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Honorary Blogger Nico Jaye: Movies & The Magical Mystery of Historical Settings + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on October 25, 2014 by thebloggergirls

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Movies & The Magical Mystery of Historical Settings

by Nico Jaye

Thank you so much to The Blogger Girls for inviting me to visit today to chat a little about A Time for Loving! I had so much fun writing this historical short story.

Historicals. Ahh. There’s just something about them, right? The manners and civility. The style of dress. The house parties. The carriage and cobblestone streets. The rolling, untouched hills.

When I decided to write A Time for Loving, I knew immediately that I wanted to set it at a country estate. As a lifelong Regency romance reader, I’ve always loved the country estate as a place for intrigue and romance; there’s just something very special about finding love away from the hustle and bustle of London.

Just as I’m a sucker for historical romances, I also love historical-set movies, where it’s so interesting to see how these settings have been recreated. There are fun hybrid movies like “Austenland,” which presents the really cool premise of what a theme park would look like today if it immersed you in Jane Austen’s England. And there’s of course the classic BBC miniseries “Pride and Prejudice” with a dreamy Colin Firth as the embodiment of Mr. Darcy.

My absolute favorite BBC miniseries, though, is actually “North and South,” which is based on the novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. Gah. That series is fantabulous. It’s set in northern England in the time of the industrial revolution, and Richard Armitage plays the stoic-yet-swoon-worthy mill owner Mr. Thornton. If you haven’t had a chance to see this series, I highly recommend it for both the romance and the very interesting social dynamics around which the story revolves. Although “North and South” is definitely grittier than “Pride and Prejudice,” the story is so well-presented and thought out that it is the series I turn to repeatedly for a complete, quality romance that can transport me into another world.

In A Time for Loving, I had a lot of fun recreating the historical setting at both the fictional Swathmore Manor and…elsewhere (to say more would be to spoil the story!). =) If you decide to check out the book, I hope you’ll taste the historical flavor and feel transported into Regency England.

Nico ♥

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About A Time for Loving

1Jack and Christopher have made it through years of campaigning and the horrors of Waterloo together–side by side by day and, by night, in each other’s arms. After the war is over, however, will the love shared between this batman and his officer survive when Christopher returns to the life of a gentleman?

Available at: Amazon | Smashwords | Barnes & Noble

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An Excerpt from A Time for Loving

When Christopher returned to the bedchamber at the time the clock ticked its way past midnight, Jack was waiting for him. As was their routine, they locked the doors to bar any unwanted nightly visitors, such a practice explained to the household as a way to deter Christopher’s childhood habit of sleepwalking.

Little did they know he’d outgrown such an inclination years ago.

“A pleasant evening,” Christopher said mildly over his shoulder as Jack assisted him out of his well-fitted navy evening jacket.

“Was it?” Jack murmured in response. Setting aside the garment onto the clothes valet, he turned to face Christopher’s back and skimmed his hands over his shoulders. His palms, forever callused from years of campaigning, nevertheless picked up the texture of the silver-embroidered brocade waistcoat. Those shoulders were broad, carrying with them the weight of responsibility—for their regiment, for their secret, for their future—well beyond Christopher’s twenty-three years.

Lost in his thoughts, Jack startled when Christopher turned around to grasp his wrist gently. He looked up into Christopher’s familiar gaze and sighed, his heart settling into place even as his pulse began to race at the sight of the heat in those blue depths.

“It would have been much more pleasant with your company, Jack,” Christopher said, his voice warm and low.

With a hard swallow, Jack smiled up into that precious face. Tilting his head, he listened for a moment and heard the sounds of the house going to sleep around them.

This was their time—the time between days when they could be lost in their world.

“You know ’tis impossible, Christopher,” Jack whispered regretfully, searching his gaze. Jack moved to clasp his hand, drawing Christopher’s palm to his neck and curling it against the skin there. Leaning into the touch, Jack closed his eyes briefly before glancing up again. “But our time is now, and my company is yours. Yours always.”

When Christopher’s gaze dropped to his lips, Jack moved forward, touching their mouths to each other lightly…

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About Nico Jaye

Nico Jaye is a fan of all things HEA and has dragged her romance collection along for her moves from San Francisco to Los Angeles to Chicago to New York and back. She thinks reading is awesome and loves that she can hang out night after night with crinoline-wearing debutantes, brawny firemen in suspenders, and werewolf shifters with Scottish brogues. An overall feline enthusiast, Nico secretly (or not so secretly?) adores Hello Kitty, cat GIFs, spontaneous traveling, pretending to be crafty, emoticons, hot menfolk, and parenthetical statements (not necessarily in that order). After starting as the pitcher for Team Awesome (literally) and visiting places like South Africa, Oman, and Fiji, Nico discovered that letting the boys in her head tell her where they want to go could actually be the most exciting journey of all.

