Dance, Love, Live is Back with ‘Like You’ve Never Been Hurt’ by Jaime Samms (author interview and excerpt)

Like You’ve Never Been Hurt (Dance, Love, Live #2) by Jaime Samms
Dreamspinner Press

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Jaime Samms here today to talk about inspiration, writing and the release, Like You’ve Never Been Hurt. Welcome, Jaime.

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Where do you normally draw your inspiration for a book from? A memory, a myth, a place or journey, or something far more personal?

A lot of the time, an inspiration for a book can be something as simple as a scene I see during a drive, or something I overhear at the mall or a picture I see somewhere. Since I’m very much a pantzer, all it takes is a visual cue or a line of dialogue to spark that thing in me that makes me decide I have to write about it. The story grows organically out of that. These latest dance books are a little more personal, since my daughter is, and always has been, a dancer. Now that she is rapidly nearing the age when she will have to be moving to a bigger city to pursue her dream, I guess I needed to explore that dream in my own way. It got me thinking about a life in dance, and then the stories began to take shape, and here we are now!

Are you a planner or a pantzer when writing a story? And why?

Definitely a pantzer all the way. The why is probably because for me, writing a story is much like reading one in some ways. I enjoy the journey. I want to find out what’s going to happen as much as the next guy. So unveiling the characters and story as I go is fun. Sometimes, even after so many stories, I still have to push myself past the point where I know how it ends, just to get the writing part done. It can be a struggle not to heed the siren call of a new story at that point!

Contemporary, supernatural, fantasy, or science fiction narratives or something else? Does any genre draw you more than another when writing it or reading it and why does it do so?

I grew up on fantasy sprinkled with science fiction here and there. I like paranormal now, and confess to being a bit more drawn to anything that has a heaping side helping of plot alongside the romance when I read. I shy away from writing stuff like that just because I’m not convinced I have the chops to hold up to some of my very favorite authors of the non-romance genres.

If you had a character you’ve written you would write differently now at this time in your writing career, who would it be and why?

Since the vast bulk of my story writing is character driven, I really don’t think there is a way to write any of my characters differently and still be writing the same story about the same guy, if that makes sense. The story is their journey to being the different person. If I could change some aspects of a story? I might do some beefing up of the peripheral story in Patchwork Heaven. Gregor was a challenge to write and I question if his story was told to best effect. I wouldn’t change Gregor. I would change how I related his story.

Can an author have favorites among their characters and do you have them?

I’m sure it happens. Honestly, if anyone is my favourite, it is probable whatever character I happen to be writing at the time. They are all different, and like kids or pets, you love them all for themselves. When your focus is on them, in that moment, they are the world. But they are not the universe.

If you were to be stranded on a small demi-planet, island, or god forbid LaGuardia in a snow storm, what books would you take to read or authors on your comfort list?

I have such a long list of to-be-reads that as long as I have access to electricity, and my phone, I can read just about anything I’m in the mood for. I just have a ton of unread e-books.

How early in your life did you begin writing?

I don’t remember ever not having stories happening in my head. Writing them down came in about elementary school, probably. Letting other people read them was a slower, more selective process. In fact, I know exactly where all that early writing is, still in my parents’ house and have been waiting for the time when I can sneak it all out without anyone noticing so they don’t ask what it is. It really isn’t fit to be read. By anyone.

Were you an early reader or were you read to and what childhood books had an impact on you as a child that you remember to this day and why?

I read early on. I don’t remember anyone reading to me, though I do remember reading to my little brother. Some of my very favorite kids books:

https://www.amazon.ca/Tigers-cellar-Carol-Fenner/dp/B0006AYF5K

http://www.amazon.com/Danny-Dinosaur-Syd-Hoff/dp/0064440028

https://www.amazon.ca/Big-Max-Kin-Platt/dp/0064440060

https://www.amazon.ca/Alligator-Pie-Classic-Edition-Dennis/dp/1443411515

So yeah. Fantastical imagination has always been the way it was going for me, so no wonder as I got older, I moved on to Tolkien and Tad Williams and Terry Brooks. It was inevitable.

If you were writing your life as a romance novel, what would the title be?

I have never been good at titles, but…something along the lines of Never Settle. I made good decision in the end, and have a great family. But it was touch and go there for a little while!

SERIES BLURB

To dance is to put one’s heart and soul on display for the world to see and judge. Conrad, Peridot, and Cobalt always knew this. For years, this small group of men has danced in and out of the spotlight and one another’s lives. Now, settling in one place, one studio, they all have to find a place on the stage—or behind the scenes—and find the even greater strength to once more dance like no one is watching. To love like they’ve never been hurt before. But most of all, to live their lives like they have found their heaven, both in the music and in the eyes of those who love them.

Blurb: About to lose the only thing he ever loved, Adam Pittaluga is at a crossroads in a dancing career that has hardly begun. He has always wanted to be a ballet dancer, but now that it’s impossible, he turns to Peridot for comfort. Peridot has been rebuilding his life after losing his ability to dance professionally, his marriage, and very nearly his daughter. He has a lot of reasons to be leery of starting something new, especially with a man as young as Adam.

Adam and Peridot have to believe that starting again can lead to love and success and that sometimes, the strength needed to love like you’ve never been hurt can be borrowed from unexpected places for a while. But ultimately, they must find it inside themselves to be each other’s happy ending.

About Jaime

Jaime has been writing for various publishers since the fall of 2008, although she’s been writing for herself far longer. Often asked why men—what’s so fascinating about writing stories about men falling in love—she’s never come up with a clear answer. Just that these are the stories that she loves to read, so it seemed to make sense if she was going to write, they would also be the stories she wrote.

These days, you can find plenty of free reading on her website. She also writes for Freya’s Bower, Dreamspinner Press, Totally Bound, and now, Riptide Publishing.

Spare time, when it can be found rolled into a ball at the back of the dryer or cavorting with the dust bunnies in the corners, is spent crocheting, drawing, gardening (weather permitting, of course, since she is Canadian!), or watching movies. She has a day job, as well, which she loves, and two kids, but thankfully, also a wonderful husband who shoulders more than his fair share of household and child-care responsibilities.

She graduated some time ago from college with a fine arts diploma, and a major in textile arts, which basically qualifies her to draw pictures and create things with string and fabric. One always needs an official slip of paper to fall back on after all . . .

Find Jaime

Website: http://jaime-samms.net/

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000982219151&ref=tn_tnmn

Livejournal:http://dontkickmycane.livejournal.com/

Deviantart: http://dontkickmycane.deviantart.com/

Twitter:https://twitter.com/#!/JaimeSamms

Amazon Author page: amazon.com/author/jaimesamms

Can Love Be Real with Magic Involved? Check out Bad Magic (Spell Slave #1) by Evelyn Elliott and find out (exclusive excerpt and giveaway)

Bad Magic (Spell Slave #1) by Evelyn Elliott
Release Date: October 28, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Christine Griffin

Blurb

Morality is relative. At least that’s what young sorcerer Regis Teller convinces himself. He’s done what he must to survive: working for a witch since he was nine, helping her throw the kingdom into anarchy, and taking his only comfort in her mysterious son, Crow. And soon, Regis is going to commit his first murder.

