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For The Trevor Project: Finding Love: Box Set of M/M Stories That Celebrate Pride

Finding Love book cover

Celebrate  Pride with the Gift of Giving

Finding Love: a box set of M/M Stores That Celebrate Pride is up, available, and helping to raise funds for The Trevor Project!

Finding Love: Box Set of M/M Stories That Celebrate Pride
Participating Authors:  Jamie Lynn Miller, T.K. Paige, M. LeAnne Phoenix, Carly Rose, D.C. Williams
Publications Dates: June 8, 2015 – September 30, 2015

BUY LINKS: Amazon US Amazon UK (Coming soon to ARe and in Print)
Goodreads Book Page
Cover artist: Dakota Trace

Finding Love book coverBook Details:

ebook, 277 pages
Published June 8th 2015 by Purple Rainbow Book Services
ASINB00ZAM87IK
edition languageEnglish
GENRES INCLUDE: Gay (M/M), Romance, Contemporary, New Adult, Fantasy

Giveaway
RAFFLECOPTER: June 12th – June 30th

a Rafflecopter giveaway  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter  Links provided by the authors as are the prizes.

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/14d4e2e979/
BLOG TOUR PAGE:   Follow the tour for additional excerpts and chances to win.

 

5 Authors – 5 Stories – 1 Charity

Available for purchase through September 2015, Finding Love is a limited edition box set of brand new, full length, stand-alone M/M romance stories that share the theme of celebrating pride.

The authors banded together with the goal of raising funds for The Trevor Project and the proceeds are being donated to help support their efforts to provide life-saving and life-affirming services to LGBTQ youth.

His Fragile Heart by Jamie Lynn Miller
Do you believe in the power of love, even after death? After losing his lover in a car accident two years ago, actor Nathan Marshall wasn’t interested in another relationship. Until he meets waiter Justin Kowalski. Something about him seems so familiar that Nathan is instantly drawn to the younger man. Surprised at his capacity to love again, his relationship with Justin blossoms. But then an unbelievable truth is revealed – one that could break both their hearts for good.

Through New Eyes by T.K. Paige
Roommates Jed and Doyle have been best friends since meeting in college. Now that they’ve graduated and are starting new jobs they have no intentions of letting that change anything. Doyle is everything Jed isn’t, smart, cute and active at the LGTB center. Jed has always looked out for his friend and been there for him. They have plans and an amazing relationship, everything planned out to the smallest degree. Any changes could make it all go off the rails. So why can’t Jed get over how annoying he finds Doyle’s ex turned friend, who seems to be around way too often? Why can’t he stop noticing Doyle in new ways? If Jed doesn’t take a risk, he could miss what’s been there all along.

Iridescent (An Angels All Fire Series Short) by M. LeAnne Phoenix
Best friends, trusted confidants, partners in crime— call it what you like, Phai and Jen have been two halves of a whole ever since they met just over five years ago. The trouble is, that while Phai is falling more in love with his best friend every day, Jensen Whitfield seems content to call him brother. Hephaistion Amyntoros has faced many challenges during his long, long life, but the idea of confessing his heart’s desire to Jen and discovering that he doesn’t feel the same, terrifies him… but what happens if he does share his feelings? When the whole of Phai’s past rages into blistering life, ready to consume the very sun, Phai must focus on getting them out alive. Will they emerge from the fire intact or will the love in his life burn like a supernova once more?

Unexpectedly Lucky (The Bradford Boys, Book 1) by Carly Rose
Lincoln and Ryan have been best friends since the fifth grade. Their friendship has always been effortless, but a single night of passion threatens to change everything. Will the emotional fallout drive them apart or will they be lucky enough to find love unexpectedly?

What the Heart Wants by D.C. Williams
Will has just graduated from high school and is struggling with coming out. A surreptitious visit to NYC Pride brings Kev into his life. Will is immediately attracted to Kev, but they’re separated by a huge age difference, and Will is still coming to terms with himself. Their friendship grows over the course of a year, but can it become more?

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Excerpt from His Fragile Heart by Jamie Lynn Miller

“Nate? Everything okay?” Justin called out.

Nathan sighed as he gingerly picked up the ruined popcorn package and dropped it in the trash. “Great,” he muttered, then louder, “Um, yeah, everything’s fine.”

With a sigh he opened the refrigerator and freezer, looking for something else suitable to eat while watching a movie, and nodded when he saw the half gallon of rocky road ice cream.

Walking toward the living room, Nathan stuck his head around the kitchen wall. “Hey, how ‘bout ice cream instead?” he asked, seeing Justin standing in front of one of his bookcases, staring at one of the shelves.

When Justin didn’t answer or turn to look at him, Nathan walked into the living room. “Justin? You want ice cream instead?” he asked again, coming to a stop next to Justin.

Justin slowly turned his head toward Nathan, and Nathan immediately noticed how pale Justin suddenly looked.

“Hey, are you all right?” he asked, concerned, putting a hand on Justin’s upper arm.

Nathan saw Justin visibly swallow. “Who – who is this? In the picture with you?” Justin asked in a tight, strained voice, pointing at a framed photograph on the bookshelf.

Nathan turned to look, and saw himself and Mark, the blond haired man standing behind Nathan, arms wrapped around him, matching smiles on both their faces.

And suddenly Nathan didn’t have to wonder any longer how to broach the subject of Mark with Justin.

With a sad smile Nathan took the photo down and rubbed his thumb over it, remembering the day it was taken, the day they both arrived in California.

“This is Mark,” Nathan started, voice quiet. “We met when we were both twenty-one, waiting tables in Dallas, each of us with our own dream of making it to California. I wanted to be an actor and Mark a screenplay writer.” Nathan paused and smiled softly.

“We fell in love, and about a year later made it out here. We were together for four years. And then—” Nathan took a shaky breath. “And then two years ago we were in a car accident. I made it out with some broken bones, but Mark was killed.”

