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Book Spotlight: Young at Heart by Kay Ellis (author interview and giveaway included)

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Kay Ellis has a new release for all to check out!  It’s Young At Heart, a M/M contemporary romance.  As part of the release celebration, we have a giveaway contest for all to enter.  Check out all the book and author details below and enter to  win!

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Title: Young at Heart by Kay Ellis
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing
M/M Contemporary Romance novella

Now a Q & A with Kay  Ellis….

Q.I love the title, the song comes immediately into mind.  Do you listen to music as you write?

I think I had the title before the song came out so they copied me! I don’t tend to have music on while I write. More likely the television. I’m amazed at my ability to keep track of programs while barely glancing toward the tv!

Q.Ff so, what did you listen to as you wrote Young at Heart?

If I had been listening to music it would have been Adam Lambert, Garth Brooks, Bon Jovi or John Barrowman. Eclectic mix but they’re my regular choice of listening in the car.

Q.Were you a prolific reader as a child?

Most definitely. My mum says she doesn’t remember me learning to read. I just could. I remember going back to school after the summer holidays when I was in my early teens. The English teacher told the class to put up their hands if they had read one book in the holidays. Then two, three, four… She stopped at seven and asked me why I hadn’t put my hand up at all. I told her she hadn’t got to my number yet. For the record, it was thirteen!

Q.What childhood authors or/books made the greatest impact on you as a writer?

I think I probably always read above my age group so I don’t recall a particular childrens’ author I liked. I loved Louisa Alcott and The Little Women series though. I was a bit of a tomboy like Jo.

Q.What or who has been the biggest influence on your writing?

I hate to say it but I read Fifty Shades of Grey, and although I have always written stories from an early age, it was that book that gave me the confidence to write what I wanted to write and not be embarrassed or ashamed of writing sex scenes. A television programme ran a competition to find a new ‘racey’ author and I thought “I can do that.” I finished in the top three which gave me a bit of belief in myself and my writing.

Q There is a large age difference between the men in the relationship and that can be tricky to write.  Why include that element into your story?

My answer to that has to be – they are what they are! It’s hard to explain but usually my characters come in to my head fully formed before I ever get a word on the page.

Q.What was the inspiration behind making them generations apart in age and status?

Truth be told, Young At Heart started out as a relationship between a older woman and a younger man. It was basically flipping the whole rich man, innocent young woman which every one else seemed to be writing. I was told by a publisher my work was more sorted to a niche market and as I had just had a short story accepted by a m/m publisher I decided that must be my ‘niche’ and I changed the older character to a man.

Q. I know from past blogs and conversations, that readers (and some authors) have problems with switching a het romance over to a M/M romance without that being the original pairing to begin with. How do you respond to that?

I don’t have an issue with making the switch from HET to M/M. People are people. Gay, straight, black, white – we are all faced with the same problems. And it wasn’t simply that I went through and changed she to he, I changed some parts that didn’t work in the same way between two men. And Devon was one of my first gay characters from years ago. I never wrote his story but he was always a rich, older man in a relationship with someone much younger. I also think matching Jesse with Devon made Jesse a stronger character.

Q.  What’s next for Kay Ellis?

What’s next is whatever is finished first! I can have half a dozen different works in progress at anyone time and I always write which ever characters are shouting loudest in my head at the time. But the main two at the moment are the third book in my Evolin series and a kind of post-apocalyse tale of a mercenary sent out to kill a man who he ends up falling for once he finds him.

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Devon Alexander is a wealthy successful businessman. The world is his oyster. In his work life he is decisive and in control.

His private life is another matter.

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There, he doesn’t know if he’s coming or going in his on-off relationship with Jesse Young, an unemployed aspiring model half his age.

Can Devon and Jesse overcome the obstacles and outside influences standing in their way? Can they leave behind their own fear and mistrust? Or will they be their own worst enemies?

Genre: LGBTQ, MM, romance, gay romance

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Devon pulled down his shirt and straightened his tie before bending to retrieve his underwear and trousers. Once dressed, he lifted his hands to his head, checking his hair. Vain, maybe, but he had an image to protect. All the while, he covertly watched Jesse tuck his rather impressive manhood into tight white boxer briefs and zip up the fly of his jeans. Jesse 
glanced up to catch Devon watching and a smug smile spread across his handsome face.

“Shit, did we even lock the door?” Devon asked suddenly, trying to remember if there had been time to turn the key in between Jesse walking into the office and them ending up sprawled half-naked across the desk. Emily, his personal assistant, was terribly efficient, but she was a shy, quiet girl and he hardly dared think what effect it would have on her if she saw 
Jesse in all his glory. “What if Emily had come in?”

“She wouldn’t have,” Jesse said confidently.

“Really? What makes you so sure?”

“I told her not to.”

Devon narrowed his eyes, not sure he liked the thought of Jesse giving orders to his staff. The last thing he needed was Jesse getting ideas above his station. Devon would be a laughingstock if his much-younger boyfriend started throwing his weight around like he was the one in charge.

“What did you say to her exactly?”

“I told her not to come in because I was going to fuck you hard over your desk,” Jesse replied with a smirk.
“I sincerely hope that’s meant to be a joke.”

