Category: Self Published

Russell Soots Talks Loss in Writing & in his Brass & Keys (guest post, excerpt and giveaway)

 

Brass_Keys_FB_Banner

We are happy to welcome Russell Soots here today to talk about his latest release, Brass & Keys (Freshman Beginning) and some of the elements in the book and series.

Russell Soots on Loss as A Core Element in Writing

In much the same way that loss is a part of real life, loss is also one of the core elements of any story; whether it’s the actual occurrence and/or threat of loss.  This is ​ certainly the case for the “Brass & Keys” series including “Freshman Beginning”.  Whether it occurred in the past, present or in the near future, loss drastically affects more than one character in this first book.  In many ways, the manner in which each character faces loss reveals a great deal about them in the story.  For example, do they face it head on? Do they run from it?  Does a specific instance of loss perhaps become an integral, lifelong part of them?  How each character reacts accordingly can give the reader tremendous insight into their mindset, emotions and perhaps even their future actions.

The various types of loss themselves certainly play a key role as well.  Death, the end of friendships and relationships, job loss, financial crises and others can all have profound effects on not just the characters but also the plots, twists and turns of the story as well.   

Loss will always be a part of our lives and the stories we read.  I must confess that every single time I initially write, reread and edit chapters that have to do with loss, I always cry.  I suppose my doing so is based on how such chapters hit close to home with regards to my own loss of family members and friends over the years.  I think it also has to do with imagining that same pain being experienced by characters whom in many ways feel very much like family members and friends to me.   

AboutTheBook

Brass_Keys_FS_600x900Title: Brass & Keys (Freshman Beginning ) by Russell Soots

Cover Artist:  Sid Love

Length:  266 pages

Release Date: October 15, 2015

Blurb

Having recently broken up with his sleazeball of an ex, recent high school grad Keldon Stonebridge is a handsome guy who’s optimistic about the possibilities of the summer ahead in his beautiful hometown of Asheville, NC. He intends to fill his days working, playing his saxophone whom he calls his baby, sipping green iced tea and hanging out with friends. He’s far less optimistic about a summer romance.

But then he meets the very handsome Tyler Lawrence. A fellow musician and recent high school grad himself, Tyler also enjoys losing himself in his music and conspicuously avoids speaking about his own ex at all costs. The two quickly fall in love and achieve a bond that truly transcends love and music. It’s a bond that will be greatly tested by loyalty, tragedy and more.

CommonExcerpt

Desperately trying not to panic, Tyler looked into his eyes.  “Keldon, what is it?”, he urgently insisted.

Keldon swallowed hard as he gazed into Tyler’s dark eyes.  A single tear slowly moved down his cheek.  His mouth twitched slightly before finally opening to speak.  “I’m in love with you.”,  he breathed.

Tyler’s eyes flew open so wide he momentarily thought they might pop out of his head. He struggled for a moment to breathe as a grin spread across his entire face and his eyes watered.  He opened his mouth but nothing came out.  Now it was his turn to have difficulty speaking.  Finally, he managed to get the words out.  “I love you too.”, he gushed in a whisper.  For the briefest of moments, they simply gazed into each other’s eyes before their lips collided and tongues intertwined almost violently.  Beyond passionate, their kiss sealed their bodies, hearts and soul together.  It lasted for several blissful moments before they finally parted.  With beaming smiles, they looked back toward the patio where everyone was smiling before looking into each other’s eyes again.

Keldon grinned and threw his head back.  “I’m in love with Tyler Lawrence!”, he enthusiastically exclaimed at nearly the top of his lungs.

As soon as he finished, Tyler threw his own head back.  “And I’m in love with Keldon Stonebridge!”, he excitedly drawled.  They grinned ridiculously at each other for several moments before wrapping their arms around each other in a warm and unbreakable hug.

Buy Links

AMAZON US

AboutTheAuthor

Living in central North Carolina, Russell thoroughly enjoys all of the great amenities of the state he’s called home his entire life.  He can typically be found assisting a friend with their small business, writing in coffeehouses, enjoying meals, movies, museums and more with friends as well as fully enjoying the great wonder of life itself.   Twitter   Google +

 

RafflecopterGiveaway
Enter to win the following RAfflecopter prize of Winner’s Prize: E-copy of the book. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Creative Minds Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code –
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js
Rafflecopter Link — http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0f7bf72064/?

TourSchedule

October 15:

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

October 16:

Drops of Ink

October 19:

Divine Magazine

October 20:

Nephy’s World

Gay.Guy.Reading And Friends

October 21:

Wicked Faeries Tales And Reviews

October 22:

Diverse Reader

Hearts on Fire

October 23:

MM Good Book Reviews

The Purple Rose Tea House

October 24:

Bayou Book Junkie

October 26:

BFD Book Blog

October 27:

Prism Book Alliance

Up All Night, Read All Day

Eyes on Books

October 28:

Elisa – My reviews and Ramblings

 

A BJ Review: Winter (The Haunted Heart #1) by Josh Lanyon

Rating:  5 stars out of 5

Winter the Haunted Heart coverStill grieving the sudden death of his lover, antiques dealer Flynn Ambrose moves to his uncle’s old, ramshackle house on Pitch Pine Lane to catalog and sell the large inventory of arcane and oddball items that once filled his late uncle’s mysterious museum.

