doesn’t take itself all that seriously. I’ve had readers who don’t get that, and think I’m being offensive.

My first impression of AUS/NZ was from stories and novels like Colleen McCullough’s The Thorn Birds or Nevil Shute’s A Town Like Alice as well as from movies like The Man from Snowy River, The Dish, Rabbit Proof Fence, Strictly Ballroom, and yes, Crocodile Dundee! There are so many out there. What is your favorite AUS/NZ stories and favorite Australian/New Zealand movies?

Oh, I adore The Dish! It encapsulates the way I see Australia. Brave when we need to be, yet we can still laugh at ourselves. Playing cricket on the most important satellite in the Southern Hemisphere? Yeah – that’s pretty ocker. The one-liners in that movie set me off laughing no matter how many times I’ve seen it.

Gasp! “You’ve got a gun! Does Mum know?” “No. And don’t tell her. Or else she’ll come down here and take it off me.”

“How was lunch?”
“Good. I think we ate an entire sheep.”

“In space, how do you think they go to the—?” (makes a whistling sound).
(Looks at the hors d’oeuvres in his hand). “They should just eat one of these. It will bung ‘em up for months.”

“How do they send messages from the space rocket?”
“Carrier pigeon.”

“Thanks for fixing my car.”
(Holds up sledge hammer). “Not a problem.”
If you were a tour guide, what would you like a visitor to see and what impression would you want them to take away with them when they leave?

If you were coming to spend a couple of days with me, I’d start by taking you to the beach in Perth. Top class!

Depending on your interests (and physical abilities!) I’d schedule some boating in there, a river cruise, a day trip maybe to somewhere like New Norcia to visit the monastery, a picnic at the local dam, a hike through the bush at Serpentine or Avon Valley, a night tour of Fremantle Historical prison, a day at Rottnest Island to ride around the island and maybe some horse riding.

The impression I would love a visitor to take away with them is just how laid back and friendly Australians can be.

What’s your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

Where I live in Perth, Western Australia, I’m pretty isolated. Visiting other parts of the country is expensive and requires a plane ride. But I love to head south during summer in the car for 2 hours to a little town called Busselton. We can swim at the beach, the kids play in the sand, and we even go fishing some.

During winter, my favourite getaway is to Broome in the north. My brother-in-law lives there, so as long as we can save money for the airfare, our accommodation is free. Broome beaches are world-class, but I love to get out on the boat and go fishing and crabbing. There’s a place called Gantheaume Point where you can see dinosaur footprints when the tide is out – but to me the great fun is scrambling over the rocks and checking out rock pools.

If you’re ever in Broome, ask a local about the plane crash site. You need to check the tides, but during a Japanese WWII air raid, two planes crashed offshore. The wrecks are located 1.5km off the beach and are uncovered for about an hour once a month. You can walk over the mudflats to see them. Great fun.

What are your current projects?

Spin offs. Loving Jay, The Blinding Light, Safe In His Arms. All of them have spin offs I need to finish.

What’s next up for you?

Shawn’s Law. Due out at the beginning of March I think. This is a huge comedy that will be bad for Australian tourism. I actually wondered how many Australian animals I could get to attack my guy before the end of the book. I didn’t manage a huge amount (just the important ones! **wink**) but maybe I should write a sequel and include the rest…
Thanks for having me on your blog and I hope you have fun hanging out with all these Aussie authors!
Cheers,
Renae Kaye

Down Under Week Day 8: Author Renae Kaye, AUS/NZ Facts and Contest Details

Welcome to Day 8 of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Down Under Author Showcase. Today’s featured author is Aussie writer Renae Kay, author of The Shearing Gun, Safe in His Arms, The Blinding Light and more. Look for the reviews of those books to follow Renae Kaye’s author page.

Australia Fact of the Day!

One of the interesting facts about Australia is that Australia is the biggest island and the smallest continent in the world. And

Australia is the driest inhabited continent on earth, the driest of all

is Antarctica. Find out more about Australia here.

Tasmania

New Zealand Fact of the Day

There are no snakes in the country even though 18. 30% of the country is forest. Even more impressive?

Highest Mountain, Aoraki Mount Cook!