Jesse looked at him, assessing his change of mood. There was a sudden gleam in Jesse’s velvet-brown eyes and Devon smothered a sigh, knowing he was about to be lied to. Such were the consequences of taking a man twenty years his junior as a lover. Jesse was Young in name and young in nature. Fortunately for both of them, his good looks and sexual prowess 
generally outweighed his immaturity.

“Of course it was a joke,” Jesse said, flashing his most disarming smile, the one that made women and quite a lot of men melt whenever they saw it. “You know I wouldn’t do anything like that, Dev.”

Dev. Nobody had ever called Devon that before Jesse. In the press and business life, he was Devon Alexander. To family and friends, plain old Devon. Only Jesse got away with calling him by the abbreviated form. Privately, he quite liked it when Jesse called him Dev, although recently he had come to realise the shortened version of his name was used most 
when Jesse either wanted something or was trying to wheedle his way into Devon’s good books after doing something wrong.

Sales Links:

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Giveaway

Prizes: 1 x $20 WIP Gift Card and 1 x ebook copy of Young at Heart.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Link and prizes provided by Eyes On Books Promotions.

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STRW Author Bio and Contacts

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Kay Ellis lives in rural Oxfordshire in the UK, where sheís mum to two beautiful daughters. From an early age, she has written stories, with a sole readership of one ñ her mum, Sylvia. In 2013, someone suggested Kay enter a competition on national television to find a new ëracey readsí author. Much to Kayís surprise, she made it to the final three, and although she didnít win, the high praise received for her work gave her the confidence to start submitting to publishers.

When not writing, Kay enjoys reading, eating out and the theatre.

Social links

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kay.ellis.79274

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KayEllisAuthor

A MelanieM Review: Melting Into You (Give Me a Taste #5) by Cassandra Carr

Rating: 3 stars out of 5

Melting Into YOu coverSeth Mason’s life as a macaroni and cheese food truck owner in Austin, Texas, is pretty good.  His food truck is popular, business is good enough to consider branching out and the program he helped start to deliver left over restaurant food to the hungry has take off.  One of the stops Seth’s makes at the end of the day is to the Austin City Mission.  There Seth meets the one person who just might complete his life, Ben, the new case manager at the shelter.

Ben’s just moved to Austin from Connecticut to take a job as a case manager at the Austin City Mission, the first time he’s left home and family.  He has a new apartment, long hours and not much else.  Until he meets the hot food truck owner delivering the left over food of the day.

The attraction between them is instantaneous and hot. And both Seth and Ben are looking for something permanent and lasting.   As they grow closer, both must decide if they have the necessary ingredients for lasting love, or if the relationship will go up in smoke.

Melting Into You by Cassandra Carr was a very cute and sweet story, full of promising elements, not all of which came to fruition.  The very best part of this story resides in Seth Mason and his food truck,  which sells hot macaroni in all variations. This is where Cassandra Carr and this story excels.  Seth, his love for cooking, his passion for his life and food truck, complete with recipes, adorable employees, and home kitchen all come across in vivid descriptions, nuanced character portraits and authentic references to the Austin food scene. Particularly the life of a food truck operator in general.  Seth was real, his food offerings came across as mouthwatering and irresistible.  I wanted a Mr. Romance (macaroni and seafood selection) just like everyone else standing in line in section of this story…it felt that real.

Unfortunately, the other elements don’t rise up to the same thoroughness and depth of characterization.  Ben, naive and starting out in his first job, remains throughout the story a bit of a puzzle.  There really is no depth to his character or to their relationship which is along the lines of Hello-I love you. And the city mission where he works is given short shrift when compared to the well-researched descriptions of the food truck/food service industry.  Really, Carr should have continued to concentrate on the food trucks because the complex problems and issues that come with a city shelter are so varied and numerous that this story had not the length to do it justice or was described too superficially for it to be a powerful element here.  That shallowness was really highlighted by an event that happens toward the end of the story.  It felt as though it came out of  nowhere as the author never bothered to lay any foundation for such an event.  It felt out of place, and frankly just created because the  author needed a sense of drama.

Melting Into You is part of a series but the only story of that series I have read.  I think it works as a stand alone and as a quick sweet romance.  Based on the recipes alone I am going to be checking into the other books in this series which was written by multiple authors (see note below). I will let you know what I find.

Cover artist Scott Carpenter cover actually works because it’s just sweet, simple and only the addition of the food truck saves it from being generic.

Sales Links:    Fated Desires Publishing    All Romance (ARe)        Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 104 pages
Expected publication: March 31st 2015
ISBN139781623221997
seriesGive Me a Taste #5, Savor #1

Give Me a Taste series

5 works, 5 primary works, 5 authors

The Give Me a Taste Line is a delectable line where the main plot is centered on food and everything that comes with it. We’re serving up authentic and delicious ideas and plots where the heat is not only in the kitchen but out of it. Our characters are immersed in foods and the mouthwatering plots make us want to dig in.