Flynn suffered a serious breakdown and attempted to kill himself after his lover’s unexpected death, and he’s still very depressed despite the counseling and help from his parents. He needs space and makes a deal with his parents (which I won’t share details of as too much of a spoiler) that allows him to travels to the rather secluded property to perform the inventory. Unexpectedly, he finds himself seeing a ghost in an old mirror. The only one Flynn has to turn to is Kirk, the thirteen year older, slightly grouchy but handsome playwright renting the downstairs of his house. When Kirk is also witness to the apparition, he can’t write Flynn’s problem off as easily as he had wanted to. When the ghost seems able to exit the mirror, the guys find themselves trying figure out what to do about the mirror before the ghost does them in. But getting rid of the thing isn’t as easy as it seems.

This book is bit of a step back to the scary stories of old… and it is scary folks. But then, I knew Lanyon could do horror after reading In a Dark Woods came out of nowhere and scared the heck out of me. This one is not of the gory variety where stuff is thrown in just for the ick factor either. This is tried and true, get inside your head and freak you out kind of scary. It will make you want to read with the lights on, it will make you think, and it might also make you cry.

This story has several elements I loved. First, as you’d expect from Lanyon, there’s a well-done and very interesting mystery that takes us on a compelling journey into the prejudices of the past. But it’s also the tender and heartbreaking story of a young man trying to deal with suddenly losing the man he grew up with and had thought he’d spend his entire life with to such a incredibly freak accident at entirely too young an age. Flynn’s situation is so heartrending. He’s in no way over what happened, and yet we see glimpses of his underlying strength in the way he handles the events and the manor. Then there’s Kirk, a Ranger in Afghanistan who appears to be suffering from PTSD, although we didn’t get much depth to his backstory just yet. I am so eager to learn more about both these men and follow along their journey, hopefully to each other.

Winter is an excellent mystery with wonderful character building and just a touch of heat, but if you want insta-love and lots of hot sex, this one doesn’t quite fill that bill. What we have here is more of a romance in bloom, and I found that both refreshing and perfect for book one of a series. Wait, maybe it is insta-love in a way, because it certainly did make me fall in love with both Kirk and Flynn.

I enjoyed the way the mystery plays out ties and the tantalizing little clue tidbit at the end rounds it out perfectly. Overall this is an excellent ghost story to read this October.

Cover art. Just look at that lovely, eerie, moody cover! It’s beautiful. Highly recommended read.

Sales Links:   All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here


Book Details:  

ebook, 147 pages
Published August 26th 2013 by Josh Lanyon (first published January 1st 2013)
ISBN13 9781937909482
edition language English
series The Haunted Heart #1

A Free Dreamer Review: First Contact by Alex Gabriel

Rating:  5 stars out of 5    ★★★★★

Going undercover in a gay BDSM club run by the mob isn’t Rick Delaney’s idea of a good time – but for all the wrong reasons.

First Contact coverSure, going undercover in a gay BDSM club run by the mob isn’t exactly an everyday assignment. Still, as a cop specializing in undercover work, Rick Delaney is used to tough gigs. The real issue is that Rick’s expected to go under with someone he barely knows. But Rick’s partner is suspended, and he doesn’t have a choice.

Newly transferred detective Jon Messina’s short a partner, too, except that his was murdered by the mafia. Jon may seem breezy and lighthearted, but he has a score to settle. And to do so, he’s willing to do whatever it takes.

Except that it may take more than either of them can afford. Because their cover as a dom and sub couple spins out of control the minute they set foot into mafia-controlled sex club Gomorrah. What should be mere pretense threatens to become desperately real. And if Rick can’t control his desires, he’s going to get them both killed.

If I had to describe this book with one word, it would be: HOT. This is my fifth book by Alex Gabriel and the hottest one I’ve enjoyed the most so far.

There’s Rick, slightly awkward, can’t string two words together when nervous. And then there’s Jon, happy-go-lucky, friendly, confident and taller than Rick. Clearly, Rick’s going to end up the sub and Jon’s going to be the Dom. At least, that’s what I thought when I started this. Turns out I was wrong. Rick becomes the Dom and Jon the sub. And damn, that was HOT.

First, Rick is anything but thrilled to have to work with Jon. He’s already got a partner, after all and just because he’s currently suspended doesn’t mean he wants a new one. And going undercover in a gay BDSM club with a man he knows nothing about isn’t his idea of fun either.