Find out more about Nico on her Website/Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

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As part of this blog tour, Nico is giving away TWO prizes to three lucky winners!! These prizes are: (1) an ebook copy of A Time for Loving and (2) a pretty ring with the word “love” inscribed on it. There are no shipping restrictions, and this giveaway is open worldwide where permitted by law. The giveaway will run from October 23rd to November 6th. To enter, just click the link below!

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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 Heather C’s review of A Time for Loving to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post | Tags: , , | 6 Comments

Honorary Blogger Joseph Lance Tonlet: Fear and Trust + Excerpt!

Posted on October 23, 2014 by thebloggergirls

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Fear and Trust

by Joseph Lance Tonlet

Eighteen months ago I embarked on a thrilling new journey. The goal of this journey? Write a good book.

I’d set this goal after years of dreaming about it—of longing for it. I’d also set this goal with no practical novel writing experience. Sure, I’d taken the same mandatory English classes in high school and college that most folks do, but there wasn’t a single thing in my background which told me I could do this.

What took me so long to do it? Fear. Plain and simple. However, I desperately pushed the apprehension to the back of my mind as I sat in front of my MacBook and began to type. Once I’d mustered the courage to actually to start, the words just seemed to flow from my fingers and onto the page. It was almost magical, and in the span of 4 weeks I’d written 120,000 words.

The next difficult step came after I’d typed that final period and called the book’s first draft done. The difficult step to which I refer?Letting other people actually read it. That terrified the ever-living-fuck out of me. Sure, I was worried whether or not I’d done a good job. But, beyond that was the concern of what would people think—it’s an erotic-romance D/s novel after all. It’s what my fervently religious grandmother would have deemed smut.

Each of us holds that concern, to some extent, don’t we? The fear that we’ll be judged, the fear that we’ll be seen as weird or freaky, the fear that we’ll be looked at as deviants. But, then it hit me, being gay, I’ve been seen as a deviant most of my life…why not add a bit more ‘strange’ to the mix? *smile*

I’d achieved the first part of the goal; I’d written Grif’s Toy. As for the second part—the part about writing a ‘good’ book—I’d only know for sure if I allowed people to read it. Like Grif, our protagonist, I’ve had to bite back my fear many times over the course of this journey and just trust. And, also like Grif, I’m really glad I did! I hope you are as well.

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About Grif’s Toy

Young atractive man wearing white shirtGrif believes he’ll live his life as a virgin. After all, who would want him? How could anyone find him, a guy who came with less than man-sized equipment, worthy of their love?

What he hadn’t counted on were the two amazing men who would change his life. After entering college, he meets Tate, his fun-loving, roommate. While years later, with Tate now just a memory, Wes, a handsome, rugged ex-marine who runs his own security firm enters his life.

Both men lead Grif through a twisted mesh of pleasure, pain, and denial, as they force him to see his value, despite his size and insecurities.

Available at: Amazon and Smashwords

Don’t forget to check out JustJen’s review of Grif’s Toy to see what she thought of it!

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An Excerpt from  Grif’s Toy

With a quick kiss he slid away from me and off the bed. Pulling the t-shirt off first and then dropping his shorts he stood resplendently nude. My breath caught as I stared at him.

He walked over to my side of the bed and held out a hand to me. I took it and was pulled to my feet.

With a quick, deep kiss he said, “Grif, just trust that I’ll keep my promise, okay?”

I looked into his kind eyes and saw the small laugh lines around them, the sexy smile and nodded, “I promise to try and remember that, Wes.”

“Then we’re half way there.”

He hooked the hem of my t-shirt in both hands and brought it over my head and off. Looking down at my chest, he mumbled beautiful before his fingers moved to the button of my shorts.

He paused and asked, “I assume you have a jock on?”

“Never leave home without it,” I tried for nonchalance, but failed as my voice cracked.

He looked down and easily popped the button. I grabbed his wrist, but I didn’t pull it away.

“Wes…,” I felt my eyes beginning to tingle, and my throat growing tight, “I’m scared.” My voice was so low and indistinct I was certain he hadn’t even heard me.

He looked up and met my eyes, “Okay, two things, babe; one, fuck you’re so beautiful right now, and that fear in your eyes does crazy things to me, and two, why are you frightened? I gave you my—’

“I’m scared of losing you if you see,” I blurted out.

