Tag: Romance

In the Spotlight: Charley Descoteaux ‘Torque’ (character interview, excerpt and giveaway)

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Torque by Charley Descoteaux
 Release Date: February 23, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Samhain Publishing
Cover Artist: Kanaxa

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Charley Descoteaux author of Torque! Hi Charley, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about your current book.

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Torque is a Romance featuring a bisexual man, a man on the ace spectrum, and a trans woman with no plans to transition surgically. Most of it takes place in a working wrecking yard, so no glitz or glamor, but a lot of angst. Thank you for inviting me to visit, I’m thrilled to be here! Instead of hogging the spotlight, I’m turning it over to Mick, the main character of my novella, Torque.

  • What do you find attractive in a man?

Mick: Confidence. I like that in women too. 😉

  • The first thing that went through your head when you saw Scotty Bell.

Mick: How much trouble I was in. Same with Mercy. Both of them turned my crank in ways I never expected and didn’t think I’d be able to resist.

  • Do you think you’ll insist the author visits you again?

Mick: I don’t know. It was hard enough making it through the one story, not sure I’m up for being tortured like that again. I already have more than I ever thought to want, so I’ll probably let her move on and drag another poor sucker through the mud and the grease instead of calling attention to myself again.

  • Before you met Scotty, what was your ideal man?

Mick: Before I met Scotty I didn’t think there was such a thing as an ideal man. I also thought it didn’t matter—I’d never have a man anyway, so what good would it do to think about what kind I wanted?

  • You’re going out for dinner. What’s your favorite food?

Mick: One I didn’t cook! Ask Scotty, I can’t cook for shit, even with instructions right on the box. Seriously, though, I love Mexican food and could live on burritos. And pizza.

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Blurb

Sometimes letting things get complicated is the best way to figure it all out.

Mick Randall is on the run, from the biker culture he grew up in and his impossible vision of love. Alaska should be far enough to escape his old life—until he rolls into a wrecking yard and gets lost in a pair of pale, bottle-green eyes.

Scotty Bell has spent years learning to channel his fiery temper into the heat of a welding torch. His sexual heat has always been slower to ignite, but one look at Mick rouses confusion alongside desire. In all his life, he’s only been attracted to one other person—his best friend, Mercy Taylor.

Mick lands a temporary job at the yard, and finds an uneasy crash pad at Scotty’s place…where the ragged ends of his emotions get tangled up in Scotty and Mercy’s relationship.

But when Mick hears a Harley engine from his past bearing down on him, his first instinct is to go back to the half-life he’d been living. Lest his secrets destroy the only two people who’ve ever made him feel whole.

Warning: Contains references to abuse, subversive ideas about sexual identity and gender expression, and a free-range bisexual on a mission.

 

Pages or Words: 47,337 words
 Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Fiction, Ménage/Poly, Romance, *Trans, Asexual, LGBTQ+ Fiction

Excerpt

Copyright © 2016 Charley Descoteaux
All rights reserved — a Samhain Publishing, Ltd. publication

Mick slept on the couch for two weeks before Scott let him get dinner. Mick brought a pizza, hot wings and a six-pack. When he offered Scott a beer, Mick thought for a second he was about to get decked.

“No thanks, I don’t drink. But you go ahead.”

Mick put five bottles in the fridge and popped the top on the sixth. The long pull of rich beer felt like cool water after he’d been walking for weeks in the desert.

“Never?”

“Nope. I got enough of that before I was even born, I don’t need any more.”

It only took half a beer for Mick to get past the uncomfortable feeling he should’ve asked Scott to tell him more, or that he should’ve switched to Mountain Dew. Scott rented an On Demand movie, something forgettable with vampires, and they sat in their places on the couch and divided their attention between the movie and the pizza for the next two hours. Tom camped out in his usual spot between their thighs, graciously accepting all the chicken and pepperoni tributes offered to him.

After the movie was over they watched another one on HBO, but didn’t pay much attention to it. Mick had a nice buzz going and was happy to sit back and listen to Scott talk about his project—the VW Microbus he was converting into a flatbed. A warm, fuzzy feeling Mick almost didn’t recognize as happiness set up camp in his gut, and life was good.

He thought, more than once or twice, that Scott leaned toward him in a way that was a little more than friendly, but it had to be the beer.

Too bad.

Mick jerked in surprise when he realized he’d started to lean toward Scott. He had no right to be “more than friendly” to Scott. None at all.

Scott reached out to grasp his shoulder. “You okay, Mick?”

“Uh, yeah.”

“Are you ready for bed?” Scott kneaded his shoulder, sending a current through his body.

“The movie isn’t over.”

“It’s not very good. If you don’t want to finish it, that’s okay with me.” Scott smiled and sat back against the couch, releasing Mick’s shoulder.

He couldn’t help himself, he leaned forward. Only a little bit. He didn’t want to lose Scott’s touch. In that moment, he couldn’t think of anything more important than Scott touching him, not even self-preservation.

Mick Randall wasn’t a stranger to self-medicating with alcohol but before he found Bell’s he hadn’t had a lot of money to spare, and lately he hadn’t had the time. Together, those circumstances had turned him into a lightweight. That had to be the explanation for why he saw a come-on in every glance and heard innuendo where surely Scott didn’t mean any. He’d have to be a lightweight to want so badly to respond to Scott’s touch with an embrace.

Maybe I should quit drinking.

Mick wasn’t capable of walking in a straight line by the time he hit the can, but it didn’t matter. Four beers was plenty and he’d take the other two out of Scott’s fridge the next day and remember not to bring more. If he wanted a drink, he wouldn’t have to drive far. When he left the bathroom his thoughts centered on that warm, happy feeling, and what he could get up to the next day. Before he knew what was happening, Scott had him backed against the wall, both hands spread across his chest.