But the moment Rick and Jon set foot into the BDSM club, it all suddenly becomes very real. Rick is incredibly attracted to Jon and has a very hard time controlling himself. UST of the kind that had me drooling and melting ensues. FINALLY a book with some serious tension between the MCs! Everything set in the club was incredibly hot, even though the two of them didn’t engage in anything particularly kinky. There’s a bit of voyeurism and some serious exhibitionism later on in the book, but otherwise it was relatively kink-free. But that was enough to create a smouldering hot atmosphere. When the sex finally did happen, I was blown away. Again, I can only say: Hot, hot, hot!

This wasn’t pure porn, though. Jon’s partner was killed by the mob and Rick’s partner is obviously in trouble as well. I really liked that the two of them actually talked to each other, something that sadly doesn’t always happen in romance.  And while the lust started burning hard and fast, the love was kept in check. No insta-love here!

I liked that the author didn’t stick to the common stereotypes. Not only Rick and Jon are unexpected in their roles, there’s also a mob prince, who is openly submissive and who seems to be very nice. I’d love to read about him and his Dom.

Now, the ending was very open, leaving almost everything unresolved. But the author did say she was working on a sequel, so I’m not going to complain too much.

“First Contact” was incredibly hot, ignored common D/s stereotypes and was generally very addicting. If I’d had the time, I would have read this in one sitting.

I can’t wait for the promised sequel!

Cover Art: The cover by Ethiriel is very simple, and yet it speaks volumes. Somehow, it’s incredibly hot, although it only shows a pair of cuffs and nothing else. Well done!

Sales Links:   All Romance (ARe) | Amazon |  Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook
Published December 29th 2014 by Smashwords Edition
(first published December 22nd 2014)
ISBN139781311120076

Coffee Sip and Book Break with Keeping Joshua (The Joshua Series #2) by Grein Murray (excerpt and giveaway)

Keeping Joshua E-Book Cover

Keeping Joshua (The Joshua Series #2) by Grein Murray
 Release Date: September 18, 2015

 Goodreads Link
Publisher: Grein Murray
Cover Artist: Kellie Dennis

Buy the book:   Amazon

Banner300x250

Blurb

Joshua and Michael have been together for six months and now face a bump in their relationship. With a budding modeling career for Joshua and a new business for Michael, the distance between them continues to grow. Joshua drifts away from his best friend Max. Feeling alone and abandoned, Joshua turns to a new friend who causes more problems. Will Michael and Joshua’s love be able to withstand the onslaught of challenges?

 

Pages or Words: 232 pages
Categories: Gay Fiction, M/M Romance

 

Excerpt

“Wait, is this the sandbar we snorkeled at on our first date?”

“Yes, the very one.” Michael smiled and walked to the front of the boat and dropped the anchor. The tide was very low so they walked in just a couple of feet of water to get to the sandbar. The sun’s rays were starting to shine across the ocean.

The table had plates of food set out and a pitcher of orange juice.

“Who did you get to come out this early and set this up?” Joshua sat down in one of the chairs. He couldn’t believe Michael went through so much trouble and was confused why Michael was doing something so romantic out of the blue.

“Actually—” Michael lowered Joshua’s hood and looked into his eyes. “Max and Sam set this up for us. Remind me that I owe them a favor or two for this.” He sat down and reached across the table and held Joshua’s hand.

“I haven’t missed an important date like an anniversary or something, right?”

“Do I need an excuse to treat my boyfriend to breakfast on a sandbar?” Michael beamed.

 

RC

 

Meet the Author

When I’m not writing I like going to concerts. Music is a big part of my life, I’ve played bass guitar since I was a teen. I love nature and enjoy hiking and working with causes that help protect our planet and wild animals.

I have loved books all of my life and have always enjoyed escaping the ordinary world by getting lost in a good book. I read a lot of different genres of books but have fallen in love with MM. I support the gay community and hope one day people will see that love is love and that it is a beautiful thing no matter your gender, race or religion. Joshua and his story have been in my head for years but I never took the time to write it.

With encouragement from some fellow authors and friends I took the leap and now all of you can get to know my characters and I hope you love them as much as I do.

Where to find the author:

 

 

BannerTemplate


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Rainbow Gold Reviews, The Hat Party, MM Good Book Reviews, Bike Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Divine Magazine, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Happily Ever Chapter, Inked Rainbow Reads, Unquietly Me, Jessie G. Books, Mikky’s World of Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Molly Lolly, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Velvet Panic

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $5.00 Amazon gift card. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. 

a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

WillPride

A Paul B Review: Shades of Power (Arcane Magic #1) by Beany Sparks

Rating: 5 out of 5 stars

Shades of PowerEthan White is a rarity.  He’s a male witch.  He hides his abilities from the world by working in the apothecary that he owns.  When his sister shows up asking for a love potion, Ethan puts his guards up.  Even his familiar, a black cat named Beema, does not trust Destiny.  Two weeks later, both get a premonition that something terrible is going to happen and escape through a magic tunnel underneath Ethan’s shop just before it blows up.  Knowing his sister has something to do with the attack, he makes his way to the land of faeries to take shelter.

