Cover Reveal for Nobody’s Home by Dev Betham (cover reveal, excerpt and giveaway)

Title: Nobody’s Home
Author: Dev Bentham
Release Date: November 15th 2016
Genre: Contemporary MM Romance

nobodyshome-1800

BLURB

Second chances can appear where you least expect them.

An artist: You can’t go home again—that was Nick’s motto for the past twenty years. He was a teenager when he left his abusive, mentally ill father back in Lacland, a small town in the northwoods of Wisconsin.

Nick’s made a successful life for himself in New York. Then comes the call—his estranged father has killed himself. Nick flies home to a house crumbling from years of neglect, and one very fat bulldog.

And a veterinarian: Jonas doesn’t love his job enforcing university research protocol. His passion is working with dogs, especially volunteering for his boyfriend’s behavioral studies projects. But when he discovers his so-called “life partner” is messing around, he leaps at a job offer in a small town miles away.

In spite of the grief swirling around Nick and Jonas, their first meeting is electric. But Nick will be in town for only a short time and Jonas is still stinging from the betrayal. The men try to keep their distance, but that’s easier said than done, especially in a small town where misery and hope share the same address.

This poignant story about two mature gay men will warm the hearts of readers who believe happy endings are within anyone’s grasp.

**This is an author’s version of the original story first printed in 2013 by Amber Allure.**

Pre-Order: Amazon

Goodreads

EXCERPT

“Nicholas Alsteen?” A man. He couldn’t place the voice. A buyer? Nick hoped so. Selling one of his few remaining finished pieces might take the edge off that damned financial drip.

“Yes.” The familiar stairwell mix of mold and stale cooking enveloped Nick as he waited for the man to go on.

There was a pause and then, “I’m calling about your father.”

“My father?” Nick stopped, one foot halfway to the next step. “There must be some mistake.”

“You’re Nicholas Alsteen, the artist, correct? Your father was Robert Alsteen, he went by—”

“Buddy.” Nick finished. “But whatever you want, I can’t help you. I haven’t seen him in years.”

“He’s dead, son.” Despite the harshness of the words, the voice sounded kind.

Nick sank onto the step.

“My name’s Dan Osborne of the Lacland Sheriff’s Department,” the voice continued. “I’m sorry to spring it on you like this but I’m afraid you’re going to have to come out here. You’re his closest relative. He didn’t leave a will so you’ll need to figure out what to do with his stuff. It isn’t much, the house, a truck. And there’s the…you’ll need to make arrangements for his remains.”

“I think there’s more family somewhere, but he cut himself off.” Nick stared at the dirty stairwell wall, picturing his father’s angry face.

“Doesn’t matter. You’re his legal next of kin.” When Nick didn’t say anything, the sheriff continued, “If you want I can put you in touch with folks who could do it all for you but given everything, it would probably cost more than the estate is worth. And besides, it’s the right thing to do, son. I know Buddy wasn’t easy, but he was your father.”

Some father. But Nick wasn’t exactly in a position to hire out his dirty work. “Okay.”

“When can you come?” Osborne sounded relieved.

Nick looked at his watch, as if that would tell him anything. His calendar was as simple as it could be—big scary opening in nine months, nothing until then. He mumbled something about soon and hung up. A woman was yelling a few floors down. Horns honked outside. A cold blast of air filled the stairwell as the front door opened. Nick stood and climbed back up the stairs, feeling a hundred years older than when he’d started down.

Life stops for death. Nick booked an expensive flight—whatever happened to bereavement rates? He texted Connie at the gallery so she’d know he hadn’t bolted town. He glanced through his phone contact list and decided there wasn’t anyone else who’d really care. He’d always told himself he had to stay detached to have time for his art. But maybe he was more like his father than he wanted to admit. Nick tried to wrap his brain around the thought that the old man was dead. Violent? Yes. Unpredictable? Yes. Crazy? Absolutely. Dead? That was hard to imagine.

Giveaway: Win a copy of Dev Bentham’s Tarnished Souls series

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About the Author

dev-author-pic

I write contemporary gay romance. My characters are flawed and damaged adult men who may not even know they’re looking for true love, but when they meet their bershert, their true love, their lives are transformed. My stories are set in the real world where gay men have gay friends, families who do or don’t accept them, personal histories they’re not necessarily proud of and a myriad of experiences that have made them who they are.

I live in Northern Wisconsin with my Boston Terrier and Chicago spouse. I’ve published short stories, poetry, newspaper articles and academic papers and have worked in nearly every profession from restaurants to retail to open-water diving and now write m/m romance out of my fascination with love, courage and gender.

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Amazon | Goodreads

A Paul Review: The Wolves of Daos 5 by Rebecca James

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

“As difficult as it was to wrap his mind around, Michael couldn’t deny that it all felt like the truth. He was half-alien, living in an alien civilization, mated to an alien, had an alien inside of him, and evidently other aliens were trying to kill them. In other words, his life was now a bad sci-fi movie”

Luckily for us readers, The Wolves of Daos 5 is a well-crafted science fiction novel. Let’s start with the main characters. Michael has believed he was human all his life. His mother died in childbirth. His father left when he was six. He was raised by his maternal grandmother according to his mother’s wishes. Through his life, he has suffered from social anxiety. At his grandmother’s insistence, Michael goes to college but lives outside the city in a cabin in the woods so he does not have to deal with the other students in a dorm.

Quinn is an alpha werewolf out on a run with a couple of his betas. He smells what he knows is his mate on the wind. He goes to investigate. He sees a young man trying to repair a roof in a driving rain storm. He howls at his mate, who is startled and falls off the roof. Quinn goes to check on the man and bring him in the cabin. When the man wakes up, Quinn tells him that not only is Michael his mate, but also an omega werewolf. Michael disbelieves the story he has been told as a symptom of a concussion. That is until Quinn morphs into his wolf. Michael asks for time to process this and Quinn agrees. Thus begins Michael’s journey into what he terms a bad sci-fi movie.

I found Michael charming as he navigates into this alien world into which he is brought into by Quinn. As with anyone new to a society, he makes occasional social faux pas. The whole checking out another man’s crotch as a way of greeting just puzzles Michael. Michael is also introduced to Ezzy, another omega who must be somehow related to Lucy Ricardo. The schemes that he drags Michael into makes him comment that he shouldn’t be his Ethel. Author Rebecca James builds an interesting world where Daos 5 is actually superimposed on Earth’s reality through magic. One of the more interesting beings in the book is that of the doctor that is taking care of Michael. People who are averse to slimy things will know where Michael’s apprehension with the doctor comes from. This is an excellent start to what I hope will be a long series of books.

The cover by Brandyjo Newton is gorgeous. It fits the book well.