“Hey…,” he said, as he brushed my hair back from my forehead, “You’ve got your jock on. There’s no way I can see. So put that worry out of your head—and just feel the moment, okay? And, more importantly, you won’t lose me when I do see. There’ll come a time when you’ll believe that too.”

He moved his hands back down to my shorts, slid the zipper open with an amazingly, practiced adeptness, and my shorts fell to the carpet.

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About Joseph Lance Tonlet

Joseph is a born and raised Southern Californian—with a twenty-year stint of living in the Midwest. He loves the laid-back lifestyle of San Diego and considers himself lucky to live where people dream of vacationing.

A lifelong reader of m/m fiction, he began his writing career one night sitting at his MacBook and has never looked back. He writes to bring the characters he dreams about to life.

Find out more about Joseph on his Website, Facebook, Google+, Goodreads, Pinterest and Twitter.

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Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post | Tags: , , | 4 Comments

Exclusive Excerpt from A Bittersweet Haunting by Jackie Nacht & T.A. Chase + Promo of Zombie Run by Jackie Nacht & Giveaway!

Posted on October 22, 2014 by thebloggergirls

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An Exclusive Excerpt from A Bittersweet Haunting

Prologue

 June 1989-

“Come on,” Abel whispered. “The guys are waiting for us.”

“All right. All right. I’m coming.” Braden shoved his flashlight into his backpack before following his brother down the stairs and out of the house.

He still wasn’t convinced this was the brightest idea Oleg ever had. Yet as uneasy as their adventure made him, Braden wasn’t about to back out. He wasn’t going to be called a “pussy” or “chicken” for the rest of the summer.

They snuck out of the house before getting their bikes from the garage. Braden slid his arms through the straps of his backpack to settle it on his shoulders. Abel took the lead, heading out into the street, then turning left in the direction of their friends, who waited at the end of their subdivision.

Oleg, Quincey, Warren, and Tad nodded at them as they joined the group, but no one said anything. Since this whole thing was his genius brainstorm, Oleg must have assumed he was in charge. Of course, no one else was going to say anything else about it.

As they rode closer to their destination, Braden’s shoulders started to creep up to his ears. It was like someone—or something—was watching them approach, and he could admit to himself at least that he didn’t want to see anything out in the darkness that night.

“We should be getting close,” Oleg called back to the rest of them. “My brother, Pavel, told me about this spot where we can find the Jersey Devil.”

“What if I don’t want to meet the Devil,” Braden muttered, but he kept going.

They reached a clearing just another mile down the road. Leaving their bikes lying on the grass, the group of six boys wandered around, swinging the beams from their flashlights all over the place.

“What happens if we see it?” Braden asked Tad softly.

Tad shrugged. “Probably piss ourselves and run screaming back home to our moms.”

Stopping, Braden stared at Tad who stared right back.

“What? You know as well as I do, none of us are going to hang around to chat that thing up.”

There were times when Braden thought Tad was ten going on thirty-five, or at least that’s what he’d heard his mother say about his best friend. Tad spent a lot of time over at their house because his father worked second shift at one of the factories while his mother ran around with other men. Again, that was what Braden’s mother said when she didn’t think they could hear her chat with Aunt Jill.

“I don’t care how tough Oleg and Quincey pretend to be, they’ll be the first ones running if that thing shows up,” Tad said.

“Get over here, you two,” Abel called to them, then waved them back to where the others were gathered.

Once they were all there, Oleg grunted before he said, “I think my brother’s full of shit.”

Braden wasn’t going to agree or disagree. He’d learned that it was better just to go along with Oleg because the kid could get mean from time to time when he didn’t get his way.

Yet there was something out in the woods. Braden had been feeling the weight of a gaze burning into his back as he moved around, and the sensation got stronger as he stood there, listening to the others talk amongst themselves. Braden had noticed that the forest had gone silent, like some kind of predator walked among the trees.

The only light breaking through the leaves was from their flashlights as they shoved each other, laughing loudly to cover their own discomfort. But Braden wanted to leave. He was about to grab Tad and pull him back to their bikes. He didn’t care if the others would tease him or not. Every instinct in him was screaming to run because something dangerous was stalking them.

Suddenly the crack of a twig disturbed the relative quiet of the night. Braden jumped, then whirled to shine his light in the direction of the noise. What he saw caught in the beam was an image that would stay with him for the rest of his life.

It was a creature he’d never seen the likes of before. It had the head of a horse and was huge. Leather-like wings stretched from its shoulders, and eyes that seemed to be lit from within glared at them.

