Category: Uncategorized

Get Fired Up with Morticia Knight’s Sin City Uniforms Book !, All Fired Up (tour and contest)

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Book Name: All Fired Up (Sin City Uniforms #1)
Goodreads Link
Author Name: Morticia Knight

Author Bio:

M/M and M/M/F Erotic Romance author Morticia Knight enjoys a good saucy tale – after all, who doesn’t? Since she loves several genres, you may find your heroes in a contemporary, historical, paranormal or sci-fi setting. One of her passions is bringing people’s fantasies to life on the page, because life is too short for even one boring moment. Her stories are volcanic in heat, deep in emotion, and sprinkled with doses of humor.

When not indulging in her obsession for books, she loves the outdoors, film and music. The Pacific Northwest is the ideal spot to enjoy both hiking and beachcombing. Once upon a time she was the singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She now resides on the northern coast of Oregon, where the constant rain and fog remind her of visits to family in England and Scotland when she was a child.

She is currently working on the Sin City Uniforms Series and a BDSM spin-off to the Gin & Jazz series entitled The Hampton Road Club. A follow-up to Bryan and Aubrey’s story in Rockin’ the Alternative will be available in 2015.

Author Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/#!/morticia.knight
https://twitter.com/MorticiaKnight

Publisher: Totally Bound
Cover Artist: Posh Gosh
Sales Links: https://www.totallybound.com/all-fired-up

All Fired Up Blurb:

allfiredup_800Officer Shawn Everly patrols the Strip and one night, fireman Trent Marshall saves him when danger strikes. But it’s still uncertain whether Trent can save himself from getting his heart broken by Shawn.

The party never ends on the Las Vegas strip but neither does the danger. Officer Everly is new to the beat, having recently relocated to Vegas from Los Angeles. Foot patrol on the Strip is a demanding assignment because he’s up close and personal with the public. But what he’d really like to do is get up close and personal with Station 32’s hunky fireman, Trent Marshall.
Trent has been a fireman for over ten years and is dedicated to his job. He’s built tough and is a no-nonsense man of few words. At a local blood drive, Trent meets the handsome new officer on foot patrol but won’t let himself get too close. He’s lost love before when his policeman lover was killed in the line of fire.

During an emergency, Trent’s over-protective instincts kick in when he believes Shawn is in harm’s way. He ends up embarrassing and angering Shawn in front of their fellow officers, which seems as though it will end any hope of Trent having a chance with the young man he can’t push from his mind. Shawn can’t decide whether he wants to punch or kiss Trent. Kissing wins. Once they spend some time together away from the stresses of their jobs, they find that they’re not just compatible—they’re combustible.
But Trent can’t seem to accept that there are hazards that come with working in law enforcement. Right as they’re discovering how much they mean to one another, the danger escalates on the Strip. The underground vigilante group, The Citizens Against Immorality, have raised the stakes. Will Shawn and Trent be their next targets?

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance, Thriller

All Fired Up Excerpt:

“Oh shit! He hasn’t come back up yet!”

One of the onlookers pointed in the direction of where the swimmer had been only seconds before. All that remained were small ripples on the surface of the water.

Goddammit.

Moving quickly, Shawn tore off his duty belt, frantically toeing off his shoes as he did. Before Vicki had the opportunity to register what was happening, Shawn thrust the equipment at her. To her credit, she wordlessly grabbed it. He boosted himself over the banister and dropped into the water—it wasn’t deep enough at the banks for him to dive safely, only about four feet. But it was fucking cold, much more so than he’d expected. Shawn gritted his teeth and swam desperately toward the dark shape floating just below the surface of the lake. He was soaking wet but his mouth was dry. His heart beat wildly as he propelled himself forward.

By the time he reached the victim, he was no longer able to touch the bottom at all. He turned the man over, wrapping his arm around his chest, keeping his head above water. Shawn’s muscles burned with the stress of hauling the limp weight of the unconscious drunk to safety through the frigid waters, and from swimming using only one arm to pull them both along.
Taking in big gulps of air, he noted that several emergency vehicles had arrived. He could barely make out the yellow engine that he was certain would be from nearby Station 32. There were additional police units, the red truck of Las Vegas Fire and Rescue, as well as at least one ambulance.

