Book Promo

Book Blitz: (Un)Masked by Anyta Sunday and Andy Gallo + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on November 5, 2017 by thebloggergirls

(Un)Masked by Anyta Sunday and Andy Gallo

Walker has two wishes: to perform the play of his dreams alongside his best friend at Wellington’s Tory Street Theatre, and to meet that special someone. Someone he’d go to the ends of the earth for. Someone who might only exist in fairy tales.

When Jay meets accordion busker Lethe Cross, it’s like living a dream come true. Lethe’s music captivates Jay, and he resolves to meet the man who plays so beautifully. But then he discovers Lethe’s life is more like a nightmare. The phrase “down on his luck” can’t begin to cover it. Determined to help, Jay does some snooping for answers—and winds up on the wrong end of a centuries-old curse. The good news is there’s a way to break it. The bad news is it might cost Jay his life.

This book was previously published by Dreamspinner Press. This updated 2nd edition has some rewritten parts and has been line edited again.

Available at: Amazon

Continue reading →

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Honorary Blogger CB Conwy: The Desire to Write + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on November 3, 2017 by thebloggergirls

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The Desire to Write

by CB Conwy

CB Conwy answers the question, “Where did the desire to write LGBT romance come from?”

If there’s one question every MM writer both love and hate, it’s the “Why do you write this genre? You’re not even a guy! None of your readers are guys!”

(Actually, there are quite a few male readers. But let’s not, you know, confuse the case with logic).

To me, there are two answers. The first one is very simple: I like men. A lot.

The second one is more complicated, and it’s not one I’ve often seen mentioned – but as a matter of fact, I think it’s shared by the majority of readers: MM breaks the gender stereotypes of straight romance. And dear God, do those stereotypes need to be broken.

Romancelandia is a great place to escape for a few hours from the real world. It’s a place that’s emotionally generous and very entertaining. It’s a happy place for many, many readers, me included. But why on Earth should we have to put up with a genre that often pictures the female protagonists as weak, dependent, and powerless compared to their male counterparts? And yes, I get that it’s a fantasy, I get that nobody would act that way in the real world. I also get that I’m probably being unfair to a lot of well written straight romance. But even so: I’m not entertained by seeing women being side characters in their own life while the men decide where the plot goes. I’m a modern, driven woman with a career and a life of my own; I simply can’t see myself in those women. Not even for a couple of hours of entertainment.

That’s where MM romance gives a breath of fresh air. I simply don’t think I could have written the A Russian Bear books with a female protagonist and got any romance publisher to accept it.

That’s also the reason why the character type nicknamed “chick with a brick” (well, actually, it’s another word – you know which one) is the single most despised character type in MM romance. It takes us right back to those clichéd gender stereotypes, and they are, as a matter of fact, equally offensive to women and men. Nobody deserves to be a side character in their own life.

Maybe I’m wrong, maybe I’m deeply judgmental towards straight romance – but I do think that’s why a lot of women like MM.

That, and because they like men. Continue reading →

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Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Life on Pause by Erin McLellan

Posted on November 2, 2017 by thebloggergirls

Welcome to the Life on Pause blog tour! Follow along as I stop off at several blogs this week to learn more about this small town m/m romance, which follows a nerdy museum worker and a high school choir teacher as they watch way too much sci-fi on Netflix, wear ridiculous historical costumes, and fall in love.blogger_bee_trans

About Life on Pause

Niles Longfellow is a nerd, and not the trendy type of nerd, either. He wears a historically accurate homesteader costume to work every day, has a total of one friend, and doesn’t know how to talk to guys. So when he gets a flat tire and the hottest hipster ever stops to help him, all Niles can think is that he’s wearing his stupid cowboy getup. Normally, Niles feels invisible to other men, but he’d take that invisibility any day over Rusty Adams seeing him in suede and fringe.

Rusty moved to Bison Hills to help his sister raise her daughter, and nothing is more important to him than that. He’s also fresh off a breakup, and isn’t prepared for anything complicated. But then he meets Niles. Rusty sees Niles as more than a clumsy, insecure guy in a costume. He sees a man who is funny, quirky, and unexpected.

Nothing about their connection is simple, though, especially the lies and insecurities between them. Niles doesn’t know if he can trust Rusty with his heart, and when Rusty’s sister decides to move away, Rusty doesn’t know if he can stay behind.

