Its Valentine’s Day. Treat Yourself to a Love Story. ‘Love at Roades End’ by Kris T. Bethke (author guest post)

Love at Roades End by Kris T. Bethke
Dreamspinner Press

Goodreads Link
Cover Artist L.C. Chase

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Kris T. Bethke here to talk about Love at Rhoades End, her latest novel, and her writing process. Welcome, Kris, thanks for sharing with our readers.

**********

Thanks so much for allowing me to pop in today, and thanks to everyone who’s stopped by to read!

Up until about a year ago, I was a complete and total pantser. Yep. I got a vague idea for a story and I’d start writing willy nilly with nary a plan to be seen. Sometimes, this worked. Several of my published stories were written that way and they turned out just fine. But just about a year ago, I had a story brewing in my brain and I saw so much of it that I wrote a rough summary.

And a new method for writing was born.

Now I’m a combination plotter and pantser. And , my newest release, is the perfect example of why. I wrote this story in four evenings, and only had to do a minimal of tweaking and editing before it was ready for submission. When I got the plot idea, and let it percolate in my brain, Sean and Hunter emerged to tell me their story. Before I actually started writing it, I worked out the major plot points and wrote it all down. And then I worked off that when actually writing the story.

It didn’t stay exactly as I had plotted it, of course. And I allow for things to change. I don’t get bent out of shape if I don’t follow the outline exactly. Heck, sometimes my brain comes up with something on the fly and I follow that track instead of what I originally envisioned. Sean and Hunter didn’t veer too far off their original path, and since I’d already worked out plot holes while writing the summary, that made it a quick and fun write.

Their story is short and sweet, a perfect little Valentine’s Day story. I was writing it with a word limit in mind, and I worked hard to get only the necessary information on the page. Sean and Hunter were made to meet and fall in love, and I truly enjoyed writing their story. I hope you’ll consider picking this one up when looking for a happy, fluffy, Valentine’s Day romance!

About Love at Roades End

Sean Newvine is looking forward to his weekend at Roades End Inn so he can review his stay there for inclusion on his travel website. What he never expects is for the owner, Hunter Roades, to capture his attention from the very start.

The only problem is Hunter thinks Sean’s been sent by his brother on a blind date so that Hunter doesn’t have to spend Valentine’s Day alone. Once the awkward misunderstanding is resolved, Sean is charmed by Hunter’s formality and hospitality. And when they have a chance to really talk, sparks fly.

A passion-filled night has them both wanting more, but Hunter pulls away knowing Sean doesn’t live in town and the distance might be more than they can overcome. Sean and Hunter must figure out if they can make it work for longer than one night, or if their chance at love will end at Roades End Inn before it can begin.

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press |Amazon | ARe | Kobo | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

Kris T Bethke has been a voracious reader for pretty much her entire life and has been writing stories for nearly as long. An avid and prolific daydreamer, she always has a story in her head. She spends most of her free time reading, writing, or knitting/crocheting her latest project. Her biggest desire is to find a way to accomplish all three tasks at one time. A classic muscle car will always turn her head and naps on the weekend are one of her greatest guilty pleasures. She lives in a converted attic with an aquarium full of tropical fish and the voices in her head. She’ll tell you she thinks that’s a pretty good deal. Kris believes that love is love, no matter the gender of people involved and that all love deserves to be celebrated. She loves to hear from her readers, so feel free to drop her a line.

You can find her on Twitter @KrisTBethke or on her blog http://www.kristbethke.com

In Our Author Spotlight: Ava Hayden and her latest story ‘Table for One’ (guest blog)

Table for One by Ava Hayden
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist Anna Sikorska

Sales Links

Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Ava Hayden here today to talk about her latest story, Table for One, and share with our readers a bit of the background into the plot and storyline. Welcome, Ava!

********

In “Table for One” I wanted to throw a big plot complication at Nick. Oilton, Alberta is a made-up place, but there’s one thing you can count on anywhere in Alberta in winter—snow.

Not that we can’t handle it—snow falling at a reasonable pace, that is, with plenty of time for plowing. When it arrives all at once—life gets complicated. I’d been living in Alberta three months when the worst snowstorm in 113 years hit on St. Patrick’s Day. I was at the airport, ready to fly to Vancouver for business. When the airlines cancelled a few flights and marked some delayed, it didn’t seem unusual—not at first. Traveling in snow is a fact of life here. Plenty of passengers assumed these were temporary annoyances—a little runway plowing, some de-icing, and no worries. The airline’s staff was playing coy.

The problem with having to make decisions in a hundred-year snowstorm is you don’t know it’s a hundred-year snowstorm until it’s over and the CBC is broadcasting videos and statistics. When my flight was cancelled, my gut told me not to join the line of people at the gate hoping to go standby on the next flight. Instead, I made a quick call to my Vancouver customer and headed for the cabstand as fast as I could.

Road conditions were already horrible. The trip took five times longer than usual. The worst moment occurred when the taxi was fighting for traction to climb a hill. A pickup hauling a refrigerator ahead of us began sliding backwards, and for a few seconds, the taxi driver and I both had no doubt that we were about to be squashed under a Kenmore. (We weren’t. Barely.)

Take one blizzard, add an eight-months-missing-in-action-without-a-word-of-explanation ex-lover seated at a table for two in Nick’s section, and it’s a Valentine’s Day he’ll never forget.

