Book Promo

Honorary Blogger Alina Popescu: Pulling an Adele + Giveaway

Posted on April 15, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Pulling an Adele

by Alina Popescu

One of the first things people ask about my book, The Edge of Hope, is what inspired it. It’s easy, I did what a lot of people do, use my creative outlet – writing – to exorcise my demons. I will probably never forget the moment this book started to come alive in my head. It was a personal lowest point, and we tend to remember those.

It was a very hot spring day, early afternoon, I had my MP3 player blasting in my ears, and I was rollerblading in my favorite park in Bucharest. I had my shades on, cause it’s not nice to cry and have people see you. I took a break on one of the park benches and started thinking about what was happening and as I was trying to sort it out, the feeling taunting me started to take shape, the state I was in being perfect for a character in a book.

Alexa, the main character, already existed, but she was part of a different story that I had abandoned. So I picked her up, dusted her off, and told her to hang on tight, cause there was a lot of struggle and heart ache coming her way. She facepalmed and sighed, but knew it couldn’t be helped.

What I thought at that point was the lowest turned out to be only half way down the hole and it took a bit more hits for me to hit bottom on an emotional level. I dealt with it through Alexa, writing her story and seeing how she was handling everything.

I’m certainly not alone in having my heart shattered and thrown back at me. I was lucky enough to turn it into something that people seem to like while healing. And here is where Adele comes in. Every step of the way, I thought I wanted to deal with my pain as she did, turn it into something inspiring and that people could relate to. The awards weren’t bad either! I consider my good reviews my awards and I am deliriously happy whenever I get one.

In a sense, Alexa’s story is mine. In another, it’s so different I tend to forget it was my experience that created her. She’s certainly a fighter, and she stubbornly gives love chance after chance. Deep down she’s a hopeless romantic, I suspect.

The moral of the story? Sometimes the darkest times lead to the most amazing experiences. Frankly, writing this book and then deciding to publish and promote it led to the most amazing friends during the past few years. Some I met in NaNoWriMo forums, some I met on Facebook. Writers, bloggers, readers, musicians, designers, more readers. They have all become part of my extended online family and inspired and motivated me to go further. And so I did, pushed through whatever personal mishap occurred, I had reconnected with my writing and I’m never letting go.

Over to you: how do you deal with your low points? Which is your outlet?

About The Edge of Hope

When tall, dark, and gorgeous shows up on your self-prescribed emotional recovery vacation, some would call it fate smiling down on you. If he also happens to be interested in your work and ready to make all the room you need in his life, it starts to sound too good to be true. Alexa skips the doubts and jumps right in, only to be thrown into the mysterious world of vampires.

The secrets of their origin and their very existence are far more important than her life to some of her new acquaintances. They are ancient, they are powerful, they have unlimited resources, and they are keen on controlling what the world knows of their kind. As Alexa discovers their complicated, blood feud bound world, she tries to better understand herself, heal old wounds and give love chance after chance. Will she survive the journey?

Available at: Smashwords, Amazon & Barnes and Noble

About Alina Popescu

Writer, traveler, and coffee addict; Alina Popescu has been in love with books all her life. She started writing when she was ten and even won awards in local competitions. She has always been drawn to sci-fi, fantasy, and the supernatural realm, which explains her deep love for vampires and is also to blame for this trilogy.

You can find Alina on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Google+ and Amazon

Blogger_Giveaway

This giveaway is going to be a little different because you’ll have TWO chances to win prizes.

Alina is having a tour wide giveaway where one winner will win a signed paperback copy of The Edge of Hope and THREE winners will win an ebook copy. If you’re interested click the link below and enter the Rafflecopter giveaway!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

BUT don’t leave just yet! You’ll have ANOTHER chance to win an ebook copy of The Edge of Hope right here on The Blogger Girls!

The giveaway starts now and will end next Monday, April 21st, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST. After which the lucky winner will be randomly picked.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address and you’re in!

Make sure to follow the blog for the winners’ announcement post or check back next Tuesday, April 22nd, 2014, to see if you’ve won.

You can still purchase The Edge of Hope from Amazon and don’t forget to check out JustJen’s review to see what they thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, M/F | Tags: Alina Popescu, Bad Blood Series, Edge of Hope, Self-Published, The Blogger Girls | 1 Comment

Shifting Sands by Joy Lynn Fielding: Excerpt + Giveaway

Posted on April 14, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

An Excerpt from Shifting Sands

by Joy Lynn Fielding

Bryce pushed open the door, prepared for another snotty pen pusher like Taylor Cufflinks the Third, or whatever his stupid name had been. Because of that, it took him a moment to process that he was seeing what he thought he was seeing and that he hadn’t found himself in the middle of a really good dream. Except if it was a dream, presumably this guy would already be naked rather than pouring himself a cup of coffee while dressed in a crisp white shirt, open at the neck, and gray slacks that should have been illegal given the way they clung to the curves of a frankly spectacular ass.

If Tom Barrington was a pen pusher, it was a pretty heavy pen he pushed on a regular basis because those were definite muscles betrayed by the fit of his shirt. His hair was dark and just a little wavy, his cheekbones were sharply defined beneath flawless skin, and there was the suspicion of a five-o’clock shadow on his jaw, which somehow emphasized just how strong that jawline was.

Bryce was still staring when Tom looked up and gestured with the mug he was holding. “Hope you don’t mind,” he said, then paused.

Bryce was aware that he was being studied in return and stood a little taller, opening himself up for inspection by rich brown eyes. It seemed Tom liked what he saw, because he looked for longer than was strictly polite. Bryce grinned at him when his eyes returned to Bryce’s face, and Tom suddenly looked away, biting his lip slightly as if he’d been caught doing something he shouldn’t have been. Even that didn’t stop him sending another look sideways at Bryce, and the combination of that with the way his teeth were sinking into his plump lower lip had Bryce’s stomach tightening with arousal. This security check might be a hell of a lot more pleasurable than he’d figured. And he was not thinking about Tom Barrington and body searches in the same breath, because that wasn’t helping things settle down in the least.

“Sorry to have kept you,” he said, and sat down at the table. “I figured you’d be another twelve-year-old.”

Tom stared at him, and then he grinned. It was a really good look on him. “I forgot—you had Bressingham visit you, didn’t you?”

“I wondered if it was ‘take your son to work day’ but mom or dad got lost en route,” Bryce said.

“He’s one of Cheung’s protégés,” Tom said, sitting down opposite Bryce. “He’s got potential, apparently.”