Sales Links

Rebecca James | Amazon | Smashwords | ARe

Book Details

EBook, 195 pages

Edition Language: English

Published: September 24, 2016 by Rebecca James

ASIN: B01M0WFAUV

Here’s Reading You ~ An Author’s POV (Part IV) and This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Here’s Reading You ~ An Author’s POV (Part IV)

Today, we are going to finish up our authors perspective on writing and publishing eBooks with two authors familiar to readers here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words. Elin Gregory, author of wonderful M/M historical novels and Joe Cosentino, author of the Cozzi Cove and Nicky and Noah Mysteries among others. They kindly consented to answering our questions about writing, writing eBooks and publishing.

Reflecting back, while many authors see the eBook format as one that’s here to stay, other points of view vary widely. Here are two more to add to our picture of the eBook as it matures into an established book format and method of getting one’s story heard and out to readers world wide.

Elin Gregory

✍From Elin Gregory, author of On a Lee Shore, A Taste Of Copper, and many more:

As an author, what has your experience been publishing ebooks? Especially self published ebooks? Did you start off that way? Was a traditional publishing house not the answer? Or if it was, why?

I’ve been writing fiction for as long as I can remember but very much took on board the message that proper books were written by ‘posh folk’. Impressions that you form as a child can be very difficult to shake off as an adult so, although I wrote many novels, it was always as a cheap form of amusement rather than with any intent. In my thirties I did show a friend what I had written. She was a deeply thoughtful and serious reader and a rollicking Regency romance with a bisexual hero really wasn’t her thing. Her reaction was so negative that I went back into the writing closet. It wasn’t until the rise of the internet and online writing fora that I tried sharing things again, to a much better response, and a friend who was a published author encouraged me to try ebooks. This was in the early 2000s before ebooks were widely available and I didn’t follow it up at the time. I wish I had.

How has the ebook industry changed since you started publishing? How do you view these changes?

It hasn’t actually changed that much other than fewer publishers, more opportunities to self publish and OMG huge numbers of authors. The consequence of this is that I think it’s getting harder to be published by one of the ebook houses – which isn’t bad. As a reader I appreciate feeling that publishers are striving for excellence. But as an author, whether with a little house or as a self pubber, it’s very hard to be ‘seen’ when there are hundreds of new books each month.

Have you as an author benefited, are indifferent, or has it made your job more difficult to get your books out there?

I’ve benefitted in that I don’t believe I’d have ever been picked up by an agent. The competition is FIERCE. So ebooks have given me a terrific opportunity to share my work. The difficulty is in writing books that don’t properly fit the main categories so never really being sure how to describe them. Tagging them M/M won’t work because M/M is, in many readers’ minds, synonymous with erotic romance. They aren’t really romance, lacking that focus on the relationship. I can’t describe them as gay fiction because that, to me, specifically refers to books written by gay authors. I can’t call them LGBT+ fiction because they mostly only cover the G. Tagging is really important in order to allow readers to find you.

What things would you change if you were starting over?

I wish I had been braver and had submitted the short novel I finished in 2005. It might have sunk without a trace but people might have liked it. Who knows?

If I was starting now – probably not much. I don’t think I have the steely core of self esteem you need to be a successful self publisher/self promoter. When ones natural style is to say “Oh by the way, there’s this book I wrote … no, forget it. You probably wouldn’t like it” you’re not going to sell much.

What has been your biggest challenge? And biggest victory as an author – other than publishing that is? Is it see your genre expand?

Biggest challenge – LOL marketing! Biggest victory – ummmm, not sure. I’ve had a few lovely reviews and when you’ve been doing something for well over 50 years and someone thanks you for it, oh, how the heart lifts!

But expanding the genre is happening and it’s FANTASTIC. I can buy books that are genre first now – sci fi, thriller, historical, kitchen sink drama and all the rest – with amazing, complex characters and deeply interwoven plots. Books to really sink my teeth into by authors I just want to cheer, authors I aspire to emulate! More choice has to be a good thing.

Where do you see ebooks and yourself in the future?

I think we will carry on a pleasant low key association, like the type of friend you might not see for a couple of years but the relationship picks up where you left off. I would like to publish a bit more frequently but one does what one can and if nobody wants it – well markets change. No point worrying about it until it happens. I’ll be writing anyway.

Joe Cosentino

✍From Joe Cosentino, author of the Nicky and Noah Mysteries, the Cozzi Cove series, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland, and many more

From being touted as the death of the printed format to the savior of reading to everything in between. As an author, what has your experience been publishing ebooks? Especially self-published ebooks? Did you start off that way? Was a traditional publishing house not the answer? Or if it was, why?

As an actor and playwright, I did the happy dance on my desk when Dreamspinner Press agreed to publish my novella adaptation of my one-act play, AN INFATUATION, loosely based on my high school years and high school reunion. That inspired me to write another novella, A SHOOTING STAR, loosely based on my years as a theatre major in college. The staff at Dreamspinner Press was amazing. I received a main editor, four assistant editors, a cover artist, and a publicity manager. The head of the company, Elizabeth North, answered my emails quickly, cordially, and completely. We even shared a hilarious late-night email exchange about my funny Italian family. The two novellas started out as e-books. They did so well that Dreamspinner Press gave me my own paperback anthology of the two novellas, which just recently won a Rainbow Award Honorable Mention. We are now planning an audiobook for those. We are also planning audiobooks for my other two novellas: THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND (my gay take on my favorite fairytales like Cinderella, Pinocchio, Jack and the Beanstalk, Goldie Locks and the Three Bears, and The Snow Queen) and A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (my romantic novella set on the gorgeous and magical island of Capri, Italy), both being performed by the amazing and versatile actor Joel Leslie and releasing in November and December respectively. In addition to the things I have already mentioned, the benefit of having a publisher is the assurance that your books are getting out into the market, and that you are part of a family of authors who support you. I’ve met so many generous authors who have given me advice, featured me on their blogs, and read my books. The advantage of publishing an e-book is the lower price and easy availability, though some readers prefer the paperback and/or audiobook. I assume the e-books are less expensive to publish, though print on demand has greatly reduced the cost and need for bookstore returns for publishers of paperbacks.

How has the ebook industry changed since you started publishing? How do you view these changes? Have you as an author benefited, are indifferent, or has it made your job more difficult to get your books out there?

Though I have eleven published novels and four more written and being released over the next several months, I’ve only been writing novels for two years. As my mother says, “Don’t you have anything better to do than write novels?” Hm. I wonder if Stephen King’s mother asked him that. In any case, during the short time I’ve been writing, the only change I’ve seen is the increased number of readers in all venues. Some swear by ebooks. Others want to hold the paperbook in their hands. And the rest want to hear the book performed by a skilled narrator while they exercise, drive, or rest. The more formats available for a book, the easier it is to promote.

What things would you change if you were starting over?