About Table for One

Nick DiGiaccomo waits tables at Fortissimo, an exclusive restaurant in Oilton, Alberta. He loathes drama, particularly the kind that makes its appearance on Valentine’s Day.

This Valentine’s Day is especially bitter. Eight months ago Nick’s heart was broken when his lover walked away without a word over a misunderstanding. Too proud to call, Nick’s heard nothing from him since. But on this, the most romantic day of the year, he keeps his feelings well-hidden and his professional smile firmly in place.

That is, until he sees his ex-lover, Mark Mishimoto, at a table for two in his section—and his Valentine’s Day goes from bad to downright horrible.

To make matters worse, a winter storm descends, hours earlier than forecast. When the restaurant closes, Nick finds himself stuck downtown in the middle of a blizzard with no way to get home and nowhere to go. Mark lives conveniently close by, and he’s offering up his couch. Nick could use a place to lay his head—but is it worth risking his heart?

Categories : Daydreams, Contemporary, Holiday. Gay Fiction

About the Author

Ava Hayden lives and writes in western Canada but grew up in the southern United States. She comes from a family of storytellers and began creating her own at an early age. She’s still telling stories, but now she writes them down.

A Free Dreamer Review: Foxes by Suki Fleet

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

When Dashiel’s body is found dumped on an East London wasteland, his best friend Danny sets out to find the killer. But Danny finds interaction difficult and must keep his world small in order to survive. By day he lives in an abandoned swimming pool and fixes electrical devices to trade for supplies, but by night, alone, he hunts sharks—a reckless search for dangerous men who prey on the vulnerable.

A chance meeting with an American boy selling himself on the streets throws this lonely existence into disarray. Micky is troubled, fragile, and Danny feels a desperate need to protect him—from what, he doesn’t know. As Danny discovers more about Micky, he realizes that what Micky needs saving from is the one thing Danny can’t help him fight against.

To save Micky, Danny must risk expanding his world and face something that scares him more than any shark ever could: trusting he will be accepted for who he is. If a freezing winter on the streets, a sadistic doctor, and three thousand miles don’t tear them apart first, that is.

I’ve been a fan of Suki Fleet’s writing for a long time, so I just had to have this book. I had high expectations and I wasn’t disappointed.

The tone is achingly bittersweet. There’s the bitter reality of Danny’s life in an abandoned swimming pool, desperately lonely after the death of his best friend. He’s dead set on finding Dashiel’s killer and protect other boys and girls like him. So Danny follows dangerous men all over London, alone, at night, without telling anybody. He also writes descriptions of every street walker he meets during his search. One night, he meets Micky and his carefully arranged world spins into chaos.

That’s when the sweetness starts seeping in. Because the love story is absolutely beautiful. I was often torn between wanting to grin like a loon and wanting to cry my eyes out.

I loved that Suki Fleet didn’t turn this into an angst-ridden cinderfella story. There’s no easy solution at hand, no rich lover who rescues the poor rent boy. Micky and Danny both have next to nothing. Both have issues aside from being poor that can’t be solved with a sudden influx of money. Still, the beautiful love story was a great counterpoint, keeping just the right balance of sad and happy. The result was an incredibly addicting story that I just couldn’t put down. I just sort of fell into the story and it didn’t let me go till the end.

Both MCs proved to be very likeable. They’re unique and well developed. They have their quirks and troubles and simply felt very much alive. Suki Fleet created an intense connection between me and Danny and Micky. They have depth and aren’t just cardboard cut-outs. Suki Fleet’s character building is simply beyond words.

Foxes were a bit of a recurring theme throughout the story. A little detail that endeared the story even more to me.

The writing style is quietly poetic and fits the mood of the story perfectly. Suki Fleet can conjure an incredibly dense atmosphere with very few words. It’s an incredible gift. I could practically see the streets of London before me and feel the bitterly cold rains on my skin.

By now, you’re probably wondering why I only gave this story 4.5 stars. There’s an easy answer to that: I didn’t like the ending.

Now, to be fair, I’m very picky about my endings and I’m often dissatisfied. In this case, the HEA felt forced and a little rushed. It was jarring after the slow quietness of the rest. It didn’t really fit the otherwise so realistic story either. Honestly, I’d have been perfectly happy with a HFN or even a tragic ending. But I’m weird like that.

“Foxes” is a quietly poetic story, without much excitement, that is still incredibly addicting with its bittersweet love story. Suki Fleet is one of the most talented writers out there and she deserves more readers. So, go read this. And everything else she’s written. She’s amazing.

The cover by AngstyG shows two things at once. At the top, you can see the silhouettes of two men walking toward the sunset. On the bottom are two silhouetted naked figures, one leaning down to the other, as if they’re about to kiss. I love the cover, it portrays the same sense of quiet bittersweet as the story itself.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book details:

ebook, 274 pages
Published February 8th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781634769211
Edition LanguageEnglish

A Stella Review:THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TALES FROM FAIRYLAND by Joe Cosentino

RATING 3,25 out of 5 stars

Cinder, a poor and beautiful young man who designs clothing, makeup, and hair for his stepmother and stepsisters, offers his clothing and slippers to a naked stranger in the woods who turns out to be none other than Prince Charming. Follow Cinder and Prince Charming in this twist on the classic “Cinderella” tale, as they discover their inner strengths and find their very own happily ever after. Enjoy “The Naked Prince” and three other reimagined Tales from Fairyland, each with a unique spin on stories we all know and love, including “The Golden Rule,” where eighteen-year-old Gideon Golden, after being thrown out of his home in Fairyland by his homophobic parents, breaks into the cottage of three burly men on Bear Mountain, “Whatever Happened To…?,” in which friction ensues between a celebrity with a growing appendage and the reporter who has a thing for giants, and “Ice Cold,” where young Gaelen must save his love Kieran after a handsome but evil prince freezes Kieran’s heart and bewitches him into being the prince’s slave.