A do-gooder named Jonathan White has information the witch needs, and it’s Regis’s job to get that information and slit Jonathan’s throat. But then Regis actually meets Jonathan. And Jonathan is perfect—a hero with a passion for justice and little regard for civility.

Lucky for Regis, Jonathan has a weakness for attractive men. Lucky for Jonathan, Regis is fast developing a conscience and a heart. But for Regis, keeping both of them alive at their adventure’s end means breaking a magical oath and surviving his ruthless boss—all without telling Jonathan the truth. Falling in love is never easy, especially when everyone involved is lying through their teeth.

Pages or Words: 161 pages, 55,000 words
Can be read as a standalone
Categories: Bisexual, Fantasy, M/M Romance, Romance

Exclusive Excerpt

Chartreuse was a dragon, and as such, it took an entire barrel of wine to get her drunk. When she was done, she kicked the barrel over and waddled over to Jonathan. Human friend, she said. What are you doing? Human celebrations are for drinking and mating, yes? So go mate with someone.

“Go away.”

Oh, stop sulking. No one in this kingdom cares if you mate with other males or not. Just make sure you don’t produce an egg, and we’ll be fine.

Jonathan pinched the bridge of his noise. “Produce a—what? It doesn’t work like that.”

She pushed him with her tail. I tire of you. Go mate.

Stumbling upright, he wandered to where a round man was serving mulled wine to anyone sober enough to pay. He headed to the only empty table and sat.

Almost immediately, a man came over. A striking man, at that. His skin was remarkably fine, white as eggshells, and his dark hair cut a line over his shoulder. He looked delicate rather than sturdy. Despite this, he wore a row of throwing knives on his belt. Without asking, he sat across from Jonathan. “Well hello, hero. I hear you killed the baron.”

“I’m not in the mood for talking,” Jonathan said.

“Lovely. Neither am I.”

“Get lost. You’re not my type.”

The stranger smiled wryly. “C’mon. You’re the savior of the whole damn town, and you’re over here looking miserable. I feel bad for you, all right? Let me buy you a drink. I’ll sit here and scowl at anyone who tries to flirt with you.” Jonathan motioned for the barmaid to bring him a drink. “Allow me,” the stranger said, tossing her a coin. “Where you from, hero?”

Gods above. Jonathan put his head down. “The North. You?”

The stranger waved dismissively. “Not important. So, is the North really all ice and mountains and dragons?”

“Yeah.”

“I hear you barbarians can really drink.”

“Also true.” Jonathan chuckled as the stranger raised his cup in a mock toast. They both took a long drink, Jonathan draining his completely. The stranger looked suitably impressed, motioning the barkeep for two more drinks and paying yet again. Jonathan took another draught. He coughed, throat burning. This new drink was quite a bit stronger than his last.

The stranger smiled guiltily. “You look like you need it.”

Jonathan sighed. “I do.”

His new companion didn’t press him for details, something Jonathan was painfully grateful for. He wasn’t sure he wanted to talk about it. He wasn’t sure he wanted to think about it, ever.

Gods, but he wanted to kiss Regis again.

The stranger stretched. Jonathan watched from the corners of his eyes and weighed his options. The people of the North didn’t approve of such things. His family had expected him to marry a woman to have children with, an idea Jonathan found repulsive on multiple accounts. He knew what he wanted: a traveling companion. Male. Smart. Mouthy, maybe.

“So,” the stranger said, “what were you sulking about?”

“I’m not sulking. I’m frustrated.” Jonathan sighed. “Have you ever been attracted to someone you shouldn’t be?”

“Haven’t we all?”

“No, I mean, I really shouldn’t be. He’s an ass.” The stranger laughed. “No, seriously. I didn’t care for him at first, but he’s just… so easy to be around.” Jonathan drew out the words, one by one, like he was voicing something he didn’t fully understand. “It’s like there’s no filter between his brain and his mouth. He’s never polite for the sake of being polite. And I guess I’m going to miss him, you know? When all this is over. I’m helping him with this quest, see, and I’m not sure what’s going to happen once we’re done.”

“So why don’t you tell him that?”

“I don’t think he feels the same,” Jonathan said. “I kissed him, and he pushed me away.” He exhaled sharply. “He looked horrified.”

“I wouldn’t worry about it too much,” the stranger said. “I bet he already has a lover. Someone dashing and handsome. Funny, too. You can’t compete with that.”

Jonathan shook his head. “He’s attracted to women.”

The stranger leaned back in his chair. “So where you’re from, people are only attracted to one gender or the other?”

“Well, yes. Mostly just the opposite gender. I thought you knew that.”

“I knew Northerners had some bizarre taboos,” the stranger said. “I hear you only have sex to make children. Is it true? That’s disgusting. Who associates sex with childbirth?”

“Wait, so, all Tyrians are… are attracted to everyone?”

“You’re thinking of prostitutes,” the stranger said. “And to be honest, I think most of them are just in it for the money.” Jonathan snorted. “You have something on your mouth,” the stranger said. He made a motion across his lips.

“You mean the scar?”

“Mhm. Is there a story behind it?”

Jonathan took another drink. The man was attractive. There was no denying that. And he wasn’t much like Regis, which was important, because Jonathan would give anything to forget that disaster.

He’d told this story before. He usually made something up. This time, he settled for something close to the truth. “When I was a kid, I kissed my best friend. He bit me, leaving—well, this.” He gestured to the scar. “He told my father, who later confronted me. I lied. I said we’d fought, the mark was a knife wound, and my friend was making up stories to get me in trouble.”

“Did your father believe you?”

Jonathan considered the question. His father hadn’t believed him. His father had known everything. His father had never asked him to enjoy sleeping with women, only to keep his perversions quiet. Take a wife. Have some children. Become jarl. Dance like a puppet. Jonathan had nearly lost his mind.

But Jonathan hadn’t told anyone the full story in a very long time, and he wasn’t about to start now. It hurt too much to say out loud. “I think so,” he said. “My father let it go, but my friend never talked to me again. A while later, I found Chartreuse and realized that I was as bad at hunting dragons as I was at bedding women. So I told my family I was going to become an adventurer, and I left.” There was an extended silence. Jonathan groaned. “I’m sorry. You don’t need to hear this. I’m just another drunk raving about his troubles.”

The stranger patted him. “I’m here to listen.”

“You’re just trying to sleep with me.”

