Category: Uncategorized

Love’s Path Takes a Curve with Bent Arrow by Posy Roberts (excerpt and giveaway)

Bent Arrow cover

Bent Arrow by Posy Roberts
Release Date: September 3, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link 
Publisher: Labyrinth Bound Books
Cover Artist: DJ Mack

Banner300x250

Buy Links:  Amazon | All Romance (ARe) | Barnes & Noble | Kobo

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Sometimes curves in the road take you right where you belong.

Luther Almond’s life working the Bakken oil field is perfect—short-lived jobs, temporary housing, and easy hookups. That’s one reason he won’t move home when he inherits the lake house. When Erik Heat bends over to fix Luther’s pipes, his tattoos hint he might be up for more than working on the drain. The last thing Luther expects is to want more from this guy than one night.

Every time they’re together, Luther is more grounded and Erik more confident. When the lake house demands attention, Luther asks for Erik’s help. There he imagines a more permanent life, one where he stops running. But he wants Erik by his side. Can he find the courage—and the words—to ask?

Pages or Words: 20,000 words/65 pages
Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Erik had the quintessential plumber’s crack, but holy… it was not at all repulsive. And on his left ass cheek was a tattoo. From where Luther sat, it looked like an elaborate arrow, or at least the tip of an arrow pointing toward his ass. The rest disappeared under his clothes. Luther assumed it wrapped around his side, and he wondered what sort of fletching was at the other end. Did it end right above his cock, obscured by a dark thatch of pubic hair, or nestle in his V, just skirting his hipbone?
Luther stood up, grabbed a can of pop from the fridge, and stepped closer to study the tattoo. He spied a dark smudge right above the beautiful arrow tip and barely kept himself from bursting into laughter when he realized what it said.
Insert here was inked in faded letters, nothing at all like the professional thin lines of the quality arrow. This looked like the shit tattoos his high school friends gave themselves with a sewing needle and India ink before they were old enough to get a professional one. Or a prison tattoo.
Yet it was like an invitation just waiting to be noticed.
“Is that true?” Luther asked.
“Is what true?” Erik’s voice was muffled.
“‘Insert here.’”
Erik immediately sat back and tugged both his underwear and his jeans up to cover his left hip as he cursed under his breath. “Shit. Stupid tool belt.” He flushed bright red and then muttered words that were hard to understand, but Luther thought he made out undershirt and aerator. Erik scrambled to toss his tools in his bucket, taking no time to organize them in the same way they’d been when he’d arrived, and he tripped over an area rug as he bolted toward the door.
“Hey! Stop,” Luther said. “Just—stop!”
Erik did, but he faced the door, refusing to turn around.
“I’m gay, so you’re safe here, if that’s what that tattoo’s truly about.”
Erik turned his head slightly, only enough that Luther could see his dark eyelashes as he blinked in double time.
“It’s not an easy place to be out. I know. But then… why have that tattooed on your ass?”
“Long story,” Erik said.
“You were going out to your truck to get more tools?” Luther offered, to help the guy save face.
“No.” He hiked his pants up and tightened his tool belt a notch or two. “I’m gonna keep working.”
“All right.” Luther sat down on his couch again, tugging his iPad back into his lap and pretending to no longer care about those smudged words that obviously meant a hell of a lot to Erik. At least keeping them hidden did.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Real life. Genuine men. True love.
Posy Roberts writes about the realistic struggles of men looking for love. Whether her characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.
Posy is married to a man who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep. Her daughter, a budding author and dedicated Whovian, helps her come up with character names. When Posy’s not writing, she enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make normal seem more interesting.

Website * Twitter * Facebook * Newsletter

Where to find the author:
Pinterest: Pinterest
Other: Tumblr (NSFW)

RC

Tour Dates & Stops: September 3, 2015
Parker Williams, Rainbow Gold Reviews, The Jena Wade, Inked Rainbow Reads, MM Good Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, BFD Book Blog, Carly’s Book Reviews, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Mikky’s World of Books, Divine Magazine, Charley Descoteaux, Jessie G. Books, Ogitchida Book Blog, EE Montgomery, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My, Happily Ever Chapter, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Louise Lyons, Amanda C. Stone, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Molly Lolly, Andrew Q. Gordon, Multitasking Mommas, Velvet Panic, Reviews by Jessewave

 

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $10 Amazon Gift Card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize(s) provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

FinalWillPride

A MelanieM Review: Taxes and TARDIS (A Mind is a Sexy Thing) by N.R. Walker

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Taxes and Tardis cover rev finalBrent Kelly was a laid-back tradesman, whose only concerns were drinks with friends and which man to bed next. In need of a new accountant to sort out his shoebox of receipts, he’s referred to Logan Willis, a quiet spoken, science-fiction loving geek. He didn’t expect the geeky guy with an English accent and dark-rimmed glasses, wearing a TARDIS-blue shirt to be so intriguing.

He didn’t expect to be fascinated by him, let alone attracted to him. He most certainly didn’t expect to fall in love.

From jock to geek, both men know the differences between them are vast. But in this opposites-attract erotic drama, maybe it wasn’t the differences between them that would drive them apart. Maybe it was the differences between them that made it worth the fight.

