Category: Riptide Publishing

In the Contemporary Spotlight: As La Vista Turns (Queers of La Vista #5) by Kris Ripper (giveaway)

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As La Vista Turns (Queers of La Vista #5) by Kris Ripper
Riptide Publishing
Cover art by L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Purchase it here at Riptide Publishing

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host Kris Ripper here today to talk about zir latest story, As La Vista Turns.  Welcome, Kris!

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Hi, I’m Kris and welcome to the blog tour for As La Vista Turns, book five in my awesome queer soap opera! Enjoy the blog tour!

About As La Vista Turns

Zane Jaffe has almost lost track of what conception cycle she’s in. (That’s a lie: this is cycle thirteen.) She’s fake-dating her pal Mildred to get her best friend off her back, but judging by how hot it was when they accidentally kissed, her feelings might be somewhat less platonic than she’d thought.

And she’s decided that healing the fractured local queer community can only be accomplished through a party. Or maybe it’s actually a wake. Whatever it is, it’ll take place at Club Fred’s, and there will be alcohol.

Trying to conceive is an unholy rollercoaster of emotions, and Mildred won’t let them kiss again until Zane figures out how she feels. Between the wake (exhausting as hell, and that’s just the fun stuff), the constant up-down cycle of trying to get pregnant, and saving the world in the meantime, Zane has no idea. Fall in love with Mildred isn’t on her list, but maybe it’s time to let go of that rigid future she’s been working toward, and instead embrace the accidents that can lead to something better.

As La Vista Turns is available from Riptide Publishing. 

This title is part of the Queers of La Vista universe.

About Kris Ripper

Kris Ripper lives in the great state of California and hails from the San Francisco Bay Area. Kris shares a converted garage with a toddler, can do two pull-ups in a row, and can write backwards. (No, really.) Kris is genderqueer and prefers the z-based pronouns because they’re freaking sweet. Ze has been writing fiction since ze learned how to write, and boring zir stuffed animals with stories long before that.

Connect with Kris:

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of As La Vista Turns, one lucky winner will receive an ebook of their choice from Kris’s backlist! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on March 4, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

An Alisa Review: Dating Ryan Alback by J.E. Birk

Rating:  4 stars out of 5

 

datingryanalback_500x750Ryan Alback has almost everything he’s ever wanted: a successful acting career, a dog who adores him, great family and friends, and a life outside the closet. The only thing missing is a boyfriend—but Ryan’s been burned by Hollywood relationships before, and he’s not eager to try one again.

 

Jason Santos has almost everything he’s ever wanted: a fulfilling career teaching middle school, a house in a city he loves, and parents who support him in every way. Too bad he can’t seem to forget the ex-boyfriend who rejected his marriage proposal.

 

When a talk show host launches a dating contest to find Ryan a boyfriend and Jason accidentally wins, neither of them expect anything to come from it. Yet somewhere between a disastrous massage and a mud sinkhole, they both start to wonder if this date could be more than just a public relations stunt. But before they can move into the future, they’ll both have to learn to let go of the past.

 

I enjoyed this story quite a bit.  Ryan was hurt by a previous lover and since hasn’t looked for love again and spends his life with a few friends and his dog.  Jason has spent the last year trying to get a nonprofit off the ground and ignoring his personal life.

 

Both of these characters have others who want them happy and look out for them.  How putting someone in a national dating contest without their permission can be a good idea I don’t understand.  I will admit that it is very unlikely that Ryan and Jason would have met otherwise but that someone thought this was the way to do it is beyond me.

 

We get to see both of these characters’ thoughts and feelings through their own points of view.  Ryan is so scared of trusting anyone and letting someone in he lives alone with only his dog for company most of the time.  Seeing him hurt himself by pushing others away is quite sad, he has to learn to that not everyone wants to use him.  Jason pretty much hides behind his job and nonprofit to avoid getting hurt again in his personal life.  I hated seeing him be hurt when Ryanmakes assumptions based on past experience.  Both of them have to learn to trust, but it takes both of them making mistakes before it can happen.

 

Cover art by LC Chase is adorable and we get a nice visual of the characters.

 

Sales Links: Riptide Publishing | Amazon | B&N

 

Book Details:

ebook, 250 pages

Published: February 20, 2017 by Riptide Publishing

ISBN: 9781626495364

Edition Language: English

In the Spotlight: Dating Ryan Alback by J.E. Birk (RIPTIDE BLOG TOUR and giveaway)

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Dating Ryan Alback by J.E. Birk
Riptide Publishing
Cover art by L.C. Chase

Read an Excerpt/Buy it here at Riptide Publishing

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host J.E. Bird today. Welcome, J.E.!