The stranger grinned. “Is it that obvious?”

“You keep batting your eyes at me. You’re also trying to get me drunk.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” said the stranger. “You’ve had twice as much as me, and you’re twice as sober. No, I’m trying to get myself drunk. I’m desperately hoping some big, strong alpha-male type will take advantage of me. You know, someone tall, blond, handsome, maybe with a pleasing foreign accent.”

“I bet you think you’re charming.”

“Oh, I do.”

Against his will, Jonathan smiled.

The stranger staggered to his feet. “Alas, it seems you don’t.” He set another coin on the table. “Take my advice. Have another round. Fuck somebody pretty. You might be dead in a week, Jonathan.”

He turned to go. Jonathan reacted purely on instinct, grabbing him by the arm. The stranger looked back, first at Jonathan’s grip, then up, and Jonathan realized what he had done. The contact was illicit, strange. He could feel muscle beneath his grip. “You’re going?” he said.

The stranger chuckled. “To find someone who thinks I’m their type.”

“Types are bullshit,” Jonathan said.

He let go. The stranger didn’t leave. He paused instead, resting his hands on the back of his chair, and rather than sit again, he looked Jonathan up and down. His lips parted, but for once, he seemed to have no witty remark on hand. “Cat got your tongue?” Jonathan asked.

“Hush,” said the stranger. “I’ll think of something in a moment.”

“And here I thought I was being seduced by someone clever. Pity. You almost had me.”

“Oh? I’ll have to try harder.” He laid a hand on Jonathan’s bicep. He ran his thumb over the muscle there, making no coy attempt to hide what he was doing. To be touched so overtly, and by someone he didn’t know… to have this person crowding his personal space… it lit all his senses.

Up close, Jonathan could see that his eyes were not brown, but black as coal. There was a significant pause. Jonathan said, “I thought you were going to try harder.”

“I am trying harder.” He reached out. His fingers brushed past Jonathan’s ear, resting on his nape, and Jonathan held still. The stranger leaned down. A breath away, he held there.

Jonathan had been amused, before.

Now the lighthearted air had transformed into something else entirely. He was keenly aware of how long it had been since he’d had another man, keenly aware of the smell of him: a spicy, heady scent, doubtless something he wore. This was a man who knew what he was doing. “You’re very good at this,” Jonathan said hoarsely.

“I’m very good at a lot of things.”

“Like being arrogant?”

“Among others. I could show you.”

Jonathan kissed him. A curious, chaste brush of lips. The stranger’s breath caught, and the sound of it undid Jonathan completely. He rose from his seat, pulling the man closer to him. Lips parted sweetly, but nothing deepened, each pressing and then drawing away, before at last they let each other go. Jonathan focused on the table. In his haste to stand, he had knocked over his drink.

“I hear the innkeeper put you up for free,” said the stranger. “You have a room?”

Jonathan laughed. “I don’t even know your name.”

He kissed Jonathan’s hand. “Crow,” he said. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Jonathan.”

Buy the book: Dreamspinner | ARe | Amazon

Meet the Author

At first glance, Evelyn Elliott seems like a perfectly normal person. Do not be deceived.
Her hobbies include watching grisly horror movies, torturing her characters, and tending to her flower garden. She enjoys long walks on the beach and collecting the souls of small children. Whenever she reads a book, she always roots for the villain.

Avoid her at all costs. Certainly do not find her on facebook or befriend her online. You have better things to do.

Where to find the author:

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100011035004723

Tour Dates & Stops:

8-Apr: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, BFD Book Blog

11-Apr: Nephy Hart, MM Good Book Reviews

12-Apr: Havan Fellows

13-Apr: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Novel Approach

14-Apr: V’s Reads, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance

15-Apr: A.M. Leibowitz

18-Apr: Bayou Book Junkie, Alpha Book Club

19-Apr: Kirsty Loves Books

20-Apr: Prism Book Alliance, My Fiction Nook

21-Apr: Oh My Shelves

Giveaway

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Love The Supernatural? Sean Kerr is Talking Writing, the Supernatural and His Latest Release, Dead Camp (interview,excerpt and giveaway)

Dead Camp (Dead Camp #1) by Sean Kerr
Release Date: January 1, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Extasy Books
Cover Artist: Latrisha Waters

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is so happy to have author Sean Kerr here today to share his thoughts on writing, the supernatural and his latest release, Dead Camp. Welcome, Sean.

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Why do you write?

I love to create stories and characters, it’s a fantastic escape from every- day living. I love to take an idea and start developing a story and characters around it, and I love to see where it takes me! If I am lucky enough that an audience likes it and reads it, then that really is the ultimate thrill!

When did you decide to become a writer?

It was not a conscious decision. I have written since I was a child, and I am now 46! But when I decided to write Dead Camp, when the idea became so powerful and would not let me sleep, I decided that I would do everything in my power to get a publisher and get the work into as good a situation as possible. And it worked! Extasy books have been fabulous.

What genre are your books?

Supernatural, paranormal, horror, gay, a general sprinkling of erotica, conspiracy, history. Have I left anything out?

What draws you to this genre?

I have always loved supernatural/paranormal books, LOVED Twilight, LOVED the True Blood books, and that sent me off wanting to do my own spin on that genre. Plus I have always wanted to write a Vampire story, but one that changed the conventions, and hopefully does something a bit different with the genre.

What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?

I had an idea and it would not let me sleep. The idea grew and grew and I knew it would take a number of books to see it through, so I had to write it. I started Dead Camp to see where it would lead me, and now I know exactly where it is going and how the very last page of the series will look. I’m so excited about it that it stops me from sleeping because I keep seeing bits of it in my head. It’s an obsession, as is writing in general I think.

Do you write full-time or part-time?

Part time. I have an Interior Design business in Cardiff called Home Zone Design, with my fabulous business partner Jayne, so that takes up all my working days sadly. If I could walk away from that and write all day I would, but sadly we cannot afford to hire anyone so that isn’t going to happen lol!

Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?

I try to do a couple of hours a night and I try to do as much as I can on days off. However, my debut novel Dead Camp has just gone live on extasy books and Amazon and all my time has been spent doing social media stuff and trying to get the book out there, so I have been a bit lack of late!

How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?

Not sure about that. I do think my writing has improved dramatically over this process, my editors at extasy have been fantastic! I’ve always had a pretty active imagination, and this series is pushing that to the limits and I love it. The one thing that does happen when you write it that the more you do it, the better you become, and the more ideas you have!

What have you written?

Dead Camp is my first published work. I have written loads over the years, lots of bad stuff, lots of screen plays. I have a file full of half-finished things and ideas that I am looking forward to getting back to once the Dead Camp series is finished. While to go there yet though lol.

Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just seeing where an idea takes you?