I’ll be honest and say I picked The Naked Prince And Other Tales From Fairyland just for the cover, it was too cute to resist and being the coverwhore I am, I had to have it. Plus I was very curious because I haven’t read a lot of retelling fairytales and nothing by Joe Cosentino yet.

The premises were great and they were well delivered, the stories are all well done and smart, engaging, funny and sweet. My personal problem with them is their shortness, too few pages to really enjoy each fairytale.

The Naked Prince is probably my favourite one. It is the retelling of Cinderella with a wonderfully sweet Cinder. Great characters, the second ones too, especially Maxwell and Mortimer, the two dead dads of our hero. I would love to read their own story together. To me this was the more developed and complete, it caught my attention until the end, a very beautiful ending.

The Golden Rule follows the adventures of Gideon, when just kicked out of his home ends in the three bears’ cabin in the middle of the woods. In this retelling of Goldilocks and the three Bears I found myself a little disappointed because I was cheering on a naughty foursome and I had to settle for some fun and a couple of misunderstandings.

Whatever Happened To…? is the one that gave me more troubles. At the beginning it bored me a little but I re-evaluated at the end and read it a second time to truly appreciate it. It was really hilarious and so surprising at the end, when the author revealed his name. It’s based on the Pinocchio fairytale, but of course with a dirty MC.

Ice Cold is the most emotional, following Gaelen in the desperate searching of his Kieran at times broke my heart. It stands out from the others and I would have loved to have more. Here too there were some interesting second characters that were more important that the main ones.

The cover art by Paul Richmond is the reason why I picked this collection. How could I resist? So cute.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

Published January 27th 2016 by Dreamspinner Press
Kindle Edition, 105 pages
ASIN B01AIUDWGK
Edition Language English

A Lila Review: Taking the Long Way by Max MacGowan‏

Rating: 3.25 out of 5 stars

Male escort Rye Bellamy is looking for a way out. Any way out. He’s getting older, and clients are getting more dangerous. If he doesn’t find something better, he knows he won’t survive.

He sees his chance in Marcus Townsend, a functionally blind Army veteran. Marcus, who refuses to accept his condition as immutable, has a shot at seeing a specialist who might be able to help him—but that doctor’s based on the other side of the country.

When Rye and Marcus meet, they realize they can help each other. Marcus can’t drive, but Rye can. Marcus knows what Rye is, but he likes him anyway. In fact, he more than likes him. Driving cross-country with a near stranger is a daunting task, but Rye’s biggest risk is falling for the gentle, stubborn-hearted soldier—and it might already be too late to stop that.

They plan to part ways when they reach their destination, but plans change as the affection between them grows. Now neither wants their journey to end, but continuing means finding a way to bridge the distance between who they were and who they’d like to become.

The opening scene is pretty typical for the . We get the young man in the right place, at the right moment, ready to save the blind man, who resented the help. But even so, gets intrigued by the first impression the rent boy leaves in his skin and life. From there we moved to learn more about Marcus and his family.

Next, we see how Rye’s and Marcus’s lives get to a point in which a change is needed. They both tried to work to achieve the change but realized they might need help. A chance encounter, at least for Rye, gets them together once again, and they found in each other the answer to their prayers.

Their cross-country road trip takes the majority of the story, and we get to experience the sights with them and through Marcus’s senses. They did several touristy stops and made some interesting findings on their way. Everything they saw or experienced made a difference in their relationship and their next step on the road.

By the time they arrived at their destination, Atlanta, their new found friendship had developed into something more, even when they both wanted to deny it.

Taking the Long Way starts interesting enough, but as soon as they met for the first time, the story slows down all the way to the very end. The situations during the trip are mainly predictable, and the MCs passed too much time inside their heads, letting the lack of communication step between them.

I had taken the coast to coast trip, and the descriptions of the areas were spot on. There’s really not much to see in certain areas, other than farms, fields, and miles upon miles of flatland roads.

I think my main issue with the story is the distance between the MCs. It’s not until the very last part of the story, almost in Georgia, that I felt the real need they had for each other. And at that point, it was too little too late. The same is to be said about the events occurring after they arrived and how they changed their lives.

I enjoyed the last twenty percent of the story, and I wished the author had gotten into that comfortable writing space earlier in the story. Their trip had potential, but it was perhaps too encompassing for a fictional romance in which the characters’ feelings should have been more important than the sceneries they were experiencing.

The cover by Valerie Tibbs goes well with the story and the road trip the characters took from coast to coast.

Sale Links: Dreamspinner | Amazon | ARe

Book Details:

ebook, 234 pages
Published: February 12, 2016, by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 9781634769235
Edition Language: English

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In Our Contemporary Spotlight: LE Franks’ ‘Six Days to Valentine’ (excerpt and giveaway)

6 Days to Valentine (Yes #1) by LE Franks
Release Date: January, 2014

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Wilde City Press
Cover Artist: Adrian Nicholas

Blurb

In Nick’s perfect world, Valentine’s Day would be struck from the calendar.

