On Tour with Belinda McBride’s An Uncommon Whore 3: Prince of Faith (contest)

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Check out Belinda McBride’s latest release in her An Uncommon Whore series, A Prince of Faith.  Excerpt and contest can be found below.

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Now let’s get up close and personal with Belinda McBride…

STRW:  A Prince of Faith is the 3 book in An Uncommon Whore series? Can it be read as a stand alone or must the series be read in the order they were written to understand this story and characters?

Belinda:  Yes, Prince of Faith is the third book in the Uncommon Whore series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but to get the most enjoyment out of the book, I’d suggest reading it as part of the series.

STRW:   When writing a novel, do you know in advance if it is to be a series or stand alone?  Or can it change along the way?

Belinda:  Generally I know when I’m going to be doing a series, especially when the world building is fairly extensive. Sometimes I’ve written a stand-alone story and realized along the way that there’s really more to the story than I’m telling in that first book. That was the case with An Uncommon Whore. It was meant to be a short novel and as I finished the book I realized that Helios and Griffin had a very deep story to tell, so one book was clearly not going to be enough.

STRW:  Some authors have said the characters “speak” to them. Do yours do that? Or are they planned out along with the stories?

Belinda:  Sometimes characters do really “pop” and take on a life of their own. I do fairly extensive character development on paper, but there are characters (like Helios) who seem to spring intact from my brain with a voice and personality of their own. April Bleu in Blacque/Bleu was another of those characters; she had no place in the outline of the book. She just rolled into town on a motorcycle and was too awesome to send away!

STRW: I love your vampire and werewolf stories as well as your fantasy. Do you have a favorite genre to write in?

Belinda:  I really enjoy science fiction and space opera. For some reason, I just love the limitless potential of the genre, as well as the action that is inherent to it. But since I’ve been known to send my werewolves into space, I have a hard time picking favorites! LOL!

STRW:   How many books to you have planned for this series or is it open ended?

Belinda:  The Uncommon series is really part of a large sci fi universe I call Coalition. It includes The Bacchi and Belle Starr. While I do plan to end the Uncommon series at book 4, I have no doubt Helios and Griffin will be back in some capacity. I’d also like to do stories for some of the supporting characters that appear in their books.

STRW:  What comes first universe or characters? Do you feel you have to have a world to put them down in or do you have a romance in mind first and then create everything around it?

Belinda:  You know, that really varies. Sometimes I have a scenario or a feeling that captures my imagination. I’ll write a few lines and tuck them away in a file. For example I wanted to write a vampire with insomnia. That’s where Oliver Bleu came from. Griffin Hawke was in my file as a “…one eyed, one balled rapscallion” who was escorting a princess to her castle. I also want to write a book about a bunch of misfits on a spaceship. Once I started playing with that idea, I started harvesting damaged characters from some of the other books I’d written. Other times, I have a very strong idea of the story before I start writing. Blacque and Bleu was completely plotted before I started the book.

STRW:. Will you return to the world of Blaque and Bleu anytime soon? Or are you done with that universe and characters?

Belinda:  I plan one more m/m story in that universe and then will turn to a m/m/f trilogy featuring the women who have appeared in the series. I haven’t finished with Oliver and Lukas, but their story will probably play out as a sub-plot in Dane’s story, but I’m also considering a novella for them. Frankly, I’ll probably always play around in Arcada, there are some great characters lurking on the sidelines.

STRW:   What childhood book or story had the greatest impact on you as a child and writer today?

Belinda:  That’s a tough question because I learned to read really, really early and once I started reading, I read copiously and well beyond my age level. I think the book/s that most affected me as a child and continue to influence me as an adult are Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings trilogy and Georgette Heyer’s Black Sheep. The Tolkien books opened my eyes to fantasy and made me realize I wasn’t the only one having these off dreams and imaginings. And Black Sheep introduced me to romance, dark anti-heroes and tough as nails heroines.

STRW:  What’s next for Belinda McBride?

Belinda McBride:  Lots, actually! I’m currently working on a Doms of Dark Haven/Truckee Wolves cross-over featuring Destiny: the sometimes intrepid and often naked receptionist from Dark Haven. I’m throwing her to the wolves. LOL! I’m also playing with a few different series ideas, some with cowboys, Frenchmen and more science fiction. I’m also developing another Belle Starr story. So lots on the drawing board!

STRW:  Thank you, Belinda, for the great interview.  I know fans of your series are lining up to see what’s in store for their favorite characters next. Now check out a Prince of Faith and don’t forget to enter the contest!

Book Name: An UncommonWhore 3: Prince of Faith
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22931220-prince-of-faith
Author Name: Belinda McBride

Author Bio:

Belinda is an award-winning, top selling author of erotic romance, speculative fiction and LGBTQ romance. She lives in far Northern California with her family and a pack of Siberian Huskies.

A graduate of CSU Chico, she managed to attend the notorious party school without once getting drunk, arrested or appearing in a “Girls Gone Wild” video. Her main focus of study was classical and archival history, cultural anthropology and theatre arts.

After several years in the workforce. Belinda purchased a laptop computer and from there, knew that her childhood dream of being an author would come to life.

Belinda’s books are available at all the typical distributors as well as on the publisher’s homepages.

Author Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Belinda-McBride/49209583129?ref=bookmarks
@Belinda_McBride

BM_UW3_princeoffaith_coverin_1Title:  A Prince of Faith (An Uncommon Whore #3) by Belinda McBride
Publisher: Loose ID
Cover Artist: PL Nunn

Sales Links:   Loose id

A Prince of Faith Blurb:

Held captive in a whorehouse, Markus Dayspring wakes every morning with a thirst for revenge, and collapses every night with a prayer for strength. He lives on in spite of deadly addictions and a crippling, shameful secret. When he’s rescued by a man from his past, his reawakened love threatens to crush his damaged soul.

Caius also has a secret, one that could ultimately kill him. But his vow to rescue Markus is stronger than guilt, fear and even his loyalty to King Helios. Too many have died because of Caius and rescuing the missing prince might allow him to sleep without nightmares.

Old habits are hard to break and new pain threatens their growing love. Yet one gleaming ray of hope continues to guide them to safety, even in the face of an unexpected violation of trust. With the stakes growing higher by the hour, Markus and Caius must learn to have faith before they can heal and face the future together.

Categories: Fantasy, M/M Romance, Romance, Science Fiction

A Prince of Faith Excerpt:

PoFBadgeTemplateTour Dates/Stops:
10/21: Rainbow Gold Reviews, Sinfully Sexy
10/22: Multitasking Mommas, Kimi-Chan
10/23: Prism Book Alliance, Cathy Brockman Romances
10/24: Hearts on Fire, SA McAuley
10/27: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Tara Lain
10/28: Wake Up Your Wild Side, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Carly’s Book Reviews
10/29: Jade Crystal, EE Montgomery
10/30: Amanda C. Stone, The Novel Approach
10/31: The Hat Party, Romance the Night
11/3: MM Good Book Reviews, The Blogger Girls, Fallen Angel Reviews
11/4: Love Bytes, Angel Martinez

 

 

Contest:  Rafflecopter Prize: 2 prizes: 1 – A cover art poster, and 2 – 2 e-books (An Uncommon Whore and When I Fall).  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Use the Rafflecopter link below for the entry form and for all additional contest details.

 

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

A MelanieM Review: Spaghetti Western (Delectable #5) by E.M. Lynley

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Spaghetti Western coverCordon-Blue trained pastry chef Riley Emerson arrives in Aspen, Colorado for a summer season as a pastry chef in a famous local restaurant.  His boyfriend had gone ahead months earlier and arranged for an apartment for both of them.  Only when Riley got into town he found that his boyfriend had gotten into far more than just renting an apartment, his boyfriend had also found another boyfriend as well.  Furious, heartbroken and desperate, Riley takes the advice of a local diner operator and signs on to be the chef at a guest ranch that operates just outside of town, the Rocking Z Ranch.