I start from a rough outline, and before I start writing I always know where I need each character to go and where the story needs to go. Dead Camp is going to be a big series, possibly 6 books, and I know exactly where each one will be, start, end, and how each one affects the next, and I know exactly how it ends.

How do you market your books?

Facebook, twitter, Goodreads, yahoo groups. That is my main thrust at the moment and believe me it all takes a lot of doing. How effective it is I don’t know yet, I am a very small fish in a very, very large sea.

Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures?

Facebook. As soon as I announced the publication of the book, people were buying it. Also, because I am lucky enough to have a fantastic publisher in extasy books, they also sell it from their website, and they have a huge following, so hopefully at some point that will kick in.

What advice would you give to aspiring authors?

Never give up. Keep writing, even if it’s bad, because you will improve. If you have an idea, go with it. Don’t get sidetracked either, as I am now lol. You have to write all the time, to develop your style and your skills. Never take ‘NO’ as the final answer. I was refused by every agent in the Readers & Writers Handbook, but just when I thought there was no point in going on, I approached six publishers directly and within three weeks I had three offers.

Sadly, no-one is going to do it for you, so you have to do it for yourself!

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he do that is so special?

Eli is so arrogant and so self-assured, that you can’t help but love him. It’s not so much what he does that is special, it’s the horror he has been through. He has been through so much that you would think it could not get any worse. But as Dead Camp begins, it does get worse, and his history unfolds through the books to the point where you really need something good to happen to him. He thinks his arrogance and his sexy attitude can get him through it all, but he discovers that nothing is further from the truth.

Where do your ideas come from?

The strangest of places. Dead Camp came to me while watching a World War two film. Documentaries on the Discovery channel also fuel my imagination. Also, there are a couple of future books I would like to write inspired by some terrible nightmare I had as a child that have always stayed with me.

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Getting the time to write!

What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?

Finding someone to take it seriously and publish it. Agents didn’t want to know. Three publishers did straight away.

Who is your favorite character in your book and why?

Eli, because he is so naughty and I would love to be him!

Who is your least favorite character and why?

Melek. He is so bad that you can’t help but love him. Not all evil is as dark as you think.

What is your next project?

Dead Camp book two out so I am trying to get the third one written as we speak!

Who is your favorite fictional character and why?

Count Dracula. I have read that book so many times I can almost recite it! He is not strictly evil, and I think in the end he just wants to be loved. That feels as relevant today as it did when it was first written.

What one person from history would you like to meet and why?

Judy Garland. I’m gay, need I say more?

If there was one thing you could do to change the world, what would it be?

End poverty.

Who is your favorite author?

Charlaine Harris

What is one thing you hate about being a writer?

That I have to work in a shop in order to survive instead of writing all day lol.

Thank you, Sean! That was outstanding. Now I can’t wait to read your story. More about Dead Camp below….

Blurb

Eli is an ancient vampire with an ego the size of a planet and a sex drive to match, but his tumultuous past left him broken, so he hides from humanity and cowers from love, left to endure the crushing guilt that haunts his every waking moment. Even his best friend Malachi, a ghost who is hopelessly in love with Eli, remains unaware of all that transpired in London. Malachi can never know the truth.

When the Angel Daniyyel pays an unwelcome visit, Eli must face his secrets, secrets that he has tried so long to hide. To make matters worse, a chance encounter with the most beautiful man he has ever seen shatters his beloved isolation, pushing him into the world of the living once more. Something about this strange man seems so familiar, but Eli can’t even remember who he was before he became a vampire, never mind explain the unwanted emotions the enigmatic stranger ignites in his dead heart. So Eli has a choice—return to the world that ruined him, or continue his self-imposed exile with no hope of salvation.

Pages or Words: 87,422 words, 260 pages

Categories: Dark Themes, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Historical, Horror, M/M Romance, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Vampires/Demons, Thriller

Excerpt:

Three prisoners had died in my block that night, two elderly and one young man not old enough to grow pubes. It sickened me. Never, in all my years, had I witnessed such a callous waste of human life. And then to see my fellow prisoners undressing the dead, striping their cold stiff bodies before my unbelieving eyes horrified me even more, and I clung onto Jakob’s broken body for dear life. All around me the clunk of bodies against wood and concrete. My eyes tried not to see and my ears tried not to hear.

A cold clammy hand gently caressed my arm and I nearly shot off my shelf in shock. I didn’t scream. I refused to scream.

“My friend, I’m sorry, my friend, but you must undress him. The rubbish men will be here soon and you must strip him of all clothing before they take him. Please, you must do this for him—they will be less kind than you. Do you understand?”

“Why? Why must we do this?”

“His clothes are of value, my friend. They will be re-used for the next intake.”

“And what of his body, what will become of Jakob?”

“You don’t want to know, my friend.” His whispered words made every hair on my body stand on end. A sound outside caused him to return to his unsavoury task with renewed urgency. “Quickly, they are here.”

What followed felt like a dream. I had undressed many a man under many circumstances, but that was a first. Already poor Jakob stiffened, and it pained me to hear and feel his bones crack as I gently prised his pale thin body from the clothes. I whispered my apologies into his unhearing ears and I hated my eyes for glancing across his pale dead flesh.

I had to free them, all of them. That place, that death camp, it had to end.

I lifted his dead naked body into my arms. Emotion, so alien to me, invaded the shrivelled blackness that was my soul, and I knew my eyes betrayed my grief. Emotions made you weak. Emotions made you vulnerable, emotions hurt. And I was hurting. The passing of that human, that mortal man I had known for less than a day, had brought back that affliction from which I had been running from for so very long.

I had only opened my heart to the world again but for the briefest of moments. And already I felt pain.

Gideon hurt me. He made me feel unloved, unwanted, he made me feel ugly. How I would crave for his touch, how desperate I was for his love, to feel the thrill of his fingers upon my bare flesh, to feel his attraction to me, to feel wanted. But all he ever did was refuse me. Every time I tried to touch him, he turned me away. He was not in the mood, he told me to come back later.

Come back later.

But later never came.

I carried that pale body into the grey wet misery of morning. The sun was trying desperately to penetrate the thick layers of brooding clouds that clung stubbornly over the camp, but the sun was losing. Rain dripped incessantly from the skies, melting the remaining snow into a muddy slush. Grey skies, grey ground, grey people. The camp drained the colour out of everything. Welwelsburg was like me, a vampire, sucking the life out of everything it encountered, sucking away hope and dignity, leaving nothing but pale grey husks clinging to the brink of existence.

Two men stood next to a large flatbed trolley. Dead, naked bodies lay crumpled in a pile on top of the trolley, legs and arms sticking out at all angles like some grotesque starfish. I saw children amongst the corpses.