In the Spotlight: Tricia Owens and her Master of No One (author interview and contest)

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Book Name: Master of No One by Tricia Owens
Release Date: February 24, 2015
Goodreads Link

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Tricia Owens is here with the first book in a new series, Master of No One.  We have a author interview for all of you, excerpt and a contest to enter as well.  Check it all out below:

And Now a Q and A with Tricia Owens…

Q. Why categorize such an interesting story as urban fantasy? Why not science fiction?

Well, I wouldn’t categorize this story as sci-fi because in my opinion it doesn’t contain what I consider to be science fiction elements. The ‘otherworldly’ element is inspired by fantasy mythology: the shape shifting chimera. The setting is modern day Portugal. Hence urban fantasy seems appropriate to describe it.

Q. Where did you get your inspiration for the plot and characters?

Originally, way back when, I had envisioned Aleksander as a vampire. But vampires are a bit played out, and I’ve never been fond of the blood aspect. So I switched gears and found another creature he could be, one that I didn’t feel was too corny or was an excuse to make him appear sexy in a sneaky way. He needed to be a genuine threat. The appeal for me was a brooding character who was powerful yet broken. That morphed into the idea of a modern gothic romance. Sort of a beauty and the beast thing. To put a spin on it, I created two characters who would be trapped in his lair with him, afraid of the monster yet intrigued by him.

Q. Why add the element of menage, specifically a menage with a female third?

Only recently have I written menages (A Pirates Life for Me) and I enjoyed the experience a lot. I thought it was time to try it again. Of course to challenge myself, I told myself this one needed to be different. I’ve never written a straight m/f romance, at least not for public consumption, and I’m not sure I’ll ever write one for publication. But I was drawn to a dynamic in which a male is allowed to dominate a woman yet be put in his place, so to speak, by another male. This would bring out two sides of him that I think are extremely sexy: his power as both the conqueror and the conquered. The third, bottom character needed to be a woman because in order for Aleksander to change, he needed to be forced out of his comfort zone. He can’t be rough with a woman. Especially not while he possesses superhuman strength. Constance being female adds another shackle to Aleksander. He’s handcuffed by her vulnerability just as surely as he’s physically bound by Kirk. So in some ways, even though he’s in the middle, he’s the one submitting most to outside forces. That submission is highly appealing to me.

Q. Which of your major elements came first? The menage? The bdsm aspect? The fantasy? Or did it all come together at once?

The D/s elements always come first. I begin by thinking of what dynamic turns me on at the time and then create the characters that will fulfill that scenario. Everything follows after that. I believe if the characters aren’t interesting enough, it won’t matter what the plot is. The reader simply won’t be invested.

Q. Readers will want to know…how much het sex can they expect?

My heart will always be with m/m. I think that bias is evident in Master of No One. Yes, there is some het. Constance isn’t in there as window dressing. She serves a purpose. She brings out Aleksander’s vulnerable side, which provides Kirk with the opportunity to move in. Without her, Kirk and Aleksander would never come together. And I tried to make her the kind of sub I prefer reading about, which is one who finds pleasure in serving, not one who demands to be pleasured by her master. This places the focus back on the male in this instance, which I think m/m readers will appreciate.

Q What audience do you hope your book finds? The fantasy lovers? The lovers of erotic fiction? Lovers of M/M Romance? Or all of the above?

This book will probably skew more towards m/m readers, but I think regular romance or erotica readers will enjoy it very much as well. I do my best to write books that are not driven by sex, but serve them as a reward. Sex scenes featuring characters you don’t care about feel empty. Sex scenes which aren’t built up through anticipation and good plotting feel cheap. I’ve written Master of No One to be an enjoyable story, first and foremost, with scenes to titillate readers in search of something spicy.

Q. What genres do you enjoy reading? And do you read what you love to write?

I may write romance, but I most enjoy reading horror! Supernatural horror, not so much slasher stories. I also am addicted to technothrillers and spy thrillers. I would write thrillers but they require too much research. I’m lazy. I am, however, in the middle of writing my first horror novel, called It Haunts Us, set in the mountains of Bhutan.

Q. What’s next for Tricia Owens?

There are several projects in the works for me. I tend to work on multiple books at once and bounce between them, a carryover from my website days where I would update a new series every week for my subscribers. Currently I’m working on the horror novel I mentioned, editing the fourth book of an m/m series called Juxtapose City about sexy psypaths and cops in the future, and I’ll begin plotting the sequel to Master of No One, which will feature an m/m couple in addition to Kirk, Aleksander and Constance. And who knows what other books may jump in there as well. I never do!

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

Author Tricia Owens…

Tricia has been writing m/m fiction since 2002 when she opened her fiction website JuxtaposeFantasy to great success. She later partnered to create Joyboy Island. After a decade of writing for the sites, Tricia decided business demands were distracting her from producing novels, so she closed the sites and now writes at her leisure. An avid traveler, Tricia has visited over 60 countries and tries to include aspects of her global experience in her books.

Where to find the author:
Facebook Author Page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JuxtaposeFantsy
Website: http://www.triciaowensbooks.com

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Publisher: Loose ID
Cover Artist: Valerie Tibbs

Sales Links:  Loose id  Amazon

STRW Author BookSynopsis

Aleksander is short-tempered, antisocial and though he’s unaware of it, wildly sexy. He’s also a naturally dominant shape-shifting monster who’s sliding into madness. He needs a human ‘grounder’ to submit to him and draw forth his protective human side. Instead he is given two humans: Constance, a fledgling sub with a reckless streak whose intense desire to serve has brought her nothing but heartache, and Kirk, a former NYPD cop who’s trying to subdue his own alpha instincts and play submissive in order to fulfill a family debt.