Available at: Riptide Publishing and Amazon

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Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , , | 8 Comments

Author Q&A: S.J. Foxx + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on November 1, 2017 by thebloggergirls

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How important is research to you when writing a book?

I suppose it depends on what it is I’m writing. I make sure to know my stuff before I attempt to write it. For ‘The Valet,’ I already had a base knowledge of the 1920s and the period before. I’m a complete history nerd and love classical civilisations, as well as the periods between 1800s – 1940s. When I wrote ‘The Valet,’ I already knew a lot about servants and the sort of lives they lived because that world fascinates me.

What works best for you: Typewriters, fountain pen, dictate, computer or longhand?

I always handwrite my first drafts. There’s something so free about writing with a pen, it makes my writing flow so naturally. So, I always do this and then type up later.

Do you have a set schedule for writing, or are you one of those who write only when they feel inspired?

I have a very haphazard schedule. I always keep one free day on the weekend to dedicate to writing. I also write on two or three evenings after work. I take my laptop to my local coffee shop and smash out as many words as I can. It doesn’t produce the fastest results but it’s an improvement from my once a week schedule I used when writing ‘The Valet.’ I’m getting better at writing more frequently, and a lot faster on the days I do write too. I think it’s important for writers starting out to not worry about how long it’s going to take. As long as you keep going, you will finish!

Do you set a plot or prefer going wherever an idea takes you?

I know I shouldn’t, but I actually hate outlining. Instead, I get a basic plot, have a very rough idea of something that might happen in the next two to three chapters and just write. I’ve tried to make outlines or even just bullet points of ideas but it really stumps my flow and produces less interesting writing for me. What’s been working for me lately is just to write and then fix later.

What, according to you, is the hardest thing about writing?

Finding faith in yourself and believing that this is a story worth writing. After that, I always find the first edit terribly difficult too.

What would you say is the easiest aspect of writing?

The initial write! I love getting the first draft down on paper and barfing out all of my ideas. It’s something I do really, really quickly. Continue reading →

Categories: Author Q&A, Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Honorary Bloggers Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott: He Was Never Supposed to Stick… & Excerpt + Giveaway!

Posted on October 31, 2017 by thebloggergirls

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He Was Never Supposed to Stick…

by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

There are your plans…

And then there are your characters’ plans.

Sometimes it’s best to let your characters win.

Rinda Elliott and I are plotters. We have to be with two people working on the same book. No plot outline means lots of chaos. We are both writing at the same time, and we must have a solid idea of what the other is planning, where she is going.

Of course, it’s not planned to death. There’s room for improvising, changes, or going completely off the rails if a really good idea strikes.

In short, you leave room for the magic that you can’t plan for.

And Geoffrey Ralse was pure magic.

His first appearance was in a scene in Shiver, book one of the Unbreakable Bonds series. We first see him drunk and crawling all over the gruff and grumpy Dr. Ashton “Snow” Frost. He was supposed to be one of those one-off, adorable and funny characters that enhances a scene but is ultimately forgotten.

But Geoffrey was never forgotten.

When readers took a chance on Shiver, they asked if they’d seen more of Geoffrey. Rinda and I were also asking if we’d see more of Geoffrey. He was flirty and sassy and so much fun to write. We could feel his hidden depths and wanted to explore them.

So…we gave Geoffrey a bigger, more important scene in Shatter, book 2 of the Unbreakable Bonds series. That particular book also included Sven Larsen, who would also find a home in Psycho Romeo with Geoffrey.

As before, Geoffrey shined.

He appeared again in Torch, book 3, and had some touching words to add in Devour, book 4, when we closed out the series.   

Of course, by the end of Torch, Rinda and I had started to scheme a new future for Geoffrey, where he would get his own book, his own adventure, and his own happily ever after. He’s a great, dynamic character. He’s not at all what we expected when we first introduced this sexy club kid in Shiver, but we fell in love.

Psycho Romeo with Geoffrey and Sven was amazing fun to write. It was like watching one of your children grow up over the years and finally achieve the happiness that you always hoped they would find.