Two things made this story an auto read for me. One was the author N.R. Walker and the other was the word TARDIS in the title.  Yes, I am a nerd and Dr Who fan so combine that with one of my favorite authors in a M/M romance story and I’m sold. And yes, Taxes and TARDIS by N.R. Walker turned out to be the delightful romance I had hoped for when I started reading with an epilogue I have returned to more than once.

In each of N. R. Walker’s stories, she is able to use just a few sentences and well placed adjectives to create her believable, often endearing main characters.  Told from Brent’s point of view, Brent’s mental descriptions of the man in front of him goes from short and shallow to increasingly long and interested.  It starts as he sits in front of his new accountant, Logan Willis, who is in the process of sorting through the mass of receipts in the shoe box Brent has given him.  It sort of goes from “Geek.  Nerd”  to a “accent made everything he said sound musical and soft” and a shirt Logan was wearing that was “the bluest blue”, a color Brent will find out is called TARDIS blue.

Within a paragraph, Walker sat us next to Brent in the chair and we watched as he became smitten of the man in front of him, something totally out of character for Brent up until now.   Its charming, very sweet and connected me to these men and future relationship.

And in these scenes it also highlights another speciality of Walker’s, her ability to reflect another aspect of the narrator’s traits back at the reader through the reactions of the other main character.  What I mean by that is Brent may come across, through his words and actions as one persona, yet we can start to see another deeper one reflected back to us through the actions and words of Logan who sees in Brent something different than Brent sees in himself.

These lovely layers keep piling up, deceptively thin in places, and then coming together with a power to hurt and astonishment when it comes to Brent and his past history.

The TARDIS and Dr Who.  Will a reader not familiar with  Dr Who enjoy the story?  Absolutely.  Brent knows nothing, nada, about Dr Who or what a TARDIS is…but he knows that its the means to getting to know Logan better.  And what follows is an often funny, sometimes short and mumbling explanation of a TARDIS, the charms of the 10th Doctor, and other elements of the Dr Who universe but its not a large part of the story.  But there is enough there to make those of us that love it cackle with glee.

I have to admit I was surprised by the setting.  Its San Antonio, Texas where Brent is a self employed electrician and Logan a British accountant who had made the States his home along with his sister.  I was expecting an Australian location, well, just because that’s where the author is from.  I really should stop making those assumptions.  Walker “speaks” American easily as she showed she could in her Red Dirt Heart series which also had a Texas element.  I delighted in Brent and Logan’s story and would love to see more of their circle of friends. Bring on more, N. R. Walker!  I need them like Texas needs the rain.

Cover art by Posh Gosh is simple and nice.  I would have loved to have seen a little Dr Who elements on the cover but I would imagine that would have been very expensive with all the copyrights.  Still no San Antonio or anything that speaks directly to the story?

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

Book Details:

ebook, 96 pages
Published August 25th 2015 by Pride Publishing (first published April 28th 2012)
original titleTaxes and TARDIS
ISBN139781784307431
edition languageEnglish

series A Mind is a Sexy Thing

A Stella Review: Red Hot – Coffin Nails MC California by KA Merikan

RATING 3,25 stars out of 5

— Live fast. Die young. Fuck hard.—

Red Hot Coffin Nails CoverRed Jack. Rude. Crude. Horny ginger mess. In love with… himself.
Loki. Deadbeat. Volatile. Stalker. Terminally ill. Fatally in love.

When it comes to men, Red Jack has three rules. The guy has to be hot, out of town, and not up for repeats. It’s a good way to keep the gay flings far away from the eyes of his brothers in the Coffin Nails Motorcycle Club, and he will make damn sure it stays that way. When a hookup takes an ominous turn, and the sexy stranger turns up at his house, the heat is on. Loki invades his life and just won’t leave, wreaking havoc wherever he follows Jack, but getting rid of him becomes harder with every kiss. 

The world crumbles around Loki when he finds out he has cancer. As if his life wasn’t shit enough already. With only a few months left, he decides to live to the fullest and get every last wish on his bucket list fulfilled. One of those is fucking the hot bearded biker he meets the same night he got the bad news. Big, confident, and dangerous, Red Jack is all Loki ever wanted in a man. After all, he deserves one last shot at love. Who cares if Red Jack is a stubborn, closeted asshole? Loki knows what he wants, and he won’t settle for anything less. Even if it kills him. 

 

I’m a huge fan of KA Merikan work. I said too many times, I’m amazed how these two girls can write so beautifully together. This new installment in the Sex & Mayhem series disappointed me a little. There were too many little details that bothered me. First of all I can’t stand to read het sex in my m/m books and here we got a very explicit one. Moreover I don’t like hitting, and I’m not talking in general, because this series is so violent. I knew I should expect some really heavy scenes and there were some. I didn’t like the hitting between MCs, it was harder to take than those other scenes. It’s something I really can’t accept.

The style is the same, hard and harsh language, too much too many times even for me and I’m used to it, so it’s important you read the warnings. I found Red Hot crazier that the other books in the series. It’s one of the authors traits, but here the  MCs are really out of their freaking mind, not sure which one more.

The writing was really good, the characters well defined, even  the secondary ones, but in the end, I so missed a true connection between Red Jack and Loki and this little disconnection made it hard to me to love them. I pretty much didn’t care at all about them, or about Loki’s illness. Of course Loki isn’t going to die, and it’s not a spoiler I’m saying, you can’t expect otherwise. Point was to see how KA decided to resolve it. And again I didn’t like it at all, it was really messed up, unbelievable and I’d have totally appreciated something different.

