Author Archives: thebloggergirls

Honorary Blogger Beany Sparks: Paws, Magic and the Start Of It All + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on November 14, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Honorary_Blogger_Post

Paws, Magic and the Start Of It All

by Beany Sparks

What gave me the inspiration for the series? An anthology submission call.

I saw a submission call and thought it would be fun to write a story with a German Shepherd shifter so I started writing.

Aiden’s Shepherd was going to be my submission to the anthology and I had it all planned out. The word count was 10-30k and I thought, I can make it 15k and it’ll be fine. Famous last words! The story slowly got to 5k, then 10k, and then it took off. I spent days swearing at PITA because I knew deep down that it was going to go over the 30k. When I finished it (and finished swearing at PITA) it had gone over the 30k limit by a tiny amount and Ryan and Olly were already bugging me for their story. I sat down and decided to publish it on its own and not submit it for the call I had written it for. Then I needed a series name and publisher. Bailey (Bradford) helped with the series name and eXtasy Books accepted the story.

Ryan was mentioned in book 1 early on and I figured he would be one of the main characters in book 2, but Olly didn’t pop into my head until I was nearly done with book 1. He immediately demanded to be part of the series and to end up with Ryan, telling me that book 2 was going to be Ryan’s Wizard and he was going to be that wizard. I had been tossing with the idea that Ryan’s mate was going to be with the captured shifters but Olly wasn’t having it, Ryan was his. So I gave in and let him have his way (resisting would have just given me a headache).

Then PITA started pouting that he wasn’t getting enough attention so he made sure the ending to book 1 was a cliff hanger *sigh*

When I started writing Ryan’s Wizard, Ryan decided to be difficult. I had a release date, I had the deadline and no one was behaving! But eventually the story started moving forward and then more characters started talking to me and now I have twelve others sitting there looking at me, wanting their stories told while PITA stands there clapping his hands and looking at them while yelling “Puppies!” *rolls eyes* he keeps forgetting that not all of them are dogs…

blogger_bee_trans

About Ryan’s Wizard

Ryan's WizardAn alpha ends up with more than he bargained for when he finds his mate…his wizard mate.

After years of no contact, Oliver “Olly” Grey was finally able to reunite with his cousin Aiden. He’s surprised to find that Aiden now has a mate—a male, shifter mate—named Lex. And it’s Lex’s pack mates that Olly is there to help save. What he hadn’t expected was Lex’s brother Ryan.

Ryan Shepherd was happy to have found his brother Lex, and even happier to know that his brother was happily mated. But there is something about Aiden’s cousin Olly that Ryan doesn’t trust, especially when he also smells like the man currently holding his pack members captive. Yet that doesn’t stop Ryan from wanting to hold and comfort the man, and eventually he realizes why—Olly is his mate.

Now the four of them need to plan a rescue mission, but what happens when they run into the two men that had held Lex captive and those same men come to the cabin in the middle of the night?

Available at: eXtasy Books & Amazon

blogger_bee_trans

An Excerpt from Ryan’s Wizard

Aiden burst out laughing and moved one hand to ruffle Olly’s hair.

“Hey!” Olly exclaimed as he pulled back in order to glare at Aiden, who just smiled bigger and pulled him back into his arms.

“I couldn’t resist,” Aiden said, the laughter evident in his voice.

“Yeah, whatever. Anyway, back to what I was saying, but hopefully without interruptions this time.” Olly looked pointedly at Ryan when he said that. Ryan seemed to be studying him intently, but didn’t utter a word.

Olly looked away and started talking again. “I know where the pack is, or at least, I know where a bunch of canine shifters are being held.”

“How do you know that they’re part of our pack?” Lex asked, sounding like he was trying to restrain his eagerness.

Olly turned to him. “Because I heard a few of the guards talk about how they captured a bunch of them together.”

“And why didn’t you get caught?” Ryan asked, anger in his voice.

“Because,” Olly paused, then sighed. “The house they’re being held in belongs to Walter.”

Aiden gasped and when Olly looked at him, he saw the horror that was on his face.

“How long has Walter had shifters imprisoned on his property?” Aiden asked, outrage in his voice.

“I don’t know for sure, but it would be a number of years.” Olly couldn’t face any of them as he said that.

“Who is this Walter?” Ryan growled.