The drunk woke with a start, choking and gasping, fighting Shawn’s attempts to save his life. Shawn was pulled under – he’d barely had a chance to take a breath. His feet hit the bottom and Shawn propelled both of them back up out of the water. It was only a few seconds before he was dragged under again. Weakening, Shawn tried once more, but he barely broke the surface. Right as he sucked in a breath, he was yanked down and he took in more water than air.

Oh shit. Might be drowning.

Tour Dates/Tour Stops:
October 6: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
October 7: Rainbow Gold Reviews, The Novel Approach
October 8: Sinfully Sexy, The Hat Party
October 9: Cathy Brockman Romances
October 10: All I Want and More Books, Guilty Indulgence Book Club
October 13: Andrew Q. Gordon
October 14: Fallen Angel Reviews, Hearts on Fire
October 15: Jade Crystal
October 16: Boy Meets Boy Reviews, Because Two Men Are Better Than One
October 17: Regular Guys, Hot Romance, Butterfly-O-Meter
October 20: Prism Book Alliance
October 21: Multitasking Mommas, Dawn’s Reading Nook
October 22: Inked Rainbow Reads
October 23: Tara Lain
October 24: Carly’s Book Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, Up All Night, Read All Day
October 27: Wake Up Your Wild Side, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Amanda C. Stone
October 28: Queer Town Abbey, Kimi-Chan
October 29: My Fiction Nook
October 30: Cate Ashwood
October 31: Foxylutely Book Reviews, Love Bytes

Contest: Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card + Signed copy of All Fired Up. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the Rafflecopter link provided to enter and for additional contest details.

 Contest Scavenger Hunt Secret fact from Fired Up:
1. Firefighter Trent Marshall has a thing for cops, but he’s afraid of losing another lover in the line of fire.

Rafflecopter Code:
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A MelanieM Review: Red Dirt Heart (Red Dirt #1) by N.R. Walker

Rating: 5 stars out of 5

Welcome to Sutton Station: One of the world’s largest working farms in the middle of Australia – where if the animals and heat don’t kill you first, your heart just might.

Red dirt Heart CoverCharlie Sutton runs one of the largest working ranches in middle Australia, Sutton Station.   It is something he was born to do and Charlie can’t picture himself anywhere else even if he feels his sexuality would make him an outcast not only among the people he works among but the other stations and store owners he does business with as well.  The recent death of his powerful, overbearing father has done nothing to still his father’s voice inside his head that threatens his self worth and instills Charlie with a fear about being gay and out. Then a new arrival at the station upends the status quo, including Charlie’s perceptions of himself and the Sutton Station family.

American agronomy student Travis Craig arrives for a work study internship at Sutton Station.  Travis feels that his background as a Texas rancher and college area of study will help him fit in while hoping his studies will be beneficial to both countries.  While Travis expects to research how the Australian farmers make a living from one of the harshest environments on earth, he doesn’t expect to find that he learns to love not only the harsh beauty and red dirt of Sutton Station but Charlie Sutton himself.

Under the intense desert sun of the red dirt of Sutton Station, can two men find love and the ability to have a future together?

Readers, meet my latest obsession and its author, the Red Dirt Heart series by N. R Walker.   All it took was the first paragraph to pull me totally into the life of Charlie Sutton and the Sutton Station set in the Northern Territory (which is about the same size as Lebanon and based on a real working farm).  This author is amazing.  Walker manages to make the people and places in Red Dirt Heart so believable, so vivid, that you will feel the dust and heat enough to feel the need to brush the red dirt off the pages (or Kindle cover) as you read.

The story is told from  Charlie Sutton’s point of view.  That perspective enables Walker to bring all the Aussie terminology, colloquialisms, culture and frame of mind to life.  It also lets us into the heart and soul of this vulnerable, and marvelously complicated young man.  There is so much to Charlie.  From the insidious voice inside his head left by his father that tells him he will never be good enough or “man” enough to run Sutton Station because he is gay to the considerate, smart, and appealing person others find him to be.  What a  great character!