I wouldn’t worry so much about whether or not my books would be published. I’ve been lucky enough to find the right publisher for each of my series. For example, Lethe Press publishes my comedy mystery series, the Nicky and Noah mystery novels, loosely based on my life as a college theatre professor (though thankfully nobody has been murdered at my college). DRAMA QUEEN (Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Poll winner of Favorite LGBT Mystery, Humorous, and Contemporary Novel of 2015) is available as an ebook, paperback, and audiobook performed by the amazing Michael Gilboe. DRAMA MUSCLE (Rainbow Award Honorable Mention) is available as an ebook and paperback. An audiobook is in the works. DRAMA CRUISE releases in ebook and paperback on December 1. Steve Berman of Lethe Press sees the value in offering his customers ebooks, paperbacks, and audiobooks. He also enjoys humor and a good mystery with a surprise ending.

What has been your biggest challenge? And biggest victory as an author – other than publishing that is? Is it to see your genre expand?

My biggest challenge has been working as a college professor/department head while I write and help promote so many books. My biggest victory is receiving so many wonderful messages from readers who tell me my books made them laugh, cry, feel romantic, and see their lives differently. For example, I created the Jana Lane mystery novels with straight leading characters and gay supporting characters, and found many straight people loving the gay characters as their favorites, and claiming that thanks to those books their positions changed on equality. The series about an ex-child star making a comeback while she solves murder mysteries on sets is published by The Wild Rose Press in ebooks and paperbacks: PAPER DOLL, PORCELAIN DOLL, SATIN DOLL, CHINA DOLL, and RAG DOLL which releases on November 13. Since the series takes place in the 1980’s, the beginnings of AIDS is featured in the novels, and also Jana’s best friend and agent are gay and partnered. The series attracts a different readership to my other novels. I am delighted to expand in that way. I also love shocking the readers each time with the surprise endings.

Where do you see ebooks and yourself in the future?

I think ebooks are here to stay. However, I also believe paperbacks and audiobooks aren’t going anywhere, as I’ve witnessed many readers who continue to prefer them. As for me. I spent part of the summer writing teleplays of some of my books. I think they would all make terrific television series, especially my Cozzi Cove series published by NineStar Press as ebooks and paperbacks: COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK, (Divine Magazine Honorable Mention and TBR Pile Book of the Month), COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD, and COZZI COVE: STEPPING OUT which releases in January. The stories of ex-football player Cal Cozzi and his guest bungalows in a gay resort on a gorgeous cove on the New Jersey Shore is ripe for television. Hear that producers. Make me an offer!

Looking back over all our wonderful authors interviews, I begin to see certain similarities stand out. All expect the eBook format to continue, as well as all forms of printed formats and audiobooks. Most wish they had been braver, started to write or publish sooner. Wish they had listened more to their own voices instead of perhaps someone else telling them that what they were writing wasn’t what would sell or that the public wanted to read.

Its been wonderful to have all these authors opinions for the last two weeks. My thanks to Parker Williams (Of Love and Corn Dogs), Wulf Francu Godgluck (Tooth, Claw, and Horn Chronicles), and Jay Northcote (Housemates, Nothing Serious ), Elin Gregory, and Joe Cosentino for appearing in this series. Your participation has been invaluable.

Have you learned something from our authors? Still have a question or two to ask? We have a giveaway for our readers below. Leave a comment or question to be entered.

And Happy Halloween and Samhain everyone!

We will be switching things up for November as we start to roll into the holiday seasons. We will get back to our publishers at a later date. Thanksgiving is coming here in the States. Hmmm…what will be our topic next? Only a wild turkey might tell….

Giveaway

Elin Gregory is giving away a eBook copy (pdf format) of her M/M historical novel, A Taste of Copper, as well as our own giveaway of $10 of Dreamspinner gift certificates to 4 lucky readers. To win, leave a comment and an email address where you can be reached on how reading eBooks has impacted you. Could be the amount of books you buy, what type of books, where you buy them. Anything. Winners will get to choose their prize, first come first served. Contest ends November 8th at midnight. Must be 18 years of age or older.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, October 30:

Here’s Reading You ~ An Author’s POV (Part IV)
This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
A Paul Review: The Wolves of Daos 5 by Rebecca James

Monday, October 31 (Happy Halloween – Happy Samhain):

In the Spotlight: The Queer and the Restless by Kris Ripper (Riptide Publishing Tour/Giveaway)
Alisa Release Day Review: Spell Cat (The Aloysius Tales #1) by Tara Lain
A Caryn Review: Faded Into You by Remmy Duchene
A Lila Audiobook Review Running Wild by SE Jakes and Narrated by Dorian Bane
A Stella Review: Coffee Boy by Austin Chant

Tuesday, November 1:

Quinn Anderson on the Challenges of Writing and her latest release, Hotline (Riptide tour/giveaway)
Release Blitz & Review Tour – Romancing The Wrong Twin – Clare London
A MelanieM Review: Romancing The Wrong Twin by Clare London
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Pansies by Alexis Hall
An Alisa Review: Crashing Waves by CJ Baty

Wednesday, November 2:

L. Rockwood Talks Dark Fantasy and “Defiant Revival” (Author Guest Blog/Book Release)
Tara’s “Spell Cat” Book Blast and Review (linked to the post)
A Melanie Releases Day Review: After the Sunset (Timing #2) by Mary Calmes
A Paul Review: Julio’s Wolf (Werewolves of Manhattan #6) by A.C. Katt
Alisa Release Day Review: Private Dances by BA Tortuga

Thursday, November 3:

Summer Season from Series Recap Tour – Treading The Boards Series – Rebecca Cohen
In the Spotlight: Posy Roberts on her latest release Stroke of Luck (author guest post, excerpt )
A Melanie Release Day Review: Summer Season by Rebecca Cohen
A Barb the Zany Old Lady Audiobook Review: Love on Location by Lucy Felthouse and Joel Leslie (Narrator)
A Lila Audiobook Review: The Senator’s Secret by K.C. Wells and John Solo (Narrator)
An Alisa Audiobook Review: Lights, Camera, Cupid, the Bluewater Bay Anthology

Friday, November 4:

Cover Reveal for Nobody’s Home by Dev Bentham
Honeymoon Their Way by Morticia Knight Blog Tour and Giveaway
Black Snow by EAB (Dreamspinner Author Guest Post)
A Lila Review: Twice in a Lifetime by Shawn Lane
A Stella Release Day Review: Mapping the Forest by Brandon Witt

Saturday, November 5:

A Melanie PreRelease Review:Hanging The Stars (Half Moon Bay #2) by Rhys Ford
A Melanie Review: Death Mask by Lexi Ander

~About This Sunday’s Contributing Authors~

About Elin Gregory:

Elin Gregory lives in South Wales and has been making stuff up since 1958. Writing has always had to take second place to work and family but now the kids are grown up it’s possible she might finish one of the many novels on her hard drive and actually DO something useful with it.

Historical subjects predominate. She has written about ancient Greek sculptors, 18th century seafarers but also about modern men who change shape at will and how echoes of the past can be heard in the present. Heroes tend to be hard as nails but capable of tenderness when circumstances allow.

There are always new works on the go and she is currently editing a novel about spies in the 1920s, finishing one set in 6th century AD England and contemplating one about the Second World War. Any excuse to buy more books!