Nathan looked away from the photo and up at Justin as he finished his story, and Justin looked even worse than before, visibly shaken, his eyes bright with moisture. But before Nathan could say anything, Justin was backing away from him, turning quickly, his movements jerky, agitated in a way Nathan had never seen him.

“I’ve gotta go,” Justin suddenly said, voice rough, heading for the door.

“What? Why? Justin, what’s wrong?”

The words tumbled out of Justin’s mouth, tripping over one another. “I just – I just remembered that I’m supposed to be covering someone’s shift at the restaurant tonight. I’ve gotta go.”

Justin was moving fast, out of the living room and to the front door by the time Nathan set the picture frame back on the bookshelf.

“Justin, slow down!” he called out as Justin threw open the door.

“I can’t. I’m sorry, I can’t,” Justin called back, voice breaking, not looking at Nathan as he practically ran for his car, parked at the curb.

It was as if Justin couldn’t get away from Nathan fast enough, his motions nearly frantic as he tore open the car door and sped off down the street, leaving Nathan staring after his taillights, wondering what had just happened.

About The Trevor Project

Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.

The life-saving, life-affirming work of The Trevor Project springs from the powerful intersection of storytelling on stage and film.

In 1994, producers Randy Stone and Peggy Rajski saw writer/performer James Lecesne bring to life Trevor, a character he created as part of his award-winning one-man show WORD OF MOUTH. Convinced Trevor’s story would make a wonderful short film, Stone and Rajski invited Lecesne to adapt it into a screenplay. Rajski directed the movie and TREVOR went on to win many prestigious awards including the Academy Award® for Best Live Action Short Film.

The Oscar-winning film eventually launched a national movement. When producer Randy Stone secured an airing on HBO with Ellen DeGeneres hosting, director/producer Peggy Rajski discovered there was no real place for young people like Trevor to turn when facing challenges similar to his. She quickly recruited mental health experts and figured out how to build the infrastructure necessary for a nationwide 24-hour crisis line, and writer James Lecesne secured the funds to start it. On the night their funny and moving coming-of-age story premiered on HBO in 1998, these visionary filmmakers launched the Trevor Lifeline, the first national crisis intervention and suicide prevention lifeline for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning youth.

Since then, hundreds of thousands of young people in crisis have reached out to The Trevor Project’s multiple in-person and online life-saving, life-affirming resources–Trevor Lifeline, TrevorChat, TrevorSpace and Trevor Education Workshops.

The Trevor Project is the premier organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to LGBTQ teens and young adults.

The Trevor Project icon

Watch ‘Trevor’ on YouTube, find it on Facebook and listen to Sir Ian McKellan’s impassioned plea for our youth here
(20 minutes)
AUTHOR PROFILES:

Jamie Lynn Miller has been writing fiction since childhood and decided to take the plunge and go pro in 2008, finding to her amazement that people truly enjoyed her love stories. She’s a romantic at heart, and her tales reflect the desire we all have to find “the one,” persevering through trials and heartache for that happy ending.

Jamie has a degree in fine arts and has spent the last twenty years working as a graphic designer, though she’d much rather be writing. She was born in Chicago and still lives there today with her husband and their two furry, four-footed children, er… cats.

If she’s not brainstorming story ideas, you can find Jamie at a sci-fi convention, in front of a furnace doing glass blowing, or on a mat twisted into a yoga pose.
Website – Facebook

T.K. Paige picked up her first book to read around the age of four and hasn’t stopped since. She discovered the M/M genre in August of 2012 and an addict was hooked.

If you see her and she is not reading, then she is thinking about the books that live in her head. It doesn’t matter what else she is doing, it is guaranteed half her brain has a plot running through it.
A stay at home mom for more years than she would like to think about, she is lucky enough to be married to a wonderful guy who encouraged her to write throughout their years together.

Then when she finally did it and she told him what she was writing, he turned only slightly green and asked “Do I have to read it?” Apparently, he had dreams of her being the next Urban Fantasy sensation with her taste in movies.
Website – Facebook – Tumblr

M. LeAnne Phoenix would tell you that the worst time of her life was the two years that she attempted to take off from writing. If you asked her to explain exactly why she did such a thing, you would most likely get the mad attempt to arch an eyebrow like her dad and then a shake of the head as she told you it was unlucky to speak of such things. Suffice it to say, it will never happen again!

Born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas in the mid-1970’s, Ms. Phoenix was young and wild (and even free!) during the crazy wondrous decade known as the 1980’s and the even crazier but now grungy decade of the 1990’s. Music is second only to the muses that live and breathe to fill her mind with beautiful men, and music always helps them to tell their stories. She is never without her iPod or her computer no matter where she goes, although, she does like to hike and take pictures of the sky and the moon, and even the occasional shot of the sun through the branches of a tree.

An avid cat lover, Ms. Phoenix has been owned by many throughout her life, though her current owner is one Lily-Rose, who really would like for her to step away from the keyboard and pay her some attention! After all, hasn’t she earned it?
Website – Facebook – Twitter

Carly Rose was named after her grandmother, an accomplished poet, and a character her mom met in a romance novel while awaiting her birth, I guess you could say that writing has always been in her blood.

As a child her parents used to threaten to take away her books and make her play outside when she wasn’t getting her chores done. Now she’s all grown up and her roles as wife, mother of two, and part-time nurse keep her hopping. As a blogger, book reviewer, freelance editor, and author, she still manage to spend time each day with her nose in a book.

She’s a student of life who’s always looking for new opportunities to learn and discovered early on that the love of family, friends and a positive attitude are all you really need. A free spirited motorcycle enthusiast who loves butterflies, dancing in the rain, and believes that everything is better in purple, she love to hear from reader so stop by and say “hi” anytime!
Website – Facebook – Twitter – Book Review Blog

D.C. Williams is a funny little middle aged woman who mostly lives in Pennsylvania and writes romance novels you wouldn’t expect.
Website

Its A Quick Stop for Love with Jeff Ermo’s Speedy Rewards (tour and giveaway)

speedy-640

Synopsis

Phil Mitchell pours his heart and soul into his job as manager of Speedy Mart, a local convenience store. He loves his work and he loves his fellow employees, but when it comes to his personal life, Phil is lonely and depressed and still pining for his long-departed ex.