“Or a daddy with deep pockets to contribute to a re-election campaign,” Bryce said, and pushed the sugar bowl across the table. Tom nodded in thanks and took a spoonful.
“So what do you need to know?” Bryce asked, all business again. The thought that the sooner they got business done, the sooner they might get to other things was not in his mind at all. No way.

About Shifting Sands

The visit to Elk Ridge is supposed to be just another assignment for Tom Barrington. Then he encounters Bryce Reynolds, a generous, warmhearted cowboy who has the easiest smile he’s ever seen. It doesn’t take long for Tom to break all his rules and end up in Bryce’s bed.

Bryce Reynolds believes there’s no such thing as a hot politician, right up until he meets Tom Barrington. Tall, dark, and principled, Tom overturns all of Bryce’s prejudices, and Bryce starts to forget that he doesn’t do serious and he doesn’t do commitment.

As Bryce and Tom struggle to make sense of what’s happening between them, they’re drawn into a political battle—one which could affect the future of every shifter. And when long-buried secrets start coming to light, things turn deadly. Nothing will ever be the same again for the Elk Ridge pack.

Available at: Siren-Bookstrand

About Joy Lynn Fielding

Joy Lynn Fielding is a sucker for happy endings. She believes, however, that if characters don’t suffer along the way, they won’t fully appreciate being happy. Not all of her characters thank her for
this viewpoint, but what do they know?

Joy lives in a small English market town, but also inhabits a number of fictional worlds at any one time, reflecting what she’s writing and what she’s reading. She has a tendency to share enthusiastically with anyone who will listen to the latest fascinating facts she’s stumbled across in her research for books. Thankfully she has a very patient Labrador, who has a gift for looking as though he’s interested in what she’s saying while he waits for the food to arrive.

You can find Joy Lynn Fielding on Facebook.

Giveaway!

The prize in this blog tour is $10 Amazon gift certificate (so you can buy some of Joy’s backlist books ;P) just click the link below to enter!

Rafflecopter giveaway

Please be aware that the only way to enter the giveaway is to click the Rafflecopter image above. Any comments on this post will not count towards entering the giveaway.

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

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: Joy Lynn Fielding, Shifting Sands, Siren-Bookstrand, Strength of the Pack Series, The Blogger Girls | 4 Comments

A Blogger Girl Q&A with K.A. Mitchell, Character Interview + Giveaway

Posted on April 13, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Susan: Where do you find your inspiration for your plots and characters? Are any of them based on real life experiences and people?

K.A: Hi. Thanks for having me on your blog. Almost all my stories come from characters. Sometimes I see a picture or a person or hear a song and a character pops into my head and starts telling me about himself and what he wants. Sometimes I have a situation that I want to write about, something I hear about that deserves a happy ending. The idea for Peter and Quinn’s relationship ummm issues came out of a situation–though in that case, the Peter-inspiration said he was straight after twenty years with the same guy. Last I heard, the Quinnspiration was very happy.

I like creating stuff out of my brain’s squishy bits. It’s fun when I’m working without any kind of map, just letting the characters drive.

Susan: You have three series; two based on the states of Ohio and Florida, and one on the city of Baltimore. Did you visit each location for research or are these areas that you have personal knowledge?

K.A.: I have been to every one of those places, and live in person research gives you a feel you can’t get off google maps, even with street view. But I wouldn’t refuse to set a book somewhere I hadn’t been–hello my characters from the nineteenth century, I’ll be back to visit soon! I find it more fun to set a book where I have some knowledge but that isn’t completely familiar. After all, I write to escape, and I don’t want a staycation in my fiction.

Susan: Is the series Bad in Baltimore coming to an end, or are there more books planned?Any plans for updates on the Florida or Ohio series? I must admit that Sean and Aaron are two of my all time favorite characters and I would not mind seeing what my bad boys have been up to.

K.A.: Bad Behavior, which features Gavin’s bridge-jumping friend Beach and a new character, will be in my editor’s hands soon. I do have other interesting characters in Baltimore which I would like to see more of, but I don’t have firm plans for that. In fact, I have never started any of my series intending them to be series. The secondary characters just think they deserve their own stories all the time. Sometimes I set them up with their worst nightmare just to get them to shut up. (Beach, Joey: I’m talking to you.)

Right now, I don’t have a plan to revisit Sean, though I do think he and Kyle might be considering adoption. I do have a plan to take me back to Florida, and it would be something that would definitely affect Joey and Aaron.

Susan: Speaking of bad boys, it is common knowledge that at least one of your guys in most of your books is known to be (how do I say this nicely?)a little difficult. For example: Nate, Aaron, Sean, Jack, Jamie. Is this just your personal style, or is it intentional to create drama and strife in the guys’ lives? I personally love the bad boys, so I say keep them coming!

My character’s are all like “Dude, she just called us assholes.” I’m saying “If the shoe fits…” Except Sean. He’s saying “Check that out. She thinks I’m alpha.” Kyle is rolling his eyes.

Well, in the case of Aaron, Joey was driving me crazy in my head demanding a book of his own. I told him he’d have to have a hero who hated social workers and his whole instant love program. He said he could handle it. I am very fond of seeing how opposites attract. Since I don’t write much external conflict, the guys have to have issues to work on. I try to have people who are both the best and worst for each other match up so they deserve a happy ending. If it’s too easy, there’s no book. And as Kyle and Sean could tell you, sometimes falling in love is the easy part. It’s making it work when bad stuff happens that makes a relationship.

Susan: For a little something different, we would like to ask a couple questions to the guys?

Silver, what first drew you to Zeb? He appears to be very similar in many ways to Quinn, and we all know that you don’t understand what Eli sees in Quinn.

Silver: Finally. I didn’t think K.A. would ever shut up. You know, Eli was just ragging on me about this the other day. and I don’t see it. First, Zeb is not old enough to be my father, thank you very much. Yeah, they are both kind of quiet if you don’t know them, but that’s about it. No way would Zeb ever try any of that telling-me-what-to-do shit.

When I first saw him, I was mostly just thinking please let there be another gay guy around here, but when I saw him smile I started thinking with my dick. Hello. Sixteen. But when he made me laugh, when I saw that this guy was decent for real instead of just pretending in church like my parents, then I started to fall in love. Plus, God, the way he kisses, like he’s dying and you’re the only thing that can save him. Damn.

Zeb, we know that religion is a very important part of your life. Have you been able to reconcile your past, your beliefs, and your guilt?

Zeb: God is about love and forgiveness. I believe He forgives me, and Jor–Silver did. I’m working on forgiving myself. It’s a work in progress, but that is key to my beliefs too. That you should work for things, not expect them. God has a plan and a path for you, but it’s up to you to stay on it, even when it’s hard work. I don’t believe God would have made me gay just to make me be alone. He wants us to love each other and treat each other well.