Cattle rancher Colby Zane spots a drunken newcomer getting in over his head at Aspen’s Club Rawhide, a raunchy, gay bar outside of Aspen.  A quick and timely rescue sees Colby and the man spending the night at Colby’s hotel…with nothing happening except some sleep.  The next morning the dude was gone and Colby was left getting the supplies he needed before heading back to the ranch.

Neither man expects to see the other again.  Until Riley shows up as the new chef at the Rocking Z, hired by Colby’s aunt.  A tentative peace turns progressively warmer as their initial attractions flares back to life.  But there are other problems waiting in store for them both.  The Rocking Z is having financial problems and  outside investor, Fitz Wellington, is more than willing to cause problems and raise issues where he pleases, including coming between new lovers.  The race is on to save the Rocking Z but the Riley and Colby still be together at the end?

What an endearing story!  Spaghetti Western is the only story I have read in the Delectable series by E.M. Lynley, but its works just fine as a stand alone novel.  However that being said, I enjoyed the characters, plot, and yes, fantastic recipes, so much that I intend to look at reading the other stories in the series as well.

Spaghetti Western turns on that most delectable of plot devices, two characters, obviously meant for each other, have a chance meeting, connect only to part, and then finds themselves reunited under the most unlikely of places.  In Spaghetti Western, Lynley has chosen Aspen, Colorado and the surrounding ranches as her setting for this engaging love story.  It’s a great choice for a location and makes the connection between Riley and Colby realistic and believable.

Told from alternating points of view, we first meet Riley Emerson,of a wealthy, distant family, more recently of the Cordon – Bleu in Paris, France.  Graduated, he is on his way to Aspen to meet up with his boyfriend who he meet in France and start working as a pastry chef in a famous local bistro.  Too bad the boyfriend who went ahead to settle them into the town before starting their jobs together, found other entertainment instead.  Arriving early, Riley surprised his boyfriend and another men otherwise engaged . End result? Riley found himself sans boyfriend, apartment, and job in one swoop of Fate.  Right away we are on Riley’s side,  We have seen how decent and lovable Riley is and this event finds us firmly committed to Riley and his search for something better.

That “something better” comes in the form of Colby Zane and his family, along with the Rocking Z ranch they all work on.  Lynley gives us a real feel for the life lived on a working ranch, and a guest ranch at that.  Whether it is preparing food for that has to be upscale and beautifully plated for the guests while also having to be nutritious and substantive for the workers as well, the ups and downs of ranching, and endless financial juggling that goes on is all here to be experienced through Lynley’s characters and situations.   I loved the chuck wagon scenes and those that take place in and around the barns.  All are equally full of substance as they are of fanciful romantic notions and a hope for a meaningful future for two lovely men.

I loved the character of Riley, Colby and his aunt, and many more.  Only the Fitz came across as a bit cartoonish, albeit a total villain.  But all the others were characters I enjoyed spending time with and would look forward to meeting again and again.

What else here is not to be missed?  That would be the scenes of cooking and the recipes at the end.  There are quite a few I tried to my delight and several still to be tasted.  All will be added to my recipe box for future dinners and special moments.  Don’t miss out on a single one.  How I love it when a story doubles as a romance and a cookbook.  Be still my heart!

If you love romance, cowboys, and chefs and recipes to die for, well then, I have  a marvelous story for you.  Spaghetti Western has oodles of heart, in a recipe of love packed full of just the right ingredients for a heartfelt ,heartwarming romance you won’t want to put down.   Pick it up and enjoy your journey to Aspen and love!

Cover art by L.C. Chase.  Just adorable. Loved it.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner eBook & Print     All Romance eBook (ARe)  amazon   Spaghetti Western

Book Details:

ebook, 1st, 220 pages
Published September 17th 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632161352
edition languageEnglish
seriesDelectable #5
charactersRiley Emerson, Colby Zane
settingAspen, Colorado (United States)
Rocking Z Ranch, Colorado

Books in the Delectible Series are:

Brand New Flavor (Delectable, #1)
Lighting the Way Home (Delectable, #2)
An Intoxicating Crush (Delectable, #3)
Gingerbread Palace (Delectable #4)
Spaghetti Western (Delectable #5)

 

Take a Trip with Cjane Elliot and Aidan’s Journey (Book tour and contest)

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Cjane Elliot is back today with her latest release, Aidan’s Journey.  I am happy to say she brought an excerpt to read and a contest to enter.  Don’t forget to do both!  Now on to Aidan’s Journey…

Book Name: Aidan’s Journey
Author Name: Cjane Elliott

Thank you, Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words, for hosting me today. I’m so excited to be on your blog for the release of my second novel, Aidan’s Journey. Aidan’s Journey is a stand-alone novel that is part of The Serpentine Series, contemporary stories that feature characters who attend the University of Virginia. The series started with my first novel and 2014 Rainbow Awards finalist, Serpentine Walls, although the books can be read in any order.

Many people who read Serpentine Walls were drawn to the character of Aidan, the glamorous 4th-year student who the main character Pete has a giant crush on. Aidan is a theater star who seems to have it all: looks, talent, and charm. He’s also a player who never leaves a party without a guy, but he’s not as free as he appears.

When I first wrote Aidan’s character in my initial drafts of the novel Serpentine Walls, he was a charming cad who slept with guys right and left and had something going on with the sleazy Professor R. But as I continued to write, Aidan’s character got more and more dimensional and I could see he had a heart and a lot of pain under that gleaming surface. I started to wonder why he was the way he was and what had led him to be involved with Professor R. Being a therapist by profession, I’m fascinated with people’s psychology and what drives them. I also wanted to explore how Aidan could heal himself and get to his own happy ending. And that was the inspiration for Aidan’s Journey.

In Aidan’s Journey, Aidan tells his story, from his lonely childhood to his falling into a dysfunctional relationship as a naïve 1st-year student with the worldly Professor R, to his becoming “the manwhore of U.Va.”, to his breaking away from Professor R to move to New York after he graduates. Aidan thinks he’s finally free, but he discovers that it takes more than a physical move to leave his demons behind.

In the words of Buckaroo Banzai: “No matter where you go, there you are.”

In the end, Aidan realizes he must journey down into his own psyche to heal himself and set himself free from the past. It’s not easy, but the rewards of this final journey are sweet and he gets the happy ending that he deserves.

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

CJane is an ardent supporter of gay equality and is particularly fond of coming out stories.

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

Title Aidan’s Journey by Cjane ElliotAidansJourney_postcard_front_DSPSM
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook      Dreamspinner Press Paperback

Aidan’s Journey Blurb:

The star of the University of Virginia theater department, Aidan Emery is lusted after and admired for living out and proud. He uses his talent and good looks to his advantage and never sleeps with the same guy twice. But his glamorous patina has been carefully honed to hide the pain he carries inside.

Aidan wasn’t always such a player. He starts college naively romantic, hungry for the attention he can’t get from his workaholic father and mentally ill mother. Unfortunately, that leaves him ripe pickings for predatory professor Rodney Montgomery. Rodney’s flattering regard seduces Aidan into a dysfunctional relationship that destroys his innocence.

Life looks up for Aidan when he finally breaks free of Rodney’s pull and moves to New York City to make it as an actor. Meeting sweet fellow actor Patrick Jaymes seems like the start of a fairy tale. But before Aidan can rebuild his life into happily ever after, family secrets rip him wide open, leaving him easy prey when Rodney decides he’s not willing to let Aidan go.

Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, New Adult

Pages: 326

Aidan’s Journey Excerpt:

Every good story begins with a journey. Mine started on a June day in 2011 as the Amtrak train pulled out of Union Station in Washington, DC. Lee and I were bound for New York City, ready to dazzle ’em all with our acting and singing chops. Look out, Broadway, here come Aidan Emery and Lee Dunlap, the stars of the U.Va. drama department! Jazz hands!

I was leaving my family home—which I’d recently been kicked out of by my father. I was also leaving behind a long-term, toxic relationship. Yes! I felt pretty fucking victorious sitting on that train, talking and laughing with Lee. I’d done it! Left my past behind! Right? I was sure, with all the surety of a twenty-one-year-old, that my dragons had been slain and New York City was where the gold awaited.

Not so fast there, bucko, I want to tell myself now. You’ll get to the gold, but you have many more hard roads to travel before you arrive. Oh, but don’t despair—there is a Prince Charming at the end of it all.


AJBadgeTour Dates/Stops:

October 14: Love Bytes
October 15: Amanda C. Stone
October 16: MM Good Book Reviews
October 17: Wicked Faeries Reviews
October 20: Tara Lain, Michael Mandrake
October 21: Parker Williams, Multitasking Mommas
October 22: Cate Ashwood
October 23: Inked Rainbow Reads, It’s Raining Men
October 24: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
October 27: Rebecca Cohen Writes, BFD Book Blog, Smoocher’s Voice
October 28: Prism Book Alliance, Jade Crystal

 

 

Contest: Rafflecopter Prize: eBook of one of my previous titles, including novel Serpentine Walls, or novellas.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Use the Rafflecopter link provided to enter and for all additional contest details.  

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

In Our Author Spotlight: Zee Kensington and her latest release, Finally Home (contest)

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Zee Kensington in the Author Spotlight!

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Zee Kensington is here today to talk about her two releases at Dreamspinner Press, Krung Thep, City of Angels, and its sequel, Finally Home.  These stories are favorites of mine, combining international cuisine, travel, and romance.  I had a chance to ask Zee about the inspiration for these stories, her favorite food and much, much more.

To go along with this wonderful interview, there is a contest to enter as well.  To enter to win an eBook copy of Finally Home, leave  a comment, include maybe a favorite city you have traveled to or a favorite food you have discovered while you traveled (or just plain love to eat).  Make sure you have an email address included where you can be contacted if chosen.  Must be  over 18 years of age or older to enter.  Contest ends 11/01/2014.

Now on to our interview…

Chatting with Author Zee Kensington on Writing, Food, and Inspiration

STRW:  Why Thailand?  What was it about the Thai culture and land that drew you to travel there and then incorporate it into this series?

Zee:  Visiting Thailand happened largely by chance, actually! My husband and I have a friend who goes to Thailand annually with his family, and he’d been inviting us to join them for years. In the summer of 2011 my husband and I were finally able to take him up on his offer, thanks to a lucky congruence of time and money.

I didn’t know much about Thailand before that trip, honestly, beyond their cuisine. I learned so much while I was there! I loved the laid-back attitude of the Thai people and the melting pot of cultures one sees in Bangkok. I was also intrigued by the incredible juxtapositions at every turn: humble Buddhist temples and gleaming mega-malls on the same street, the delicious smells of cooking food carried on these horrible diesel-traffic breezes, rickety tuk-tuks chugging alongside luxury cars.

STRW:  It is said that food is a path to a person’s outlook on life, a cultural foray into a people, and a life’s passion.  You write about the Thai food from the street vendors on with such passion, has culinary exploration been a passion for you as well as Christopher’s?

Zee:  Very much so. I see food as a gateway into culture that (most) everyone can access. You may not be able to speak the same language, or share the same religious beliefs, but you can still enjoy the same meal. I love reading culinary magazines like Saveur (which was the inspiration for International Savor, the magazine Chris writes for), not only for the recipes and photography, but for the glimpses into other cultures and customs. Its like traveling without leaving my living room.

STRW:    I loved that we got to see some of the East LA food scene as well.  How did you find balancing the food with the romance and serious exploration of the repercussions of coming out of the closet?

Zee:  It was actually quite natural for me. Sharing food is such a bonding experience, you learn a lot about a person based on what—and how—they eat. Chris and Marco’s relationship has been built one meal at a time. At first it’s because of Chris’s job as a culinary writer, but it becomes a passion they both share as Marco grows more adventurous in his culinary explorations.

Food is also important when it comes to family. It’s ritual, be it a quiet breakfast or a big, awkward “meet the parents” dinner with your new partner. It’s natural that heavy personal matters will be discussed over a plate of chicken and waffles with your sibling, or that a slice of rainbow cake can mean more than just dessert.

STRW:   I loved the balance between the two main characters families, each a challenge in their own way.  Was one family easier to write than another?  Which one?

Zee:  Marco’s was a little easier to write, mostly because his background closely mirrors my own suburban, southern Californian upbringing. However, my mother isn’t an overbearing busy-body like Marco’s! I actually have a similar relationship to my parents as Marco does with his father—friendly and open—which influenced my portrayal of their (usually) easy rapport. I also have only one sibling, a younger brother, which was an inspiration with writing Marco’s big sister, Angela. I know what it’s like to help a little brother through a rough patch, that combination of deep love and mild exasperation that only an older sibling can feel.

STRW:    We got a taste of Mexico, a growing portrait of New York City, and one of Los Angeles.  Where do you anticipate taking this story and series next?  Or will there be another story?

Zee:  I definitely think there’ll be more Traveler and the Tourist stories down the line. Though Chris is a seasoned traveler, Marco has just started to explore the world. He’s going to want to see it all. I’ve conceived of some ideas of them visiting Europe—primarily Italy, where half of Marco’s family is from—though there will also be some adventures closer to home. New York City can be like a whole other planet to a suburban SoCal kid!

STRW:    Clearly your travels played into the birth of these stories.  Where else did your inspiration come from?

Zee:  My friends and family are a huge inspiration for me. Not only for my characters, but for the experiences they’ve lived through. I’m also heavily inspired by all sorts of other stories—films, books, comics, games—and turn to them sometimes when I’m working on projects. John Burdett’s Royal Thai Detective series (particularly Bangkok 8) and Thai films such as Bangkok Love Story and Ong-Bak helped refresh my memories of Thailand and gave me perspective on things I may not have experienced firsthand.

STRW:   Where would you want to travel next?

Zee:  I’ve always wanted to visit the United Kingdom and Ireland. I have many family roots there, and I would love to see the “land of my forefathers.” I’ve also never seen a real castle before, and as a big fantasy geek, it would be amazing step inside of one! Oh, and have a real English pasty, too!

STRW:  What childhood book had the greatest impact on you as a child and as an adult writer?

Zee:  Oh my, so many to choose from! I was a voracious reader as a kid, everything from Judy Blume to the Babysitter’s Club. I have to say, though, that Jane Yolen’s The Mermaid’s Three Wisdoms stuck with me the most. Not only for the bittersweet tale or the gorgeous pencil illustrations, but for the rich way mermaid culture and biology were portrayed. No shell bras or singing crabs here!

As an adult and a writer…gosh, this is hard! I have to pick one? OK, I’m going to cheat and say The Joe Pitt Casebooks by Charlie Huston. It’s gritty, it’s scary, it’s sexy…everything I want in my vampire noir. As a reader, I love the characters and how they grow, and as a writer, I love how Huston took familiar vampire tropes and turned them on their ear. Also, how the geography and culture of New York City influence the story. His writing really showed me the importance of place in a story, how it can be its own character at times.

STRW:  What’s next for Zee Kensington?

Zee:  Isn’t that the million dollar question? I have some writing projects in the works—including a steamy BDSM ménage novel–but right now my biggest project is raising my son. He’s almost two, and more than a handful! I’m kind of playing it by ear right now, as my writing time is pretty limited.

