Andrew Grey on Inspiration and his new release ‘Cleansing Flame (Rekindled Flame #2)’ by Andrew Grey (special excerpt)

Cleansing Flame (Rekindled Flame #2) by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
Release Date: Mar 10 2017

Available for Purchase at: Amazon | Barnes and Noble | Dreamspinner Press

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Andrew Grey here today to talk a little about the inspiration behind his latest story, Cleansing Flame, the second novel in the Rekindled Flame series.  Welcome, Andrew.

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The idea for this story came from an old diary that I found in some things in the house.  It wasn’t important and didn’t contain anything all that interesting.  However it did get my mind running and I thought about what would happen if the diary had been something special. As I was mulling those thoughts a reader asked me to write a story about the Carlisle Indian School.  As I was finishing up my previous story, my mind churned the two things together and I ended up with the basis for Cleansing Flame.  I’ve never written a story with this kind of element before and I don’t know if I will again.  But I did fall in love with both sets of characters.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Life has been grinding Dayne Mills down almost for as long as he can remember. First he lost the love of his life in an accident that also left him with a permanent injury, and then his mother passed away a year later. When his house burns to the ground, it’s the last straw. He can’t take any more, and if it wasn’t for kind and handsome firefighter Lawson Martin offering him a hand up and a place to stay, he doesn’t know what he’d do. Dayne would love for his relationship with Lawson to evolve into something beyond charity, but he knows going after a man so far out of his league will only lead to yet more heartache. It’s best to just keep his mind on his research.

It’s that research that leads Dayne to an old student journal that not only provides clues to the Native American heritage Lawson has been searching for, but chronicles a century-old love story. The tale that unfolds might be just what Dayne and Lawson need to remember that no matter how dark life becomes, love can find a way to shine through.

Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & Print

Excerpt

Dayne pulled his car into the drugstore parking lot across the street, got out, and walked up to where a group of neighbors had gathered. He turned to where they were all looking and gasped as flames shot out of the windows of his little house.

“Oh God,” Dayne mumbled as he hurried forward. Everything he owned was in that house. It was all he had left of his mom. As flames shot out of front door and the roof collapsed, Dayne’s legs gave out and the grass rose up to meet him.

“Hey,” a deep voice said from close to him. Dayne felt like a fool and struggled to get up. He was helped to his feet, and the fireman took off his helmet. “It’s you.”

“That’s my house…,” Dayne said weakly as water sprayed all over what was left of the only home he’d known. “Everything I have….” He gasped and tried not to come apart at the seams.

“It will be all right.” He took Dayne’s arm and gently helped steady him.

“I don’t see how.” One of the walls fell in, and Dayne turned away. Everything was gone. The last of what he’d had from his mother had been in that house, and the flames had taken it all. A cloud of steam went up as the last of the fire died away, leaving only a smoking ruin of what had been his life.

“I’m sorry this happened to you.” The firefighter gently put an arm around Dayne’s shoulder, and the last of Dayne’s control broke.

He buried his face in the man’s chest and cried like the stupid baby he was. Damn it, he tried not to, but this was too much. For a year, he’d been doing his best to hold it together, to get through each day as it came, hoping the pain would lessen. But every damn time he thought things might be getting better, something happened, and this was the worst.

“It’s all right. Just let it out.”

Dayne heard people around him, but he kept his face where it was for a bit, afraid to look for fear of dying of embarrassment. Dayne breathed deeply and backed away, swallowing and getting himself together. “I’m sorry.” He wiped his eyes and tried not to get snot all over himself.

“Don’t be.” The man didn’t move, and Dayne lifted his gaze.

“I guess after I slobbered all over you, I should tell you my name. I’m Dayne.” He wiped his hands on his pants because they were covered with things he shouldn’t have on them.

“I’m Lawson Martin.” He took Dayne’s hand and held it.

About the Author

Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing)  He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Author Links

Amazon Author Page

Barnes and Noble Page

Dreamspinner Press

Facebook

Facebook Group All the Way with Andrew Grey

Goodreads

Twitter @andrewgreybooks

Website

For Other Works by Andrew Grey

(Please Be Sure To Stop by His Website to See All of His Works)

Sean Michael on the Top Ten Sexiest Jobs and his release ‘Just the Right Notes’ (guest blog and excerpt)

Just the Right Notes by Sean Michael

Just the Right Notes by Sean Michael
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reamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Jennifer Vance

Available for Purchase at

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Sean Michaels here today talking about his latest story, Just the Right Notes.  Welcome, Sean!