Quinn, you’ve led a relatively quiet life until you met, fell in love with, and forged a life with Eli? How do you handle all the energy and snark that comes with that little firecracker? Do you ever wish he would calm down?

Quinn: Hell no. That’s the worst thing I could imagine. I have to have it all. The whole crazy package from shaggy bangs to painted toenails. And every bit of my tough-vulnerable boy in between. I never want to go back to the half-life I was living before I met him. I’m glad to be out of that monochromatic world. I can handle him coloring outside the lines. I love being his anchor.

Silver, for someone so young, who has the traveled a very difficult road with very little support, did you ever expect to have so many friends stand up for you when you needed them most? What role did that play in deciding to help homeless youths?

Silver: I still don’t get Gavin. I mean, it’s great and I guess if you got money, you get to do what you want with it. But no, I never expected anyone, not even Eli, to put this much effort into helping my ass stay out of jail. I mean, I knew Eli was solid, like I could trust him with stuff, but for him to pull a fairy godmother out of his ass like that? Never saw that coming. I guess maybe helping out is just something I think I’d be good at. I get where they’re coming from, you know? And hell, Gavin actually listens to my ideas which is more than I can say for any other kind of work out there.

Hey, bloggergirls, this is Aaron Chase. I heard you guys asking K.A. about coming back to mess with shit in Jacksonville, and I want you to know, I got a full plate. Things are just settling down and I don’t need her throwing a monkey wrench in my life. If she thinks I’m raising another kid or taking in rent boys like those idiots up in Baltimore she’s nuts. Don’t let her near me. The only plans I want to hear about from her involve my dick up Joey’s ass, got it?

About K.A. Mitchell

K.A. Mitchell discovered the magic of writing at an early age when she learned that a carefully crayoned note of apology sent to the kitchen in a toy truck would earn her a reprieve from banishment to her room. Her career as a spin-control artist was cut short when her family moved to a two-story house, and her trucks would not roll safely down the stairs. Around the same time, she decided that Chip and Ken made a much cuter couple than Ken and Barbie and was perplexed when invitations to play Barbie dropped off. She never stopped making stuff up, though, and was surprised to find out that people would pay her to do it. Although the men in her stories usually carry more emotional baggage than even LAX can lose in a year, she guarantees they always find their sexy way to a happy ending.

You can find K.A. at her Website, Facebook or Twitter.

About Bad Influence

To remake their future, they’ll have to use pieces of their broken past.

The young man the world knew as Jordan Barnett is dead, killed as much by the rejection of his first love at his moment of greatest need, as by his ultra-conservative parents’ effort to deprogram the gay away.

In his place is Silver, a streetwise survivor who’s spent the last three years learning to become untouchable…unless you’re willing to pay for the privilege. He shies away from anything that might hold him down long enough for betrayal to find him again.

Zebediah Harris spent time overseas, trying to outrun the guilt of turning his back on the young man he loved. Now, almost the moment he sets foot back in Baltimore, he discovers Silver on a street corner in a bad part of town. His effort to make amends lands them both in jail.

Trapped together in a cell, Silver sits on his mountain of secrets and plans a seductive form of revenge, but finds that using a heart as a stepping stone is no way to move past the one man he can’t forgive, let alone forget.

Available for pre-order at: Samhain Publishing, Amazon & Barnes and Noble

Blogger_Giveaway

To spice up this Q&A, K.A. has kindly offered to give away an eBook copy of Bad Influence to one winner!

The giveaway starts now and will end next Saturday, April 19th, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST. After which the lucky winner will be randomly picked.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address and you’re in!

Make sure to follow the blog for the winners’ announcement post or check back next Sunday, April 20th, 2014, to see if you’ve won.

You can still purchase Bad Influence from Samhain Publishing and don’t forget to check out Susan65 and JustJen′s joint review to see what they thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Author Q&A, Book Promo, Character Interviews, Giveaways | Tags: Bad in Baltimore Series, Bad Influence, K.A. Mitchell, Samhain Publishing, The Blogger Girls | 14 Comments

Honorary Blogger Annabelle Jacobs: Torsere + Giveaway

Posted on April 10, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Torsere

by Annabelle Jacobs

Firstly, I love fantasy. I love dragons and elves and all mythical creatures–basically anything that lets me escape into a different world. I’m so happy to have had the chance to create one of my own.

When I first starting writing this series, way back in February 2013, my original idea was for one book. But as I began to plan it out, and actually start writing, I suddenly found myself with far more story than I could fit into one book.

And so one became three.

Capture introduces the two main characters, Nykin–a dragon rider in the Torserian Army, and Ryneq–the King of Torsere. It details the start of their relationship when they get taken prisoner, and are forced to work together. The interaction between Nykin and his dragon, Fimor, features heavily in this first book, and also throughout the whole series. They are bonded through a telepathic link, and Fimor is very opinionated.

Union, the second book in the series, carries on the story but is based around how the dynamic between the two main characters changes. Nykin has to deal with keeping his position in the king’s army, while also being involved with the king. Their relationship deepens, but with the threats to the kingdom looming on the horizon, they struggle to find time to explore the physical side. But they manage, somehow.

The third and final book, Alliance, has loads of action mixed in with romance. Everything that’s been building in the previous two books comes to a head, and Ryneq has some difficult decisions to make. Nykin doesn’t agree with some of them, and with all that’s happening around them, emotions run high. I’ve literally just finished writing this one.

It’s taken me a little over a year to complete the whole series, and I’m really going to miss writing about these two, and of course Fimor. I think one of my favourite things has been imagining what a snarky, old, interfering dragon might have to say.

About Union

After the defeat of the Lowland Army at Torsere and with King Seran on the run, King Ryneq and his sister, Cerylea, continue their journey to the Elven City of Alel to proceed with the union of the two realms. Fully recovered from his injuries and newly announced as King Ryneq’s Consort, Nykin returns to his duty as a Dragon Rider in the King’s army. He and Ryneq have little opportunity to celebrate their union, but make the most of their time together before leaving for Alel. Since the ambush at Neest River destroyed the main bridge, traveling by ship is the only option. An unusual storm threatens their crossing, making Ryneq wonder if some new magic is rising against them.

As the wedding between Cerylea and the Elven prince Morkryn approaches, the dragons sense a malevolent presence. To protect the young couple’s fragile bond, Nykin and his dragon, Fimor, take to the skies, setting up a patrol along the border of the magical city. But as the evil grows more potent, the enchanted boundary grows weaker. Ryneq and Nykin must combine their strength to protect their people from Seran’s extreme plot for revenge.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press

About Annabelle Jacobs

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with her husband, three rowdy children, and two cats.