You can reach Elin at:

Website: http://elingregory.com/
Twitter: ElinGregory

About Joe Cosentino:

Joe Cosentino – Joe Cosentino’s books and plays

www.joecosentino.weebly.com

Bestselling author Joe Cosentino won Divine Magazine’s awards for best mystery novel, best humorous novel, and best contemporary novel of 2015.

Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino’s books were voted Favorite LGBT Mystery Novel, Favorite LGBT Humorous Novel, Favorite LGBT Contemporary Novel, and Second Favorite LGBT Romance Novel in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Poll. Many of his books have won Rainbow Award Honorable Mentions, and one was voted TBR Pile Book of the Month. Joe wrote In My Heart: An Infatuation, A Shooting Star, A Home for the Holidays, and the Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press); Drama Queen, Drama Muscle, and Drama Cruise Nicky and Noah mysteries (Lethe Press); Paper Doll, Porcelain Doll, Satin Doll, China Doll, and Rag Doll Jana Lane mysteries (The Wild Rose Press); andCozzi Cove: Bouncing Back, Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward, and Cozzi Cove: Stepping Out Cozzi Cove beach novels. He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, Charles Keating, and Jason Robards. Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. Joe was voted 2^nd Place for Best LGBT Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2015. http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com

A Lila Review: A Sip Of Rio by Teodora Kostova

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

a-sip-of-rio-by-teodora-kostova Liam Young has a problem – he’s booked a romantic holiday to Rio de Janeiro months ago, but when he breaks up with his boyfriend, all his plans fall apart. Not only is his dream holiday slipping through his fingers, but Liam is tired of getting his heart broken.

Blaine Reed has a solution that can save Liam’s plans. Recently divorced, Blaine needs a break, and a couple of stress-free weeks in Rio with a sexy guy like Liam sound like heaven.

Liam and Blaine hit it off right from the start, becoming good friends even before they’ve left London. Despite their efforts to ignore the simmering attraction between them, it boils over when they end up sharing a room in one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Being together in Rio is easy, and it’s exactly what Liam needs – no feelings, no drama, nobody getting hurt.

Until someone does.

When the holiday bubble bursts, it’s up to them to find a way to be together outside of Rio’s seductive magic.

A Sip of Rio is a travel log story with two lovely main characters. The way they met and how their friendship started set the tone for the rest of the story. Liam and Blane had great chemistry from the very beginning and their love story felt easy and dynamic.

The author did an excellent job making the settings an integral part of the story. It was interesting to see Brazil through their eyes and how small details like height played a role. They enjoyed their time together and met interesting characters too. There were funny moments mixed with serious conversations, but the overall story was sexy, low angst, and easy to read.

My main issue with the story was the pacing. It started strong and interesting, but when the characters arrived in Brazil time slowed down. As soon as they left, time sped up again and we get a rushed ending.

The solution to their relationship problems and how they will get together, in the end, didn’t ring true to me. It was too much of a fairy tale for a story that did great showing the reader a contemporary setting. Also, I think that the wrong MC asked for forgiveness. Perhaps in the reverse, it would have had a stronger ending.

The cover goes with the feel of Brazil. The models seem a bit generic, but overall it represents the heart of the story.

Sale Links: Kindle Unlimited

ebook, 151 pages
Published: Oct 6, 2016, Kindle Unlimited
ISBN: B01M10UDTY
Edition Language: English

Here’s Reading You ~ An Author’s POV! (Part III) This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Here’s Reading You ~ An Author’s POV! (Part III)

Last week Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words finished up our reader’s thoughts on eBooks, how they use them, where they find them and the authors that write them. This week, its the authors turn. From hardback and paperback or even the graphic novel to the eBook, what does writing and publishing eBooks mean to an author? Has it helped them find an audience? Made it easier to publish a novel? Made it harder to find time to write because they are so busy promoting themselves and their stories? And is the eBook industry changing?

I know…what a lot of questions to dump onto an author already burdened with so much to do these days. But I thought it might help us understand eBooks from their perspective and maybe let us appreciate those stories that we read just a little more when we consider the author’s point of view. Maybe you as readers have questions you want to ask our authors?

That’s why we are dividing our authors blog section into two parts, one this week and into the next. If you have questions, please comment below and all week long. If we use your questions? See the contest at the end of this blog for your answer!

The authors participating this week are Parker Williams (Of Love and Corn Dogs), Wulf Francu Godgluck (Tooth, Claw, and Horn Chronicles), and Jay Northcote. Thank you all for participating and taking time away from your busy schedules to answer my questions.

~ Authors On Ebooks~

Parker Williams

✍From Parker Williams, author of Haven’s Creed, Of Love and Corn Dogs (Of Love and… Book 1),Protector of the Alpha (Shifting Needs #1) and more:

As an author, what has your experience been publishing ebooks? Especially self published ebooks? Did you start off that way? Was a traditional publishing house not the answer? Or if it was, why?

No, I started out being published by Harmony Ink (the YA arm of Dreamspinner Press.) A friend encouraged me to try it, and even helped me get the book ready to submit. Hitting that ‘send’ button was one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do, because I grew up thinking that writing wasn’t for me (thank you, Dad!)

How has the ebook industry changed since you started publishing? How do you view these changes?

I’m not sure how much the industry has changed since I started in it. Self-publishing has been a terror for me, because I’m not sure what the heck I’m doing. I pay a company to format my books, because the rules for each site are wide and varied.

Have you as an author benefited, are indifferent, or has it made your job more difficult to get your books out there?

I’ve had to be more creative to get my book noticed. My saving grace was running Pride Promotions, because I had a list of bloggers who I already worked with who were willing to help me. So to them, I am exceptionally grateful.

What things would you change if you were starting over?

If I were to start over, I would be less hesitant about some things that I thought would turn people off. Haven’s Creed, for example. I was so certain no one would buy it, and even more certain that I would get pilloried for publishing it. As is the came with most books, it has some who loathed it, but surprisingly a lot of people seemed to enjoy it. It gave me the courage to explore some other things I might not have done otherwise.

What has been your biggest challenge? And biggest victory as an author – other than publishing that is? Is it see your genre expand?

My biggest challenge is not knowing what I’m doing with self-publishing. I wish I could understand it, or find an easier way to format, because I feel silly having to ask for help. My biggest victory? The very first letter I ever got that told me my writing made a difference to someone. Knowing that even just one person thought my story was worthwhile.

And I would *LOVE* to see the genre expand. I think too many people see M/M or F/F literature, and automatically shuffle it off to the side without even giving it a chance. There are some stellar storytellers out there that they’re missing out on.

Where do you see ebooks and yourself in the future?

I hope to be writing until the day I die. When I go, I want to have my collection of books buried with me, so I have something to read while I wait for eternity to pass.

Wulf Francu Godgluck

✍From Wulf Francu Godgluck, author of the Neon White, and the Tooth, Claw, and Horn Chronicles and more:

As an author, what has your experience been publishing ebooks? Especially self published ebooks? Did you start off that way? Was a traditional publishing house not the answer? Or if it was, why?