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Greetings! I’m J.E. Birk, and right now I’m traversing the internets to discuss my new romantic comedy, DATING RYAN ALBACK. Follow along to learn more about an insecure movie star, a klutzy teacher, and the neurotic dog who loves them. Leave comments for a chance to win a $10 Riptide giftcard and copy of any book from my backlist! 

About Dating Ryan Alback

Ryan Alback has almost everything he’s ever wanted: a successful acting career, a dog who adores him, great family and friends, and a life outside the closet. The only thing missing is a boyfriend—but Ryan’s been burned by Hollywood relationships before, and he’s not eager to try one again. 

Jason Santos has almost everything he’s ever wanted: a fulfilling career teaching middle school, a house in a city he loves, and parents who support him in every way. Too bad he can’t seem to forget the ex-boyfriend who rejected his marriage proposal.

When a talk show host launches a dating contest to find Ryan a boyfriend and Jason accidentally wins, neither of them expect anything to come from it. Yet somewhere between a disastrous massage and a mud sinkhole, they both start to wonder if this date could be more than just a public relations stunt. But before they can move into the future, they’ll both have to learn to let go of the past. 

Now available from Riptide Publishing. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/dating-ryan-alback

About J.E. Birk

J.E. Birk has been telling stories since she could talk and writing them since she was introduced to the alphabet. She hails from Colorado, where you can usually find her skiing, training for a 5K she won’t end up running, or watching people run into each other on football fields and in hockey rinks. You can follow her ramblings on Twitter by looking for @jebirkwrites. She’s also been known to ramble on Facebook as J Elisabeth Birk.

Connect with J.E. Birk:

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Dating Ryan Alback, one lucky winner will receive a $10 Riptide Publishing credit and their choice of ebook from J.E.’s backlist! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on February 25, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

A Stella Review: Half by Eli Lang

RATING 3 out of 5 stars

half_600x900-2Living between worlds has never been comfortable, but it’s where I’ve always fit: between human and fey, illness and health, magic and reality.

I’ve spent the last six years looking for a cure for the nameless sickness eating me up. If I believed there was one out there, I would keep searching. But there isn’t, so I’ve come back home, where my past and present tangle. Come home to live . . . and to die.

But my father insists I meet Kin. He’s a healer, and determined to help, even though I’m not so hopeful anymore. But Kin isn’t what I expected, in any way. He sees me, not my illness. He reminds me of what it’s like to be alive. And I can’t help falling for him, even though I know it isn’t fair to either of us.

Kin thinks he has the cure I’ve been looking for, but it’s a cure that will change everything: me, my life, my heart. If I refuse, I could lose Kin. But if I take it, I might lose myself.

Half by Eli Hang was nothing like I was expecting. I was enthusiastic as soon as I saw the cover and read the blurb. They caught my attention and I was intrigued by a new author. This is Eli Lang’s debut novel and I feel to say she did well.

Luca has travelled the world for years, looking for someone who is able to help him or just give him some answers about an unknown disease. Now that he has decided to finally stop, come back home and accept his illness, his father forces him to see a Japanese healer. Can Kin really help Luca?

There were a lot of elements I loved, first of all the general idea of the book, I found it interesting and I like to read about the fey world a lot. So I was conquered by the characters, the second ones too, especially Saben and Riyad, I would love to know more about these two beautiful souls. I liked the writing, it flew easily, and it was done just right to let me know the MCs feelings and fears. I liked the descriptive scenes, I was able to see the places through the words the author wrote. Yes, Half could have been to me a huge success.

I think I missed something because, although I was able to recognize and appreciate these great ingredients, the story fell a little short. It bored me quite a lot, I lost myself in the reading and not in a good way. Maybe because there were too many words, well put together and dreamy, still too many words and actually nothing real happened, it dragged till the end and I was disappointed.

That said I’m happy to have read Half by Eli Lang, it deserves the full three stars and I’m curious to see what the author will write in the future.

The cover art by G.D. Leigh is well done and very fitting, it caught my attention at first sight.