But once these grounders meet their new master, they quickly discover that in order to save Aleksander from himself, they must alter their assigned roles and form a unique triad of domination and submission that goes against Aleksander’s very nature. Constance needs to convince Aleksander he can be gentle and protective, while Kirk wants to show him there is freedom in surrendering to another dominant. The task isn’t easy, though: Aleksander fights them every step of the way, and a conspiracy surfaces which not even a creature as powerful as Aleksander may be able to overcome.

Categories: BDSM, Bisexual, Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, Mystery, Paranormal, Romance, Thriller, Urban Fantasy

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STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

Aleksander huffed. “That’s right. You told Michel you’re my grounder. Interesting strategy putting yourself in an immediate position of inferiority against him.”

“Is it inferior? I got the impression a grounder is the only thing that’s going to keep you from falling apart.” Kirk smiled as the other male clenched his jaw. “Seems like a pretty important role, if you ask me.”

“And how do you expect to fulfill your role?”

Kirk idly adjusted the fit of his jeans, hoping Aleksander hadn’t noticed that they’d begun to grow tight in the crotch. Something about Aleksander got him going. Maybe it was the attitude, which seemed to be a prerequisite amongst chimera. It made Kirk want to take him down a peg and stand over him after he’d fallen.

Nothing like some homoerotic imagery there, he chided himself.

“I’m here to help,” he said.

Aleksander traced his tongue across his bottom lip. “As Constance ‘helps’?”

Kirk resisted the impulse to laugh and play it off. It would be a nervous tell and he wasn’t about to give Aleksander the satisfaction. “I was thinking more along the lines of being a friend who helps you let off steam. Physically.” When the chimera’s lips twitched, he quickly added, “I mean like boxing. Or sports. Whatever it is you do to keep in shape.” He motioned vaguely at the other male’s body. “Do you run, or workout or—”

“You couldn’t last with or against me, little human. You’re no use to me in that way.”

Aleksander panned down Kirk’s body. “Though you’re fit and…large for your kind.” A crease appeared in his forehead and he resumed staring into his glass.

Fit and large? If you only knew, buddy.
Pages or Words: 74,000 words

 STRW Spotlight Contest Header

Contest:  Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Master of No One’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Rafflecopter link and prizes provided by Pride Promotions.

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9-Mar

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10-Mar

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11-Mar

Love Bytes

Carly’s Book Reviews

12-Mar

MM Good Book Reviews

13-Mar

Parker Williams

16-Mar

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

17-Mar

BFD Book Blog

18-Mar

My Fiction Nook

19-Mar

Inked Rainbow Reads

20-Mar

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Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

A MelanieM Review: Blind Stud (King of Hearts #1) (PF 2015) by Havan Fellows

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

In a world where supernatural creatures openly exist, who can blame them for coalescing in one of the most fascinating and erotic places on earth? Welcome to New Orleans.

Laurant likes sex…

Blind Stud, King of Hearts cover PF2015Who is Laurant?  An incubus of course, so the pleasures of the flesh aren’t just enjoyment, they’re food. However, Laurant isn’t attracted to women, but to men.  In his family, being a gay demon means you are the wrong type of demon. And that makes Laurant’s life more than a little difficult when your family looks down on you for your choice of food and companionship.

But all that changes when Laurant catches sight of a lost and alone human who definitely needs his help…a gorgeous young man about to become prey to the human sort of predator.  Once saved, a larger mystery looms.  That of the stranger himself who is a stranger…to himself.

What are you supposed to do when you blink your eyes and realize you have no idea who or where you are? Pretty sure the answer isn’t trust a sex demon with your life…all things considered that may be the lesser of two evils…

You just know a series is going to be captivating when the first character you meet is not only unapologetically outrageous and charismatic but also oozes with merriment and sex appeal.  That’s Laurant.  A incubus with the appetites of a succubus.  Laurant comes equipped with corny pickup lines and the ability to make the local squirrels and any other living being around him, go into a sexual frenzied state.  He also has a more complex personality than is first apparent.  I think all readers will love Laurant upon introduction.  He’s a terrific character and Fellows did a great job in providing him with layers that makes one look past some of his more “eye rolling” actions and dialog.

But what or in this case who pulls at Laurant’s attention and needs is a young amnesiac he rescues off the streets in New Orleans.  First given the name “Vic” for victim by Laurant, the young man sets the incubus straight (kind of) and names himself for the street they are on.  For all the questions posed by his presence, Havan Fellows crafts a wonderful character who is a strong fascinating man behind the mystery and soon we are as drawn to him as Laurant is.

And yes, danger to both lurks just around the corner.  Fellows throws so many neat clues around the mystery man that I was making a list of bribes to offer her so she would tell me who and what he possibly might be.  And then that ending…

This story flew by so rapidly that it felt as though the ending appeared seconds after I started on page one.  Not true but I was so into this tale, that the story was over before I was ready for it to end.  For those of you for whom cliffhangers are beyond frustrating (you binge watchers know who I’m talking to), you just might want to wait for another story or two to come out.  Those readers who love to be surprised, stymied by plot and events, and who enjoy every minute of it, grab this up and start reading.

