An Alisa Advent Calendar Review: Santa on the Beach by Crystel Greene

Rating:  3 stars out of 5

The sexy Santa and the virgin dad….

 

Single dad Mario, twenty-one, has finally won shared custody of his five-year-old son, Sammy. They’re spending Christmas at a Tenerife resort to celebrate. The children’s swimming instructor, Josie, is sexy and fun, and Mario can’t stop dreaming about him. But Mario has no clue how to talk to a hot guy.

With his suntan, Speedos, and rippling abs, Josie seems to be the typical jock. He’s super sweet too, and everyone loves him. But he only has eyes for the fire-eyed little dad who looks like his son’s older brother and won’t stop policing the swimming class.

Sammy would like to be a king in the hotel’s nativity play. But he’s too afraid to go anywhere without his dad. Mario would like a holiday romance with Josie, or even a little more, but between building his tech company and trying to do his part as Sammy’s father he has missed out on a lot and is too inexperienced to know where to begin.

Luckily Santa might have just the thing for everyone on his list….

This was a cute story.  I felt bad for Mario and the criticism he seems to have dealt with ever since he became a teenage father but was happy that he now was making headway to being independent of those who criticized him the most.  Josie admired his dedication to his son and ends up being able to give Mario just what he wanted to Christmas.  I like the Mario finds someone who will support him and be with him when he gets home from vacation.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 53 pages

Published: December 12, 2018 by Dreamspinner Press

Edition Language: English

For Something Old, Something New, and All Things Wonderful – Best of 2018 Lists Continue. This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

For Something Old, Something New, and All Things Wonderful –

Best of 2018 Lists Continue.

It’s wonderful to look past, over the year, in books I mean, and remember all the stories, authors, narrators, and artists that have crossed my computer and Kindle as well as those of all the reviewers here this year.  They have taken Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words across galaxies and back into time.  These authors have brought their own twist to every known romantic trope and created some new ones for contemporary stories, paranormal love affairs, and supernatural romances.

They’ve made us cry with shared pain, bent over in laughter at situations and dialogs we understood and connected with, and stories that suffused us with  warmth and love and a need to hug our readers close as a way not to let those characters and their lives go, not yet.

So here are some more of our lists of stories that have risen from a very high group this year.

From another of our long time reviewers, Barb our Zany Old Lady.

 

Barb our Zany Old Lady’s Best 0f 2018

Best of 2018: Audiobook 

Hush by Tal Bauer audiobook, narrated by Joel Leslie

Can’t Hide from Me by Cordelia Kingsbridge. narrated by Nick J. Russo

The Consumption of Magic by TJ Klune and A Wish Upon the Stars by TJ Klune, narrated by Michael Lesley

 Best New Author in 2018:

Salt Magic Skin Magic by Lee Welch – one of my top choices of the year.

Best Outstanding series in 2018:

Seven of Spades by Cordelia Kingsbridge, including One-Eyed Royals, published in 2018

Twisted Wishes series: Counterpoint and Syncopation, both in 2018, by Anna Zabo

Something Like Series: Capstone book #11 Something About Forever by Jay Bell

 Best Humorous Story in 2018:

Robby Riverton Mail Order Bride by Eli Easton

Best Holiday Story 2018:

Better Not Pout by Annabeth Albert

A Touch of a Brogue by Christine Danse

Best Drama of 2018:

Truth and Betrayal by KC Wells

Point of Contact by Melanie Hansen

 Best Paranormal of 2018:

Alpha Heat by Leta Blake

 Best Contemporary of 2018:

The Little Library by Kim Fielding

Oz by Lily Morton

A Little Side of Geek by Marguerite Labbe

And {drum roll}

Best Book of 2018 and Best Cover of 2018:

Boy Shattered by Eli Easton

⛄️Also from our reader H.B.:

I’ve not read many books this year. Of the ones I read I did love a majority of
Anyta Sunday’s books
Mercury’s Orbit by Lia Black
Anáil Dhragain: Dragon’s Breath by Stephan Knox
Falling Out of Fate by Madeleine Ribbon
The Dragon’s Thief by Riza Curtis
Conned by Charity Parkerson

We still have more lists to come….from readers, reviewers and myself next week.  This week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words a lighter week for the holidays.