I’m giving this book 3,25 stars because it wasn’t a bad book at all, I can’t skip a well written book with a well developed story. I can’t give it lesser rating . Still, it wasn’t what was I was waiting for. It left me with a bitter taste in my mouth

COVER ART by Natasha Snow. The cover is simply amazing and hot like pretty much everything Natasha does. Loved it!

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

Book Details:

Published July 16th 2015 by Acerbi & Villani ltd.
Kindle Edition, 312 pages
ASIN B011T3WKFY
Edition Language English

Themes: Outlaw motorcycle club, criminal activity, hurt/comfort, abuse, sexual orientation issues, stalking, revenge, bucket list, coping with illness, first love

Genre: M/M erotic dark romance, suspense, drama
Length: ~105,000 words standalone novel (HEA

Series Sex & Mayhem

  1. Road of No return
  2. The Devil’s Ride
  3. Stripped Raw. Coffin Nails MC California (mf)
  4. No Matter What
  5. Red Hot . Coffin Nails MC California

ISO Gay Rockers Looking for Love? Check Out Sexual Frankenstein by TC Blue (excerpt and giveaway)

sexualfrankenstein1400

Sexual Frankenstein by TC Blue
Release Date: September 2, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

Banner300x250

Buy the book:   Torquere Books

Blurb

Tony & Darian have been friends and playing together in their band, Sexual Frankenstein, for a few years, and while they really are friends, they’ve never crossed that line — no matter how much they may want to — because of their band and friendship, as well as not thinking the other is interested.

The apparent interest in one of them, from their hot and very glam new singer, brings things to a head as long-buried jealousies push to the fore, leading both Tony and Darian to reevaluate what they already have and what they so desperately want.

This story previously appeared in the Po’boys Anthology, published by Torquere Press.

Pages or Words: 13,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance

Excerpt

Yeah, the voice was bad enough because it was so good, but even worse was the fact that Andy was too fucking good-looking and not at all shy. Andy would never sit around for two years, yearning for someone who had never once seemed to be interested, just because he was too scared to make a move. No, Tony was pretty sure that Andy, with his make-up and highlights, his dramatic wardrobe and even more dramatic nature, would just stroll up to whoever caught his eye and say something to make that person laugh. Something to make their blue eyes shine and crinkle at the corners. Something to have that person’s slightly wavy, collar-length dark-blond hair moving wildly while that same person’s soft-looking, pink-lipped mouth opened in a grin to reveal almost perfect teeth, aside from the one lateral incisor on the left that was crooked and overlapped that left front tooth just enough to be cute and quirky rather than snaggly.

Add in the stage moves that Andy somehow kept managing to pull off without stumbling or tripping over his own feet — or any of the numerous cables covering the stage — and Tony definitely hated the bastard. More than hated him when the jerk took each and every opportunity to maneuver over to Darian’s side and rub up against him, singing into his eyes, looking wicked and delicious. Eight times so far, because Tony was keeping count, and Darian didn’t seem to mind even a little, damn it.

My own fault. Should have manned up and taken my shot before, and now it’s too late. I’m a fucking idiot. And how appropriate was it that the next song on their playlist was the old Cinderella ballad “Don’t Know What You Got”? Not that Tony had ever broken anyone’s heart, but he totally understood the emotion behind the chorus.

RC

About The Author

Meet TC Blue

Contrary to popular opinion, TC Blue was not raised by wolves. Nor did she spring, fully formed, from the forehead of a god, instead entering the world in the usual manner.

A true jack-of-all-trades and master of none (otherwise known as flighty and unable to make a decision and stick with it), she currently resides near the east coast where she does her best to avoid politics and religions as a general rule.

TC can usually be found sitting in front of her computer, trying to wrangle rabid and numerous plot bunnies, though her muses insist that she not be too hard on the poor little fluffy things. (Poor little fluffy things with sharp teeth and claws, but whatever. Muses don’t seem to care much about the possible bloodshed if the bunnies think TC’s not writing quickly enough.)

One thing sure to calm the bunnies is hearing from readers, so please feel free to contact TC at tcblue@live.com or stalk her: on Twitter — @tc_blue, on Facebook — T.c. Blue.

Where to find TC Blue:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000896020443
Twitter: https://twitter.com/tc_blue
Website: https://tcblue.wordpress.com

BannerTemplate

Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, The Jena Wade, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, 3 Chicks After Dark, Bayou Book Junkie, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Louise Lyons, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Happily Ever Chapter, Wake Up Your Wild Side, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Inked Rainbow Reads, Chris McHart

 

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Sexual Frankenstein’ by TC Blue.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prize(s) provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

WillPride

Morning Coffee Sip and Book Break: Discovery (Drakyl Ranch #1) by Thianna Durston

Discovery-Customdesign-Jayaheer2015-smallpreview

Discovery (Drakyl Ranch #1) by Thianna Durston
Release Date: September 1st, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Thianna Durston
Cover Artist: Jay Aheer – Simply Defined Art

Banner300x250

Sales Links: Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble | iTunes | Kobo

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing (sort of)  Thianna Durston author of Discovery.  Hi Thianna, thank you for bringing your character, Aaron Drakyl along to be interviewed:

My Interview with character Aaron Drakyl from Discovery

What do you find attractive in a man?