Round One is four stories and only two are out.  Each represents additional layers to the overall series and world building and you can see the stories start to interlock here as old and new characters appear.  But as interesting as those peripheral (for now) characters are, nothing and nobody will steal your  attention away from our couple here.  They are amusing and astonishingly equal in their interactions, sexually dynamic,  and just plain out engaging.  And they make this story unputdownable – yes, that’s a word and I’m sticking to it.

I highly recommend this story and its companion in the Altered States Pulp Friction 2015 combined story.  I’ve become a fan once more of serialized fiction and think you will feel the same.  If you are new to the Pulp Friction gang, once you’ve delved into these stories, go back and read the Pulp Friction series of 2013 and 2014…all terrific and must reads for me!

Cover art by Laura Harner.  Great cover, love the model and the branding at the bottom.

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

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 49 pages
Published March 1st 2015 by Appleton Publishing Avenue
ASINB00U634T2Q
edition languageEnglish

 

About Pulp Friction 2015
Lee Brazil ~ Havan Fellows ~ Parker Williams ~ Laura Harner

The Pulp Friction 2015 Altered States Collection.
Four authors.
Four Series.
Twenty books.
One supernatural finale.

Spend a year with the creatures that go bump in the night…fighting for their rights to exist and protecting the innocents of The Big Easy. A diverse group of friends trying to find their place in a world they never had to “fit” into before.
Although each series can stand alone, we believe reading the books in the order they are released will increase your enjoyment.

Round One:
Drawing Dead (Jack of Spades: 1) by Lee Brazil
Blind Stud (King of Hearts: 1) by Havan Fellows
The Devil’s Bedpost (Four of Clubs: 1) by Parker Williams
Diamonds and Dust (Ace of Diamonds: 1) by Laura Harner

Not familiar with the Altered States series? Check them all out here:

Books in the Altered States Series in the order they should be read:
• Altered States (Altered States, #0.5) by Laura Harner and T. A. Webb
• Deep Blues Goodbye (Altered States, #1) by Laura Harner and T. A. Webb
• Deadly Shades of Gold (Altered States, #2) by Laura Harner and T. A. Webb
• Free Falling Crimson (Altered States, #3)  by Laura Harner and T. A. Webb (aka Tom Webb)

A Sammy Review: Falling (Fall or Break #1) by Barbara Elsborg

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

“I’m well aware I should just accept the things I can’t change. I know the mantra—live one day at a time, enjoy one moment at a time, accept hardships as the way to peace, accept the world for what it is. But I don’t believe in God.”

“You don’t need to believe in God, you need to believe in yourself. There’s another line in the Serenity Prayer about having the courage to change things that you can. It’s not just about acceptance.” Malachi inched his fingers closer. “Start the rest of your life right now.”

Falling coverNeither Malachi nor Harper have necessarily had it easy. Life, for each of them, is a series of missteps and stumbles. Ten years ago, Harper managed to not only stumble, but crash. Convicted of a crime he didn’t commit and serving time that wasn’t his to serve, the world outside looks to be a jaded place, not an easy release from the literal and figurative bars he’d been living behind for years.

Malachi, on the other hand, has escaped a prison of his own. Out of a long-term relationship defined by control, he’s lost his job and is left with no money. He has a roof over his head, but even that is suffocating.

One happenstance meeting doesn’t bring them together, but a second one does. Their connection is instant and strong, but is it strong enough to withstand a world so stacked against them and a guilty conviction that is burned within Harper’s skin?

He’d spent so many years swamped by waves of bleakness that he’d grown to accept them as part of him. He’d been in a prison of his own making as a boy, and barely escaped it as a man before he’d lost his freedom again. The only thing imprisoning him now was the past. It was up to him to put it behind him and let the man in his arms be his future.

I’m a picky reader at times, but I can honestly say that from the very start, this book had me and it never let me go, not once. I had to take a long break in reading, and when I came back, it hadn’t let up at all. I was captivated and enticed and I loved every second of it.

The novel itself isn’t a light, fun story. It has a lot of heavy subject matter that doesn’t quite sit right in the pit of your stomach, and that’s part of what I liked so much about it. The author put the characters in places others would be too afraid to. She made both characters wrecked but able to stand. They weren’t weak, they were damaged and beautiful.

It’s funny, though, because this is one of the first books I’ve read, at least in a long time, where there was laughter during sex, and I didn’t realize how much I enjoyed that until here. It was as if their intimate connection and the release that came with it was truly an escape from the shadows surrounding them. I truly enjoyed it. Not to mention each scene was steamy and lovely and though there were plenty, I never got bored of them.

The mystery element of this was also pretty good. Typically I figure it out within the first fifty percent, and then I spend the rest of the book just waiting for the characters to open their eyes. In this one, I found out about the same time the characters did. I had an inkling, but I had many of those, so it was nice to still be waiting toward the end, as opposed to having a “well now you get it” moment.

