Category: Self Published

Join Rainbow Award Finalist Lane Hayes on Tour with The Right Word (contest)

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Book Name: The Right Words
Goodreads Link
Author Name: Lane Hayes

Author Bio:

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and her third received an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and the coolest yellow Lab ever in an almost empty nest.

Author Contact:

Website: http://lanehayes.wordpress.com
Twitter: @LaneHayes3
Facebook: LaneHayesauthor
Email: lanehayes@ymail.com

RightWords[The]FSPublisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson
Sales Links:   Dreamspinner eBook  and Paperback

The Right Words Blurb:

Escaping an abusive relationship left Luke Preston anxious and spouting panic-induced poetry. Desperate for a fresh start, Luke accepts a job remodeling a tired old beach house for a professional soccer player and his model girlfriend. While his passion is literature, not sports, focusing on the renovations eases his anxiety. Until the job he signed up for turns out to be more complicated than advertised.

Sidelined with a serious injury, soccer star Michael Martinez decides his beach house is the perfect place to recuperate. Remodeling might be the diversion he needs to keep his mind off his busted knee. Falling for the pretty designer with some quirky habits wasn’t on the drawing board. Unfortunately, Luke didn’t build a big enough closet for Michael to hide in. Having a star-powered sports career used to be all Michael lived for, but he’ll have to reevaluate his plans and find the right words if he wants to build more than a beach house with Luke.

Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Humor, Romance

Excerpt from The Right Words by Lane Hayes

“One day at a time,” he repeated thoughtfully, making an obvious effort to steer the topic toward something more pleasant.

“Well, I don’t have anything better, so… I’ll go with that too.” Michael’s smile lit his entire face. It was a beautiful thing to witness. He was handsome always, but wow… what a smile.

“Was the picture of us good at least?”

This time he laughed out loud, a sweet, musical sound that made me chuckle along with him.

“Yeah, very hot.” He reached over and pulled me into his side effortlessly. “Look, I wasn’t trying to send mixed signals this week. I know I haven’t been around like I said I would. I… Jamie isn’t going to go away easily. This has been a weird blow to add to an already fucked-up situation, but… I like you and I do trust you.”

“You like me?”

He gave a small half chuckled and shrugged. “Un poco.” He translated when I gave him a blank stare. “A little.”

“I like you a little too.”

I couldn’t help my response at being near him. I curled into his side like a cat begging for attention. Michael wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek and my chin. I didn’t want a “friend” kiss, though. I wanted what he gave me Friday night. I wanted “that kiss.” I intercepted him when he leaned in to peck my temple and stuck my tongue out to trace the corner of his mouth. He groaned and accepted the invitation, diving and thrusting his tongue inside my mouth to stake his claim. His right hand traveled down my throat and came to a stop over my left nipple. He rubbed at the sensitive flesh through my tight T-shirt and squeezed hard when he heard my moan of approval.

I arched my back into his touch but kept my mouth fastened to his. I didn’t want to lose this connection. He bit at my chin and sent kisses down my neck as his hand dipped down to my belt and came to rest on my hardening cock. I whimpered and scooted on his lap to straddle his thighs.

“Is this okay? Am I hurting your knee?”

“It’s good, honey. Really good.” Both of his hands splayed flat on my back and circled to the front to pluck at the fabric of my T-shirt. “Take it off.”

I didn’t have to be told twice. I was burning up. I yanked it over my head and tossed it aside before I began working on the seemingly endless row of buttons on his dress shirt.

“Fuck. Help me get his off you. I need to feel your skin.”

I barely recognized my voice. I sounded breathless.

When Michael finally leaned forward to let the fabric slide from his shoulders, I met him halfway to feel his skin against mine. Heaven. He was simply beautiful, with finely toned washboard abs and gorgeous skin. It was smooth like mine but much darker. Olive against golden. I loved the contrast and I was anxious to explore. I let my hands roam, over his chest, down his stomach, and back again. My fingers itched to palm his cock through his worn jeans. Instead I fused my naked torso against his and ground my aching cock against his equally hard member. We both hissed, and the kiss became something more like sex.

Pages: 204 pages

Tour Dates: December 12th – January 6th 

TRWBadgeTour Stops: 

12-Dec

Parker Williams

Foxylutely Book Reviews

Sinfully Sexy

16-Dec

Hearts on Fire

Love Bytes

Kimi-Chan

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

19-Dec

Molly Lolly

Cate Ashwood

MM Good Book Reviews

23-Dec

BFD Book Blog

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Amanda C. Stone

26-Dec

Prism Book Alliance

Regular Guys, Hot Romance

30-Dec

The Novel Approach

Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

Queer Town Abbey

2-Jan

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

6-Jan

Decadent Delights

My Fiction Nook

Multitasking Mommas

Velvet Panic

Joyfully Jay

 

Contest: Enter to win aRafflecopter Prize: $25 Gift Card. Use the link provided for the entry form and for all additional contest details. Must by 18 years of age or older to enter.
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Get Into The Holiday Spirit with Silvia Violet’s Wild R Christmas (book tour and contest)

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Silvia Violet is here with her latest release, the holiday story Wild R Christmas.  Check out the blurb and sexy excerpt below and don’t forget to enter the contest at the end of the post!

Book Name: Wild R Christmas
Author Name: Silvia Violet

Author Bio:

Silvia Violet writes erotic romance in a variety of genres including paranormal, contemporary, sci fi, and historical. She can be found haunting coffee shops looking for the darkest, strongest cup of coffee she can find. Once equipped with the needed fuel, she can happily sit for hours pounding away at her laptop. Silvia typically leaves home disguised as a suburban stay-at-home-mom, and other coffee shop patrons tend to ask her hilarious questions like “Do you write children’s books?” She loves watching the looks on their faces when they learn what she’s actually up to. When not writing, Silvia enjoys baking sinfully delicious treats, exploring new styles of cooking, and reading to her incorrigible offspring.

Author Contact:

Email: silviaviolet@gmail.com
Website: http://silviaviolet.com
Facebook: http://facebook.com/silvia.violet
Twitter: http://twitter.com/Silvia_Violet
For a list of Silvia’s available titles: http://silviaviolet.com/books

Publisher: Self-publishedWild R Farm Christmas 600x900
Cover Artist: Meredith Russell

Sales Links: Amazon  All Romance eBooks   Smashwords

Wild R Christmas Blurb:

Every year Cole Wilder hosts a big Christmas dinner for all the employees of Wild R Farm, and every year he takes on too many responsibilities then ends up exhausted and even more cranky than usual. This year, Cole’s husband, Jonah, is determined things will be different. Not only is he having their bathroom renovated to add a little luxury to their lives, he’s got plans to whisk Cole away for a Christmas vacation. But getting Cole to agree to let their ebullient friend, Tristan, organize Christmas at the farm is easier said that done.