  •     *grins* Well, up until lately it was kind of slim pickin’s. There were a few men at the local bar, closeted gay men who would meet me behind the grocery, but they weren’t really my type. If I had to say what attracts me first? It’s their mouth. I love lips, especially ones that quirk up on one side.

The first thing that went through your head when you saw Jaret.

  • Mostly that he couldn’t be real. He has almost the same skin tone as I do and that’s not normal.

Do you think you’ll insist the author visits you again?

  • I’m lucky in that I’m the head of my house. Since she’s writing the stories for my cousins, she kind of has to include me and Jaret. *grins* I think she has a crush on Jaret.

Before you met Jaret, what was your ideal man?

  • Well, now, this is embarrasin’. My ideal man before this was one that breathed and was willin’ to meet me behind the grocery. That’s not to say I wouldn’t have loved to meet a guy, fall in love, etc, but I never thought that would happen to me. I’m a gay cowboy. I kinda took what I could get. I never imagined I’d get the ultimate prize when Jaret walked into that bar.

You’re going out for dinner. What’s your favorite food?

  • That’s simple and yet it’s not. Human blood. But I’d prefer it came from a donor. I don’t like killin’. Jaret laughs at me ’cause I won’t kill a human for the blood. Blood drives are an amazin’ thing. If human blood’s not on tap, cougar is good, too. Ever tried it?

cowboy with lasso silhouette at small-town rodeo. Note: added grain.

Blurb

Living in Montana and working the ranch is all Aaron wants to do for the rest of his life. Diagnosed as allergic to the sun thirteen years previous, every day is a struggle to get out of bed. Having to wear long-sleeved shirts, gloves, and even material to cover his face from the effects of the sun, just makes it all worse. Now, in his thirty-second year, he is sure this will be his last summer. While he hates it, he knows he needs to come to terms with the truth and put things in order for his younger cousins. Before he does so, he heads out for one night of pleasure before facing what’s coming.

Jaret loves excitement and new adventures. For over five hundred years, he has sought them out. In Montana on a whim, he comes across someone he doesn’t expect, someone who makes him feel things he does not understand and does not want to give up. In no time at all, he feels like he cannot live without Aaron. The only problem is Aaron doesn’t know who he is, what he is, nor that he isn’t going to die. Not on Jaret’s watch. With a plan to help the other man discover who he is in place, he only has one thing to worry about: whether an ancient enemy will come and destroy everything he now holds dear.

Warning: This book is a paranormal m/m romance with some horror elements. It also crosses cowboy and vampire genres. If you don’t think cowboys look hot with fangs, you’re missing out.

Categories: Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Western/Cowboy

Excerpt

“You’re not going to die, Aaron.”
“You don’t know that. This sickness, ailment, curse…whatever the fuck it is. It’s gettin’ worse. And it’s changin’. Morphin’ into somethin’ scary. My nightmares lately have been horrible.”
“What kind of nightmares?” Of course, Jaret knew. They were the same kind all of them had during the change. Fire and ice as the body went through horrendous chills and soaring high fevers. They would only stop once the change was complete. For after that, there was no real sleep anymore.
“Bein’ caught on high mountains, pelted with snow. Of the forests here bright with orange fire. Of you—” His voice broke. “Callin’ out my name only I’m no longer here to respond.”
“Babe,” Jaret said in a soft voice, not understanding why but knowing he was closer to this drakyl than he had ever been to anyone. “We’re going to get you cured. Then you can come out with me at night. We’ll keep the place predator free while your cousins slave in the sun. How does that sound?”
A sad attempt at a laugh left the other man’s throat. “Promise me you won’t leave until I’m gone?”
Fury swept along Jaret’s veins. Anger at the sun, the fact the man next to him was terrified, and at Davis for not explaining to the poor man earlier what he was. But mostly, he was furious at himself for not telling Aaron the truth. Leaning in, he placed his nose against Aaron’s. “I promise you,” he said in a deep growl, “that you are not going to die, Aaron Drakyl. I won’t let it happen.”

grunge background

About the Author

Thianna loves to write strong stories with even stronger heroes. While all of her books have an erotic overtone, it is the story that is the most important to her. “The story should be able to stand on its own. The erotic elements are an add-on.”

She enjoys writing about couples with kink, paranormal couples, and straight out strangeness. But more on that later… You can find her at mm.thiannad.com.

She also writes m/f under the name Thianna D.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thiannaDismyname?fref=ts
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/ThiannaDurstonAuthor?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/the_weremouse
Website: http://www.mm.thiannad.com

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Discovery’ when it comes out.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

Final

Tour Dates & Stops:
31-Aug Amanda C. Stone

1-Sep Hearts on Fire, Rainbow Gold Reviews

2-Sep Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

3-Sep Parker Williams

4-Sep Prism Book Alliance

7-Sep Mikky’s World of Books, Divine Magazine, Inked Rainbow Reads

8-Sep MM Good Book Reviews

9-Sep Love Bytes

10-Sep BFD Book Blog

11-Sep The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat

14-Sep Velvet Panic, Dawn’s Reading Nook

15-Sep Cathy Brockman Romances, Up All Night, Read All Day

16-Sep Molly Lolly

17-Sep Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance

18-Sep Jessie G. Books

21-Sep It’s Raining Men, Book Reviews and More by Kathy

22-Sep Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

23-Sep Bayou Book Junkie

24-Sep Happily Ever Chapter

25-Sep My Fiction Nook, Iyana Jenna, Michael Mandrake

WillPride

A Mika Double Dip Review: Bent Arrow by Posy Roberts

Rating: 3 out of 5 stars

Sometimes curves in the road take you right where you belong.