STRW:  One final question for y0u.  A book can have the same effect on a person as comfort food.  What would be your comfort read and favorite comfort food?

Zee:  Oooh, good question! My comfort read is actually a comic book series, Neil Gaiman’s The Sandman. It’s not exactly cheerful, but it’s such a rich story, and speaks to the heart of me as a writer. I always discover new things, or interpret it differently since I’m in a different place in my life than the last time I read it. It’s kind of my constant.

As for comfort food, it has to be homemade cookies. Soft ones–not crunchy–with lots of chocolate chips. They can be peanut butter or oatmeal or old-fashioned Toll House, but they have to have those chocolate chips! With a glass of milk, of course.

Thanks so much for having me here today, Melanie! I had a wonderful time!

STRW:  Thanks, Zee, for the great interview. Now let’s check out the Traveler and the Tourist  books.  These definitely below on all readers TBR list!

Finally Home
By Zee Kensington
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist:  Paul Richmond

Release Date: August 29, 2014
Length: 206 pages
ISBN:
eBook: 978-1-62798-907-7, Paperback: 978-1-62798-906-0
Genre categories: contemporary, M/M, erotic, romance

 Finally Home Blurb

Finally Home coverAfter one night in Bangkok turned into ten days trekking together, novice backpacker Marco and seasoned travel writer Chris parted ways thinking they’d never see each other again. Three months later, Marco still can’t forget the greatest adventure of his life—or the gorgeous guy he shared it with. Too afraid to come out to his family, Marco is suffocating in his suburban Southern California life, until Chris announces he’s coming to LA.

Chris has spent the past four years wandering alone, rebuilding himself from the ashes of a failed journalism career. He arrives in Los Angeles eager to eat, write, and resume the sexy, casual fun he had enjoyed with Marco. But when Chris finds his friend is a terrified closet-case at home, he’s determined to help Marco confront his fears.

Priorities change when Chris’s father suffers a stroke, and Chris rushes to New York City to face a harsh homecoming with the family he abandoned. When Marco defies his parents to be at Chris’s side, Chris begins to realize there may be more to their relationship than just work and play, and that Marco may be the one to show Chris what it means to finally be home.

Purchasing Links:  Dreamspinner Press eBook  Dreamspinner Press paperback
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Also available 
Krung Thep, City of AngelsKrungThep_400x600
Prequel to Finally Home
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release
Cover artist:  Paul Richmond
Date: September 22, 2014 (original release date February 2012)
Length: 44 pages
ISBN: eBook: 978-1-63216-829-0

Genre categories: contemporary, erotic, gay, M/M, romance

Krung Thep, City of Angels Blurb

Marco finds himself in over his head when he chooses Bangkok—Krung Thep to the locals—as his first solo travel destination. Luckily, seasoned travel journalist Chris takes Marco under his wing. Over one whirlwind day, the two Americans realize they have more in common than their homeland. Chris’s role changes from tour guide to mentor as he encourages Marco to embrace his budding identity as a gay man, and their camaraderie blossoms into romance. However, their newly forged connection is threatened by Chris’s career obligations—and unwillingness to change his solitary ways.

1st Edition appeared in Two Tickets to Paradise anthology published by Dreamspinner Press, February 2012.
Available as a FREE download:  http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5607

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Author Biography:

Zee Kensington discovered a passion for writing erotica in her freshman year of college, and has been crafting sweet and sexy stories ever since. Inspired by her years working and playing in San Francisco’s LGBT community, she is especially drawn to tales that explore the joys and challenges of queer identities.

An almost-native Californian and a card-carrying geek, she currently lives in the SF Bay Area with her husband and toddler. When she’s not writing or catching up on her sleep she enjoys watching films, playing video games, experimenting in her kitchen, and dreaming of the day her son is old enough to travel the world with her.

Author Links

Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Anchored by Rachel Haimowitz

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Anchored Riptide CoverDaniel Halstrom was born a slave, brutally indoctrinated into sex slave behavior before he even reached puberty, and then sold by his master to NewWorld Media at the age of ten. Fortunately, they wanted him for a different role and now, twenty-five years later, the handsome, blond news anchor who began his climb to fame as a field reporter is fairly secure in his role in the newsroom—or so he thinks. When NewWorld informs him that he’s been leased to Carl Whitman, a talk show host on a rival network, for the amazing sum of $6 million for the year, he’s seized by total and complete panic and frozen by fear as old memories of what it means to be a sex slave come back to haunt him. So much so, that he doesn’t recognize Carl’s attempts at being friendly and compassionate and it causes much unnecessary angst and frustration for the both of them.

Carl seems determined to include Daniel at the dinner table and as a companion while he watches television in the evenings. He doesn’t order Daniel around and fails to give Daniel the direction he’s come to expect from his masters. In fact, Daniel really isn’t capable of making his own decisions, having been born a slave and punished severely all his life for any attempt to do so. When Daniel fails to engage in any conversation with Carl, remaining mute and remote, in frustration, Carl reports his disappointment to the brass at NewWorld.

Once his bosses learn that Carl is not happy with him, they take Daniel to their punishment room. Spoiler alert. Continue reading “Barb, A Zany Old Lady Review: Anchored by Rachel Haimowitz” →

A 2 Book 2 Day Celebration! A.M. Arthur’s Foundation of Trust & Stand by You Book Tour and Contest!

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Get ready for a 2 book 2 day celebration.  Double your reading pleasure and double your fun with 2 books from A.M. Arthur!  Foundation of Trust and Stand By You!  Read the blurbs and excerpts, and don’t forget to enter the contest!  Happy Reading.

Book Name: Foundation of Trust & Stand by You
Goodreads Links:Foundation of Trust , Stand by You
Author Name: A.M. Arthur

Author Bio:

A.M. Arthur was born and raised in the same kind of small town that she likes to write about, a stone’s throw from both beach resorts and generational farmland. She’s been creating stories in her head since she was a child and scribbling them down nearly as long, in a losing battle to make the fictional voices stop. She credits an early fascination with male friendships (bromance hadn’t been coined yet back then) and “The Young Riders” with her later discovery of and subsequent love affair with m/m romance stories.

When not exorcising the voices in her head, she toils away in a retail job that tests her patience and gives her lots of story fodder. She can also be found in her kitchen, pretending she’s an amateur chef and trying to not poison herself or others with her cuisine experiments.

Author Contact:

Contact her at am_arthur@yahoo.com with your cooking tips (or book comments). You can also find her online (http://amarthur.blogspot.com/), as well as on Twitter (http://twitter.com/am_arthur), Tumblr (http://www.tumblr.com/blog/am-arthur), and Facebook (A.m. Arthur). A.M. Arthur’s work is available from Samhain Publishing, Carina Press, Dreamspinner Press, and Musa Publishing.

  • Publishers:
    Foundation of Trust: Samhain Publishing
    Stand by You: Carina Press
    Cover Artist: Foundation of Trust: Lyn Taylor
  • Stand by You Sales Links:Barnes & Noble  Amazon
  • Foundation of Trust Sales Links: Samhain  Barnes & Noble  Amazon

FoundationOfTrust300Foundation of Trust Blurb:

David Weller thought he had it all—a loving partner who gave him a ring, a steady job he didn’t hate, and so much hope for the future. But in the wake of a devastating diagnosis, everything he thought was solid and real lay in pieces at his feet.
Four years later, he’s still sifting through the rubble of his life. His catering partnership occupies his days, while his nights are filled with dangerous sexual hookups and very bad decisions. Then the last person he ever expected to see again walks back into his life.

Owen Hart’s single biggest regret is the way he was forced to leave David behind—no explanations, no chance to make it right. Until now. Finally free of eight years of lies, Owen’s back for the only man he’s ever loved.