Tristan promises to take perfect care of the farm, but as soon as Cole and Jonah leave, chaos ensues—couples fighting, construction disasters, kitchen woes. The only thing keeping confessed Christmas-o-phile, Tristan, merry is his boyfriend, Wes. He knows exactly what Tristan needs so they can pull the whole Wild R Farm crew together for the happiest Christmas they’ve ever had.
Categories: Contemporary, Western/Cowboy, M/M Romance, Romance, Paranormal

Excerpt:

“Wes! Come help me!” Tristan shouted.

Wes pushed himself up from the couch where he’d been doing research for his latest case. “Just a sec.”

When he stepped into the hall, he froze in disbelief. Tristan was stuck in the doorway with at least three shopping bags in each hand. “What did you do?”

Tristan looked at him like he was a simpleton. “I went shopping.”

Wes sighed as he held the door open so Tristan could push through. Then he followed his lover to the living room where Tristan dropped the bags in the middle of the floor and plopped down beside them.

“I thought you went for a run. What the hell were you doing shopping on the day after Thanksgiving?”

Tristan again stared at Wes like maybe he’d been replaced by an alien, one without much brainpower. “Buying Christmas decorations, of course.”

“Christmas decorations?” Wes did not want to consider the possibility that all those bags were full of Santas, reindeer, and glittery balls. Tristan’s balls were all Wes required this Christmas.

“Sure. I thought we could put them up this afternoon.” Wes’s horror grew as Tristan pulled out a red and green sweater. “Look what I got for Cole.” Tristan held up the offensive garment and Wes fought the urge to shrink backward. On the front was a wolf in a Santa suit surrounded by sheep wearing elf hats. It said “A Wolf in Santa’s Clothing.”

“That is… hideous.”

Tristan laughed. “I know. Isn’t it fantastic?”

“Tris, look… I don’t—”

“Check these out.” He held up lights shaped like reindeer. “They even blink.”

Wes knew arguing with Tristan was useless but he felt compelled to make a small effort anyway. “I usually just put a wreath on the door.”

Tristan gave him an innocent look, the little bastard. “Really?”

“Tristan.”

“Oh, it’s just a few little things,” Tristan said, clearly unconcerned about Wes’s frustration.

“Tell me you don’t have an album of cats meowing Christmas songs in there.”

Tristan put his hands on his hips, which looked ridiculous with him sitting on the floor surrounded by Christmas decor. “How insulting! Do you really not know I prefer the barking dogs? I find cats too… slinky.”

Wes groaned. “You’re going to be even more impossible than usual from now until Christmas, aren’t you?”

“I’m going to be festive.”

“A tree, stockings, maybe a few other small items. That’s festive enough. I can’t live in the middle of North Pole Central.”

Tristan rolled his eyes. “Stop being such a scrooge.”

“Tristan, I will not—”

Tristan’s sly, sexy grin derailed Wes’s train of thought. “I’m sure I can change your mind.”

“You’re always so damn sure you can get your way.” And all too often he was right.

Tristan crawled across the floor, and talk about slinky, he looked more jaguar than stallion. Wes’s cock took immediate notice. Wes dropped his legs open, knowing Tristan was playing him but not caring. No matter how annoyed he was, he wasn’t going to turn his man down. Tristan settled himself between Wes’s thighs and put his hand on the fastening of his jeans. He caught Wes’s gaze, green eyes twinkling. “Christmas is the season of giving, sweetheart. Just tell me what you’d like me to give.”

“You’re offering sex in exchange for turning the house into Tacky Christmas Wonderland?”

Tristan popped Wes’s snap. “I am. Tell me what you want.”

“Tristan.” Wes tried to sound ominous but probably just sounded horny as hell.

Tristan slid his zipper down, not easy in that position considering how hard Wes was. He licked his lips and looked into Wes’s eyes. “You want to tie me up? Paddle me? Tell me what it’s gonna cost.”

Wes’s breath caught as Tristan ran a finger over his cock, which was still trapped behind his boxer briefs. “This is insane.”

“I give something, you give something. What’s insane about that?” With a mischievous smile, Tristan opened Wes’s jeans wider and pulled his cock free.

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Tour Dates: December 15, 2014

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Molly Lolly, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Rebecca Cohen Writes, Cate Ashwood, Guilty Indulgence Book Club, Havan Fellows

My Fiction Nook, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Fallen Angel Reviews, Andrew Q. Gordon, Love Bytes, Queer Town Abbey, Wicked Wolves and Dreaming Dragons,

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Hearts on Fire, Velvet Panic, Wake Up Your Wild Side

Cathy Brockman Romances, Multitasking Mommas, the Twins: Talon ps & Princess so, Michael Mandrake, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Angel Martinez, Kristy’s Brain Food, Bayou Book Junkie, BFD Book Blog, Because Two Men Are Better Than One

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $10 ARe gift card. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the Rafflecopter link provided for additional contest details and for the entry form.

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On Tour with Rain Carrington and “Turquoise” (book tour and contest)

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Book Name: Turquoise
Author Name: Rain Carrington

Here’s a few questions to get to know author Rain Carrington:

1.  Favorite color?      Blue, cobalt blue to be exact

2.  Favorite meal?      Green chili and tortillas

3.  Favorite non-alcoholic drink?   Iced tea, I drink it all the time!

Author Bio:

Rain Carrington started writing when she was just a teenager in Trinidad, Colorado but didn’t start writing M/M romance until much later. Through the years many of her gay male friends told stories of heartache and the struggle to find “the one” so she told them stories, fantasies all about them and their future cowboy, fireman, biker or policeman. When she found a writing site that encouraged her to write them down she started what was an adventure like she never had before.

Her first story, Cabin Fever, about a young man searching for love and finding it wrapped in a member of a mafia family gained her readers who cheered for more. She knew then that she had found her place in the world. To make stories of love and kink that not only her readers but she could get lost in as well.

Rain now lives in Colorado Springs, Colorado but has traveled most of the US. Her last road trip to San Francisco gave her characters still coming out…no pun intended…in her newer stories. Rain has severe scoliosis which makes it hard for her to do all the things she used to love but it did give her the time to write that she never had before. She fights for lgbt rights from her home as best she can now and keeps in close contact with her friends that fight on two good legs to point them where they should go. She is a fervent believer that one door never closes without another opening so there are no limits she can’t get past.

Of all the people in the world no one has encouraged and supported her like her friends, many of them writers themselves, and her family. There is never a dull moment in her home where laughter is in the air 24/7 and everyone knows to avoid the computer screen when she sits in front of it. They never know what kind of beautiful man love they may see. Rain calls it research, they call it, “there she goes again!”

Author Contact:

Amazon
Facebook
Google+
@RainCarrington – Twitter
Goodreads

Publisher: Self-publishedTURFINAL
Cover Artist: Rain Carrington
Sales Links:   amazon

Blurb:

In the mountains of New Mexico lives a group of boys who are inseparable. That is until they grow up and one of them leaves the rez to fulfill his dream.