Nick’s dreams of a Happily Ever After were shredded long ago and the last thing he and his customers need is a bunch of happy loving couples rubbing it in their faces.

Bouncer Fat Boy Newman is willing to bet he knows Nick’s heart better than he does. He has just six days to change Nick’s mind about romance and the holiday and the perfect man to do it.

Too bad it’s not him.

Too bad Nick’s not going down without a fight.

Too bad he cheats.

Pages or Words: 24,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt

I looked again at the stunned blond sprawled at my feet. From this angle, he might be considered cute, certainly the butt in his jeans was worth exploring further, but for some reason, it was his cap that caught my eye. I could see part of a logo from one of those Texas schools—the one with the horns. Reaching down, I hooked it with my finger. I held it up so I could see it clearly, though it was hard to mistake the long white horns stretching across the front of the orangey wool.

Hmm, old-style baseball cap. I peered inside and checked out the underside of the brim, looking for his name. Someone had signed it in black ink, but it was worn and smeared in places, making it barely legible. Given the fading and the stains on the sweatband, it hadn’t been new in a very long time. Certainly not when this guy was in school.

“My hat. Please.” A soft drawl and a hand moving into my line of sight distracted me. It’s possible, though unlikely, that I missed him waving up at me; I’d had quite a late night, after all. I think, instead, that my brain froze the second he pushed himself into the cobra pose and looked deep into my eyes.

I hadn’t gotten much sleep after leaving the bar in the early hours of the morning. I’d walked around the neighborhood, halfway hoping I’d get rolled by a drunk or knifed in an alley. It was a thoroughly depressing failure. I was still there, still intact, and still feeling guilty as hell, all of which pissed me off to no end. Even worse, everyone I’d seen since entering the bar had congratulated me on my win, while FatBoy was doing a spectacular job of avoiding me.

I sat still, considering the blue depths, the straight nose, the plump pink lips, the strawberry locks curling over his ears. Then FatBoy finally decided to make an appearance, jerking the man up by his pits and dangling him in front of me like a rag doll.

Surprising as the maneuver was, it did have the added benefit of shaking his limbs out so I could get a nice long look at the whole…package.

“Ever hear of picking up after yourself?” FatBoy growled his exaggerated drawl at me. I guess that answered the question of whether or not FatBoy was still mad.

“Yeah…no…” I muttered, thinking about the wrongness of the whole thing and absently fondling the cow head on the front of the hat, forgetting what I’d been asked just a moment before.

“What the hell?” the blond jerked away from our bouncer, grabbing his hat and inadvertently catching my pinky in the adjustable strap.

“Yow!” Fuck that hurt. I shoved my finger in my mouth, sucking furiously where part of the nail was now missing.

“Shit, sorry, man. You just…” The blond trailed off as he fixed his attention on the hand now shoved between my lips. You’d think he’d never seen a man suck on anything before.

I might have answered him, but I’d hopped off my stool and was now too busy brushing bar floor debris off the front of his well-formed chest. My hand slid down the front of him until fingers gripped my wrist tightly just as I was getting to the fun parts, freezing my hand in place at his waist.

“My name’s Cameron.” It was a perfectly reasonable answer to an obvious question that I hadn’t asked. He removed my hand from his body before stepping out of my personal space to sit. I wanted to follow, but in a rare show of restraint, I chose leaning against the bar two stools down.

God, I need a drink. And a bed. And a man. And a way to go back through time.

Hell—two out of four ain’t bad. Well, more likely one out of four, which sucked, and my night was going to get worse…

When Rachel came in, she was going to skin me and make rainbow boots out of my hide. The story was already making the rounds, and my act of treachery, while still hidden, was lying like a dead skunk, stinking up the air between FatBoy and me.

I was waiting for inspiration to strike, gifting me with the perfect pickup line—the dazzler that would have my tongue in Cameron’s mouth and his beautiful golden body pressed up against the wall in the supply room with enough time before I had to officially clock in for work.

Apparently not. All I was hearing from the celestial chorus was the sound of crickets. I went with the old standby and introduced myself. “I’m Nick.”

I must have been grinning like an idiot. I could feel my cheeks begin to ache, and my palms developed an unexpected dampness. Rubbing them hastily against my soft denims, I reached across to him and held out my hand.

“Call me Cam.” He smiled. Sweet Jesus, it was a beauty of a smile, and I felt my cock begin to fill. Dammit. The lunch bartender chose that moment to lean over and smirk at me.

“Soooo, Niiiiiick…who’s your friennnnd?” Christine made a decent margarita and a top-notch Bloody Mary of her own special recipe, but her gaydar was broken. Anyone could tell that this sweet angel of the south was 100% boy meat.

“Ma’am! Cameron Fielding at your service.”

I was stunned as I watched my morsel of seraphic delectability stand and doff his cap, and felt a shiver run up my spine. It seemed to be in a race with the tightening of my jeans and the galloping of my heart, and I had a sudden irrational urge to pull him closer and sniff his hair. And maybe touch it.

What the hell?