He embarks upon the week from hell where anything that can go wrong does. It begins with a truck crashing into his outdoor sign and only goes downhill from there.

Add an asshole homophobic boss hell bent on seeing him fired and Phil realizes he needs to put into place a plan to save himself and his job.

First step in his planÖ do something about his love life.

SpeedyRewards-smallpreview

Meanwhile, Ezra, one of Phil’s team members, is dealing with his own roller coaster ride of a week.

As is Brandon, the local cop…

And Mark, the homophobic boss…

Perhaps, with a littleÖ luck, the next week will be better.

Buy Links

Don’t miss the 1 Year Anniversary 40% off Sale on Wayward Inkís Publishingís site!

Book trailer

Giveaway

Prizes: $20 WIP Gift Card, $10 WIP Gift Card, ebook copy of Speedy Rewards.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Eyes on Books Promotions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

JEFF ERNO began writing LGBT fiction in the late 1990s. Although an avid reader and amateur writer from a very young age, Jeff pursued a career as a retail store manager in Northern Michigan. When his first gay-themed novel was published, he was shocked that anyone would even want to read it. So far, he’s published over thirty novels. Jeff lives in Southern Michigan, where he works part time at a convenience store.

Jeff’s writing credits include a variety of themes and sub-genres including male romance, Young Adult, Science Fiction, erotica, and BDSM. He is the winner of a 2012 Rainbow Award and an Honorable Mention in 2011. His style is unpretentious and focused upon emotionally-driven, character-based stories that touch the heart. Jeff is especially passionate about young adult literature and combating teen bullying and youth suicide.

Gorgeous Covers to the Gorgeous Men Inside – Check Out Dragon and Crow(Deluxe 2 Vol. Set) by Alex A. Akira! (guest post and giveaway)

  • D-&-C-BLOG-TOUR-BANNER-TEST

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is delighted to host author Alex A. Akira today.  The author’s guest post on Yaoi, M/M romance and the History of the Bishounen is sure to be a highlight of the month.

DRAGON-&-CROW--2-VOLUME-400X600-BOOK-COVER-T

Guest Post by Author Alex A Akira

YAOI, M/M ROMANCE AND THE HISTORY OF THE BISHOUNEN

While researching my yaoi romance novel, Dojo Boys: Dragon & Crow, I was as astounded at the depth of history relating to romanticized sex between males, which led to Japan’s current yaoi empire. I was also struck by how the development of yaoi and male-male romance in the East and West appeared to reflect the liberation of women in both cultures. What is now a rapidly growing group of females who read, write and relish in romantic tales of homoerotic sex between men, may in fact have started as women’s quiet rebellion against each society’s antiquated ideals of females. The Japanese history of the bishōunen and of romanticized sex between men who are not necessarily homosexual is vast and during the five- week blog hop of Dojo Boys: Dragon and Crow, I’ll be sharing some of what I learned through a series of posts. I hope you’ll join me on this fascinating journey.

PART SEVEN: THE ROUGHNECK AND THE SMOOTHIE:

In my last post I wrote of how the collapse of the Japanese feudal system and the influence of the West drove Japan’s ambition for modernization, resulting in the Meiji Restoration. The new government’s reforms to adopt the West’s “morality and civilization” ideal, set out to modify a ten-century long tradition in which male-male eroticism was not only acceptable, but was thought of as a virtuous masculine pursuit. Social class may had been legally abolished, but regional and political views still differed as each citizen sought to find their place in this new Japan. By the 1870’s education, especially that of post-primary school students became the topic of much public discourse. As symbols of the new Japan and its future inheritors, male students in particular became the focus for much discussion and male-male sexuality proved to be a key topic of such dialogue.
As the general populace fought to find its place in new Japan, the new dichotomy of male sexuality fought itself out in the schools. With standardized education an integral part of the Meiji government’s “Westernization” process, close relationships between seniors and juniors at schools, military academies and universities began to develop. School dormitory systems that housed younger and older boys together coupled with the still-fresh remnants of the samurai bushidō code created a lively reinvigoration of same sex practice. While school authorities did not endorse the practice of senior students storming the freshmen sleeping quarters after lights out, the punishments for those caught were not harsh. Older students would generally have two to three younger students as lovers and offered their “guidance and protection” for the duration of the sexual relationship.

By the 1880’s male students were divided into two classifications of masculinity: the nanpa or “smoothies”, boys interested in fashion and women, and the koha or “roughnecks”, male students who idolized military figures, liked sports and rejected women under the credo that association with females endangered one’s masculinity. These two styles of masculinity encompassed all aspects of each sector’s behavior including apparel, mannerism, past-times and speech. Smoothies tried to over win women by dandifying themselves, wearing kimonos and white socks, and personified the new intellectual elite. Roughnecks wore coarse garments, rolled up their sleeves and tended to swagger in an overt declaration of masculinity that emulated the samurai ideal… and they pursued bishounen students.

The bishounen or beautiful boy was still viewed as the objectified beautiful boy, neither male nor female; simply a symbol of the idyllic beauty and the student body accepted that as such he would be pursued. In truth, in the early fight for the new vision of masculinity within Japanese schools, the entire student body acknowledged that the koha displayed the proper attitude of masculinity. As the nanpa with the help of social reforms, began to gain ground as the new face of masculinity, regional prejudice came into effect with allusions that most roughnecks were from the southwestern regions. The Satsuma domain, (Kagoshima) the province of the Satsuma Rebellion (1877) was one such region, and bigotry about the Satsuma populace reared its ugly head as aggression against powerful Satsuma government officials grew. The Satsuma Rebellion deserves its own post, but for the purposes of this post: Saigō Takamori was the leader of this “last” attempt to find a place for the unemployed samurai in Japan’s new civilization; the movie, The Last Samurai, is loosely based on his story.