One of the boys misses him more than the others. A love that started as children grew with him and when Angel Quintana left New Mexico, Garcia Blacksnake had to occupy his time until the love of his life returned. Angel came back when tragedy struck, with secrets he does not want this old friends to know. Secrets about the life he lived as his dreams came true, turning to nightmares he could not run away from.

Can childhood friends help save him from a sadistic man who holds Angel’s dream in his hand? Can Garcia’s love help him to trust himself and others again?

Turquoise Excerpt (3)

The garden from the outside was more spectacular that he’d seen from the windows. There were stone benches like they were in a park, and that is what he felt like. Like he was in a park. There were beds with dormant roses everywhere, hedges sculpted into fine curves, statuary and three gazebos. The house was imposing, but the garden reached across the back, on what must have been a couple of acres. He saw a tennis court in the far side, and he looked at this, curiously.

“Do you like tennis? It’s a little cold, but I have a racquetball court inside.”

This man, he was too much. This was what people lived like, every day. He’d been lucky back on the rez. Once Raf came to live with them, he’d fixed up their house until it was nice, comfortable, but this was so far beyond anything he’d imagined. He really was a child to think people only lived like this in the movies. “I don’t play. Either game. In fact, I’m not the biggest fan of games.”

Guy stopped him with a gentle touch to his arm, obviously getting the double meaning of Angel’s words. “But, Angel, life is full of games. Life is a game. The goal is to win. Be a winner, Angel. I can make you a winner.”

Words: 101,697

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Tour Dates/Stops

1-Dec

Rainbow Gold Reviews

Love Bytes

2-Dec

Charley Descoteaux

Jade Crystal

3-Dec

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

MM Good Book Reviews

4-Dec

Amanda C. Stone

Up All Night, Read All Day

5-Dec

Bayou Book Junkie

Emotion in Motion

8-Dec

My Fiction Nook

Cate Ashwood

9-Dec

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

LeAnn’s Book Reviews

Inked Rainbow Reads

10-Dec

BFD Book Blog

Velvet Panic

11-Dec

Wicked Wolves and Dreaming Dragons

Cathy Brockman Romances

12-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Molly Lolly 

 
TBadgeContest and Prizes:
  • Rafflecopter Prizes:
    Rain Carrington is offering up:
    5 ebooks of Road Runner Enchantment Book 1
    5 ebooks of Turquoise Enchantment book 2

Anne Tenino – one ebook copy of Billionaire With Benefits

Edward Kendrick one ebook -L’histoire de François – Vampire – Immortal Angst – Book One

Jess Buffett – one ebook of Nick’s Christmas Wish

AJ Llewellyn – one ebook reader’s choice of my currently available titles…pdf

Douglas Black donate one ebook of Bucket List

Jamie Lynn Miller – one ebook of Burnin’ For You

Parker Williams – one ebook copy of ‘Lost Time’

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A MelanieM Review: Christmas in His Heart by Havan Fellows and, Lee Brazil

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

beacon hill at night  Xander Leahman wasn’t happy with the corporate life so when his best friend called and asked his help to find a manager for her craft store, he jumped at the chance for a change in scenery and time with his bestie.  But Xander wasn’t prepared for the attraction he felt when he saw the grumpy but gorgeous owner of the restaurant next door to Craft Time.  On impulse, Xander found himself agreeing to take the job and relocate on the chance that his heart knew what it was doing.

For Dermot Alasdair the twinkling lights and jolly holiday decorations bring nothing but pain.  While others are celebrating and enjoying the company of friends, family, and lovers, Dermot remains alone, isolated by secret and memories he has never divulged to a single soul.  By now, Dermot has almost convinced himself that all he needs is his restaurant and solitude to be content, if not happy. Then the arrival of Xander Leahman at the neighboring craft store throws his carefully laid out life into chaos.

Xander’s a happy, exuberant person who loves Christmas and can’t understand why the man he is so attracted to lacks the Christmas spirit.  Now more than ever Xander is determined that he will find a way to open Dermot’s heart to Christmas and to a forever love….with Xander, of course!

The holidays are almost upon us and what better way to bring Christmas cheer into home and heart than with holiday stories of celebration and romance.  Havan Fellows and Lee Brazil collaborated in this lively holiday tale of a man whose past robbed him of more than just the Christmas spirit and the fellow who’s determined to bring it back, along with a major dose of romance and love.

The authors certainly relay the historic charm and community of Parkersburg, the town where the story  takes place.  We are plopped into the “grinch like” mind set of one Dermot Alasdair making his way through the cobble streets of town to his restaurant.  Immediately its clear that the holidays and the Christmas decorations are his personal Kryptonite.  And when he is not mentally complaining about the inconvenience of bell ringers and such, he is focused on the financial health of his restaurant, always a precarious thing in the food business.  The last thing Dermot expects is the intrusion into his life of Xander Leahman, a change will he only reluctantly welcome.

Fellows and Brazil make it plain that Dermot is a character that has more pain in his heart than anyone in his situation should, and that, clearly, there are dark reasons behind his bah humbug behavior.  He is buttoned up, clinched in, and as tight as they come to pull in all the old chestnuts, all of which brings out our sympathy and compassion for this sad man.

Xander is more Santa’s helper than corporate desk jockey.  His typical ebullient frame of mind is perfect for Craft Time and his presence is just what his best friend needs.  Xander’s arrival touches off a set of small emotional explosions in all around him, but mostly in Dermot and surprisingly in Xander himself.

I thought the story moved along smartly, in fact, it’s narrative pace was almost too fast.  Xander fell a little too hard too quickly as did Dermot.  And the hot relationship, or hot and cold relationship that springs up could have done with some simmering time instead of heating up to a boil from the start.  But that aside, their relationship is hot, sexy, and sometimes quite funny, which is needed to offset the pain and poignancy to come.

I throughly enjoyed Christmas In His Heart by Lee Brazil and Havan Fellows.  It’s a wonderful way to crank up that holiday cheer!  So deck the halls, light up the Kindles, and put some music on.  Love is in the air and Christmas is winding its way into our hearts!  Put Christmas In His Heart on your holiday reading list today!

 Cover Artist:  Laura Harner.  Love the cover, filled me with holiday cheer!

Sales Links:    All Romance (ARe)       amazon        buy it here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 119 pages
Published December 4th 2014 by Lime Time Press
ASINB00QEB3GGY
edition languageEnglish

For Your Holiday Reading Enjoyment…Lee Brazil’s and Havan Fellows’ Christmas In His Heart (book tour and contest)

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Book Name: Christmas In His Heart
Release Date: December 4th, 2014
Author Name: Lee Brazil & Havan Fellows

Two favorite authors are here with their latest story, Christmas In His Heart.  Did I have  some questions for them both?  Why, yes I did and here is my holiday conversation with Lee Brazil and Havan Fellows:

A holiday story should be like opening a Christmas or Chanukah present. What elements about your story had you both smiling with delight?

Lee: I just loved all the bright, cheerful banter between the leads. I may never see another sausage without chuckling. 