Olly looked up at him, then looked away as he replied, “My father.”

blogger_bee_trans

About Beany Sparks

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

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

Find out more about Beany on her Website or email her at beany.sparks@gmail.com.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Beany is giving away an eBook copy of Ryan’s Wizard to one lucky winner!! To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Please be aware that the only way to enter the giveaway is to click the Rafflecopter link above. Any comments on this post will not count towards entering the giveaway unless otherwise stated but are still welcome anyway.

Don’t forget to check out Nikyta’s review of Ryan’s Wizard to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Book Review: A Bite In Time by Viki Lyn & Vina Grey

Posted on November 14, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Guest Reviewed by Morgan 

1Title: A Bite In Time
Authors: Viki Lyn and Vina Grey
Series: Orbus Arcana #2
Heroes: John Reeder and Vincent Kamateros
Genre: MM Paranormal
Length: 178 Pages
Publisher: Viki Lyn and Vina Grey
Release Date: August 1, 2014
Available at:  Amazon
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  A dangerous secret, a vampire, plus one sexy cop is a recipe for trouble.

JOHN REEDER has accepted his love for VINCENT KAMATEROS, but he doesn’t know his lover is a vampire. When a killer targets Vincent, John has to deal with uncovered secrets that blow his life apart.

Will Vince reveal his true nature to protect the cop who has come to mean more than his own life? In doing so, he might ruin his only chance for a ‘happy ever after’ with John.
Continue reading →

Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Review, Guest Reviewer, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Honorary Blogger Morticia Knight: Why BDSM?

Posted on November 13, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Honorary_Blogger_Post

Why BDSM?

by Morticia Knight

I know there are many, many authors who can rightfully say what I’m about to say: I was writing BDSM a long time before Fifty Shades ever existed. I really only write M/M in any genre these days, but the majority of the themes I use are either outright BDSM, or have elements of it within the stories. I’ve had discussions over the years with other readers and writers in this genre and many of us have agreed that the primary attraction to it is the psychological elements.

Before I expand on that, I have to say that I love the sexual aspects just as much. The two combined together? Then it becomes next to impossible for me to write about anything else. But, back to the power of the mind. It’s been said that the most erotic part of our anatomy is our brain. I definitely agree. Being ‘in the mood’ is another way of saying ‘having the right mindset’. If you look at BDSM from a psychological standpoint, then it makes a lot of sense as to why it’s so attractive.

I do want to mention right here, that the mind games that can be played are also why it’s so vital that people play with trustworthy partners. That being said, experiencing the freedom to completely surrender to another person is very erotic. The power of having someone give themselves completely over to you is breathtaking. Both of those dynamics require an incredible amount of honesty and courage. The best sexual interactions are the ones where both partners let go and experience one another in the moment.

But why would anyone need BDSM for that? Couldn’t you just make that happen anyway? I don’t know about ‘making’ it happen, but sometimes there are reasons why people can’t let go – insecurities or fears that prevent complete fulfillment. BDSM can be a way for people to explore those hidden fears and work through them. Sometimes, it’s simply that vanilla sex doesn’t do it for a person. In the same way that I believe that people don’t choose their sexual orientation, I don’t believe that people choose what type of sexual activities they enjoy. I’ve read ‘reasons’ as to why people are inclined this way or that – but overall – I believe it is what it is.

Can past traumas or current fears be explored through BDSM? Of course, but that doesn’t always have to be the reason for it. In Hesitant Heart (The Hampton Road Club 1), it’s the 1920’s and Sam has escaped his abusive father and landed in Hollywood. He’s eighteen, innocent, and naïve. When the older, Dominant man Aaron rescues him from a disreputable bathhouse, he discovers something about Sam that the young man is horribly embarrassed to admit.

When Sam was younger, probably about twelve or so, he was playing Cowboys and Indians with a friend. When the friend tied him to a tree with some rope, Sam got excited, and when that friend ran his fingers along the ropes, pulling on them, Sam climaxed. It’s such a humiliating story for him, and he’s sure something must be wrong with him, but he trusts Aaron enough to confess it anyway. When Sam finds out that Aaron likes to tie men up for sex – well – it’s a match made in heaven.