An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

You can find Annabelle on Facebook, Twitter or her Website.

Blogger_Giveaway

In honor of her new release, Annabelle has kindly offered to give away an ebook copy of Capture to one luck winner!

The giveaway starts now and will end next Wednesday, April 16th, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST. After which the lucky winner will be randomly picked.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address and you’re in!

Make sure to follow the blog for the winner’s announcement post or check back next Thursday, April 17th, 2014, to see if you’ve won.

Don’t forget to check out Nikyta’s review of Union to see what she thought of it! You can also pre-order your own copy at Dreamspinner Press!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: Annabelle Jacobs, Dreamspinner Press, The Blogger Girls, Torsere Series | 12 Comments

Honorary Blogger Sharon Lynn Fisher: Confessions of a Genre Writer

Posted on April 8, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Confessions of a Genre Writer

by Sharon Lynn Fisher

I sometimes feel like a square peg in a round hole. When you write a niche subgenre like sci-fi romance, people tend to assume that’s also what you read. It’s a natural conclusion. And I do read sci-fi romance, it’s just that until about a year after I wrote my first novel (GHOST PLANET), I didn’t even know it was a thing.

What I mostly read in my middle grade and young adult years was fantasy (with romantic subplots, if possible) — Tolkien, Tad Williams, David Eddings, Melanie Rawn, and Robert Jordan, for example. To this day I’ve still read very little Golden Age sci-fi. I did read and love one of the sci-fi greats, Anne McCaffrey, but to me the Pern stuff was more like fantasy set on an Earth-like planet.

In sixth grade I read a book based on the Star Wars world by Alan Dean Foster, SPLINTER OF THE MIND’S EYE. It must have made quite an impression on me, as I still remember it pretty clearly. And I enjoyed the dark, literary sci-fi of Margaret Atwood. The smart, original SNOW CRASH, by Neal Stephenson. The oddly compelling ENDER’S GAME. I read the obligatory STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND, and found it … strange. Lem’s SOLARIS as well, which I loved. Just in the last year I devoured the WOOL series — psychological sci-fi is my favorite variety.

So this is not exactly the reading resume of a hard-core sci-fi fan, and I’ve never pretended to be that. Accordingly the books I write are not geared toward the hard-core sci-fi reader, but to readers who enjoy genre mash-ups, a healthy serving of soft science with just a dash of hard science, and, most critically, a slow-burning romance.

I think what planted the seeds for my interest in sci-fi romance was my love for the Star Wars movies growing up. I also watched all of the permutations of Star Trek, and have a special fondness for The Next Generation. I suspect the Deanna Troi/Worf relationship played a part in inspiring me to write a romance between a human woman and a member of a genetically engineered insect/human race (THE OPHELIA PROPHECY).

Soon after I wrote GHOST PLANET, I watched two very good series that probably helped to cement my interest in the subgenre: the Battlestar Galactica reboot and Firefly. Compelling characters, twisty plots, plenty of action, and enough romance to keep things interesting.

Also I think for writers, everything we read goes into a giant mental crockpot. A list of some my favorite reads over time sheds even more light on how I ended up blending speculative fiction and romance:

• A WRINKLE IN TIME (sci-fi with a bit of teen romance)
• Novels by classical authors like Jane Austen, Anthony Trollope, and George Eliot (romances, every single one)
• JANE EYRE (gothic romance)
• OUTLANDER (time travel romance)
• WATERSHIP DOWN (Okay, odd man out. But I also loved MAIA by this author, which was epic fantasy romance.)
• MISTS OF AVALON (fantasy with romantic subplots)

Just in the last year I read AMONG OTHERS by Jo Walton, and holy genre mash-ups, batman. Literary fantasy set in the ‘70s, featuring a heroine who sees fairies and is obsessed with Golden Age sci-fi. I think one blurb for this novel referred to it as a love letter to books, and that it certainly is. If I ever get the time to fill in the holes on my sci-fi card, I’m going to use this quirky little book as my guide.

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About The Ophelia Prophecy

Our world is no longer our own. We engineered a race of superior fighters — the Manti, mutant humans with insect-like abilities. Twenty-five years ago they all but destroyed us. In Sanctuary, some of us survive. Eking out our existence. Clinging to the past.

Some of us intend to do more than survive.

Asha and Pax — strangers and enemies — find themselves stranded together on the border of the last human city, neither with a memory of how they got there.

Asha is an archivist working to preserve humanity’s most valuable resource — information — viewed as the only means of resurrecting their society.

Pax is Manti, his Scarab ship a menacing presence in the skies over Sanctuary, keeping the last dregs of humanity in check.

Neither of them is really what they seem, and what humanity believes about the Manti is a lie.

With their hearts and fates on a collision course, they must unlock each other’s secrets and forge a bond of trust before a rekindled conflict pushes their two races into repeating the mistakes of the past.

Available at: Tor Books, Amazon & Barnes and Noble

Check out Nikyta’s review to see what she thought of The Ophelia Prophecy!

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About Sharon Lynn Fisher

A Romance Writers of America RITA Award finalist and a three-time RWA Golden Heart Award finalist, SHARON LYNN FISHER lives in the Pacific Northwest. She writes books for the geeky at heart—sci-fi flavored stories full of adventure and romance—and battles writerly angst with baked goods, Irish tea, and champagne. Her works include Ghost Planet (2012), The Ophelia Prophecy (2014), and Echo 8 (2014). You can visit her online at SharonLynnFisher.com.

Categories: Book Promo, Honorary Blogger Post | Tags: Sharon Lynn Fisher, The Blogger Girls | Leave a comment

Honorary Blogger Barbara Elsborg: Writing is an adventure! + Giveaway

Posted on April 5, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Writing is an adventure!

by Barbara Elsborg

One of the things I love about writing is the way it allows me to make new discoveries. I can’t imagine how I ever managed without Google. Or a laptop for that matter.

Unlike the rest of the universe, I’ve only recently discovered The Walking Dead. Wow! Hooked. Husband isn’t. He leaves the room when I watch it. Wuss! I’d mentioned a zombie stalker in my book Jumping in Puddles and had a reader ask why I hadn’t followed up on it. Well, lack of space in that book but I did bring him into Bloodline. I can’t see myself ever making a zombie a romantic hero, though. Bits would be bound to drop off at inopportune moments, but I enjoyed making him a minor character.