Bent Arrow coverLuther Almond’s life working the Bakken oil field is perfect—short-lived jobs, temporary housing, and easy hookups. That’s one reason he won’t move home when he inherits the lake house. When Erik Heat bends over to fix Luther’s pipes, his tattoos hint he might be up for more than working on the drain. The last thing Luther expects is to want more from this guy than one night.

Every time they’re together, Luther is more grounded and Erik more confident. When the lake house demands attention, Luther asks for Erik’s help. There he imagines a more permanent life, one where he stops running. But he wants Erik by his side. Can he find the courage—and the words—to ask?

Another good read from Posy Roberts. Low angst, feel good, falling in love, comfort read from her. You learn something new everyday. I’m not familiar with the oil fields, or the work that goes into it. This part of the story, I can say bored me a little. I liked seeing Luther change and grow when dealing with his feelings for Erik. I feel like they switched personalities by the end of the story. It’s not necessarily bad, but it was nice to see them finally get what they deserved.

Luther has been traveling since the age of 18 just to hide from his demons and family. He’s now working somewhere close to where his family lives, and he’s finally in his own trailer. He meets this lovely plumber by the name of Erik. Erik was super shy in the beginning, and after hearing his story, I definitely understood why. I liked Erik a lot, he encouraged Luther to be himself, and was very patient with him. I think this is typical Posy Roberts with her realistic writing of two guys falling in love. They are never perfect but they make it work.

Cover Art by: DJ Mack. I really liked the cover. It’s not just Erik’s tattoo, I think it’s an adapt portrayal of both guys after reading the story.

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

Book Details:

ebook
Expected publication: September 3rd 2015 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781311953292

A Stella Double Dip Review: Bent Arrow by Posy Roberts

Rating 4 stars out of 5

Bent Arrow coverSometimes curves in the road take you right where you belong.

Luther Almond’s life working the Bakken oil field is perfect—short-lived jobs, temporary housing, and easy hookups. That’s one reason he won’t move home when he inherits the lake house. When Erik Heat bends over to fix Luther’s pipes, his tattoos hint he might be up for more than working on the drain. The last thing Luther expects is to want more from this guy than one night.

Every time they’re together, Luther is more grounded and Erik more confident. When the lake house demands attention, Luther asks for Erik’s help. There he imagines a more permanent life, one where he stops running. But he wants Erik by his side. Can he find the courage—and the words—to ask?

 

I read Bent Arrow in a night, it’s written so well it was quick and easy to me to follow the story. No surprise since I discovered Posy Roberts with Silver Scars and I realized she is very talented author. There were different things I loved in this short story too. First her characters, well defined and developed, with some baggage on their shoulders to make them more real. Characters with scars to erase thanks to the love of their partner. What I especially found beautiful was the journey Luther went through, a simple one, because there is no drama or angst in this story. But still seeing this young man changing during his time spent with Erik was unexpected in a story of just 65 pages long and so welcomed. He slowed down his life and finally started taking care of himself and settled down in his grandma’s house with the man he’s in love with. Often in books so short the relationship is rushed using the sex, while in Bent Arrow I was so glad to see Luther and Erik know each other better with texts, dates, sex too sure, but it wasn’t the main way used to bring the MCs together.

There are some emotional parts I don’t want to talk about but they were the icing on the cake. They could have been handled differently and the story would have been too heavy to be enjoyed. I think Posy made a great work at balance everything in the right way, deciding to not tell us too much of a couple of things in Erik’s past, focusing instead in their relationship and their newborn feelings.

The only tiny little bad note I can make is about the ending. I was hoping to have another chapter to see how they settled into their new life together and I was so sure there were more pages that when I read The End I was really disappointed. It felt almost like it missed something. Still I really enjoyed Bent Arrow, it was a light read full of good feelings.

Cover art by DJ Mack. The cover is simple, hot and well done. I couldn’t resist it.

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

Book Details:

Published September 3rd 2015 by Labyrinth Bound Press
ebook, 65 pages
ISBN13 9781311953292
Edition Language English

 

Love LGBTQIA Science Fiction? Check out Sunny Moraine on Writing, and her release, Fall & Rising (guest blog and contest)

FallAndRising_600x900

Fall & Rising by Sunny Moraine
This title is part of the Songs of Slipstream universe
Published by Riptide Publishing
Cover Art by Kanaxa

Sales Link at Riptide Publishing

Welcome to the Fall and Rising blog tour!

I’m Sunny Moraine and Fall and Rising is a story I’ve been trying to make happen for some time. On finishing its predecessor Line and Orbit, I knew Adam and Lochlan’s story couldn’t be over. I knew, in fact, that it was just beginning. In Fall and Rising I wanted to continue to explore their journey, as well as the ways in which their tumultuous meeting and the battle that followed have affected the people they love. In short, this was a world I wanted to return to. I’m very pleased that I was able to do so, and I’m very excited to share the result with you.