All that fuzzy warm happiness disappeared, replaced by a tiny shiver of panic mixed with a side of relief. The relief tangled with a mix of “fucking finally” and “what the fuck” that made Mick dizzy. Or maybe that’s just the beer.

“Scott. Maybe I should sleep somewhere else tonight.”

“Yeah. Like in my bed with me.”

“I was thinking like my car, or a motel.”

Scott frowned and pushed him back against the wall harder, caressing his chest and shoulders as he did. The contrast of the unyielding wall against his shoulder blades and the man in front of him spun Mick’s head around once. “You don’t feel anything like Mercy. I knew you wouldn’t.”

“Don’t you think Mercy would—”

“She wouldn’t care. I’m not the only one she fools around with.” Scott leaned against him, chest to chest, close enough to kiss.

“Let me go.” Mick took hold of Scott’s shoulders and tried to push him back, but Scott was stronger than he looked.

“No. I don’t want to.”

“What am I supposed to do now?” Mick couldn’t see a clear path to the door. Panic reared up in the back of his mind—he had no game plan for this, no idea what his part should be.

“You can let me blow you. Or you can blow me. I don’t care who goes first. You want me, don’t you?”

Mick tried to speak but couldn’t. He couldn’t get a decent breath either, not with Scott’s hands on him. He nodded and tried to pull himself together.

“Haven’t you ever hooked up before?”

“Yeah.” Liar.

“Well, so have I. I’m not a little kid. You don’t have to—”

“I know you’re not.” Mick squeezed Scott’s shoulders, anxious to learn how his skin felt over those hard muscles, how those muscles looked when he moved. “I know.”

“So why—”

“I’ve hooked up before.”

“So why not with me?”

“Because it’s different with you. I mean, it would be— I can’t…”

“You think I’m an idiot? Too dumb to know what to—”

“No! No. That has nothing to do—” Mick saw something in Scott’s eyes that made the rest of that sentence turn to dust in his throat. He swallowed hard and was about to—no idea what he was about to do, but he couldn’t stand there forever—when he saw something else that stopped him. “You’re shaking.”

“Yeah.” Scott’s voice had a hard edge so when he surged forward, his erection pressing against Mick’s thigh, it was unexpected.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m trying to keep from punching you in the face.”

“Why do you want to punch me in the face?”

“Because you’re pushing me away. I thought you liked me.”

“I do like you. But—”

“Don’t say it’s not right. I’m dumb but I’m not—”

“I didn’t say you were dumb. You’re not dumb.” Mick could barely speak past his desire, so his last few words came out as breathless as he felt. He’d started panting and the sound filled the short hallway. “Please don’t punch me in the face.”

Scott frowned, but fear and pain was mixed up with the anger and desire showing in his light bottle-green eyes. Mick felt it all right along with him.

“Maybe I should go.”

When Scott didn’t respond Mick slid against the wall, sideways. In just a few steps, Mick wasn’t supporting all of Scott’s weight anymore, didn’t feel his tense muscles or his heat. Mick gingerly pushed off from the wall and walked backward, toward the living room.

“You don’t have to.”

“I think I do.” Mick sat on the sofa to pull on his boots and Scott dropped onto the cushion beside him. Mick straightened, one boot on and one off, and Scott grabbed him and kissed him.

Buy the book: Samhain | Amazon US | All Romance eBooks

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Meet the Author

Charley Descoteaux misspent a large chunk of her youth on the back of a Harley, meeting people and having adventures that sometimes pop up in her fiction. She grew up in the San Francisco Bay Area during a drought, and found her true home in the soggy Pacific Northwest. Charley has survived earthquakes, tornadoes and floods, but couldn’t make it through one day without stories.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops:

23-Feb

Boy Meets Boy Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Book Lovers 4Ever, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Posy Roberts

1-Mar

The Novel Approach, Velvet Panic, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Hearts on Fire

8-Mar

Louise Lyons, Foxylutely Book Reviews, My Fiction Nook, the Twins: Talon ps & Princess so, Inked Rainbow Reads

15-Mar

Full Moon Dreaming, Elin Gregory, Alpha Book Club, Bayou Book Junkie

22-Mar

Butterfly-O-Meter, Kirsty Loves Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Unquietly Me

29-Mar

Jessie G. Books, QUEERcentric Books, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Love Bytes

5-Apr

Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Divine Magazine, Prism Book Alliance, Molly Lolly

12-Apr

Nephy Hart, Happily Ever Chapter, MM Good Book Reviews

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $20 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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Take Another Adventure into The Escape Universe with The Unicorn by Delphine Dryden (author guest post/giveaway)

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The Unicorn by  Delphine Dryden
Riptide Publishing
Cover Artist L.C. Chase

Release Date: February 22, 2016
Read an Excerpt/Buy it Here

Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Delphine Dryden here today to talk about her latest novel, The Unicorn.  Welcome, Delpine.

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Hi! I’m Delphine Dryden, touring the internet to talk about my latest book, The Unicorn. It’s a geeky, kinky M/F/F romp, it’s part of Riptide’s “Escape” universe, and it’s a much-expanded version of an earlier story called Roses and Chains. Thanks so much to all the blogs hosting the tour! Be sure to comment on tour posts for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift certificate and your choice of two books from my backlist.