An incendiary encounter in a club proves that time hasn’t weakened their physical connection, but David’s wounds run deeper than Owen’s deception. And if David can’t first forgive, Owen doesn’t have a second chance in hell.

Warning: This book contains an Australian transplant with a head full of secrets, a party planner with enough baggage to sink a battleship, and a surly teenager who just wants them both to get over themselves.

 

Foundation of Trust Excerpt:


A shadow drifted across Owen’s face—the same shadow that had been there almost constantly that first year. An angry shadow that had diminished under the brilliance of their love for each other. “We had to, me and my son both. Michael was born Benjamin Hadley Swenson.”

“But why?” David needed to know why he’d been lied to for so long. Why he’d fallen in love with a man whose name he never really knew.

“To protect us from the man who killed Michael’s mother and grandfather.”

“You told me his mother was killed during a home invasion.”

“I used parts of the truth to fashion the lie. Makes it easier to remember. She was killed by a man who had no business in that house, but he wasn’t there to rob anyone. He was a dangerous man, and I did what I had to do to protect my son.”

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Blurb: Stand by YouStand By You_cover

Three months after his rescue from an abusive boyfriend, twenty-two-year-old Romy Myers has landed his first legitimate job—bussing tables at his friend’s new coffee shop. The job has brought him some stability after years of abuse have left him feeling damaged and broken. He’s working hard on his panic and social anxiety, and those things are often tempered by the big, burly presence of Brendan Walker.

From the moment ex-football player Brendan helped rescue Romy from his ex’s abuse, he’s wanted to protect him. And he does, from a distance, with joking text messages, a new gym routine to toughen him up and a genuine friendship. So far it’s been easy—but Brendan’s feelings aren’t just friendly anymore…

When an argument spirals out of control, a hot and heavy make-out session causes Romy’s friendship with supposedly straight Brendan to reach a new level. The last thing Romy wants is to fall for another guy who could potentially shatter him, but Brendan also wakes up a part of him he thought had been destroyed by violence—his heart.

Excerpt: Stand by You

“So make a plan for yourself.” Romy was getting excited over the idea of Brendan going back to college—maybe because Romy had never gone and probably never would. He didn’t even have his GED. And here he was giving Brendan career advice when the longest job he’d ever held in his life was as a hooker. “Figure out what it will cost to go back and finish. Figure out how you’ll save the money. Nothing is impossible, Bren, not if you want it bad enough.”

Brendan looked at him, chocolate brown eyes catching his, and something in that moment changed. Like a snap or a zing, Romy couldn’t describe it. Only that his words had touched something in Brendan, and that something leapt across the space between them and right into Romy. His pulse raced.

Oh crap.

Romy broke eye contact first, using the untwisting of his bottle cap as an excuse to kill the odd charge between them. Not happening. Not again, and not with Brendan. Brendan wasn’t even gay!

Was he?

Tour Dates/Stops:

BadgeAMArthur10/20: Emotion in Motion, Multitasking Mommas
10/21: Amanda C. Stone, MM Good Book Reviews
10/22: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Velvet Panic
10/23: Wake Up Your Wild Side, Smoocher’s Voice
10/24: The Novel Approach
10/27: Hearts on Fire, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, The Blogger Girls
10/28: Iyana Jenna, Foxylutely Book Reviews
10/29: Love Bytes, My Fiction Nook
10/30: Prism Book Alliance, Cathy Brockman Romances
10/31: Parker Williams
11/3: Book Reviews and More by Kathy, All I Want and More Books
11/4: LeAnn’s Book Reviews
11/5: Havan Fellows
11/6: Romance the Night, Queer Town Abbey
11/7: Crystal’s Many Reviewers

 

Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: PDF copy of Foundation of Trust.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. This is a M/M Romance.  Use the Rafflecopter link below to enter and for all additional contest details.

Rafflecopter Code: a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Its Double the Trouble with T.A. Chase and Jackie Nacht’s Double Book Blast and Contest!!

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Ready for some double trouble?  Jackie Nacht  and TA Chase are here with two books for double your holiday fright time fun!  Read the excerpts, get to know the authors, and don’t forget to enter the contest at the end of today’s  post!

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Book Name: A Bittersweet Haunting/ A Holiday Job Zombie Run
Author Name: TA Chase Jackie Nacht/ Jackie Nacht

Author Bios:

  • Jackie Nacht

Short, sexy and sweet— where a little love goes a long way.

That’s the best way to describe Jackie Nacht’s stories. She was introduced to M/M Romance through her sister, Stephani, and read it for years. Then, she thought it was time to put her own stories on paper. Jackie began writing short and sweet stories that ended with a happily ever after.

Thinking back to her own book addiction, where there were many nights Jackie stayed up way too late so she could read just one more chapter— yeah, right— Jackie decided to write short romances for young adults as well as adults. Hopefully, they will give high school and college students, or working men and women something they can read during their lunch hour, in between classes or just when they want to briefly get away from the daily stresses of everyday life.

Author Contact:

You can find Jackie at:
Website: www.jackienacht.com
Blog: www.jackienacht.com/blog
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jackie.nacht?ref=tn_tnmn
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JackieNacht

  • T.A. Chase

I’m T.A. Chase, and I write stories about men loving men, but my stories are more than that. It’s about one person finding the other half of themselves. It doesn’t matter whether that person is male or female. I’m a happily married woman living in the Midwest with my husband of fifteen years. I’ve been writing for six years now, and because of my awesome readers, I’ve been able to do it full time for over a year.

You can contact TA Chase:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Ta-Chase/100001595721283fa
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/TaChase

Publisher: MLR Press/ eXtasy Books
Cover Artists: Kris Jacen/ Carmen Waters
Sales Links for A Bittersweet Haunting:  MLR   Amazon   All Romance
Sales Links for A Holiday Job Zombie Run:  cXtasy Books

 

Blurbs:

ABittersweetHaunting_ChaseNacht_smA Bittersweet Haunting

In a moment of youthful curiousity, these six men were marked forevermore.

Jersey Paranormal Investigation was created when Braden and his five friends were marked by the Jersey Devil during their childhood. Now, they all have special gifts when it comes to the supernatural. Years later, Braden finds himself on his next job only to come face to face with the beautiful victim, Mack. Not all is it seems and Braden and his team will have to figure out why Mack is being targeted and to keep from falling for the man in the process.

A Bittersweet Haunting Excerpt:

Turning, Mack made his way to the old flight of stairs that creaked with every step he ventured. Goosebumps popped up on his flesh the more he ascended. Breathing heavily, Mack took the last step and cautiously made his way down the hallway. The air hung thick, and he almost choked on it. The closer he got to room 212, the more his flight instinct raised its red flag. The only reason he kept going was that he did not want to embarrass himself by returning empty-handed because he had been spooked.

Standing in front of the door, Mack’s hand trembled as he reached for the handle, finally turning it. Blowing out a breath, Mack decided to just get it over with. As fast as he could, he entered the room, searching for the box that held the spare linens.

Out of nowhere, a blast of freezing cold air hit him in the face, knocking him on his ass. Whipping his head around, Mack searched for an open window, only to find that all of them were tightly shut.

I’m getting the fuck out of here.

Climbing to his feet, he grabbed a box, praying that it was the right one and took off out of the room, not even bothering to close the door as he descended the steps two at a time.

Clutching the box to his chest, he leaned against the wall at the base of the stairs and caught his breath.

“Hey, are you okay?” Nick came up to him, relieving him of the box.

Mack wiped his sweat-soaked forehead. What the hell was that? His heart was still pumping, and his mouth couldn’t even form the words to lie to Nick and tell him he was okay.

Megan came up next to Nick. “You all right?”

Nodding, Mack rasped out, “I’m fine…just…” He just couldn’t say it. There was no way he was going to say something weird happened upstairs, especially when he actually didn’t see anything. Hell, was it all in his head because he was freaked about going upstairs? Possibly.