Travis Craig, is his equal in every manner.  A Texas agronomy student who is openly gay, Travis starts to upend Charlie’s life and life at the Sutton Station from the moment he arrives.  Travis not only works himself into Charlie’s heart but the readers as well.  Their dialog together is serious, humorous, and telling in its many meanings and impact.

Every aspect of life at Sutton Station comes across as authentic and real as the red dirt itself.  From Ma in the kitchen to the drovers that work for Charlie, the reader is immersed into the every day experiences of life lived seasonally and the hard work it takes to exist and succeed under some of the harshest conditions known.  It’s not just the romance but all the layers found here in this story and series that makes it work and  resonate deeply with the readers, myself included.   I did say it was my newest obsession, didn’t I?

Red Dirt Heart is that amazing self published story that you want to go telling everyone about.  I couldn’t put it down and then was lucky enough to already have in my possession the sequel to dive into once the first was finished.  And then I wanted more.  I wanted to move to Australia, experience the red dirt and vastness of the Northern Territory and wander until I found a Charlie and Travis of my own.  Trust me, you are going to feel the same.  The third story in the series is almost here.  Pick up the first two and get ready to fall in love with Charlie, Travis, and the Sutton Station itself.

Cover Artist:  Sara York.  I like it.  It works for the story and series branding.

Author’s Note: Please note: This book is set in Australia, using Australian English and lingo

Sales Links:    All Romance eBooks  (ARe)         Amazon                 Red Dirt Heart 1 $1.50 at Amazon

Book Details:

ebook, 162 pages
Published February 20th 2014
edition languageEnglish
seriesRed Dirt #1

Books in the series to date in the order they were written and should be read to understand the relationships, events and characters:

Red Dirt Heart 1
Red Dirt Heart 2
Red Dirt Heart 3 to be released early October 2014

A MelanieM Review: Dead Things by Meredith Russell

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

Devin never thought he could find hope or love among the ruins of a broken world. Not until he found Noah.

Dead-Things-ebookDevin Reed is one of the last survivors of a virus that has turned the earth’s population into living corpses…zombies.  Devin lives and conducts daily hunts from high security penitentiary in Kansas State that provides his group of survivors with shelter and security.   Devin returned from his last tour in Afghanistan to find the world gone mad.  He lost everyone he loved to the plague, including his long term partner and love.  Broken hearted and enraged by the circumstances he finds himself in, he risks his life daily to leave to hunt for supplies and any other survivors he can find.

One fateful scavenger trip changes everything when Devin and his partner check out what looks to be an abandoned farm house and find Noah Webber, the last of his family and the only person to survive a zombie attack.  Each man has lost so much, and their attraction to each other is bound up in each other’s survivor guilt and fear.  Together Devin and Noah unite to fight the monsters around them.  But it will take more than determination and firepower to win, it  might take finding the courage  to risk all for love and the hope of a future.

Just when I think I’ve about had my fill of all things zombie, along comes a story to remind me why this genre is so pupular.  Dead Things by Meredith Russell manages to combines  the heartbreak of loss, suspense, a post apocalyptic world, zombies and, of course, romance and has us sitting on the edge of our seats while doing it.

I especially liked her character, Devin Reed.  He is the epitome of a survivor, complete with a lost love, a sense of futility about the present and yet he endures and perseveres.  He’s also a warrior, hot, and gay.  Devin feels real,  he is shut down emotionally, allowing only the pain of loss or anger to penetrate the barriers he has erected again any further vulnerability.  There are other characters around that also seem authentic to the direness of the circumstances they find themselves in but Devin comes across as the most believable.

Noah Webber took longer for me to invest in.  His attitude seems at odds with his history and background.  And although we got a good explanation for his actions and outlook, it ended up irritating not only Devin but the reader as well.  Luckily for the story, that faded away under the onslaught of zombies and the events that occur.