But another powerful work came from the Satsuma region in the form of the book Shizu no odamaki (The Humble Man’s Bobbin). This romantic tale details the story of two 16th-century warriors, one younger, one older, who fall in love and engage in nanshoku (eroticism between adolescent and adult males). In the story their romantic bond provides them the will to heroically wage battle after battle until they die in each other’s arms in a great final rebellion. The contents of Shizu no odamaki illustrate the proper way of engaging nanshoku according to the samurai code of conduct, and swiftly became a cult favorite for roughnecks and others who were slow to let go of the samurai honored traditions. No one is certain who penned what came to be a rare treasure that pays homage to Japan’s practice of nanshoku, but it is rumored that it’s author may have been a female. Here’s a lovely bit of this early BL tale that soothed a nation on the rise:

“As the shadows lengthened, the night sky was bathed in a gentle rainstorm and the air perfumed with the fragrance of spring flowers. No longer able to restrain himself, Daizō clasped Sangorō’s sleeve, As raindrops pattered outside the window, Daizō pledged his love anew with each caress of Sangorō’s snow white skin”

With their avid pursuit of young bishounen the roughnecks became the subject of much attention and brought a new interpretation to the practice of shudō. Same-sex fever swept through the schools and into the cities and writers of the period seized upon the exploits of roughnecks to captivate their readership. Turn of the century newspapers provide numerous stories of gangs of roughnecks and teenage juvenile delinquents prowling the streets of Tokyo seeking out bishounen, preferably from upper class families to abduct and rape. Roughneck fights and showdowns were attributed to rivalries over beautiful boys. Sensationalistic accounts of student misbehavior served to confirm existing anxieties over the period’s youth culture, but also amplified them. Young bishounen were taught stay home after dusk and a warning whistle system was implemented; upon hearing a whistle a few streets away, bishounen would rush to find safety. Moral panic erupted when the roughneck’s gang behavior appeared to have a vampire affect; once indoctrinated into an organization, the new recruit would set out to ensnare his own beautiful prey. By late 19th- and early 20th-century scandal-rags reported nearly weekly on sensationalized stories of attempted kidnappings, gang fights and other crimes all laid at the feet of adolescent nanshoku-enthusiasts, whipping up a decades-long moral panic.

Join me in my next post ARE WE NOT MEN? Where I reveal the quelling of the panic and the rise of the bishounen with the publishing of propaganda fiction, forerunner to modern Boys Love.

Tour schedule – see below.

Alex A. Akira is the author of the yaoi romance series Dojo Boys, racy tales of young, male martial artists navigating some unorthodox and adventurous paths to find love. The prequel of the e-book series, The First Misunderstanding and the first two-volume box set of Dragon and Crow are available at Amazon:

  • DOJO BOYS: THE FIRST MISUNDERSTANDING
  • DOJO BOYS: DRAGON AND CROW

 

About Dragon and Crow

Title: Dragon and Crow – Deluxe 2 Volume Set
Series: Dojo Boys
Author: Alex A Akira
Publisher: Triple A Press
Cover Artist: Alex A Akira
Length: Volume 1 – 275 Pages; Volume 2 – 390 Pages
Release Date: 25th May, 2015

Blurb: Twenty-three-year-old, Native American, Michael Black’s well-ordered life is disrupted one evening when he is ambushed at the dojo he frequents by a mysterious Japanese youth who goes by the name of Kiyoshi.

Soon circumstances have the gorgeous teen staying with Michael at his apartment. The gifted nineteen-year-old is an intriguing mix of angst, innocence and crafty intelligence, but Michael is honor bound by a promise to his sensei to keep his distance. Michael tries to keep his desire in check, but what can he do if the exquisite teen keeps kissing him?

Volume two finds Michael in deep water when, in trying to help Kiyoshi, he is persuaded by his sensei to participate in a joint government undercover operation to bring down a Yakuza lord.

Before long Michael is immersed in beautiful men, martial arts and espionage all to gain the trust and love of Kiyoshi. Secrets, lies, sex and action combine in this racy, romantic, adventure of two men, Michael Black and his sensei, Ichiro Kimura, navigating a dangerous path for true love.

Excerpt

D-&-C-VOL-1-800X1200-COVERMichael groped for the light switch, a smile of triumph playing at his lips. Damn, I did it! I beat him! Flicking the switch, he turned, eager to view his skilled opponent and to bask in the accolades that he was sure to receive from Sensei Kimura.

His triumph descended to dismay in a flash. Who the hell is this?

A slight figure lay crumpled at the center of the practice room. Cautiously approaching the limp form, Michael’s heart sank even further. Lying unconscious on the gleaming bamboo floor was a Japanese boy. He looked to be about five-foot-seven, was very pale, and quite young.

“A kid? I beat up a kid?” Quickening his pace, Michael knelt beside the slim figure. Jesus, he’s like fourteen, fifteen? Beautiful. He looks like Ichiro. Better, actually, Michael admitted, surprised at his internal betrayal of his long-held crush on his sensei. He continued to stare down at the slight, fragile boy, eyeing the long blue-black hair that trailed sensuously around the figure’s unfamiliar gray karategi.

Who the hell is he? Why would they have me beat up a kid for my test? Puzzled, he glanced around the room, noting that he and the boy were alone. Ignoring his impending alarm, he gazed back to the unconscious figure.

D&C-VOL-2-800X1200-COVERThe youth’s face was truly beautiful. Michael’s inner artist drank in the smooth, pearly skin, the long, sooty lashes, and the pale apricot color blushed across the boy’s delicate cheekbones. God… An aching hunger preceded the lurch of Michael’s cock, which nudged his lower abdomen telegraphing its interest. Get it together. He’s like … twelve! Suddenly realizing that the boy showed no sign of regaining consciousness, Michael snapped from his trance and shook his opponent’s shoulder.