Sales Links

Riptide Publishing

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BOOK DETAILS

ebook, 287 pages

Published February 13th 2017 by Riptide Publishing

ISBN 162649519X (ISBN13: 9781626495197)

Edition Language English

Eli Lang on Writing, Songs to Write By and ‘Half’ by Eli Lang (RIPTIDE TOUR and Giveaway)

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Half by Eli Lang
Riptide Publishing
Cover by G.D. Leigh

Read an Excerpt/Purchase it here at Riptide Publishing

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Eli Lang here today talking about writing, soundtracks and Half,  her latest release.  Welcome, Eli!

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Songs- A Partial Soundtrack for Half

I listen to a lot of music while I’m writing.  It’s the thing that inspires me and decides where a book will go and how it will feel.  Half was no exception—I had a massive playlist for it, while I was writing and revising.  So, for your listening pleasure (hopefully!) here are five of my favorite songs from that playlist.

Nara by alt-J: alt-J’s album This Is All Yours was one of four albums I listened to on repeat while writing this book, and it’s the one I love the most.  And this song embodies why, for me.  It destroys me in the best way.  It’s about love and finding someone to love, and loss, and fear, and heartache, and joy.  I hope a little bit of that snuck into Half.

Say Goodbye by Beck-  I listened to Morning Phase nonstop during my last big rewrite of this book.  It’s a quiet album that packs a punch.  Say Goodbye is my favorite song off it—it’s simple but it does something to my heart.  I wanted to carry that over into Half.

Trembling Hands by The Temper Trap: If the book has a theme song, it’s this.  I actually wanted to call the book Trembling Hands at one point—thankfully I didn’t keep that idea.  I don’t always pay a ton of attention to lyrics while I’m writing, but these struck me so much.  Fundamentally, the song is about something completely different than Half.  But the feelings of being lonely and scared and unsure stuck with me.  I also love the dynamics, the passion in the vocals, and the delicate verses. 

Heavenfaced by The National:  The National’s album Trouble Will Find me was another one I had on repeat while writing Half.  The whole album has a sort of dreamy quality to the music and lyrics, and I could get really lost in it.  But it’s solid, too, and it has a lot of depth.  Heavenfaced is one of my favorite songs off it.  It’s basically, for me, about life and death, and living as best you can.  Whenever I hear the words, “No one’s careful all the time,” I think about Half’s main character, Luca.

Heavenly Father by Bon Iver:  I think I’ve listened to this song a million times, and it never gets old.  I’m not sure why I wanted to listen to it so much while I was writing this book.  Lyrically, it doesn’t really fit.  But I do go into family relationships in Half—the relationship Luca has with his sister, and the relationship he has with his father—the confusion of family ties, and what to feel about people who are supposed to love you.  And in that way, it does sort of fit.

About Half

Living between worlds has never been comfortable, but it’s where I’ve always fit: between human and fey, illness and health, magic and reality.

I’ve spent the last six years looking for a cure for the nameless sickness eating me up. If I believed there was one out there, I would keep searching. But there isn’t, so I’ve come back home, where my past and present tangle. Come home to live . . . and to die.

But my father insists I meet Kin. He’s a healer, and determined to help, even though I’m not so hopeful anymore. But Kin isn’t what I expected, in any way. He sees me, not my illness. He reminds me of what it’s like to be alive. And I can’t help falling for him, even though I know it isn’t fair to either of us.

Kin thinks he has the cure I’ve been looking for, but it’s a cure that will change everything: me, my life, my heart. If I refuse, I could lose Kin. But if I take it, I might lose myself.

Now available from Riptide Publishing. 

About Eli Lang

Eli Lang is a writer and drummer. She has played in rock bands, worked on horse farms, and has had jobs in libraries, where she spent most of her time reading every book she could get her hands on. She can fold a nearly perfect paper crane and knows how to tune a snare drum. She still buys stuffed animals because she feels bad if they’re left alone in the store, believes cinnamon buns should always be eaten warm, can tell you more than you ever wanted to know about the tardigrade, and has a book collection that’s reaching frightening proportions. She lives in Arizona with far too many pets.

Connect with Eli:

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Half, one lucky winner will receive a $20 Riptide Publishing credit! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on February 18, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

An Ali Audiobook Review: Where There’s Smoke (Panopolis #1) by Cari Z and Nick J. Russo (Narrator)

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
where-theres-smoke-audioPanopolis is a rough place to be an average Joe. I came here looking for adventure and excitement, but nobody cares about one more normal guy in a city filled with super-powered heroes. The closest I’ve come to glory is working in a bank that villains often rob.