Havan: Oh my god they were a hot fun mess when those two started talking. lmao Plus I loved the strong secondary characters and how they all genuinely cared.

Favorite holiday story for each of you?

Oh… White Christmas is one, but also… I just love It’s A Wonderful Life. The story of how one person’s life affects so many others, of how one missing soul can change the world really speaks to me. We’re taught these days that life is about everyone, that its society and the greater good that we ought to be concerned with. Sometimes we forget how valuable the individual is. It’s A Wonderful Life proves the value of the individual. 

The Polar Express has always been a favorite in my family, but believe it or not I’ve never watched the movie. I guess some books I just can’t bring myself to watch the movie version no matter how good people claim they are.

I love the Holiday Movies, from Hallmark to It’s Christmas, Charlie Brown.  What movies or specials do you look forward to if any?

Um… Clearly I misinterpreted the previous question. Sorry about that. My favorite Christmas cartoon was the one with the burgermeister. Santa Claus Is Coming To Town. I was terrified of the Winter Warlock as a child, but the magic of the season just came alive for me.

I love the “claymation duo” as my family calls it: Santa Claus is Coming to Town and Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, oh and Frosty the Snowman is also enjoyed. But our favorite holiday movie is Emmet Otter’s Jug-Band Christmas. We watch it every year on Christmas Eve, never fails.

You both have been so busy with the Pulp Friction 2014 outstanding series, why no holiday stories involving those couples?  Or is there?

Well, that would be telling! The stories are sequential, timeline-wise. The finale takes place in December, so I wouldn’t be surprised if some seasonal elements crept into the finale. 

*zips lips…sits on hands*

Do you both have any holiday traditions passed down from generation to generation?  And have they ever made it into a story?

My family has a lot of traditions, and many of them I have foisted upon my SO. Stockings hung on Christmas Eve, presents opened Christmas morning, turkey dinner with stuffing and cranberries…

When my siblings and I grew up and had our own families we developed new traditions…but the bottom line is that all extensions of the family get together on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day is dedicated to spending it with our individual broods. That way we get the best of both worlds, because no matter how much I love my whole family, I cherish those Christmas mornings with my kiddos.

What is the hardest thing about writing with a partner?

Waiting. The hardest part was waiting. Havan works an EDJ, and I wrote while she was working, so many times I’d have to wait for her feedback, and it was just finger itching.

*hugs* Lee never had to worry about my feedback – you’ve read his writing, you know how good he is at it. 🙂 But yeah…my EDJ was especially evil to me. We’d be chatting back and forth while I was at work and I’d get this brilliant amazing idea (well aren’t all my ideas brilliant and amazing? lol) but I’d be stuck at my desk for another two hours before I could run home and put it to paper and see if Lee liked it as well…and I suffer from youngest child syndrome, you know what I mean? The Now-now-now syndrome…I wanted to write the scene now now now so Lee could read it now now now. Not to be confused with the youngest child syndrome Mine-mine-mine which is a totally different thing…lmao

What is the easiest thing about writing with a partner?

Writing with Havan made writing easier. Her energy and creativity were just like a spark for me. The story flowed with an ease I seldom see.

That goes both ways I would say. He’d knock the WIP (work in process) over to me and I’d be so stoked to get my wordage in and kick it back to him…and within seconds (or it felt like seconds – do not insert ex-boyfriend joke here…lmao) he’d have it back to me. It was like we fed on each other’s excitement about this story and our guys. It was more addicting than any drug…um…not that I’d know about those types of things…can you see my halo from there?

What message or overall feeling would you like readers to take away from Christmas In His Heart?

There’s a magic to the holiday season, people are the best they can be, kindness flows, and love… well it just makes everything alright.

All of the above…and a smile can do wonders in any situation. I do like smiling…I count it toward my daily exercise goal. 🙂 

What’s next for you both?

Pulp Friction 2014 Finale, and then… Pulp Friction 2015. Are you ready for New Orleans?

Let the beads start flying! *big huge grins*

Thank you Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for having us…you know this is one of our fave places to hang out!

My thanks to you both!  Now back to our authors and story…

***************************

Author Bio:

LEE BRAZIL:

Somewhere in a small town in up-state New York are a librarian and a second grade teacher to whom I owe my life. That might be a touch dramatic, but it’s nevertheless one hundred percent true.

Because they taught me the joy of reading, of escaping into worlds crafted of words.

   Have you ever been nine years old and sure of nothing so much as that you don’t belong? Looked at the world from behind glasses, and wondered why you don’t fit?

Someone hands you a book, and then you turn the page and see… There you are, running from Injun Joe in a dark graveyard; there you are fencing with Athos; there you are…beneath the deep blue sea- marveling at exotic creatures with Captain Nemo.

I found myself between the pages of books, and that is why I write now. It’s why I taught English and literature for so many years, and it’s why my house contains more pounds of books than furniture.

If I’d had my way, I’d have been a fencer…or a starship captain, or a lawyer, or a detective solving crimes. But instead, I am a writer, and I’ve come to realize that’s the best thing in the world to be, because as a writer, I can be all those things and more.

If I hadn’t learned to value the stories between the pages, who knows what would have happened? Certainly not college…teaching…or writing.

HAVAN FELLOWS:

I annoy, love, respect, scare, seduce, hurt, anger, infatuate, frustrate, flatter, envy, amuse and tolerate everyone. I just do it better in writing thanks to a little thing called…edits.

Okay no, seriously…I’m a simpleminded person who enjoys the escape from real life through a book. I write with the group Story Orgy and hope to continue doing so for a long time. I also am privileged to be with the Pulp Friction writers, creating intermingling books in a world all our own. And just like every other red-blooded human—I love hearing from people. So feel free to drop me a line—whether it’s a comment on my blog, an email, a tweet, or you track me down on FaceBook or Google +…it’s easy to catch someone who wants to be caught.

Authors Contacts:

Publisher: Lime Time Press
Cover Artist: Laura Harner

Sales Links:  amazon     All Romance (ARe)

Blurb:beacon hill at night  

Christmastime brings joy to hearts everywhere. Between snow angels, festive clothing, holiday decorations, and of course, all the beautiful lights, it’s hard not to partake in the season.

Unless you no longer have Christmas in your heart.

Dermot Alasdair has never shared the horrific memories that keep him from celebrating the happiest time of the year, nor does he ever plan to. He’s fine being alone and shut off from everyone; he has his restaurant and that’s all he needs. He believes that, too…until the craft store next door from his eatery hires a perpetually smiling annoyance. Really, it isn’t normal for someone to be that happy all the time.

Xander Leahman didn’t know what he was getting into when he accepted an invitation to visit his best friend and help her interview people for the newly created position of manager at Craft Time. When a surly man bumps into him and then walks away with an enticing sway to his hips, Xander decides the position—and Dermot—are perfect for him. Now all he can think of is finding ways to get Dermot out of his clothes. Well that, and how to open this grinch’s heart to the Christmas season and, hopefully, love.
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Romance, Holiday

Excerpt:

“Hey! Good morning!”