“Hey!” He leaned over the placid body, hand stretching toward the longish neck for a pulse. The telltale thump throbbed beneath his fingers, but his proximity to the boy’s face had him pausing to stare at the youth’s sculpted lips. Christ, get away from him before you do something you’ll regret. Frowning, he started to shift upright when a relentless grip clutched his hair.

Caught off guard, Michael fumbled helplessly as his head was tugged abruptly toward the face beneath him. The beautiful mouth claimed his lips, stealing his breath and muffling his gasp as a hot tongue invaded his mouth. The agile member eagerly caressed its counterpart, igniting Michael’s senses. The tantalizing scent of ripe apricots surrounded him, dizzying him with sensual promises, and urging him to surrender.

 

Buy Links

Amazon

About the Author

Alex A. Akira is the author of the yaoi romance series Dojo Boys, racy tales of young, male martial artists navigating some unorthodox and adventurous paths to find love. The Deluxe two-volume box set of Dojo Boys: Dragon and Crow are available at Amazon:

Author Links –

 

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Three Winners get $25 Amazon Gift Card each.

Seven Runners-up get a free e-copy of the prequel to this series – DOJO BOYS: The First Misunderstanding.

Enter the Rafflecopter NOW.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Creative Minds Promotions.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Tour Schedule

A MelanieM Review: Scent of the Heart (Shifting Needs #2) by Parker Williams

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

Scent-400x600 2Casey Scott grew up being told he’d never amount to anything, and despite the unwavering love and support from his best friend, Jake, the idea sticks in the back of Casey’s mind. When he discovers he has a unique destiny in an enclave where shifters and humans live together, he seizes the chance, wanting for once in his life to be someone special.

Tsvetok Yerokhin lost his parents to the evil ruler of the enclave when he was a boy. The responsibilities of raising his two younger brothers nearly overwhelmed him and self- doubt took over. When the new Alpha and his Protector arrive in time to save his life, Sev is grateful, but he’s even more shocked when he scents his mate with them.

Casey isn’t prepared for the feelings that sweep over him when he meets Sev, but he refuses to act on them because he’s straight. Still, there is something so alluring about Sev that Casey can’t help being drawn to him.

As the two explore the edges of their new discovery, an evil returns, determined to control the enclave or destroy it. The Alpha and Protector are powerless to stop it, but Casey holds the key to victory. If he can discover what it is, he has a chance to save them all. To be the hero.

Unfortunately, the hero has to be willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, and for Casey that means losing his heart.

Ever fallen in love with a secondary character?  Maybe two?  That happened for me in the first story of this series, Protector of the Alpha.  It was there that I met Casey Scott, best friend of Jake Davis. Casey ends up getting pulled into the drama and heartbreak that surrounds his friend and Jake’s mate, Zak.  The most human and confused of the three, he was the character who came across as the most accessible and vulnerable.  A secondary character, Casey grew in strength and depth until by the end of the story, he was their equal.

Except in accessibility. In that area, he continued to surpass them just because he was the most human.

Especially at the end, where it seemed he was the unlikely target of the ire of a skunk, one who repeatedly sprayed him to the others endless amusement.   Why was Casey the one who got “skunked”?  The last paragraph supplied only part of the  answer.  This book does the rest.  Who knew a skunk shifter could be so endearing?  Apparently Parker Williams, that’s who.

With Scent of the Heart, Parker Williams continues to build his isolated shifter universe in Alaska, filling in more of its past history and current status with its village inhabitants.  And for the most part, its a universe still on shaky ground.  Once the false Protector took over, the place became the site of torture, depravation, and constant terror for most of those who lived under his rule.  What that means exactly dribbles out in horrific details that surface throughout this story.  It cements Elizar and his wolf enforcer Kell as evils that must be defeated at all possible cost and highlights just how desperate and essential it is  that they, Jake, Zake, Casey and Hakim succeed in overthrowing him.

We bought into their mission and into these marvelous characters first, and now we see what has happened after they think they have achieved their goals.  Pretty realistically, some things are working out great, others not so much.  All three have resigned themselves to staying in Alaska.  For the most past, they like their lives and have shouldered their responsibilities but Casey is missing a relationship of his alone.  That answer to the hole in his heart is an endearing skunk shifter, Tsvetok Yerokhin aka Sev.  Sev matches Casey in his vulnerability and engaging personality.  But his past is full of pain and loss, just as Casey’s is, but in a vastly different way.  That comes into focus when it becomes apparent that he is the guardian of his two younger brothers and had had to do things he is not proud of in order to keep them alive.

As if its not enough for them to adjust to all the changes going on in their lives, it turns out that they are mated, shocking when neither has been attracted to men before.  This book is all about changes, fundamental upheavels in outlook and status that both characters must undergo and adjust to if both are to survive.  It’s a dramatic and heart-stopping journey and I loved every bit of it.  Parker Williams has made us care deeply about these men and the village they live in.  Our hearts are as engaged as Casey and Sev’s in their journey to love and HEA, a path fraught with peril and even death.

And its not over yet.  The end, of course, brings another intriguing (if foreseen) element and the jumping off point for the next story in the series.  Its delicious and frustrating because it will make you want that story now…and it’s not even written.

Until I  get my hands on that next story, I recommend that you pick up and settle into reading the first two books in Parker Williams’ Shifting Needs series.  It has romance and so many different types of shifters to love along with drama, hot sex and endearing characters you can’t get enough of.  Now if only that third book would magically appear…

Cover art by Laura Harner.  I like the woods element but the design is different enough from the first story that it doesn’t exactly pull them together. Only the framing of the title serves to brand the series, not the graphic.