The Story of The Unicorn: Fun with Do-Overs

So a funny thing happened to me a few years ago—an author friend who’d also written some things for one of my early publishers mentioned she’d decided to ask for her rights back. She only had a few titles there, and her sales had never been crazy high, so she got the books back pretty quickly. The whole process was smooth and she was happy with the result. I also had some books there I thought could have sold better—a series, in particular, that I felt had never been marketed as well as it might have—and I’d since moved on to other larger publishers so I knew what my numbers could be. So I asked for reversions on all my books, in two big batches, figuring it couldn’t hurt to ask.

I got one book back immediately, a clump of them six months later, and another chunk a few months after that—leaving only two titles that I had to buy back (for a sum I felt was reasonable). Easy-peasy. Except I suddenly had 13 titles to re-sell or self-publish, to get them back out on the market. Four were novellas—I self-pubbed those as an experiment, and it didn’t suck nearly as hard as I’d feared it might! So I self-pubbed my five-book series Truth & Lies, too, and that also went just fine. Nine down, four to go. Three of those are still in limbo, but the fourth, Roses and Chains, is what eventually became The Unicorn.

My friend Christine d’Abo* and I had both contributed to a multi-author universe at the previous publisher, so we both had these reverted, loosely connected, kinky queer books to shop around. And we’d been under a strict word limit with the original novellas, something like 30K? Both of us felt we had longer stories to tell in these books. So we decided…hey, why not revamp them, expand them, start a new universe of our own? And Riptide was hip to buying it, fortunately. Christine’s book Controlling Acquisitions became the delightful Dom Around the Corner to kick off the new series (“Escape”). And Roses and Chains got almost 100% longer and became Escape #2, The Unicorn.

So a cool thing about this book was that I got a do-over, but with five more years of writing and publishing experience under my belt, and the freedom to ignore word count. I saw the story I’d written to the original series guidelines…and saw where I could expand and improve on that. But I also saw how far I’d come as a writer in those five years. Back then I had some good instincts but knew very little about craft from a structural standpoint. I was pretty much a straight pantser, and because the original book was supposed to be borderline erotica, not erotic romance, I had completely ignored anything like a black moment or any kind of character development for two of the three main characters. Those were all things I got the chance to layer into the revised story—along with some tweaks to heighten the conflict and align the expanded plot (okay, “the plot,” since it really hadn’t had much of a plot at all to start with) to the structure I’ve developed and over the intervening five years of writing. In going through that process I realized I’ve become a hybrid or perhaps even started leaning slightly toward the “plotter” side of the whole pantser/plotter thing (and as a side effect I came up with a great idea for a conference workshop).

It’s so rare we actually get opportunities like that—to live out that feeling of if only I had known then what I know now. We always hope we’re learning, growing, improving at our jobs, but this time I got to see exactly how I’d changed for the better, and apply those improvements to an older project to give it a whole new life. I liked the original book and readers also seemed to…but I like the new version even more, and I hope readers will feel the same way!

How about y’all? Have you ever had a chance at a “do-over”?

*Full disclosure: As part of my “day job” I do freelance editing for Riptide Publishing; I happen to be Christine d’Abo’s editor for her books there, including Dom Around the Corner. However, in this case I’m mostly pimping her book with my author hat on, as a series-writing partner in crime 😉

About The Unicorn

Delia and Daniel have a picture-perfect life. They like their jobs. They love their house. Everything is coming up roses . . . but in private, they’d rather have the thorns. Their recent forays into kink have brought them closer than ever, but there’s still something missing, and they can’t quite work it out.

Mara knows what she’s missing: a significant other. She tried vanilla, and it was a total bust. But when she and her last girlfriend took things out of the kink club and into the “real” world, they fizzled. Even their friendship is on the rocks now. Mara feels like a lost stray, looking for a forever home.

When the three of them meet up at the brand-new club Escape, their connection is instant. And surprising—none of them were expecting more than a few hot nights. But now they might be ready to bring their kinky threesome into the light of day and build a life together.

Publisher’s note: This title is a heavily revised re-issue of a prior story, Roses and Chains, originally released in 2011.

This title is part of the Escape universe. But can be read as a standalone.

About Delphine Dryden

Delphine Dryden probably should have gone ahead and become an English professor like she planned. Instead, she took a detour through law school, another detour through the wonderful world of working in special education, and took an extra fifteen years to end up where she belonged: writing kinky romances.

Del’s writing has earned an Award of Excellence and Reviewers’ Choice Award from Romantic Times Book Reviews, an EPIC Award, and a Colorado Romance Writers’ Award of Excellence.  When not writing or editing, she can be found binge-watching television shows, playing tabletop games, and tweeting to excess.

Connect with Delphine:

 

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Giveaway

Leave a comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon gift certificate and your choice of two books from Delphine Dryden’s backlist. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on February 27, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. Entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Into the Fantasy World of Romance with Bailey Bradford’s ‘Dragon Dreams & Fairy Wings’ book blast and giveaway

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  • Dragon Dreams & Fairy Wings (Fire & Flutter #1) by Bailey Bradford
     Release Date: February 18 at Rainbow Ninja Press, February 25 elsewhere

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Rainbow Ninja Press
Cover Artist: Beany Sparks

Blurb

What happens when a fairy loses his wings– and his memory?

Griff was born a Love fairy, but he never quite fit in. He didn’t want to be part of a harem, at least…he didn’t think he wanted that. What with his wings gone and his memory damaged, he can’t be certain of what he felt in the past. All he does know is, he wants his wings back. Without them, he’s grounded.

Blaze is a dragon shifter who tends to stick his foot in his mouth…and some other parts in other places…when he really shouldn’t. His brother is the king, and his sister-in-law Bonny is scary. Blaze’s last screw-up got him grounded, unable to shift into his dragon form. His punishment seems harsh to him, but there’s no escaping it.

