Tag: A MelanieM Recommended Story

Review: Right as Raine (Aster Valley #1) by Lucy Lennox

Rating: 4 🌈

I had started this series with the third book in the series and decided to backtrack to the beginning and I’m glad I did. I really enjoyed the first installment and my introduction to the location of Aster Valley .

The relationship and romance between Mikey Vining, personal chef and son of a NFL Coach and the NFL wide receiver on his father’s team, Tiller Raine, is told in rotating 2-person pov. It’s a sexy, fun, and heartwarming contemporary romance that’s got terrific dialogue and a wonderful group of support players, many of which become a full time Aster Valley cast.

Lennox does a good job with getting the importance of great nutrition across as a source of better job performance for athletes, making what Mikey does essential. He becomes believable as a professional as well as a person. And it enhances both Tiller’s character and his job as a pro Football player.

The flashbacks are kept to a minimum, the relationship feels based in a real dynamic between the men and I loved the chemistry going forward.

Just the odd element about Truman pulled into the book towards the end seemed out of keeping with the rest of the tone and added another pov out of nowhere. I get the author’s setting up a bridge to the next story but perhaps another method could have been found.

Other then this aspect of the story, I liked my introduction to Aster Valley and it’s dwellers very much. I also really like this couple and look forward to seeing more of them in future novels.

I’m recommending this!

https://www.goodreads.com › showRight as Raine (Aster Valley #1) by Lucy Lennox – Goodreads

Aster Valley Series:

◦ Winter Waites #0.5

✓ Right as Raine #1

◦ Sweet as Honey #2

✓ Hot as Heller #3

◦ Thick as Thieves #4 – coming 2022

Book Synopsis

Tiller:

As the first openly gay professional football player, I can’t afford to make any mistakes, on or off the field. And the absolute biggest mistake I could make right now would be to fall for Mikey Vining, my best friend, employee and, more importantly, Coach’s baby boy. I might fantasize about Mikey at night–every night-but actually touching him would be a serious personal foul.

And falling for him? That’s completely out of bounds.

Mikey:

I’ve learned my lesson about falling for one of my dad’s players. They’re a bunch of spoiled jocks with more muscles than brains. I’ve spent years learning to keep my eyes, and my hands, to myself. But resisting the temptation becomes nearly impossible when Tiller Raine and I end up together in a small cabin in a remote Colorado town.

Suddenly, there’s not much to do but look at each other. And talk. And hopefully, hopefully touch.

But what happens when our stay in Aster Valley is over and it’s time to return to the real world? Will Coach blow the whistle on our relationship? Or will Tiller admit there might actually be something he loves more than football after all?

Review: Hot as Heller (Aster Valley #3) by Lucy Lennox

The man asked me to valet his damn car

Rating: 3.5 🌈

Hot as Heller by Lucy Lennox is a new release I happened to grab up as it’s tag line caught my attention.

Of course, it’s a middle book in a series. But I found this time that really didn’t make a difference for me understanding the characters or for getting a feel of place and community. Lennox does a good job of laying out her foundation universe. It’s folded into this story so well that it includes enough of all preceding storylines and history that the reader doesn’t feel lost when past events or people are mentioned.

Also each book represents a different couple so while minor threads appear from previous novels, each story can stand somewhat alone, with a support cast you can become familiar with if this is your first book. Or one you already know because you’ve read their stories. Either way, it works.

I enjoyed this story and felt that one of the elements was excellently on topic , especially given the timing. I’m talking about the current tragedy on the now shut down movie set of “Rust”, and the intense and much needed movie industry discussions going on about safety, stunts .and overall actor/support control.

I wonder if the author knew how on point and current this aspect of the story would be.

It was excellently written and the suspense almost made the romance take a backseat for me. It did have the effect of making me care about a character I was having trouble connecting with.

That would be Finn Heller, the child actor who’s the lead in this action movie being filmed in Aster Valley. Finn is/was a very problematic character for me. Most doormat personalities are. For the majority of this book , Finn let’s everyone make decisions for him. Whether to go to a bar when he doesn’t want to. He says no and goes anyway. He says no and does it anyway. For everything.

While the author is doing her best to explain his actions, that very personality is turning into white noise for me. Not good when he’s half of a main romance.

Better is Sheriff Declan Stone. Recently of LA’s PD, a corruption scandal involving his partner and just sick of Hollywood and its denizens, he’s relocated to small town Aster Valley for a saner, better lifestyle.