New Zealand’s (and Australasia’s) highest mountain is Aoraki Mount Cook. It is 3,754 metres (12,316 ft) high. The mountain formerly appeared on maps as Mount Cook. In 1998, the mountain was officially renamed Aoraki Mount Cook to incorporate its Maori name. The renaming was part of a settlement in which the Crown also returned ownership of the mountain to the Ngai Tahu tribe, who then gifted it back to the New Zealand nation. Aoraki translates from the Ngai Tahu language as “cloud piercer”. This takes on even greater meaning when you understand that the Maori name of New Zealand is Aotearoa which means the land of the long white cloud.

Learn more about New Zealand here.

Now, while you are learning about Renae Kaye, her story and books, make sure to find the Down Under Scavenger Hunt word of the day, enter Bottom Drawer Publications contest listed on the Down Under Author Showcase Page on the menu. And if you know of anyone who has traveled to either or both New Zealand or Australia and would share their favorites sites, or memories, let them know that we would love to have them share them with us.

A Sammy Review: Spartan Love (Spartan Love #1) by Kayla Jameth

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

With a final sigh of satisfaction, he ran his hand over the smooth surface and placed the bowl on the ground. His small act of creation was in no way comparable to what the gods had achieved, but it still gave him satisfaction and a sense of pleasure.

Andreas lost his father to a kryptes when he was a small child, and his mother to illness just four years ago. Now he lives alone, toiling the land he lives on with only the company of the animals and the occasional neighbor.

Being a helot, certain rules apply – like not being inside after the sun sets. Darkness brings kryptes, young warriors who are given permission to slay the helots. It’s dangerous, and one night, Andreas barely escapes.

But that kryptes enters his home, takes his food… and out of need for something more, friendship – a companion, Andreas begins to leave food, an offering to the kryptes.

As the days go on, Andreas boldness grows, and one day, he invites the kryptes in, and Theron isn’t quite like the bloodthirsty stories he’s heard, like the kryptes who slaughtered his father.

But a man loving a man is forbidden in Sparta, not to mention a helot and a kryptes are as different in status as one can get. But some things are just impossible to resist.

He’d thought the warrior fearless, but maybe there were things even a warrior had to fear.

Kayla Jameth does a superb job of bringing the ancient world of warriors, slaves, and gods to life. It is clear from the very beginning that a great deal of research went into this book, and that’s very deliberately laid out for the reader.

Some may find it difficult to get through the different words, but a glossary at the end proves to be most helpful and a great reference point throughout the book – and for a history geek like me, just plain fun to read anyways.

I really enjoyed the setting and the characters, but I think I wanted to see even more of Theron’s personality. I got a very good grasp of Andreas, but not quite so with Theron. I missed hearing more about his warrior instincts that were literally beat into him. On that same line of characters, I so loved the personality given to Ictis and Pan.

Still, I had some problems. Around the 40% mark or so, it began to drag, and drag, and drag some more. It became monotonous to me. Their internal battles felt like they were repeated a bit too much, and I was ready to move on, and then when we did, I felt like I just kept getting more of Andreas and his daily activities, which is fine, but it just wasn’t very… lively. Even when Theron initially gets sick, things didn’t really pick up for me, except when Apollo became involved. (Speaking of Apollo, I loved the element that the Gods brought to this. It was a bit fantasy, but treated as real – as it is real in this place in time. It was really nice.)

I was waiting for something more to happen, and I kept waiting, and it never did. This story is incomplete, a cliffhanger in my eyes. It sort of just stops and leaves a lot of questions and things unexplored. For example, Andreas never tells Theron about what happened to his father, which I felt was pretty important.

This is listed as a series, but it ended almost more like a serial fiction to me. I checked the authors site and it mentioned that the next book follows not only Andreas and Theron but also Coridan, and I really hope it isn’t made into a threesome. It’d just muddle a perfectly complicated relationship that the story is just beginning to depict.

But nevertheless, I look forward to seeing their journey continue, and I am hoping for a bit more action in the upcoming books. We’ve got a very solid foundation of how their lives are, now I’m hoping to see things take off and the plot grow.

The cover art by Catt Ford is fitting. The red cloak is a signature in the story and for kryptes in general, so I’m glad that it is depicted here. I just wonder if the men on the cover appear a bit too old for Theron and Andreas.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 210 pages
Published December 8th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632162670
edition languageEnglish
seriesSpartan Love #1, Apollo’s Men #2

Down Under Showcase Author: Michelle Rae

Down Under Showcase Author of the Day

Meet Michelle Rae

Michelle Rae is the author of Time for Destiny, and other stories listed below.