On this tour I’ll be talking about the process of writing the book and what it taught me about writing in general, the trials and tribulations of passing through the world of the story, some of the tools I used to put me into a place where I could tell that story, and some of why I wanted to write it at all.

Giveaway

I’ll also be giving away a signed copy of the print edition of the book, along with a set of two hand-made (by me) agate, copper, and glass beaded bracelets inspired by the world of Fall and Rising. Additionally, you’ll have a chance to win one of two e-copies!

Every comment on this blog tour enters you for the giveaway. 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! 

FallAndRising_TourBanner

***

It’s always interesting to return to a universe you’ve been away from for a while.

I wrote Fall and Rising over a period of months a couple of years ago. It was the second version of the book; I scrapped the first version because I didn’t think it worked and rewrote the thing mostly from scratch. So I wrote it, I was reasonably happy with it after some editing, and then I did two things: I put it away and didn’t look at it again for a bit, and I started sending it to places in the hope that they might offer to pay me money for it.

(It took a while for the latter thing to bear any fruit)

What that meant in practical terms was that I didn’t go back to the universe of Adam and Lochlan and their friends for a few months. I worked on other projects. I focused on other things. The universe was still there, rattling around in my head, and it was still accessible. I just didn’t go there for a while.

Then I (finally) sold Fall and Rising to Riptide – along with its followup and third book in the trilogy, Sword and Star – and I had to dive back in for the editing process to commence.

It felt strange. You know how you might have these places you know inside out, in which you feel very comfortable? But then maybe you leave them for a time. When you return, even if nothing much has changed in your absence, everything looks just a little bit off somehow. Your memory has shifted, and nothing quite matches what’s in your head. It’s almost like a kind of deja vu; you know you know this place, but you’re also not completely sure that you do. It’s familiar, but your feeling of comfort has been lost.

That’s what returning to this universe was like for me. I knew these places, these people, this history and this lore, but I didn’t walk back in with any particular ease. It took me some time to settle and feel comfortable again. I had to get reacquainted with the layout. I had to have conferences with some characters. So what’s up with you right now? What’re you doing? What’s your goal here, what are you hoping to get out of this?

It worked, it was fine, but there was a period of difficulty, and the only thing to do was soldier through.

I think this is something that often keeps writers from finishing long projects. I know it’s gotten in my way more than once. The fear that if you return to something you haven’t touched in a while, not only will it not be as good as you want it to be, but you won’t even recognize it. You’ll try to get back into that universe and you won’t know where anything is. You won’t know anyone. They won’t know you. You’ll get lost and no one will be inclined to help you out, and in the end you’ll just wander away having wasted your time, and feeling uncomfy.

I don’t think that’s an unreasonable fear. But as fears go, I try to remember that it shouldn’t stop you from trying. Because that universe is still inside you, and it is still yours. Your people will know you when you arrive. You’ll gradually remember where things are and how things work. It might not even be nearly as difficult as you imagined.

It might even feel like coming home.

***

FallAndRising_600x900

Book Blurb

Adam Yuga is on the run. Three months ago, a miracle saved him from the deadly genetic illness that threatens the entire population of his former home, the Protectorate. Now he and his lover Lochlan are searching for a way to heal his people. When they receive a mysterious coded message promising hope, they make a desperate grab for it, and are imprisoned—by the very race they want to save.

On Lochlan’s distant homeship, a young pilot named Nkiruka faces an agonizing choice: stay with her lover Satya and live a life of happy obscurity, or become the spiritual leader—and the last and only hope—for the Bideshi. Nkiruka doesn’t want to lose Satya, but worse, she fears she lacks the strength to carry anyone through the coming storm, let alone her entire people.

Threads of chance and destiny draw the three together. With the fates of civilizations in their hands, they prepare for a final conflict that might be their only chance for survival—or that might destroy them all.

Author Bio

Sunny Moraine’s short fiction has appeared in Clarkesworld, Strange Horizons, Nightmare, Lightspeed, Long Hidden: Speculative Fiction from the Margins of History, and multiple Year’s Best collections, among other places. They are also responsible for the novels Line and Orbit (cowritten with Lisa Soem), Labyrinthian, and the Casting the Bones trilogy, as well as A Brief History of the Future: collected essays. In addition to authoring, Sunny is a doctoral candidate in sociology and a sometimes college instructor; that last may or may not have been a good move on the part of their department. They unfortunately live just outside Washington DC in a creepy house waith two cats and a very long-suffering husband.

Connect with Sunny:
Website:  “http://sunnymoraine.com/”
Goodreads:   “https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3149946.Sunny_Moraine”
Tumblr:   “http://dynamicsymmetry.tumblr.com/”
Twitter:   “https://twitter.com/dynamicsymmetry”
Facebook:   “https://www.facebook.com/sunny.moraine”

 

Songs of Slipstream

The future isn’t an easy place to live. Humanity is split into two warring factions: one is determined to bring all of human-explored space under its control, and the other travels the stars in massive homeships, carrying with them the ancient stories and traditions their foes have rejected.

On the sparsely populated frontier, renegades, bounty hunters, and pirates maintain their own rule of law. Government is nonexistent. Ethics are a luxury. Greed is the order of the day.

And on the worlds unexplored by humankind lurk wonders and dangers beyond imagining.

One thing you can say for the galaxy, regardless of which faction you’ve chosen: life there is never boring.