Then the Love fairies come to the castle to work on forming an alliance. Blaze has about had it with guarding the horny beings, and he’s disappointed that they don’t stay small and cute. He almost commits a major faux-pas when he swats at something buzzing him, and it turns out to be a fairy on a dragonfly.

And from that snarky meeting, something wonderful, and dangerous, will come.

 

Pages or Words: 58,600 words
Categories: Erotica, Fantasy, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance, Shifters (Dragon)

Excerpt

Blaze was disappointed as all Hades. The fairies weren’t little all the time. They were tiny when they came in, but quickly morphed to regular sized beings, if not taller than most of the dragons when the dragons were in the two-legged form.

And holy dragon balls, Blaze did not know why anyone would want a harem! Okay, well, there was the sex, and lots of it, probably, but so far there’d been more bickering and outright fighting than anything sexy! He’d had to break up six altercations, and the fairies had only been in their accommodations for an hour!

This was going to be a long, suck-ass assignment.

The fairies sure were beautiful, though. Granted, he hadn’t seen each and every one of them. He’d seen the king, and some of the harem members. Every one of them was gorgeous, delicate-featured, lithe, and limber—that last one might not be true, but he was going to go with it, because… hot! Bendy fairies… Blaze adjusted his cock before it could pop up and embarrass him. He wondered if maybe, because they were Love fairies, they had special powers of attraction and such. He’d been fighting down boners ever since he’d been brought out to meet the Love fairy king, Artaxis.

Not that Artaxis even gave him a cursory glimpse. Blaze didn’t blame him. Artaxis was beautiful, like all the fairies Blaze had seen so far, and Blaze was… Well, there was nothing delicate about a dragon’s features, that was for sure. And lithe might apply to some of the other dragons in differing warrens, but not in any Blaze knew of.

With Blaze’s shocking orange hair and bronze skin… and freckles, another thing that was a burden to bear. How many times when he’d been a child had he been teased about having shit splatters on his face? Was it any wonder at all that he hated his human form? At least his scales made the freckles unnoticeable for the most part when he was a dragon. And Blaze was forever scarred from being told his freckles were caused by watching other creatures using the dragon dumping grounds. That was also the cause for styes in the eyes, according to old dragons’ tales.

Blaze had never in his life had a sty, and he’d maybe, sorta accidentally, seen an orc once in the dumping grounds. If anything was going to give someone a sty, that should have done it.

Blaze smacked himself on the forehead. Why did his mind spin around to such stupid thoughts?

Well, it’d curbed his arousal. He hoped the fairies weren’t going to hang around long. He didn’t need the struggle with his dick, and he sure didn’t need the blow to his ego—so far, none of the fairies had acknowledged him or even looked at him unless he was breaking up a fight involving them. Even then, he didn’t think he registered as more than a big, lumbering weirdo.

He watched a dozen fairies walk toward the baths. They were so pale and pretty, and that long hair was amazing. Then he realized something wonderful. They were naked!

It was wonderful because there were so many gorgeous naked fairies. Yet it was horrible, too, because he was never going to have blood anywhere else but in his cock again unless he got some sort of control over his libido. When the fairies’ hair swung just right, he saw glimpses of nicely rounded buttocks.

Blaze groaned and closed his eyes. He couldn’t look. He’d end up taking his shaft out right there and jacking himself to completion, and he didn’t have to think about it to know that wouldn’t go over well with Fyre or Bonny.

He had to leave the hall next to the harem rooms, where he’d been standing, waiting for the next fight to break out. Blaze couldn’t wait for more naked fairies to come out. He’d lose it and yeah, end up being grounded for a century.

It was easy to slip away, outside, into the heat of the sunlight. Blaze bit his lip until it hurt bad enough to kill his arousal. He was really going to have to get it together—if he could just figure out what it was.

A strange sound reached his ears. It was a fluttering, buzzing sound. He turned his head and frowned when he saw a gold-gilded dragonfly buzzing toward the entrance of the secondary palace where the fairies were staying.

Contrary to popular belief, dragons didn’t look at dragonflies as cute little relatives. They looked at them as bugs.

Blaze raised a hand to swat it away when it was within reach.

Buy the book:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BK0GKWU

http://www.rainbowninjapress.com/Dragon-Dreams-Fairy-Wings

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28951311-dragon-dreams-and-fairy-wings

Early release 18th Feb

General release 25th Feb

Meet the author:

These things always give me fits. Basically, I am an author of erotic romance. Besides being an author, I am a mother, a grandmother, a wife, and a combination of many other things that make my life joyous day in and day out. Unless someone swipes my coffee. Then it gets pretty ugly quickly.

Where to find the author:

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Tour Dates & Stops: February 18, 2016

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, V’s Reads, Bonkers About Books, Bayou Book Junkie, The Hat Party, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Full Moon Dreaming, Decadent Delights, Unquietly Me, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Velvet Panic, BFD Book Blog, Happily Ever Chapter, Boy Meets Boy Reviews, Open Skye Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Nephy Hart, Dawn’s Reading Nook, MM Good Book Reviews, The Jena Wade, Inked Rainbow Reads, Kirsty Loves Books

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: PDF copy of ‘Dragon Dreams & Fairy Wings’ by Bailey Bradford.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

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Get In on the Beginning of Hot, New 5-Part series with Trainwreck (Trainwreck #1) by Michele Micheal Rakes (guest interview, excerpt and giveaway)

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Trainwreck (Trainwreck #1) by Michele Micheal Rakes 
 Release Date: January 25, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Michele Micheal Rakes

Cover Artist: Drai Bearwomyn
Cover Photography by Dan Skinner
Editing: Tina Adamski

 

Today Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have Michele Micheal “Mikey” Rakes, author of (Trainwreck, here today. Hi,Mikey, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

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All my friends know me as Mikey, but I write under my full name so my mother can be proud of me. I’ve written other books for Loose Id: Saving Kane, Fourth and Long, and I’m working on the two follow up books for those stories. Trainwreck was written in six months toward the end of getting my degree in surgical technology, back in 2010. Took a while to get these guys out there for readers.