I liked this character immediately. He comes across as realistic, competent. At home in his skill set and person. He’s, in short, believable and someone we can connect with.

Which begs the question as to why he’s attaching himself to a doormat, however attractive. Finn does find himself undergoing a sea change before the story ends but I still found him not as fascinating a person. Oh well.

What I did fall in love with? The small town community of Aster Valley. I need dispatcher Penny to finish filling me in on the romance drama between Charlene Candy, her ex wife Clara Corn ( yep you see that coming), and her new love Clara’s brother. Plus there’s that thing with Colman and his wildlife…

Never a dull , funny , or just small town human moments. This book and the Sheriffs time of full of them. Those made it for me

The town, it’s people, the secondary romances, as well as other interesting , warm-hearted aspects to Aster Valley pulled me in and engaged my imagination to make me want to explore the rest of the series.

This has so many different terrific elements that I can definitely recommend it as a contemporary romance people will enjoy.

Aster Valley Series:

◦ Winter Waites #0.5

◦ Right as Raine #1

◦ Sweet as Honey #2

✓ Hot as Heller #3

◦ Thick as Thieves #4 – coming 2022

Synopsis:

The man asked me to valet his damn car.

Look, I left LA for a reason. I’ve had my fill of big Hollywood stars and their even bigger egos. I want something genuine. Something real. And it doesn’t get any realer than being the new sheriff of Aster Valley, Colorado.

That is, until entitled Finn Heller appears on the scene, handing me the keys to his convertible like I’m his personal servant.

The former child star and wannabe action hero is the hottest thing I’ve ever seen. He’s also a snarky party animal with legions of adoring fans and attitude for days.

Or so I thought.

The longer the film crew stays in town, the more I begin to wonder if Finn is hiding his true self, one that’s as beautiful inside as out. He’s a star alright, but the kind that shines bright enough to light up the night sky… the kind I want to make a wish on.

A wish Finn will find a way to make things work with me, even if it means his next role is my very own leading man.

https://www.goodreads.com › showHot as Heller (Aster Valley, #3) by Lucy Lennox | Goodreads

◦

Review: Fractured Souls (Fallen Messengers #1) by Ava Marie Salinger

Rating: 4.25 🌈

Fractured Souls is the first book I’ve read by author Ava Marie Salinger but it definitely won’t be the last, if for no other reason that Fractured Souls is the first in a series.

But after reading this imaginative and gripping fantasy story (non-stop btw), I’m ready to rush headlong into the second round and more in this universe and series.

Salinger starts us off in a world where a cataclysmic event has already occurred hundreds of years ago. Then a tear in the void between worlds saw demons, angels and a host of otherly beings from all Realms fall to Earth. After much warring a peace was brokered and all species co-exist, tentatively side by side.

That’s the interesting basis that the author then starts really building her edifice upon. Salinger does so through her strong characters as they navigate her incredibly dark and complicated storyline, which includes murder, sacrifices, humor, action, surprise revelations, and just plain great plotting.

Much like her universe, we get a basic understanding of who her characters are and then the author proceeds to show us that’s just a mere outline she’s using to create something astonishing. Not just for one major character but for many as the revelations, small and large, stumble out .

What’s more remarkable is that not only is the reader highly surprised by each change or new element with regard to the characters but the characters themselves are shocked!

Yes The Fall wiped out most memories of past existence for those who survived it. Talk about a great concept! So both the readers and characters find out the new details about themselves at the same time. Love it.

Salinger has so many great details here to go along with a heinous murder spree. A series arc that’s delicious , devious, and dangerous in its own right. And characters that are just memorable in every way.

If I have a issue here it’s with the language or descriptions. While Salinger’s plots are stellar, the writing sometimes gets a little less tidy. Some characters get the same words used to describe them repeatedly.

Poor Adrianne. She comes to mind the most.

Adrianne said dully.

Adrianne said leadenly. (She does this a lot)

Adrianne snarled.

There’s also a lot of “muscles jumping in cheeks’ of both sexes when upset. Including Adrianne’s. It’s as though the author knew she didn’t want her characters muscles to “tick” so they “jump”. Often, sometimes in the same paragraph. SMH. Anyway.

The plot kept my interest glued as the pace is fast and the events occurring are action packed. Had that not been the case, verbiage like those examples above would soon drag your attention out of the storyline.