The cheerful greeting broke through his concentration, and Dermot looked up to see the new manager of the Craft Time craft store sweeping the sidewalk in front of the shop. “Hey,” he muttered sourly. Xander Leahman made his head ache. Just one glance and he wanted to snap at the man to comb his hair, put on a heavier jacket, and for Christ sakes why wasn’t he wearing gloves outside in this weather?

Dermot wasn’t going to stop. He had no plans stop and talk to the smiling man. Xander bubbled more than a bottle of shaken soda water. Dermot didn’t have time for his chatter, and he didn’t have time for the strange, compelling not-quite-nausea he seemed prone to in Xander’s company.

Maybe he was allergic to the man’s cologne, or deodorant, or shampoo. Dermot leaned forward and sniffed surreptitiously, but he couldn’t smell anything other than cinnamon and vanilla. An overwhelming urge to bake overcame him, and he jerked himself upright.

He was an executive chef, not a pastry chef. He didn’t bake, and especially not something as…plebeian as oatmeal raisin cookies, which was what Xander smelled like.

“Excuse me.” He deliberately stepped around Xander, who put out a hand and caught his arm.

“I saw you coming down the street.” Xander set the broom aside and picked up a steaming mug from the windowsill. “It’s not as good as Prudence’s coffee, but I made it fresh this morning.”

Blinking in astonishment, Dermot stared from the mug to the hand on his arm. He could really… “Thanks.” He accepted the mug and inhaled the rich aroma of good coffee, scented with cinnamon and…yeah, vanilla. And he’d thought it was Xander who smelled so good? He didn’t know whether to be relieved or embarrassed. “I needed this. That walk feels longer every day that the temperature drops.” The first sip exploded on his tongue with soothing heat and delicious flavor and he bit back a moan of appreciation.

Words: 35,562

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A Mika Review:  Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake

Rating: 3.5 stars out of 5

Sometimes holding on means letting go
.

Smokey Mountain Dreams coverAfter giving up on his career as a country singer in Nashville, Christopher Ryder is happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee. But while his beloved Gran loves him the way he is, Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. Even when he’s center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.

 Bisexual Jesse Birch has no room in his life for dating. Raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother; he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

I liked it. I didn’t love it; I did feel like it’s missing that usual Leta Blake spark. I must reiterate I love Leta Blake; both of her previous books are 5 star reads for me. The sex was scorching hot. The romance wasn’t an issue at all. She definitely knows how to write those scenes perfectly. That pearls scene had me panting through it. It was so raw, and gritty. You can definitely feel what Chris feels during that scene. I might need to borrow that idea someday. Thanks Leta for that inspiration. 😀

While I found the romance and sex scenes great; I found the rest of it to be sub par at best. I really think all the time she took on the description of the setting was so time consuming, that  it dragged the story out.. I got so confused by the earliest meeting of Chris and Jesse going through the park descriptions that it took away from most of my concentration of the story. I had to keep pushing to continue on as I found myself wanting to put it down around 30%. It was going so extremely slow.

Both characters had good qualities I liked and bad. Chris was easy to like. He was so “go with the flow”. I loved that he just wanted to be loved and have a family and possibly his family to spend holidays with. I liked that Jesse overcame a lot of things from his earlier childhood to become a stronger person. He was a firecracker as a teenager, and I really liked his relationship with his in laws a ton. I can’t say much without you guys figuring things out.

Another think that got under my skin was the parents, and again I don’t know what it’s like to be gay or come out of the closet. So I don’t know those feelings but I do know I won’t be abused for anyone mother, father, sister, or brother. Chris was a grown man and has to deal with that every holiday. No one was on his side but his brother in law and how long did that take. I hate his mother, she doesn’t deserve him. What makes a man put up with that?

I just couldn’t deal with the same issues throughout the book. To me acceptance is a theme in this book, so why do parents feel the need to use God as a scapegoat to disown or  abuse them? When a mother gives birth to a child, I was lead to believe that they would care for them unconditionally. Yes, I understand you don’t like it, but they are still your children. What does him loving a man in his bedroom have to do with you loving him?

I do love children themed stories; I find them to be more realistic fiction which I adore. With reading books involving children, I like that the author doesn’t make everything rainbows and butterflies. L.B. did something good for me; she had one child disliking Chris from the beginning. I really enjoyed that, what kids are just going to be accepting? It’s confusing and scary and I totally get. I liked this book, it wasn’t L.B’s best in my opinion but I did enjoy it.

Cover Design by Dar Albert at Wicked Smart Designs. I think the cover was okay, I couldn’t picture either one of them being Jesse or Chris. It might just be me, but they both seem to be manly man which I enjoyed reading about. By manly, I mean the beards, Henley, jeans, sweaters and boots. I would have preferred those items on the cover.

Sales LInks:   All Romance eBooks     amazon              Buy it here

Book Details:
eBook, 424 pages
Published November 14, 2014 by Leta Blake Books
ISBN: 9781626227255
Edition Language: English

The Holidays are here with Derrick Knight and Miracle on Mistletoe Lane! (book tour and contest)

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Join in on the holiday fun with Derrick Knight and Miracle on Mistletoe Lane!  Derrick is here with the new story, sat for an interview, and much more. Check it all out below and don’t forget to enter the contest!

Book Name: Miracle on Mistletoe Lane
Author Name: Derrick Knight

Author Bio:

Derrick Knight was born and grew up in Janesville, Wisconsin. Derrick earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition from the University of Wisconsin-Stout and a Master’s Degree in Health Services Administration from University of St. Francis in Joliet, Illinois. For the last seventeen years, Derrick has been employed as a neonatal nutritionist in a neonatal intensive care unit at the largest teaching hospital in Illinois outside of Chicago.

Growing up Derrick was an avid reader of mystery novels. Agatha Christie was his favorite author. Ever since childhood Derrick dreamed of becoming a writer. He planned on writing mystery novels until a couple of years ago he read his first gay romance novel and he became hooked on the genre.

When Derrick is not writing, he is working on restoring his Arts & Crafts home, tending to his garden, and being an advocate for improving infant nutrition. Currently. Derrick resides in Peoria, Illinois with his two cats Iris and Madison Grace.

Publisher: Self-publishedMiracle on Mistletoe-1800x2700
Cover Artist: Reese Dante
Sales Links: amazon

 Miracle on Mistletoe Lane Blurb:

Joe Koehler and his six-year old son, Joey, are down on their luck. Currently, Joe is unemployed due to a bad economy and taking care of a medically complex son. Recently father and son become homeless due to their apartment catching on fire and Joe being without any insurance. They are forced to live in Joe’s old red pick-up truck. Eventually father and son take refuge at Hope House, a local homeless shelter, which is run by a kindly, yet mysterious, elderly woman named Emily.

Sidney Maier recently inherited his grandparents home but the house is in desperate need of repair. Skills Sidney greatly lacks. He befriends a fellow church member Emily who is the Interim Director at Hope House. Sidney tells Emily that he needs help with remodeling his new home. Also, he confides in her, that he is lonely and wishes he could meet someone special.