Grayson is the alpha of a three-man wolf shifter pack.  He brings his pack to the land of faeries because of a prophecy stating that they are the key to bringing down those that are using black magic.  When he consults with the queen as to what she might know about the prophecy, a guard comes in carrying a young man who has passed out.  Grayson goes to the young man and proclaims that he is his mate.  The Queen proclaims that the fae are now involved, as the young man Ethan, is her nephew.

As Ethan and Grayson along with Grayson’s betas Adam and Russell try to figure out the mystery of the prophecy, members of the Dark Coven are mounting an attack on the fae palace in hopes of fulfilling the prophecy themselves.  Several spies are sent by Raven Darkh to kill Ethan, as she believes he is most likely the other person capable to complete the task of creating the Shades of Power.  The five members of Grayson’s pack (as Ethan and Beema are now part of it) must defend the fae palace against the forces of dark magic threatening to take it over.

This is an excellent start to a new series by Beany Sparks.  She has combined shifters and magic and added a touch of palace intrigue to spice things up.  I felt for Ethan.  First his sister seems intent on doing him harm.  Then as he begins to unravel the mystery of prophecy, he learns all is not as it seems in the fae palace.  The only thing holding him together is his familiar Beema, his mate Grayson and the two betas of Grayson’s pack.   One does have to watch out for Beema.  The cat is not all what he seems.  Ms. Sparks perfectly sets up the next book in the series with the ending of this one.  It seems that the problems with Ethan’s sister was just the opening salvo against him.

The cover art by the author is simply stunning.  It shows our blond hair, blue-eyed Ethan staring out with Grayson’s wolf watching out behind him.  In the background a winter castle that I am sure will be featured in future books in the series.

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 117 pages
Published September 21st 2015 by Rainbow Ninja Press
edition languageEnglish
seriesArcane Magic #1

Its Menage a Five Time with Take Your Pick by Missy Welsh (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

400x600

Take Your Pick by Missy Welsh
Release Date: October 9, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Missy Welsh
Cover Artist: Thorny Sterling

Buy the book:  Amazon  | All Romance eBooks

Banner300x250

Today, I’m very lucky to be interviewing Missy Welsh author of Take Your Pick.

Hi, Missy. Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hello! Thanks so much for hosting me today. I’m not too complicated, addicted to carbs, and I need an app on my phone to yell at me so I work through my to-do list. Sometimes I’m pink and frilly, but mostly I’m denim and bare feet. I’ve worked in membership management, IT, customer service, and marketing, but it’s writing fiction that I truly love.

Take Your Pick is about Peter Kim and his 5 housemates exploring their sexualities in the name of ultimate friendship. See, Pete’s in love with all of them and it’s become a secret he can’t contain any longer. After he’s found out, he’s both thrilled and wary about his housemates’ decision to spend a day with him doing whatever he wants, including sex. Pete’s going to learn a lot about each of them as well as himself by the end of this story.

1) What’s the best line you ever wrote?

By Missy Welsh. Honestly, that’s just about the best thing any writer can write, regardless of what we’re writing. It’s a moment of pride and accomplishment. I did this! Best line ever.

2) Do you listen to music while writing? If so, what kind?

Yes, but not always. If I really need to concentrate, most often I’ll listen to a white noise machine or a fan; just so it’s not silent. Other times, I’ll listen to the Top 40 type of music. When I’m going through edits, I’ll often listen to classical music, either orchestral or piano.

3) If your book were made into a movie, what actors would you like to see star?

Well, Take Your Pick would be straight to video and available by subscription only, so I’m going to need a Korean twink, two young Italian studs, a blond with a big grin, a stern-looking dude, and a brunet with awesome muscle definition. I’m afraid I’m not so familiar with porn actors’ names as I am with their…faces. Feel free to cast in the comments!

4) What genres do you write in?

I consider M/M Romance the genre, with sci-fi, paranormal, and contemporary being the subgenres I write in. I’d like to get more into suspense and possibly fantasy in the future.

5) Where and when do you prefer to write?

I’ve discovered that I write best in the morning. Even if it’s just for a few minutes or an hour, my mind’s wide open in the early hours. Sometimes even before the sun comes up! (And I am not a morning person in any other way.) I work on my laptop, but only occasionally do I sit in a chair to write; I’m usually at my little desk in my bedroom.

Thanks for having me here today!

Blurb

Peter Kim has been in love with his five best friends since junior high. Now attending college, they share a house, but none of them know how Pete really feels.

Until the five of them come home early to find Pete masturbating while watching a video of them all on vacation near a river last summer.

Devastated and embarrassed, Pete is sure they’ll kick him out come morning. Accepting him as the only gay one among them is one thing, but knowing he lusts after them? All of them? They couldn’t possibly accept that.
But when Pete wakes up the next morning, he’s shocked to discover his housemates have a proposition for him. He’ll choose one of them each day, and they promise to do whatever he wants—including sex—for a full twelve hours.

And, yeah, they’re serious.