Shaking it off, he finally answered, “I’m fine. Let’s go, Nick, and get the Ivy Room set up.”

“Are you sure?” Megan eyed him with concern.

“Yes, tea starts in forty-five minutes. I better get moving.”

For the next half hour, Mack and Nick set up the room. The linens were placed on the tables—thankfully Mack had grabbed the right box. They both worked in unison, setting the silverware up and getting the china out for each member of the party coming in.

“I’m just going to fill up their water glasses,” Mack called over to Nick who was doing the final touches on center pieces.

Going behind the bar, Mack grabbed a pitcher and began getting ice out of the bar well. As they both worked, the curtains billowed as a gust of wind came into the room. Mack shot a look toward Nick to see him wide eyed as the room’s temperature suddenly plummeted. Before Mack even had time to think, the bar rack above him came crashing down upon him.

“Mack!” Nick cried out from across the room as glasses began shattering all around him.

Stunned, Mack couldn’t even move an inch as the shards of glass surrounded him. The floor, the bar, even his body was covered in the sharp glass. He feared if he moved so much as an inch, he would cut himself. The sounds of people screaming and hollering broke him out of his shock, and he slowly raised his head, feeling glass fall from his hair, to stare at Megan from across the room.

“Don’t move, Mack. We’re coming to help you.” Megan gingerly made her way to him, accompanied by the sound of glass crunching under her feet.

“Not…moving.” Mack felt the glass slide down from the top of his head and fuck if that didn’t give him the biggest case of the willies.

“I’m going to need some help and a pair of gloves,” Megan called to Nick.

Nick nodded and ran out of the room.

Megan pursed her lips as she began pulling large pieces of glass off him.

“Are you okay?” Megan asked quietly as she worked the glass out of his hair.

“Not even close.” Mack’s voice trembled, and he hated that.

“What happened?” Megan asked.

Nick came up behind them and answered. “There was this blast of cold air, and then the whole bar rack came crashing down on Mack. It was a ghost.”

“It wasn’t,” Mack denied. If he denied it enough, maybe he would eventually believe it himself. Maybe.

“Hon, that rack is oak. It’s as solid as they come. Wind wouldn’t have caused it to break. Plus the windows aren’t open. I think you had an encounter, and a violent one at that. I think I’m going to need to make a call.”

“It’s not that bad.” Even as Mack said that, he knew it was a lie. Something inside him felt violated, and an air of malice hung thick over him.

“Then let’s just have it checked out for peace of mind. Okay?” Megan grabbed the gloves from Nick and began plucking the tiny shards off his shoulder and neck. Her gloves came away from his skin with a trace of blood.

Swallowing, Mack gave in. “Maybe you’re right. Make the call.”

 

Zombie Run NachtphotoA Holiday Job Zombie Run

This Halloween, Drake is about to meet one guy he can’t say goodbye to.

And Drake is about to meet his match.

After a casual encounter, Drake can’t seem to stop thinking about Wilson. Even though Wilson pretty much thanked him for a nice time and walked out of his dorm and his life.

Now Halloween is approaching, and Drake is being roped into volunteering for the charity fun run. Having to dress as a zombie is horrible enough, but seeing Wilson at the starting line has Drake ducking for the trees. Will Wilson look past the gory makeup to see Drake actually cares about him? Will Drake finally be able to capture Wilson’s heart?

A Holiday Job Zombie Run Excerpt:

 “Will you knock that off?” Drake batted Ian’s hand away.

“Look, asshole, I need to put this makeup on you. You volunteered!” Ian charged back in and began putting the prosthetic on his face.

“Don’t you think you’re going overboard on this? I mean, why don’t you just squirt some ketchup on me?” Drake was thoroughly annoyed.

He’d volunteered to be a zombie for Ian’s frat charity run. He had thought he would just tear some holes in a white shirt and put a little makeup on, but no, Ian wanted to scare the hell out of everyone. The guy thought he was on Skin Wars or some shit. Drake wanted to scratch the prosthetic on his cheek that was currently being painted to look like a zombie. He thought he looked ridiculous. Shaun was splattering paint all over his shirt.

“This is just a Zombie Run, guys. I’m not going to be in a movie or anything.” Drake stared up at Ian, annoyed.

“Have fun and live a little. You’ve been in a pissed-off mood for the last month.” Ian pointed out.

And why shouldn’t he be? He hadn’t found the guy he’d hooked up with last month, and it was now his all-new obsession. He hadn’t had sex with anyone since and was constantly long necking the corridors in hopes of finding that white-blond head.

It didn’t matter how hard he tried; the guy was nowhere. Drake was beginning to wonder if the guy even went to their college. Shaun had helped him, but so far, his friend couldn’t spot him either.

Drake had never been so caught up with a person in his life. Unbelievably, he’d had dreams of the guy and those sapphire eyes, but it was like this damn race. Whenever he tried to go after him in the dream, the guy took off in a crowd and he couldn’t find him. Drake growled in irritation at his own thoughts.

“It’s not that bad,” Ian chastised, probably mistaking his growl for a complaint about the stinky paint that was being applied to his face.

Drake wasn’t going to correct Ian on the matter. Then, he would have to explain to all his friends again about the big about face he’d had this year. They all had looked at him like he had lost his ever-loving mind. And he had. He didn’t even know the guy’s fucking name, yet he was hunting him down all over campus like some stalker.

Shaun came in with a grotesquely painted face and a smile. “Didn’t Quinn do a great job?”

Shaun was actually happy to look like the dead. Really. Didn’t that shit all over his face itch like crazy, or was it only bugging the hell out of me?

“You look like you got ran over by a truck.”

 

Categories: Contemporary, Horror, M/M Romance, New Adult, Paranormal, Romance

Tour Dates: October 22nd

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Tara Lain, BFD Book Blog, Guilty Indulgence Book Club, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Blogger Girls, Jade Crystal, My Fiction Nook, Andrew Q. Gordon, Multitasking Mommas, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Cate Ashwood, MM Good Book Reviews, Amanda C. Stone, Love Bytes, Kimi-Chan, Fallen Angel Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

Contest: Enter to win the Rafflecopter Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the Rafflecopter link provided to enter and for all additional contest details.

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Cover Reveal for Piper Vaughn’s Hook, Line & Sinker! (contest)

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Check out the cover for Piper Vaughn’s  latest book, Hook, Line, & Sinker below.  Read the except and don’t  forget to enter the contest to win your own eBook copy!

Book Name: Hook, Line, & Sinker
Goodreads  Book Link
Author Name: Piper Vaughn

Author Bio:

Piper Vaughn wrote her first love story at eleven and never looked back. Since then, she’s known that writing in some form was exactly what she wanted to do. A reader at the core, Piper loves nothing more than getting lost in a great book—fantasy, young adult, romance, she loves them all (and has a two thousand book library to prove it!). She grew up in Chicago, in an ethnically diverse neighborhood, and loves to put faces and characters of every ethnicity in her stories, so her fictional worlds are as colorful as the real one. Above all, she believes that everyone needs a little true love in their life…even if it’s only in a book.

Author Contact:HookLine&SinkerFS

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Paul Richmond
Sales Links:   Dreamspinner Press

 Hook, Line, & Sinker Blurb:

When they were teens, Castor McCormick was the bane of Blake Kowalski’s existence. Their mutual animosity led to summers filled with rivalry. Now, nearly two decades later, Cas is moving back into the neighborhood to live in his grandmother’s old house. Blake tells himself he isn’t interested in seeing how snarky little Cas grew up, but when his mother dupes him into visiting his former nemesis, he finds out “pretty” can evolve into “sexy as hell” on the right man.