Enjoy, be merry and light!  Be safe and happy reading!

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, December 23:

  • An Alisa Advent Calendar Review: Santa on the Beach by Crystel Greene
  • For Something Old, Something New, and All Things Wonderful -Best of 2018 Lists Continue.
  • This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, December 24:

  • On Tour with Weezo’s Blues by Layla Dorine
  • A Lucy Review: Midnight Angel by  Kevin Klehr
  • A Lila Review: Nothing Special VI (SWAT Edition) His Hart’s Command by AE Via
  • A MelanieM Review: Designer Holiday by Ari McKay
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Advent Review:Twenty-Nine Hours to Eternity by Elizabeth Noble
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Love Blooms by Stephanie Hoyt

Tuesday, December 25 (Christmas Day) 🎄

  • A MelanieM  Advent Calendar Review: Holidays Are Where Your Heart Is by Bru Baker
  • A Stella Review : The Christmas Lights Battle by Skylar M. Cates
  • A VVivacious Release Day Review: His Cursed Prince by Ryan Loveless
  • An Ali Release Day Review: The Boyfriend Cruise by Deanna Wadsworth

Wednesday, December 26:

  • Katey Hawthorne’s Superpowered Love Release Blog Tour
  • An Ashlez Review:  Island Angel by Alex Slorra
  • An Alisa Advent Calendar Review: Purrfect Holiday by Jana Denardo
  • A MelanieM Review: Deja Vu by Addison Albright
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audio Review:  A Wish Upon the Stars (Tales From Verania #4) by T.J. Klune and Michael Lesley  (Narrator)

Thursday, December 27:

  • DSP PROMO Ryan Loveless
  • An Alisa Audio Review : Under a Blue Moon by Bru Baker and Dorian Bane (Narrator)
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Join the Club (Four Kings Security #3) by Charlie Cochet
  • A Lila Advent Calendar Review:The Legend of Gentleman John by TJ Nichols

Friday, December 28:

  • DSP PROMO Tere Michaels
  •  Release Blitz – G.R Lyons – Illumined Shadows
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Release Day Review: Fox and Wolf (Apex Investigations #1) by Julia Talbot
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Accidentally on Purpose by J.M Snyder
  • A Chaos Moondrawn Advent Calendar Review:Hero for the Holidays by Charles Payseur

Saturday, December 29:

  • A Lila Advent Calendar Review: Haste Ye Back by R. Quincy Cameron

An Alisa Audio Review: Going Overboard (Anchor Point #5) by L.A. Witt and Nick J. Russo (Narrator)

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

It turns out love and sex come easy when you’re falling for your best friend.

 

Second-class petty officers Dalton Taylor and Chris Ingram have been best friends since coxswain’s school. Now they’re stationed together in the Harbor Patrol Unit of NAS Adams. They’re content as friends, but secretly, they both ache for more. Neither makes a move, though; while Dalton is out and proud, Chris is closeted—even from his best friend.

 

Then another coxswain’s negligence nearly drowns Dalton. After a taste of how easily they could lose each other, neither man can keep his feelings hidden anymore, and it turns out love and sex come easy when you’re falling for your best friend.

 

Things aren’t just heating up between the friends-turned-lovers, though. The Navy is investigating the accident, and the Harbor Patrol chief isn’t going to let his star coxswain go down for dereliction of duty, even if saving him means throwing Dalton under the bus.

 

As the threats and gaslighting pile up, Chris and Dalton need each other more than ever—as shipmates, friends, and lovers. But if their chief prevails, the only way they can save their careers is to let each other go.

 

This was another nice story in this series.  Dalton is struggling to keep his feelings for his best friend hidden but when he is injured Chris steps up to help him.  Chris has kept his preferences to himself for so long but when the very real possibility of losing Dalton comes up he jumps in with both feet.

 

I really liked both of these guys and how easily they took to a relationship, but that is what can happen when you have been best friends for so long.  I could see their frustration and worry with how the accident was being handled and how the chief was treating Dalton.  I felt for Dalton when he was feeling down about his feelings for Chris and then his frustration when he had trouble getting back to normal after the accident.  I loved Chris’s endless support for Dalton and how all he wants is for him to be happy and alive.