I have self-published all my books and don’t think I would change that anytime soon, you have more freedom as a self-published author but you also have to carry the cost and the risk thereof: Publishers already have an established readership, whereas if you are an author just starting out and self-publish your first book, you need to build that readership first, you also run the risk of plagiarism and piracy, where unfortunately you don’t have a legal team to back you up. But again you would earn more royalties on each individual copy sold, you determine the price of your book but you also run the risk of loss if you do not sell enough copies to compensate for the cost of getting your book published.

I guess it all depends on where and with what you are more comfortable. The only reason I self-published in the first place is publishers tend not to like my books because of the tone of my writing, as it tends to be a bit on the dark side.

How has the ebook industry changed since you started publishing? How do you view these changes?

In my honest opinion a lot, and not for the better, new books pop up every day now and the problem is the writing of these books is becoming poorer and poorer. Because the problem we are facing today is the lack and misunderstand of literacy, I don’t have enough fingers and toes to count the number of authors and readers that still does not get the concept of showing and not telling, the difference of just simply reading what is actually written and then to thinking about what was said in that sentence as to what is actually conveyed, then there’s lack of using beta readers, and yet these books still sell? And more often than not it’s self-published books. So the bigger question we need to ask ourselves is; can readers really differentiate between a well-written book and a poor one, in all honesty, it seems that the poorly written books these days are the ones selling. Why? Because readers deem this poor quality of literature acceptable.

Why readers? Because it’s a vicious endless cycle – poorly written books are read by readers- reader becomes authors- produces poorly written book because of reading poorly written books.

Have you as an author benefited, are indifferent, or has it made your job more difficult to get your books out there?

Assuming this question is based on the previous answers, yes it has made my job more difficult: anyone can tell a story, not everyone can write a novel. It took me five years to even feel ready to show my first novel to readers, and that’s not from reading a lot, that came from writing, learning how to write, learning the difference between showing and not telling a story, learning how to convey the right words in the right way to paint the picture I want to portray inside the reader’s mind and the emotions I want to invoke inside the reader’s heart. It came from endless rewrites- first drafts, second drafts, and third drafts. From taking a step back and thinking about what I am writing, and from working very closely with my beta readers and editors and mentors who have been in the industry for years. And lastly evaluating myself and my writing as to how much I, as an author, has grown from the first piece I wrote to the current piece I have published.

Now, I, and many other authors have to compete with books, that are almost in a sense mass produced and that are deemed acceptable pieces of literature. That does make an author feel a bit dejected, that does make us question ourselves and whether or not the time, effort and blood placed into a manuscript is even worth it. Reader so easily voice, that we don’t write fast enough or that a particular author is only capable of publishing a novel once a year: And there is a very good reason for that, good things take time, we want to make sure we don’t push out something that’s going to be flat, one dimensional and unemotional.

And we are in the losing side here, because I see it so often when a really good book gets bashed down and really bad one gets praised. There are so many authors out there both new and experience that does not get the praise their work deserve.

It’s like a very good friend of mine said, “good writing should be like a movie for blind people.”

But we are also pressured against reader’s demand: Am I going to risk losing readers, and take the time to produce a novel to the best of my abilities, however long that may be- or am I going to give into the demand of the industry and produce something flat, quick and easy, with no flavor or substance?

What things would you change if you were starting over?

Not a lot, I would for one spend more time establishing a readership and interacting with more readers before I released my first book, but again it comes back to time. Writing a novel takes up a lot of time, establishing a readership and maintaining that readership via social media is a whole job in itself, so where do you draw the line, where do you find the balance? Authors are still people, they still have families, jobs and responsibilities outside of the writing world. Even as a full-time author I find this very difficult to balance. So now as the industry has changed; it crucial for any new author to establish a readership before they have their first book out in the publics’ hands.

What has been your biggest challenge? And biggest victory as an author – other than publishing that is? Is it see your genre expand?

Biggest challenge: Making sure my next book exceeds the one before it, Good, great, I’ve written a good book I can be proud of, now comes the next novel. Reader’s expectations. This always guts me during the writing process. The fear that this new book might not live up to the hype of its predecessor. And it’s both real and healthy, it encourages me to strive for better, to work harder, not to have the plot run away with me and high-jack the story to a point where it can’t be saved, and lastly writer’s block and writer’s burn out.

Biggest victory as an author: I’m discovering who I am, learning more about myself and what I am capable of, how talented I am and recognizing myself worth, but still be able to stay humble throughout this process because trust me, it can go to your head.

Where do you see ebooks and yourself in the future?

To grow more as a writer, to one day hopefully become a full-time writer in the horror genre and be successful in it.

As for ebooks in the future, one can only hope that we find some way to better protect our work against piracy and plagiarism, as with the advance of technology, there are its disadvantages; illegal distribution of books and selfishly stealing others work is a threat to both writers and the industry. With ebooks being so easily distributed as they are in the numerous ways they can be scattered throughout the big web. It’s hard to keep track of where they end up and how to protect

them.

Jay Northcote

✍From Jay Northcote, author of Nothing Serious and the Housemates series and many more:

My first experiences in publishing were with Dreamspinner Press almost three years ago. They published in paperback and eBook format, but the vast majority of my sales were eBooks.

I made the switch to self-publishing about a year into my career as an author. With it being so easy to self-publish eBooks in particular (although it’s also easy to publish paperbacks through Createspace) I didn’t see that there was much benefit for me to stay with a publisher once I had a readership.

Even in the relatively short time that I’ve been publishing, the industry has changed a lot. The market for our genre is growing, but is also getting exponentially more crowded. It’s hard for authors to get noticed. Kindle Unlimited and the huge number of indie authors have driven prices down—which has a knock on, negative impact on author earnings. However, the rise in popularity of eBooks has allowed me to have a career as an author that I would otherwise never have had. I don’t believe that I would ever have considered writing as a full-time job if it hadn’t been for the boom in the e-book market and the subsequent growth of small presses and Indies. I count myself extremely lucky to have found my readership and to be able to do this as my job. I’m grateful to all my readers for making this possible.

It’s hard to predict the future in such a volatile and rapidly changing market. Ebooks are here to stay, and I think subscription services like KU are too. Personally, I would like to see more consistency in eBook pricing across the industry. The 99c novels that dominate the charts are making it harder for authors to earn a living. But I’m hopeful that as long as I work hard and stay focused, I will be able to keep writing full-time for the foreseeable future.

As you all can see, their experiences run the spectrum, from self publishing to working with established publishers to using both methods of getting their stories to their audience. All see the ebook as a format that’s here to stay. But how will the market change? And how will the authors and publishers have to adapt to the changing market? That remains to be seen.

More authors next week. Do you have questions for these or any authors? Send them in. I will forward them on and use them in our blog next week or the week after.