I also discovered that quicksand doesn’t do what I always thought it did. I’ve been misled by movies like Lawrence of Arabia when the boy is sucked down, and The Neverending Story when the horse – sob – disappears. I assumed if you stepped into quicksand and couldn’t get out, you were going down until it covered you. What I didn’t realize is that quicksand doesn’t work like that. Because the body is less dense than liquid sand, you’re very unlikely to sink completely. Not that I shall be testing the theory. What actually kills people or animals is pressure on their bodies from the sand or they die of exposure because they’re trapped.

No quicksand in sight!

My third discovery was Grindr which is a dating app for gay, bi and bi-curious men. It was set up 5 years ago and has more users in London than any other city in the world. There’s a version for females called Brenda and also one for straight people called Tinder. It instantly struck me that Grindr would be very useful to a gay vamp looking for a meal. Their dinner might even get sex too if they were lucky.

Bloodline is the follow up book to Jumping in Puddles which has a new cover and new price!

The link between the two books is that Ellie in Jumping – is the older sister of Micah in Bloodline. There’s no requirement to read Jumping first but that would be the logical order.

About Bloodline

No one can tattoo better than Inigo, a two hundred year old vampire, who works on human and supernatural skins. But he’s never tattooed a faerie and when a bunch of them insist he comes with them to tattoo one of their kind, saying no proves not to be an option. His skin is Oberon, the faerie king, and Inigo fears this will be the last tattoo he’ll ever do.

The moment Micah lands in the faerie king’s bed chamber, he knows the guy is trouble. But if he’s to save his sister and his family, let alone the job he’s paid to do, he has to stay in Faerieland and endure Oberon’s sadism. When he’s thrown into a vampire’s cell, covered in blood, he fears this day will be his last. But Inigo finds Micah’s blood too delicious to give it up by killing him.

Pretty soon, he’s feeling that way about Micah himself.

Available at: Loose Id & Amazon

About Barbara Elsborg

Barbara Elsborg lives in West Yorkshire in the north of England. She always wanted to be a spy, but having confessed to everyone without them even resorting to torture, she decided it was not for her. Vulcanology scorched her feet. A morbid fear of sharks put paid to marine biology. So instead, she spent several years successfully selling cyanide.

After dragging up two rotten, ungrateful children and frustrating her sexy, devoted, wonderful husband (who can now stop twisting her arm) she finally has time to conduct an affair with an electrifying plugged-in male, her laptop.

Her books feature quirky heroines and bad boys, and she hopes they are as much fun to read as they are to write.

You can reach on her Website, Blog, Facebook & Twitter

With Bloodline just being released, Barbara has graciously offered to give away an ebook copy to one luck winner!

The giveaway starts now and will end next Friday, April 11th, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST. After which the lucky winner will be randomly picked.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address and you’re in!

Make sure to follow the blog for the winner’s announcement post or check back next Saturday, April 12th, 2014, to see if you’ve won.

Don’t forget to check out JustJen’s review of Bloodline to see what she thought of it! You can also buy your own copy now at Loose Id!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: Barbara Elsborg, Bloodline, Loose Id, The Blogger Girls | 18 Comments

For The Bite Of It by Viki Lyn & Vina Grey: Excerpt + Giveaway

Posted on April 4, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Viki & Vina: Occasionally, we get a chance for a do-over. We published this book in 2011, and Vince and John’s story caught the readers’ imagination just as it did ours. But our readers wanted a more definitive ending to their love story. We spent many hours discussing this–we tossed ideas back and forth, we argued, we rolled our eyes, made many false starts, and finally came to consensus. In this extended version of the book, you will find a last chapter that adds details on the status of Vince and John’s relationship, and sets up their journey for subsequent books. The boys are in the serious business of finding a ‘happy ever after’.

Enjoy!  Happy Reading!  And do tell us how you liked the book or post a review on Amazon.

For the Bite of It will be available FREE on Amazon for April 3rd & April 4th!

An Excerpt from For The Bite Of It

by Viki Lyn & Vina Grey

Chapter One

The front half of a silver sedan decorated his bakery, its nose nudging the counter, glass shards peppering the floor like confetti. Except Vincent Kamateros wasn’t celebrating. Didn’t have much to celebrate, really.

He stepped around the vehicle, and glass crunched under his clogs despite his walking-on-hot-coals strut. The car had nose-dived into his store about an hour ago. His landlord, Mr. Sala, slumped between his seat and air bag. Dead. If it wasn’t so serious, the situation could have been a scene from a cure-for-insomnia B grade movie you watched at three in the morning.

“Sir, the crime scene is off limits.”

He took out his irritation on the unfortunate crime scene tech, pinning the man with his gaze. “The entire bakery cannot be a crime scene, surely?” Fine for them to tape off the scene, but he wasn’t leaving his shop.

“I’m sorry, sir. I’ll get my supervisor.” The young fellow scampered away.

Ah good, so he could still intimidate with a look. All was perhaps not lost. Except his life as he had known it and his powers. Madre de dios. Enough with this maudlin mood.

Vince pressed his thumbs to his eyes. These humans made him jumpy. Eight weeks without warm, flowing blood had left him as nervous as a caged bird with a cat tapping on the bars.

“Sir, you need to step back.” One of Tempe’s best in a navy uniform held out his hand to stop Vince. The place crawled with them.

He intimidated the human with a forceful glare but a voice from behind distracted him.

“Excuse me, are you the owner?”

The deep tone made him think of fire lit nights and warm sheepskin rugs and bodies twined in lust. Surely, lack of blood would not lead to such a reaction to a male voice. He turned.

Ah, yes. Fire, rug, desire – emotions evoked by a voice and the physical appearance of the man before him. He took in the man from his broad shoulders to his polished loafers. He couldn’t help it. Dark sleek pants hugged muscled thighs. A blue polo shirt outlined shoulders embodying the clichéd mile. That cock-sure stance, feet apart, slightly on his toes. This man would tempt a saint buried twenty-feet under.

He pursed his lips to hold back a smirk as the man stepped away from Vince’s scrutiny. Though Vince had to give him credit for not backing off the stare-down.

“Yes, this is my bakery.” Vince scrutinized the man’s body again. A tingle behind his eyes warned him to curb his lust before his eyes changed color. It had been decades since he’d had such a gut reaction to a man. He blinked and mentally willed away his innate response to such a strong emotion.

“I’m Detective Reeder, this is Detective Norman.” The detective indicated a redheaded woman beside him with a flip of his hand. “We need to ask you some questions.”

He blinked at the ID thrust under his nose – J. Reeder. What did the J stand for? Something typifying the boy next store with his clean-cut looks – Jake, John, Joe?

“Sure. Er…where do you want me?” His brain couldn’t swing a more polished response.

Say here, right now, on your knees.