Russell adds in high suspense, to go along with the anxiety of survival and the prickling of hope for the future.  The author solidly builds her story and keeps us guessing as we head into the climax and story resolution.  It’s fun, heartbreaking, white knuckle ride all the way to the end.  If you are a lover of zombies and post apocalyptic worlds to go along with your M/M romance, then add this to your TBR list.  It delivers what it promises. And that makes it one of Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words recommended reads.

Like most fiction of this trope, a small group of survivors has banded together in the most secure place they could find, a high security penitentiary.  This place has become their world, complete with a dictator who makes the rules and expects everyone to follow them.

Cover art by Meredith Russell.  Love the cover, it works perfectly for the character and gives a dark tone to the overall look.

Sales Links:  All Romance (ARe)       Amazon        Dead Things

Book Details:

book, Second edition
Published August 29th 2014 (first published August 2012)

Book Blast: Beany Sparks “Aiden’s Shepherd” (Book tour and contest)

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Check out Beany Spark’s release, Aiden’s Shepherd (Paws and Magic #1).  We have all the details, blurbs, and excerpt for you below.  And don’t forget to enter to win your own copy.  Details provided at the end of the post.

Book Name: Aiden’s Shepherd
Author Name: Beany Sparks

Author Bio:

Beany lives in Western Australia. She first started reading romance novels in 2008, but it wasn’t until January 2010 when her Kindle got delivered that the world of erotic romance opened its doors to her, and she hasn’t looked back.

With suggestions and support from friends, her muse—“affectionately” known as PITA—was finally able to break free, and in January 2014 her first story was written. Since she can’t put PITA back in his box, Beany has decided to give in and team up with him. Together they’ve made plans to write both MF and MM stories.

Author Contacts:

  • She can be reached at beany.sparks@gmail.com
    Or visit her at her website
    Or on Twitter:

Aiden's Shepherd - FinalTitle: Aiden’s Shepherd by Beany Sparks
Publisher: eXtasy Books

Sales Link:  eXtasy Books

Aiden’s Shepherd Blurb:

A man who never knew magic and shifters existed gets a crash course when he saves an injured dog.

Aiden Grey is packed and ready to move and start a new phase of his life away from the family that kicked him out when he was eighteen. The night before he leaves he sees something fall out of the back of a van. Upon closer inspection, he is shocked to find that it’s not the bag he suspected, it’s a dog!

Deciding to take the dog with him, the two set off the next morning to Aiden’s new home. Everything is going well for Aiden and the German Shepherd he named Lex. That is, until said German Shepherd shifts into a man who claims Aiden is his mate.

Lex can’t believe he’s finally found his mate. But as happy as he is to have him, he still worries about his brother and pack, and where they have ended up.

With the revelation that shifters exist, secrets about Aiden’s past come to light. Secrets he didn’t even know existed. Suddenly, Aiden has to deal with not only the reality of shifters, but also ghosts and magic.  But with Lex by his side he can handle anything—even his surprise guest.

Aiden’s Shepherd Excerpt:

He stood near the table, breathing heavily, stopping himself from opening any of the curtains to peek outside to see if the van was still there. Aiden had no idea what he was thinking with this stunt, but something was telling him to protect the dog. He just had to figure out how to clean the canine up without getting attacked, bitten or turning the light on and revealing to anyone who might be outside that he was awake and moving around.

Aiden took a deep breath to try and calm down, then gathered his courage. He took a few steps toward the entrance of the kitchen to see if he could make out anything through the glass panels on the front door, trying to stay hidden from view. He couldn’t see anything at first, but as he kept looking he suddenly spotted the shadow of a man through the glass. He couldn’t turn around and put his back against the wall fast enough, breathing hard once again.

Fuck! I hope whoever that is didn’t see me!

“What the hell are you doing?” A male voice came from outside his door. The man tried to remain quiet, but he was just loud enough for Aiden to hear him.
“I’m looking for that mutt, what do you think I’m doing? Picking daisies?” replied a second male voice in the same hushed tone.

“What makes you think he made it all the way here? It’s not like there’s a blood trail leading to the front door!” the first man said, sounding angry.

“This is the closest house so I’m going to check,” the second man said, then tried to turn the handle of the door.