Emily and her assistants orchestrate for Joe and Sidney to meet where an instant attraction forms between both men. Joe and Sidney embark on a journey of courtship, but soon a negative force learns of their budding romance and wants to stop it at any cost. Emily and her assistants must all use their special talents if Joe and Sidney are meant to live happily ever after.

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

 Miracle on Mistletoe Lane Excerpt:

When Joe lifted his head, he saw the man he had been fantasizing about since Joey was discharged from the hospital. He quickly stood up then nervously swayed back and forth. Partly because he was nervous seeing the man whom he secretly desired, but also because he did not want Sidney to know that he was living here at a homeless shelter. He did not want Sidney’s pity.

“Oh, I…” Joe struggled to find the right words.

“The church hired Mr. Koehler to finish remodeling our library,” Emily said smoothly. “We needed someone right away and by the Lord’s work Mr. Koehler was available. My assistants and I think he is a Godsend.” Emily’s cell phone began to ring. “I need to take this call. It’s my husband.” She looked at Joe. “Would you be willing to give Mr. Maier a tour of Hope House while I take this call?”

Before Joe could respond, Sidney interjected.

“I would like that very much.”

The excitement in Sidney’s voice did not go unnoticed by either Joe or Emily.

“Good,” Emily said, taking her husband’s call as she walked away.

For a few moments Joe and Sidney just stared at each other, both men wanting to say something but too afraid. Finally, Joe mustered up the courage to start the conversation.

Pages: 163 pages

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A MelanieM Review: Chestnuts Roasting Anthology (Mischief Corner Anthologies #5) by Mischief Corner Books

Rating: 4.75 (rounded up to 5) stars out of 5 

ChestnutsRoasting10x15Christmas means different things to everyone, but most often it’s all about pulling loved ones close and brightening the gloom. The fire’s crackling. The snow is piling up outside, even if it’s only in your dreams. Time to snuggle up with some cocoa and some stories carefully crafted by the Mischief Corner Crew to warm hearts and cockles.

Mischief Corner Books is comprised of four authors, Toni Griffin, Angel Martinez, Freddy MacKay and Silvia Violet who met on a Tennessee Mountain top and (in their own words) “…and decided since we probably were too easily distracted to rule the world that we’d settle for causing a bit of mayhem instead.

” That’s how Mischief Corner Books was born.

In this holiday anthologies, their four different perspectives has never had a better showcase for their talents.  It’s a heartwarming collection that veers from bear shape shifters to contemporary romance then on to the supernatural and back again.  Chestnuts Roasting  gets the flow and placing of the selections just right, an issue I find most anthologies have a hard time perfecting.  This is such a strong collection that while I had my absolute favorites, I loved them all.  So will you.

The first story from Toni Griffin, Wreath of Fire: Smokey Mountains Bears 2, concerns a young bear shifter still trying to recover from years of family abuse, a forlorn young man, one in need of hope and love.  The second story is A Christmas Cactus for the General By Angel Martinez.  Talk about totally unexpected and wonderfully quirky.  It’s told from an alien’s pov, and  yes, its a wonderful holiday story.  Next up?  Holly Jolly By Silvia Violet, that’s the “bah humbug” tale of the bunch.  You know you need one and Silvia Violet delivers her Scrooge into the holiday spirit via romance and coffee!  Oh, but its that last story that  will bring out the tears, the hankies, and the scores of music you want to listen to at this time of year. Chestnuts Roasting ends as it should, on reflections of love and family, of life and death,  and perhaps something more. The last and utterly memorable tale is Snow on Spirit Bridge By Freddy MacKay.  Never has blowing my nose and weeping away made me so happy.

Here are the stories in the order they appear in the book with a few comments by me.

1.  Wreath of Fire: Smokey Mountains Bears 2 – Toni Griffin
Michael’s trying to start a new life away from his abusive father, but he’s drifting and not sure what he wants. When he accidentally starts a kitchen fire, the hot new fireman who comes to the rescue is not only another bear shifter. He’s Michael’s mate. Michael desperately needs to get his act together and figure out what he wants if he has any hope of claiming the bear fated to be his.

A heartwarming story that captures the pain of a young man feeling like an outsider at the holidays.  Everything he attempts goes off course until Michael is almost ready to give up.  Then another outsider arrives to how him the way home.  I loved Griffin’s group or sleuth of bear shifters, such a welcoming family.  It makes Michael’s background and family history even more poignant.  A lovely introduction to this marvelous anthology.

You can read this story as a stand alone, or if you would like, you can read about the first Smokey Mountains Bears in A Bear in the Woods

2. A Christmas Cactus for the General – Angel Martinez
Exiled to Earth for perhaps the worst failure in Irasolan history, General Teer must assimilate or die. Earth is too warm, too wet, too foreign, but he does the best he can even though human males are loud, childish louts whom he can’t imitate successfully. When a grieving seaplane pilot strikes up a strange and uneasy friendship with him, he finds he may have been too quick to judge human males. They are strange to look at, but perhaps not as unbearable as he thought.

Angel Martinez is a favorite author of mine.  Her ability to weave mythology and folklore into her contemporary stories is beyond amazing.  Here Angel Martinez explores the idea of humans and American culture as seen through the eyes of an exiled alien.  The character of Teer is a wonder.  He never thinks or reacts like a human being at any point in the story, his alien persective is kept intact as he tries to understand and adapt to his strange new world that is his home.  But if Teer is a true alien, than the man that falls into a friendship with Teer and then love, Bruce, is almost as much or more of an outsider from the people in the town they both live in.  Snarly, rude, perpetually brusk and alone, Bruce also stays on the outskirts of community.  His alienation is by choice while Teer’s was forced.  This story is full of humor, pathos, and romance of an unlikely yet wondrous sort.  And yes, this is one of my favorites although I loved them all.

3. Holly Jolly – Silvia Violet
I’m not gay. I just notice men sometimes. Everybody does, right? I notice Dane a lot, like every time I’m near him, but just because I think he’s an attractive man that doesn’t mean I like him, does it?

Holly Jolly is a cute, contemporary holiday romp with a heart.  Every holiday collection needs a “Scrooge” type character and Tom the narrator fills the bill nicely.  Only later do we find out the source of Tom’s harsh outlook and then everything about Tom snaps into place and he becomes more than just a formulaic persona.  In fact, Tom’s past and actions make him not only admirable but courageous.  Totally worthy of a hunky Dane who works at The Coffee Bean.  I really enjoyed the layers the author added to Tom, Dane, and even Tom’s best friend Shelley.

And the idea of putting Holly Jolly in between the alien Teer of  A Christmas Cactus for the General and the wildly enchanting and mystical characters of Snow on Spirit Bridge By Freddy MacKay gives the reader a little break from the angst and pain that both stories contain.  Great job of placement all the way through this collection.