Cas didn’t think he wanted to see Blake again. No one has ever pushed his buttons like the arrogant boy he remembers from their youth. Turns out, the adult version of Blake still gets him hot under the collar—and everywhere else. With Blake on leave from work to nurse an injured leg and Cas taking time to move and unpack, they form a tentative friendship that turns into a sexual affair neither man can deny. But when Cas’s job sends him out of state to deal with a difficult client, their new relationship will be tested, and if they fail, Blake’s broken leg might not be the only thing to end up scarred.

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Romance

Hook, Line, & Sinker Excerpt:

Blake’s mother didn’t live on a busy street, but being summer, the kids were out in full force. The occasional shout or burst of laughter broke the monotonous silence. And then there were the comings and goings of a certain new neighbor whom Blake had absolutely no interest in watching, even if he found his gaze frequently straying in that direction. He’d caught glimpses of the moving truck over the weekend, along with a dark blue Prius, which made him snort. No doubt the driver of a hybrid would hate his gas-guzzling Ford F-150. For some reason, it seemed fitting. He could picture the old Cas growing up into the tree-hugging, granola type.

Idly, he let himself wonder what the adult Cas might be like. When they’d first met as teenagers, the kid had reminded Blake of a scrappy little Irish chimney sweep, minus the accent. The pale skin, the freckles, that mop of messy dark hair. Put him in a newsboy cap and some wool trousers, and he could’ve been an extra in Oliver Twist. Blake had constantly ragged on him about it too. That is, until the following year, when postpuberty Cas showed up. Gone was the scrawny, gangly limbed half-pint from the previous summer. In his place stood a boy with the lithe, wiry body of a distance runner and a face like something out of a goddamn Botticelli painting. Only his smartass mouth had stopped Blake from falling to his knees in worship—though it certainly hadn’t prevented a wet dream or three.

Blake couldn’t lie. His mother’s mentions of Castor had made him curious despite himself. But he didn’t intend on giving in to her badgering about going over there. What the hell would he even say? Welcome to the neighborhood? Here’s a fruit basket. Let’s be friends? He could only imagine Cas slamming the door in his face in response. Blake chuckled and shook his head. Not going to happen. Not in a million years. No matter how much his mother pestered him.

HLSBadgeRedTour Dates: October 22nd, 2014

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Hearts on Fire, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Multitasking Mommas, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Love Bytes, Andrew Q. Gordon, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Prism Book Alliance, Inked Rainbow Reads, The Hat Party, It’s Raining Men, Michael Mandrake, Cate Ashwood, Sinfully Sexy, Amanda C. Stone, Fallen Angel Reviews, Rebecca Cohen Writes, MM Good Book Reviews, Boy Meets Boy Reviews, Smoocher’s Voice, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Carly’s Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Queer Town Abbey, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Wicked Faeries Reviews

Contest: Enter to win the Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of Hook, Line, and Sinker upon release and a $10 gift card to Amazon or ARe (winner’s choice). Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the Rafflecopter link provided for the entry form and for all additional contest details.

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A MelanieM Review: DMZ by Andrea Speed

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

DMZIn college, Carlo Langlois had a secret crush on Ky Kinnaird, a straight jock who was everything wonderful in Carlos’ opinion.  But Carlos was shy, gay, and didn’t run in the same circles so he didn’t think Ky was even aware he existed.  Fast forward to the present.  Carlos is  a member of the diplomatic corps, he’s in a foreign and hostile nation, and he’s in a world of trouble.  His helicopter was shot down and now he needs rescuing and medical attention.

Who does MI-6 send in to  extract him but Ky Kinnaird, a secret agent and his old crush.  Secrets come out and the old attraction flares up, now only if Ky can keep Carlo alive enough to see if they have a future ahead.

DMZ from Andrea Speed reads more like a single chapter from a larger story than a complete story itself.  It has many good elements going for it.  A narrative that manages to convey a sense of urgency and moment to moment terror of discovery as well as a sense of loss and emptiness of buildings and  people damaged by too much warfare and bombardment.

The characters too are intriguing from the snippets we get of their backgrounds and mutual history.  I just wish that all the great little elements added up to a piece of substance.  One that feels complete instead of just a pulled out section of a larger story.

I love Andrea Speed and if you are new to this author, I think I would explore her other stories first before picking up this one.   It’s tempting enough for me to wish that Speed uses it as a platform for a larger novel or series.

Cover art by L.C. Chase.  Wow. What a dramatic cover!  One of the Best of the Month! Love it.

Sales Links:   Dreamspinner Press     All Romance eBook (ARe)     amazon         DMZ

 

Book Details:

ebook, 29 pages
Published October 1st 2014 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 1632161044 (ISBN13: 9781632161048)
edition languageEnglish
urlhttp://andreaspeed.com/

In Our Book Spotlight: One Thing Leads by Jude Dunn (book tour and contest)

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In our author and book spotlight today is Jude Dunn, here with his latest book, One Thing Leads from Dreamspinner Press.  Check out the blurb and excerpt and don’t forget to enter the contest provided at the bottom of the post!  Welcome, Jude Dunn!

Why Do We Do the Things We Do?
Jude Dunn talks about his new novel, One Thing Leads, and what wine goes with Momma’s garlic mashed potatoes.

One Thing Leads by Jude DunnOneThingLeadsLG
Synopsis

Dion’s in love, but he doesn’t know how to tell Kenji, the man he’s fallen for. He hopes Kenji feels the same way. But when a sexpot named Grayson comes to dinner and falls all over Dion, Dion winds up fighting with Kenji.

So Dion storms out. And Kenji leaves. Oh, no! And to make matters worse, Grayson, the oversexed playboy, starts making moves on Dion. You know, acting like a friend, providing a shoulder to cry on. Slowly he leads Dion step by step down a very dark road until Dion finally comes to his senses in a dangerous situation. Can you imagine being faced with blackmail that could force you into a life of prostitution?

Ever lost your way like that? Maybe not that seriously, but still…. I have, and that’s part of the reason why I wrote One Thing Leads. You can find out more about the book here and via the links below, but first I want to answer the questions Melanie and company have put to me.

STRW: The plot for One Thing Leads is pretty dark. Where did the inspiration for this story come from?

JD: The idea came to me from my personal fantasy life plus something else. Yes, that’s right. I’m not afraid to admit I fantasize about really dark things as long as folks know I’d never act on them in real life. The “something else” part is that I’m a geek-nerd who’s interested in the way almost everything works. I like knowing what’s under my iPad’s hood, and I also enjoy thinking about what makes us humans tick. In the case of One Thing Leads, I wanted to examine what draws us down a slippery slope like the one Dion travels. Is it that heartbreak, as in Dion’s case, makes us have a case of the “I don’t care anymore” blues? I haven’t answered the question to my own satisfaction—much less anyone else’s—but it was fun exploring the ideas surrounding the situation.

STRW: Why go in this direction?

JD: Oh, this one’s easy. I’m a pervert. No, seriously, I love being titillated, so I assume that others do too. Um, do these two sentences mean the same thing?

STRW: Your characters seem to have interesting professions. Where do you pull from to get into their heads and make each character and his or her profession seem real?

JD: Part of being an author is doing research. There are some who hate that and some who love it. I’m decidedly in the second camp. Choosing a character’s profession is an opportunity for me to learn about some aspect of people, life, and the world that’s new to me. In fact, this quest is what leads me to formulate concepts for novels and the plots that drive them. I could easily get lost in the research if I didn’t reign myself in.

STRW: Favorite romance you love to read?

JD: Now this is embarrassing. I don’t read a lot of romance lit. I write it because it warms my heart. What I do read—and voraciously—is everything from physics to history to biography to science fiction and most anything in between, which is why I don’t have time for romances. There’s just too much to read already on my nightstand (and iPad). I also like coming at my writing from a perspective free of the typical plot lines and characterizations. So I can’t name a specific novel or story in the romance genre.