But then I maybe accidentally-on-purpose helped a villain escape the hero who was trying to save the day. Imagine my shock when, a week later, that villain asked me out for coffee. One date turned into more, and now I’m head over heels in love with Raul.

Falling in love with the guy dubbed the Mad Bombardier isn’t without its downsides, though. I’ve had to deal with near-death encounters with other villains, awkwardly flirtatious heroes who won’t take no for an answer, and a lover I’m not sure I can trust. It’s getting to the point where I know I’ll have to make a choice: side with the heroes, or stand fast by my villain.

Either way, I think my days as a normal guy are over.
I really enjoyed this unique and creative story. Panopolis is a city filled with Heroes and Villians (think comic book characters). Edward is an average guy who has never actually met either until his bank is robbed by a villian. The two men have an instant connection and end up meeting again soon after. As Edward finds himself falling for Raul he has to constantly question his own values and what he is doing with a criminal. The story is filled with an interesting background plot of political corruption while the two MC’s give us some adventure, some romance and some smexy times. The world building was really well done and I could totally picture it.  I thought this was a great start to a new series. I love when author’s come up with completely new ideas and this is totally different than the usual love story in the m/m genre.
This audio was narrated by  Nick J Russo and as usual he does a great job with all of the voices.  I find that he is one narrator that I consistently enjoy.  The audiobook is pretty short, under three hours, and is an easy one to follow along with.  It is something that I would definitely recommend.
Cover by L.C. Chase:  I love the cover.  It’s very eye catching and it perfectly captures the world this book is set in.
Sales Links
Audiobook Details:
Audiobook
Published February 2nd 2017 by Riptide Publishing (first published April 25th 2015)
ASINB01N7XRJQM
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesPanopolis #1

RIPTIDE TOUR Embers (Common Law Book 2) by Kate Sherwood (giveaway)

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Embers (Common Law Book 2) by Kate Sherwood
Riptide Publishing
Cover by: Natasha Snow

Read an Excerpt/Buy It here

 

About Embers

Small town—big problems. Jericho Crewe is back in Mosely, Montana, trying to deal with police corruption, interfering feds, his newly discovered family members, and, of course, Wade Granger.

He doesn’t really need a biker war on top of it all, but as the bodies start to pile up, it becomes pretty clear that’s what he’s got. Not only that, but Wade’s involved somehow, and as soon as Wade is a part of something, things that seemed clear become cloudy.

With the feds breathing down his neck, Jericho has to find his way through Wade’s maze of half truths and manipulations. It would all be so much easier if Jericho could think straight in the other man’s presence. So much easier if their passionate past could be forgotten, and if he could be sure he’s strong enough to resist the temptation of a passionate present.

Now available from Riptide Publishing. http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/embers

About Kate Sherwood

Kate Sherwood started writing about the same time she got back on a horse after almost twenty years away from riding. She’d like to think she was too young for it to be a midlife crisis, but apparently she was ready for some changes!

Kate grew up near Toronto, Ontario (Canada) and went to school in Montreal, then Vancouver. But for the last decade or so she’s been a country girl. Sure, she misses some of the conveniences of the city, but living close to nature makes up for those lacks. She’s living in Ontario’s “cottage country”–other people save up their time and come to spend their vacations in her neighborhood, but she gets to live there all year round!

Since her first book was published in 2010, she’s kept herself busy with novels, novellas, and short stories in almost all the sub-genres of m/m romance. Contemporary, suspense, scifi or fantasy–the settings are just the backdrop for her characters to answer the important questions. How much can they share, and what do they need to keep? Can they bring themselves to trust someone, after being disappointed so many times? Are they brave enough to take a chance on love?

Kate’s books balance drama with humor, angst with optimism. They feature strong, damaged men who fight themselves harder than they fight anyone else. And, wherever possible, there are animals: horses, dogs, cats ferrets, squirrels… sometimes it’s easier to bond with a non-human, and most of Kate’s men need all the help they can get.

After five years of writing, Kate is still learning, still stretching herself, and still enjoying what she does. She’s looking forward to sharing a lot more stories in the future.

Twitter: @kate_sherwood 

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Giveaway

To celebrate the release of all four books in the Common Law series, we’re giving away one four-tour-wide GRAND PRIZE of $100 in Riptide credit! Enter at each stop on each tour (once they go live) to maximize your chances to win! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on April 8, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the Embers tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

This title is part of the Common Law: The Complete Collection collection. Check out the collection discount!