We hope that you love Geoffrey too. Continue reading →

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , , , | 2 Comments

Release Day Blitz + Giveaway: Off the Ice by Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn

Posted on October 30, 2017 by thebloggergirls

Thanks for joining Avon Gale and Piper Vaughn on the OFF THE ICE blog tour. In the Hat Trick series, love and hockey collide—and create enough heat to melt the ice. Join the players as they chase both the Stanley Cup and their own personal happily ever afters.

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About Off the Ice

Tristan Holt is nothing if not pragmatic. Despite a flourishing career as a defenseman for the Atlanta Venom, Tristan knows he can’t play hockey forever. One day he’ll retire—if an injury doesn’t force him to hang up his skates first. His backup plan? Finishing his business degree. But he doesn’t count on a very inappropriate attraction to his standoffish sociology professor, Sebastian Cruz.

Sebastian is on the bottom rung of the Sociology Department at Georgia State. He has his sights set on tenure, and he can’t afford to be distracted, especially not by a sexy student with a body straight out of Sebastian’s dreams. No matter how much Tristan tempts him, that’s one line Sebastian won’t cross. At least not until summer classes end. After that, everything is fair game.

But Sebastian lives loud and proud, and Tristan is terrified of being the first out player in the NHL. Neither of them can afford to risk their hearts when they can’t imagine a happily ever after. The problem is, unlike hockey, when it comes to love, there are no rules.

Available at: Riptide Publishing and Amazon

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Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2016, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , , , | 5 Comments

Honorary Blogger L.M. Brown: Technology – The Bane of Our Lives + Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on October 28, 2017 by thebloggergirls

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Technology – The Bane of Our Lives

by L.M. Brown

Technology is great, when it’s working properly, but when it goes wrong it can be a frustrating nightmare.  We’ve all been there.  An operating system update that stops our favourite program working correctly, a frozen screen when you haven’t yet saved that amazing scene you just wrote, or even worse the Blue Screen of Death that appears in a flash and signals that your computer has some serious problem that, if you’re like me, you have no clue how to fix.

Technology today does things that most people couldn’t even imagine thirty or so years ago.  So imagine what it might be able to do in another hundred years.

That is part of the concept behind Holographic Havoc.  The story is set in the near future where inventions are becoming more and more complex and are able to do even more than they do now.  I set the story 2102, though considering how quickly our technology evolves, it may be that the invention that the story revolves around is something that is not only around, but already obsolete by the time that year arrives.  Not that I am going to be around to see it any event.

So, what is this invention I am talking about?   

Well, it is a holographic personal assistant that is designed to help the user in all aspects of their life. Whether it is organising meetings, booking a restaurant, doing your shopping, or maintaining a good relationship with the mother-in-law, this fictional invention is there to help.

Amazing right?  

But what about when that piece of technology decides to go wrong?   After all, the more complicated the program, the more likely it is to have bugs that are designed to drive a person completely insane.

I hope you enjoy reading about what happens when Hayden’s holographic assistant develops an unexpected bug.  

Feel free to share your own techie horror stories here – we all have them and it sure is nice to know we are not alone when we’re screaming at our computers to just work!

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About Holographic Havoc

Hayden Knight’s job is simple. All he has to do is sell his father’s latest invention to Tate South, the Acquisitions Manager of the biggest supplier of the best in cutting-edge technology. The virtual assistant is designed to help the user in all aspects of their life, but Hayden views the holographic helper as nothing but a nuisance. Keeping his annoyance to himself is relatively easy until a major technical glitch causes Tate to see and hear Hayden’s assistant.

Hayden and Tate are thrown together while they try to figure out what has happened, and the chemistry between them is electric. Hayden soon finds that convincing Tate that he needs a Holo-Assistant isn’t as important to him as persuading him he needs Hayden in his life.

The attraction is mutual and the sparks fly. If only they could get rid of their holographic third wheel.

Available at: Amazon

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An Exclusive Excerpt from Holographic Havoc

After picking up Hayden’s car, a self-driving sporty model that was as comfortable as it was sleek, they settled in for the journey, with Randy hovering in the back seat.

“What sort of information can the assistant access about individuals? About me?”

“Anything that’s public knowledge.”

“Care to demonstrate?”

“Randy, please tell me everything you know about Tate.”

“Tate South, aged twenty seven, date of birth 6th May 2075. Owner of ED Electronics and Head of Acquisitions.”