Pages or Words: 20,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, New Adult

Excerpt

I watched them pile into the behemoth Devon’s mom had loaned for tonight’s trip up to Cleveland. They all looked good in their club clothes. Nothing flashy or too tight, but I’d spread some fashion sense around and they’d believed me every time. Not a single girl would be able to resist my boys.
Of course, there would be plenty of boys who’d be unable to resist them either.
Just like me.

I waved as they drove off, equal parts relieved and lonely. I didn’t want to let them go without me, but I had been wound way too tight lately. I had on one other piece of clothing—the tightest pair of briefs I owned—just to help mask the boner I kept springing every time I’d been near them for the past three days.
Something had to give, and it was going to happen in a gush of orgasmic heat all over my fist.

BannerTemplate

About The Author

Meet Missy Welsh:
Missy Welsh stares into space a lot, has conversations with cats, takes notes while people-watching, records conversations (not the ones with cats), named her laptop Norbert and her phone Pushkin, has backups of her backups’ backups, faints at the sight of a misused semi-colon, and will often ask socially unacceptable questions of strangers.
Basically, she’s a writer.

Where to find Missy Welsh:
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/175mi7V
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1EiCGVk
Missy Welsh Book News (email list), http://bit.ly/1coHgOY
All Romance eBooks Author Page, http://bit.ly/1VanTjS
Amazon Author Page, http://amzn.to/P6ilxR

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

5-Oct The Jena Wade: http://www.thejenawade.com/blog/book-blast-take-your-pick-missy-welch

Hearts on Fire: http://heartsonfirereviews.com/missy-welsh-take-your-pick-interview-excerpt-and-giveaway/

BFD Book Blog: http://bfdbookblog.net/2015/10/blog-tour-stop-including-excerpt-author-interview-giveaway-take-your-pick-by-missy-welsh/

Rainbow Gold Reviews: https://rainbowgoldreviews.wordpress.com/2015/10/05/take-your-pick-by-missy-welsh-lgbt-blogtour-giveaway/

6-Oct Tara Lain, Divine Magazine, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

7-Oct Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Ogitchida Book Blog,

Bayou Book Junkie

8-Oct Because Two Men Are Better Than One, MM Good Book Reviews, Prism Book Alliance

9-Oct Kimi-Chan, My Fiction Nook, Love Bytes, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Inked Rainbow Reads, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance

 

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: One of three copies of ‘Take Your Pick’ by Missy Welsh. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride PRomotions.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

WillPride

More First Lines of Novels, Our M/M Fiction First Line Quiz and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

blowing leaves clip rt

More First Lines of Novels,  Plus Our First Line M/M  Novels Quiz!

Feather20Pen20ClipArt

People tend to disagree over what are the most favorite/best loved lines in literature, especially when compiling lists.  When scanning over a number of the Top Ten, the same lines and books appear over and over, but after that? It can get lively.

Sometimes the lists can surprise you, baffle you and delight you.  Here are some of the first lines I found on lists that dismayed, baffled and delighted the heck out of me, and yes, that one huge thing is one sentence.  Read it and weep for whatever emotion takes you and consider if they did their job…made you want to read the book.

What line dismayed me?   This first line found on multiple lists, which I still find dismal. Up to me, this book would have remained unread, even by that year’s standards.

“I was born in the Year 1632, in the City of York, of a good Family, tho’ not of that Country, my Father being a Foreigner of Bremen, who settled first at Hull; He got a good Estate by Merchandise, and leaving off his Trade, lived afterward at York, from whence he had married my Mother, whose Relations were named Robinson, a very good Family in that Country, and from whom I was called Robinson Kreutznaer; but by the usual Corruption of Words in England, we are now called, nay we call our selves, and write our Name Crusoe, and so my Companions always call’d me.” Robinson Crusoe (1719), Daniel Defoe

What baffled me? This one sentence, yes, one line opener.

“Once upon a time two or three weeks ago, a rather stubborn and determined middle-aged man decided to record for posterity, exactly as it happened, word by word and step by step, the story of another man for indeed what is great in man is that he is a bridge and not a goal, a somewhat paranoiac fellow unmarried, unattached, and quite irresponsible, who had decided to lock himself in a room a furnished room with a private bath, cooking facilities, a bed, a table, and at least one chair, in New York City, for a year 365 days to be precise, to write the story of another person—a shy young man about of 19 years old—who, after the war the Second World War, had come to America the land of opportunities from France under the sponsorship of his uncle—a journalist, fluent in five languages—who himself had come to America from Europe Poland it seems, though this was not clearly established sometime during the war after a series of rather gruesome adventures, and who, at the end of the war, wrote to the father his cousin by marriage of the young man whom he considered as a nephew, curious to know if he the father and his family had survived the German occupation, and indeed was deeply saddened to learn, in a letter from the young man—a long and touching letter written in English, not by the young man, however, who did not know a damn word of English, but by a good friend of his who had studied English in school—that his parents both his father and mother and his two sisters one older and the other younger than he had been deported they were Jewish to a German concentration camp Auschwitz probably and never returned, no doubt having been exterminated deliberately X * X * X * X, and that, therefore, the young man who was now an orphan, a displaced person, who, during the war, had managed to escape deportation by working very hard on a farm in Southern France, would be happy and grateful to be given the opportunity to come to America that great country he had heard so much about and yet knew so little about to start a new life, possibly go to school, learn a trade, and become a good, loyal citizen.”  — Raymond Federman, Double or Nothing, 1971

What delighted me? That I found these opening lines on a couple of lists.