During the time period in which this book is set, this never would have been something these characters could have discussed with any of their friends or family. Men who enjoyed such activities had a double dose of fear by not only having to hide that they were gay, but that they indulged in darker passions. Writing BDSM in this context is challenging, but I love it because the psychological themes are even more poignant in my opinion. All the men in the world of The Hampton Road Club are naturally pre-disposed to dealing with various psychological issues. But when they love, they do it with everything in them because it’s so much more precious when they have to fight that hard for it.

blogger_bee_trans

About Hesitant Heart

1Sam is a naïve young man who arrives in Hollywood to escape his brutal father. When the older, sophisticated Aaron rescues him, Sam discovers what it means to fully surrender himself to another.

Eighteen year-old Sam Cunningham is used to living with lots of secrets. He’s had to hide his true nature his entire life or else incur the wrath of his strict and abusive father. When he’s faced with a horrible ultimatum, he flees to Hollywood where he hopes he can escape the fate his father has planned for him.

Aaron Rubenstein is a wealthy and sophisticated man who loses himself in painting portraits of bound men to help stave off his loneliness and despair. Unable to find a lasting connection with anyone, he’s had to resort to paying lovers not only for their affections, but to be allowed to indulge in his darker passions. Aaron’s only respite is his nights at the Hampton Road sadomasochism club where he’s a respected Dominant.

Naïve and inexperienced in the ways men can please one another, Sam takes a job at a bathhouse where he first glimpses a beautiful older man. Aaron notices the sweet towel boy watching him with interest every time he patronizes the Temple of Eros bathhouse. A traumatic incident for the innocent towel boy triggers Aaron’s protective tendencies and he’s compelled to rescue the gentle Sam from the clutches of the Temple’s manager.

They embark on a journey together that teaches them both things about themselves that they never knew. As their bond deepens and Sam is trained for his first night at the Hampton Road Club, an unknown danger lurks. Will Sam’s father find him and destroy both men’s chance for true happiness together? Or will Aaron protect his boy and keep him for always?

Available at: Totally Bound and Amazon

blogger_bee_trans

About Morticia Knight

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

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

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

MorticiaKnight_HesitantHeart _BlogTour_600x315_final

Categories: Book Promo, Honorary Blogger Post | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Honorary Blogger Devon McCormack: The Tricky Nature of Lies + Giveaway!

Posted on November 12, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Honorary_Blogger_Post

The Tricky Nature of Lies

by Devon McCormack

I started writing When Ryan Came Back a little over a year ago. At the time, I knew I wanted to write a Hardy Boys-type book with a paranormal twist. I didn’t have much more of an idea than that until the day I envisioned my main characters, Steven and Ryan. Steven is your typical gay teen with insecurities about his sexual orientation as well as all those that go along with preparing to leave high school and enter the work force/university system. He’s never known who he is or what he wants to do with his life. His friend, Ryan, is the exact opposite. Ambitious and goal-oriented, he’s nabbed a scholarship for a prestigious university and is working to procure a position at the Atlanta Journal Constitution…until the day he turns up dead. The medical examiner determines it’s a suicide, but when Ryan’s ghost appears to Steven, he reveals he didn’t kill himself. Though he can’t remember what happened, he’s sure it’s related to the story he was working on for the paper, involving two rival churches in town.

As Steven investigates the real cause of his death, he discovers secrets being kept by politicians, religious figures, Ryan, and his own family. All these lead him to wonder who he can really trust. As I started drafting the initial versions of When Ryan Came Back, I discovered trust was the heart of the story. Everyone has secrets–things they don’t want people to know about themselves. In Steven’s case, it’s his sexuality. He understands his sexual attraction to guys, and he accepts that he’s gay, but he fears being “out” isn’t going to make his life easier. But as he runs around town, digging up everyone else’s secrets, he learns how little he ever knew about any of them. And if he doesn’t know anything about them, how can he trust them? With Ryan, this is really difficult. Ryan wants his help, but there are things he doesn’t want Steven to know–like his own feelings for men, his previous relationships, and his use of antidepressants. Steven feels betrayed. He’s doing everything he can to help his friend, who isn’t even being honest with him. But he acknowledges he hasn’t been entirely truthful himself. After all, he’s never told Ryan about his sexual orientation. This is where Steven’s real dilemma is. What is a serious lie? What is a lie that is totally unforgivable? And what are those lies that we can forgive and move beyond?