  • Tell us about your book.

Trainwreck was the first book I completed and was my 1,111 page 380,000 word opus. Hehehe. Well, I decided to break it up into five parts because I thought it might be easier for readers to digest during work breaks and whatnot…all those places we like to squeeze in some reading(i.e. the bathroom). Trainwreck is more about Vince than any of the other characters, but it is a polyamorous romance as well as a crime thriller. Vincent Sweetwater is a LAPD detective who is returning to work after a motorcycle accident. The murder of a young girl propels him back into a world he used to frequent, to catch a killer, but also solve the mystery of his childhood. He is living with his estranged wife and he’s living a lie. This is a dark novel. A story of one man struggling through the pain of his past and the dismal reality of his present until circumstances give him another chance at happiness.

  • How difficult was it to get into the main character’s head?

Not terribly difficult to get inside Vincent Sweetwater’s head, because so much of me is in that character. Greg Dunne was difficult at times because he is as vulnerable as Vince, yet he is the more dominant character.

  • Is this book a standalone or do you plan on visiting it again?

Trainwreck’s a five part series that I plan to have all released by June. The other parts are in various stages of edit. A sequel has already been written, as well, called Surviving Adam. I plan on releasing that next year.

  • Why did you choose to write M/M stories?

I prefer M/M stories, but Trainwreck is a poly romance. Book One is M/F. In Book Two, there are elements of sadomasochism, and M/M. Book Three is where the poly begins and more of the submission dynamic comes into play. Trainwreck began as a romance novel where the hero and heroine were already on the first of divorce. Vince began to whisper in my ear about his sexual proclivities and so told me he was more than a womanizer. I simply let Vince tell his story. His sexuality confusion and his need to know what is locked up in his mind. This is very much a psychological thriller as well as a romance.

  • Where do you find your inspiration?

 

I find my inspiration in a number of places. Saving Kane was inspired by a real case where a gay man was lured into a gang rape and robbery. Garrett has his hero/love interest was all me. I took inspiration for Fourth and Long from my love of football. Trainwreck stems from my gender issues and also a catharsis for my own issues. I always have this need for dragging characters through the muck and mire before handing them a happy ending. In my opinion, there’s enough sad endings in real life, I don’t want to write one. My wife passed away in October of last year. My husband and I are still coming to terms with the fact our poly is over before it really got started. I never dreamed Mary would die so young. We had plans. Trainwreck is being released because she loved this book and I promised her to grab my balls and put it out here for all the readers willing to take a chance on what she called a wild ride.

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Blurb

Detective Sergeant Vincent Sweetwater hates dead bodies. That’s why he’s an undercover narc and not a homicide dick. So why is he standing on a sandy beach in California staring at a lifeless body—oh yeah, the suicide attempt. Lieutenant Hanson is making a statement. Something about life worth living. Shows what he knows.

As Vince examines the tortured body, he feels an empathy and déjà vu for the victim, her wounds are similar to scars he has only a vague memory receiving. An intense desire to find her killer fills his queasy belly as a dark game of cat and mouse begins.

The young woman’s death forces Vince back into a secret life dominated by sex, perversion, and sadomasochism. Estranged from his wife he still loves and longing for the man who possessed him once, Vince buries his torment deep inside meaningless sex.

*Warning: This book contains adult content and situations. NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH.

 

Pages or Words: 374 pages
Categories: BDSM, Bisexual, Crime Fiction, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Ménage/Poly, Romance, Thriller

Excerpt:

Vince grabbed the remote and clicked on the news. He paid little attention as he rubbed his aching hip. When Lola Romero began her news report he glanced up to see an official photo of himself in uniform.

“Jesus, talk about an old fucking picture.”

Despite being only twenty-three in the photo, he hadn’t appeared young and fresh faced. His eyes had held a kind of darkness even then, and his best efforts were unable to hide the pain.

“An L.A.P.D. Information officer confirmed the return to duty of Detective Vincent Sweetwater just one week after a horrifying display of violence toward a man who was reportedly beating his five-year-old son in the parking lot of a Home Depot in Inglewood. Detective Sweetwater was nearly killed last year in a motorcycle accident on the Pacific Coast Highway and is still under scrutiny following alleged misconduct while under deep cover with the narcotics division.”

“Bite me, Lola.” Vince shut off the TV, flopping back on the bed, staring into the darkness.

“Fuck my life. It was more than a year ago. Bitch.”

I hate people.

 

Buy the book: Amazon

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Meet the author:

Michele Micheal Rakes lives in a small town in the shadow of a big mountain and works as a surgical technologist assisting in the removal of tonsils and testicles. Three grown children, a one year old granddaughter named Thrasher, two psychotic Egyptian Mau’s, a husband with hair down to his knees, an Amazon for a wife, two Harley’s, and a ferret named Teeny Tiny Ferret Feet (husband insists her name Little Feet, we all know he’s wrong) life is gets pretty wild.

Note: Wife recently passed away from cancer and this book is dedicated in loving memory of Mary Louise Castleman. Love you babe!