He really had to do something about his abstinence. Maybe, in a less blood-deprived state, this unexpected All-American male wouldn’t tempt him.

“Let’s get out of this mess.” Detective Reeder pivoted on one heel and walked away. Not for a bag of fresh blood could Vince have stopped his eyes from darting down

again. The front view had set up the back one perfectly – a begging-to-be-held ass.

The detective glanced over his shoulder. “Unless you want to come back to the station.”

Vince shook his head. This man brought back memories of the thrill of the chase, the enticing two-step when attraction first hit.

“Outside is fine.” His more lustful thoughts came to a halt when he passed the shattered window. The damage to his shop caused a pang in his heart. Who knew when he’d been talked into buying a cupcake bakery he would become so proprietary? Life sure took the strangest twists and turns.

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About For The Bite Of It

A vampire, a cupcake, plus one sexy cop, is a recipe for trouble.

VINCENT KAMATEROS is an exiled vampire making a routine living as the owner of a cupcake bakery in Arizona. Until a car with a dead driver crashes through the wall of his shop, bringing after it, All-American, closeted cop, JOHN REEDER. Smitten the instant he sees John, but bound to silence by the Vampire High Council, he can never reveal his true self to John.

John Reeder can’t control his attraction to the sexy Italian baker. But as addictive as the sex is, John can’t overcome his fear of rejection for being gay, and open his heart to a man with so many secrets.

Available at: Amazon

About Viki Lyn

What inspires me – the reality that romance between lovers is a hope more than a guarantee. My stories are an eclectic mix of contemporary and paranormal, but it is always romance that drives the story to its final happily-ever-after. There’s nothing better than reading a good book over an espresso, watching a movie or trying out a new restaurant. I’m the author of several gay romances, including Last Chance, Rainbow Award winner for the Best Gay Paranormal/Horror. Check out Viki’s website is http://www.vikilyn.com/

About Vina Grey

Vina Grey loves writing about romance. Two people finding each other, the two-step before they get together and the happily ever after, have to be the best story ever. Throw in some paranormal elements and she’s in heaven. Vampires and cops, anyone? She loves to jabber away with anyone about books, so drop her a line at vinagrey@gmail.com. Vina’s cyber home is here: http://vinagrey.wordpress.com/

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Giveaway!

Viki Lyn and Vina Grey have offered up a chance to win a black T-shirt with the fabulous For The Bite Of It cover on the front!

The giveaway starts now and will end next Thursday, April 10th, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST. After which the lucky winner will be randomly picked.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address and you’re in!

Make sure to follow the blog for the winner’s announcement post or check back next Friday, April 11th, 2014, to see if you’ve won.

Don’t forget, today is the last day to grab For the Bite of It for free on Amazon!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, LGBT | Tags: For The Bite Of It, Re-release, Self-Published, The Blogger Girls, Viki Lyn, Vina Grey | 13 Comments

Honorary Blogger Katey Hawthorne: Nerdlove + Giveaway

Posted on April 3, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Honorary_Blogger_Post

Nerdlove

by Katey Hawthorne

When people refer to nerds and geeks, they’re generally thinking of smart kids with a certain amount of technical prowess in their field, or people who are really into fandom, or something like that. But there’s also that underlying suggestion that nerds hate sports—but more pervasively, that they’re socially inept as a general rule. For this reason, a lot of people who’ve felt the barbs of the word ‘nerd’ don’t want to take the word back and make it theirs. Another large chunk of them tend to go condescending, looking down on anyone who doesn’t fit their idea of nerdery for reasons based on everything from gender (see also the Fake Geek Girl) to area of specialty (see also engineers looking down on humanities).

I never heard anything of either in high school, to be honest, but once I went to an engineering school full of total nerdboys for my undergrad, oh, I got both regularly, lemme tell you. And I was baffled.

But I remain undaunted, and therefore so do my characters. Eddie Kim is my latest hero (Missed Connections: In Distress), and oh man, he might be my most undaunted nerd yet. All the sleeping around & partying and weekly Dungeons & Dragons games are hardly mutually exclusive, and it seems like his life goal to prove it, sometimes, I swear. And then he goes for a guy with a JRR Tolkien-themed tattoo who wrote his Masters thesis on Mary Queen of Scots.

Eddie Kim

Nerdlove. Could it be because I, too, have a Tolkien-themed tattoo—and have made some fantastic connections with others who do because, hey, this is how we know our own? Because I’ve done enough RPGing that I and my nerdfriends had D&D characters readymade for Eddie and his nerdfriends to use? Could it be because my husband saw me reading the latest Harry Potter at work and used it as an excuse to ask me out on our first date some eight years ago?

I don’t know, man, but in my experience, while some people might foolishly try and use their nerdery to feel superior, there’s nothing socially inept about nerdlove. Nerdery can and should be a great connector of people, not a divider. So I’m all about the nerdlove, and so are my books. And Eddie, at least, is glad for it.

About In Distress

Hopeless romantic Eddie Kim acts out his favorite ‘rescued by the white knight’ fantasies through weekly D&D campaigns, but had almost given up hope of ever getting a real one. Then Callum, a mysterious red-head with freezing superpowers and a memorable kiss, saves him from a burning house but disappears without a trace. Taking pity on him, Eddie’s friends look to craiglist to relocate his hero.

Unfortunately, the publicity brings down the kind of attention Callum Race been trying to avoid; he’s in town to try and clear his family name, and now the dangerous superpowered organization he needs to thwart know he’s come home again. Still, he can’t help following up with Eddie.

The heat between Callum and Eddie flares instantly, and Eddie insists on helping to undo the damage his romantic notions have done. The problem: that will mean becoming embroiled in a nefarious plot, not to mention a superpowered world Eddie didn’t even know existed a week ago. The ‘bad guys’ will try to trick and use him, and in the meantime he has to convince Cal to trust him enough to be the white knight for once–and for real–instead of the perpetual damsel in distress.

Available at: Loose Id, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and All Romance eBooks

About Katey Hawthorne

Katey Hawthorne is an avid reader and writer of superpowered romance, even though the only degree she holds is in the history of art. (Or, possibly, because the only degree she holds is in the history of art.) Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in Ohio. In her spare time she enjoys comic books, B-movies, loud music, Epiphones, and Bushmills.

You can find Katey at her website or email her at at kate[at]kateyhawthorne[dot]com.

Blogger_Giveaway

In honor of Katey’s newest release, she’s kindly offered up an ebook copy of In Distress to one lucky winner!

The giveaway starts now and will end next Wednesday, April 9th, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST. After which the lucky winner will be randomly picked.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address and you’re in!