4.  Snow on Spirit Bridge By Freddy MacKay

Alone in Japan, Finni is struggling against the constant distrust, avoidance, and xenophobia he experiences every day. He misses home. He misses his family. Nightmares come all too frequently because of the stress, and well, Christmas is just not Christmas in Japan. Not how he understands it.
Distressed by how miserable Finni is, his roommate, Mamoru, offers to be Finni’s family for Christmas. Little does he know how much one agreement would change everything between them, because both of them kept secrets neither ever dreamed were true.

Oh, this story.  I can’t even begin to describe all the astonishing facets and elements that appear in Snow On Spirit Bridge.  On first glance what appears to be a contemporary holiday story of a lonely, homesick exchange student, Finni, one who happens to be huge, blond haired and blue-eyed, traipsing through the streets of Japan on the eve of Christmas.  Again we have an outsider’s perspective on a different culture. This time the setting is Japan with the Japanese peoples wariness and sometimes dislike of outsiders playing a huge part in Finni’s sense of isolation.  But as the snow swirls around him and his sadness deepens something magical and unbelievable happens.  MacKay combines several mythologies into her story and it works perfectly.  Snow on Spirit Bridge addresses great pain and loss for several characters.  And the last chapter will leave you smiling even as you weep your way through a box of tissues.  A marvel of love, holiday cheer and the vastness of possibilities that just might exist make this my favorite story of the collection just as I expect it will end up as yours.  This should have been the last story in any collection.  And as the last story here, it works to make this one of the more memorable anthologies of this or any other season of the year.

I adored Chestnuts Roasting and absolutely recommend it for your Holiday reading pleasure.  But the authors and their stories are so good, it makes wonderful reading at any time of the year.  Pick it up today!

Cover artist Catherine Dair cover is lovely and brings the warmth of the holidays in its design.

Sales Links:   Mischief Corner Books     All Romance (ARe)          amazon                buy it here

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: November 27th 2014 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781311874092

A MelanieM Review: Manipulation (Diversion #4) by Eden Winters

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Lucky Lucklighter has a new life. His old life wants him back.

Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000035_00023]From the jail cell courtesy of a life of crime, complete with drug lord lover, Lucky Lucklighter surfaced with a new life,  a new name and a new career as an agent for the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau.  Now Simon “Lucky” Harrison, Lucky even has a new boyfriend and partner,Bo Schollenberger.  Bo Schollenberger arrived at the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau in much the same way as Lucky.  As a pharmaceutical chemist, Bo ended up with a drug addiction and his  illegal deeds brought him to the attention of the head of the Bureau looking for just the right  or wrong type of men for his narcotics team.

Through perseverance and charm, Bo worked his way under Lucky’s defenses and his “I-Get-Along-Fine-Alone” mindset until Lucky starts thinking the unthinkable…that they might just have a future together.

But now Bo is missing.  Their last case involved unexpected ties to bigger crime syndicates, and a voice from Lucky’s past who whispers ““Did you miss me?”

Now Lucky must figure out who is lying and who he can trust?  The voice belonged to someone he was told was dead and now seems very alive.  And there is more to Bo’s absence than people are telling Lucky.  Is Bo missing by choice or by abduction? Every clue, every trail Lucky follows leads him back to the drug Corruption and the syndicate flooding the US markets full of this dangerously addictive drug.   With temptation all around, what won’t Lucky do to find the man he loves and bring him safely home?

Eden Winter’s Diversion series captured my heart from the moment I met Lucky Lucklighter and Bo Schollenberger in Diversion (Diversion #1).  I love complicated wounded men and here were two that not only fell into that category but did so in a way I had never seen before.  There are so many layers to these men.  Lucky’s background is a patchwork of hot cars, adrenaline rushes, and poor choices that led from boosting cars for drag racing to major involvement with a crime lord as employee and lover.  Lucky is  highly intelligent, walled off, and confident, while still leaving space in his heart for his sister, her children, and finally Bo.

Bo Schollenberger. Where to start?  Each book reveals more complications and dimensions to this already convoluted personality.  At first glance and meeting, Bo came across as extremely affable and gentle, a victim of his addiction and circumstances.  A far cry from Lucky and his unrepentant outlook who when given a choice between continuing life behind bars or freedom as an agent chose freedom.  Certainly a choice made from expediency instead of a need to “do right”.  But nothing is as it seems, and the more that Lucky (and the reader) got to know Bo,  the more we realized that Bo has depths and pain to him and his past then he was ready to reveal or deal with.

Oh the joy of discovery.  Each new story and case has uncovered new insights into each man and their past.  Bo and Lucky’s interpersonal dynamics has deepened and expanded along with their relationship.  It’s hot, sexy, at times tender and rough.  You never know from moment to moment what to expect when they get together.  And to their chagrin and our delight, neither do they.  Uncertainty, hesitation, an emotional neediness…all that is new to Lucky and it has contributed to his inability to commit to just about anything.  I love it when a reader can’t predict what the main characters will do in any given situation.  It keeps us on the edge of our seats as the plot swivels and swoops through dangerous highs and deceptively deadly lows.  This is a E Ticket ride in every way.

Eden Winters has also chosen a highly unusual subject and law enforcement agency, in this case the Southeastern Narcotics Bureau,  as the foundation for this series and as professions for Lucky and Bo.  Think hard, how many series and books are developed around pharmaceutical corporations, over/under the counter drugs, and the criminals associated with the shipping and stocking of known medications?  I can only think of one.  Eden Winter’s Diversion series.  That aspect of  this series has been an eye-opener about the giant pharmaceutical corporations, and not in a good way.  More than once it has sent me running to research different elements that have popped up during Lucky and Bo’s cases, ones that left this reader thinking about new issues far into the night.  This series world building is as quirky, complex, and believable as the characters living out their messy lives within it.  I obsess over the characters relationships, the plots, the surprises and then go back and start them over again to see what clues and secrets I missed out the first reading.  And then wait for the next book to arrive.

This story contains quite a few stunning revelations, more layers of deception than ever before and angst by the boatload.  Once started I couldn’t put it down until it was finished…right around 2:45am.  And could I sleep after that? Uh no. Manipulation contains shocks that will shake the foundations of Lucky, and Bo, and even Walter their boss.  Where there had been certainty, now is left nothing but fog and questions.  The narrative is concisely told, the tension and suspense increasingly exponentially until the plot feels as tightly wound as a coiled spring.  It explodes with all the dangerous impact one might expect and the ramifications will still be unfolding right into the  next book in the series, Redemption (which is being written now).

Each year a book from this series has found its way,  deservedly so, onto the Best of lists for Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words and others.  This year is no different.  Manipulation will be high on my Best of 2014 lists, just as I expect Redemption to be there on the list for 2015.  All are highly recommended and Must Reads that should be on everyone’s TBR stack of stories.