It’s a question that I’ve struggled with a lot in my own life. I spent my adolescence in the closet, and I felt like a fraud. But is living in the closet out of self defense the same thing as a charlatan who knowingly sells a cancer patient a quack cure? Obviously not. In the same way, I’m sure no one would have much sympathy for a German who told the Nazis where Jewish people were hiding because they wanted to be honest. It’s easy to see that lying and keeping secrets isn’t a black and white subject where we can toss a blanket statement over them all and say it’s always wrong to lie in every instance. There’s a beautiful part of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables where he describes a nun who has been honest her entire life. She’s revered for this. She comes across a moment where she has the option to tell the truth (and keep this good virtue she’s held all her life) or tell a lie (which in the moment will protect the whereabouts a good character). She chooses to lie, and Hugo says her act is one that would make her a saint.

This is the real trick about handling lies and secrets–not throwing a blanket judgment over them all, but  having the ability to look into them and understand them on a deeper level. If someone tells a lie, does that make them a bad person? Does that make them evil? There are some lies we can forgive and understand, but how do we sort those from the ones that are unforgivable? This is really what Steven’s story is all about. He has to move beyond a simplistic perspective of lying into a more mature one that can look beyond a superficial judgment and look for what really makes someone a good person.

blogger_bee_trans

About When Ryan Came Back

1Steven’s life changes forever the day he discovers his childhood friend and lifelong crush, Ryan Walters, standing in his bedroom. The problem? Ryan Walters committed suicide just days earlier.

Ryan tells Steven that he didn’t kill himself. He believes he was murdered and that his death is linked to an article he was working on for the school paper. Steven sets out to solve the mystery, but as the story unfolds, so does Ryan’s secret life of sex with guys and depression. Steven realizes suicide is more plausible than Ryan’s conspiracy theory, but he struggles to convince Ryan of the real cause of his death. And despite revelations of his friend’s closeted life, he must face the truth that Ryan doesn’t—and never will—love him.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

blogger_bee_trans

About Devon McCormack

Devon McCormack spent his childhood climbing trees and hopping over gullies in the woods of the Georgian suburbs. Growing up, he found few gay role models in books and movies. This inadequate representation of gay heroes led him to creating his own. He likes dark, action-packed stories in which characters overcome terrible odds and sinister forces. Though his books take place in worlds where paranormal is the norm, his characters triumph over very real problems by using their strength, will, and determination. A huge fan of love stories, he can’t resist throwing in a couple of charming love interests to make the adventures all the more entertaining. He currently lives in Atlanta, Georgia, and spends his time writing and consuming large quantities of frozen yogurt.

Find out more about Devon on his Facebook, Twitter & Goodreads.

Blogger_Giveaway

Devon has graciously offered up an eBook copy of When Ryan Came Back to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends November 18, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Please be aware that the only way to enter the giveaway is to click the Rafflecopter link above. Any comments on this post will not count towards entering the giveaway, except to verify your Rafflecopter entry.

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , | 17 Comments

Honorary Blogger L.B. Gregg: Snapshots + Giveaway!

Posted on November 11, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Honorary_Blogger_Post

Snapshots

by L.B. Gregg

The second book in Riptide’s Bluewater Bay is my very own contribution—There’s Something About Ari.  The only novella in the collection, mine is a friends to lovers story about forgiveness and second chances. Hi. I’m L.B. Gregg and I’m happy to be here.

Some months ago, my editor emailed to ask if I’d like to contribute a story to a new multi-author project. The series would revolve around the community of Bluewater Bay, a former washed-up logging community on the Olympic Peninsula, and the vibrant new werewolf-themed detective drama being filmed there. Each book would be a stand alone novel featuring Bluewater Bay townies or folks involved in the Wolf’s Landing empire. I could develop my own characters to add to the town, or pull from the BWB universe bible. The door was wide open, the stage was set, as long as the book was contemporary, at least a little sexy, and I turned it in on time.

Honestly? I balked. I couldn’t imagine myself writing about werewolves or TV stars. What the hell did I know about the Pacific Northwest other than Starbucks, pine trees, Pearl Jam, and Portlandia?  Plus—did you see that line up of contributing authors? L.A. Witt, Z.A. Maxfield, Aleksandr Voinov, Heidi Belleau, Rachel Haimowitz, Anne Tenino, Amy Lane, SE Jakes, and G.B. Gordon. How did L.B. Gregg fit into that crowd?

I felt dowdy. Like Plain Jane surrounded by a glamorous assembly of writing superstars.