Pale white flickering figures surrounded the trolley. Insubstantial wisps of lives spent before their time. The rubbish men looked at me expectantly but I could not move for the sight of those spectral beings and I clutched Jakob’s dead body tightly to my chest, unwilling to relinquish my charge. If I put him on that trolley then he would be dead, another lump of cold meat on the pile. He deserved more than that.

The ghostly figures turned to look at me, each one knowing me, seeing me, seeing me see them. And they smiled at me. Cold shivering prickles erupted across my skin as their eyes took me in and they were such kind eyes, such trusting eyes. A figure pushed its way between them, its shadowy form brushing gently against the others as it came to stand before me.

Buy the book

Extasy books | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Barnes & Noble Nook | Kobo

Meet the author:

I think that as I approach that milestone that is fifty, I must be one of the oldest gamers on the face of this earth. Many a day you will find me lashed to my PS4 enjoying a good session of Skyrim. Who doesn’t love a good session of Skyrim?
I love writing—I have done it since I was a child when I would happily write about the latest episode of Doctor Who (Tom Baker in those days) in my schoolbooks. Growing up and becoming a business owner with my friend Jayne left little time to pursue my dream of publication, but of late the desire and the compulsion to put words onto paper have once again dominated my life so that now, my laptop has become surgically fused to my fingertips.
There is something desperately satisfying about telling a story. My fascination with History, Religion and Conspiracy theories have, in this instance, gone hand-in-hand with my love of all things vampire, fantasy, sci-fi and horror. I drove my parents nuts when I was young because that was all I would read about in books, all I would watch on television, but they have held me in good stead, and long may my obsession with the subjects continue, at least, that is, until the day they put me in my own wooden box. And imagination is such a wonderful thing. I once had a rather vivid dream about David Tennant and the Tardis console, but I could not possibly go into details about that here. Let’s just say that my polarity was well and truly reversed.
Dead Camp is just the beginning. I have to check my knickers every day at the thought that this book is now in the public domain. My first book, and I hope the first of many. And to those out there who love to write, who love to transport us to new worlds, or old worlds with a twisted perspective, I say to you keep going. I never thought I would ever see my work available to download, and thanks to eXtasy Books, the dream that I always thought unobtainable has finally come true. So thank you all at eXtasy, I am one happy homosexual thanks to you, and thank you the reader for taking the time to read this strange tale and allowing Eli and the incomparable Malachi into your lives.
And now I really need Skyrim.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sean.kerr.146
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Dead-Camp-blog-402721546519007/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/sgk69
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6207037.Sean_Kerr
Dead Camp site:: http://seankerr5.wix.com/deadcamp

Tour Dates & Stops:

29-Mar: Full Moon Dreaming, Velvet Panic, BFD Book Blog

5-Apr: Rednecks and Romance, Jessie G. Books, Hearts on Fire, The Dark Arts

12-Apr: Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

19-Apr: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Emotion In Motion, Book Lovers 4Ever

26-Apr: Bonkers About Books, Divine Magazine, Nephy Hart, The Hat Party

3-May: My Fiction Nook, MM Book Escape, Bayou Book Junkie

10-May: Dawn’s Reading Nook, Cathy Brockman Romances, Unquietly Me

17-May: Kirsty Loves Books, The Novel Approach

24-May: Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Havan Fellows

31-May: MM Good Book Reviews, Making It Happen, Love Bytes

7-Jun: Happily Ever Chapter, Alpha Book Club

14-Jun: Molly Lolly, A.M. Leibowitz, Outrageous Heroes

Giveaway

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An Ali Review: Moose Fever (Mountain Spirit Mysteries #3) by A.J. Marcus

Rating: 3.5 out of 5 stars

Colorado Parks and Wildlife Officer Brock Summers and his fiancé, wildlife rehabber Landon Weir, are preparing for their wedding when someone starts killing moose along a creek in the northern part of Teller County. As the moose casualties rise, human bodies turn up, and the case is taken over by the sheriff’s office. When a Forestry Service Ranger is killed, the service joins the hunt.

All signs point to one of the many photographers who have been taking pictures of the moose. Then Landon discovers a small piece of gold in the creek and they believe they have a motive, but they’re still lacking solid suspects. Bullets fly as they seek to track down the perpetrator while trying to get everything wrapped up in time for their marriage.

Another good installment in this series. Brock and Landon are entertaining as usual as they try to solve the mystery of who is killing both moose and humans. The story is fast paced and interesting. This one also focused on their wedding and their families so there were some really sweet and touching moments in this. This is the third book in the series and while it could be read out of order you would probably enjoy the romance part better if you had read the previous two books. I find this author’s writing in this series to be solid and consistent and I really enjoy them.

I liked this cover. I think it’s a great match to the previous books in the series and it fits the overall feel of the story.

Sales Links: DSP Publications | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published April 12th 2016 by DSP Press
ISBN139781634763431
Edition LanguageEnglish

Series: Mountain Spirit Mysteries

A MelanieM Review: Knit Tight (Portland Heat #4) by Annabeth Albert

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

It’s no secret that Portland, Oregon, has some of best restaurants, shops, and cafés in the country. But it’s the hard-working men who serve it all up that keep us coming back for more…

One of Portland’s hottest young baristas, Brady is famous for his java-topping flair, turning a regular cup of joe into a work of art. Every Wednesday—aka “Knit Night”—hordes of women and their needles descend on the coffeehouse, and Brady’s feeling the heat. Into the fray walks a tall, dark, and distractingly handsome stranger from New York. His name is Evren, and he’s the sexy nephew of Brady’s sweetest customer, the owner of the yarn shop down the street. He’s also got a killer smile, confident air, and masculine charm that’s tying Brady’s stomach in knots. The smitten barista can’t wait to see him at the next week’s gathering. But when he tries to ask Evren out, his plans unravel faster than an unfinished edge. If Brady hopes to warm up more than Evren’s coffee, he’ll have to find a way to untangle their feelings, get out of the friend zone, and form a close-knit bond that’s bound to last a lifetime…

I just love Annabeth Albert’s Portland Heat series, but this one fell deep into my heart. First off…knitting. Yes, that’s a true pull for me. Gay knitters in love? Yes. Include Albert’s ability to bring her characters to life in every way possible and throw them into the lively, jumbled world of Portland? Yes, yes, and yes.

Albert introduces us to Brady first, a barista struggling to manage work and family since his parents died and left him the guardian of his siblings. Brady is such a lovely character, he loves his family, acknowledges that life dealt him the worst possible blow and now moves on with the best dignity he can. I adored him. Then add in Evren, a well-known knitter and designer home to take care of his aunt and my love for this story just got deeper.