If you haven’t discovered this series yet, please, please, don’t start here.  The pleasures and joys that come from the character growth and relationship dynamics is best enjoyed if you start at the beginning and Lucky and Bo’s first meeting in Diversion.  I have a list for you below.  Make it your check list of stories to read. Eden Winters is a remarkable author, and the creator of Lucky and Bo is certain to find her way onto your automatic buy list if she is not there already.

Tag this story and series one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Highly Recommended Must Reads!  Happy Reading!

Cover artist: L.C. Chase.  Terrific cover perfect for the character and story inside.

Sales Links:  Rocky Ridge Books     All Romance (ARe)         amazon           buy it here

Book Details:

ebook,
First Published November 1st 2014 by Rocky Ridge Books
seriesDiversion #4

Books in the Diversion series in the order they were written and should be read:

Diversion (Diversion, #1)
Collusion (Diversion #2)
Corruption (Diversion #3)
Manipulation (Diversion, #4)
Redemption (Diversion, #5) coming in 2015

A MelanieM Review: Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5) (Pulp Friction 2014 #17) by Laura Harner

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Radiant Burn coverScott McGregor almost has it all.  He’s finally living with the man he loves, Rob Hammond along with Rob’s children.  And the group of diverse group of people who live at Mountain Shadows Campground have become a family to one another.  But still problems lurk all around waiting to destroy his happiness and new life.  His nightmares are increasing and Scott realizes that he needs to uncover the truth and face his fears before he can put that part of his life behind him.

Twelve years ago, Scott and Rob Hammond’s relationship exploded, and torn them apart. Now Rob and his children are happily living with Scott and Rob is about to leave his job to help Scott run Mountain Shadows. But even as Scott and Rob’s relationship continues to deepen, Rob must help Scott work through his PTSD and the path to recovery leads to Phoenix and the only other firefighter that survived that day.

As Scott and Rob struggle to help Scott finally put his past behind him, another danger appears on the horizon.  Scott and Rob are so close to their HEA.  Can they overcome the last obstacles and finally get the future they want and deserve?

So close. With Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5), we are so close to the HEA Laura Harner has been promising us since we first met Scott MacGregor and Rob Hammond in Firestorm (Fighting Fire #1).  We’ve delved into their painful past, watched the tumultuous climb to a new relationship in the present and hoped for a bright future for them all.  Now, its almost here and the anticipation and buildup is enough to make any reader a little crazy.

Why?  Because as we all know, nothing is ever easy or straightforward in a Pulp Friction or Laura Harner series.  There’s never just one barrier to overcome, more a veritable obstacle course of hurdles that the characters must leap over or work through to get to their HEA.  That’s the joy and more than a little of the frustration (in a good way of course) that we find with these stories and characters.

One main element has been Scott’s PTSD.  His days and nights are riddled with nightmares and flashbacks, which are providing a barrier of their own to a happy future. Scott needs to face the truth about that fire and the circumstances that caused his injuries and those of the only other survivor.  Harner has dropped hints and clues about that fatal wildfire and now we are all about to get some answers.  They will be startling, shocking even, while leaving Scott and the readers with a well earned sense of relief and closure.  But as I said, with this series and Laura Harner at the helm, nothing is ever resolved that simply.

Why?  Because there is a larger scheme at work at Mountain Shadows, one that has been alluded to in some scenes, hinted at in others.  This mystery has no shape or definition yet. Instead it has been creeping like a dense fog over the campground and its inhabitants. And with each story and series, it has been gaining in complexity and size. What it is and who is behind it…well, we have no idea.  Just vague suggestions and assumptions, nothing concrete.  That’s to be left to the series finale, the last story to be written by all four authors to pull the myriad plot threads and relationships together in one explosive and ultimately satisfying crescendo of multiple tales.

Laura Harner’s Fighting Fire stories, Radiant Burn among them, has been a wonderful angst filled, sexy, white knuckle ride.  Our companions have been men who have been believably complex human beings who continue to strive for a happily ever after, no matter what wounds life and experience has inflicted upon them.  It’s been a wow of a trip and we are almost at our destination.  One final station to go….I can hardly wait.

Radiant Heat (Fighting Fire #5) and the entire Elemental Connections Pulp Friction 2014 joint series is one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words most highly recommended reads.  They will all occupy a special place on our Best of 2014 List this year.

If you are new to the series or Pulp Friction 2014, run, don’t walk, to the first stories in each series.  I have listed them all below for your convenience.  This is one spectacular journey you won’t want to miss!   Happy Reading!

 

Cover Art by Laura Harner.  Terrific cover that works to brand the series and the characters Scott and Rob.

Sales Links:   All Romance eBooks (ARe)           amazon             Buy it Here

Book Details:

ebook, 69 pages
Published September 12th 2014 by Hot Corner Press
ISBN139781937252892
edition languageEnglish
seriesPulp Friction 2014 #17, Fighting Fire #5
charactersScott McGregor, Rob Ham

About Pulp Friction 2014

Pulp Friction 2014 Authors: Laura Harner ~ Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ T.A. Webb
The Pulp Friction 2014 Collection. Four authors. Four Series. Twenty books. One fiery finale. Spend a year with an eclectic group of strangers brought together through circumstances, as they are tested by life, and emerge as more than friends.
The strongest bonds are forged by fire, cooled in air, smoothed by water, grounded in earth.

Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment. All stories have been read and reviewed at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.

The Pulp Friction 2014 series in the order they were written and should be read to understand the characters, events and plot:

Round One:
Firestorm (Fighting Fire: 1)by Laura Harner
Cold Snap (In From the Cold: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blown Away (Whispering Winds: 1) by Havan Fellows
Higher Ground (Earthquake: 1) by TA Webb

Round Two:
Controlled Burn (Fighting Fire #2) by Laura Harner
Cold Comfort (In From the Cold #2) by Lee Brazil
Blown Kisses (Whispering Winds #2) by Havan Fellows
Moving Earth (Earthquake #2) by TA Webb

Round Three:
Backburn (Fighting Fire #3) by Laura Harner
Cold Feet (In From the Cold #3) by Lee Brazil
Blown Hard (Whispering Winds #3) by Havan Fellows
Tremors (Earthquake #3) by T.A. Webb

Round Four:
Flare-up (Fighting Fire #4) by Laura Harner
Out In The Cold (In From the Cold #4) by Lee Brazil
Blown Chance (Whispering Winds #4) by Havan Fellows
Aftershocks (Earthquake #4) by T.A. Webb

Round Five:
Radiant Burn (Fighting Fire #5) by Laura Harner
Cold Day in Hell (In From the Cold #5) by Lee Brazil
Final Blow (Whispering Winds #5) by Havan Fellows
Terra Firma (Earthquake #5) by T.A. Webb

Sixth Book Series Finale Written by all the Authors coming in December.

Side Stories or Interludes:

Taking Chances by Lee Brazil (a In From the Cold story)
Wicked Winds (Whispering Winds 3.5) by Havan Fellows – bonus book, Whispering Winds
Frankie’s Knight (Elemental Connections: IV) (Earthquake #3.5)
Kismet & Cartwheels – bonus book, Fighting Fire