Buy the book:

Wilde City Press | ARe |Barnes & Noble | Amazon

Meet the Author

LE Franks lives in the SF Bay area and writes M/M Romance in a unique mix of humor and drama with enough suspense to produce fast paced stories filled with emotion and passion and featuring characters that are quirky and complicated and sometimes a little bit dark. LE Franks is a best selling author and finalist for 2013 & 2014 Rainbow Awards. Her books are available through her publishers at MLR Press, Dreamspinner Press and Wilde City Press and Pride Publishing and online bookstores.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LE.Franks1
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/LEFranksAuthor/
Twitter: @boxtersushi
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lefrankswriter/le-franks-books/
Tumblr: http://boxtersushi.tumblr.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/boxtersushi/

Tour Dates & Stops: February 12, 2016

Parker Williams, Posy Roberts, Bayou Book Junkie, TTC Books and More, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, A.M. Leibowitz, Divine Magazine, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Bonkers About Books, Alpha Book Club, Mikky’s World of Books, The Jena Wade, MM Good Book Reviews, Velvet Panic, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Sassygirl Books, Man2ManTastic, BFD Book Blog, Attention is Arbitrary, Happily Ever Chapter, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Molly Lolly, Rainbow Gold Reviews

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: eBook copy of ‘6 Days to Valentine’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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A BJ Review: Dancer of Death (SPECTR 2, #2) by Jordan L. Hawk

Rating: 4.75 stars out of 5

Revenge. Murder. Ballet?

Vampire spirit Gray wants to hunt demons. Unfortunately, the foolish mortals at SPECTR have put his host, Caleb, their lover John, and their partner Zahira on desk duty. Gray longs to leave Charleston with John, but if they flee, SPECTR will make them the hunted.

A series of paranormal murders returns the team to the field, at least temporarily. Ballerinas are being murdered by a vila, a demon that kills with dance. If they can’t stop the deadly attacks in time, one of Zahira’s friends may become the next victim.

And while they track the demon, an unknown entity has begun to track Gray.

First, I hadn’t read the blurb before I read the story and that last line was interesting, as I guess I hadn’t realized that the scent Gray ran across for the second time in this book was tracking him. Interesting development for sure especially since Gray contends the thing he smells is not food… ie. not a demon.

High on the gore factor and we get some POV from the bad guy in this one. It reminds me a lot of book #4 from the first series, Eater of Lives, in both those factors. Excellent pacing that kept me on the edge of my set. Wonderful emotional parts as well as sizzling sexy bits.

Plenty twists and turns in the developing relationship between the threesome, that makes it ever more complex. I adored how this is being explored. Caleb has a bit of a problem with communication with John in this one, a fact that Gray rightly questions. I find myself wondering how Deacon will fit into this overall, as something about him tells me he’s more integral than the surface seems to show—of course, I could be wrong.

The more we get to know of Zahira, the more I’m loving her as a partner for these guys. One scene with her and Gray was so touching. Loved that to pieces. Karl the transman is also very intriguing, and I find myself hoping we will get to read more about him as well.

Overall, aside from a bit of the adverb usage that drew me out of the story somewhat, this was an excellent installment of the series that I enjoyed even more than I did Mocker of Ravens. I’m very eager for the next installment, and hope it comes out soon.

Beautiful cover but a bit surprised since for the first time in the series (1 or 2) it focuses on a representation of the baddie rather than showing Caleb/Gray or John.

Sales Links: ARe | Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: February 16th 2016 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781941230176
Series SPECTR 2 #2

Mocker of Ravens (SPECTR 2, #1)
Dancer of Death (SPECTR 2, #2)

Lex Chase and Bru Baker on Writing Together and ‘Some Assembly Required’ (authors guest blog and giveaway)

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Lex Chase and Bru Baker here today to share with our reader something about their latest novel, Some Assembly Required and the process of writing it together. Welcome, Lex and Bru!

*****

Hello, everyone! I’m Lex Chase and I want to thank Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for having me here today as a part of the Some Assembly Required blog tour! What is Some Assembly Required, you ask? It ís a fluffy meet-cute I had co-written with Bru Baker about two dead guys who meet in the afterlife in CASA, a big box affordable home furnishings store, which happens to be purgatory. And you say, “That’s a thing?” Oh, yes. Yes, indeed. And you never knew you needed it until now.

In this post, Bru and I have done a two-part interview. She got me to chat over at Open Skye Book Reviews, and now I’m putting her in the hot seat over here.

Bru and I come from radically different backgrounds as writers. She writes fluffy feel good contemporary that makes you feel warm and cozy on the inside. I write sci-fi/fantasy with guys that kiss as well as kick ass. I’m in my element writing elaborate battle scenes, bloodletting, beheadings, and body counts. As I always say: Its never a party until something explodes into a magnificent fireball.

So, Bru has joined me as I ask her a few questions!

What was the scariest part about writing more paranormal for you?

Bru: I am utterly terrified of worldbuilding. I have mad respect for writers who can do it well, but I’m not really one of them. So it was a relief that Some Assembly Required is kind of paranormal-lite, with a gentle introduction to the ghostly aspects and a contemporary feel for Benji and Patrick’s actual relationship. As much as CASA is its own character, we really didn’t bog the book down with too many detailed explanations about how purgatory worked. And every time you would go off on a worldbuilding tangent or try to work in a detailed paranormal storyline that wasn’t necessary, I would reel you back in, even if it meant literally sending texts that said things like ‘You can’t make that explode.’ You did manage to work in a few bits of massive destruction, but at least our beloved CASA was still standing at the end of it.

What did you dread most about going in a more paranormal direction or co-writing? (Did it come to pass?)