Luckily, a great concept and enough mystery keeps your mind centered on the characters.

Here there’s no demons versus angels but all factions actually work together. More or less, power struggles not withstanding. Nice change that.

Cassius Black and Morgan King are perfect for each other. And their chemistry grows along with their complicated relationship.

All the support characters are equally strong and have the potential for more growth in the future. They make up a great team, one you connect with and invest yourself emotionally in.

I’m heading now quickly over to book 2 in the Fallen Messengers series. That would be Spellbound.

I’ll let you all know what I find. This was an terrific , exciting, sexy fantasy novel. And a great start and introduction to a new author and universe.

I can’t wait for my journey to continue with both.

Definitely recommended.

Fallen Messenger series:

Unbound #0.5

Fractured Souls #1

Spellbound #2

Edge Lines #3

Oathbreaker #4

Synopsis:

Humans are dying in San Francisco. The most shunned angel on Earth may very well hold the key as to why…

When Cassius Black moves to San Francisco for a fresh start, the angel’s hopes of staying below the radar of the supernatural organizations that oversee the otherworldly and magic users in the city are dashed when he stumbles across a dead body in the sewers. His grim discovery soon puts him in the sight of the Argonaut Agency and Francis Strickland, the bureau director who knows his darkest secrets. 

Morgan King and his team of Argonaut agents have been hunting for the culprits behind a series of gruesome killings that have rocked the city all summer. Killings that bear sinister hallmarks of sacrificial rituals where the victims’ souls have been ripped from their bodies. When Fate brings Cassius in Morgan’s path, he realizes the angel everyone likes to call The Devil may very well be the only person who can help them track down the murderers.

Morgan and Cassius soon find themselves chasing down a sect of black magic sorcerers and cross paths with a mysterious warlock whose actions evoke disturbing echoes of an incident from Cassius’s past. As rumors of a potential plot to tear the Nether reach their ears, Cassius and Morgan must work together to defeat their common enemy and save the city from destruction, all while fighting their growing attraction for one another.

Fractured Souls is the first novel in the MM urban fantasy romance series Fallen Messengers. If you like action-packed paranormal adventures with romance and snark, then get this pulse-pounding book today and enter a world you won’t want to leave! 

https://www.goodreads.com › showFractured Souls (Fallen Messengers #1) by Ava Marie Salinger – Goodreads

A MelanieM Review: The Doctor Takes a Detour by Bren Christopher

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

An unexpected detour sets two men on the path to love and healing.

After being attacked by a drug addict, Dr. Josh Parker fled New York, his career as an ER doctor, and a failed relationship. Determined to start fresh, he takes a job as a concierge doctor to the wealthy older population of sunny Naples, Florida. Nothing to fear there. No trauma. No stress.

It’s a good idea that doesn’t last long. Traveling to his new home, he discovers a car accident and is forced to make a detour to render aid. There he meets sexy paramedic Ian Manolas.

Since Ian returned from the Army, every day has been a struggle to atone for past mistakes. The Glades Free Clinic is his chosen path to redemption. The people Ian helps are a world away from Josh’s wealthy clients though. Addicts, prostitutes, gang members: they all come to Ian’s clinic for help, not judgment. He’ll do almost anything to keep the clinic going, including roping in one reluctant—and hot—ex-ER doctor.

The attraction is immediate, but Josh wants nothing to do with Ian’s clinic. For them to have a future, both men must work together to find a path to love, while helping those who need them most.

The Doctor Takes a Detour by Bren Christopher represents a new contemporary romance by a new to me author.  After finishing the story, Bren Christopher is a writer whose backlibrary and future releases are on my list to be read.

Well written, characters I got quickly invested in, and a story that pulled me in,  The Doctor Takes a Detour was a smooth ride of a contemporary romance, one I really enjoyed.  The author has a mixture of serious elements here, PTSD, addiction, that are addressed through both characters. One through Josh’s past history, a traumatic ER attack, the other through paramedic Ian Manolas.  Both men were compelling, interesting, and I would have loved to have had an expanded section containing more of both men’s backgrounds,  It would have added a richness to the story and depth to their characters.

The author has so much in place to have given this a 5 star novel.  The setting was lush and vibrant, in some cases you could almost feel the Palmetto bugs and mosquitos!  The clinic had an authentic gritty, beat down feel to it.  Same goes for its patrons and staff.  This was a clinic you might see barely existing on the outskirts of towns of this everywhere where someone tries or tried to make a difference.