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

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Michelle Rae lives in lovely Adelaide, South Australia. She began writing fan fiction for her son in 2007, which led to bigger and better things. Writing LGBT stories became her passion after discovering the genre in 2008. Determined to write her greatest story, Michelle dedicates endless hours hoping to achieve this dream. In her spare time, Michelle likes to drink tea, eat peppermint chocolate and keep the last of her sanity intact.

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Contacts/Follow Michelle Rae at :

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5764348.Michelle_Rae

Website http://www.moralfortitude.com

Tumblr https://www.tumblr.com/blog/michelleraewriter

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/michelleraewriter

Google + https://plus.google.com/u/0/+MichelleRae-Writer

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Your Books:

Time for Destiny by Michelle Rae:

When Daniel Wilson, oldest of five children in a troubled family, joined the military, he expected to see combat in Iraq. But it comes as quite a shock when a Rupee minted a century and a half ago transports him to that dangerous time in war-torn colonial India. After he meets and falls in love with Vir during his visit to 1857, he faces the greatest challenge of his life. He knows he may ultimately lose Vir because he belongs in a different time. Still, he wants desperately to keep his love alive despite threats of violence from both wars.

Book Details:

ebook, 198 pages
Published August 22nd 2014 by Dreamspinner Press (first published November 1st 2011)
ISBN139781627988049
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Divine Intervention (Smashwords)
Michelle Rae has also published collections of short stories, find them at her website or at Goodreads.

Genre(s): Gay romance / fantasy

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Contests and Giveaways:

1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you, Michelle Rae) is an ebook copy of Time For Destiny. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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

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Q. When did you start writing?

I started writing in 2008. Firstly fan fiction stories for my son and later moved onto writing gay romance when I discovered the genre.

Q. Were you a reader as a child?

I love reading as a child and often our neighbours would give me book to reads.

Q.What books as a child has the most impact on you?

There was this one story that had a huge impact on me and for so long I couldn’t remember who wrote it and what it was called. I’ve asked my family and friends, as well, often posting it on social media to see if anyone can help me. I know it was about a boy, who had to use a door, when the portal broke. It was only recently I finally found this story and had the pleasure of reading it again. When I did, I remembered why I loved it so much. The story was – It’s such a beautiful day by Isaac Asimov.

Q. Where do you draw inspiration from?

Everyday things I see and here. My newest stories I’m writing was inspired by a webcomic called The Young Protectors.

Q. Favorite genres to write in and why?

I mostly write romance but recently I’ve been writing fantasy / adventure – where friendships are the most important relationship.

Q. Title or characters or plot? Which comes first?

The plot is always born first, followed by the characters. I often have problems finding the right title and tend to find it comes to me after I’ve started writing my story.

Q. Favorite quote (doesn’t matter the source)?

It’s that you can’t, it’s that you haven’t tried – not sure if it’s quoted anywhere but I tell this to my son often – it’s my favorite.

Q. Favorite book/story you have read as an adult.

Can I say Harry Potter, I was addicted to them for a long time.

Q. Do you have a certain regimen that you follow as a writer?

I plot everything out on paper first. Write character profiles and the structure of my story. Once I have the layout of my story, I write it.

Q. What inspired you to write your first book?

I wanted a way to express myself and have something that was about me. When I started writing stories for my son, his joy from them inspired me to grow.

Q. Do you have a specific writing style?

Write fast – spend months editing.

Q. What’s the hardest part of writing your books?

Editing – it’s at this time I realise just how bad my writing can be and it takes a lot of work for me to go back and make the story work.

Q. If you had to do it all over again, would you change anything in your first book?

No at all. Every story I have written, I love.

Q. My first impression of AUS/NZ was from stories and novels like Colleen McCullough’s The Thorn Birds or Nevil Shute’s A Town Like Alice as well as from movies like The Man from Snowy River, The Dish, Rabbit Proof Fence, Strictly Ballroom, and yes, Crocodile Dundee! There are so many out there. What is your favorite AUS/NZ stories and favorite Australian/New Zealand movies?

How can you go past Priscilla, Queen of the Dessert – my all time favourite Australian movie. [note; its one of mine as well, blame poor memory that its missing above!]