 

It was so nice to listen to Nick Russo narrating this story as it’s been quite a while since I have had one of his stories and he did a wonderful job.  He continues to portray the characters’ emotions and it makes it easy to connect with them.  The different voices he used for the characters helped me keep up with what was going on and get an idea of the characters personality some more.

 

I like the cover art by LC Chase and it continues follow the pattern for the series.

 

Sales Links:  Audible | Amazon | iTunes

 

Audiobook Details:

Audiobook, 7 hrs 30 min
Published: November 8, 2018 by Riptide
Edition Language: English

Series: Anchor Point #5

ReplyForward

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Advent Review: Season to Shimmer by Kim Katil

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

When Nolan wakes up with a beautiful green-haired man in his bed, little does he know he’s already met the man of his dreams. Skylar is not only cute and fun-loving, he’s also a businessman who owns his own dojo where he teaches karate. Before they get to explore more about each other, Nolan receives a distress call from his (half) brother, Den.  The young man has been told by his father that he must give up his boyfriend and settle down. He can’t be gay and he can’t have the boy he loves. 

Nolan has never rocked the boat with his mother and this man she married, but it seems he’s going to have to go to bat for his youngest brother and his step-brother is with him all the way in supporting Den. To make a long story short—or is that a short story shorter?—Nolan asks Skylar to accompany him to his parents’ annual holiday gala. His straight stepbrother, Tor, will bring his best friend as his “date” and Den will be accompanied by his boyfriend as well.  The three couples plan to stand united.

The story mainly focuses on the stepfather and his homophobia with some romance for Nolan and his new lover, Skylar.  There’s quite a long segment devoted to Nolan’s business—he’s an art gallery owner and sculptor—and to his newest artist who benefits from Skylar’s visit to the galley when Skylar buys a piece and Skylar’s lovely mother makes friends with the young man.

There’s a lot of information and many characters in this story, all of which was given page time so the romance between Nolan and Skylar was given less focus. Those who enjoy sex scenes will be happy to know the author fit those in, but those who like to see a romance take some time to develop may not be too pleased.  In any case, this is a nice holiday story that includes quite a few possibilities for future spinoffs. 

Cover art by Garrett Leigh features one of the basic Advent Calendar designs with a round portal through which we see both MCs—the older bearded man and the younger green-haired man. A good representation of the story, I like this particular cover design for the Advent Anthology stories.

Sales Links:   Dreamspinner Press |   Amazon

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 52 pages
Published December 1st 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
Edition Language English

 

Sean Michael on Honeycombs, Baking, and his new release ‘Home and Heart’ (author guest blog)

Home and Heart by Sean Michael

Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Alexandria Corza

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

 

 

 

Thank you to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting me today!

December is such a busy month, isn’t it? On top of all the regular stuff there’s parties and presents and a big meal with family and friends. It just seems to be go go go until the big day and then it’s all over just like that.

I have been a cookie baking fiend. I always give family and close friends a variety of cookies. I love being able to make a wide variety and then split them out and everyone gets a half dozen of a bunch of different kinds. It works out well. But it makes for a very busy cookie-baking time! I have my favorites, but I also bake a few that I never eat because I know family members love them best. My favorite this year was honeycomb – because omg, it worked and I didn’t burn down the house!

I imagine of all the guys in Home and Heart that Sawyer is the one most likely to bake cookies, although he’ll have an enthusiastic helper in Derek. And all the guys will definitely help eat said cookies. As to what kind of a cookie-man each of the four main characters are – I’ll let you decide for yourself what kind you think they’d each like!

And that just begs the question – what kind of cookie do you like best?

Sean “Honeycomb” Michael

smut fixes everything

Blurb:

Is it possible to find the heart’s home twice in a lifetime?

Six years ago, Sawyer Burroughs’s life fell apart. His soul mate and husband of four years died of cancer, and he fell into depression… and a bottle. It’s taken six years, but he’s turned his life around and is ready to start again on the other side of the country.