When it screamed, Braden swore it sounded like someone was murdering it. He dropped his flashlight, then covered his ears. The creature moved with lightning speed, circling them for a moment before dashing into their midst, then away. Braden found it difficult to figure out in the strobing flashlight beams where the monster was. But suddenly, he glanced up to meet its red eyes and froze.

Braden’s wrist stung as the creature slashed at him, causing him to cry out. The other boys were yelling and scrambling all around him, but Braden couldn’t seem to get his feet to move. Tad grabbed his hand and dragged him toward the road where they’d left their bikes. They were shoving each other out of the way because no one wanted to be at the back of the group in case the creature chased them.

None of them looked behind them, just pedaled as fast as they could to the corner where they’d met. From there, they split up to head back to their own houses without saying a word to each other.

 *

In the twenty-five years that have spanned since that moment, the six friends never really discussed what had happened to them that night. Yet it was the one singular night that held the most influence on their choices for the rest of their lives.

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About A Bittersweet Haunting

A Bittersweet HauntingIn a moment of youthful curiousity, these six men were marked forevermore.

Jersey Paranormal Investigation was created when Braden and his five friends were marked by the Jersey Devil during their childhood. Now, they all have special gifts when it comes to the supernatural. Years later, Braden finds himself on his next job only to come face to face with the beautiful victim, Mack. Not all is it seems and Braden and his team will have to figure out why Mack is being targeted and to keep from falling for the man in the process.

Available at: MLR Press, Amazon & All Romance eBooks

 

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About Zombie Run

A Holiday Job Zombie RunThis Halloween, Drake is about to meet one guy he can’t say goodbye to.

And Drake is about to meet his match.

After a casual encounter, Drake can’t seem to stop thinking about Wilson. Even though Wilson pretty much thanked him for a nice time and walked out of his dorm and his life.

Now Halloween is approaching, and Drake is being roped into volunteering for the charity fun run. Having to dress as a zombie is horrible enough, but seeing Wilson at the starting line has Drake ducking for the trees. Will Wilson look past the gory makeup to see Drake actually cares about him? Will Drake finally be able to capture Wilson’s heart?

Available at: eXtasy Books

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About Jackie Nacht

Short, sexy and sweet— where a little love goes a long way.

That’s the best way to describe Jackie Nacht’s stories. She was introduced to M/M Romance through her sister, Stephani, and read it for years. Then, she thought it was time to put her own stories on paper. Jackie began writing short and sweet stories that ended with a happily ever after.

Thinking back to her own book addiction, where there were many nights Jackie stayed up way too late so she could read just one more chapter— yeah, right— Jackie decided to write short romances for young adults as well as adults. Hopefully, they will give high school and college students, or working men and women something they can read during their lunch hour, in between classes or just when they want to briefly get away from the daily stresses of everyday life.

You can find out more about Jackie on her Website, Blog, Facebook or Twitter.

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About T.A. Chase

I’m T.A. Chase, and I write stories about men loving men, but my stories are more than that. It’s about one person finding the other half of themselves. It doesn’t matter whether that person is male or female. I’m a happily married woman living in the Midwest with my husband of fifteen years. I’ve been writing for six years now, and because of my awesome readers, I’ve been able to do it full time for over a year.

You can find out more about T.A. on her Facebook or Twitter.

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As part of this blog tour, Jackie and T.A. are giving away a $20 gift card to Amazon.com to one lucky winner!! To enter, just click the link below!

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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

Honorary Blogger A.J. Truman: College Memory – Bad Romance Edition + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on October 20, 2014 by thebloggergirls

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College Memory – Bad Romance Edition

by A.J. Truman

Thank you so much for having me on your site! Flat out, I love writing gay new adult. I really wanted to capture all of the emotions that make the college experience so unique. College is such a fun, exciting, scary, turbulent time, especially for gay men, many of whom are coming out or coming out of their shell.

Myself included.

I definitely drew on my college memories to create OUT IN THE OPEN. I was shy and awkward and better at pining after guys like Preston rather than actually talking to them. However, I did not have sex in public places with a megahot closeted fratboy, like the main character Ethan does in the book. (Which you should read!) (It’s really good!) (Okay, enough promo)

My routine at parties was to grab something alcoholic to drink immediately and then scout the location for other gay guys to flirt with. As you can imagine, 99% of the time, this backfired on me. But one time, I almost succeeded. I saw this cute guy by the fireplace – a little bit taller than me, short brown hair, nice smile. I went up to him and started chatting. Luckily, this was before the age of smartphones, so I wasn’t able to stare at my phone during social gatherings. I had to be social.

He was a sweet guy, a music major, and to my surprise, he wanted to keep talking to me. What? Seriously? I never got this far! I was so nervous – okay, what do I now? what do I say? – so nervous that I kept taking sips of my jungle juice. A lot of sips.