“Where’s Papa going with that axe?” said Fern to her mother as they were setting the table for breakfast. (E.B. White,Charlotte’s Web)

“When the car stopped rolling, Parker kicked out the windshield and crawled through onto the wrinkled hood, Glock first.” –Donald E. Westlake writing as Richard Stark, Backflash

The drought had lasted now for ten million years, and the reign of the terrible lizards had long since ended. –Arthur C. Clarke, 2001: A Space Odyssey

“Nobody ever walked across the bridge, not on a night like this.” –Mickey Spillane, One Lonely Night.

This little hunt so entertained me that I decided to compile a list of my own, with help from the rest of the reviewers here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

We started to look for the first lines from some very popular M/M Romance/Fiction stories and we came up with what is sure to be the first of at least 3  Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words M/M Romance First Line Quizzes!

Look for the answers in next week’s Sunday’s post . How many, if any,do you think you will recognize?

 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words M/M Romance First Line Quiz

In what m/m romance fiction books do these first lines appear?

  1.  “This is the way my world ends.”
  2. “Once upon a time…that’s how the old stories always begin.”
  3. “It was pouring when I walked outside to use the pay phone.”
  4. “He was on his third beer of the evening when he thought he heard a noise in the backyard.”
  5. “His elegantly decorated hospital room looked regal and stately, much like the man lying in the bed in the center of the room.”
  6. “I don’t disagree with you Mother, Clarissa is a very beautiful woman. “
  7. “I wish to buy a boy,” the stranger said.”
  8. “I would say that I never let harm come to him, but in this world harm comes to us all. “
  9. “At eight in the evening on a Friday, Roosevelt High School was dark and abandoned.”
  10. “The whole thing started because of Lizzy’s Jeep.”
  11. “Dad, I’m gay.”
  12. “This is not a coming-out story.”
  13. “He wore the navy suit because it was her favorite, the light blue shirt because when he looked down at his cuff, the slender line of color made him remember her eyes.”
  14. “The smell of cheap motel rooms was comforting to him, like his oldest, rattiest T-shirt.”

 

books headers blk and white

This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Blueberry Boys coverMad About the Hatter coverDMRO_WTGIG_533x800BaseInstincts_1200x1800HR

Sunday, October 4:

  • More First Lines of Novels, Our M/M Fiction First Line Quiz and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Monday, October 5:

  • Cover reveal for J. Johanis ‘Dream Gods’ (cover reveal and contest)
  • EE Montgomery ‘Just The Way You Are’ Keep Me In Mind Tour and Giveaway
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break:  Small Wonders by Courtney Lux (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Stella Review: Blueberry Boys by Vanessa North
  • A Mika Review: Signs of Life by Melanie Hansen

Tuesday, October 6:

  • Book Spotlight: Dragon’s Eye by Lexi Ander (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Author Spotlight Special: Sloan Johnson  “Triple Play”-rescheduled for Oct 2oth
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break:  Roping Him In by Jena Wade (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Free Dreamer Review: Strength To Let Go by Alina Popescu
  • A Barb, A Zany Old Lady Audio Review: Pura Vida by Sara Alva ~ Audiobook narrated by Joseph Northton

Wednesday, October 7:

  • Kate Pearce’s Tribute Series Returns with the Retribution Tour and Contest
  • Valerie Brundage ‘Another Creature’ book blast and contest
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break with Missy Welsh – Take Your Pick (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Stella Review: Base Instinct by Larissa Ione
  • A PaulB review: Shades of Power by Beany Sparks

Thursday, October 8:

  • Grein Murray ‘Keeping Joshua’ book blast and giveaway
  • In the Book Spotlight: Purpose by Andrew Q Gordon (excerpt and contest)
  • A Jeri Review: Let The Wrong Light In by Avon Gale
  • A Free Dreamer Review: First Contact by Alex Gabriel
  • A Mika Review: Redeeming Hope by Shell Taylor

Friday, October 9:

  • Riptide Publishing’s 4th Anniversary Celebration Tour and Contest
  • Coffee Sip and Book Break with P.D. Singer ‘Otter Chaos’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A BJ Review: Winter: Haunted Heart #1 by Josh Lanyon
  • A Free Dreamer Review: To Catch A Threeve by Alexis Duran
  • A MelanieM Review: Where the Grass is Greener (Seeds of Tyrone #2) by Debbie McGowan and Raine O’Tierney

YA Saturday, October 10:

  • An Aurora YA Review: Mad About the Hatter by Dakota Chase

?????????????