Make sure to follow the blog for the winner’s announcement post or check back next Thursday, April 10th, 2014, to see if you’ve won.

Don’t forget, you can still purchase In Distress or any of the other books in the Superpowered Love series at Loose Id!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT | Tags: In Distress, Katey Hawthorne, Loose Id, Missed Connections Series, The Blogger Girls | 21 Comments

Grand Adventures Blog Tour: Author Q&A + Giveaway

Posted on April 2, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Welcome everyone! Today, its TBG’s turn to host the Grand Adventures Blog Tour. Mia Kerick, Garrett Leigh and Sue Brown are here to answer a few questions about the awesome anthology. Plus, a great giveaway!

A Little About Grand Adventures

Stories Within

Foreword by S.A. McAuley
An Unexpected Thing by John Amory
The Twinkie Ignition by J.E. Birk
When Friendship Becomes More by Sophie Bonaste
Isle of Waiting by Sue Brown
The Jogger by KC Burn
Holding Court by Cardeno C.
For Dear Life by Mary Calmes
Under the Full Moon by Ellis Carrington
Stripped by Shae Connor (2nd Edition)
That Place Across the Hall by C.C. Dado
Mistaken MD by Phoenix Emrys
Cops and Comix by Rhys Ford
Last First Kiss by LE Franks
Tomorrow by John Goode
From Fantasy to Friends by CR Guiliano
Witness Protected by Dawn Kimberly Johnson
Water Under the Bridge by Mia Kerick
A Gentle Shove of Human Kindness by Amy Lane
Air (Roads #1.75 million) by Garrett Leigh
An Atheist and a Yoga Instructor Walk into a Bar by Rowan McAllister
Stalking 101 by Moria McCain
Simple Desires by Tempeste O’Riley
Object of Care by Zahra Owens
Kid Confusion by Madison Parker
Fall Train by Jaime Samms
The Exhibition by Andrea Speed
What You Will by Tinnean
Prologue by Brandon Witt

You can support TJ and Eric by purchasing your own copy of Grand Adventures at Dreamspinner Press and Amazon.

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Mia Kerick

1. Tell us about your contribution to the anthology.

Not Broken, Just Bent was a popular YA Harmony Ink novel I wrote about the long and difficult road two teenage boys took to arrive at their happily ever after together. But, hey, it was a YA read—so the sexual content was limited. Readers never had an opportunity to see the full physical side of Timmy and Ben’s love. (And believe me, many readers let me know that they weren’t completely satisfied with this situation.) So…so, I fixed that little oversight by writing this short sequel to Timmy and Ben’s love story.

In Water Under the Bridge you will learn of the recent challenges in the couple’s relationship, and you will see the culmination of their love. It is beautiful and it is romantic and I think the readers will be satisfied…finally.

2. What is your favorite TJ and Eric memory?

Although I feel as if I have met TJ and Eric in person, as I’ve seen so much video footage of them and read so many words from and about them, the truth of the matter is, if I was to pass by them on the street they would not have an idea as to my identity. But still, I feel I know them, as many of us do, and I feel for them. And so I will admit, there is not one specific memory that holds reign over all of the others. It is much more a simple look that I see in their eyes when they gaze upon each other that moves me.

That gentle-knowing-flirting-laughing-wanting-hopeful-thankful expression in each man’s eyes when he looks upon his partner—the one for whom he has waited so long to find. That is my favorite memory of TJ and Eric.

3. Why did you choose to participate?

When I was growing up and I saw a person who was experiencing a more difficult challenge in life than I, my mother would always say to me, “But for the Grace of God, go I.” I took this wise statement—and the meaning behind it— into my heart. We will all have challenges in life. By chance or fate or luck or grace or—well, I really don’t know the reason for the events, both wonderful and challenging, that transpire in our lives—this challenging set of circumstances fell upon the shoulders of TJ and Eric. But it very well could have been my road to walk. Or my sister’s… or my child’s. We must all realize that difficulties occur in many of our lives—a seemingly unsurpassable challenge may pop up in my life tomorrow, or in your life, even—and we will need each other to get through it.

4. Do you have anything you want to say to TJ and Eric?

I think that I expressed my feelings in their fullness in the anthology where I had a chance to dedicate my story. However, I will reiterate, it is time for TJ and Eric to create a new normal. Their new normal—with their own unique brand of love and laughter, and their personal manner of responding to life’s challenges, which, in its entirety, is what we call building a life together.

About Mia Kerick

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigree cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled men and their relationships, and she believes that sex has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press for providing her with an alternate place to stash her stories.

Mia is proud of her involvement with the Human Rights Campaign and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Contact Mia via email. Come visit her website for updates on what is going on in Mia’s world, rants, music, parties, and pictures, and maybe even a little bit of inspiration!

Garrett Leigh

1. Tell Us about your contribution to the anthology.

My contribution to the anthology is a spur of the moment piece taken from my Roads series (Slide and Rare).

Joe is a secondary character, but one most readers seemed to love and crave more from. When John Goode and Dreamspinner sent up their call to arms it felt like fate.

Joe spends a whole summer caring for one of my MC’s, Ash, and this glimpse into his mind was fascinating to write. I’d always known his motivations for helping Ash, but this felt like I really got to show his heart.

2. What is your favorite TJ & Eric Memory (either in person or not)?

I don’t actually know TJ at all, but I’d been friends with Eric on FB a while before he got sick. I remember the videos of TJ proposing to him, and the photos of him with his beloved crack crew. And more than that, I remember his smile. You can’t fake a smile like that.

3. Why did you choose to participate in the anthology?

It was a compulsion. Like everyone else, I felt helpless for weeks and then John Goode threw us a bone.

You don’t have to know someone to help them. You just gotta help them.

4. Do you have anything you want to say to TJ & Eric?

Nope. I imagine they’ve heard it all. They know the score: Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go 🙂

About Garrett Leigh

Garrett Leigh is a British writer and indie cover artist with a special interest in using the arts as catharsis in mental illness. Currently writing and designing for Dreamspinner Press, Loose ID and Extasy Books, she has a passion for darkly troubled heroes, tattoos and tales of true love that triumphs against the odds…not necessarily in that order. Expect angst, passion and red hot attraction that won’t be denied.

Garrett lives in a small commuter town just north of London with her husband, two kids, a dog with half a brain, and a cat with a chip on her shoulder. She’s twenty-nine, and now she’s reached that milestone, she intends to stay there for the foreseeable future. Garrett has been writing just about her whole life, but it’s been about three years since she decided to take it seriously. According to Mr. Garrett, it was either give the men in her head a voice or have herself committed.