In his new apartment, he’s welcomed by his young and carefree neighbor, Derek, from across the hall. Derek is eager to make Sawyer feel welcome and even offers him a place to stay when Sawyer arrives ahead of his furniture.

The upstairs neighbors are just as friendly, and soon Sawyer finds a place with the friends-with-benefits threesome. He’s not the shy, vanilla lover they think he is, though, and he’s hiding more than a pair of nipple rings. As it happens, the guys have kinky secrets of their own, but for four men to make a BDSM relationship last, they’ll have to figure some things out.

Excerpt:

Sawyer opened the door to his new place and stared around at the empty space. He’d rented the place sight unseen, and he had to admit it looked small without any furniture. Even with furniture it was going to be smaller than the house back… the old house. He took a deep breath.

Okay. Okay, this was going to be home now. He’d sold everything he didn’t need, he’d sold the house, and he’d packed up his SUV and moved across country to Halifax.

A new house. A new start. A new life.

He wasn’t going to cry. He wasn’t. He was a grown man with cash and a good freelance job writing for catalogs with a side gig of writing greeting cards. Change was good. Scary, but good. Right? Right. He took another deep breath and squared his shoulders.

Sawyer opened the windows to let the air in; then he went to explore—he had a nice living area, an eat-in kitchen that was plenty big enough to cook in, a master, and a tiny second bedroom for an office. The leasing agent said it was the smallest apartment of the four, but it suited him, and the price was reasonable.

The building was an old house converted into four apartments. The bones of the place were lovely. He just hoped the other tenants didn’t throw too many loud parties. Gosh, that was such an old-man thing to think, wasn’t it?

Of course, he was a widower, a recovering alcoholic, and a bit of a hermit. Which made him sound ancient. But it was the mileage not the years, wasn’t it?

He supposed he should do something about getting the stuff in his van into the apartment. At least a chair so he had somewhere to sit. He had a couple of lawn chairs, a foldout cot, his laptop, his books, and his kitchen stuff with him. The rest he was going to have to buy. Now that he was here without anything, it was tempting to second-guess the decision to sell everything, but his reasoning had been sound. He was starting anew, and that included leaving behind the things he’d shared with James and actually starting fresh.

A knock sounded at the door, startling him out of his thoughts.

He jumped, put his hand on his chest, then went to the door, curious. He opened it slowly. “Hello?”

A young guy with shaggy blond hair and lovely gray eyes stood there, lounging against the door. “Hey, man. I’m across the hall in 1B—Derek. Nice to meet you.”

“Derek? Hello, I’m Sawyer Ham… Burroughs.”

“Hamburroughs? Cool.” Derek looked past him. “Dude, your place is pretty bare.”

“This is my first hour, and it’s just Burroughs.” He didn’t know why he’d stopped using James’s name, but… this was part of his new start, right?

About the Author

Best-selling author Sean Michael is a maple leaf–loving Canadian who spends hours hiding out in used book stores. With far more ideas than time, Sean keeps several documents open at all times. From romance to fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi, Sean is limited only by the need for sleep—and the periodic Beaver Tail.

Sean fantasizes about one day retiring on a secluded island populated entirely by horseshoe crabs after inventing a brain-to-computer dictation system. Until then, Sean will continue to write the old-fashioned way.

Sean Michael on the web:

WEBSITE: http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com

BLOG: http://seanmichaelwrites.blogspot.ca

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites/

TWITTER: seanmichael09

INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/seanmichaelpics/

An Alisa Review: Vampire with Benefits (Supernatural Selection #2) by E.J. Russell

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

A match between a vampire and shifter could be deadly—but this broken beaver doesn’t give a dam.

 

Silent film actor Casimir Moreau had imagined that life as a vampire would be freewheeling and glamorous. Instead, he’s plunged into a restrictive society whose rules he runs afoul of at every turn. To “rehabilitate” him, the vampire council orders him mated to an incubus with impeccable breeding who’ll mold Cas into the upstanding vampire he ought to be. Or else.

 

As an inactive beaver shifter, construction engineer Rusty Johnson has fought—and overcome—bias and disrespect his entire life. But when his longtime boyfriend leaves him for political reasons, Rusty is ready to call it a day. Next stop? Supernatural Selection and his guaranteed perfect mate, a bear shifter living far away from Rusty’s disapproving clan.