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Has the Answers You Want Next Sunday!

In the Meantime, grab up those old favorites, check out those first lines!  Can’t find the ones above? Ok, how about the ones you don’t need but find that are pretty cool? While you’re at it, write those down and submit them here to us at melaniem54@msn.com to use for our next quizzes.  You’ll never know when a  prize will pop up and you will have a least one line in the “know”.

A Stella Review: The Last Nights of The Frangipani Hotel (The Actor’s Circle #2) by Bey Deckard

Rating 3.75 stars out of 5

The Last Nights of the Frangipani Hotel coverAll James wanted was a little solitude at his favourite resort: bright sunshine overhead, soft, white sand underfoot, and a hammock to read in while the warm breeze rustles through the coconut palms and almond trees. However, when an old acquaintance shows up, and James is obliged to share “his” beach, a profound exchange over a bottle of rum leads to a lust-fuelled encounter in the dark.

Reeling from the intensity of the drunken tryst, James decides to cut his vacation short rather than face what he’s kept hidden under mountains of denial.

However, his escape is thwarted when Rudie, handsome and plainspoken, calls him out on his behaviour and makes him see that life needn’t be spent running away from his desires.

Set at a rundown old resort on a small Caribbean island, The Last Nights of The Frangipani Hotel is a story about letting go of fear and learning that passion and love can be found in the most unexpected of places.

I heard a lot of this new to me author, Bey Deckard, but I honestly was a little scared by some of his books (like the Baal’s Heart series or the newest one, Better the Devil You Know). When I saw The Last Nights of the Frangipani Hotel, I soon thought it could have been my first. I didn’t even realize it was the second one in a series but at the end it wasn’t a problem because it can be totally read as a standalone.

The Frangipani Hotel is at its last days but James is in love with this place, so he keeps coming here, but this year his quiet is broken by an old friend who takes place next to James. James and Rudie are both famous actors, stressed out by their acting jobs, looking for an escape in the Caribbean Sea. Destiny (not really!) chooses them to be hut’s neighbor. After some drinks, they share a night together (having some really boring sex, let me tell you!).  Rudie is gay, but James is not,  in fact he has an ex wife and two daughters. But the attraction and the magic of the place is too strong to be ignored…

I was really happy to pick this story, it was quick and light and so well written I was able to read it in a one standing, because it was easy to follow. All the story and the dialogues felt very real and normal, I could sympathize with the MCs and their fears. I especially liked the writing style in the descriptive parts. I was able to picture the beach, the shabby hotel and later in the book, the hot sex (it wasn’t boring at all!).

In my opinion The Last Nights of the Frangipani Hotel needs a sequel because the ending wasn’t really how I usually like mine to be, it was more a HFN and I need to see James and Rudie to have their HEA. Still I think Bey Deckard really did a great job at gathering a lot of elements (emotions, life crisis, the enlightenment of James) in a so short a story. I’m not sure I’m ready for his other more dark works, but I’m sure I’m going to read the The Complications of T (read BJ’s review here ).

Highly recommended if you’re looking for a short contemporary story that will let you evade your routine and bring you on a holiday even on a rainy October.

Cover design by Bey Deckard
Cover photo by Strangeland Photography

Both the covers of The Actor’s Circle series are really hot and eye catching. Well done!

Sales Links:  Smashwords  |  All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Published September 12th 2015 by Bey Deckard
Kindle Edition, 78 pages
ASIN B014RZQ54I
Edition Language English

The Actor’s Circle series

  • The Complications of T #1
  • The Last Nights of the Frangipani Hotel #2

http://wms-na.amazon-adsystem.com/20070822/US/js/link-enhancer-common.js?tag=scatthouandro-20&linkId=4OTVYYQWKZZUTQQX

A Sammy Review: The Ultimate Team (Juxtapose City #4) by Tricia Owens

Rating: 5 stars out of 5   ★★★★★

“You’re not getting your mythical knight in shining armor,” Parker told him softly. “You’re getting a man who’s trying very hard to be good, but has never been shown how to be. You have to stick by him and show him what’s best within him, Calyx. You have to take his darkness and make it light.”

The Ultimate Team coverFollowing the events of the previous book, Starr is holed up in bad and the team is down a man. That is until the captain assigns none other than Parker to the team. But another psypath on the team, let alone a psypath that has history with Black and knows his secrets? That’s dangerous.

Between the team trying to rebuild again and new threats arising from some unexpected places, Starr and Black have to find a way to balance their secrets, half-truths, love, and duty to the team, all while remaining alive. In other words, just another day in Juxtapose City.

“You don’t need a city, a hiding place, to be happy. I can make you happy. I can take care of you.”

It has been so long since I’ve been able to read a book in this series, and I hadn’t had the time to reread the previous ones before reading this, so I was very nervous that nothing would make sense to me, but it gradually came back to me, and within a matter of pages I was lost in the story yet again.