I mean, a lot of sips.

By the end of night, any semblance of witty repartee I had dissolved into drunken rambling. I spewed out a mini-rant about how hard it is to meet decent guys at this school while meeting an actual decent guy. I had to lie down on a couch because I couldn’t stand up. Someone brought me water to sober me up. I remember thinking that I was still flirting with him, that I still had a chance.

He walked me back to my dorm. This is going well, I thought. A lovely, moonlit stroll through campus. Well, he was strolling. I was stumbling around. I may have fallen into a bush. When he dropped me off, he extended his arm for a handshake. I thought I still had a chance. This is something we’d laugh about, right?

Naturally, I never heard from him again. A few weeks later, I saw him around campus. He was with some of his friends. I wasn’t sure if I should wave or say hi, or just take the hint. Maybe he was waiting for me to call him. As soon as we made eye contact, he twisted right back around to his friends. He was like a figure skater doing one of those fancy triple axel spins. I thought I felt a breeze that’s how fast he moved to avoid me.

Okay then. I felt down for the rest of the day – until I found out about another party that night. I would get over this guy one sip of jungle juice (well, many sips) at a time.

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About Out in the Open

1Libraries are meant for studying – not sex

College sophomore Ethan Follett never says what’s on his mind and never wants to rock the boat. After a high school social life spent anonymous and alone, things are finally falling into place for him. He’s found a group of friends just as studious as he, and is on track for a promising legal career. Out in the open, things couldn’t be better, but secretly Ethan yearns for some real excitement in his life.

He finds it in cocky fratboy Greg Sanderson, who challenges every rigid, preconceived notion Ethan lives by. Soon, their sparring relationship turns sexual, and these enemies-with-benefits get their freak on all over campus. Yet the more Ethan comes out of his shell, the more Greg retreats into his, working overtime to keep his ladies man public persona intact. As the sex gets hotter, and they get closer to getting caught, one part of their arrangement can’t stay hidden any longer: love.

Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble

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An Excerpt from Out in the Open

 

“I was not expecting that back in class, Ethan.” Greg took a step closer. Even in this unforgiving fluorescent light, his skin still glowed with the last gasp of a summer tan. “I didn’t think you would actually do that.”

Ethan noticed the slightest hint of a smile crack his face. “You kept egging me on, but I’m sorry. It was wrong.”

“Yes. It was very wrong. You are a sex fiend.”

“No, I’m not,” Ethan said. “If you didn’t like it, you should’ve stopped me.”

“Who said I didn’t like it?”

Ethan froze. He remained nervous, but now for a completely different reason. “You liked it?”

“It was actually…” Greg itched the back of his head, and his shirt hiked up, revealing an inch of tight flesh. “It was kinda hot.”

“It was?”

“You didn’t think so? I saw you getting into it.”

“That’s only because…” Ethan didn’t know how to finish that sentence. “I was in shock, and I only did it to shut you up.”

“Oh, you shut me up alright,” Greg said, flushing with color.

“It won’t happen again. Especially not in the middle of class.”

“That was the hottest part, though.”

“No, it wasn’t. We could’ve been caught any moment!” Ethan realized his whisper was well above acceptable library levels.

“I know.” Greg raised his eyebrows. “I was so hard. I haven’t been that turned on in a long time.”

Ethan peered down at Greg’s crotch, and he still seemed turn on. Ethan didn’t understand it. He and Greg seemed to be on different wavelengths about this. Maybe it was because, if they had gotten caught, Ethan would’ve been the one to receive all the scolding. Greg could’ve claimed innocent victim.

“You enjoyed it? Doing that in public?” Ethan asked. “Isn’t that illegal?”

“Probably. You’re the wannabe lawyer.” Greg took another step toward Ethan, and this time, he caught Ethan taking another glimpse of his downstairs area. “Looks like you enjoyed it, too.”

Greg nodded at Ethan’s crotch, and he tried to conceal the bulge in his pants. His teeth wouldn’t stop chattering, and now goose bumps crawled across his arms. The way Greg looked at him, with no fear, no reservations, made Ethan’s bottom half stand more at attention.

“Maybe we should do it again,” Greg said.

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About A.J. Truman

A.J. Truman remembers his college days like it was yesterday, even though it was definitely not yesterday. He writes books with humor, heart, and hot guys. What else does a story need? His debut novel OUT IN THE OPEN was released in September. He loves spending time with his pets and his partner and writing on his sun porch.

You can find him on his blog, Goodreads, and Facebook. Get details on upcoming books and exclusive content by subscribing to his mailing list.