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

Book Details:

ebook
Published June 15th 2015 by Smashwords Edition
ISBN139781941841204
seriesShifting Needs #2

Shifting Needs Series in the order they were written and should be read:

 

Can A Broken Man Be Fixed by Love? Find out in Pure Innocence by Victoria Sue (author interview,excerpt and giveaway)

Pure Take 3a

Pure Innocence (Pure #3) by Victoria Sue
Release Date: June 6, 2015

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Goodreads Link
Publisher: Dark Hollows Press
Cover Artist: 3 Rusted Spoons

Sales Links:  Amazon – All Romance (ARe) – DHPress – Smashwords – Bookstrand

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing (Victoria) author of (Pure – Innocence)

Hi (Victoria), thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

• Why do you write? Because I never won the lottery! No, seriously – I started on a dare just over a year ago.

• Which of your books was the most difficult to write? The last one – Innocence. And I know you’re going to ask me why – it’s because they caught the bad guy in the last book. No one was getting kidnapped, stalked, tortured or murdered. This one is all about a man trying to heal. I felt that was a gamble.

• Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special? Damon just turns his well-ordered life on his head for a damaged sub that had no one else to help him heal.

• How much research do you do for your books? Quite a bit. I’m currently writing a werewolf (MMMM) story. Unfortunately, I haven’t found one werewolf to interview, never mind four!

• Who designs your covers? An amazing lady called Eden, from 3 Rusted Spoons. You will find her on Face Book

Pure Innocence Blurb:

They’d finally caught the madman who had been kidnapping, torturing and murdering submissives. Damon had knelt in that warehouse, clutching Oliver, the boy barely alive, and somehow in the weeks that followed Damon never seemed to be able to let him go.

Oliver is broken, in body, mind, and spirit. And for the first time since he brought him home from the hospital, Damon starts to question himself. Is he going to be enough for Oliver? If he can somehow find all the pieces of Oliver’s broken soul, will he be able to mend them? Or have the horrors that ripped through Oliver left too many holes for Damon to repair? And finally, if he tries and fails to put Oliver back together, will Damon be able to stop his own heart from shattering in the process?
Pages or Words: 48,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, BDSM (though only mentioned due to background. There is no direct BDSM in this book.)

Series should be read in order. Book two should definitely be read to understand book three.

An Excerpt from Pure Innocence…

Oliver hadn’t realized he was crying when Damon came back, until Damon wiped his face with his finger. He gulped a breath.

“Sorry. I’m sorry.”

“What for now?”

“I can leave. They’ve taken the bandages off now. I’ll—”

Damon shook his head. “We need to go over this again, boy, don’t we?”

Oliver raised his face. “You call me that, but I’m not, am I?”

Damon tilted his head. “Do you want to be?”

Oliver mumbled and glanced down again. Damon held his chin. “Oliver, look at me please.” Oliver raised his eyes to those warm grey ones. “Do you want to be my boy?”

Oliver nodded, then shook his head. “I’m broken. I could never be anyone’s boy. And I can’t be hurt.” Oliver lifted his chin as he spoke those bald, bare words. He stripped them of every emotion. Damon had to understand. If he was going to throw him away, it was better sooner than later. “Ever. I can’t be hurt ever again.”

Damon stood up and took two strides to the window. He turned his back and Oliver shrank. It was coming, he’d finally tipped him over the edge. His heart, so fragile for so long, was going to finally break in two. Oliver looked wildly around the room. He had to get out of here.

“Apart from being too slow to catch the bastard that did this, what did I ever do wrong to you?” Damon sounded so hurt.

Oliver’s mouth dropped as his mind crowded with Damon’s words. Bewildered, he shook his head. “You didn’t do anything to me.”

Damon turned. “Then why would you just insult me by thinking for one second I would imagine you to be in any head space where you would think either I would hurt you, or that you would find it pleasurable? Or worse, that I would?” Damon’s grey eyes flashed in anger. “I have repeatedly told you why you are here, boy. I do not lie, unless it’s a cover story I have to make up for my job. I haven’t lied to you since I untied you from that cross. Either you decide, right now, you can trust me, or I will arrange for the doctors to transfer you to a private nursing home. You will receive excellent professional care and it won’t cost you a penny. You will still be visited by the same people you would have been visited by before.” Damon’s mouth twisted on the last words. “I am sorry, Oliver. I have failed you again. I don’t know any other way of making you feel safe.”

Before Oliver could even think of a reply, in four strides, Damon was out of the bedroom and had closed the door behind him.

 

About the author:

MM Love stories – because the only thing better than one hot guy is two of them.

Has loved books for as long as she can remember. Books were always what pocket money went on and what usually Father Christmas brought. When she ran out of her kids’ adventure stories, she would go raid her mom’s. By the age of eight she was devouring classics like Little Women, and fell in love with love stories.

She’s still in love with them. Any size, any shape, any creature – love is love, no matter what it says on the box.
In fact if they don’t fit very neatly into any box she loves them even more!

She has a very patient husband and three wonderful children. In 2010 in search of adventure they all moved from the UK to the US and are happily settled in Florida. Finally, after reading love stories for so long, she decided to write her own.
Where to find the author:

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/victoriasueauthor
Twitter: @vickysuewrites
Other: http://www.victoriasue.com

Giveaway

Giveaway: Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions. Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copies of all three books in the series.

Rafflecopter Code:
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Tour Dates & Stops: June 15 – June 26, 2015
15-Jun
Parker Williams
16-Jun
Love Bytes
Amanda C. Stone
MM Good Book Reviews
17-Jun
Havan Fellows
18-Jun
Hearts on Fire
Mikky’s World of Books
BFD Book Blog
19-Jun
Inked Rainbow Reads
Happily Ever Chapter
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
22-Jun
Divine Magazine
23-Jun
Rainbow Gold Reviews
24-Jun
Molly Lolly
25-Jun
Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My
Kimi-Chan
26-Jun
Bayou Book Junkie

 

A Sammy Review: In the Shadow of a Hero by Anna Mayle

Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5

“How much is a kiss worth? Or a hopeless relationship?”

Nick shook his head. “With the right person, it would be worth everything.”