Aiden felt his breath catch in his throat. He knew he’d locked the door, but if they forced their way in and looked around, what would he do?

“Knock it off, you moron. That mutt was barely breathing when we put him in the van, and you think he not only got up and made his way to this house, but that he somehow got inside it, too? How stupid are you?” the first man said.

“I’m telling you, man. There’s something about the mutt that doesn’t sit right with me.”

“You’re just pissed because he managed to bite you. Now come on, let’s get out of here before someone notices us or the van. We’ll come back later in the morning and have a look around. If the mutt managed to find someone to feel sorry for him, they’ll probably take him to see a vet, then we’ll get our hands back on the beast.”

“Yeah, I guess. Alright, let’s go.”

Aiden listened to their steps as they walked off his porch and presumably made their way to their van. He breathed a sigh of relief when he realized they’d left.

There goes my plan to get the dog to a vet close by. Hopefully there’s nothing seriously wrong and he’ll be able to hold off until I can get us to the cabin in the morning.

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Tour Dates: 10/3/14

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Amanda C. Stone, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Fallen Angel Reviews, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Nic Starr, Jade Crystal, MM Good Book Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Prism Book Alliance, Cate Ashwood, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Havan Fellows, Carly’s Book Reviews, Iyana Jenna, Kimi-Chan, Up All Night, Read All Day, Velvet Panic

Contest: Rafflecopter Prize: e-book copy of ‘Aiden’s Shepherd’. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the Rafflecopter link below for the entry form and for all additional contest details.

Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

A PaulB Review: His Sleeping Beau (Wickedly Ever After #2) by Jess Buffett

Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars

His Sleeping BeauWhen Zanth’s car refuses to start on his twenty-fifth birthday, he didn’t realize that his whole world is about to be turned upside down. He will learn that the life he has lead up until that point has been carefully crafted to protect him from an evil he knows nothing about. With the assistance of his Guardian Liam, Zanth learns of his true nature and must return to his ancestral home in order to face his destiny of the leader of his people.

“His Sleeping Beau” by Jess Buffett is a gay retelling of the classic fairy tale “Sleeping Beauty.” Stephan is the leader of the Ignis Tribe of Mages. At the naming ceremony for his new born son, Aurelius, Stephan’s brother Malcolm shows up and curses the child. By the end of the child’s twenty-fifth birthday, he will prick himself on a sharp point and fall into a death-like sleep.

Flash forward twenty five years. Zanth Aurelius is having a really bad birthday. First, his car won’t start when he finishes his day teaching school. Then a stranger appears as he exits his shower. As Zanth is getting ready to defend himself against this stranger, said stranger says Zanth’s life is in danger and he needs to come with him in order to be safe.
The stranger is Liam, who is a Guardian and Changling who has been assigned to protect Zanth from birth. Hearing windows breaking downstairs, Liam protects Zanth, whom he recognizes as his mate, from the invading force while preparing him for a hasty retreat.

At a safe house, Liam explains to Zanth what is happening to his life. Liam describes the curse that was brought upon Zanth at the naming ceremony and the steps his family took to protect him. One thing that they had done was tell Zanth his birthday was three days before it really was. This was done to provide his protectors time to get Zanth to the tribe in time to claim his role as the new leader of the tribe. While at the safe house, Liam mates with Zanth but they do not complete the bond. They also are visited by the Guardian Elders, whom have an interest in Zanth claiming his rightful spot as the ruler of his people.
On the way to their village, the pair is attacked by a group of sorcerers which include Zanth’s ex-boyfriend. The ex has been working with Zanth’s uncle who is trying to make sure that his curse is carried out. With the assistance of the Elders, the pair manages to break free of this attack and continue on their way to the home village. As they rest at a motel that night, Zanth decides to complete the mating bond.

Once at the village, they find what amounts to a civil war going on. Several of the mages and guardians have sided with Malcolm trying to establish a new order. As the fight rages on, Malcolm takes Zanth prisoner and injects him with a poison that causes him to fall into a deep sleep. Liam takes on Malcolm, killing him in the process. Zanth recovers from the poisoning due to the love and mating bond he has with Liam.