 

But then a spell snafu at Supernatural Selection robs both men of their intended husbands. Rusty can’t face returning to his clan, and Cas needs somebody on his arm to keep the council happy, so they agree to pretend to be married. Nobody needs to know their relationship is fake—especially since it’s starting to feel suspiciously like the real thing.

 

This is another great story in this series, with a very interesting turn.  Cas is dreading his sentence of being married to who the council has chosen and jumps at the chance to throw it back in their faces.  Rusty just wants someone to actually care about him and basically not be a jerk, he isn’t expecting much just to get away from his ex.

 

This story is taking place at the same time as the first book which was interesting.  Cas and Rusty work together from the beginning and grow closer over time.  When they discover how Rusty could help Cas get his life back and help fix something from Cas’s past they jump right in.

 

I easily connected with Rusty, he has always been the outcast and never expects more than that but he is so caring and fierce at the same time.  Cas took a bit to grow on me, but once he stopped trying to defy everything it’s easy to see that he isn’t happy and deeply regrets even becoming a vampire but he would never have gotten to meet Rusty.  I loved the connection these two have and the twist at the end to get a happily ever after was great.

 

Cover art by LC Chase is adorable and I love the style an how it matches the first book too.

 

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 300 pages

Published: November 26, 2018 by Riptide Publishing

ISBN: 978-1-62649-856-3

Edition Language: English

Series: Supernatural Selection #2

A MelanieM Release Day Review: Tutus and Tinsel (Half Moon Bay #2.5) by Rhys Ford

Rating: 4.6 stars out of 5

Zig Reid-Harris has everything an eleven-year-old girl could ever want: a great home, two fantastic fathers named Deacon Reid and Lang Harris, and all the books she could possible read.

When a school assignment about holiday traditions unexpectedly broadsides her, she discovers burying the past isn’t as easy as it looks, and the stark reality of her life before her adoption sinks in. Ashamed of the bleakness and poverty she came from, Zig struggles with the assignment until an epiphany strikes the whole family—it’s time to start their own traditions.

Zig and her fathers plunge into the insanity of holiday joy, exploring everything the season has to offer and learning how precious family truly is along the way.

The theme of this story, making new family traditions at the holidays, comes about through a fairly typical homework assignment, one I would  imagine needs revisiting in RL schools just as it does here in Tutus and Tinsel (Half Moon Bay #2.5) by Rhys Ford.  Given the complexities these days in what constitutes a modern “family” and how that family is constructed, I would think that (hopefully) teachers at every level are becoming sensitive to handing out a “simple” homework paper on  family’s holiday traditions.

Ford takes our own memories of such an homework papers and perhaps our family traditions and runs it smack up against a small powerhouse of a character called Zig to devastating results.  Zig has no past history of “adorable Christmas traditions” having barely survived her childhood to find her uncle.  Here that lack comes roaring home and it’s up to her fathers to help her find and create new traditions for them all.

This story roils with emotions.  Rhys Ford takes us back into the past, broken shards of parental abuse and neglect that still stab at both Zig and Deacon, and Lang’s there to love and hold both close.  I loved seeing all the other characters as well pull together to try different crafts, “trying on” traditions to make their own  as a family.  This story is excellently written, tightly constructed as I  have come to expect from this author, and flows beautifully, full of emotion and heart.

Tutus and Tinsel explores what it means to be a family again at Christmas and shines a light on how exactly something becomes a family tradition in the first place.  It’s heartwarming, suffused with the holiday  spirit and love.  I found it perfect holiday reading.

It is, however, not a standalone story.  So treat yourself, if you are not already familiar with the series, to the preceding stories.  You will love them!