I also have to say that it takes a special author to take a character, build them to be disliked, and then make you feel for them, to the point where you want them to have their own story. This is how I am with Conrad. I want to read his story, I want to learn to feel with him.

This story has many good points, and it has left me ready to seek out more by this author.

I enjoy the cover art by Kanaxa. I think the dark shade of it fits the mood of the story and I appreciate the use of texture. What I’m not so sure of is the choice of fonts. For the title, I get that the L’s are meant to simulate the act of falling, but instead all I can think of is the symbols for the world trade centers. Whoops.

Sales Links:  Samhain Publishing      Amazon   Buy It Here

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 335 pages
Expected publication: March 24th 2015 by Samhain Publishing
original titleFalling, available for preorder prior to 3/24
ASINB00Q33IKYG
edition languageEnglish
url http://www.barbaraelsborg.com/book/falling/
seriesFall or Break #1

Jump Into the Supernatural with N. R. Walker’s Cronin’s Key (excerpt and contest)

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Cronin’s Key by N. R. Walker
Release Date: March 13, 2015
Goodreads Link 

Is N. R. Walker an automatic buy for you?  She is for us here at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words.  We are so pleased to showcase N. R. Walker’s lastest release, Cronin’s Key, the first in a new supernatural series from this amazing author.  Check out the blurb, and excerpt below and don’t forget to enter the contest at the end! Enjoy!

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Author N.R. Walker…

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.  She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things; a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things…but likes it even more when they fall in love.
She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

Where to find the author:
Website: http://nrwalker.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100003907957620
Facebook Fan Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.R.WalkerAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NR_Walker

Publisher: N.R. Walker
Cover Artist: Sara York

Sales Links:  Amazon

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STRW Author BookSynopsis

NYPD Detective Alec MacAidan has always been good with weird. After all, his life has been a string of the unexplainable. But when an injured man gives him cryptic clues, then turns to dust in front of him, Alec’s view on weird is changed forever.

Cronin, a vampire Elder, has spent the last thousand years waiting for Alec. He’d been told his fated one would be a man wielding a shield, but he didn’t expect him to be human, and he certainly didn’t expect that shield to be a police badge.

Both men, strong-willed and stubborn, are still learning how to cope with the push and pull of being fated, when fate throws them another curveball.

Rumors have spread quickly of turmoil in Egypt. Covens are fleeing with news of a vampire who has a talent like no other, hell-bent on unleashing the wrath of Death.

Alec and Cronin are thrown into a world of weird Alec cannot imagine. What he learned in school of ancient pharaohs and Egyptian gods was far from the truth. Instead, he finds out firsthand that history isn’t always what it seems.

Categories: M/M Romance, Paranormal

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

 

Alec patted his belly, which was now full of pizza and coffee. Then he thought of something. “When was the last time you fed?”

“Two days ago.”

“Is that too long?”

“I will need to feed soon, but it’s bearable.”

“What is not bearable?” Alec asked. “I’m just curious. I guess I should know these things. I mean, is it uncomfortable for you to be near me right now?”

“Of course not.”

“Is it a hunger, or a thirst? Does your throat burn until you feed, or what?” Alec asked out of pure curiosity.

“It is a hunger,” Cronin answered. “Though not like a human hunger. It affects the whole body, not just the stomach. The whole body craves it.”

Alec considered this. “I can see that, I guess.”

Cronin gave a smile. “You talk of such matter with ease. Does it not bother you?”

“Not as much as I thought it would,” Alec said. “I try not to think about the human loss of it, to be honest. Kinda like how I try not to think about the pigs that die to give us the amazing thing that is bacon.” Alec stared out the kitchen window for a while, looking over the city as he thought about what he just said. “I’m not sure when I stopped caring for human life… I’m a cop, I shouldn’t…” he shook his head. “I don’t know when that changed.”

“When you changed,” Cronin said softly. “When you met me.”

“I changed when I met you?”

Cronin nodded. “As I did when I met you.”

Oh. Alec paused. “Is that part of the fated thing? We change?”

“Yes. Fundamental changes to our psyche, to adapt to the needs of our significant other.”

“But I’m still me,” Alec said quietly.

Cronin gave him a small smile. “You will always be you. You just adopt certain tolerances.”

“So, normally if something pissed me off with someone, like something they did—like snoring! If they snored—I ‘d hate it, but if you snored, I wouldn’t care.”

“I don’t snore.”

“That wasn’t my point.”

Cronin chuckled. “Your point was correct, yes.”

“So what pisses you off in other people, but not in me?”

Cronin thought for a moment. “I don’t like being interrupted when I’m talking. It is frustrat-”

“Like that?” Alec said with a smile. “Like me interrupting you like that?”

Cronin huffed. “Yes, like that.”

Alec snorted. “But it still annoyed you.”

“It’s a work in progress.” Cronin let out a half-laugh, half-sigh. “It frustrates me far less with you than someone else, believe me.”

“Then I shall try my very hardest not to interrupt you ever again,” Alec said, with a smirk and flick of his eyebrow which meant he shall try his very hardest to interrupt Cronin every chance he got.

Cronin sighed. “I also find sarcasm rather tiresome.”