Q. What’s your favorite spot to visit in your own country? And what makes it so special to you?

Our national parks. Our gum trees are so tall and beautiful. The wildlife is everywhere, the birds break the silence with their amazing calls. The sound of the leaves in the wind. Adelaide is a beautiful, quiet city and one I love living in.

Q. What are your current projects?

The Sphere is my current story and one I wrote for National Novel Writers Month 2014. It’s a sci-fi/fantasy about a young women who becomes the personal assistant to a female supervillain.

Q. What’s next up for you?

I’m working on getting one of my older stories – Cat Got Your Tongue – out as a paperback. With the amount of editing I’ve been doing the last few months I surprised myself I was able to write a new story.

On Tour with Karen Stivali’s Moment of Impact (book tour and contest)

Book Name: Moment of Impact (Book one in the Moments in Time series)
Goodreads Link
Author Name: Karen Stivali

Author Bio:

Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies and fictional British men. Karen is a multiple award-winning author of contemporary romance. She writes novels about love…like real life, only hotter.

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Anna Sikorska

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press All Romance (ARe)

Main Author pages: Amazon B&N

Blurb:

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

Excerpt from MOMENT OF IMPACT (Book 1 of the Moments In Time Series by Karen Stivali)

Don’t blow this. Not now. Not when he’s right here. So close. So… Forcing myself to move, I reached out and clutched at his shoulder. His skin was smooth, warm. I pressed my fingers into his flesh with enough force, he flinched. His gaze darted to mine, wary.

Swallowing hard, I willed myself to maintain eye contact. “I didn’t think I wanted that, until I met you.”

Tanner’s gaze raced back and forth between my hand, which was still gripping his shoulder, and my eyes, which felt like they were about to bulge out of my skull. I couldn’t blink. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think.

Do something. Say something.

Then his mouth crashed into mine.

I like kissing. I always have. Even though I wasn’t super into any of the girls I’d been with, kissing was the one thing I still enjoyed. Warm mouths, wet tongues, moving together. It felt good. I seriously thought I’d done some decent kissing in my life.

I was wrong. Tanner’s mouth on mine for one fucking second proved to me that what I’d done before might have looked like kissing, might have felt like kissing, but was like the frozen french bread pizza version of kissing. Nothing like the real thing.

Nothing like this.

His tongue swept into my mouth, hot and velvety. His hand gripped the back of my neck, tugging me upright. Everything fell away. Disappeared. The whole world was this one kiss. I could have drowned in it and died happy.

Tanner pulled away, breathing hard, his forehead pressed to mine. The room spun like a carnival ride.

“You okay?”

His voice sounded lower than usual. Deep and gravelly. I gave a shaky nod, and he tipped his head back, looking at me.

“You sure?”

“Yeah.” My heart beat double time as I realized he still had his hands on me. And he was still naked. And I was probably harder than I’d ever been in my entire life. Jesus.

“We can stop.”

“No.” That wasn’t what I wanted. Not at all. “I just… I mean… we’re roommates. What if this doesn’t work out?”

Tanner’s lips pulled into a grin so sexy my brain turned to oatmeal. He rubbed the back of my neck. “So, one kiss and you’re already thinking about what happens if we break up?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know.”

“Let’s see how we feel after another kiss.”
Pages or Words: 125 pages

 Tour Dates: January 7, 2015

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Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Candy Man by Amy Lane

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Adam Macias is virtually homeless when he arrives at his cousin Rico’s apartment to housesit/petsit while Rico is away for six months. Out of a job, money and a place to live, even his car broke down on the way to Sacramento to do this favor for Rico, a favor which Adam sees as his last chance to redeem himself after a string of life disasters, including outing himself just before he left the military.

All he wants to do is survive, but suddenly he finds himself on the receiving end of good things—including a job, a boss and co-workers who like him, people who like his art work, and best of all—a boyfriend.

When Finn Stewart comes bouncing into his life as a happy-go-lucky young man who just exudes positive energy, Adam is at first confused and taken aback, but eventually he fully embraces the fact that he likes Finn, in fact, he needs Finn in a way he’s never needed anyone before. All his life he’s been the boy who was not wanted by either his mother or his grandmother. He’s been stereotyped as a troublemaker, not worth anyone’s time or attention. Joining the Army was his attempt to show his value, but when he returned home and shared with his family that he was gay, his grandmother literally slammed the door in his face and reiterated how just how worthless and useless he was.