Evren is the one with the understanding and love of knitting, patterns and fiber. There is an excerpt from his blog at the beginning of each chapter that makes me wish that I could read it each day and see his patterns…that’s how much I connected with him. He’s more tentative, with reason than Brady. His background that comes out plus culture as well as his current situation make Evren’s hesitant moves towards Brady easy to understand and believe. Brady with his pressures and personality? That too makes his brashness and attitude real. Two men with a deep understanding and love for family, wondering if they dare try for something more with each other.

Albert’s writing made this story flow quickly while letting me sink into their lives with ease. I fell in love again and again (as I do with all her Portland Heat stories).

Honestly, I wanted this book to be five times the length. I could have spent days, months with this characters, wrapped up in their lives, the patterns (of course) and a certain sweater that called out for a picture at the end. You know those stories that leave you with a warm, you’ve been hugged feeling? That was this story for me. I loved it. And of course, it sent me running to my knitting.

You don’t have to have read the others in the series, each is a standalone story. I just love them all and recommend not only Knit Tight but all in Portland Heat series.

Cover art by Fiona Jayde definitely works with the knitting needles and sweaters, yes there is a tie in about boyfriend sweaters.

Sales Links: Amazon | iTunes | Google Play | Kobo | Barnes and Noble

Book Details:

ebook, 112 pages
Published April 12th 2016 by Lyrical Shine
Original TitleKnit Tight
ISBN 1601835086 (ISBN13: 9781601835086)
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesPortland Heat #4

A.J. Marcus Is Here! Talking Moose Fever and Mountain Spirit Mysteries (author guest blog)

Moose Fever (Mountain Spirit Mysteries #3)by A.J. Marcus
DSP Publications

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have A.J. Marcus here today to share some thoughts about adventures, writing, and the latest in the Mountain Spirit Mysteries series, Moose Fever. Welcome, A.J.!

✍✍✍✍✍✍

Moose Fever by A.J. Marcus

What is every-day for one is a great adventure for someone else.

There is a fine line for many of us about what makes for an interesting book. I think that’s one of the really cool things about writing; trying to find that line for readers and pushing them over it. Since I tend to write a wide variety of genres, my beta readers are also fairly diverse and sometimes they don’t get certain genres. My mystery/thriller series Mountain Spirit Mysteries is one that confuses a couple of them since they don’t normally read thrillers. But even though the books are outside their comfortable genres, my betas enjoy the series and a couple of them actually get excited about another Brock and Landon book before they even read it.

I draw a lot of what I put into the books from life, either my adventures, exploits of my friends, stories I’ve had told to me by various people I meet, or the news. Often an entire book is a mix of things. That is very true for “Moose Fever”. I took a bit of the news, snippets of things a friend of mine, who happens to be a Colorado Parks and Wildlife Manager, told me without saying too much about the people involved. I asked my father-in-law a lot about gold prospecting in the local creeks. And I threw in some of my own animal encounters from back when I was helping out at a wildlife rehabilitation center. Now readers get to figure out which parts are what.

Sometimes it’s hard to figure out what part of a book is really from an author’s own life experiences, and what part is just things they’ve read online or in books. When we actually go out and interview people, we can get some of the excitement they feel about their subjects. That thrill, often comes through when we do our job right. I hope I convey things well and folks get a good feeling for our natural world as we follow Brock and Landon along on their adventure to discover who’s killing the moose of Teller County and why, all while they’re trying to get ready for their wedding. In “Moose Fever” we get a bit of family drama along with the excitement of bullets flying and Brock and Landon’s enduring love for each other that readers have come to expect from the Mountain Spirit Mysteries.

Blurb

All signs point to one of the many photographers who have been taking pictures of the moose. Then Landon discovers a small piece of gold in the creek and they believe they have a motive, but they’re still lacking solid suspects. Bullets fly as they seek to track down the perpetrator while trying to get everything wrapped up in time for their marriage.

Buy Links

DSP Publications | Amazon

Excerpt

Landon cuddled in tighter to him. “Something’s wrong. More than just finding a human body. What’s going on?”

A long, slow sigh escaped Brock. “I talked to Mom today.”

“Okay. When are they arriving for the wedding? I don’t know how much space we can make here for everyone, but I want your folks and my folks at least to stay with us.”

“About that. Mom’s not real sure they’re going to make it.”

Landon sat up and looked at Brock, not bothering to hide the shock that coursed through him. “What do you mean, they aren’t real sure they’re going to make it? Is someone sick? I thought you said they were fine.”

“They are.” Brock sounded miserable. “Mom’s worried about what my grandmother is going to say. I told you a while back that they’re fairly old-fashioned. She doesn’t want to upset them by saying the whole family’s coming. She was thinking it would just be better if they all stayed home in Tennessee.”

“Stay home in Tennessee?” Landon hugged Brock tightly. “How do you feel about it?”

“I don’t know. I don’t want to disappoint you. You’re all excited about our families meeting and having a nice, happy wedding. I’m not sure that’s going to happen.” He paused and paled. “Well, at least the families meeting. We’re going to have a nice, happy wedding. I’ve told you I’m not real close with my family. Most of it’s because they don’t believe in who I am.”

Landon didn’t let go of Brock. He wanted to show his love in the face of Brock’s family’s absence. “Well, I don’t care about that. Do you really want your folks here?”

A faraway look crossed Brock’s face. He nodded. “I do. I’ve had this hope ever since we moved in together that maybe, if they could meet you and see what an awesome guy you are, maybe they could set aside some of their prejudices and be happy with who I am and not just who they want me to be.”

“Then we’ll do what we can to convince them to come to the wedding. Maybe if your folks like me, they can get your grandparents to come around too.” Landon did his best to sound hopeful and upbeat. “The world’s changing. Who knows what will happen?”

“You’re not mad that they might not come?”

Landon shook his head and kissed the hollow of Brock’s neck. “I can’t be mad at you for something like that. I’m a bit frustrated with your folks for upsetting you, but not at you. You don’t have any control over it. You should know that.”

Brock combed his fingers through Landon’s hair. “I should, but sometimes folks get upset about things others have no control over. It’s nice to know you’re logical about this. I love you.”

“I love you too. Brock, we’re going to be married soon. I want everyone to be happy for us. If your family can’t be, we’ll understand and let my family and our friends spread the joy for us.”

About the Author

A.J. Marcus

A.J. has been writing to pass the time since high school. The stories he wrote helped him deal with life. A few years ago, he started sharing those stories with friends who enjoyed them and he has started sending his works out into the world to share with other people. He lives in the mountains with his extremely supportive husband. They have a lot of critters, including dogs, cats, birds, horses, and rabbits. When not writing, A.J. spends a lot of time hiking, trail riding, or just driving in the mountains. Nature provides a lot of inspiration for his work and keeps him writing. He is also an avid photographer and falconer. Don’t get him started talking about his birds, because he won’t stop for a while.