The relationship between Liam and Zanth comes along quickly as most fated mate relationships go. Liam realizes Zanth is his mate when he is in danger. Zanth, who has not grown up in the world of fated mates, feels some type of pull towards Liam is resistant at first. Zanth accepts his feelings and the bond between the two after Liam defends Zanth from the various threats to his well being.

The author brings elements of the paranormal world not usually associated with your typical fairy tale. Adding shifters to the classic tale brings a new unexpected twist to the usual story. I also enjoyed the fact it diverged from the classic tale in that the villain takes a more active role in carrying out the curse.

This is the second book of the Wickedly Ever After series by JK Publishing. Each story is self contained. (The first book retells the story of Robin Hood from a female Robin’s perspective.)

The cover art is by the author and does well in depicting the heroes of the story. It shows Zanth in the foreground with Liam watching over him in the background. Well done cover.

Sales Links: JK Publishing         All Romance eBooks (ARe)      Amazon         His Sleeping Beau

Book Details:
Ebook:
Published: August 26, 2014
Edition: English
Series: Wickely Ever After

Series:
Robin and Her Merry Men (Wickedly Ever After #1) by Willow Brooks (m/f and m/f/m)
His Sleeping Beau (Wickedly Ever After #2) by Jess Buffett (m/m)

Jump Into Fantasy with Jeff Buffett and His Sleeping Beau Tour (contest)

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Jump into Jess Buffett’s fantasy world with her latest release, His Sleeping Beau.  We have a excerpt to read and a contest to enter.  Check them all out below:

hissleepingbeauBook Name: His Sleeping Beau
Goodreads Link
Author Name: Jess Buffett

Author Bio:

Jess Buffett was born and raised in New South Wales, Australia. She is a mum of two, married to her high school sweetheart. 

Jess is a hopeless romantic who is a huge fan of M/M and M/F romance with a happy ending—anything with hunky men in all their glory, whether they be Shifters, Vampires, Cowboys, or the boy next door. 

A caffeine addict who shamefully can’t make a decent cup of coffee to save her life, Jess believes in soul mates, happily ever afters, and in love at first sight, but that sometimes people need a second or a third for the brain to catch up.

Author Contact:

Website: http://www.jessbuffett.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JessBuffettAuthor
Email: jessbuffett@gmail.com
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/JessBuffett
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JessBuffettAuthor

Title: His Sleeping Beau by Jess Buffett
Publisher: JK Publishing
Cover Artist: Jess Buffett

Sales Links:  Amazon   ARe    B&N:

His Sleeping Beau Blurb:

Zanth is a teacher making the best of his life until a chance encounter changes everything for him. It leaves him questioning everything: his life, his family, and his ability to love. 

When Guardian Liam is sent to collect his charge and bring him home, the last thing he expected is to discover the young, clueless man is meant to be his. Now he must explain the past to save the future to a man with no knowledge of his worth.

Will a Tribe gain the leader they have waited years for? Does the evil from the past finally receive their vengeance? Or can Liam convince Zanth that apart means death to all but together, they are unstoppable?

Categories: Fantasy, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance

His Sleeping Beau Excerpt:

The lost, almost broken young man in front of him tore his heart in two. How much had his mate suffered all these years alone?
“I wish I could take back the years you lost with your family, the pain you’ve felt…but I can’t.” Liam stood, walking over and reaching out to Zanth. He slid his hand around the back of Zanth’s neck, tugging the younger man forward. Zanth came without struggle, his eyes dim with grief. Bringing their lips until they were just a hair’s breath away, he whispered, “You are so very important to me, Zanth. Not because of your position in our Tribe, not because I have been ordered here. I will keep you safe, give you the family you were supposed to have…and I make this promise, not as the Guardian assigned to bring you home, but as someone who cares very deeply for you.”