STRW: Your bio says you enjoy cooking and wine, so what would be a favorite dish to eat, favorite comfort dish to cook and eat, and your go-to wine for a romantic occasion?

JD: Okay, now we can get down to the important stuff mentioned in the subtitle above, namely: What wine goes with Momma’s garlic mashed potatoes? The correct answer, of course, is different each person. As for me, I’m a red wine guy. Give me tannins, the more the merrier. In this case, that means something like a dark Spanish garnacha, rich and complex and tasty. Pair those two with Momma’s Double-Sauce Meatloaf, and I’m in heaven.

As far as culinary creations, I’m no gourmet cook, but I love making risotto while chatting and sipping wine with good friends. And wine for romantic occasions? In my book there’s nothing better than champagne, the best my pocketbook will allow.

STRW: Do you find the adage “write what you know” something that applies to you and your stories or should that even matter with so many resources available for research these days?

JD: The answer for me is the dreaded “Yes and no”—always seems like a cop-out, doesn’t it? The “yes” part is that we must draw from personal experience to write the truest sentences we can. Hemingway talked about writing “one true sentence.” You can read my thoughts on what he said here.

The “no” part is that not having experience in an area of life shouldn’t stop you from writing about something you’re interested in. William Gibson was praised for his depiction of Japan in the ground-breaking novel, Neuromancer, even though he’d never been there. He did good research, and at a time when he had to do it at the public library.

STRW: What’s your favorite book or author that had the most impact on you as a child? Does that impact carry over to your writing today?

JD: Now we get to the strangeness that is Jude Dunn. I grew up in a family that let popular trends carry them down the cultural stream of the fifties and sixties. That meant my preteen “literary” diet was mostly I Love Lucy (not reruns! I’m that old), Bugs Bunny versus Elmer Fudd, and Star Trek (the original series, of course).

But then I discovered The Lord of the Rings in the eighth grade, and something happened to me. Tolkien was a writer who thought words mattered. He fit them together like a craftsman building fine furniture, and reading his work hooked forever on thoughtful, well-written stories. This is why I write more slowly than I like, because I take time to ponder what I’m really saying.

STRW: Would you consider One Thing Leads a story that falls into the hurt/comfort trope? If not, why not?

JD: Nope. The basic elements of this trope are present in my story, but the emphasis isn’t on comforting Dion in the wake of the abuse he suffers. I’ve done my best to focus on what triggers a person’s start down a path of pain and how her (or her) loved ones help them deal with the aftermath when they come to their senses. Was I successful? I’m not sure. But this is where the novel’s title comes from and what the story is really about.

STRW: What’s next for Jude Dunn?

JD: I have some wonderful ideas on the drawing board. Like most writers, the problem isn’t enough ideas; it’s too many of them. I started writing for the fun of it. Now I’m trying to decide what to do with the notion that I could make writing more than a pastime. I am certain of this: I wrote One Thing Leads because I couldn’t not write it. As long as I have stories I can’t stop myself from sharing, I’ll keep writing. We’ll see what this one thing leads to. I can’t wait for the answer.

Links:

Pre-order One Thing Leads

More info about One Thing Leads

Read a chapter for free

Site: http://www.judedunn.com/

Twitter: @jude_dunn

Pick up a free PDF or two of my unpublished stories: http://www.judedunn.com/stories

Tell me what you like, don’t like, and wish gay authors wrote about: http://www.judedunn.com/contact/

——————
Thank you, Melanie and company, for the opportunity to guest blog for you!

Jude

Book Name: One Thing Leads
Goodreads Author Page 
Author Name: Jude Dunn

 

Author Bio:

I’m a southern boy. Well, “boy” may be a stretch. I’m sixty-one this year, but I still feel like I’m twenty-two and act like I’m nine-and-a-half. Grew up in north Alabama, smack-dab in the middle of the Bible belt.

I discovered I was attracted to boys at age fourteen. Twenty minutes after that, I found out that being gay was the unforgivable sin, not blaspheming the Holy Spirit, as my little Baptist church had taught me. So, as so many like me have always done, I hid from everyone, including and especially myself.

At age forty-nine I came out to myself, my wife, and my three wonderful children. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever done and the best thing that ever happened to me.

I started writing shortly after discovering anime. There’s this thing called “fandoms,” you see—well, I know you probably know about that. I grew my skills slowly, feeding on the dribbles of praise and criticism my mailing lists provided. In 2011 I decided to try my hand at original fiction and found I have a talent for telling stories that touch people’s hearts and make them laugh. For me there’s no greater high in all the world. The next year I somehow screwed up the courage to submit to a publisher and was given a thumbs up. Now I’m happily sharing my tales with those who care to read them.

My day job is editing and engraving sacred music for a mainline publisher in Chicago, where I live with an antisocial cat who refuses to be named. I enjoy fine wines, jazz, and the darkest chocolate I can get my hands on.

I write in a variety of genres, from gay romance and erotica to science fiction and mainstream thrillers, each category under a different pseudonym. Jude Dunn is the one I use for gay romance. My work is sometimes subtle, sometimes fiery, but always brimming with characters who tackle their challenges with an unwavering love of life.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you enjoy your time here. – Jude

OneThingLeadsLGAuthor Contact: https://twitter.com/jude_dunn
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press 

One Thing Leads Blurb:

Dion Bellamy is twenty-seven and studying social work at the University of Chicago. He has lived with Kenji Okamura, a construction worker, for a year and a half. Dion loves Kenji and passionately hopes Kenji feels the same, but he has never said the three big words. Then Grayson Sinclair, Dion’s schoolmate and a vivacious, oversexed playboy, comes between them.

One step at a time, barely aware where his steps are leading, Dion descends the slippery slope into a life of depravity. First, Grayson ensures Kenji is out of the way. Then he entices Dion to go clubbing with him, gets Dion drunk and high, and then takes him to a sex club, where he films Dion giving blow jobs to multiple men. He threatens to put the video online unless Dion signs a contract to work as a prostitute. Though he hardly understands how he reached this point, Dion must now figure out how to escape his fate and save himself.

One Thing Leads Excerpt:

“God,” Dion screamed, throwing his hands in the air in disgust. He and Kenji glared like dogs circling each other before attacking. Finally Dion broke the tension. “I need some air,” he said, then spun on a heel and strode to the bedroom. Kenji sat still as stone, listening to Dion slamming drawers as he found clothes suitable for going out.

How did this happen? I wanted to come clean. I thought if we talked about it—

After quickly dressing, Dion stormed to the front door.

“Where are you going?”

“Out,” Dion said without looking at Kenji. “Does that meet with your approval?”

“Dion, don’t be—”

The sound of the door slamming rang in Kenji’s ears. Footsteps fell hard and fast down the stairs. When they stopped, he looked away from the door. He closed his eyes at the muffled sound of another door slamming hard two floors below. When he opened his eyes a few minutes later, he looked down, surprised to see dots of blood on the seat of the recliner. He opened his hands and saw that his fingernails had broken the skin of his palms.

Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance


Tour Dates/Tour Stops:

OTLBadgeOctober 20: Parker Williams
October 21: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
October 22: Sinfully Sexy
October 23: Cate Ashwood
October 24: Jade Crystal
October 27: Inked Rainbow Reads
October 28: Velvet Panic
October 29: Amanda C. Stone
October 30: Kimi-Chan
October 31: Fallen Angel Reviews
November 3: Emotion in Motion
November 4: Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves
November 5: EE Montgomery, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents
November 6: Love Bytes
November 7: Iyana Jenna
November 10: Prism Book Alliance, My Fiction Nook
November 11: Multitasking Mommas, Wake Up Your Wild Side
November 12: BFD Book Blog
November 13: Cathy Brockman Romances
November 14: MM Good Book Reviews

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