I loved the relationship and romance between the men, the dynamic was hot and the chemistry believable.  As I said I thought the book came close to a much higher rating..  As it is it’s a terrific read and a romance you will definitely enjoy.  It is one I recommend.

Cover Art: L.C. Chase.  Light, colorful.  In keeping with the title although not the seriousness of the story which deals with PTSD and drug addiction.

Sales Links:  Riptide Publishing | Amazon

 

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 214 pages
Published April 6th 2019 by Riptide Publishing
ASINB07QGQH2FM

A MelanieM Review: His Heart or Mine (Individualists #1) by C.S. Joyce

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

“There’s something about the way he’s looking at me now, determined. Like he might ruin me if given half the chance.”

Adam:
Success can mean a lot of things. To me it meant living a lie and getting away with it.
But pretending is exhausting. My sister’s wedding in Italy was exactly what I needed. A week on the Amalfi coast with sunshine, wine, and zero complications.
Too bad the universe saw an opportunity to ruin that plan. Because what could be more complicated than the arrival of an attractive man who sees right through my act? One that is determined to remind me that you can’t hide who you really are.
What if he tells people my secret? Or, worse still, what if I can’t control these feelings. Because right now I’m feeling all sorts of things – fear, anger, lust…
No, I need to keep this thing under control. I can’t give in.
But what if, just once, I didn’t fight it?

Jacob:
After a series of bad decisions, running away to Italy seemed like the perfect escape. A fresh start in a new country. Nothing, and no one would bring me back to Ireland.
When I meet Adam at my friend’s wedding, I’m captivated. There’s something about this rugged stranger that makes me forget that I keep messing up every part of my life.
I know it’s a bad idea and I know I’m playing with fire. But when anger turns to passion I know I can’t stay away.
He can pretend all he wants but that man belongs in my bed. He might only be here for one week, but I intend to make the most of it.
After all, I can’t ask him for more when I’m not sure I’ll stick around.
But what if, this time, I didn’t run?

I thoroughly enjoyed His Heart or Mine (Individualists #1) by C.S. Joyce.  The first in a new series, it also marked the first book by this author for me.  Told in alternating points of view, we see two men bound for a destination wedding in Italy.  For Adam, it’s his sister’s wedding he’s attending.  He’s an Irishman so deeply in the closet that he doesn’t even admit to himself that he’s gay for fear that he’ll lose the tight control he’s administered over his life all these years in denial.  On the other side of the aisle?  That would be Jacob, coming in to see the groom, his friend from medical school get married.  Jacob lives in Rome, Italy, a place he fled from Ireland after failing from completing med school with Michael. Jacob is happily out, teaching English, but feels a failure on so many other fronts and is about to run into the one man  that will want him to change his fleeing ways.

Oh instant love.  What a hard thing to get right and a theme I normally don’t go along with.  Except here, in His Heart or Mine, the characters are so well done, the attraction and arguments for their chemistry so believable, that I connected to both men immediately.  The author was quick not to dwell too long on any one factor, moving back and forth like you would in a good personal exchange, keeping the dialog lively and compelling.  You got it why Adam couldn’t stay away from Jacob.  And while the opposite was also true.  These two men were made for each other.

As they argued, kissed, and kept coming back for each other, the secondary characters sort of blended into the  background.  That was a shame.  I often feel a strong cast makes for a stronger story.  I would have liked Michael and his bride to have had just as strong an impact on me as to give us more insight into the lead characters.  I mean these two mean the world to Jacob and Adam, let us see why.

The backdrop of Italy, including Rome, is a lovely setting for most of this story and it adds to the flavor of their relatoinship and romance.  I could feel that wonderful Italian heat soaking into everything through the vivid descriptions.

In short, this was a terrific romance with great characters and it will make me seek out more by this author.  It will certainly have me waiting for the next release in this series.  Love contemporary romance?  Be sure to check out His Heart or Mine (Individualists #1) by C.S. Joyce.  Its one I definitely recommend!

Cover Art: German Creative Design.  I like this cover.  That certainly looks like Adam but it could have used a backdrop otherwise its too generic.