In the Shadow of a Hero coverLife for Maxwell Thomas has not been easy. As a child, he had some light in the form of his father, Momma D, and the man who took them in and created a family with them, Detective Nathaniel Wraithe. But even those lights were put out by a tragic incident, and now Maxwell lives with blood on his hands.

He’s become a wanderer, one of the many homeless in the city who blends into the brick walls and fire escapes. One night, while on one of those fire escapes, he witnesses a young boy being attacked. Torn, he makes a move to save the boy, but gets a whole lot more than he bargained on and the one choice to step in brings a devil from his past back.

On top of it all, beat cop Nick Kenna has taken an interest in Maxwell, putting him right in the middle of the mess unfolding right before them.

Nick had never been so confused about what he wanted. Everything had been so straightforward before, black and white as the Ford Crown Victoria model police cruisers at the station. Maxwell existed in the gray so completely that Nick didn’t know how to relate to him. Everything was measured on a sliding scale in Maxwell’s mind. The world wasn’t static, it moved and breathed and Maxwell had become more than adept at rolling with the motion of it.

Though it took me a while to actually get into this book, I ended up enjoying myself. It wasn’t necessarily a mystery, as we pretty much knew who was doing what, but it definitely had some elements of suspense that I really appreciate in my books. It also had parts that verged on dark, but never really quite crossed the mark for me, but still, it was a nice read.

Nick was a very lovable character. It was strange for me to read about a kind of clumsy cop who really isn’t cut out to be a detective. Usually in books with a cop as the main character, they are really good at their job, but Nick was more of just a really good guy who wanted to help people and did that through being a beat cop. It was different and a bit refreshing.

Maxwell, on the other hand, was entirely self-destructive and I felt for him. Unfortunately, for some reason, his thoughts in my ebook were not italicized, which was quite jarring for me at first. It felt like the perspective was switching on me super quickly, but I eventually garnered that those parts were meant to be thoughts, but for a while it was quite difficult for me to get used to.

They made an interesting pair, and while I felt their connection, I almost wish I felt it just a bit more. The tension could’ve been written with a bit more thickness, but in general, the story was nice.

One of the parts that I am pretty dissatisfied is the ending. I really wanted to know the resolution of all the dirty cops and see them meet up with the agent one more time. It just felt there needed to be some closure for that element of the story. Still, I’d definitely be on the lookout for more by this author. I feel like she has a lot of great potential.

The cover art by Les Byerley is, unfortunately, not a good indication of the story within. It makes it look like there may be some kind of sci-fi element, but there’s not, and in general, the cover is just not appealing.

Sales Links:  Resplendence Publishing – All Romance (ARe) – Amazon / Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 225 pages
Published June 22nd 2011 by Resplendence Publishing
original titleIn the Shadow of a Hero
ISBN139781607353430
edition languageEnglish

In the Book Spotlight: Family Time Anthology from Torquere Books

familytimeanth1400

Family Time Anthology
Author Names: Sean Michael, Jessica Chase, Nicole McCormick, Nora Birch,
Lynn Townsend, K. Lynn, RJ Schmidt, Katherine Halle, Rob Rosen, Mychael Black,
and Andrea Dalling, Yolande Kleinn

STRW In The Spotlight Header

Release Date: June 17, 2015
Publisher: Torquere Press
Cover Artist: BSClay

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Sales Links:   Torquere Books

STRW Author BookSynopsis

These twelve stories range from first-time parents, to a couple still trying to conceive, to a ready-made family hoping to make it official, to parents just trying to get from one day to the next.

But it can’t all be about the kids. Especially when the kid to parent ratio favors the kids. You might have sneak out of your own house. Or remind your spouse what grown-ups can do when the kids are away.

From veteran and new authors, these families contain several m/m couples, an F/F couple, and an asexual mom who has some explaining to do to her genderfluid teen.

Pages or Words: 77,000 words

Categories: Contemporary, Humor, Lesbian Romance, M/M Romance, Romance, Anthology, Erotic Romance (Please keep in mind that as an anthology, not all stories may reflect all categories.)

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

 

Excerpt from First Day of School, a And Manny Makes Seven short by Sean Michael

Lizzie stared at Hutch with huge, tear-filled eyes. “Please. Please, Hut. Don’t make me go away. I’ll be the best cooker ever. I promise.”

God, she was breaking his heart. Hutch managed to find a warm smile for her, though, as he crouched to give her a hug. “You’ll be home by three thirty. And I bet you find you like school. There’s so many fun things to do.” He’d known it would be hard to send the twins off to school every day, leaving the house empty until afternoon, but he hadn’t expected it to be this hard.

She shook her head, the tears beginning to fall. Felicia was desperate to be big, to go to school like Darla, but this one had been opposed to the whole idea and finding out she wasn’t in the same Kindergarten class as her twin hadn’t helped. The school claimed they split twins up to let them develop their own individuality.

Well, Hutch knew damn well his girls were plenty individual, each with their own unique personality despite being together since birth.

“When you get home you can help me make supper,” he promised. “That won’t change just because you’re going to school.”

“Please? You can tell Addie-Lou it’s okay. I know you can,” she insisted.

“No, little. He can’t.” Adam shook his head. “School is important.”

“Is not!” She stamped her little foot, glaring at Adam. “I want to stay with Hut!”

“Okay, Lizzie, that’s enough.” Hutch gave her his most firm voice. “School is important and you’re going to make friends and find really fun things to do. Addie-Lou and I will be here when you get home.”

He wanted so badly to tell her she could stay home, but he knew she needed to do this. It was his job to make sure she didn’t need him and Adam anymore and this was how it started. Even if it was the hardest thing ever.

STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Family Time Anthology’.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link an prizes provided by the publisher and Pride Promotions.