Because of his history of low self-esteem from listening to those negative messages, it’s hard for Adam to accept the positive things now happening in his life, but Finn—bright, cheerful Finn, brings Adam hope. One of my favorite early scenes occurs when he’s kissing Finn and Finn tells him that they’ll kiss more, but not tonight. And Adam realizes that he’ll do whatever Finn wants. Paraphrasing Adam’s thoughts–he had no moral code about sex but he does have a moral code about Finn, and whatever Finn says is the code.

Slowly but surely, tough-guy Adam who hasn’t had any value to anyone suddenly has value to others, and he realizes as he’s smiling for the second time one day that the smiling and camaraderie he’s experiencing at work and with Finn is “softening the parts of his soul made brittle by pain”. I love Amy Lane’s descriptions of the emotional complexities of everyday living.

This book is not long, but it’s packed with a powerful message of hope and love as we witness Adam healing from the hurt and pain he’s lived with for years as he receives the positive layers of energy and love being shared with him on all fronts. There’s fun and whimsy in the form of his boss Darrin who knew that Adam would come into their lives when he read the Pixy Stix, his form of reading tea leaves. And there’s both comedy and tragedy as Adam copes with caring for Rico’s pets—from the big, overeager boxer named Clopper to the crazy old cat named Gonzo who dies on Adam’s watch. Then there’s Finn’s family—healthy, robust, cheerful, loveable, and everything you’d hope for in the ideal family to help Adam heal. And Finn? He’s adorable, strong, loving, and as supportive as a rock for Adam as he finds his way to happiness.

I highly recommend this one to all lovers of M/M romance, especially if you love a damaged hero who’s able to heal with the help of an upbeat, positive character. There’s no denying that there’s angst in this tale, but there’s love galore and so many positives that I feel energized from reading it. I sure would love to see a sequel from this one!

Very highly recommended.

Cover Art by Paul Richmond— Primarily depicts the small shopping area where the candy store is located, lots of candy, and Clopper, the dog— all great representations of the story. In addition, the bright colorful cover conveys the “feel good” energy that’s found within the story itself.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 136 pages
Published December 3rd 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632166791
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.greenshill.com/

A MelanieM Review: The Body on the Beach (Under the Southern Cross) by L.J. LaBarthe

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

It’s 1920 in Adelaide, the only free colony in Australia. When a body on the beach is found to be marked up with Chinese symbols, it only makes sense for the local constable to call upon William “Billy” Liang for advice and help with the investigation. Billy Liang, prominent member of both cultures in Adelaide, has often worked as a liaison between the various emigrant societies in Adelaide and the white establishment.

With his lover and business manager, Tom Williams, at his side (and with the support of Billy’s wife), Billy and Tom must investigate a crime that looks to implicate the local Chinese community in the murder. Billy and Tom deal with illegal opium dens, fantan games and gambling, racism, and being shot at throughout the investigation. And while Billy’s family accepts the love he and Tom share, Australia’s laws against sodomy and homosexuality pose a constant danger. It’s a delicate balance that Billy and Tom maintain, one that this murder and the ripples it sets in motion threaten to destroy.

The Body on the Beach, part of the Under the Southern Cross Anthology, is a perfect little window into a time and societal framework of 1920 Adelaide, Australia. L.J. LaBarthe recreates gallimaufry of cultures that is Adelaide, a situation that hasn’t changed much today. Within the limits of the town, there exists the Chinese, the Greeks, the Russians, and more nationalities that have flooded into the region and are now coexisting, however uneasily, with the white population. I especially loved the intimate look at the Chinese community from the viewpoint of Billy Liang. The character of William “Billy” Liang is a compelling one. He acts as the bridge between all the “foreigners” and the local establishment by way of his success as a businessman and his status within the Chinese insular community. And he does so successfully because he lives in both worlds in his private life. He is married to an intelligent, understanding wife who accepts his love and relationship with Tom. Indeed, they have created for themselves their own insulated world where their servants are supportive of their unique relationship dynamics, including the fact that he and Tom live in one section of the huge house and his wife in another.