Angst. She can’t write a word without it. She’s tried, she really has, but her protagonists will always always be tortured, crippled, broken, and deeply flawed. Throw in a tale of enduring true love, some stubbly facial hair, and a bunch of tattoos, and you’ve got yourself a Garrett special.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible. That, and dreaming up new ways to torture her characters. Garrett believes in happy endings; she just likes to make her boys work for it.

Garrett also works as a freelance cover artist for various publishing houses and independent authors under the pseudonym G.D. Leigh.

Social media: Website, Twitter, Facebook or Cover art enquiries

Sue Brown

1. Tell Us about your contribution to the anthology.

My story is a snapshot in the Isle series, during the Isle of Waves period which will be out later in the year, Isle of Waiting doesn’t give too much away, but it’s a moment with the Owens’ brothers and between Paul and Olaf.

2. What is your favorite TJ & Eric Memory (either in person or not)?

I’ve only met TJ once, at GRL in 2012, and Eric at the same event, so I don’t really have much in the way of memories except TJ gives good hugs.

3. Why did you choose to participate in the anthology?

I took part in the anthology because John Goode is my friend and he asked me to, and because TJ and Eric are one of our own.

4. Do you have anything you want to say to TJ & Eric?

You are never far from my thoughts, guys. Sending you huge hugs from over the pond.

About Sue Brown

Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn’t following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot, and has gotten expert at ignoring the orders.

Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she’s made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.

Sue can be found at her website, her blog, Twitter, and her Facebook.

Grand Prize: (Sponsored by the tour bloggers)

Large Cover Art Print Signed by the Artist

Paperback copy of Grand Adventures

2nd Prize: (sponsored by Dreamspinner Press)

$30 Dreamspinner Press Gift Card

A Rafflecopter Giveaway

Click the above link to enter giveaway.

Rules:

* By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.

* Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.

* If you win, you must respond to the email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen.

* Winners may be announced on participating blogs following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner.

* In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.

* Void where prohibited by law.

Be sure to stop by all the blogs on the tour for more inside information about the Grand Adventures anthology!

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*A special thanks to Will at Pride Promotions for providing the Rafflecopter and graphics used during this tour.*

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: Anthology, Dreamspinner Press, Eric Arvin, Grand Adventures, T.J. Klune, The Blogger Girls, Various Authors | 24 Comments

Honorary Blogger Heidi Cullinan – Writing the Rio Grande Valley + Giveaway

Posted on March 31, 2014 by thebloggergirls

Writing the Rio Grande Valley

by Heidi Cullinan

Ever since the first time I visited the RGV, I knew I wanted to write about it. I’d casually named Mitch as being from the area when I first drafted Special Delivery, since my sister was living there at the time, but when I visited her a year later, I knew I had to put the place in a book.

The Rio Grande Valley is home to over one million people, roughly 90% of those residents identifying as Latino. Two of its cities take the number one and number two spots as the poorest metropolitan areas in the United States. It’s the size of the entire state of Connecticut in land mass. It is hot, all the time—my sister would come home for Christmas telling us how it had been 80 and humid when she left. It is desolate desert, except where it is city desert. It once housed a large portion of the US citrus industry, but several freezes combined with industrial growth have changed that landscape.

What I loved about the RGV (called “The Valley” by locals) was how it felt like another country and yet was like no country I’d ever seen. It wasn’t simply that as a Caucasian I was a minority. It was that the very makeup of the area was radically different than anything I’d known. I couldn’t get enough of the flea markets and shopping areas and even just drives around town. When we stayed at a hotel, the staff was beyond charming and helpful, and everywhere I went I felt at home. I’m overall not a fan of Texas, but the RGV I would visit again anytime.

Rio Grande Valley

My greatest handicap, however, is that I don’t know any Spanish at all. I knew Chenco was Mitch’s brother, which meant he was at least half Caucasian, but I had to scrap his deep Valley identity because I couldn’t accurately replicate it without taking up a residence there and doing some serious cultural immersion.

Because the Valley truly is an amazing, unique world, one which deserves so much more than I was able to give it. Without my sister there, I don’t know why I’d go back to south Texas, but I find myself hoping something someday gives me an excuse. I hope you enjoy taking a small vacation there in Tough Love. And if you ever do get to McAllen, be sure to go to Taco Palenque or its sister restaurant, the Palenque Grill. Sadly while Club 33 did exist, it’s since been renamed Aria. But I bet it’s still fabulous.

About Heidi:

Heidi Cullinan head shot Heidi Cullinan has always loved a good love story, provided it has a happy ending. She enjoys writing across many genres but loves above all to write happy, romantic endings for LGBT characters because there just aren’t enough of those stories out there. When Heidi isn’t writing, she enjoys cooking, reading, knitting, listening to music, and watching television with her husband and ten-year-old daughter. Heidi is a vocal advocate for LGBT rights and is proud to be from the first Midwestern state with full marriage equality. Find out more about Heidi, including her social networks, at www.heidicullinan.com.

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TOUGH LOVE

It takes a strong man to be this fabulous.

Crescencio “Chenco” Ortiz pulled himself up by his garter straps after his father’s will yanked the financial rug from under his spank-me pumps. He doesn’t need anyone, yet when Steve Vance steps into his life, the prospect of having a sexy leather daddy on tap begins to take on a certain appeal.

There’s a hitch when he learns Steve is friends with Mitch Tedsoe—the half-brother Chenco never knew except through his father’s twisted lies. Despite his reservations, soon Chenco is living his dreams, including a performing gig in Vegas. Now if only he could get Steve to see him as more than just a boy in need of saving.

Steve’s attraction to Chenco is overshadowed by too many demons, ones he knows his would-be lover is too young to slay. Yet as he gets to know the bright, determined young man whose drag act redefines fierce, Steve’s inner sadist trembles with need. He begins to realize Chenco’s relentless tough love might be the only thing that will finally set him free.

Tough Love releases April 8th, 2014. Pre-order your copy now at Samhain Publishing, Amazon & Barnes and Noble.

Excerpt on Heidi’s website

Blogger_Giveaway

In honor of Heidi’s release, she’s graciously offered to give away one eBook copy of Tough Love! The giveaway starts now and will end next Sunday, April 6th, 2014, at 11:59 pm EST. After which the lucky winner will be randomly picked.

All you have to do to enter is leave a comment below with your email address and you’re in!

Make sure to follow the blog for the winner’s announcement post or check back next Monday, April 7th, 2014, to see if you’ve won!

Check out JustJen’s review of Tough Love to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways | Tags: Heidi Cullinan, Samhain Publishing, Special Delivery Series, The Blogger Girls, Tough Love | 19 Comments

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