Web Contact Info:

Website: www.ajmarcus.com
Email: andy@ajmarcus.com
Twitter: twitter.com/#!/aj_marcus
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/authorajmarcus

The Portland Heat Stories Are Back with Knit Tight’ by Annabeth Albert (excerpt and giveaway)

Knit Tight (Portland Heat #4) by Annabeth Albert
Release Date: April 12, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Kensington
Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde

Blurb

It’s no secret that Portland, Oregon, has some of best restaurants, shops, and cafés in the country. But it’s the hard-working men who serve it all up that keep us coming back for more…

Pages or Words: 43,000
This, and all the books of the series, can be read as a standalone as each features a new couple.
Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance

Excerpt

“Why? Am I turning you on?” My hand wandered over my fly. Not stroking, just firm pressure. We’d danced past sexy talk, far out of the friend zone, now meandering into something dark and heady. I pressed hard against my aching erection as I waited to see how far Ev would let himself go.

“Perhaps. I told you some things, now you tell me. What is your favorite thing?”

“Uh. The long, slow grinding ending in oral that you just described sounds amazing and hits a lot of my buttons. For the record, I’m totally good with…mess. And I like giving oral. Love getting my throat fucked. Being pinned down while grinding or getting my throat fucked, that gets me going.”

Ev was silent a long moment. Perhaps I’d pushed him too far. “Tell me about this throat fucking. How do you like it?”

Aw yes. I’d never had phone sex, but I had a feeling we were about to head in that direction. “Where are you right now?”

“In my bed. With a closed door. Are you going to ask me what I’m wearing next?”

“Knitted underwear?” I laughed as I headed for the bathroom—the one room with a lock. My usual jerk-off method was a locked door and a longer-than-necessary shower.

“Sorry to disappoint. Pajama bottoms. I worry Hala Mira could need me in the night.”

“Hey, you don’t have to apologize to me. I share a room with a ten-year-old. I’m going to the bathroom now, though. And locking the door.”

“You require a locked door to tell me about giving head?”

“I require a locked door, a quiet house, and about three hours to show you,” I countered. “Fuck, Ev. I want you to wear me out.”

“Oh, I could. Do not doubt that, Brady. You want me to wear your throat out? Use you so much you need me to feed you some gelato after?”

“Fuck yes,” I whispered. “I’d like it if you were on the bed or in a chair and I were kneeling in front of you. Or you were standing in front of me. Me on my knees is the key thing.”

“You ever try with your head over the edge of the mattress? It happens that this bed is the perfect height for that…”

“Oh yes. Tell me more. I want to jerk off while you fuck my throat like that.”

“Ah. But I don’t want that. Perhaps we will need to find other occupation for your hands.”

Oh man. Ev knew how to turn my crank big-time. “I’m good with having my hands tied.”

I could tell from his inhalation that it worked for him, too. “How flexible are you?”

“Bendier than I look. I had to do yoga stretching exercises to rehab a skateboarding injury. Turns out I dig it.”

“Nice. Very nice. I like your mouth very, very much.”

“Like the beard? Because if you want my mouth more…exposed, I can work with that. Beard is pure Northwest laziness on my part.”

“The beard is…part of the appeal. Your mouth is very full and your beard always seems like it’s…teasing. I think I want your hair down, though, yes?”

“Go for it.” Getting into it, I pulled my hair free of the ponytail, let it flop against my shoulders. Spit gathered in my mouth like I really was about to get a go at Ev’s cock. Fuck. Just the thought had me throbbing. I unzipped to get a little more breathing room. “I want to—”

Knock. Knock. Knock. “Brady, are you in there? I don’t feel so good,” Jonas called through the door.

Fuck. I kept my curse to myself. “Just a minute, buddy,” I called.

“You need to go?” Ev said in my ear. “I understand.”

“Yeah, I’m sorry.”

“Another time, Brady, another time.”

Even if he just meant the phone-sex version of the fantasy, part of me thrilled to his words. And I was pulling hard for the in-person

Buy the book

Amazon | iTunes | Google Play | Kobo | Barnes and Noble

Meet the author:

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.

Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency

Where to find the author:

https://www.facebook.com/annabethalbert
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/annabethalbertauthor
Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnnabethAlbert
Tumblr: www.annabethalbert.tumblr.com
Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/annabethsangels/
NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/Nb9yv

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Divine Magazine, Full Moon Dreaming,

Oh My Shelves, Posy Roberts, Book Lovers 4Ever, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

BFD Book Blog, The Hat Party, Decadent Delights, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy,

Alpha Book Club, Bayou Book Junkie, Unquietly Me, My Fiction Nook, Happily Ever Chapter,

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, A.M. Leibowitz, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings,

MM Good Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Gay Media Reviews, Kirsty Loves Books, Havan Fellows,

Dawn’s Reading Nook, Man2ManTastic, Mikky’s World of Books, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words,

Multitasking Mommas, 3 Chicks After Dark, Rednecks and Romance, Velvet Panic

Giveaway

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A Stella Review: Ravel: A Ripples in the Status Quo Story by R. Phoenix

RATING 4,5 out of 5 stars

For the past few years, Reese has hidden away in his home, refusing to venture out where he might have to face what reminds him of all that he’s lost. When Ashton, a human thief, breaks into his home one night, he doesn’t have a choice but to face the harsh truths of the world he’s turned his back on. He knows he supports the society monsters of myth and lore built upon the backs of humans through his silence, but the new leaders don’t tolerate sympathizers.

If a werewolf can’t act against the status quo without facing severe consequences, a human with Ashton’s cunning and experience circumventing supernatural predators certainly can’t risk drawing their attention. Their chance encounter leaves them both shaken and questioning whether they are living life as they were intended—or if surviving is really living at all.

I’m always curious about new authors and I read some great things about this series so I wanted to give it a try and soon jumped at the change to have it.

I have to say I was pleasurably surprised by this book, the story between Reese and Ash was engaging and well done. I was caught by the blurb but the MCs took my attention from the start and I cheered on them till the end.

Reese is a werewolf, he has an outstanding account with the past; although their first meeting isn’t the greatest, with Ash sneaking in Reese’s home to steal from him, Reese decides to help the young human, trusting him and his good faith. Living in the slums with his sick best friend Leo is not easy and safe but in some ways Ash has never totally lost the hope for more, for some pale shine of good to find. Then at first sight, something switches on with Reese, a deep connection hard to ignore. Will they be able to trust each other and try to be happy in a world so dark?

This is a story about needs. About finding a salvation and maybe love in a world that left the human kind with nothing to live for. That was the first element that intrigued me, the choice of the author to create a world ruled by shifters, surely a different approach to the paranormal genre where shifters are usually in the closet or at best, outcast by humans. This difference was really welcomed.

I liked the pace of the writing, a good tempo never boring. And the dialogues, more banters actually, between the two MCs were great, funny and most of all gave the story a brightness so needed in a world so sad.