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Thank you to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words for hosting me today.

Sometimes it’s easy to figure out what a character does – often they arrive with their job in tow, ready to go. Other times, the nature of the story calls for the character to have a specific job, or a certain type of job. And every now and then, they arrive without an occupation and I have to figure it out, which can often take way more time than I’d like. In the case of Just the Right Notes, the guys came complete with occupations — architect and symphony conductor — which is always the best scenario.

I thought I’d share my top ten sexiest jobs, occupations that for one reason or another, seem sexier than others.

Top Ten Sexiest Jobs

  1. Fireman
  2. Marine
  3. Navy Seal
  4. Police Officer
  5. Chef
  6. Dancer
  7. Doctor
  8. Cowboy
  9. Swimmer
  10. Manny

SeanMichael

smut fixes everything

Just the Right Notes

Elliot is an up-and-coming architect who just opened his own firm—which is a lot more work and pressure than he expected. His partner, Graham, is a respected composer and conductor. They share their love and lives in a beautiful house designed by Elliot, and whenever things get too hard to handle, they retreat to their cabin getaway where Elliot becomes Dom to Graham’s needy little sub.

When things at Elliot’s firm begin to crumble, Graham needs to be the tough one, the one to suggest the cabin and the games they play there, knowing Elliot’s role as Dom will give him strength and that their games will recharge his lover. Together, they keep working to find that precarious balance in their lives—until an accident threatens to change everything. Elliot and Graham’s love faces its greatest challenge yet, and only the resilience they draw from each other can see them through hardship and keep the music in their lives.

Excerpt:

Oh, he didn’t think so. Enough was enough. If anything or anyone was going to torture Graham, it was going to be him, and Graham was going to love every fucking second of it.

Elliot turned on his heel and headed for their bedroom to grab the black bag from the back of the closet. He didn’t need to check it—it would have everything they needed. Every time they used it, he carefully repacked it when they got home again so it was always ready. He took it out and put it in the trunk of the car.

Back inside, he called his work number and reset his outgoing message to indicate he would be unreachable for the weekend.

Then he went to wake Graham.

His beautiful lover’s jet-black hair was loose, wild, and tangled, undisciplined and uncontrolled. He reached out, stroked a hand through it, and Graham’s eyes fluttered open.

Crouching next to Graham, Elliot smiled into the most amazing green eyes he’d ever seen. “G. Love.”

About the Author

Best-selling author Sean Michael is a maple leaf–loving Canadian who spends hours hiding out in used book stores. With far more ideas than time, Sean keeps several documents open at all times. From romance to fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi, Sean is limited only by the need for sleep—and the periodic Beaver Tail.

Sean fantasizes about one day retiring on a secluded island populated entirely by horseshoe crabs after inventing a brain-to-computer dictation system. Until then, Sean will continue to write the old-fashioned way.

Sean Michael on the web:

In the New Release Spotlight: Noble Intentions by Andrew Grey (guest blog and excerpt)

noble-intentions

Noble Intentions by Andrew Grey
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: Dec 2016

Available for Purchase at

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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Andrew Grey here today to share his thoughts on  writing and his latest novel, Nobel Intentions.  Welcome, Andrew.
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I really love a good story.  When I first started writing, my goal was to be a storyteller.  Growing up my dad didn’t read us stories, he told us ones he made up and I think I got some of my skills from him.  I feel its important not to write a book, but to tell the story and I have the best job because I get to tell stories about people falling in love.  What job could be better than that?  Sometimes I write stories about farmers and other times about movie stars and old loves.  I love it all.  I recently finished a story called Setting the Hook about a charter boat captain on the Gulf of Mexico.  I got to go to many different places with my stories and with Noble Intentions I was able to travel to England and visit one of its great country estates.  In books we got to go places we might never get a chance to visit otherwise.  As an author I like to think we get to make an extended stay.  Happy holidays and I hope you enjoy your visit to the country estate where I got to stay for a while.

Blurb/Synopsis:

Robert Ashton is in for the surprise of a lifetime. His mother, a bit of a rebel, raised him away from the rest of the family, and it’s not until he’s contacted by his lawyer about an inheritance that he learns who he truly is: the new Earl of Hantford. His legacy includes ownership of the historic Ashton Park Estate—which needs repairs Robert cannot afford. He’ll simply do what the nobility has done for centuries when in need of money. He’ll marry it.