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Book Details:

Kindle Edition, 176 pages
Published September 13th 2018
ASINB07GXH4GDB
Edition LanguageEnglish
SeriesIndividualists #1

A MelanieM Review: In Vino Veritas by Sydney Blackburn

Rating: 4 stars out of 5

 

Anthony Beretta inherited the family winery at the tender age of twenty-four. It’s a struggle to keep it up, but he loves it and is determined to make it work even if it kills him. That is, if a motorcyclist doesn’t kill him first. He initially judges the man, attractive as he may be, on the basis of his appearance and apparently limited vocabulary. He soon discovers he’s wrong, but by then Oscar Kennett has already judged Anthony on his appearance.

Oscar thinks Tony Beretta is uptight and snobbish, and Tony’s speech for the charity they’re working on together reinforces that, even when he finds out Tony did it just to push his buttons. His adorable curls and sexy glasses might not be enough to change his mind, but maybe there’s more to Tony than meets the eye.

I thoroughly enjoyed this story of love found among the wines and  vines.  It was not only a terrific contemporary romance but a great way to connect with an author I hadn’t read in a while, Sydney Blackburn.

Somehow, I manage to lose track of authors and I never figure out why.  Maybe its the flood of stories I get, the titles and series I keep up with. But for whatever reason, some I forget to check up on so I’m thrilled when I read books like In Vino Veritas by Sydney Blackburn and, after finishing the story) to go romping back to Sydney’s backlist to see what I have missed!

In Vino Veritas (In Wine Truth), two men collide literally and make instant snap judgements about each other based on their clothing of the moment and their conversation and language.  Initial impressions couldn’t be further from the truth but it takes wine, a winery, and a celebration to  bring the men together.

I loved both men, their personalities and the chemistry between them did it for me.  The backdrop and foundation of the witery is absolutely  perfect for a romance and the character of Tony Beretta (and his mother).  It’s necessary in order to get into his framework of overworked, obsessive, passionate man in love with his  vines, the art of wine making and the land.  We need to see Tony in his element and we do.  So eventually does Oscar.

I wish we could have had more of Oscar’s background and seen him settled at work but the focus here is Tony and his winery as well as their romance.

I loved so many elements here that I could see a sequel. I enjoyed this couple and the location that much.

If you love contemporary romance, don’t miss out on In Vino Veritas by Sydney Blackburn.  It’s one I definitely recommend!

Cover art:  Natasha Snow.  I love this cover.  Its perfection from the colors to the composition.  It caught my eye immediately.

Sales Links:  NineStar Press  |  Amazon

Book Details:

ebook
Published August 13th 2018 by NineStar Press
ISBN139781949340426
Edition LanguageEnglish

John R. Petrie on Writing and his new release The Quarterback’s Crush (author interview)

The Quarterback’s Crush by John R. Petrie

Harmony Ink Press
Cover Artist: Adrian Nicholas

The Quarterback’s Crush is now available at

Amazon (Kindle/Paper format) |  Dreamspinner Press  |  Harmony Ink Press  |  Barnes & Noble: 

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to host John R. Petrie on tour for his new release The Quarterback’s Crush.  Welcome, John, into our author’s interview chair!

~ Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words Interview with John R. Petrie ~

  • How much of yourself goes into a character?

I tend to write characters who aren’t like me, so much as who I’d like to be.

What I love about the character of Dylan in The Quarterback’s Crush out from Harmony Ink on September 4th, 2018, is that he’s sweet and kind, but he lets his mind and mouth run away with what he knows he shouldn’t really say. He seems like he’s got a lot of fears, but he’s actually kind of fearless in many ways and I admire that.

  • Do you feel there’s a tight line between Mary Sue or should I say Gary Stu and using your own experiences to create a character?

I think there’s a line between writing characters who are wish fulfillment and writing characters who are perfect and accomplished. The line to me is more about writing a character as opposed to writing a plot device.

  • Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write?  Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?

I love doing research and thank goodness for Google and podcasts where I can learn about things, listen to interviews (especially important to hear how people talk, their syntax, and their vocabulary), and find out much more about smaller things that the characters are interested in that I know nothing about. I really needed to hear jocks talk so I can understand their cadence.

That being said, what I write about tends to be in the ‘real world’ so I haven’t had much of a chance to build my own world the way that science fiction and fantasy writers do. I admire them so much for creating an entire world or worlds to enjoy.

  • Do you like HFN or HEA? And why?

For me personally? I’m single, so I’d love a HEA, but I’ll settle for a HFN. Call me. I like tall guys, but I’m not fussy.

  • Who do you think is your major influence as a writer?  Now and growing up?