In the Book Spotlight: Lover’s Trill by Viki Lyn (guest post, excerpt and contest)

VL_LoversTrill

Lover’s Trill by Viki Lyn
Release Date: September 1, 2015

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Loose ID
Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Banner300x250

Buy the book: Loose id LLC

:

Photo credit: Smadar from morguefile.com

Viki Lyn on the Inspiration for Lover’s Trill

Lover’s Trill is a story about two musicians that had once loved each other. Andre and Leo shared their passion for music and for each other, but followed two very different musical paths. Leo had left Andre to pursue his dreams leaving Andre to pick up the pieces of his heart.

I had just returned from visiting Eastern Europe. Vienna had impressed me as a city that lived and breathed classical music. Yet, the city’s personality also had a lively underground. This had to be the setting for Andre and Leo’s second chance at love.

A story set in Vienna had to include a ball. With a vibrant ball culture, there are more than a 1,000 balls in the city, and attendance is past the 2.5 million mark! The season lasts from November 11 until Mardi Gras, and is very lively in-between. I made sure that Leo and Andre were in Vienna during the season.

The most famous ball is the “Wiener Opernball or Vienna Opera Ball. This would be the sort of ball Andre would attend. Leo, not so much! So when I had Leo the one that had tickets to a ball, I chose a “Kranzchen” or informal ball. These informal balls are often attended in costumes. I had fun imagining Leo’s costume – outrageous as his clothing when he performs onstage!

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Rocker Leo needs a break. From the band, roadies, everything related to his present life. Wandering the streets of Vienna, he chances upon a poster that just might change his life. Andre Revele, renowned violinist, and Leo’s ex-lover, is performing in the city. It’s been years since Leo slipped out of Andre’s life in the middle of the night, but he’s never forgotten their passionate love of music and each other.

Andre’s shocked when Leo shows up backstage after his performance. Hell yes, he’s angry, but he can’t walk away. Against his better judgment, he invites Leo to his hotel for a drink. Not sure what he wants from Leo, he knows what his body wants right now. A night of passionate sex leads to another, until he’s lost his heart to Leo again.

When Andre finds his trust in Leo tested, Leo must prove his loyalty by using their one common passion – music – to bind their hearts.

Pages or Words: 22,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Leo finished his cappuccino. He needed a break. From the band, roadies, everything related to his present life. He tried to ignore the constriction in his chest. He hadn’t written anything in months, and that scared the shit out of him. His bandmates were like his brothers, but as much as he loved them, it wasn’t the same as having a lover who completely got him. He had no one to turn to when in a funk.

He hoped to God he still had more words inside him. For all of his flamboyance on stage, his real love was composing.

Leo paid the check and left. Too wound up to go back to his hotel, he roamed the streets, taking in the Vienna night. Stars sparkled above St. Stephen’s gothic spire. The wide boulevards twisted into narrow lanes perfect for getting lost in.

Happy to wander aimlessly, Leo slipped his hands into his fleece-lined jacket. Living in LA, he’d forgotten how cold winter could be in other parts of the world. He turned the corner and sputtered to a halt. Staring at the poster pasted to the side of a building, he didn’t need to read the name of the virtuoso to know who it was. He could never forget that face in rapture—when playing or getting off. Music and sex had invoked the same feelings in Andre Revele. Passion was passion, and that man had always had both in spades.

Numbness swept across Leo as he stared at the picture of Andre caressing the bow in those slender-fingered hands—such artistic hands on a large man. It had been love at first sight—or at least lust—when Leo had walked into the practice room.

He could still remember a youthful Andre, not quite grown into his robust physique, as he played the last stanza of Bach’s Concerto in E. The violin’s notes had faded, but the music had remained in the air long after the performance was over. Bright green eyes peered through dark lashes, and sensual, pouty lips morphed into a shy smile. Like an idiot, Leo had been at a loss for words at Andre’s performance and enamored by that handsome face. Until Andre laughed, breaking the spell.

From that day forward, they were inseparable. They both had insatiable appetites for music. They stayed up all hours talking about philosophy and musical composition, and arguing what was better, thin-crust or thick-crust pizza. They played music together, fucked, and enjoyed the simple moments that composed their insular world.

He scanned the poster for the dates of the concerts. Tomorrow night was the last performance. Leo shuffled his feet, unable to move away. He bit his lip and traced the image of Andre. Did he dare go? It had to be fate. He’d been thinking of Andre, talking about the past with Sid, and now this.

His heartbeat quickened. What if he went backstage and Andre didn’t recognize him? Or brushed him aside? Leo had purposely avoided searching the Internet for news of Andre, too afraid that his ex had a lover, or worse, had married. Their lifestyles were miles apart, and Leo could never think of Andre as a friend.

He drank in Andre’s image. Tall and broodingly dark, Andre had the body of a jock and the sensitive heart of an artist. Leo preferred men unlike himself. He’d been a skinny kid, and had a difficult time gaining weight. If he’d been born years earlier, he would have been the perfect face for a glam rock band. At least he’d outgrown the term pretty boy or twink.

Leo chewed his lower lip as he studied Andre’s picture. Tempting as it was to see his ex again, visiting the past was a bad idea. This wasn’t the time, not when Leo was restless and bored. His heart couldn’t take a rejection from Andre. There were other men, lots of men, and he’d had his share of quite a few of them. With his schedule it had become impossible to form any long-term commitment. Or at least that was what he told himself.