Giveaway: From the readers leaving comments I will be choosing 3 more winners to receive $10 gift certificates from Dreamspinner Press. Contest ends at midnight, November 3rd. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

And now for this week’s schedule.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, October 23:

Here’s Reading You ~ An Author’s POV! (Part III)
This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
A Paul Review: The Beginning (Sirius Wolves #6) by Victoria Sue

Monday, October 24:

Release Blitz & Review Tour – Con Riley’s Must Like Spinach
Riptide Blog Tour: Change of Address by Jordan S. Brock
Alisa Audiobook Review: Corey: The Atherton Pack 3 by Toni Griffin
A Free Dreamer Release Day Review: Changing World by Cari Z
A Paul Review: Germ by April Kelly

Tuesday, October 25:

Reclaiming Hope by Shell Taylor Tour with Guest Post
Riptide Blog Tour and Giveaway: Interborough by Santino Hassell
A Stella Review: Different Names for the Same Thing by Francis Gideon
A Caryn Review: Interborough by Santino Hassell
An Alisa Review: His Scar by Erin E. Keller

Wednesday, October 26:

Cover Reveal and Giveaway: The Closet Boy by Sean Michael
Blog Tour and Giveaway: Full Circle by Victoria Sue
Contact, Gothika Volume 5 Tour with Guest Post and Giveaway
An Alisa Review: Night Train to Orleans By Carolina Valdez
A Paul B Review: Full Circle by Victoria Sue

Thursday, October 27:

Cover Reveal – Alpha Barman by Sue Brown
In the Spotlight:On Fire by Alicia Nordwell (Guest Post)
An Alisa Review: Open Omega and His Bitter Bear By Susan Laine
A Free Dreamer Review: 18% Gray by Anne Tenino
A Release Review: Touchdown (Game Day Book 1) by T.S. McKinney

Friday, October 28:

In the Spotlight: Make Someone Happy by Hank Fielding (Guest Post)
A Stella Release Day Review: Murmuration by TJ Klune
An Alisa Review: Of Paws and Pet Rocks by J.D. Walker
A Lila Review: A Sip Of Rio by Teodora Kostova
A MelanieM Review: Too Many Cases by Julia Rancourt

Saturday, October 29:

A MelanieM Review: Shield of the Dragon by Megan Derr

About the Authors:

Parker Williams can be found at his Goodreads blog

Wulf Francu Godgluck

They come to me in the night, creeping into my head. Their voices are all different, their stories all dissimilar, but they keep saying the same thing…

“Show us, tell us to the world. Bring us into yours, and make us known.”

Then I sit and they take over. They tell their tales of love, loss and sinister misfortune, not all of them get a happy ending, but they are pleased when their part is written.

I sometimes find myself lost in my own mind; a world very similar to our own yet so different. Things don’t go bump in the night—they squeal, and crawl under your skin, making you grind your teeth, and your stomach turn over and put your nerves on edge. Then there’s the drama. Oh, the drama!

I write because I must! There is so much inside of me that needs to get out. So many stories to tell, characters that want to be heard, and hearts lost and won. Words and art are my way of bringing my world to others. I enjoy telling tales of the human condition but working in elements of the supernatural. Werewolves, Vampires, Zombies, Witches and the unexplainable all set against the human world or worlds of their own.

I was born and raised in Cape Town, South Africa, grew up in a working class family and enjoy writing, cooking and spending my husband’s money! Yeah I’m a cocky little brat too 🙂 (and proud of it, spankings included.)

You can find Wulf at his website

Jay Northcote

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England. He comes from a family of writers, but always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed him by. He spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content.

One day, Jay decided to try and write a short story—just to see if he could—and found it rather addictive. He hasn’t stopped writing since.

Jay writes contemporary romance about men who fall in love with other men. Jay has five books published by Dreamspinner Press, and he also self-publishes under the imprint Jaybird Press. Many of his books are now available as audiobooks.

Jay is transgender and was formerly known as she/her.

Contact Jay at:

Website http://jaynorthcote.com/
Twitter jay_northcote

A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Hexmaker (Hexworld #2 ) by Jordan L. Hawk

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

hexmaker Malachi is a fox shifter who finds himself in a world of trouble when the robbery he’s committing turns into a murder. He’s not the murderer, just the thief who happens to get caught when he stops to check on the bleeding man he finds in the library. Unfortunately, he found the real thief in the act—a red-headed thief who gets away, leaving red-headed Malachi to take the heat for the crime.

Just down the street, leaving his parent’s mansion on “Millionaire Row,” is Owen Yates, the forensic hexmaker we met in Hexbreaker. Owen spots the police vehicle outside the nearby mansion and goes to investigate. By the end of the story, readers will realize this is the best thing that ever happened to him, as he not only finds the pieces of the valuable object the thief was after—an object with ancient Greek hex symbols on it, he also finds the man who is his familiar—Malachi.

As Malachi and Owen start out slowly, while all around them, outside forces are trying to decide Mal’s fate and the real murderer is now trying to murder Mal, the story gets interesting and complex. Owen is in his last week with the MWP, Metropolitan Witch Police, because he’s getting married Thanksgiving weekend, a marriage he neither desires, nor appreciates. He’s marrying to appease his wealthy family who want to shore up their place in society with funds from the wealthy heiress he’s betrothed to.

However, as the week progresses, leaving the MWP and getting married sound more like a death sentence as he and Mal, now bonded as a witch and familiar, dread facing the future and the loss of the chance of a happy outcome they both desire and deserve.

I really enjoy this story. This author has such a vivid imagination and appreciation of the history of the 19^th to 20^th turn of the century period. Weaving historical facts and fantasy into a complex story, while bringing alive another “fated-partners” love story, one with a few D/s elements this time, is pure creative genius. As the saying goes, the joy is in the journey, and in this case, Owen’s and Mal’s journey to love and to finding their true places in life brings nothing but joy to readers. I highly recommend this to all lovers of MM romance.

Cover art by the author is perfect for the story and characters. Its eye catching and draws you in.

Sales Links

Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo | ARe | Smashwords | iBooks | Nook

Book Details:

ebook, 270 pages
Published October 14th 2016 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781941230213
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesHexworld #2

A MelanieM Review: Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

witchycover200 Just in time for Halloween! Two novelettes about men with magic—and the occasional demon.

“Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”
Griff has a bad habit of getting talked into black magic he shouldn’t be using—but this time it’s even worse. His ex is bent on revenge in the form of a mini zombie apocalypse, and the only person who can help Griff is a hottie white magic practitioner named Blythe. The catch: one of Griff’s spells gone wrong left Blythe with a haunted apartment a year ago, and Blythe isn’t over it.

Still, Blythe agrees to work with Griff. As they unravel the ugly blood, sex, and death magic, they also discover surprising things about each other. Hopefully, it’s enough for the ultimate trust they’ll need to defeat a lot of zombies and a crazed witch, or their town will end up covered in corpses.

“Præsidium”
Six years ago, Thackeray agreed to let a demon haunt him in exchange for help hunting other demons. It’s a lonely life, but worth it to be the best demon hunter possible — to save families from the kind of evil that ruined his own childhood.