Rafflecopter Code:

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Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Kimi-Chan, Havan Fellows, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Happily Ever Chapter, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Hat Party, Molly Lolly, Decadent Delights, Just Love Romance, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bayou Book Junkie, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Mikky’s World of Books, Redz World, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Velvet Panic, Iyana Jenna

Need Some Spice In Your Life? Christine D’Abo Delivers with “The Dom Around The Corner” and a few Recipes! (giveaway)

The Dom Around the Corner cover

The Dom Around the Corner by Christine D’Abo
Publisher: Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist: L. C. Chase

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to welcome Christine D’Abo here today to talk about her latest release The Dom Around the Corner and a few recipes to make our mouths water.

~

 

Thank you for having me here today! Let me introduce myself. I’m Christine d’Abo and I’m an author and lover of erotic romance. I’ve been writing seriously for ten years and have been published for the last eight of those. I love video games, superheroes, and anything that will mess with your mind. I’m also a secret ninja, but I’m unable to discuss those matters. Shhh…

In The Dom Around The Corner, Gavin teases Simon about his ability to cook. There’s nothing worse than your accountant knowing how often you eat out! I’m totally going to come to Simon’s defense and tell you right now that the boy really can cook! Here is one of his favorite recipes to make. If Gavin is really lucky, then maybe Simon will make it for him.

Skillet Chicken Divan (Dairy-Free)
Ingredients:
2 cups diced chicken breasts or thighs, raw (skinless/boneless is best for this recipe)
2 cups broccoli florets
1 cup raw cashews (not the roasted kind!)
2 cloves garlic
1 cup white or yellow onion, large dice
1 cup organic chicken stock
1 tsp kosher salt
1.5 tsp curry powder
1/2 tsp ground coriander
10 grinds fresh black pepper
Lard or your preferred Paleo-approved fat
Optional: 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
Click here to visit the website for complete instructions!

And for dessert!

Easy Decadent Truffles
Ingredients:
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese,
softened
3 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
3 cups semisweet chocolate chips,
melted
1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until smooth. Gradually beat in confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Stir in melted chocolate and vanilla until no streaks remain. Refrigerate for about 1 hour. Shape into 1 inch balls.
Click here for the original site reference.

If you would like to learn more about me, please pay a visit to my website -www.christinedabo.com. I’m also very active on Twitter as @Christine_dAbo and have a monthly newsletter. If you’d like to sign up, simply click here to fill out the form.

Now About The Dom Around The Corner

The Dom Around the Corner cover

Simon is jaded. His bookstore is failing, his personal life is nonexistent, and he’s tired of the local scene. He’s desperate for a change, and hopes to find it at Escape, the hot new BDSM club in town.

What he finds there is Gavin. One look at the sexy submissive is all he needs to know that his trip to Escape was the right decision. And their night of no-holds-barred kinky sex feels like only the beginning . . . until his promising new sub vanishes with the dawn.

Then Gavin walks through the door of Simon’s bookstore—for business, not pleasure. To both of their surprise, he’s the consultant Simon hired to help save the store. As they work together, Simon realizes that he might have another shot at happiness, if only he can convince Gavin that he’s worth sticking around for.

Author Bio

A romance novelist and short story writer, Christine has over thirty publications to her name. She loves to exercise and stops writing just long enough to keep her body in motion too. When she’s not pretending to be a ninja in her basement, she’s most likely spending time with her family and two dogs.

Connect with Christine:

Website: christinedabo.com
Blog: christinedabo.blogspot.ca
Facebook: facebook.com/AuthorChristinedAbo
Twitter: @Christine_dAbo
Tumblr: christinedabo.tumblr.com
Pintrest: pintrest.com/christinedabo
Goodreads: goodreads.com/christine_d_abo

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Giveaway

Leave a comment at each tour stop along the way. One lucky winner will get tea from David’s Teas! Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on June 20. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to add your email so we can contact you if you win! Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Contest prizes provided by the author and Riptide Publishing. 

A BJ Review: Facing the Mirror (Guardians of the Pattern #0.5) by Jaye McKenna

Rating:  4.5 stars out of 5

Facing the Mirror coverSpecial Agent Cameron Asada has spent four years undercover in an attempt to bring down a large drug cartel the Sapphire Guild. The things he’s been forced to do in order to maintain his cover are weighing heavily on his soul, and Cam is beginning to have trouble facing the man he now sees in his mirror.

Cam finally has the opportunity to get what he’s been striving for the last four years, working for the boss himself. There Cam meets Miko, the boss’s beautiful slave whom he uses to reward his associates for jobs well done. Miko is a psion who does not speak, but he is very loud in Cam’s head when he’s hurt/used. Can Cam ignore the young psion’s pain and keep to his mission? And who is the mysterious, powerful and quirky Draven? Friend or foe?

A well-written free short that acts as a prologue or prequel to the series. This introduces many interesting characters who are key players in the Guardians of the Pattern series, which I highly recommend. When I first read this short, I hadn’t explored this author much or the rest of the series. Months later, after reading other books and finally picking up book #1 of this series, I found myself compelled to go back and read this on again. Now that I wasn’t expecting it to be a complete romance in itself, I came away with a much different feel for the story. Read alone, I rated this as a 4 star story and wrote this: “I was most intrigued by Draven and Miko and would like to learn more about them. This particular short story wasn’t actually a romance and was quite dark. But intriguing.”

After reading book one and meeting Cameron and Miko again under different circumstances, I have a better understanding and insight that lends an extra depth to the story. I re-read it specifically seeking to refresh that background, of these two.

What I hadn’t expected was how much more I noticed than on the first read… and how very, very much I need to read more about the mysterious Draven.

This isn’t a romance and it isn’t a sweet story. Its dark and there is non-con. But it is a tightly woven, intense short story with excellent characterization, mystery, action, and world-building. Rare to see a short capture all that so well. For that reason, I re-rated this to 4.5 rounded up. I love the title, too.

The cover by Cinchbug shows a man looking into a cracked mirror. The haunted stare of the man seriously creeps me out, which is the point because the man is seeing himself slowly turning into a monster.

Sales Link: Amazon Buy It Here

Book Details:

ebook, 53 pages
Published 2013
edition languageEnglish
seriesGuardians of the Pattern