“Excellent.” Alec laughed and finished his breakfast and made himself another coffee.

Alec leaned against the kitchen counter with his second cup of coffee in his hand, and it was as though Cronin was waiting for him. He cleared his throat. “So, given the events of yesterday, I wondered whether you wished to continue our date? Considering it was cut short.”

Alec hid his slow-spreading smile behind his coffee cup. “I would love to, but I thought research might be in order, given the events of yesterday.”

“Research of what?”

Alec was stunned. Research of what? “Uh, everything we learned yesterday, none of which makes sense.”

“Jodis and Eiji are seeking out information as we speak.”

“I thought you said they were eating out?”

Cronin smiled. “They are doing both. They’ve gone to Egypt-”

“They’ve what?” Alec cried, interrupting him. “By themselves?”

“They’re safe,” Cronin told him. “They’re verifying the information Bes gave us yesterday. Though we’ve no reason to doubt him, I wanted to be sure.”

“You asked them to go?”

“Yes. I took them.”

“You what?”

“I was only gone for one second. The apartment is well alarmed, and you were sound asleep.”

Alec put his cup down and ran his hands through his hair. “And?”

“And they are searching out any other information we might use.”

Alec sighed. “And what about me?”

Cronin blinked. “I don’t know what you mean. What about you?”

Alec took a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “I’m a detective. Figuring shit out is what I do. I research, I study, I figure shit out.”

“Alec, I cannot risk you being out there. Please understand, it’s not my wish to see you confined here, but until this risk is over-”

“I don’t need to leave here,” Alec replied. “As much as I’d like to.” He rolled his eyes. “But we have this thing now called the internet. I mean, it is only recent in your perspective of timelines, and I know you think Shakespeare is still classed as popular culture, but it is the twenty-first century.”

Cronin glared at him for just a moment. “I take back what I said before. I do believe that I detest sarcasm more than being interrupted.”

 

Excerpt: 
Pages or Words: 83,000 words

Tour Stops:

Parker Williams, Amanda C. Stone, MM Good Book Reviews, Bayou Book Junkie, Redz World, Molly Lolly, Cate Ashwood, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, SA McAuley, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Andrew Q. Gordon, My Fiction Nook, BFD Book Blog, 3 Chicks After Dark, Divine Magazine, Elin Gregory, Carly’s Book Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Love Bytes, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, The Blogger Girls, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Fallen Angel Reviews, Nephylim, It’s Raining Men, Michael Mandrake, Velvet Panic

 

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Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Two copies of Cronin’s Key (2). Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Rafflecopter link and prizes provided by Pride Promotions.

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In the Spotlight: Release Day for One Snowy Night by Louise Lyons

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 One Snowy Night by Louise Lyons
Publisher:  Wayward Ink Publishing
Release Date:  March 13, 2015

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 Spring may almost be here but we are bringing all of you one more winter’s tale.  It’s Release Day for Louise Lyon’s One Snowy Night!  Check out the synopsis and excerpt below.

Title: One Snowy Night
Author: Louise Lyons
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing 

Sales Links:   Amazon US    Amazon UK       Amazon AU   WIP      All Romance (ARe)    B&N

 

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STRW Author BookSynopsis

About One Snowy Night….

Main character, Keith Brambles, is an up and coming British singer. He has had one disastrous first date after another, finding most men are only interested because of who he is. After yet another failed meeting, he sets off for home, driving too fast for the conditions. He loses control of his car in the snow and finds himself stranded – with no mobile phone signal and an outfit completely unsuitable for braving the freezing conditions.

Just as Keith has begun to think he’s destined to spend a night in his car, possibly suffering from hypothermia, a potential rescuer arrives, but Keith wonders whether he might have more to fear from the man, than the weather.

STRW Spotlight Book Excerpt

“You’re Kent Brambles,” his rescuer said; a statement rather than a question.

Shit. “Uh…yes. Keith, actually. Kent’s just my…um…my…”

“Stage name?” The man grinned, but then grimaced a little.

“Yeah. I’m guessing my…uh…my music isn’t your cup of tea,” Keith said nervously.

“I’m into my rock and roll.” He smiled again and extended a large hand. “Mike Talbot.”

Surprised, Keith swapped hands with the cup of coffee, and slid his small, frozen hand into Mike’s big warm one. Mike gripped it firmly and gave it a brief shake, then let go.

“So what are you doing out here, driving in these conditions?” Mike asked.

“I…um…I went to meet a friend in Lincoln. It wasn’t snowing when I set off,” Keith replied.

“A friend? You mean a date?”

“Yeah.”

“What’s he doing letting you drive home in this shit? Couldn’t you stay over?” Mike’s brows furrowed, and Keith’s eyes widened. Appearances certainly could be deceptive. White Van Man, big, bearded, and apparently tattooed, didn’t seem to care that Keith was gay. Keith silently reprimanded himself for stereotyping his rescuer.

“Well…he…um…” He paused and shrugged. “It was a first date. He was only interested because of who I am.”

“That must be a pain in the ass. Do you get that a lot?” asked Mike.

“More often than not.”

“Maybe you’re looking in the wrong place, or for the wrong type of guy. You should try one who’s not into your music, and you might have better luck.” Mike grinned and winked.