This Hallowe’en, Thackeray’s dealing with an upstart coven. A powerful, pretty witch named Matt defects to help Thackeray stop their scheme to invite god-knows-what from the other side.

Demons are much easier to fight than the urges Matt’s flirting inspires. But Thackeray can’t hook up with a demon watching over his shoulder… can he?

[“Præsidium” is a reprint]

October is certainly the perfect time to release stories supernatural in nature and about witchy boys in particular. Katey Hawthorne’s Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights gives us two such couples for your supernatural reading pleasure.

The first story,”Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”, is the tale that raised up some issues for me. I loved the idea of a mini zombie apocalypse…who wouldn’t? Katey Hawthorne does her absolutely spooktacular best when describing the rising of the zombies and the manner in which they were then dispatched. I could see that so clearly.

Actually, Hawthorne had me pretty much most of the story, including Blythe and the ex with zombie domination on the brain. All fantastic! But there’s just one thing that got me…that was the character of Griff. I just couldn’t connect to someone who I thought was just too dumb, no matter how pretty everyone seemed to think he was. That character flaw stopped me cold. Half the time I thought Blythe (who I adored) should toss old Griff off and find someone far less troublesome. Not a good thought in a romance. However, other readers may find Griff naive rather than idiotic, so I’ll leave the choice up to you. The rest of the story is marvelous.

“Præsidium”, now here’s a neat story to sink your teeth into. A demon hunter who’s made a bargain with a demon prince. What a conundrum, what a disaster its made of Thackeray’s love life. Its a real twist on the demon hunter tales. My only real argument here? That Hawthorne has delivered three wonderful characters that cries out for a much larger novel. We learn just enough about Thackeray, Seir the demon prince and, the new pretty witch Matt to pique our interest in all three and their probable future together. The story cuts off just as its all getting interesting. One case solved with the potential for a bright and wild future ahead. I thought this story made the book. At least it did for me.

Love witchy boys and stories of the supernatural? Are you a fan of Katey Hawthorne? Its October. All Hallows’ Eve is coming. Combine with two with Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne.

Cover art works beautifully as a lead in to a collection of supernatural/paranormal stories about witchy boys.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, Goodread link
Expected publication: October 18th 2016
Edition LanguageEnglish

Love It When Romance and Magic Combine? Check out Katey Hawthorne’s WITCHY BOYS (excerpt and giveaway)

Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne
Release Date: October 1

Witchy Boys: Release Day!

Thanks so much for having me back to STaRW, Melanie and friends. Today is release day for my latest, an anthology—or maybe just a dual novella!—of two stories known collectively as WITCHY BOYS. It’s that time of year when full moons are even more beautiful (and powerful?) and the air becomes deliciously thin (… or is that the Veil?). Perfect time for some witchy stories to warm us up, right?

The first story, “Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”, is all about a young witch called Griffin trying to make up for his past mistakes. He’s dabbled in several kinds of “black magic”, partly because he’s notoriously suggestible, partly because he has that deadly combination of no fear and intense curiosity. Unfortunately it’s that first quality, the suggestibility, that gets him into trouble, since he has a bad habit of hooking up with less-than-savory lovers. His ex, Cathy, used him to perform a powerful spell last year… and by the time Griff realized her real intention, they were already broken up and it was too late. Her mini zombie apocalypse is about to happen.

Fortunately, there’s a hottie named Blythe who has a lot of white magic who might be able to help. Unfortunately, Griff’s black magic has backfired on Blythe in the past, too, so… maybe not?

I know, I know, evil ex-girlfriend thing is done and over. I guess I could’ve made her an ex-boyfriend, but you know what? I love angry witches. I’d be angry too.

The second story is a reprint, “Præsidium”. Thackeray, my demon hunter hero, is a taciturn kind of guy. He’s haunted by a demon called Seir—consensually haunted, even—who helps him hunt down other demons, which is a pretty lonely way to exist. Demons aren’t known for their great company, after all. He gets a tip off about a small town coven biting off more than they can chew this Halloween and heads to intercept. An ex-member of said coven, Matt, is willing to help him.

The problem is: Matt’s fine as hell. And Seir’s super creepy about sex. The coven doesn’t end up being the most complicated problem, but the attraction between Thackeray and Matt… oh yeah, that’s trouble.

So if you’re looking for something to warm you up on a chilly, dark autumn evening, here’s your ticket! And don’t forget to drop a comment and enter the giveaway, while you’re here ❤

Witchy Boys Blog Tour

October 17-31

October 17 – A.J. Llwellyn

October 18 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

October 19 – The Novel Approach

October 20 – MM Good Book Reviews

October 21 – Love Bytes

October 24 – P.G. Forte

October 25 – Joyfully Jay

October 26 – Prism Book Alliance

October 27 – Roxanne D. Howard

October 28 – Diverse Reader

October 28 – Gay Guy Reading (and Friends)

October 31 – Jenna Rose

WITCHY BOYS: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights

witchycover200 Author: Katey Hawthorne

Publisher: Indie

Publication Date: October 18, 2016

Word Count: 20,000

Blurb

Just in time for Halloween! Two novelettes about men with magic—and the occasional demon.

“Blood Magic and the Mini Zombie Apocalypse”

Griff has a bad habit of getting talked into black magic he shouldn’t be using—but this time it’s even worse. His ex is bent on revenge in the form of a mini zombie apocalypse, and the only person who can help Griff is a hottie white magic practitioner named Blythe. The catch: one of Griff’s spells gone wrong left Blythe with a haunted apartment a year ago, and Blythe isn’t over it.

“Præsidium”

Six years ago, Thackeray agreed to let a demon haunt him in exchange for help hunting other demons. It’s a lonely life, but worth it to be the best demon hunter possible — to save families from the kind of evil that ruined his own childhood.

This Hallowe’en, Thackeray’s dealing with an upstart coven. A powerful, pretty witch named Matt defects to help Thackeray stop their scheme to invite god-knows-what from the other side.

Demons are much easier to fight than the urges Matt’s flirting inspires. But Thackeray can’t hook up with a demon watching over his shoulder… can he?

Buy Links

Author Bio

Katey Hawthorne is an avid reader and writer of superpowered and paranormal romance, even though the only degree she holds is in the history of art. (Or, possibly, because the only degree she holds is in the history of art.) Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Columbus, Ohio with her family, two cats, and one very large puppy. In her spare time she enjoys travel, comic books, B-movies, loud music, video games, Epiphones, and Bushmills. Her favorite causes include animal rescue and bisexual representation in media. She is an unashamed fangirl and collects nerdy tattoos like she’s trying to prove it.

Find Katey at…

Kateyhawthorne.com blog and site
Twitter
Tumblr
Facebook
Imzy
Goodreads
And sign up for a once-a-month newsletter, Katey Hawthorne’s Somethingorothers

witchyboys_tourbanner

Blog Tour Giveaway:

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Release Blitz & Review Tour – Annabelle Jacobs’ All Hallows’ Eve

Annabelle Jacobs – All Hallows’ Eve

Author: Annabelle Jacobs

Cover Design: Natasha Snow

Length: 81,000 words

Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK

Blurb

Will a centuries-old broken heart ruin the promise of new love?