Some readers might balk at this arrangement, but as its laid out here by L.J. LaBarthe, it not only works but we enjoy the camaraderie and ease in which they all deal with each other. I enjoyed Billy’s wife for her grace and intelligence as much as I did Tom, a terrific balancing act indeed.

While the plot has Tom and Billy investigating a complex murder, it was all the descriptions of the various sides to Adelaide and its people that I really enjoyed. I felt as though I was there, walking the streets and beaches with Billy and Tom. There is the realistic aspect of racism that has to be dealt with along with the need to keep their sexuality and true nature of their relationship hidden. And within all of that complicated framework, a murderer needs to be caught and brought to justice.

When an author brings me takes me back to the past and makes it feel alive once more, as LaBarthe does here, then I feel that I have taken a marvelous journey, one I was unwilling to see end. The Body on the Beach is just such a story. If you are unfamiliar with L. J. LaBarthe, this is a wonderful place to start!

Cover Artist Anne Cain. How I love this cover! Everything, from the design to the characters, pull you in as does this story.

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

Book Details:

ebook
Published March 13th 2013 by Dreamspinner Press (first published March 12th 2013)
ISBN139781623805494
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3630
seriesUnder the Southern Cross

Down Under Author Showcase – L.J. LaBarthe

Meet L.J. LaBarthe

L. J. LaBarthe is the author of many series and novels (listed below).

To get to know L.J. LaBarthe a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt question and clue found somewhere within.

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Author Bio:

L.J. LaBarthe is a French-Australian woman, who was born during the Witching Hour, just after midnight. From this auspicious beginning, she went on to write a prize-winning short story about Humpty Dumpty wearing an Aussie hat complete with corks dangling from it when she was six years old. From there, she wrote for her high school yearbook, her university newspaper, and, from her early teens to her twenties, produced a fanzine about the local punk rock music scene. She enjoys music, languages, TV, film, travel, cooking, eating out, abandoned places, urbex, history, and researching.

L.J. loves to read complicated plots and hopes to do complex plot lines justice in her own writing. She writes paranormal, historical, urban fantasy, and contemporary Australian stories, usually m/m romance and featuring m/m erotica.
L.J. lives in the city of Adelaide, and is owned by her cat.

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Website: http://www.ljlabarthe.com/
Blog: http://misslj_author.livejournal.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lj.labarthe.9
Twitter: @brbsiberia
Tumblr: http://dreadpiratestarkiller.tumblr.com/
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/dreadpiratestar/
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/lj.labarthe.9
Google +: https://plus.google.com/117252756118475570457

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Author’s Books, Series, and Stories:
The Archangel Chronicles with Dreamspinner Press.
• No Quarter
• No Surrender, No Retreat
• No Shadows Fall
• The Wind-up Forest
• The Crystal Lake
• The Bone Cup
• A Shot in the Dark
• A Fire in the Heart
• A Candle in the Sun

City of Jade with Dreamspinner Press
Mythica with Bottom Drawer Publications
Waiting for the Moon and You with Dreamspinner Press
Brick by Brick with Dreamspinner Press (Co-written with Cate Ashwood)
Swimming with Elephants with Dreamspinner Press (forthcoming release available as a novella and part of the Piece Us Back Together anthology)
Ice with Less Than Three Press
The Body on the Beach with Dreamspinner Press (available as a novella and part of the Under the Southern Cross anthology) – one of the Down Under Author Scavenger Hunt Prizes!
Capsicum Head in the Rockin’ Hard Vol. 2 anthology with Less Than Three Press
Sunburnt Country in the Something Happened on the Way to Heaven anthology with Less Than Three Press

Genre(s):

With the exception of Brick by Brick, Swimming with Elephants, Capsicum Head, The Body on the Beach, City of Jade and Waiting for the Moon and You, all my books are paranormals.

Contemporaries: Brick by Brick, Swimming with Elephants, Capsicum Head, Waiting for the Moon and You.

Historicals: City of Jade, The Body on the Beach.

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1. Today’s Giveaway (thank you,L.J. LaBarthe) is an eBook copy of any of the first 6 Archangel books, City of Jade or Mythica. Enter using this Rafflecopter link here.
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Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

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

**************Now on to our Interview with L. J. LaBarthe….

Q• When did you start writing?

I don’t remember not writing, to be honest! I used to draw a lot and write little stories to go with my drawings.