Where to find the author:


Tour Dates & Stops:

17-Feb Book Lovers 4Ever, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

24-Feb Love Bytes, Mikky’s World of Books

2-Mar Full Moon Dreaming, Man2ManTastic, Bonkers About Books, Bayou Book Junkie

9-Mar    BFD Book Blog, Velvet Panic, My Fiction Nook, Gay Media Reviews, The Novel Approach

16-Mar   Happily Ever Chapter, Hearts on Fire

23-Mar  Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Three Books Over The Rainbow

30-Mar Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, KathyMac Reviews

6-Apr Havan Fellows, Jessie G. Books

13-Apr Cathy Brockman Romances, Inked Rainbow Reads

20-Apr Divine Magazine, Prism Book Alliance

27-Apr Molly Lolly

4-May Dawn’s Reading Nook

11-May Alpha Book Club

18-May MM Good Book Reviews

25-May Louise Lyons

1-Jun Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Three separate prizes: $15 GC, A copy of Trainwreck, Saving Kane/Fourth and Long gift pack.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

 

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When Loss Turns to Love…Grein Murray’s ‘Capturing Oliver’ (excerpt and giveaway)

1 Capturing Oliver E-Book Cover


Release Date: February 5, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Grein Murray
Cover Artist: Kellie Dennis  

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Blurb

Oliver seems to be settling into his new life after losing his parents. With an apartment and college to pay for on his own, Oliver works hard to make ends meet. A handsome Italian man who comes to the restaurant Oliver works at has caught his eye. The man not only makes Oliver nervous but excited at the same time.

One night changes everything yet again for Oliver; his world is turned upside down. Could being at the wrong place at the wrong time actually turn out to be the best thing to happen to Oliver or the worst?

 

Pages or Words: 156 pages
 Categories: Gay fiction, Romance

Excerpt

“I’m so sorry, Oliver.” Amondo pulled Oliver’s wrist to his mouth and kissed the red marks that encircled them. “I’ve never been that turned on before. I was too rough.” A sad look took some of the sparkle out of Amondo’s eyes.

“It was perfect, Amondo. Don’t apologize. I’ve never felt anything like that before. I’m okay.”

Amondo took Oliver’s face gently in his hands and kissed him. Then he rolled so Oliver was laying on his chest. “I’ve wanted to do that from the first day I saw you.”

Buy the book:  Amazon

Meet the author:

When I’m not writing I like going to concerts. Music is a big part of my life, I’ve played bass guitar since I was a teen. I love nature and enjoy hiking and working with causes that help protect our planet and wild animals.

I have loved books all of my life and have always enjoyed escaping the ordinary world by getting lost in a good book. I read a lot of different genres of books but have fallen in love with MM. I support the gay community and hope one day people will see that love is love and that it is a beautiful thing no matter your gender, race or religion.

I am an avid animal lover and have quite a collection of pets in my home. I love ancient history and have studied Alexander the Great as well as Egypt and it’s pharaohs. I also am very interested in angels and have researched them and will put that to use in future books.

I hope that my readers continue to fall in love with my characters and that my stories touch their lives and bring them happiness.

Where to find the author:

 


Tour Dates & Stops: February 17, 2016

Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, Velvet Panic, Full Moon Dreaming, Bayou Book Junkie, The Hat Party, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, BFD Book Blog, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, MM Book Escape, My Fiction Nook, Happily Ever Chapter, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Jessie G. Books, Iyana Jenna, Charley Descoteaux, Unquietly Me, Molly Lolly, MM Good Book Reviews, Alpha Book Club, Kirsty Loves Books, Mikky’s World of Books, Man2ManTastic

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $5.00 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.

 

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Coffee Sip and Book Break with Love Me Tenor (Perfect Harmony, #2) by Annabeth Albert

LovemeTenor

 

Love Me Tenor (Perfect Harmony #2) by Annabeth Albert
Release Date: February 16, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Kensington
Cover Artist: Cora Graphics

Blurb

Trevor Daniels is feeling aimless. A recent college grad, he’s not sure what to do with his useless degree, and his family all but abandoned him after he revealed the truth about himself. But a friend’s suggestion that he take his chances on a reality show aimed at finding the next big boy band strikes a chord with him—until the show’s producers convince him to act like he’s in a relationship with a guy who’s not at all his type. It isn’t exactly love at first sight for Jalen Smith either—but lust just might push them in an unexpected direction. If only their secrets weren’t even more twisted than their sheets, threatening to cost them the win—and each other…
Pages or Words: 87,000 words
 Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, New Adult, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance, Singer/Musician

Excerpt

“You brought your luggage?” The receptionist looked at Trevor like he’d brought a snake to the movie studio offices instead of a rolling suitcase and a backpack.

“My flight was late. And then customs—”

“Fine.” She held up a hand, shimmery with the sort of nail art Trevor’s sisters weren’t allowed to wear. “You can have a seat.” She motioned to a seating area with square leather and chrome chairs and a metallic-looking shag rug.

“Wait. Is my group here yet? Stand Out!?”

“Let me check.” She glanced at a pink sheet on a clipboard. “No.” She made a shooing motion back in the direction of the waiting area.

“Thanks.”

The receptionist disappeared back down a hallway, teetering on shoes that put her a good six inches taller than Trevor. The building was kind of a letdown. The whole complex was a series of gigantic gray warehouses, but the inside of this one was like any other office building in America. Or Canada. He’d only been in Vancouver a couple of hours and kept forgetting he wasn’t in the States anymore.