Bru: I hate paranormal books that are just retreads of old standards, and I was anticipating it being really difficult to put our own spin on a paranormal plot. That fear fizzled about ten seconds into our first brainstorming session because it was clear you felt the same way I did. We worked hard to come up with something that was different and interesting, and I’m really proud of it.

I was also worried about whether or not our writing would mesh, but it worked out better than I could have hoped. Our styles really do fit together perfectly.

I’m a planner, you’re a pantser. How did you feel when I gently (okay not at all gently) tried to steer you in creating an outline together? What is it about planning that makes you break out into hives?

Bru: Oh, man. So you have to understand, my idea of planning something out is writing a synopsis. We’re talking a few paragraphs that give the general arc of the plot and that’s about it. When we started writing Some Assembly Required there was this spreadsheet with multiple tabs and character summaries and chapter summaries that were more detailed than I usually am with an entire book synopsis…yeah. It was so far outside my comfort zone, but it was absolutely what we needed for this book.

We also wrote linearly, which is a first for me. I write more organically, hopping around and writing whichever scene is in my mind that day. I generally go into a book knowing a few key scenes and the plot arc and the rest just falls into place as I write. So having the action in every chapter nailed down was hard for me, and it led to a good deal more writer’s block than usually have, but you were always there to talk me through it.

You write such adorkable, sweet guys. What is it about the ‘Goody-Goody Guys’ that get you going?

Bru: I love banter and connections that go deeper than just physical attraction, and I’m almost always a fan of the slow build. So I need my characters to be well fleshed out and real with flaws and dorky moments they can bond over together. In Some Assembly Required, Benji is 100 percent sweet and goofy, and it was fun to write someone who isn’t bogged down with a lot of angst. I tend to have sweet characters with stormy backgrounds because I like to write about how they work through things and come out the other side stronger and more sure of themselves.† But I also need to connect to them and have the reader connect to them, and that’s harder to do when the character is a big jerk. And you can’t have witty banter when both characters are terse and uninteresting. So…dorky characters FTW.

You do realize, we wrote a book about dead guys meeting in the afterlife in a home furnishings store. And no one stopped us. Do you think we need we need adult supervision?

Bru: Well, we kind of do have adult supervision in the form of our editor at Dreamspinner Press, and she’s egging us on after not only encouraging us to write this book but also accepting our three-book proposal about a paranormal online dating service run by a Djinn. So I think we’re absolved of all blame here. It’s really her fault.

Question for you guys! Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again. (Mine was going on Splash Mountain at Disney World. NOPE.)†

Tell us and don’t forget to record your entry on the giveaway widget!

Genre:†Contemporary Paranormal Comedy
Length: Novel
Published:†February 8, 2016
Publisher:†Dreamspinner Press
ISBN: 978-1-63476-810-8
Buy:†DSP – ARe – Amazon – Barnes and Noble

Blurb:

Everyone wishes they were dead when wandering the purgatory of a home furnishings store, but these guys actually are.

Benji Goss is the quintessential good guy. When his boyfriend dumps him and moves out, Benji obligingly keeps the catóeven though heís allergicóbecause his exís new place doesnít accept pets. Heís always joked the cat would be the death of him, but not in a way he expects when a feline mishap crushes him under a DEL TORO bookcase.

Snarky loner Patrick Bryant is in such a rut he barely remembers the life he used to lead. The last thing he recalls is being decapitated by a DEL TORO bookcase in a freak accident. As a spiritual CASA resident, he haunts the aisles of affordable Italian furniture, assisting fellow spirits in moving on to their final destinations.

When Benji appears in the CASA cafÈ, Patrick considers the naÔve spirit just the man to cure his boredom. Benjiís relentless optimism chips away at Patrickís sarcasm, making him question if thereís something beyond what he can see. But the heart is like CASA furnitureóthereís always some assembly required.

About the Authors:

madison_parker_MG_4269-WEB

Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, “Weíre all going to die, I’m just trying to make it a little more interesting.” Now she’s on a mission to make the world a hell of a lot more interesting.

Weaving tales of sweeping cinematic adventure,depending on how she feels that day, Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. Her pride is in telling stories of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. If you’re going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.

Lex is a pop culture diva, her DVR is constantly backlogged, and she unapologetically loved the ending of Lost. She wouldnít last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind.

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Lexchase.com

Bru Baker got her first taste of life as a writer at the tender age of four when she started publishing a weekly newspaper for her family. What they called nosiness she called a nose for news, and no one was surprised when she ended up with degrees in journalism and political science and started a career in journalism.

Bru spent fifteen years writing for newspapers before making the jump to fiction. She now works in reference and readers’ advisory in a Midwestern library, though she still finds it hard to believe someone’s willing to pay her to talk about books all day. Most evenings you can find her curled up with a mug of tea, some fuzzy socks, and a book or her laptop. Whether itís creating her own characters or getting caught up in someone else’s, there’s no denying that Bru is happiest when she’s engrossed in a story. She and her husband have two children, which means a lot of her books get written from the sidelines of various sports practices.

www.bru-baker.com
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We’re giving away two $25 USD Amazon Gift Cards to two lucky winners! Will it be you? Click on the graphic to enter!

Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again.

Blog Tour Stops:

2/8 – The Novel Approach and Release Day!

2/9 – Gay List Book Reviews

2/9 -†My Fiction Nook

2/10 – Love Bytes Reviews

2/10 – Divine Magazine

2/11 – Charlie Cochet’s Purple Rose Tea House

2/11 -†Open Skye Book Reviews

2/11 -†Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

2/14 – Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

2/17 – Joyfully Jay

A Paul B Review: Golden Son (Tidal Crest #2) by Jeff Erno

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

There is but one heir to the throne, one Golden Son.

At thirty-two, Ari loves his life in small town northern Michigan, running his aquatic pet store, but he’s always yearned to visit a coastal state. Inexplicably, he’s felt a connection with the ocean his entire life, and when his cousin Todd calls to ask him to be his best man at his California ocean-side wedding, Ari jumps at the chance for a much needed vacation. When he arrives in San Diego, however, he makes some discoveries about himself and finds love in the process. He also finds himself embroiled in a disturbing murder mystery that he ultimately helps to unravel.

Golden Son picks up about two weeks after the end of Deep Dive ends. Sam and Prince Percy are wrapping up their honeymoon and facing the fact that they must return to reality. Meanwhile, their friends Todd and Amy are preparing for their own wedding. Todd calls his best friend Ari, who lives in Northern Michigan. Ari, who has always had an attraction to the sea, decides it is about time he visits the ocean and accepts Todd’s invitation to be his best man. Todd wonders once Ari has fulfilled his lifelong dream if he will return to his home on Lake Michigan.

As Sam and Percy visit the castle in the underwater city of Palaemon, an assassin tries to kill Percy’s father, the king. His life is spared when one of his bodyguards jumps in front of the bullet, killing him. Unbeknownst to anyone, the crown that determines the next ruler of merpeople was stolen during the confusion of the assassination attempt. It also causes the royal family to return to their home on the California mainland for their protection until this mystery is solved.

Richard arrives on shore near Todd and Amy’s beachfront home. Armand, the guard that was killed was his best friend and lover. He goes to Todd’s place to grieve his loss as both his and his lover’s families are celebrating the sacrifice that Armand in protection of their king. However, when he reaches the shore, he finds Ari. He feels pull to Ari that is stronger than the one he had with Armand. While Ari feels the attraction too, he realizes that Richard is hurting and gives him space to grieve. The two must deal with their budding attraction while helping those around them figure out the reason Armand lost his life.

Jeff Erno has built upon his mer world with the second book in his Tidal Crest series. The concept of three distinct classes of mermen sets up conflict within the species. This allows expansion of the series as the three classes of mermen live in different parts of the oceans. Overall, I thought this was a stronger book than the first. It has strong soap opera plots to it to help the story move along. I was a little put off on how quickly Richard got over his lover Armand and began to take up with Ari as these are not fate mates that most shifter books have. But otherwise the story was quite enjoyable.

The cover art by Angela Waters shows a shirtless merman with his golden tail. It fits the description of the title and book well.

Sales Links: eXtasy Books | ARe | Amazon

Book Details

ebook, 111 pages
Published February 1st 2016 by eXtasy Books
ISBN139781487406219
Edition LanguageEnglish
Series Tidal Crest

Deep Dive (Tidal Crest #1)
Golden Son (Tidal Crest #2)

What Does It Take To Turn A Brat Into A Man? Find Out with Patricia Logan’s ‘The Brat (excerpt and giveaway)

The Brat ( Marine Bodyguard #3) by Patricia Logan
Release Date: February 10, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Patricia Logan
Cover Artist: JP Adkins Design (Jeff Adkins)

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Patricia Logan author of The Brat, a standalone novel in the Marine Bodyguard series. Hi Patricia, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself. If you could bring back one TV show, what would it be and why?

I love so many shows and cried that they ended them. Fringe on Netflix is one that I adored. I am a bit of a geek so it appealed to me. I also like to learn something from a show and so much of that show went right over my head, after watching all 5 seasons twice, I still find myself wondering about quantum physics and wishing I’d stuck with the higher sciences in college. I suppose I could always go back to school but I get a pretty good education from my reading and TV. I also love history, so sometimes these shows with “time-jumps” appeal to my senses so much. Fringe and Torchwood, aside from the amazing acting and super hot male heroes, are those type of shows. They keep me thinking (and lusting, haha) which is never a bad thing.

Thanks, Patricia, now more about The Brat.

********

Blurb

Charles Fordham III has been expelled from Oxford and sent home with his tail between his legs. The self-professed “brat” has always gotten away with things because of his father’s influence and money. Poor Chas is in for the surprise of his life in the form of a tall, well-muscled, former Marine bodyguard… but even more daunting days may lie ahead. Have his years abroad prepared him for the expectations of his father when he’s forced to live up to his legacy?

Tate Heston returns home from Iraq when his beloved career is cut short by an IED. He’s used to turning boys into men and then leading them into battle where sometimes the good guys lose. This makes him even more hesitant about taking on a job guarding a spoiled brat, but he believes he can probably do what he does best… make young Chas a man.

Not everyone wants to see the brat succeed in his father’s place. Things have been running just fine for years and the return of Charles Fordham III and the shake up his arrival causes, has his family’s enemies in a panic. But as the boy assumes his rightful place, Tate understands sometimes a man must take his fight to the enemy… regardless of battlefield… or boardroom.

Pages or Words: 96,000 words
Can be read as a standalone
Categories: Contemporary Crime Fiction, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Thriller

Excerpt

Chas whirled on Tate, stalking up to him, probably having decided that he was the whole problem. Hell, Tate was totally fine with that. Better he hate him than his father. Hate was easy to handle but he was really surprised when he stopped right in front of him and shouted at him.

“You have no right to tell me how I should talk to my father, you… you cretin!” he screamed.

Tate was only slightly surprised as spittle flew out of Chas’s mouth when he spoke and he raised his hand. Is he gonna…?

Tate reached up and stopped Chas’s slap inches from his cheek as he viciously swung his hand toward him. Tate managed to grasp Chas’s wrist, stopping the blow and the action brought the young man flush up against his body. For a few seconds their faces were inches from each other and with all of Chas’s rage, the way his chest heaved with anger, Tate inexplicably felt his cock harden in his jeans. His fury is magnificent. Tate didn’t know whether he should stop the kid or just bend him over his father’s desk and fuck him right then and there and get it over with. He let the thought slide through his mind for a few seconds as he stared into Chas’s magnificent angry amber-colored eyes. It’s probably not the right time… more’s the pity.

Tate hesitated only a second and then tore his gaze away from the man’s, bringing Chas’s arm down and then around the man’s side so that he was forced to turn his back on Tate. Chas cried out as Tate deftly brought his hand up between his shoulder blades, causing him to bend forward to take the pressure off or have his arm snapped in the process. A second later, Chas’s knees gave out and he dropped to his knees on the thick carpet to relieve the pressure on his arm. Tate bent over him, still holding Chas’s fingers up behind his back with one hand. He laid his hand on the back of the young man’s neck, pushing his forehead firmly to the floor with the other hand.

“Ah! You’re hurting me!” Chas gasped out, drooling down toward the carpet beneath him. His body was shuddering but all the fight had gone out of him and he suddenly went boneless as his body relaxed.

Tate leaned down to speak softly at his ear. “No hitting. No slapping. No getting physical of any sort. That clear?” Go ahead. Fight me, you little fucker. I’ll have your jeans around your ankles and my dick up your ass so fast, you won’t know what hit you.

A second later Chas gave an almost imperceptible nod. His chest was heaving and Tate thought he heard a sob come out of the man as he grunted in pain again.

“Okay,” Chas finally ground out through gritted teeth, “Let me up.”

Buy the book:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BLV2AUY

AllRomance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thebrat-1980105-356.html

Meet the Author:

International bestselling author Patricia Logan, resides in Los Angeles, California. The author of several #1 bestselling erotic romances in English, Italian, French, and Spanish lives in a small house with a large family. When she’s not writing her next thriller romance, she’s watching her grandchildren grow up way too soon, and raising kids who make her proud every day. One of her favorite tasks is coaxing nose kisses from cats who insist on flopping on her keyboard while she types. Married to a wonderful man for 30 years, she counts herself lucky to be surrounded by people who love her and give her stories to tell every day.

Become a fan of Patricia at http://authorpatricialogan.com/ and receive a free book of your choice. Email her at patricialogan.author@yahoo.com. She loves to hear from readers more than anything and will respond to all emails.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ploganauthor
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/authorpatricialogan/?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/PatriciaLogan1
Blog http://authorpatricialogan.blogspot.com/
Amazon author page http://www.amazon.com/Patricia-Logan/e/B007RESZJA/

Tour Dates & Stops:

10-Feb Parker Williams, KathyMac Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Velvet Panic

11-Feb Jessie G. Books, 3 Chicks After Dark, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Kirsty Loves Books, BFD Book Blog

12-Feb Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Alpha Book Club, Louise Lyons, Inked Rainbow Reads, A.M. Leibowitz

15-Feb MM Good Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, Molly Lolly, Open Skye Book Reviews, Hearts on Fire

16-Feb Bayou Book Junkie, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Love Bytes, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Divine Magazine

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 3 copies of ‘The Brat’ by Patricia Logan. Must be 18 years of age or older. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Love at Roades End by Kris T. Bethke Dreamspinner Press

Goodreads Link Cover Artist L.C. Chase

About Love at Roades End

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press |Amazon | ARe | Kobo | Barnes and Noble

About the Author

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Table for One by Ava Hayden Dreamspinner Press Cover Artist Anna Sikorska

Sales Links

Dreamspinner Press | ARe | Amazon

About Table for One

About the Author

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6 Days to Valentine (Yes #1) by LE Franks Release Date: January, 2014

Giveaway

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Question for you guys! Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again. (Mine was going on Splash Mountain at Disney World. NOPE.)†

Tell us and don’t forget to record your entry on the giveaway widget!

Did you ever do something outside of your comfort zone? Did you enjoy it? Or vow to Never.†Do.†It.†Again.

Share this:

Share this:

The Brat ( Marine Bodyguard #3) by Patricia Logan Release Date: February 10, 2016

Goodreads Link Publisher: Patricia Logan Cover Artist: JP Adkins Design (Jeff Adkins)

Giveaway

Share this:

Love at Roades End by Kris T. Bethke
Dreamspinner Press

Goodreads Link
Cover Artist L.C. Chase

Table for One by Ava Hayden
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist Anna Sikorska

6 Days to Valentine (Yes #1) by LE Franks
Release Date: January, 2014

The Brat ( Marine Bodyguard #3) by Patricia Logan
Release Date: February 10, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Patricia Logan
Cover Artist: JP Adkins Design (Jeff Adkins)