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A.J. has graciously offered up an eBook copy of Out in the Open to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends October 26, 2014 at 11:59 p.m. To enter, just click the link below!

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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.

Don’t forget to check out Heather C’s review of Out in the Open to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , | 30 Comments

Honorary Blogger Belinda Burke: Accidentally In Love + Giveaway!

Posted on October 18, 2014 by thebloggergirls

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Accidentally In Love

by Belinda Burke

Hello, and welcome to the corner of the Blogger Girls I’ve been given today!

I actually had another post entirely written for this, but then this morning – October 10th, a day that will live in infamy – I fell in love. This is not entirely unusual, but I did it having never seen the face of the man in question, while he talked to my friend who was standing in his cabin typing what he said to me. There’s a serious dose of the cold flutters in this feeling, but it’s still there while I’m writing and I wonder – what is love, anyway? Where on EARTH does it come from?

If you’re hoping for an answer, I don’t really have one, as my current state of existence might suggest.  I mean really, how did I manage to fall in love with someone who I haven’t seen! Whose voice I haven’t heard, whose words came to me only through a messenger? Typed, at that! How am I so affected by a stranger who says “pretty eyes”, when I’d barely learned his name? Well, I’m not certain, but it’s a fact! (The butterflies agree.)

So many times in romance, we read and write tropes and coincidences that seem impossible – like they could never happen in real life. “Love at first sight” is so much a cliché that it’s its own catchphrase, and yet even so it’s often called out as unbelievable.

I’m here to tell you, as a sufferer of Love at NO sight, that it is definitely, definitely a thing. It is apparently a terrible and wonderful thing, just like love is all by itself – and it influences everything. Everything! The way the world looks, how a certain name tastes…oh, you know you all just said a certain name just to test it!

Despite this experience, I still believe that love isn’t magic – that it doesn’t come from nowhere really, even if we can’t always figure out the origin point, or the moment it started. If it’s not love at first sight, is it the second? The third? Or maybe it’s love at first kiss – first smile?  Apparently it can even be the first word.

I’ve gone in deep on this one, fallen in the sense of “yes water feels like concrete from a hundred feet up” – but never fear! I’ll be reporting my experience from within the world of the Eight Kingdoms, where love in all its forms is always more than welcome.

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About The Circle Unbroken

https://www.totallybound.com/image/cache/data/Covers/C/thecircleunbroken_exlarge_PNG-210x336.pngA prince, a king, an oath to bind and an oath to break. Can something begun in darkness survive the light? Or does the shape of that oath define love…and the circle unbroken?

Three months have passed since Macsen Cadoc’s rescue of Bran Fionnan—three mortal months, three days in Macsen’s Red Kingdom. Bran has begun to seek a place for himself—as sidhe, as Summer’s Prince and as Macsen’s consort. The Red King has begun to balance the thirst of his own nature with the love that now moves him just as much. Yet when Bran is reminded of an oath that was made between them when he was just a child, that which has so far held them together may end up tearing them apart.

While the strength of their love is tested, a mortal enemy is once more in motion. Focused only on their destruction, Dealla seeks to step into the place of her dead father–to rule over the Milesians and fulfil the oaths of crown and country. To do so, she must find a way to hurt two foes…one new and openly deadly, the other ancient and its enmity long asleep. Allies appear in unlikely places, armed by their own motives to seek the same destruction Dealla desires…but the price of success may be higher than the cost of failure—higher than any plot or plan allows.

What is the price of an oath fulfilled? Is love born from nothing, or does it wear a path that can be traced?

Available at: Totally Bound

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About Belinda Burke

Picture 2I am author, storyteller, poet – property of one cat, perpetual insomniac, and resident of the New England coast of the United States! In my spare time I bemoan the state of the economy, read anything I can get my hands on, and continue my erstwhile pursuit of a double major in Philosophy and English literature.

I’m currently writing for Totally Bound publishing, fulfilling my primary dream of authoring my own books after many years of reading. Currently the bestselling book one of the Eight Kingdoms series, Dark Side of the Sun, is available everywhere. Book two will be available October 24th, and there’s plenty more on the horizon! Keep an eye out for Wolf of the West, a stand-alone novel coming in January 2015, and of course, more of the Eight Kingdoms!

Fanmail and questions are always welcome at belindaburkeauthor@gmail.com. Follow me on Facebook or on tumblr at – and keep an eye out for a new website, launching soon!

Blogger_Giveaway

Belinda has graciously offered up a signed print copy of book one, Dark Side of the Sun, to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends October 24, 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.