Tech wizard Daniel Fabian is wealthy and successful. In fact, he has almost everything—except a title to make him worthy in the eyes of the old-money snobs he went to prep school with. His high school reunion is looming, and he’s determined to attend it as a member of the aristocracy.

That’s where Robert comes in.

Daniel has the money, Robert has the name, and both of them know they can help each other out. But their marriage of convenience has the potential to become a real love match—unless a threat to Daniel’s business ruins everything.

Series: Currently a Standalone
Genre: M/M Contemporary/ LBGTQ
Edition/Formats Available In: eBook & PrintBook Links

Amazon/Barnes and Noble

Excerpt

“It’s your fifteenth class reunion and you’re a real success. Of course you’re going to go.”

Daniel shook his head. “I have no interest.”

She came in and sat in one of the chairs. Daniel had built all of his business teams on the philosophy of openness and communication. So while he had an office because he dealt with private matters, his door was almost always open and his walls were glass. He had nothing to hide from the people on his team, and he expected the same from them. That also meant people tended to offer advice and speak their mind—sometimes whether Daniel wanted it or not.

“I didn’t know you went to Lipton. That must have been exciting.” She looked at him strangely. “I always thought your background was more… humble than that.”

Daniel closed the lid on his laptop. “It is.” He didn’t want to get into that right now. There were some things he felt were private, and Joanne was skating very close to them at the moment. “I was on a scholarship.”

She watched him closely for a minute. “I see.”

Sometimes she scared the hell out of him with the way she could grasp the deeper meaning from just a few words. He should have said nothing at all.

“What does that look mean?”

“Nothing. Just that no matter what happened then, you’re extremely successful and you can hold your own with those people.”

Daniel leaned forward. “Those people…,” he began, and swore at himself for taking the bait, “they only cared about where their parents came from. They were all old money, as though that made them better than everyone else. It wasn’t about what you did or how well you did, but how far back you could trace the money in your family. There was a Vanderbilt relative in my class, for God’s sake. And the parents were just as shallow as their children. Yes, I got a good education that gave me a good start into college and beyond, but it was hell, and the last thing I want to do is—”

Joanne scoffed. “There is only one thing that gets you pissy like this, and that’s when you say you don’t want to do something but you really do. You’d love nothing more than to go to that reunion, sitting at the top of the heap in every way possible. You want to go to this shindig real bad and show them just the kind of success you’ve become.”

“Yeah.” He rolled his eyes. “These guys are not going to be impressed or care that I have a big Internet company. They have more money than you can imagine.”

“Like I was going to say. You’re a success, but you have to go with someone.”

“God, I haven’t had the time to date anyone in, what? Three years?”

“Three years, two months, and twelve days, but who’s counting? The thing is, you need to find someone so you can go to this reunion and hold your head high. Hell, you can take the place by storm.” Joanne came around his desk, opened the lid of his computer, and brought up a web page. “This is exactly what you need.”

“A matchmaker?” Daniel figured he’d finally sent Joanne around the bend. Maybe she needed a vacation.

“Why not? This is a discreet, expensive agency with high-class clientele. Lots of guys like you spend all their time working and building their dream, and they forget about a personal life and have no time to date. So the old-fashioned matchmaker has a modern application. I’ll call them and make an appointment for you. They’ll talk to you and get the ball rolling.” She worked through the website. “They don’t discriminate and work with men and women, gay or straight. They even have aristocrats.” She turned the computer so Daniel could see the screen. “Here’s Count Gregor of Villovia and his new wife, Diana. Think about it. A title would certainly burn their asses at the reunion.”

Daniel groaned. “I suppose you aren’t going to leave me alone until I agree to do this.” He could just see the puppy-dog looks he’d get until he complied—like the one she was giving him now. “Sometimes I really hate you.”

Andrew Grey

About the Author

Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.

Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing)  He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

Author Links

Amazon Author Page

Barnes and Noble Page

Dreamspinner Press

Facebook

Facebook Group All the Way with Andrew Grey

Goodreads

Twitter @andrewgreybooks

Website

For Other Works by Andrew

(Please Be Sure To Stop by His Website to See All of His Works)