If you’ve read the previous books (and you should read them in order), you know what a hot mess Starr and Black’s world is, not to mention their relationship that evolved from hate. Adding Parker to the team adds an uncomfortable dynamic, but the author handles it well and doesn’t have the problem go away like magic. It’s there and they have to deal with it.

Unlike the previous books, this one had much more of the romance element to it. Starr and Black spend a lot of time dealing with their flaws, particularly the mean streak of jealousy that Starr has, paired with both of their doubts. And some of it is just so painful, like how Black truly thinks he’s this horrible person, and how sometimes Starr isn’t so sure either, but still manages to love him. It straddles a moral boundary that is so intriguing and wonderful.

On top of it all, Tricia Owens manages to continue to bring the steam. We finally (no, but really) get some penetration, though it’s not quite what I was hoping for or expecting, but it’s a step forward. But it just goes to show that she’s been able to keep up the heat and fire without that.

Black, Jake, Haney and Bee had all killed in the course of their work. But looking across the aisle first at Jake and then at Haney, who immediately gave him an encouraging thumbs up―Calyx didn’t see evil in them, or cruelty. They didn’t look haunted like Black, who carried his sins as if he was half a man without them.

This book also provides some insight into Starr and Black’s pasts. We get to see a bit more of where they came from and what Black went through to get where he is now. There are still so many unanswered questions, but you have to expect that in this series and embrace them.

Not for even a second was I bored. I enjoyed each word and am so happy to get some reacquainted with a favorite couple: Starr and Black.

The cover art is nice in that it fits the rest of the series and is cohesive. Unfortunately, the model for Starr doesn’t quite work for me, but besides that it’s not bad.

Sales Link:  Amazon | Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 207 pages
Published March 24th 2015

In the Paranormal Spotlight: Annabelle Jacobs’ The Altered 3 (excerpt and giveaway)

TheAltered-Three-f

The Altered 3 by Annabelle Jacobs
Release Date: October 1, 2015

Goodreads Link 
Publisher: Annabelle Jacobs
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Sales Links:  Amazon | Amazon UK | All Romance (ARe) | Smashwords

Banner300x250

Blurb

Matt is a single shifter living in a house full of couples. It’s not that he begrudges his friends their happiness—especially after everything they’ve been through—but he wants someone for himself. He wants a mate. Living out in the Cornish countryside there seems little chance of him finding one.

Thomas’s life has recently been changed for ever. Newly altered, he finds himself in danger as his mother, a prominent politician, works to put a stop to the mistreatment of altereds and bring those responsible to justice.

To keep him safe, Thomas is sent to Cornwall where Matt and his friends offer him refuge until he can return to his home in London. Despite the circumstances surrounding his arrival, Thomas and Matt bond in a way neither of them were expecting. They struggle to come to terms with what this might mean for their future once the threat is eliminated.
Pages or Words: 58,000 words (approximate)

Categories: Alternate universe, Fantasy, Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal

Excerpt

“Daniel?” He strained to hear anything but the whole farmhouse seemed quiet. His senses were a little overwhelmed after being effectively dampened for the last three hours, but after thirty seconds or so he could hear the tread of footsteps outside and a car approaching the farmhouse.
Jordan’s black Volkswagen T5 pulled up onto the gravel drive at the same time as Matt opened the kitchen door. Daniel walked over to meet him as he got out of the van, holding his phone out for Jordan to see. Whatever was on there had Jordan tensing up immediately.
“What’s wrong?” Matt called out, making Daniel jump, but Jordan didn’t even flinch already fully aware of his presence. He walked over to them, and looked pointedly at Daniel.
Daniel motioned for Jordan to give him his phone back and handed it straight over to Matt. “I got an email from Shaw.”
It took Matt a good few seconds to recognise the name. And when he did, his chest tightened at the memories it invoked. It wasn’t that anyone had forgotten what happened at the facility, but it wasn’t exactly a popular topic of conversation either. Shaw, along with Ash and a Dr Adams, had been injected with the serum by Chambers and had ended up a partial altered. Whatever he had to say, Matt doubted it would be anything good.
The email was short and to the point. Shaw hadn’t bothered with pleasantries, and Matt felt oddly pleased by that. They weren’t friends, and he was glad no one pretended otherwise. He read it again to make sure he hadn’t missed anything and handed the phone back to Daniel.
“So.” Matt glanced up at the sky, knowing their peaceful existence was about to change. But he asked the question anyway. “Are we going to take them?”

RC

Meet the Author

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with her husband, 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 it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

Where to find the author:

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction
Website – www.annabellejacobs.com
Email – ajacobsfiction@gmail.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction
Facebook Author page

BannerTemplate


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Jessie G. Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Carly’s Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, Bike Book Reviews, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, 3 Chicks After Dark, The Jena Wade, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Molly Lolly, The Jena Wade, Inked Rainbow Reads, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Iyana Jenna, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Divine Magazine, Mikky’s World of Books, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Rainbow Gold Reviews

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Book from Annabelle’s backlist and $10 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

 

WillPride