Actually, I felt a lot like Buck. So I said yes. The hook for me? Perspective. That feeling of ‘otherness’ became my starting place. I would write a story for this fictional town using my own distinct viewpoint, and created my own little corner of Bluewater Bay— Fifth Street.

The great thing about working with all these terrific authors is that we offer a kaleidoscope view of Bluewater Bay. Guided by our editor, we’ve cultivate the initial vision of BWB creators, LA Witt and Alexsandr Voinov, into tiny, vibrant snapshots of life and love in Bluewater Bay.

blogger_bee_trans

About There’s Something About Ari

1Buck Ellis’s future seems pretty damn bright. With a full college scholarship in hand, he’s going to ditch Bluewater Bay and pave the way for his kid brother Charlie to do the same. The only fly in Buck’s ointment is his ten-year addiction to his best friend since second grade, his true love, and his Achilles heel: Ari Valentine, Mr. Least Likely to Succeed.

But then Buck’s mother dies, changing everything, and five years later, his future is still on hold. It’s a struggle to keep food on the table, a roof over their heads, and Charlie on the straight and narrow. Buck can’t afford any temptation, especially in the form of the newly returned, super hot, super confident, super successful television star Ari Valentine.

ADHD poster-child Ari Valentine left for Hollywood and lost everything, including his bad reputation. Then the breakthrough role of his skyrocketing career lands him back in Bluewater Bay, to the stunned disbelief of, well, everyone. But there’s only one person Ari longs to impress—the only person who ever really mattered to him, the person he left behind: Buck Ellis.

Available at: Riptide Publishing

blogger_bee_trans

About L.B. Gregg

When not working from her home in the rolling hills of Northwestern Connecticut, author L.B. Gregg can be spotted in coffee shops from Berlin to Singapore to Panama–sipping lattes and writing sweet, hot, often funny, stories about men who love men. Check out more about LB at her Website, Facebook, Goodreads, Twitter or email her at lbgregg@lbgregg.com.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 16th, and winners will be announced on November 17th.  Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.

Don’t forget to check out Nikyta’s review of There’s Something About Ari to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

BWB_TourBanner

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT | Tags: , , , , | 19 Comments

Protector of the Alpha by Parker Williams: Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on November 11, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Blogger_Exclusive Excerpt

An Exclusive Excerpt from Protector of the Alpha

Jake crossed the campus to get his car and head for home. He was so embarrassed. Jake wished he’d gone home instead of hanging out on campus until practice. People would snicker whenever he walked by, and several teased him with chess references. He was grateful to finally be headed home. He could only hope that Casey—

“Chess, JD? Really? That’s the best you could come up with? Sad, bro. Your excuses are usually a lot more…inventive. I think in the nineteen years I’ve known you that was probably the lamest one you’ve ever come up with.”

Casey fell into pace with Jake, nudging him with a slender shoulder.

“What? I play chess.”

Casey struck a pose, hand on hip, his expression telling Jake he was waiting to hear the truth.

“Fine, I play checkers. The board looks the same.”

blogger_bee_trans

About Protector of the Alpha

Protector of the AlphaAdopted at an early age by a wealthy family, Jake Davis’s life appears easy. Even in college, he is blessed with good grades and an apparently clear path to a pro football career. Good thing his best friend keeps hanging around to keep his head from getting too swollen.

Zakiya Incekara has always been…odd. Being fluent in six languages and having a flair for international cooking should open the world to him, but those skills leave him isolated.

When Jake sees Zak for the first time, with water beading down his slender form, something inside him shifts, and it hungers for Zak. To have him. To claim him. And Jake knows that whatever it is, it won’t be denied.

Available at: Amazon, Smashwords and All Romance eBooks

blogger_bee_trans

About Parker Williams

Parker Williams believes that true love exists, but it always comes with a price. No happily ever after can ever be had without work, sweat, and tears that comes with melding lives together.

Living in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Parker held his job for nearly 28 years before he decided to retire and try new things. He enjoys his new life as a stay-at-home author and also working on Pride-Promotions, an LGBT author promotion service.

Find out more about Parker on his Website, Twitter or Facebook.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Parker is giving away a Protector T-Shirt and two $10 gift cards to All Romance eBooks!! To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Please be aware that the only way to enter the giveaway is to click the Rafflecopter link above. Any comments on this post will not count towards entering the giveaway unless otherwise stated but are still welcome anyway.

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , | 6 Comments