Some of my favorite prose authors are Jane Austen, Michael Cunningham, Andre Aciman, and TJ Klune. They’re all so amazing.

I’m also really, really influenced by plays and screenwriters and how the dialogue on screen and stage is so pithy and effective. From that angle, I’m hugely influenced by Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls) and Rob Thomas (Veronica Mars).

From my geek side some of my favorite comic book writers are Greg Rucka, Gail Simone, Jen Van Meter, and Kurt Busiek.

  • How do you feel about the ebook format and where do you see it going?

I have to quantify this answer first. Almost every job I’ve ever had has been around books. Libraries, book stores, and a publisher. The last time I moved, I had two boxes of clothes and twenty-two boxes of books. I love books. Love them!

That being said, a well written sentence is a well written sentence, whether it’s something that’s read on a computer screen, tablet, e-reader, or page. E-readers are wonderful for people with bad eyesight, people who don’t want to, or can’t, carry around big hardcovers.

Books will never go away, and they shouldn’t. E-readers, however, do give a lot of eyes to first time and beginning writers, which is always a wonderful thing.

  • How do you choose your covers?  (curious on my part)

The wonderful people at Harmony Ink Press paired me with the wonderful Adrian Nicholas, who took my ramblings about cover design and turned it into the cover. We went back and forth on a few things and Adrian couldn’t have been kinder!

  • What’s next for you as an author?

I’m working on a series of LGBT YA mysteries taking place in the Southern U.S. as well as an adult Gay romance in the world of a professional sport. (I don’t want to spoil anything on that one yet.) Plus I have a couple of cork boards filled with other ideas and characters. Now if only I could take a few months off of work… 

  • What traits do you find the most interesting in someone? Do you write them into your characters?

I love characters who are unapologetically who they are. I love reading characters who aren’t passive in their journey. While there are characters who start their journeys because of external forces, I try really hard to write characters who are active in their own progression.

  •  What’s  the wildest scene you’ve imagined and did it make it into a story?

 Hmmm, I wrote a very adult story for an online website and it had some pretty wild sex scenes from my dirty imagination. For The Quarterback’s Crush, nothing too wild comes to mind. I really wanted the romance between Dylan and Timothy to lead up to the first kiss.

  • With so much going on in the world today, do you write to explain?  To get away?  To move past?  To widen our knowledge?  Why do you write?

 I think of it as the people in my head getting really tired of me being the only one who hears them. Seriously, though, I try to write so I can have a creative outlet that I don’t get in my every day life. For me, reading and writing are my attempts to find the universality of human experiences. If the book is horror or comedy or romance, the experiences we have about going through our lives will always ring through, no matter the genre.

THE QUARTERBACK’S CRUSH by John R. Petrie

Dylan Porter needs a Hail Mary….

Because it’ll take a miracle for him to pass English and trig so he can stay on the football team, get a scholarship, and go away to college—where the distance from his friends and family will give him the confidence to finally tell them he’s gay. But flunking his classes will put a stop to all of his dreams.

Luckily there’s Tommy Peterson to help him. In Dylan’s eyes, Tommy’s perfect. Short, smart, and sexy, he checks every one of Dylan’s boxes, so it’s no surprise when Dylan falls head over heels. Too bad Tommy doesn’t seem to feel the same, and a pining Dylan accidentally outs himself to the team. Now Dylan has to deal with the fallout of his coming out to the team, his dad, and his coach while trying to score the ultimate touchdown—the love of Tommy Peterson.

 

About the Author

John R. Petrie grew up in Boston and now lives in the Bronx, NY. Almost his entire working career has been spent around books, from his first job in the town library to more than twenty years bookselling in one of the biggest bookstores in the US. He’s also worked for the Housing Works thrift stores in NYC, which provides services for the homeless and HIV communities, as well as a comic book publisher.

He’s had stories published in True Romance magazine, had a play he wrote produced at his college, acted, danced, and was nominated for an acting award playing Belize in Angels in America.

He stays up too late, eats too much junk food, and has been reading Wonder Woman comics for over forty years.

He is very, very happy to have his debut novel published by Harmony Ink Press. He hopes to continue writing stories which make people smile.

 He can be reached at johnrpetriewrites@gmail.com and looks forward to hearing from readers and writers.

My email is johnrpetriewrites@gmail.com

My twitter handle is @johnpetriewrite

(I don’t do Facebook because I’m too afraid I’ll have to contact people from High School again.)