 

STRW Author Bio and Contacts

About Louise Lyons

Louise Lyons comes from a family of writers. Her mother has a number of poems published in poetry anthologies, her aunt wrote poems for the Church, and her grandmother sparked her inspiration with tales of fantasy. Louise first ventured into writing short stories at the grand old age of eight, mostly about little girls and ponies. She branched into romance in her teens, and MM romance a few years later, but none of her work saw the light of day until she discovered Fan Fiction in her late twenties.

Posting stories based on some of her favorite movies, provoked a surprisingly positive response from readers. This gave Louise the confidence to submit some of her work to publishers, and made her take her writing “hobby” more seriously.

Louise lives in the UK, about an hour north of London, with a mad Dobermann, and a collection of tropical fish and tarantulas. She works in the insurance industry by day, and spends every spare minute writing. She is a keen horse-rider, and loves to run long distance. Some of her best writing inspiration comes to her, when her feet are pounding the open road. She often races into the house afterward, and grabs pen and paper to make notes.

Louise has always been a bit of a tomboy, and one of her other great loves is cars and motorcycles. Her car and bike are her pride and joy, and she loves to exhibit the car at shows, and take off for long days out on the bike, with no one for company but herself.

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Social media links
Website: http://louiselyonsauthor.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/louiselyonsauthor
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/louiselyons013

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A Mika Review: The Bridge of Silver Wings (More Heat Than the Sun #3) by John Wiltshire

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5

The Bridge of Silver Wings coverNikolas and Ben discover that bonds aren’t forged with blood or scars but in the hearts of men strong enough to love. 

Ben discovers the truth of the adage, ‘be careful what you wish for’. Nikolas has exorcised his demons, but when they end up stranded in Russia, the monster inside needs to be let loose. Siberia in winter isn’t a place for good men. There is nothing Nikolas won’t do to keep Ben alive. 

Home again, Nikolas then faces an enemy he can’t defeat: Ben Rider himself. Discovering a new family, Ben realizes he’s been living too long in the shadows cast by Nikolas’s all-consuming love. For the first time, life apart from Nikolas is possible. Is Nikolas strong enough to let Ben go?

Talk about unexpected events. I could never in a billion freaking years imagine going through the things that Sir Nikolas and Ben went through. I know for sure I wouldn’t have the sanity, resilience or even strength to see the light at the end or put my faith in one person so much. We pick up book three right after the events of Conscious Decisions of the Heart, and the couple are,  literally, off on an adventure in this book. Terrified would be might one word description of the first half of the book. Who goes through things like this? It’s been a good month since reading this, and I wondering what the other people’s family thinks happened, I mean I guess the plane could make sense but where is all the freaking PTSD from that situation. I didn’t see a way for them to survive, and in all this darkness Nikolas persevered and became the dark angel with the brightest shining I’ve ever seen. Certain circumstances, he literally put his life on the line. He is such an amazing character who is so intense, and closed off but has this way about him that just draws you in. I love John Wiltshire for that, I’m all about the damaged hero and he just made my top ten list.

Wiltshire puts them in situations where they are confronted with the possibility that a tomorrow isn’t a promise to me, and in situations like these; these two guys always do something that turn my insides to mush. It might not be the healthiest or sanest ways but it’s why I love them. It was a scene in this book where Nik basically had to put his foot down and didn’t really care about Ben’s feelings. That was one of my favorite quotes ever in this entire book.

“I love you enough to hit you until you get on that thing. Do not make me do it, because this is hurting me more than you.- Nikolas”

Wiltshire takes his readers on a vivid journey and reading it is like watching it unfold right in front of you. These emotions that he seems to bring out of you are gut-wrenching, I cried off and on during the last 45%. He’s able to have two strong men with sordid past and have them fall so deeply in love with each other that no amount of distance or strife will keep them away. This book definitely became my favorite out the series so far. Second half had me not really liking Ben, but as usual he comes out victorious. I wasn’t mad for the reason most people would be, I was mad because I understand him needing to feel like he can stand on his two feet and needing the space to do it. I was mad at the circumstances surrounding certain situations, but it’s my fault really because I doubted Ben and it’s not something we made need to do. While as Nikolas is this dark angel with a vengeful way about himself; Ben is the total opposite. He’s this bright shining beacon who has the most endearing conscience around. I mean he cares for everyone’s well being. His heart is one of the reasons why many adore him, and only Nikolas has him.

Cover Art by Deana Jamoz. This cover is everything that happened in the book. Being in the darkness but fighting your way out until you reach the light. I love it.

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

Book Details:

ebook, 290 pages
Published August 22nd 2014 by MLR Press (first published August 21st 2014)
ISBN13MLR1020140285
edition languageEnglish
seriesMore Heat Than the Sun #3

More Heat Than The Sun Series (should be read in order to understand the relationships and events)

  • Love is a Stranger (More Heat Than the Sun #1)
  • Conscious Decisions of the Heart (More Heat Than the Sun, #2)
  • The Bridge of Silver Wings (More Heat Than the Sun, #3)
  • This Other Country (More Heat Than the Sun, #4)
  • The Bruise-Black Sky (More Heat Than the Sun, #5)