Q• Were you a reader as a child?

Voracious. I was a shy kid, and spent a lot of time with books.

Q • Where do you draw inspiration from?

Everywhere. From the weather, the garden, places I’ve visited or documentaries I’ve seen, to history, research (I love research!), news articles to movies, music, TV shows. Just about anything and everything!

Q• Favorite genres to write in and why?

Paranormal, historical, fantasy and science fiction, because those are the genres I prefer to read.

Q• Title or characters or plot? Which comes first?

Usually, it’s a scene and then everything springs from that. There are exceptions to that of course, the book I’m working on at the moment, “Song of Song,” the title came first and everything else fell into place in my head with a loud clunk!

Q• Do you have a favorite character that you have written?

Archangels Gabriel, Raziel and Uriel and Archdemon Adramelek from my Archangel series.

Q• Favorite quote (doesn’t matter the source)?

“You keep using that word. I do not think it means what you think it means.”

– Said by Inigo Montoya, from “The Princess Bride.”

Q• Favorite book/story you have read as an adult?

Only one? I can’t do just one! I love the “Night Watch” series by Uzbek writer Sergey Lukyanenko, those are fantastic books. Then there’s the Danilov series by Jasper Kent, which is brilliantly done. “The Prince and the Program” by Aldous Mercer, “Child 44” by Tom Rob Smith, “31 Things” by Cate Ashwood, “The Cuckoo’s Calling” by J. K. Rowling… so many more.

Q• What’s the hardest part of writing your books?

Titles! I am really terrible at coming up with titles. “No Quarter,” for example, went through thirteen title changes until it became that, and that was thanks to my good friend Meredith Shayne suggesting it to me.

Q• What book are you reading now?

“New Watch” by Sergey Lukyanenko, which is his latest release; “The Silkworm” by J. K. Rowling.

Q• How do you think books written from authors in Australia or New Zealand differ in style, language, and culture?

I think we use a lot more slang. Our slang is rhyming slang and is often quite colourful. We also spell with British English, so the ‘u’ is still present in words like colour.

Q• My first impression of AUS/NZ was from stories and novels like Colleen McCullough’s The Thorn Birds or Nevil Shute’s A Town Like Alice as well as from movies like The Man from Snowy River, The Dish, Rabbit Proof Fence, Strictly Ballroom, and yes, Crocodile Dundee! There are so many out there. What is your favorite AUS/NZ stories and favorite Australian/New Zealand movies?

I’m going to be a bit different here and choose a TV show. The Australian show, “Offspring” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Offspring_(TV_series)) is my choice, because not only is it brilliantly written, it’s a pretty accurate representation of middle class, inner suburban life. The show also doesn’t shy away from topics like death, addiction, child birth, and has not just heterosexual couples but gay and lesbian couples as well. The last three episodes of season four, for instance, had me bawling, completely ugly crying. And Twitter was on fire because of this particular plot line, so much so, that the band, The Offspring, took to Twitter to say that nothing had happened to them, and the police department local to where the show is set, had to issue a statement saying there would be no investigation into what happened. (I’m avoiding spoilers, in case readers want to watch the show!)

And there were more tears in season five, and I hate crying at TV/movies/books, but I love, love, love this show, even though it turns me into the ugly crying author!

Q• If you were a tour guide, what would you like a visitor to see and what impression would you want them to take away with them when they leave?

The Flinders Ranges in outback South Australia. Not just because this is my own favourite part of the country and I live in SA, but because it really is stunningly beautiful, no matter what time of year you visit.

Q• What are your current projects?

I have six (!!!) titles coming out in 2015, so I foresee a LOT of editing in my near future. The last three Archangel books are coming out, as is “Brick by Brick,” “Swimming with Elephants” and “Waiting for the Moon and You.”

I’m also on the home stretch of the first draft of my sci-fi space opera m/m romance, called “Song of Song,” and I’m really enjoying writing it, so much so that it feels as if the book has written itself.

• What’s next up for you?

A bit of rest, I think. Then I’ll get back into it. I’ve got a few works in progress that I’d like to finish and a few plot bunnies I’d like to start. Either way, there will be more tales told, and more books.

Q What are the questions you would like to see answered for the Scavenger Hunt? one answer will do.