Don’t forget to check out Nikyta’s review of The Circle Unbroken to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , | 22 Comments

Black Spring by Christina Henry – Exclusive Excerpt + Giveaways!

Posted on October 17, 2014 by thebloggergirls

BLACK SPRING Banner

An Exclusive Excerpt from Black Spring

I went down the gangway between my house and the next to drop the plastic bag in the garbage can in the alley just outside the back fence. When I reentered the backyard I noticed someone standing there, his back to me.

“No wonder Daharan made so many pancakes,” I said. “Apparently it’s my day for a family reunion.”

Jude turned around, his shaggy red beard and piercing blue eyes as familiar and welcome as Samiel had been. He looked like he couldn’t believe what he was seeing.

“They told me you were dead,” he said hoarsely, taking a step toward me.

“I could say that thing about death and rumors and exaggeration, but you probably wouldn’t get it,” I said. Jude was very old, and very serious, and very literal-minded.

“I thought you were dead,” he repeated.

I realized I’d been a little thoughtless. Jude remembered the “B” in B.C. He also had lived through the “A” in A.D., long ago, when he was called Judas Iscariot and his name became infamous. He’d lost someone he’d pledged his life to, and for more than two thousand years he hadn’t made a pledge like that again. Until me. And he’d thought I died.

“Jude, I . . .” I began.

Several things happened at once. The back door flew open. Beezle, Nathaniel and Daharan streamed out onto the porch, all looking frantic.

The Retrievers came howling down the side of the house, chased by Samiel, who also appeared panicked.

Jude spun to face the new arrivals just as Beezle cried out, “Maddy, get away from him!”

And then a huge red-and-gray wolf leapt over the neighbor’s fence, into my yard, and tackled Jude to the ground.

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About Black Spring (Black Wings #7)

Black Spring (Black Wings, #7)A former Agent of death, Madeline Black now has everything to live for, most importantly, her unborn child. But Chicago has become ground zero in a struggle between ancient creatures, and only Maddy can stop the carnage…

The mayor of Chicago has announced a plan to round up the city’s supernatural beings and put them in camps. With her due date looming, Maddy’s best move would be to lay low for a while. But not everyone is willing to respect her privacy. Hounded by tentacled monsters, a rogue shapeshifter, and a tenacious blogger, Maddy turns to her most powerful ally, her uncle Daharan, only to find him missing.

Just when it seems like things can’t get any worse, Maddy gets an invitation in the mail—to Lucifer’s wedding. Turns out everyone has been invited, friends and enemies alike. And with that kind of guest list, it’s highly unlikely there will be a happily ever after.

Pre-order at: Amazon

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About Author

Bio picCHRISTINA HENRY is the author of the BLACK WINGS series (Ace/Roc) featuring Madeline Black, an Agent of Death, and her popcorn-loving gargoyle sidekick Beezle: BLACK WINGS, BLACK NIGHT, BLACK HOWL, BLACK LAMENT, BLACK CITY, BLACK HEART and BLACK SPRING. She is also the author of the forthcoming dark fantasy ALICE (summer 2015).

Christina was born in New York and now lives on the North Side of Chicago with her husband and son. She sees no conflict in rooting for both the Yankees and the Cubs.

She also enjoys running long distances, eating large quantities of cinnamon rolls, reading anything she can get her hands on and watching movies with zombies, samurai and/or subtitles.

Blogger_Giveaway

There’s TWO chances to win on this tour spot! First, Christina is giving away a print copy of Black Spring to one luck winner!! This giveaway is US only, no PO Boxes. The giveaway starts now and ends October 23, 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. blogger_bee_trans Secondly, Christina is having a HUGE tour-wide giveaway for the following prizes:

– 1 winner will receive a tote from Penguin with all 7 books in the series
– 1 winner will receive a signed SET of all 7 books from Christina Henry PLUS a $25 gift card to Barnes & Noble
– 2 winners will receive a signed SET of all 7 books from Christina Henry

This tour-wide giveaway will run from Oct. 6 to Nov. 7. 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 Black Wings to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, M/F | Tags: , , , | 5 Comments

A Blogger Girl Q&A with Jordan Castillo Price

Posted on October 16, 2014 by thebloggergirls

TBG: As part of our Vampire Week, one of our lovely guest reviewers, Morgan, was able to wrangle a short interview about the Channeling Morpheus/Sweet Oblivion series out of Jordan Castillo Price. Let’s see what JCP has to say to Morgan’s questions! 

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M: Why the two names Channeling Morpheus/Sweet Oblivion for one series?