Cover art:   Reece Notley.  Love the cover because it captures Tig perfectly with her tutu.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner PressAmazon

Book Details:

ebook, 95 pages
Expected publication: December 21st 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 139781644051511
Edition Language English
Series Half Moon Bay #2.5

Fish Stick Fridays

Hanging The Stars

Tutus and Tinsel

A MelanieM Advent Calendar Review: Slow Summer Heat by Renae Kaye

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

 

A Story from the Warmest Wishes: Dreamspinner Press 2018 Advent Calendar

Geoffrey Saxon is in his forties, a bit plump, a lot fuzzy, and rather boring in bed—and thanks to a very public breakup, everyone in his street knows it. However, what they don’t know is that Geoffrey sometimes watches his hot young neighbor, Vaughn, in the pool. Vaughn has invited Geoffrey to join his pool parties, but Geoffrey knows it’s only pity.

As if things can’t get worse, Geoffrey’s air conditioner breaks during a heat wave in Western Australia—and just before Christmas. In search of some relief, he camps out in his backyard, where he also has a prime view of Vaughn swimming… naked. When Geoffrey’s injured falling from his spying post, Vaughn comes to his rescue and Geoffrey doesn’t think he can be more horrified.

But he could be in for a sweet holiday surprise. Is he ready to take the dive?

Slow Summer Heat by Renae Kaye is a sweet, heartwarming story about an older man who’s been hurt by his ex and a humiliating breakup to an extent that’s he’s withdrawn from a social life into his house and a lonely existence.  Kaye does this type of character really well.  You can see Geoffrey quite clearly from her vivid descriptions to his dialogs (inner conversations and those with his gorgeous neighbor).

Geoffrey teeters briefly on the edge of a character that could go into the kink or voyeur as he’s convinced he’s so unattractive that no one wants him, so he turns down his neighbor’s invitations.  That leads to spying which leads to other things.  With Kaye, you get a great feel as to who Geoffrey is, his background, family, etc. You understand just how badly this past relationship has affected him and why, including the scene made in the street.

What’s missing is Vaughn’s portion.  At least I mostly felt that way for me.  Geoffrey is our narrator so we see this gorgeous young roofer through his eyes but even with all their conversations Vaughn never feel’s as fully fleshed out a personality as Geoffrey does. That could certainly be due to the shortness of the story.  I  just wished for more of the man Geoffrey was crushing on all this time.

Still Slow Summer Heat is a cute hot holiday romance.  A quick read with a touch of the Australian heat for something different.

Cover Artist: Adrian Nicholas.  The pool is a major element here so it works for the cover but there should be more to it as well.

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 1st edition, 54 pages
Published December 1st 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 139781644050583
Edition Language English

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Advent Calendar Review: Summer Santa by Ward Maia

Rating: 2 stars out of 5

Sam struggles with the climate, the job, and the language when he arrives in Brazil after accepting a job transfer.  With the Christmas holidays coming, Sam is looking forward to being alone in his small, boring apartment and that’s about it.  He wishes for more when his sexy coworker James helps him with a computer problem, but Sam’s too backward to ask him out.

A key phrase in the blurb is “significant low self-esteem” as that is the driving force of this story.  His family surprises him with a holiday he won’t soon forget and he bumps into James on the beach and that leads to a night before Christmas Eve that fulfills his dreams.  But Sam is not the driving force behind any of these good things, and his insecurity and inability to articulate what he wants form the crux of the story. 

It’s evident the author is new as the writing style and repetitive words and phrases are quite elementary—he “found himself” once too often for me.  The trope of the cute guy who’s insecure about his looks, his ability to find someone to love him, etc. is overdone and, unfortunately, not one I like at all. 

A key element in the blurb is that Sam is a magazine journalist, and yet that’s not mentioned in the beginning pages of the story and when it finally is stated, it’s only in passing.  Another issue is the language barrier he apparently can’t get past, and yet that, too, is only mentioned in the beginning and seems to disappear. We never learn whether James is also an American or if he’s Brazilian, and if a native, does he speak English fluently? Because Sam sure doesn’t speak anything other than English.  Sam’s family members were a bit OTT as well, especially his aunt and his sister.

Though I didn’t enjoy it as much as I’d hoped, others may not be as bothered by the insecure and lonely MC theme as I am and so may enjoy the story.

The cover by Adrian Nicholas is one of this year’s holiday designs featuring two characters in a portal with the lower edges a standard red with large white snowflakes. The characters represent the two MCs, though Sam is much better-looking than one would think from reading the story, and James looks much more like a player than a nice-guy coworker. 