A big, fat lie.

He’d never met anyone who made him feel the way he’d felt for the violinist.

Leo kissed his fingers and pressed them to Andre’s lips. “Good-bye, Princess.” Andre hated that pet name, but Leo loved using the endearment. Andre had been born into wealth and privilege, and his family had expected great things from him. “You proved them right, didn’t you?”

Before Leo changed his mind, he hurried away, dismissing the memories of a love lost to his ambition.

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Meet Viki Lyn:

Multi-published and award winner, Viki Lyn is a successful writer of gay paranormal and contemporary romance. After reading and collecting whatever she could get her hands on, she wrote her first male/male romance. And that was ‘it’ for her. She never looked back. Viki travels the world in search of inspiration. She considers herself blessed to have traveled to many of the mystical sites she had dreamed about as a child. Her travel experiences have been influential in creating her paranormal worlds. When she needs to relax, she calls a friend to meet at their favorite coffee house. When the chattering in her head goes off the charts, she plays one of her favorite RPGs on her PS4 and immerses herself in the world of dragons and magic.

Where to find Viki Lyn:

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/vikilynromance
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/vikilynromance
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/vikilynromance

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: An ebook of Lover’s Trill or a book from my backlist and a $10 Amazon GC. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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

Final


Tour Dates & Stops:

1-Sep Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

1-Sep The Jena Wade

2-Sep Bayou Book Junkie

2-Sep Molly Lolly

2-Sep Inked Rainbow Reads

3-Sep MM Good Book Reviews

3-Sep BFD Book Blog

4-Sep Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

7-Sep Divine Magazine

7-Sep Mikky’s World of Books

7-Sep Love Bytes

WillPride

Cover Reveal for Unbreak Broken (Coming About#3) by J.K. Hogan (cover reveal, excerpt and contest)

CRUnbreakBroken_Final

Unbreak Broken (Coming About#3) by J.K. Hogan
Release Date: September 16, 2015

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Wild City Press
Cover Artist: J.K. Hogan (KHD Graphics)

UnbreakBroken_Final

Blurb

Rory Donovan’s life is a hot mess. His marriage is failing and he’s in intensive psychotherapy, working through the unfortunate side effects of memories from a childhood trauma. The only thing good in his life right now is his job—teaching photography to gifted high school students.

Harbor Patrol officer Bennett Foster is co-parenting his teenage daughter with his high school best friend Jessie. When he meets Addison’s teacher and realizes they’ve met before, he can’t get the sexy stranger out of his head.

Striking up a sexual-tension-filled friendship, together they must help an angsty teenager deal with a dying friend. Bennett must keep his little family from falling apart while Rory struggles to come to terms with his new reality. Somewhere along the way, most unexpectedly…love happens.

Pages or Words: 98,000 words
Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt:

Dr. Conlan treated me to a rare fond smile, almost motherly in its warmth. “I’m pleased to see you happier than you have been.”

I grinned back, but then my brow furrowed. “Does this make me gay?”

“Does that matter?”

“I don’t know. Should it?”

“I’ll never understand the fascination with labeling things that our society seems to have. To me, sexuality is as intangible as the universe. There’s no way to truly know what’s out there, and how it all relates to everything else.

“As humans, we seek to know, to understand, and somehow we feel that putting things in boxes and labeling helps us do that. But some things are fluid, changing and developing with the tide of the evolution of life. Do me a favor, Rory. Don’t put yourself in a box.”

I was dumbfounded, stunned speechless. I knew I’d remember Dr. Conlan’s words for the rest of my life, and I would try to stay as true to them as I could. “I won’t,” I whispered.

Buy the book Wilde City Press

BannerTemplate

Meet J.K. Hogan

J.K. Hogan has been telling stories for as long as she can remember, beginning with writing cast lists and storylines for her toys growing up. When she finally decided to put pen to paper, magic happened. She is greatly inspired by all kinds of music and often creates a “soundtrack” for her stories as she writes them. J.K. is hoping to one day have a little something for everyone, so she’s branched out from m/f paranormal romance and added m/m contemporary romance. Who knows what’s next?

J.K. resides in North Carolina, where she was born and raised. A true southern girl at heart, she lives in the country with her husband and young son, a cat, and two champion agility dogs. If she isn’t on the agility field, J.K. can often be found chasing waterfalls in the mountains with her husband, or down in front at a blues concert. In addition to writing, she enjoys training and competing in dog sports, spending time with her large southern family, camping, boating and, of course, reading! For more information, please visit http://www.jkhogan.com.

Where to find J.K. Hogan:
Facebook Author Page: http://www.facebook.com/OfficialJKHogan
Twitter: http://twitter.com/JK_Hogan
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/jkhoganbooks/
Other: http://www.goodreads.com/jkhogan
Other: http://instagram.com/jkhoganbooks
Other: http://jkhogan.com/blog/


Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, Bike Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Molly Lolly, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bayou Book Junkie, My Fiction Nook, Inked Rainbow Reads, Divine Magazine, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Three Books Over the Rainbow, Lee Brazil, MM Good Book Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Happily Ever Chapter, Carly’s Book Reviews, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-book copy of ‘Unbreak Broken’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
//widget-prime.rafflecopter.com/launch.js

 

WillPride