Tour Dates/ Stops:HSBBadgeTemplate

September 29: Parker Williams
September 30: Nephylim, MM Good Book Reviews
October 1: My Fiction Nook, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, Fallen Angel Reviews, Queer Town Abbey
October 2: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Amanda C. Stone
October 3: Cate Ashwood

Rafflecopter Prize: Copy of His Sleeping Beau & a $10 Amazon Gift Card. Must be 18 years of age or older to enter. Use the
Rafflecopter Code provided for the entry form and for additional contest details:
a Rafflecopter giveaway

In Our Author Spotlight: Carol Lynne on Tour with The Brick Yard, A What’s His Passion Imprint from TB! (contest)

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Carol Lynne here to talk about her latest release from Totally Bound’s What’s His Passion Imprint, The Brick Yard.  Check out the book information and don’t forget to enter the contest included in the tour! 

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My Love/Hate Relationship with Secondary Characters
By Carol Lynne

Let me start by saying how much I love to write secondary characters. I love them so much that I can’t stop thinking about them after I finish a story. That, of course, leads to a sequel. Then, in the sequel, I have to introduce another set of secondary characters, which will inevitably lead to a third book. Are you starting to see a pattern? Yep, I’m a series junky. I’ve tried numerous times to kick the habit, but it’s a pull like none other.

When I was asked to write a stand-alone title for the What’s His Passion imprint at Totally Bound, the first thing that popped into my head was how am I going to pull off a stand-alone? What about secondary characters. Am I really supposed to write a story with secondary characters who will never see a happily-ever-after? How can this be? My brain simply doesn’t work that way.

Well, in The Brick Yard, I tried to give life to the secondary characters while reigning in my thoughts about future stories. It wasn’t easy, honest. That said, I know that all the secondary characters in The Brick Yard will go on to lead very happy and productive lives. I may not have a chance to write them, but I’ve told myself they will be fine without my interference.

I have no doubt that once people read The Brick Yard, they will email to ask if Jax is going to get a story or Jake or Mac…the list goes on. This is where the hatred for writing secondary characters comes in. Believe me, I’d love to know what happens to them in the future as much as some of you do, but, again, this is a stand-alone. How do authors write standalones? I think the next time I’m asked to write a single book, I’m going to set it on a remote island or something where only the two main characters are in the story because the only way I know not to fall in love with my secondary characters is simply to not write them in the first place.

Despite my ramblings, I hope you’ll fall in love with the secondary characters in The Brick Yard as much as I did.

Blurb for The Brick Yard, the debut novel in Totally Bound’s What’s his Passion? imprint:

thebrickyard_800For Lucky Gunn, the hardest fight of his life happens outside the cage.

On the south side of Chicago sits an old gym called The Brick Yard.

Ten years ago, on a bitterly cold day, Lucky Gunn wandered into The Brick Yard dressed in a threadbare jacket, looking for refuge. He hadn’t expected the owner, Tony Brick, to welcome him with a job and a place to sleep when Lucky’s abusive and drug addicted mother made it too dangerous to return home.

Dray was a gay man living in a world of straight fighters. When his secret was exposed to the media, he dropped out, giving Lucky a piece of advice, if you want to make it as a MMA fighter, bury the part of yourself that won’t be accepted.

Lucky discovered the cage was the perfect place to keep his demons at bay, but when he learns his trainer and mentor, Brick, is suffering from end-stage cancer, he begins to spiral out of control. After eight years, Dray returns to help Lucky and Brick deal with the devastating news.

With Dray so close, Lucky’s old desires return, and Dray teaches him more than how to fight. Torn between his career and the passion he feels for Dray, Lucky finds that his past demons resurface in full force, threatening his sanity and his budding relationship with Dray.

Despite leaving the cage years earlier, Dray finds himself in the battle of his life with the only man he’s ever loved. Will he stand and fight or walk away like he did years earlier?

Like the sound of The Brick Yard? Buy it here!

The Brick Yard_Carol Lynne_Blog Tour_Blog dates_finalAuthor Bio for Carol Lynne:

An avid reader for years, one day Carol Lynne decided to write her own brand of erotic romance. Carol juggles between being a full-time mother and a full-time writer. These days, you can usually find Carol either cleaning jelly out of the carpet or nestled in her favourite chair writing steamy love scenes.

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