1. Aussie slang – what am I doing if I’m using the telling bone? or.

2: Aussie slang – what bird is on the South Australian coat of arms? send your answers to me along with the other words/clues at the end of the month.

Down Under Day 6: L.J. LaBarthe, AUS/NZ Facts and Contest Details

Welcome to Day 6 of STRW Down Under Author Showcase. Our Featured Author today is L. J. LaBarthe, a prolific author of multiple series and stand alone romances. Make sure you visit her page, check out her bio and books. And don’t forget to enter her giveaway contest and search out the Scavenger Hunt word of the Day as well as enter Bottom Drawer Publications contest on the Down Under Author Showcase Page.

Australia Fact of the Day:

Australia’s Migrants I
Around 24% of Australia’s residents were born overseas. This compares with 20% in New Zealand, 17% in Canada, 10% in the USA and 6% in the UK.

Australia’s Migrants II
Australia has been a magnet for immigration for many years. In fact, Australia’s immigration policy used to be targeted towards attracting people from the British Isles. The emphasis now is to attract anyone from anywhere who has the skills to contribute to Australia’s development.

City of Adelaide Skyline – see link for more information about Adelaide.

New Zealand Fact of the Day:

It’s a fact: at 41.2o South, Wellington is the most southerly capital city on the planet. Cities on similar latitudes in the Northern hemisphere are Barcelona, Istanbul and Chicago.

A Mika Review: In Too Deep by Kate Sherwood

Rating: 4 stars out of 5:

At first glance, Cade and Aiden hardly seem like a match made in heaven. Their worlds couldn’t be further apart. Cade is quiet, serious, and determined to succeed; Aiden’s a party-loving frat boy. Cade comes from a rough home and worked hard to get the scholarships that make it possible for him to attend college; Aiden’s had it all thrown in his lap by supportive, kind, and wealthy parents. Cade wants nothing to do with Aiden, but from the moment they meet, Aiden is determined to find a way to bring their different worlds together.   Aiden manages to persuade Cade he’s a decent guy, and a tentative friendship becomes much more. But a trip to Aiden’s family cottage puts Cade in the path of a ghost from his past, and a dark secret he never expected to face again. Cade did what he had to do to escape his dead-end life, but now he sees he didn’t leave it as far behind him as he thought.

First off, it needs a really good proofreading. That’s first, besides the grammar issue this is one of the best Kate Sherwood books IMO. I truly loved these two. It was definitely angst filled all throughout the story. Both boys were truly lovable. I think I heart Aiden, because he was so persistent in what he wanted. He didn’t take no for an answer, and yes it was times that he should have walked away and forgot about Cade, but I understand wanting to love that 1 person who inspires you to be a better person. Aiden was very brazen to keep going after someone who seemed so stand offish from the beginning. I liked Cade, I hate what he had to go through as a child and young man, but I applaud him for never giving up. His adolescence was super hard, but it didn’t deter him from wanting to be a better human being.

Once again we see people who have children, but can’t stay safe enough to raise them. I know a ton of people probably would have DNF the book because of the attraction seemed so one-sided, but the introvert that Cade was needed someone to fight for him. Cade needed someone to care enough to break him out of his comfort zones, and I loved that about Aiden. Aiden is super nice, comforting, he’s sweetheart. I didn’t see a mean bone in his body, I liked that he stood up for Cade in front of his mom. I even adored him for not apologizing for being fortunate in his life to never have to want.

I knew reading this there was something that Cade was hiding about himself, and the big reveal was realistic, things like this happen in every day life. I liked how the author wrote the scenes after everything came to play out. I do wish we had some epilogue to see how they are a year later. I really enjoyed reading this book. I recommend this book to all angst readers, and people who like HFN or HEA, people are fight for their great true loves!

Cover Artist Christy Caughie created this cover, I don’t quite know if I pictured Aiden as a blond even though Cade referred to him as the”golden boy”. I do think boy guys were represented well, and it fits with the story.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 234 pages
Published December 1st 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632161253
edition languageEnglish

Down Under Author

Meet Renae Kaye!

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Meet Michelle Rae

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Meet L.J. LaBarthe

L. J. LaBarthe is the author of many series and novels (listed below).

To get to know L.J. LaBarthe a little better, she agreed to an interview. Look for her guest post below and the Down Under Scavenger Hunt question and clue found somewhere within.

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Australia Fact of the Day:

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