His bag made a loud clickety-clack sound as he dragged it across the tile floor to the seating area, but the only occupant in the chairs didn’t even glance up. The guy was about Trevor’s age, maybe a bit younger. His eyes were half-closed, like waiting for producers to call his name was just so boring. He had that jock sprawl, maximizing every inch of the low chair. Trevor took a seat with a good view of the guy. Indifferent eye candy was his favorite kind.

He had this thing for straight guys, particularly jocks. Jocks were his personal kryptonite; they made his knees turn into magnets, headed straight for the floor. And the guy across from him was the deadly, heart-stopping red kryptonite brand of jock. His build was perfect—not too tall, because Trevor was picky about that—but jacked like a Chevy with a lift kit. Hell, even the dude’s neck was ripped. Jock’s foot moved back and forth in motion with the music pumping in his ears from pricey Beats headphones.

Because dude’s eyes were shut, Trevor felt free to continue his inventory of hotness. Baggy shorts. T-shirt for a wrestling team. Wrestling. Trevor had to shift around on the slick leather couch before continuing his appraisal. Cheap white socks, but black shoes that probably cost more than Trevor’s bike. Rich elitist jock? Yes, please.

The outfit was notable because Trevor would have figured most guys coming to a TV studio would want to dress up a little. He had, but of course now his pressed khakis and dress shirt seemed horribly overdressed compared to jock boy and the receptionist wearing a cutoff denim skirt and a tank top that seemed to be made out of nothing more than knotted rope.

Maybe dude wasn’t there to be on TV. Or if he was, maybe he was there for a different show from the music reality show Trevor was on. He certainly didn’t look like the boy band type. Dude looked ready for an MMA-fighter type show, or maybe working as a stunt double. But if he wasn’t on Trevor’s show, that meant—

“You done checking me out or you need me to turn to the other side?” Jock’s eyes snapped open. They were a startling shade of hazel, almost amber. And at the moment, they were filled with undisguised irritation.

Oh, crap. Trevor gulped hard. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He dug out his phone, giving himself something to look down at. He’d been caught before and it almost never ended well. With any luck, Dawn would show up soon and he would never have to see jock boy again.

“Oh, don’t be shy.” Jock boy had a killer whisper: husky with a hint of command to it. He said it with the air of someone who knew exactly how hot he was. And now he was going to make Trevor pay for noticing.

Trevor didn’t look up from his phone, but inside he was squirming in his chair. In a different situation, he’d be more than happy to let this play out until he was on his knees in the restroom with jock boy berating him, but he’d sworn to turn over a new leaf. Plus there was always the risk that jock wanted all the verbal abuse and none of the fun. No more gambling.

“Yeah. That’s what I figured.” The other guy snorted.

“Trevor! You made it!” Dawn came barreling across the lobby, red hair streaming behind her. She was flanked by two nearly identical blond giants—one wore a blue polo shirt and khaki pants, the other a brown polo and blue pants. Both had the same bored smirk on their faces.

“What are you doing with your luggage?” Dawn’s smile was replaced by a frown, like Trevor was some clueless kid making her day more difficult. “Why didn’t you give it to the receptionist? They’re sending all the contestants’ stuff over to the house while we tape the intro segments.”

“Here. I’ll take it.” Blond giant number one grabbed Trevor’s bags, tossing them like they were a set of hand weights.

“Jalen!” Dawn stepped around Trevor to hug jock boy, who stood up to greet her. “It’s about time. I was starting to freak!”

Just his luck. Dawn hung on Jalen the jock like they were old friends, tugging his headphones down to his neck and rubbing his closely cropped black hair. Oh, geez. Jalen looked a bit young to be Dawn’s boy toy; she had to be in her late twenties. But no matter what Jalen was to Dawn, he was now a giant pain in the neck to Trevor. A sick feeling gathered in his gut and his hands tightened.

“Did you meet Jalen already, Trevor?” she asked.

“No,” Trevor said carefully. The tension in his muscles climbed to trampoline spring tight—any second now Jalen was going to call him out for creeping on him.

“We’re acquainted,” Jalen drawled at the same time.

“Um. Okay.” Dawn frowned but luckily kept talking before Jalen could reveal way more than Trevor wanted. “So this is Carter. And over there is Carson.”

Twins. They had to be twins right? Trevor was already in too much shit for gaping and didn’t want to stare hard enough to figure it out.

“So, are we ready to become the next boy band?” Carter spoke like some dude on an infomercial, each word carefully articulated for maximum impact. “I am so ready to win this thing.”

The riot in Trevor’s stomach grew worse. Win? With Jalen the jock? As in Trevor was now in the same group as jock boy? And the blond giants? For the next six weeks?

“Yeah. Let’s do this.” Carson came back over. Like Carter, he had a macho, commanding voice, probably a baritone when he sang. Heck. Trevor really didn’t want to be the only tenor on a team of One Direction wannabes.

“Okay Stand Out!, let’s go film your intro.” Dawn motioned for them to follow her down the hall.

Oh, hell. He was really going to be on camera, in a boy band, right freaking now.

Buy the book 

Amazon | iTunes | Google | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | Kensington Books

 

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Meet the Author

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.

Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency

Where to find the author:

 

Tour Dates & Stops:

Parker Williams, Gay Book Reviews, The Hat Party, Louise Lyons, BFD Book Blog, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Bayou Book Junkie, Divine Magazine, Jessie G. Books, Boys on the Brink Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Open Skye Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, 3 Chicks After Dark, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Just Love Romance, V’s Reads, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Unquietly Me, Book Lovers 4Ever, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, QUEERcentric Books, Charley Descoteaux, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, MM Good Book Reviews, Alpha Book Club, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Mikky’s World of Books, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Let’s Get Ready To Romance, Velvet Panic, Kirsty Loves Books, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: $20 Amazon gift card.  Must be 18 years of age or older to win.  Link and prize provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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Love a Mystery Thriller Combined with Romance? Check out Brad Vance’s ‘Strength In Numbers’ (excerpt and giveway)

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Strength In Numbers (The Game Players #2) by Brad Vance
 Release Date: February 10, 2016

Goodreads Link
Publisher: Brad Vance
Cover Artist: Brad Vance

Author Brad Vance has brought along his characters, Marc and Jess of Strength in Numbers in The Game Players series to share some of their favorite songs with our readers today.  Welcome, everyone, to Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words. So what are some of your favorite songs?

Marc: “Well, after our recent escapade, The Smiths song ‘There is a Light That Never Goes Out.’ That has some special meaning for us after we had a, um narrow escape on our last adventure.”

Jesse: “I love The War on Drugs’ song, ‘Under the Pressure.’ The title along pretty much sums up the last year or so.”

Marc: “Definitely. When I’m coding, I really like to listen to the Walkmen. Their song ‘Heaven’ just lifts me up.”

Jesse: “When we’re out on Marc’s yacht, I really love hearing that Boy and Bear song, ‘Southern Sun.’ That’s another happy tune.”

Marc: “That Hozier song, ‘Take Me to Church.’ That breaks me every time, since I saw the video.”

Blurb

They’re back! In their first adventure, Marc Julian, software billionaire, and Jesse Winchester, hacker extraordinaire, survived the evil plans of the Krom Brothers and Jesse’s first lover, Chip. But Jesse has old debts to pay to Russian gangster Leonid Ivanov. Now Leonid is calling in those debts, demanding that Jesse find a great treasure for him, and a new game is set in motion…

The mysterious “Satoshi,” creator of the cybercurrency Bitcoin, has been hiding $400 million worth of the currency for years. But now, he has chosen to start a quest for the keys to the Hoard, and he who controls the keys controls the fortune. And this will be a quest that will test the strength, the will, and the character of those who pursue it.

But Marc and Jesse aren’t the only ones on the hunt, as old enemies resurface to try and beat them to the treasure… And even if they reach it first, they must ask themselves – do they really want to give a Russian gangster $400 million to pursue his deadly enterprises? And what would be the consequences if they don’t?

The pursuit will take them through the museums of Tokyo, the streets of Buenos Aires, and the coast of Mexico, in a desperate and dangerous race to keep the fortune in digital gold from the hands of all their enemies…

 

Pages or Words: 50,000 words
Series should be read in order.
 Categories: BDSM, Contemporary, Crime Fiction, Erotica, Fiction, M/M Romance, Mystery, Romance, Thriller

Excerpt

Marc smiled as he made clinking sounds in the galley of his private jet. He already had the black slacks on, so it was the work of a moment to take off his polo shirt and slip into the white epauletted button-down short-sleeve shirt of a steward. The wings were already attached to the lapels, and he’d even had a name tag made.

“Here you go, sir,” he said as he handed Jesse his drink on a tray. Jesse was already involved in something on his phone, and he absentmindedly reached for it.

Then he paused, sensing that something had changed. He looked up to see Marc dressed as an airline steward, his eyes dancing with heat.

Marc didn’t smile as he said, “Is there anything else I can get you, sir?”

Jesse swallowed. “Maybe a warm blanket.”

Marc took the drink from his hand. He pressed a button on the side of Jesse’s chair.

“The seat fully reclines into a bed, sir. Let me make you comfortable.”

As the seat back flattened and the base lifted Jesse’s feet up, Marc pushed another button, and the chair’s arms lowered out of the way, which gave him room to straddle Jesse’s hips.

He put his hands on Jesse’s chest, and Jesse reached up to finger his collar. “How did you earn those wings, steward?”

Marc idly stroked Jesse’s hand where it lingered on the wings. “Oh, those, sir? For achieving membership in the Mile High Club. Are you a member?” Marc began to grind his ass against Jesse’s crotch, feeling the transformation below his slacks.

“You know, I am not. I’ve never been invited to join.”

Marc leaned in to whisper in his ear. “Let me be the first to welcome you, then.”

Buy the book: Amazon

 

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Meet the author:

Brad Vance writes gay romance, erotica and paranormal stories and novels, including the breakout hits “A Little Too Broken” and “Given the Circumstances.” Keep up with Brad at www.BradVanceErotica.wordpress.com, email him at BradVanceErotica@gmail.com, and friend him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/brad.vance.10

Where to find the author:

 

Tour Dates & Stops:

15-Feb: Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

16-Feb: Nephy Hart, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

17-Feb: Divine Magazine, Hearts on Fire

18-Feb: MM Good Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter

19-Feb: Gay Book Reviews, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Jessie G. Books

22-Feb: KathyMac Reviews, My Fiction Nook

23-Feb: Velvet Panic, QUEERcentric Books

24-Feb: V’s Reads

25-Feb: Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

26-Feb: Joyfully Jay Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

29-Feb: Love Bytes, Book Lovers 4Ever

1-Mar: Caraway Carter, BFD Book Blog

2-Mar: Alpha Book Club, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Three Books Over The Rainbow

3-Mar: Man2ManTastic

4-Mar: Bayou Book Junkie, Molly Lolly

Final

Giveaway

Enter to win a Rafflecopter Prize: Paperback copy of ‘Would I Lie To You’ (Book one in the series).  Must be 18 years of age or older to enter.  Link and prizes provided by the author and Pride Promotions.
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