Just a note I want to make, I was waiting till the end for a little more to happen, some action, some evil characters to come out. Save a disagreement/misunderstanding between Ash and Reese, the story flew pretty easily and it was okay because I enjoyed very much but I was waiting, for no reason, for that little more and when I didn’t get it, I was just a tiny disappointed.

If you are looking for a quick story and you are fan of paranormal genre, I feel to recommend Ravel. I think the author did really great and I am looking forward the other books in this new series. I’m sure I’m going to discover more characters to love. Although Ravel is the second book, in my opinion it works pretty well as standalone. But if you like to read the series in order, you can get the first book, Bought, for free on Amazon and Are.

I like the cover art cause it’s different and simple, and the black is very fitting.

Sales Links: Smashwords | ARe | Amazon

BOOK DETAILS

ebook, Revised/2nd, 74 pages
Published April 1st 2016 by R. Phoenix (first published December 23rd 2015)
Original Title Ravel: A Ripples in the Status Quo Story
ASIN B01DBAV324
Edition Language English

About the series

The Ripples in the Status Quo works are set within a world where supernatural beings seized control from humans and relegated them to the bottom of the food chain. Used for food, entertainment, and worse, nothing protects them from the hands of those who claim them as slaves. But not everyone adheres to the status quo the world at large has accepted…

Please note that the RISQ world has little place for humanity–and the author’s idea of romance may not match yours. As such, there are no guarantees of happily ever afters, and content may be offensive to some readers.

The suggested reading order is below, though these works can be read as standalones.

1. Bought. [Dark Erotica]
2. Ravel. [Romance]
3. Recoil. [Dark Erotic Romance]
4. Owned. [Dark Erotic Romance. Follows events in Bought and Recoil.]

An Alisa Review: Planting His Dream by Andrew Grey

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Foster dreams of getting away, but after his father’s death, he has to take over the family dairy farm. It soon becomes clear his father hasn’t been doing the best job of running it, so not only does Foster need to take over the day-to-day operations, he also needs to find new ways of bringing in revenue.

Javi has no time to dream. He and his family are migrant workers, and daily survival is a struggle, so they travel to anywhere they can get work. When they arrive in their old van, Foster arranges for Javi to help him on the farm.

To Javi’s surprise, Foster listens to his ideas and actually puts them into action. Over days that turn into weeks, they grow to like and then care for each other, but they come from two very different worlds, and they both have responsibilities to their families that neither can walk away from. Is it possible for them to discover a dream they can share? Perhaps they can plant their own and nurture it together to see it grow, if their different backgrounds don’t separate them forever.

I have enjoyed all the stories I have read by Andrew Grey and when I saw he had another story with a farm setting I definitely wanted to read it. It really makes me want to go back and read more in the author’s other series that I haven’t gotten to yet.

Foster is working hard to get his father to see him as an equal on their family farm and after his father passes away he is left to take the reins. Javi worked the farm with his family the previous year and Foster was drawn to him then, but when they come back when Foster is by himself he gets more of an opportunity to get to know Javi one on one when he offers to help when they arrive early for the picking season.

I quickly understood Foster and the fears he had in regards to keeping the farm afloat and making changes to make it his own. The story is told from Foster’s point of view, but the author really helps you understand the struggle that Javi is going through wanting to have something for himself but feeling responsible for his family. They both discover their love for the other during their short time together while it feels that most of the book is spent with them apart before and after relationship.

I really enjoyed this story and it was very sweet and even the sex scenes were more on the sweet side than being “hot”. I just wish that more time would have been spent on how their relationship grew after Javi came back, it was just a jump ahead in time where everything is going well, but other than Javi showing up on Foster’s doorstep you don’t really get much else.

Cover art by LC Chase really gives you a visual for the setting of the book and the items that are shown are reflected accurately in the book.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 200 pages
Published: April 11, 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781634772174
Edition Language: English

Love Fantasy Fiction? Check Out Mary Newman’s ‘A Prince’s Ransom’ (excerpt and giveaway)

A Prince’s Ransom by Mary Newman
Release Date: March 25, 2016

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938714.Mary_Newman
Publisher: Mary Newman
Cover Artist: Catherine Dair

Blurb

Prince Itu Graus thought coming out in front of the entire royal court was bad. Being exiled by his father to the frozen wastelands where he struggled just to survive was harsh.

But, running for his life is so much worse.

His planet invaded and the royal family assassinated, Itu leaves his world one step ahead of a death squad. Hiding from those who want him dead and just trying to survive are now his only goals.

Loka Chalce is known as a trader who travels the galaxy to buy and sell goods, but he has a secret life known only to a few as a licensed enforcer for the Interplanetary Council. When a contract comes across the com for a deposed prince who is running directly towards those Loka loves, he only stops long enough to be certain it is genuine before accepting the job.

But what happens when the man you have been hired to keep from ever returning to his world turns out to be someone you would much rather protect?

Pages or Words: 139 pages
Categories: Fantasy, M/M Romance

Excerpt:

“Not getting in the middle of an established relationship, Salio,” Loka grumbled. “Stop matchmaking. You and Bira are terrible at it.”

“Fine,” Salio huffed. “Find your own boyfriend. I was only being helpful.”

“This discussion is over with,” Loka stated, flatly.

“Uncle Loka, will you help me move another bed from the storage room out to the guest house?” Alor asked as he stepped through the back door. “We can put one in Pop Pops old office and move the desk and chair out.”

“Well, well,” Salio looked at him, eyes gleaming. “I guess that answers that question.”

“Shut it, Salio!” Loka growled, pointing a thick finger at her. “I don’t need or want your help.”

Salio’s laugh was pure evil as she flounced towards the front of the store.

“Hey, Bira, guess what?” she called out.

Loka sighed and scrubbed his face with both hands.

“Oh man, Uncle Loka, you better run now. They’ll have you married and settled before morning,” Alor cackled.

“Gods, why can’t they keep their wedded bliss to themselves?” Loka grumbled. “Come on, Alor, let’s go haul out the desk and chair first.”

Buy the book: Amazon: www.amazon.com/Princes-Ransom-Mary-Newman-ebook/dp/B01D943KAK/ref=sr_1_1

Meet the author:

I’m a self-published writer of stories set on worlds that live only in my mind. If you think it can’t happen, well, I do my best to prove you wrong. I mainly write romance because I like to take the most unlikely of couples (or trios) and give them a happily ever after. My characters quite often pick up the personalities of my family and friends – which can lead to the most interesting of conversations, believe me.

I live in the wilds of Northeast Oklahoma with Mija, a rescued hound of unknown mixed heritage, and a rose point Siamese named Kiko who delights in tormenting both Mija and me when we’d rather be relaxing or sleeping.

Where to find the author: