Happy Labor Day, Announcements and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

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Happy Labor Day!

I’ll be raising a glass to Rosie later on in the day!  Join me, won’t you? But before our celebrations start… a few announcements.  First, we have a new reviewer at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words. Please welcome Free Dreamer.  Her reviews should start to appear by the end of the month.  Another reviewer looks to be coming on board as well.  More on that later.  Now watch me do the happy dance as Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words expands once more.

Here is a small part of her bio:

AnimeRoseGirl

“Hey there! My name’s Free Dreamer. I’m in my early twenties, I live in Vienna and recently started working in a book shop. I’m not a native speaker, but I lived close to London for about 10 months, so English very much feels like a second mother tongue.

I love my books to be dark and gritty. My favourite M/M author is Cornelia Grey, amongst others. I’m not easily squicked and I like books with plenty of plot outside the romance. So I really like Fantasy and Sci-Fi/Dystopian books. Though I do enjoy the occasional contemporary story and historical romance set in Asia. Basically, I’ll read pretty much anything, as long as it’s not full of teeth-rotting fluff or PWP.

Outside of M/M my favourite author is Brandon Sanderson. Should I ever have the honour of meeting him in person, I shall fall to my knees and declare him God of Fantasy. I’m not a typical romance reader, so I very rarely read M/F Romance. Mostly, I stick to Fantasy, Sci-Fi and the occasional historical novel set in China or Japan.”

For the rest of Free Dreamer’s bio – check her out on our Reviewers page here.

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This Week at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Sunday, September 6:

  • Announcements and This Week At Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
  • Box Set Bonanza! The Brazen Boys Series by Daryl Banner (Books 1-4) (excerpt and contest)

Monday, September 7 – Happy Labor Day to  those in the U.S. and ex pats overseas

  • Cover Reveal for Sloan Johnson’s Triple Play (excerpt and contest)
  • Book blast for Lee Brazil’s ‘Keeping House’ (excerpt and contest0
  • A Stella Review: To Love A Traitor by J.L. Merrow
  • A MelanieM Review: Blind Hearts by Havan Fellows
  • A BJ Review: Love Starved by Kate Fiero

Tuesday, September 8:

  • Into the Spotlight: Wolf Creek by Nikko Lee (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Mika Review: All Man by Jay Northcote
  • A MelanieM Review: Buttermilk Ranch by Patricia Logan
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Three’s Company by N. R. Walker

Wednesday, September 9:

  • Coffee Sip and Book Break:  Brad Vance ‘Werewolves of Brooklyn’ (excerpt and giveaway)
  • A Stella Review: White Lies by Jack Byrne
  • A Paul B Review: Into the Dark Void by John Simpson and Robert Cummings
  • A MelanieM Review: Sinner’s Gin by Rhys Ford

Thursday, September 10:

  • Aria Grace ‘Best Gay Romance’ box set Book Blast (excerpts and contest)
  • A Barb the Zany Old Lady Review: Running With Scissors by L.A. Witt
  • A Jeri Review: The World As He Sees It by A. M Arthur
  • A MelanieM Review: Winter Wonderland by Heidi Cullinan

Friday, September 11:

  • Cover Reveal  – Blind Redemption by Denise Dearth and Amy Gillen‏ (contest)
  • In the Spotlight:  Articles of Release by BA Tortuga (excerpt and giveaway)
  • Kage Allen’s Book Blast and Contest
  • A Mika Review: Lovers & Fighters by Nash Summers
  • A Jeri Review: Not Safe for Work by L. A. Witt

YA Saturday, September 12:

  • An Aurora YA Review:  A Hard Days Night by Mia Kerick

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Box Set Bonanza! The Brazen Boys Series by Daryl Banner (Books 1-4) (excerpt and contest)

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The Brazen Boys Series Box Set – Books 1-4 by Daryl Banner
Release Date: September 6, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Frozenfyre Publishing
Cover Artist: Daryl Banner (design) with Nick Duffy (model)

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Buy the book: Amazon

Blurb(s)

Enjoy the first four books in the Brazen Boys series in this discounted box set collection. The Brazen Boys are standalone M/M romance novellas. They can be read in any order.
*** Contains: male/male sexuality, and adult language ***

INCLUDED IN THIS BRAZEN BOYS BOX SET:
#1 : “Dorm Game (The Brazen Boys)”
#2 : “On The Edge (The Brazen Boys)”
#3 : “Owned By The Freshman (The Brazen Boys)”
#4 : “Dog Tags (The Brazen Boys)”

DORM GAME (Book 1)

Andrew is the muscular dream boy from Intro to Psych. Michael is the lonely kid desperate for a new roommate. When a class project – and one very reckless decision – forces them together, an unstoppable game of teasing, torment, and pleasure begins. Michael will soon learn that Andrew’s sexual interests are far from ordinary …

ON THE EDGE (Book 2)

It is Derek’s birthday and there’s nothing he wants more than the mysterious, musclebound boy from the website who goes by the name Edge. When an accidental keystroke brings the dream boy to Derek’s house – in the flesh – Derek soon learns he’s in for a lot more than he would ever bargain for in a surprise birthday gift .
..
OWNED BY THE FRESHMAN (Book 3)

Thomas Kozlowski, the not-so-easily impressed acting professor, can’t get his hot new college freshman Justin Brady out of his head. Sexy bod, killer smile and a taste for taking charge, this cocky nineteen-year-old is Thom’s forbidden fantasy. The professor wants a lesson in getting owned, and the strapping young freshman is all too eager to give it.

DOG TAGS (Book 4)

Growing up, Jesse was lonely, bullied, and misunderstood. Brandon was the scary, messed-up boy next door. When Jesse hears that Brandon is home on leave from the military, he discovers his childhood neighbor’s Army training has turned him into a hard-bodied beast. Jesse can’t keep his eyes off of him. They are no longer children. They have different needs. The summer just became full of possibilities.

Pages or Words: 491 pages, approximately 77,600 words
Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance

Excerpt

Dorm Game (Book 1) excerpt:

His eyes narrow. Andrew looks so sexy when his eyes narrow. Especially wearing nothing but those loose, acid-washed jeans sagged just enough to show the black waistband of his boxers, the brand printed in giant green block letters across it. With a voice as hard and unforgiving as iron, he repeats the question patiently to me. He knows how deeply I’m breathing without even listening. I’d swear he even knows my heart rate, my thoughts. He knows the answer in my jagged sighs and can tell whether it’s reward or punishment I crave. His strong jaw working to produce the words of the question, I’m distracted by the beauty of this boy I’ve let into my life, this boy who drips sexuality. He sweats and I’m horny. He rubs a spot on his shoulder and I’m hard in an instant. I’ve wanted Andrew for so long and now I have him. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say, he has me. Fastened to a bed, at his total mercy, it’s pretty fucking clear I’m not going anywhere.

On The Edge (Book 2) excerpt:

I’m distracted so horribly when he raises his arms to throw open my cabinets, his shirt lifting up and giving me an intoxicating peek at his lower back, all the thick muscles curving and pointing and directing and flexing, leading their way toward the obvious piece of fucking Leonardo Da Vinci-caliber art that is his ass.

Owned By The Freshman (Book 3) excerpt:

He’s such a cocky fucker.
You know the type. He’s hot shit and he knows it. Overconfident. Strutting to class, he’s surrounded by his bros. His snug, hot shit clothes show off all the best parts of his body, which is perfectly proportionate and an obvious result of daily trips to the gym—or he’s got perfect genes, which is somehow just as likely. He kicks up his feet in my classroom, sporting his bright red-and-white high tops. Carefree and above it all, this tool. Even his hair’s cocky, swept up into a proud little tuft in the front.
What a cocky shit.

Dog Tags (Book 4) excerpt:

The first channel I come by shows a bunch of shirtless military boys marching through the rain. It’s a movie or a comedy or something, can’t say what it is and, to put it bluntly, I don’t care; the boys are hot and that’s all I seem to notice.
Their muscles firm, their bodies jogging in perfect unison—like they were part of one machine, synchronized, unyielding—I watch as their dog tags bounce on their proud chests.
And each of their faces is Brandon’s face.

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About The Author

Meet Daryl Banner:

Daryl Banner is a writer and composer who graduated from the University of Houston with a degree in Theatre and Psychology.

He does not write in any single genre, as his stories tend to span several. He is most inspired by the smart and unlikely hero, but urges you (the reader) not to fall in love with them; they may deceive you with their innocence. He is thrilled by putting his characters in terrible situations where they must face choices and challenges that seem impossible to overcome.

Daryl Banner writes science fiction / urban fantasy, M/M romance, and post-apocalyptic fantasy. He cannot wait to hear what you think about his stories and welcomes (and responds to!) all feedback.

Follow him on Facebook here:
http://www.facebook.com/DarylBannerWriter

Interesting tidbits: Daryl is also an obsessive piano player, video game enthusiast, and occasional actor. He’s been remixing video game music for over fifteen years, and is a passionate Final Fantasy fan. You can feed your ears with many of his remixes (as well as his original music) on his YouTube page http://www.youtube.com/DarylBanner . He also composes original soundtracks that accompany some of his books. You can listen to and download them here: http://darylbanner.bandcamp.com

Where to find Daryl Banner:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/darylbannerwriter
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/darylbannerwriter
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/darylbanner
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/darylbanner
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/darylbanner
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/darylbanner
Bandcamp: http://darylbanner.bandcamp.com

RC

Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, MM Good Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Bayou Book Junkie, BFD Book Blog, Havan Fellows, Inked Rainbow Reads, Jessie G. Books, Happily Ever Chapter, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Divine Magazine, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Ogitchida Book Blog

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: 2 separate (US ONLY) winners of a signed paperback of any Brazen Boy of their choice. 2 separate $5 Amazon gift cards (4 winners total).  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
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WillPride

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words – Best Books of Summer 2015 Part II

 

STRW Best Books of Summer 2015

From BJ:

FAVORITE SUMMER JUNE – NOW READS
Ghost in the Mythe by Jaye McKenna
For Real by Alexis Hall
SPECTR: The Complete First Series by Jordan L. Hawk
Try by Ella Frank
Desert Tryst by Susan Smallville
Bonds of Denial by Lynda Aicher
Last Dance with Mary Jane by John Goode
Protection by T. Baggins
Chasing Death Metal Dreams by Kaje Harper

FAVORITE COVERS
Ghost in the Mythe
For Real
Charmed and Dangerous

Ghost in the Mythe coverCharmed and Dangerous

From Stella:

In The Middle Of Somewhere by Roan Parrish
Beneath the Stain by Amy Lane
Crossing Borders by ZA Maxfield
The Lightning-Struck Heart by TJ Klune
Get Your Shine On by Nick Wilgus
Silver scars by Posy Roberts
Sacrati by Kate Sherwood
Sand Ruin and Gold by Alexis Hall
For Real by Alexis Hall

And From Melanie:

  • Little Wolf by R Cooper (long, intelligent)
    Obsidian Sun by Jon Keys
    Tigers on the Run (Tigers and Devils #3) by Sean Kennedy
    Blue on Black by Carole Cummings
    Redemption (Diversion #5) by Eden Winters
    Coming Back by John Inman
    You Are The Reason by Renae Kaye

Pulp Friction 2015 Series which include among them for the month

  • The Devil’s Playground by Parker Williams (Pulp Friction 2015)
  • Diamond Draw by Laura Harner (Pulp Friction 2015)

End of Series:

Forgiving the Future by Mary Calmes
Cherish the Land (Lang Downs #5) by Ariel Tachna
Blue Steel Chain by Alex Beecroft
Running with the Wind by Shira Anthony

Check Out A Hard Day’s Night by Mia Kerick (excerpt and giveaway)

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A Hard Day’s Night by Mia Kerick
Release Date: September 1, 2015


Goodreads Link
Publisher: Cool Dudes Publishing
Cover Artist: Louis C. Harris

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Buy the book: Amazon  | All Romance (ARe) | Gumroad

Blurb

High school senior Kalin (Lennon) Macready knows several facts for certain: John Lennon is his hero. Beaumont Finley Danforth II (Fin) is his best friend. And—this is the complicated one—he feels more for Fin than mere friendship.
For weeks, Lennon pesters Fin, who like Lennon admits to questioning his sexual orientation, for a commitment to spend twenty-four hours together exploring “the gay side of life.” Fin reluctantly agrees. Each boy will seek to answer the daunting question, Am I gay? Lennon pre-plans the day, filling the hours with what he assumes “gay life” is all about: shopping for fashionable clothing, indulging in lavish dessert crepes, boogying to Taylor Swift’s “Shake it Off”, and yes, listening to show tunes.
However, Lennon quickly realizes that in creating his plan he has succumbed to the most common and distorted of gay stereotypes. Can he be gay and not fit them? And more importantly, is it possible that spending one very hard day and night together will help Fin accept that he’s gay, too? If so, maybe Lennon has a shot at winning the heart of the boy of his dreams.
“A Hard Day’s Night” is an amusing young adult contemporary romance about two boys who seek to discover if they must fulfill stereotypes to be together.
In the end, maybe all you need is love.

Pages or Words: 21,500 words
Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance

 

Excerpt

“Fin and I have managed to get locked into what I will refer to as a repetitive pattern of affable behavior, and, in my opinion, it’s working out splendidly. We are the dearest of friends.”
Scratch that. Starting over.
And since I know it’s well past time for some brutally honest self-talk, I sit up in my bed, and by the warm glow of my Yellow Submarine nightlight, study my frayed picture of John Lennon. To complete the visual, it’s the photo from Mom’s retro record set, The White Album, that I pinned to the wall beside my bed and have worshipped regularly since I was in the seventh grade. Behind those round wire glasses, the man’s piercing eyes don’t lie—John was a brutally honest sort, often to his detriment. After all, back in 1966 didn’t he assert that The Beatles were more popular than Jesus Christ? Now, that is certainly calling it exactly as he sees it.
Not that I necessarily agree with the sentiment, I respect that kind of direct- ness in a person.
I owe him this much.
Out of respect for John, I revise and reissue my previous assertion.
“The Finster and I are stuck in a rut of pleasant compatibility… an unusually
deep rut, at that.”
This attempt at telling-it-like-it-is is definitely an improvement, but it’s still
not right on the money, and I’m nothing, if not specific.
I prop up my pillow and lean hard against the creaky antique headboard (call it like you see it, Lennon—the headboard is just plain old), with the certain knowledge that I’ve completely outgrown this flimsy, twin size bed of my childhood.
So maybe it’s more like this….
“Fin and I each have one leg semi-submerged in a muddy ditch, and we’re in it well past our knees. This is the kind of murky and dark, seemingly bottomless, pit that will suck the rubber boot right off your foot with a single, hollow, slurping sound, and then belch with satisfaction.” For the third time I speak aloud in an effort to make my declaration official. “It appears that the two of us are gonna be stuck here in this mucky BFF-swampland for the long haul— bootless and slowly sinking into the sludge—unless, of course, I act decisively and with haste. And with great vigor—because, to accomplish the task I have in mind, I’m most likely going to have to shift into full-hyper-dunk-mode, possibly coupled with the drama-queen-approach. Neither of which poses a problem for me, other than that they require an excessive expenditure of energy.”
That was most definitely a mouthful, but an accurate mouthful.
And all I need is one day. Just one gay day.
Thankfully, ever proud of the open-mindedness he hides so well from his ultra-conservative family, Fin has granted me my greatest wish. On Saturday, March 21st, Beaumont Finley Danforth II (IMHO this BFD is a Big Fucking Deal) is mine for the day to do with as I please. I sincerely hope that a single day is sufficient to help Fin figure out what I already know.
Um, Lennon…maybe now is not the right time to start suffering with a debilitating bout of self-doubt.
Confidence is of key importance in this endeavor.
No, I do not have any worries, and yes, I do have twenty-four feminine-side-ex- ploring, team-switching, relationship-igniting hours to make my homeboy see the rainbow-hued light. Starting bright and early tomorrow morning.
On that note, I’ll get started with my beauty sleep. I sure hope I’m gonna need it.
I wiggle down so I’m flat on my back with my feet sticking six inches over the end of the bed, pull the covers up to my chin, and listen to my mental arrangement of “Imagine” until I fall asleep.

RC

About the Author

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty-two years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.
Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships, and she believes that physical intimacy has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press, and CreateSpace for providing her with alternate places to stash her stories.
Mia is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights, especially marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.
Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaKerick

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $15 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
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WillPride

 

Tour Dates & Stops:
31-Aug

Bayou Book Junkie: http://bayoubookjunkie.blogspot.com/2015/08/book-blast-mm-hard-days-night-by-mia.html

SA McAuley: http://samcauley.com/2015/08/31/releasing-tomorrow-mia-kerick-a-hard-days-night/

1-Sep

TTC Books and More: http://www.ttcbooksandmore.com/2015/09/a-hard-days-night-by-miakerick.html

My Fiction Nook: http://www.myfictionnook.com/2015/09/blogtour-hard-days-night-by-mia-kerick.html

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews: http://wickedfaeriesreviews.blogspot.com/2015/09/a-hard-days-night-by-mia-kerick-blog.html

2-Sep

Hearts on Fire: http://heartsonfirereviews.com/mia-kerick-a-hard-days-night-tour-excerpt-and-contest/

MM Good Book Reviews: https://mmgoodbookreviews.wordpress.com/2015/09/02/a-hard-days-night-by-mia-kerick-blog-tour-excerpt-giveaway/

Up All Night, Read All Day: http://upallnightreadallday.blogspot.com/2015/09/blog-tour-had-days-night-by-mia-kerick.html

3-Sep

V’s Reads: http://vsreads.com/2015/09/03/loving-a-hard-days-night-excerpt-and-giveaway/

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents: http://fangirlmomentsandmytwocents.blogspot.com/2015/09/a-hard-days-night-by-mia-kerick-blog.html#.VehJTLQni-I

4-Sep Cathy Brockman Romances, Mikky’s World of Books, Jessie G. Books

5-Sep Kimi-Chan, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

7-Sep Amanda C. Stone, Inked Rainbow Reads

8-Sep Velvet Panic, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Divine Magazine

9-Sep Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Parker Williams

10-Sep Prism Book Alliance

11-Sep BFD Book Blog, Ogitchida Book Blog

 

A MelanieM Review: No Place Left to Run by Zarah Detand

Rating:  2.75 stars out of 5

No Place Left To RunAfter a lengthy world tour, pop star Samuel Gibbs is looking forward to a nice, quiet break—sleep in, write a bit of music, do his own cooking for a change. He doesn’t want his time spoiled by the constant presence of bodyguards, and he is certainly not willing to have someone tail him each time he so much as goes to the shops. No way, no how. It’s a good thing, then, that his head of security relents on the matter—or so he leads Samuel to believe.

The break is starting to look even better when Samuel runs into his new neighbor. Ryan Halston is smart and hot and, quite possibly, everything Samuel wants. However, he doesn’t know that Ryan is part of the rejected security detail, tasked with protecting him from the dangerous attentions of an unknown stalker.

No Place Left To Run by Zarah Detand  had a promising plot but I found the author’s  characters and lack of continuity kept her story from coming close to achieving the potential it promised.

You can forgive a story many things if you believe in its characters and that’s a hard thing to do here, starting with Ryan.  Ryan Halston, age 24,  is supposed to be an accomplished bodyguard, nerves of steel, best in the business. etc. The author spends time framing out the man’s character and background and then uses the rest of the book to ignore everything they established.  Ryan is acts one way on one page and then can appear to have an entire different persona on another.  And Ryan’s lack of a solid characterization extends to others.  From Gary to the bodyguard Mike, the author spends time and many descriptions “telling” the reader how responsible and remarkable they are at their jobs, then proceeds the demonstrate just the opposite in the events that occur.  Mike seems to act more like a smitten kitten and Gary?  His actions felt the very antithesis of someone trying to protect this client.  One after the other, Detand’s characterizations were so flexible that they became unrecognizable as real or believable.  And don’t get me started on their timelines.  If ever there was an author in need of a storyboard, it is this one.  Ryan is 24, Sam is 20, Ryan said he lost his  parents when he was 13 in the  early 90’s, but the time frame of this story is now.  See the problem?  You can delve further into the dates but it just gets worse.

Samuel Gibbs is a rocker but that aspect of the story is missing.  We get little of the reason Sam is a rock star, his love of music, what drives him. We do get his exhaustion, his age (20), his friends like Sumi.  But again, it all feels as though we are left needing more of his character.

The resolution and the reveal is possibly the worst thing about the story.   Not just the person, but the way it happens and the aftermath.  It finishes off what little is left of several characterizations here, and continues on with an Epilogue which is really just another chapter.  Does the author not understand what an epilogue is?

This is the first story that I’ve read by this author, so I will see what else they have on their shelf.  I try not to judge on one book alone.  I only wish I had liked the story as much as I had liked the synopsis and the cover.

Cover artist Paul Richmond.  I like the cover. It contains an element of the story.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 210 pages
Published March 25th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
ISBN139781632165404
edition language English

Rock Out with the boys of L.A Witt’s Running With Scissors (giveaway)

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Running with Scissors by L.A. Witt
Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover art by L. C. Chase

Welcome to the Riptide Publishing/L.A. Witt blog tour for Running with Scissors by L.A. Witt”

Blurb

Eighteen months ago, drummer Jude Colburn made the biggest mistake of his life when he walked away from his band just as they were on the brink of success. Now, he’s got a second chance. The band’s bassist just quit, and Jude plays bass almost as well as he plays drums. The other band members aren’t thrilled, but they are desperate.

Running with Scissors needs him, but there’s one condition: no hooking up with bandmates. That’s what ruined things eighteen months ago, after all. Jude’s on board, but no one warned him about the drummer who replaced him. A.J. Palmer is shy and unassuming . . . until he hits the stage. He gets Jude’s attention from the first beat, and suddenly that “no hookups” rule isn’t so easy to follow.

Keeping secrets on a tour bus isn’t easy either, and it’s only a matter of time before the band catches on. When everything hits the fan, Jude has to choose: a second chance at the career he’s always regretted leaving, or a shot at the man of his dreams?

Running With Scissors is available from Riptide Publishing.

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Giveaway

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (excluding Running With Scissors) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 5th. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to leave your email so we can contact you if you win!  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.

About the Author

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…

L.A.’s backlist is available on  her website, and updates (as well as random thoughts and the odd snarky comment) can be found on her blog or on Twitter @GallagherWitt.

 

Coffee Sip and Book Break with Joe Cosentino and his release A Shooting Star (author interview, excerpt and giveaway)

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A Shooting Star (In My Heart)
by Joe Cosentino
Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase

Sales Links:  Dreamspinner Press 

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Interview with Joe Cosentino for A SHOOTING STAR, the second In My Heart bittersweet dreams novella from Dreamspinner Press

Why write a bittersweet story?  What is the attraction there?

  • There are different types of bittersweet stories. My two novellas include moments of humor, romance, sadness, and revelation. Just like in real life. That’s what attracts me to the genre. I started as an actor then playwright. I can’t remember acting in a play, movie, or television show, or writing a play that did not include some sad or tragic moments. Those moments brought the stories to life, and were what the audience members talked about and remembered. After AN INFATUATION (the first In My Heart bittersweet dreams novella) was released by Dreamspinner Press, many readers messaged me to say how much that novella changed their lives. They said they laughed, felt romantic, and cried while falling in love with Harold and Mario. To this day I cherish every one of those messages. They also requested a second novella in the In My Heart series. Since AN INFATUATION was loosely based on my high school days through adulthood, I thought back to my days as a theatre major in college, and A SHOTING STAR was born.

Is there a certain bittersweet moment or story you remember well?

  • We all have people we miss in our lives. While not having them with us may be sad, the memoires can be joyous, life-changing, and passionate. I was a theatre major in college. Like most college theatre departments, mine was full of comedy, romance, mystery, and of course drama. The flames of love were kindled and hearts were broken while we put up play after play for delighted audiences who never knew the personal secrets behind the stage curtains. There was the star student who got the leading role in every show. Everyone, male and female, was in love with him. He was handsome, muscular, charismatic, and an incredible actor-onstage and off. He broke everyone’s heart, but we all idolized him anyway. We shared an incredible experience that binds us till this day. An experience none of us will ever forget. This novella is dedicated to that time.

Do you feel we must know what the bitter tastes like in order to understand or savor the sweetness of life when it arrives?

  • Well said! My mother always said, “You have to lose something to appreciate what you have.” She also said, “Don’t you have anything better to do than sit home and write books?” I wonder if Shakespeare’s mother said that to him? Hah. Actually, my mother loves my books!

What character or moment in this story stood out for you as your “aha” moment?  Not the revelatory moment for the plot, but the moment when you knew it was coming together as a story?

  • Jonathan has incredible spirit. He is likeable, gullible, and wears his heart on his sleeve. David is magical, an enigma, and incredibly sexy. I knew they would have powerful chemistry from the first page, and they didn’t let me down. When Barry, Jonathan’s devoted scene partner, entered the story, he was so hysterically funny and sweet. At that point I knew the story was incredibly special.

I know some readers run from stories without HEA let alone, HFN, what would you say to them?

  • AN INFATUATION and A SHOOTING STAR celebrate and cherish first love, infatuation, and lasting memories. Reading them will be an experience you will remember. Besides, I hear it’s good for us to have a good laugh and a good cry once in a while. If you don’t like the idea of reading a bittersweet dreams novella, read DRAMA QUEEN (the first Nicky and Noah comedy mystery from Lethe Press). In book one, college theatre professors, Nicky and Noah, use their theatre skills (including impersonating others) to find out why their colleagues are dropping like stage curtains. It’s available as an ebook, paperbook, or audiobook (performed by the hysterically funny Michael Gilboe). BTW, there are only HEAs in my future books! I am currently editing for release: A HOME FOR THE HOLIDAYS (a winter holiday short story taking place in Capri, Italy) releasing in December from Dreamsprinner Press. Following that will be THE NAKED PRINCE AND OTHER TAKES FROM FAIRYLAND (gay fairy tales novella) releasing from Dreamspinner Press in February, DRAMA MUSCLE (the second Nicky and Noah comedy mystery set in the college’s Physical Education department) and DRAMA CRUISE (the third Nicky and Noah mystery set on a murder mystery dinner theatre cruise to Alaska) from Lethe Press. I also just finished a new gay romance novel set in the Jersey Shore, COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK. There is also my (straight leading characters with gay supporting characters) mystery novel, PAPER DOLL, from Whiskey Creek Press, about an ex-child star making a comeback as she finds a murderer from her past and present. Coming in 2016 are other Jana Lane mysteries: PORCELAIN DOLL and SATIN DOLL from The Wild Rose Press. Looks like I’ll be really busy!

Shooting Star cover

STRW Author BookSynopsis

On the eve of the best night of his life, winning an Academy Award, Jonathan Bello thinks back to his one great love, David Star. Flipping back the pages of time, Jonathan recalls his handsome, muscular, and charismatic college roommate. Since Jonathan was a freshman and David a senior in the Theatre Department, David took Jonathan under his wing and molded him, not only as an actor but as a lover. With every wonderful new adventure, David left his joyful mark on anyone with whom they came in contact, but Jonathan soon uncovered David’s dark past, leading to a shocking event. Undaunted, Jonathan celebrates the captivating man who will always hold a special place in his heart.

A Bittersweet Dreams title: It’s an unfortunate truth: love doesn’t always conquer all. Regardless of its strength, sometimes fate intervenes, tragedy strikes, or forces conspire against it. These stories of romance do not offer a traditional happy ending, but the strong and enduring love will still touch your heart and maybe move you to tears.

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

A SHOOTING STAR BY JOE COSENTINO FROM DREAMSPINNER PRESS

As an Italian-American, I subscribed to my mother’s theory that if someone doesn’t want you to see something, he will hide it in a locked vault covered with cement. So I inadvertently took a quick look at my roommate’s things on the other side of the room. He was incredibly neat. Numerous theater textbooks and play scripts lined his bookshelf in alphabetical order. The bulletin board above his desk displayed artistically arranged programs from various comedy, drama, and musical college productions listing the same male lead in each show: “David Star”.
“Do you always look at other people’s things?”
I nearly got whiplash as he entered the room.
Stammering like a kid caught masturbating by his parents, I said, “I… w-was… ad-m-miring y-your… r-room.”
Though it was a fall September day, he took off his scarf (violet) and rested it on a tall coat-rack, which held scarves in various colors like a department store window display. He was taller than me, with a chiseled, handsome face, and straight, shiny black hair, which fell down his thick neck. I admired his perfectly sculpted muscles, housed in a turquoise designer dress shirt. But what captivated me the most were his piercing crystal-blue eyes—and the enormous bulge in his skin-tight, designer beige pants.
“What’s your name?”
“Johnny Falabella.”
He looked at me like a surgeon examining a tumor. “No, it’s not.”
“Excuse me?”
“It’s Jonathan Bello.” He opened a bureau drawer, pulled out a bottle of hair gel, and tossed it to me. “You should gel your hair.” He opened his closet, revealing a multitude of color-coordinated shirts and slacks, and lay some on my bed. “And you can wear these.”
I looked at his perfectly pressed designer clothes. “Where did you get all these things?”
“They were gifts, mostly.”
“You must have some generous friends…. Sorry, I don’t know your name.”
“I’m David Star.” He took a bow.
Looking back at his play programs, I said, “You must have starred in every play at the college over the last three years.”
“Guilty as charged.”
“What happened to your last roommate?”
“He went to LA over the summer break and started auditioning. He got cast in a new TV sitcom. I hope it takes off. It’s called Cosby.”
“At the orientation session, they said freshmen are housed with other freshmen. How did I get a senior for a roommate?”
His eyes twinkled. “Just lucky I guess.”
“Do you think it was some kind of an administrative error or something?”
“Or something.” He added matter-of-factly, “I asked for a freshman roommate.”

Contemporary Romance
ISBN-13:978-1-63476-526-8
Pages:98

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Joe Cosentino is the author of An Infatuation and A Shooting Star (Dreamspinner Press), Paper Doll the first Jana Lane mystery (Whiskey Creek Press), Drama Queen the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are A Home for the Holidays (Dreamspinner Press holiday novella), The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press short stories novella), Porcelain Doll the second Jana Lane mystery (Wild Rose Press), and Drama Muscle the second Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press).France picture

Contact Joe at:

Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: ttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00KRPXJP6

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

 

Joe Cosentino is offering a giveaway of AN INFATUATION, the first In My Heart bittersweet dreams M/M novella from Dreamspinner Press. Post a comment about his interview. We will select the winner and Joe will email you the ebook!”  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Make sure you leave an email address where you can be reached if chosen. Happy reading.

In Out Spotlight: Like a Lover (Housemates #2) by Jay Northcote

LikeaLover_EBOOK

Like a Lover (Housemates #2) by Jay Northcote
Release Date: September 4, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Jaybird Press
Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

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Blurb

Josh has a plan: get through uni with a good degree and no debts. Focused on his goals, he’s working as an escort to pay his way. He enjoys the no-strings sex and doesn’t have the time or inclination for a relationship. Falling in love definitely isn’t part of the deal—especially not with a client.

When Rupert meets Josh in a bar, he’s smitten on sight. He’s never paid for sex before, but when Josh propositions him, he can’t resist. He should have known one night would never be enough. Luckily for him, he has an inheritance to support his addiction to Josh, because his job in IT wouldn’t cover the cost.

With each appointment the lines get increasingly blurred. Something is developing between them that feels more like a relationship than a business transaction, but they come from different worlds and to go from client-and-escort to lovers seems impossible. If they want a future together, Josh and Rupert have a lot to overcome.

Pages or Words: 48,450 words
Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt:

“I like your lip ring,” Rupert said. His gaze dropped lower to Josh’s collarbones. “What are your tattoos of?”

“Swallows.” Rupert would just be able to see the wing tips that showed in this low-necked T-shirt. “Two of them.”

“Have you got any other tattoos?”

Josh gave a slow, teasing smile. “Maybe. Do you want me to show you?”

Rupert met his eyes again. There was a flicker of uncertainty before he answered. “Yes. I’d like that.”

Josh turned over the possibilities in his mind. It had been a long time since he’d had sex for anything other than for money. He usually saw clients at least three nights a week. They scratched the itch for him, and he didn’t have the time or inclination to hook up with other guys. He hadn’t dated since he’d started working as an escort. Josh didn’t like lying about his job, but most guys didn’t want to date escorts.

It would be easy to pick Rupert up tonight, though, and have no-strings sex with him for fun rather than cash. But Josh’s rent was due.

“Me too. But it’ll cost you,” he finally said.

Rupert frowned, obvious confusion crossing his features as he tried to make sense of Josh’s words. “What? I don’t—”

“You’re hot, and I wish I could do this without asking you for money. But a client let me down this evening. I have a hotel room booked and paid for next door, and I need someone to cover the cost for me.” The lie came smoothly. “I can’t afford to have sex for free tonight.”

Rupert’s mouth dropped open. Shock was evident on his face, but there was something else that was harder to read. His cheeks flooded pink again and his eyes went dark. “You’re….” His voice came out husky, and he cleared his throat. “You’re a….”

“A sex worker. An escort, to be precise. Hooker, rent boy, you get the gist. I’m an expensive one too. But my clients think I’m worth the money.” Josh waited, tension making a muscle tick in his jaw as he forced himself to stay still and hold Rupert’s gaze. On the occasions he’d tried picking up clients face-to-face, their reactions had varied. Interest, anger, excitement, disgust… he’d seen them all. He steeled himself, ready for rejection.

Rupert licked his lips. “How much?” he finally asked.

Buy the book:  Amazon | Amazon UK All Romance (ARe) | Smashwords

About the Author

Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.

She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.

Where to find the author:

RC


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bayou Book Junkie, Bookaholic Confessions, My Fiction Nook, BFD Book Blog, Reviews by Jessewave, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Happily Ever Chapter, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Carly’s Book Reviews, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Louise Lyons, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Multitasking Mommas, Boys on the Brink Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Nephylim, Iyana Jenna, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Mikky’s World of Books, 3 Chicks After Dark, V’s Reads, Velvet Panic

Final Jay Northcote Revised

Giveaway

Enter to  win a Rafflecopter Prize: $10 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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A MelanieM Review: Put a Ring on It (Ready or Knot #1) by K.A. Mitchell

Rating: 3 stars out of 5  

Put A Ring On ItKieran Delaney-Schwartz—adoptee, underachiever, and self-professed slacker IT guy—lives his under-the-radar life by the motto: Don’t try, don’t fail. His adopted siblings are all overachievers thanks to his driven, liberal parents, but Kieran has elected to avoid disappointing anyone by not getting their hopes up. He’s coasting through his early twenties when he’s hit head-on by Theo. The successful decade-older Broadway producer sweeps him off his feet for a whirlwind thirteen months that are pretty sweet until it all comes screeching to a halt on Valentine’s Day, with an unexpected proposal via a NYC Times Square Flash mob.

Now everyone wants in on the wedding, except the grooms…

K.A. Mitchell’s Collision Course remain’s a dog-eared favorite read of mine.  And with each new story, I hope to find the same magic and character dynamics that made that novel such a comfort read for me.  Unfortunately, Put A Ring On It is not that story…at least for me.

Several elements kept it from that status and it starts right at the beginning with a flashback. Thirteen years ago, a group of men, all close friends, head to Coney Island for a post-graduation get together.  It turns into a promise to continue to meet there, no matter where they are and what they are doing. Only one of them is our main character, the rest of his friends will each have a book in the series.  But in starting here with so many voices (and continuing with them with their multiple points of views and plots throughout the story), our focus on the main characters and their troubled relationship is diluted before any connection is made.

Another element that threw the book off for me? Kieran and Theo is a couple that lacked charisma on many levels.  I don’t mind relationships with a age span between the individuals, especially if the author makes a good argument for it or makes the difference in years seem inconsequential.  Not here.  Kieran seems immature.  He doesn’t want to make a commitment (which is fine) But he goes along and does.  He won’t meet Theo’s friends or go to functions important to Theo.  He reads young, self involved and immature.  Which, again ok, but not a fit for Theo.  Theo reads too old for Kieran.  He loves his job, producing musicals, he’s a over the top extrovert who doesn’t stop to think what his younger lover might want. Or that his younger lover might not want the things he does. Again not a good fit and Mitchell never makes the reader feel as though  these two have any common ground for their feelings for each other.  Its one awkward clash after the other with the  reader caught in the middle and not happily as might be the case in another story.

Put A Ring On It definitely has a ring at the center, one that comes out at a proposal gone hideously wrong and then continues to pop up all through the story, mostly as a promise to “think about getting married”, a serious dilution of the commitment the ring represents.  The ring turns things around but that aspect feels unrealistic by the time it  finally happens because of all the events that came before.

This story is well written, the characters believable and yet for me it doesn’t hold together as a romance or wholly cohesive narrative.  Too many points of view, too many foundation plot threads laid down that obscured the main one here, and in the end two main characters that lacked the essential “magic” needed to make them feel like they would make it past the one year marker.

Cover art by Reese Dante is spot on and totally adorable.

Sales Links: Dreamspinner Press | All Romance (ARe) | Amazon | Buy It Here  (preorder until Sept 9)

Book Details:

ebook, 204 pages
Expected publication: September 9th 2015 by Dreamspinner Press
original title Put a Ring on It
ISBN139781634763813
edition languageEnglish

A BJ Review: Give An Inch by K.D. Sarge

Rating:  5 stars out of 5  ★★★★★

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love is an Open Road” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice, and all the stories are edited by the group and given away FREE. This particular story was written for the prompt I submitted! Woot!

Give An Inch coverPrompt:

Dear Author,
The court settlement left me with enough money to buy a house as isolated from other people as I could get. I vowed I’d never let anyone close again and spent my days fixing the place up and trying to forget. Then a feral cat dropped her litter in the shed out back and disappeared. I couldn’t leave newborn kittens to die, but a city boy like me had no clue how to care for them. Thank goodness for Google. Supply list in hand, hair tucked under a hat that shadowed my face, and eyes covered by glasses, I dared to venture into town. I met him (picture) at the local feed store. I guess he’s not into watching the news, since he didn’t seem to know who I am. He helped me save the kittens. He’s dyslexic, which he thinks makes him stupid. He’s far from that. He’s kind and gentle, and he’s starting to slip under my barriers. Starting to make me crave his touch. But how can I bare my body to him after what they did to me? What they made me?

Tully

Photo Description:
A young man in a beanie lies on a couch, a gray-and-white kitten asleep on his chest and a black-and-white kitten exploring. He smiles at them.

This story was written as a part of the M/M Romance Group’s “Love is an Open Road” event. Group members were asked to write a story prompt inspired by a photo of their choice. Authors of the group selected a photo and prompt that spoke to them and wrote a short story.

I was extremely excited when K.D. Sarge chose my prompt as I knew I could expect to get something special. I’m going to try not to give away too much of the plot in this review because I think its something best experienced in the slow bits of insight given. For that reason, I won’t say much about Marlow’s background, but as the story opens he’s purchased a secluded home in a rural area and has found a litter of NINE kittens abandoned by their mother. NINE! How can he possibly care for that many little critters on his own, right? Thankfully, young Pax who works part-time at the feed store rides into the picture on his trusty bike. Marlow had forgotten one of his bags of purchases at the store and Pax came to deliver it in person. Like Marlow, Pax is sucked in by the little furballs and is soon on board with the fight to save them… and maybe Marlow, too.

Wonderfully written story that gave me all the sweet adorableness I’d hoped for offset by some lovely touches of dark. I enjoyed reading this and am thankful to the author for bringing my prompt to life so eloquently!

Both Pax and Marlow are interesting characters. The story did end a bit abruptly for me, and left me longing for a sequel or expanded version to show more. I must know if the guy’s initial hook up continued and what ended up happening to the kittens. Did they keep one? Basically, it was completely intriguing and I was totally not ready for it to end. MORE please.

The cover was created by the DRitC team as part of the event and doesn’t relate specifically to this story.

Free Story to be Found Here

Book Details:

ebook, 52 pages
Published August 30th 2015 by MMRomanceGroup.com
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.mmromancegroup.com/?p=278481