JCP: This was a decision by the original publisher. Since I found it confusing, when the rights to the series reverted to me, I established Sweet Oblivion as Channeling Morpheus 5-10, which is how I intended them from the outset.

M: You do your own covers, how do you pick the model?  Or did you have a model in mind when you wrote the character?

JCP: All the cover artists who work in the genre have the same pool of models to choose from. I try my best to find models who haven’t appeared on other books before, though this is really difficult to do. If I find a model appealing, chances are another cover designer does too. When I do find a model who looks like a certain character to me, I try to buy several different shots of him in case I end up doing a series or some spin-off shorts. And some models I just collect because I feel their photos are evocative, that there’s a story going on behind their eyes, and it may be a few years before a character comes along that they might fit. But I’ve never written a character to match a photo. My brain must not work that way.

M: Your covers are so amazing, so eye catching.  I read on Facebook one author felt that the cover was a key if not the key component in book sales.  Do you agree?  To what extent?  Do you think there is a way around this? Or that the cover should hold that much importance?

JCP: I’d say an author’s reputation is the most important element in a book sale. So I suppose when you’re starting out and haven’t really established a reputation, the cover plays a more important role than it would to an established author. The cover will telegraph several things: whether the publisher is quality enough to hire a real artist, where in the genre the story fits, and possibly what the characters look like, though of course that’s often best left to the readers’ imaginations. The cover should be indicative of the story’s overall mood, and so it helps readers in the process of deciding which books to investigate further by reading the blurb or maybe a sample.

M: Why was it important that Michael not become a full vampire?  Why the distinction?  What liberties did it give you that him being a full Vampire wouldn’t have?

JCP: Interesting, no one has asked that question before. A key part of Michael’s growth arc was that he discovers that vampires aren’t all evil; rather, evil people become evil vampires, but many vampires are just victims of either malice or circumstance. Having him turn into a demi-vamp rather than a full vampire causes him to confront the fact that a small part of him actually wanted to be turned. Now it’s impossible because he’s immune. He’s actually more powerful than a full vampire, although he’s a glass-half-empty sort and doesn’t see it that way. He doesn’t get the daylight lethargy that full vamps succumb to. He doesn’t have the water willies. And he can still digest food. So He gets some of the mind control power and some of the strength (and a cool pair of fangs) but few of the disadvantages.

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About Channeling Morpheus for Scary Mary

(Channeling Morpheus/Sweet Oblivion #1-5)

Channeling Morpheus for Scary Mary (Channeling Morpheus, #1-5)Michael is a waif in eyeliner who’s determined to wipe vampires off the face of the earth. Wild Bill’s got the hots for Michael, and will stop at nothing to go home with him. Forget about moonlit castles and windswept moors. These bad boys haunt all-night diners and cheap motels, cut-rate department stores and long, lonely stretches of the Interstate. Ride along with Wild Bill and Michael as the twists and turns of Channeling Morpheus for Scary Mary unfold in America’s Heartland.

Available at: JCP Books & Amazon (in paperback)

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About A Bitter Taste of Sweet Oblivion

(Channeling Morpheus/Sweet Oblivion #6-10)

A Bitter Taste of Sweet Oblivion (Sweet Oblivion, #1-5)Staking a vampire’s not so easy now that Michael’s got a vampire of his very own. Although killing them is no longer an option, he’s as determined as ever to stop the spread of vampirism.Wild Bill is a lover, not a fighter-so he’s tickled when Michael’s new agenda, to dispense condoms and sterile phlebotomy gear among vampires, replaces the old “heads will roll” approach. It takes courage to track down vamps in their own territory and deliver a lecture on safe sex, and more importantly, safe bloodletting. Michael’s never been short on audacity…but he’s finding that he and Wild Bill aren’t the only ones with agendas.

Available at: JCP Books & Amazon (in paperback)
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About Jordan Castillo Price

Author and artist Jordan Castillo Price writes paranormal thrillers colored by her time in the midwest, from inner city Chicago, to small town Wisconsin, to liberal Madison. Her influences include Ouija boards, Return of the Living Dead, “light as a feather, stiff as a board,” and boys in eyeliner.

Jordan is best known as the author of the PsyCop series, an unfolding tale of paranormal mystery and suspense starring Victor Bayne, a gay medium who’s plagued by ghostly visitations. Also check out her new series, Mnevermind, where memories are made…one client at a time.

You can reach Jordan on her Facebook Fan Page, PsyCop Fan Page, Goodreads Fan Club, LiveJournal Blog, Twitter or sign up for her Newsletter.

Categories: Author Q&A, Book Promo, LGBT, Theme Week | Tags: , , , , , | Leave a comment