Dominic Ashworth is descended from a long line of witches, although the family practice of witchcraft died out generations ago. Forever connected to a dark history, the house he grew up in remained in the Ashworth family for generations until his estranged father sold it.

On a mission to check out the new owners, Dominic runs into Caleb Jones and gives the gorgeous man his phone numberóbut getting a date should be the last thing on Dominicís agenda.

Caleb and his best friend, Zach Briceworth, are oblivious to the heartache and magic tied to the foundations of their new home. When strange things start to happen, the truth emerges and surprises them both, especially as everything revolves around Calebís new love interest.

After a shaky start, Caleb and Dominic settle into an easy relationship, falling faster than either of them expected. But with Halloween approaching, the possibility of danger increases. The past is not always as it seems, and the ripples of a tragic event threaten to put an end to everything between them.

October 10 – BooksLaidBareBoys, The Novel Approach
October 12 – 2 Chicks And A Book, MM Good Book Reviews, V’s Reads
October 14 – My Fiction Nook, Scattered Thoughts And Rogue Words, Wicked Babes Blog Reviews
October 17 – Millsy Loves Books, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, From Top To Bottom Reviews
October 19 – Sexy Erotic Exciting, Diverse Reader, It’s About The Book
October 24 – Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
October 26 – Making It Happen, Abibliophobia Anonymous Book Reviews, Kiki’s Kinky Pics, Bayou Book Junkie, Jim’s Blog, Thorns and Ink, G & T’s Indie Cafe, Book Lovers 4Ever, Bella’s Blog, Sassy Girl Books

Author Bio

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with three rowdy children, and two cats. An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of itófighting enemies and adversityóbut they always find love in the end.

Author Links

Twitter ñ https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction

Website ñ www.annabellejacobs.com

Email ñ ajacobsfiction@gmail.com

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction

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A Caryn Review: Pictures of You (’90s Coming of Age #1) by Leta Blake

Rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

pictures-of-you-by-leta-blake First, a disclaimer: as the blurb says, this book is the first in a series. The beginning of the story of Peter is completed, as he goes through his senior year in high school, falls in love for the first time, and learns painful truths about himself and about the world around him. The book ends, not quite on a cliffhanger, but Peter’s future is unclear and the reader is left wanting to know more.

Peter is an only child, son of parents who are kind, but distant, oblivious, and mostly uninvolved. He was bullied in public school, so for his senior year transfers to a local private school, determined to keep his head down and avoid notice. At orientation he meets Adam and his twin sister Sarah. They are truly parentless, shipped off to live with their older brother while their mother and father stay in Jordan. The twins are beautiful, worldly, charismatic, and Sarah is determined to join the popular clique, so when Adam befriends Peter, Sarah takes him along for the ride as well. Peter is helplessly attracted to Adam, and when that attraction becomes mutual, the friendship becomes sexual – Adam has been with both women and men in the past, but Peter is a virgin, and lets Adam take the lead in all things.

I admit I am a sucker for stories about this time in a person’s life. That transition from child to adult, when you start to define both who you are, and who you want to be. Peter is an amazing character, mature in some ways, but painfully naïve in others. He’s a photographer, an artist, and Ms. Blake truly captured the intense way that teenagers feel about everything. The story was so believable, and throughout the first half I was alternately devouring the book and looking away because I was both attracted and repulsed by the train wreck I saw coming. I knew it would end in tears.

I wanted to be angry at Adam, at Sarah, and at Peter’s parents for all the secrets they kept. For the way they let past injuries make them afraid of facing the truth, or owning it. But these characters also were written very sympathetically, and I could understand what made them cruel, what made them twist themselves in knots to justify the actions that in retrospect were bound to cause pain.

In the second half of the book, once some of the underlying motives were revealed, the pace slowed down. At that point, it was mostly about Peter’s internal struggle to come to terms with who he’d let himself become, and to try to find his path forward and do the right thing. Several secondary characters were introduced, their personalities and actions defined just the right amount for their involvement in the story. Renee/Robert, the drag queen that gives Peter a job; Leslie and Susan, the high school friends; Dr. Landry, the perceptive and encouraging English teacher, and even Peter’s father who becomes more engaged in Peter’s life. I also appreciated the way that sex was introduced into Peter’s and Adam’s relationship, the initial intensity – despite Peter’s inexperience and embarrassment – and the fact that Adam held out for months before he topped Peter, even though Peter begged him for it. Points to the author for describing that first time as painful, messy, and admittedly done more to prove a point than for physical pleasure. Not typical for this genre, where bottoming for the first time is usually amazing and the best sex ever. Um, not.

It’s hard to say more without giving major spoilers, but I can say that the book ends on a mostly positive note, even though there is no HEA, and not much of an HFN either. Things got messy and stayed that way, because in real life, problems don’t get resolved that easily either.

Fans of Jay Bell’s Seasons series will enjoy this book. I loved it, and will be waiting anxiously for the sequel. Highly recommended!

Cover art is amazing, poignant and perfect.

Sales Links

Book Details:

ebook, 316 pages
Published September 19th 2016 by Leta Blake Books
ISBN139781626227590
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series’90s Coming of Age #1

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Rebecca James | Amazon | Smashwords | ARe

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Here’s Reading You ~ An Author’s POV (Part IV)

Elin Gregory

✍From Elin Gregory, author of On a Lee Shore, A Taste Of Copper, and many more:

Joe Cosentino

✍From Joe Cosentino, author of the Nicky and Noah Mysteries, the Cozzi Cove series, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland, and many more

Giveaway

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, October 30:

Monday, October 31 (Happy Halloween – Happy Samhain):

Tuesday, November 1:

Wednesday, November 2:

Thursday, November 3:

Friday, November 4:

Saturday, November 5:

~About This Sunday’s Contributing Authors~

About Elin Gregory:

About Joe Cosentino:

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Here’s Reading You ~ An Author’s POV! (Part III)

~ Authors On Ebooks~

Parker Williams

✍From Wulf Francu Godgluck, author of the Neon White, and the Tooth, Claw, and Horn Chronicles and more:

Jay Northcote

✍From Jay Northcote, author of Nothing Serious and the Housemates series and many more:

And now for this week’s schedule.

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, October 23:

Monday, October 24:

Tuesday, October 25:

Wednesday, October 26:

Thursday, October 27:

Friday, October 28:

Saturday, October 29:

About the Authors:

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Amazon | Amazon UK | Kobo | ARe | Smashwords | iBooks | Nook

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Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne Release Date: October 1

Witchy Boys: Release Day!

Buy Links

Author Bio

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Annabelle Jacobs – All Hallows’ Eve

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Witchy Boys: Sexy Stories for Dark Nights by Katey Hawthorne
Release Date: October 1