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner PressAmazon

Book Details:

ebook, 46 pages
Published December 1st 2018 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN 139781644050576
Edition Language  English

JS Harker on Winter, Characters, and her new release ‘Tit for Tat’ (author guest blog)

Tit for Tat by J.S. Harker

Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press  |  Amazon  |   B&N  |   Kobo 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host J.S. Harker today talking about the inspiration behind her character Flynn and her new novel Tit for Tate.  Welcome, J.S.

✒︎

Hi there, I’m JS Harker. I’m here to promote my new holiday release Tit For Tat. It’s my second book published in the Dreamspinner Beyond line and I can’t believe the year’s flown by. I’m excited to share the new story with you, especially anyone who, like me, would rather be reading in my room than braving holiday parties. I wanted to balance the holidays with the time of year as well.

Call me strange, I actually like winter. Give me snow, long nights, and cold winds and I’m pretty happy. One winter, in college, the Goo Goo Dolls were playing on campus. While my college spread out over several blocks, walking from place to place never took terribly long, so I encouraged my friends that we should walk instead of taking the shuttle out to the arena. Normally, not a problem. But that night? Full blown blizzard. I’m talking the see six feet ahead of you maybe kind of storm. And somehow, I stubbornly made my friends walk it. It’s not something I recommend because wow, it could have gone way wrong. We had a straight path to walk and we knew the campus really well. But it’s been a decade and I can still feel how bitter cold the wind was, the plodding slow pace we had to go at, and the sheer utter amount of snow that was everywhere. That was also the year I climbed the giant snow piles cleared off the parking lots.

Those experiences were part of the inspiration for Flynn, one of the leads from Tit For Tat. He’s a Winter fairy and comes from the part of the fairy kingdoms that resemble wide open plains covered in snow. As much as he loves his home, he also has this need to explore our world. He and Ariel from Little Mermaid would probably make good buddies—they both just have to know what’s out there. Flynn’s gone so far as to get a job in a mall, playing one of Santa’s elves. He gets to see a wide variety of humans there, but it’s Derek, who works at the toy store, that catches his interest.

While confidence and curiosity come naturally to Flynn, Derek is much more of an inside person. He’s insecure, but he still longs to have adventures. He just doesn’t think they’re possible until he meets Flynn. Writing an insecure, introverted character was a little harder for me. In part it was because Derek shares a lot of the same feelings I’ve had and I’m still new to intentionally opening up on the page, but also because he liked hiding away while I was drafting the story. But he’s in awe of Flynn, fascinated by him, and eventually in love with him.

When I was editing Tit For Tat (because of course the muses strike when you’re busy with a project, right?), I got inspired to write more stories set in the same universe. Every novel is a complete stand alone and focuses on a different season. I’m currently working on a summer story and a fall/Halloween adventure. I’m also working on another novel for Dreamspinner that would feature an FBI agent who investigates the paranormal and attracts the attention of an agent of a secret government organization.

Thanks for reading. I hope you’ll check out Tit For Tat, and that your new year is shiny and full of good fortune.

Blurb

Cold has never been so hot.

College sophomore Derek is busy working over his holiday break—but his shifts at the toy store are no hardship if they mean more opportunity to dream about the sexy new guy working as an elf in Santa’s Workshop. When his mother gifts him a bag of cookies, Derek regifts them to Flynn as an excuse to get to know him. Flynn has presents to offer as well, and soon they’re dating, with Derek finding out his comfort zone is bigger than he imagined.

But Flynn is hiding a secret—he’s really a winter fairy whose magic is bound to the season. He can’t stay in the mortal realm, and Derek doesn’t want to lose contact with his family. Can they find a way to hold on to each other when the snow and sugar plums melt away?

 

About Author J.S. Harker

JS Harker loves stories. She was one of those kids who always had a book in her hands and spent many hours adventuring with her siblings. These days she wanders into her imaginary worlds and conjures up tales of magic, passion, and happily-ever-afters. She currently lives in the part of the Midwest that makes Tatooine look interesting by comparison (not that she’s ever obsessively thought about becoming a Jedi or anything).    

Links:

Website: www.jsharker.com

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/JS-Harker-236521747017598/