“What about personal stuff?” Tate interrupted.

“Personal?” Hayden asked.

“My name, age, job, and stuff like that is all public record. What else can it find out?”

“Randy, personal profile of Tate please.”

“Tate South, single, currently ranked as number ninety in the top one hundred most eligible bachelors in England. Sexual orientation—gay. Sexual health status—clean. Last long term relationship was between February 2097 and October 2100. Infrequent user of gay hook-up app—” Continue reading →

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

Author Q&A with HJ Perry + Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on October 26, 2017 by thebloggergirls

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The temptation you wish you could resist?

The rest of my family love what we Brits call crisps and Americans call chips. When they are there in the house. I can’t help myself, I’ll eat them all. And yet, I don’t like them that much. They are not something I’d seek out to buy. My “bad” food snack of choice would be something more chocolate or cake based. Let’s call it chocolate cake.

Whilst on the subject, I also love chips. Real British chips that are thick cut chunks of potato double fried and served with ketchup, brown sauce, or something spicy like curry sauce.

The film you can watch time and time again?

Terminator 2. The Sarah Connor character is awesome and it was such a groundbreaking film in its time.

The person who influenced you the most?

Perhaps my father. We share a love of SF films. His big influence has been by example. Like him I rarely gossip about people. If I have negative thoughts about people, I try to keep them to myself, mostly. I’m not perfect. Over my life I learned consideration for others is a good things to aim for because there are often many sides to an argument and you can’t judge other people’s behaviour because you do not know the full reasons behind their action. I definitely put these values down to my father’s influence.

My mother exists in stark contrast. She is positively brimming with judgement an opinions that she wants to share.

The unlikely interest that engages your curiosity?

Mathematics.

The poem that touches your soul?

I pretty much avoid poetry. But sometimes it is thrust upon us.

The two epic poems by Homer have touched my life probably more than any other poetry. I have print editions of The Odyssey and The Iliad on my bookshelves and I’ve listened to audiobooks of them.

I’ve visited Greece to see the ancient sites and I have a massive tattoo featuring Greek Gods.  

The event that altered the course of your life?

Having children. Of course, I knew children would change my life, but I didn’t realise just how much.

The happiest moment you will cherish forever?

Various first moments with my first child.

I’ll never forget find out my second child was not one but two. I was expecting twins. I don’t know whether happy is quite the word I’d use, though. Continue reading →

Categories: Author Q&A, Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Release Day Blitz: Angels and Man-Beasts by T.L. West + Exclusive Excerpts & Giveaway!

Posted on October 16, 2017 by thebloggergirls

Angels and Man-Beasts

by T.L. West

Zachary is an ordinary young gay man. He works for his father, has a crush on his straight roommate, and likes to procrastinate.

While visiting his aunt’s old cabin, he finds a wounded man, and the door to safety is forever closed. At first, Zachary doesn’t know what to make of the handsome stranger dressed as a knight, but he feels a connection with him.

Zachary’s life is turned upside down as his eyes are opened to the supernatural world. Not only must he survive dangerous man-beasts, but he is also forced to make sense of what it means to fall for an angel, and involve himself in a war between the Gods.

Available at: NineStar Press & Amazon

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Exclusive Excerpt from Angels and Man-Beasts

Monday morning

Zachary tried to finish his assignment on his laptop as he sat on his bed. He was just not in the mood, even though he knew it was an important part of the project his dad was working on.

It had been his mother’s idea for him to work in the family business after his graduation. According to his parents, it would give Zachary much-needed experience before he was ready to start applying for a job in other companies. At first Zachary had declined, but due to his parent’s constant nagging, he’d had no choice but to accept.

He had been working for his dad for a few months now. It wasn’t a bad job. He could check for errors in software from the comfort of his apartment.

Zachary’s mind immediately went to his roommate, Christopher. He’d already been living in the two-bedroom apartment when Zachary had moved in. Christopher was six feet tall, had piercing blue eyes, wavy brown hair, and loved to work out. He was also very smart. He worked at a nearby laboratory as a chemist. He was also perfect boyfriend material as far as Zachary was concerned.

“But he’s straight,” sighed Zachary as he looked at the lines of code on his laptop screen.

He brushed his black hair away from his forehead. Zachary had never been one of those gay men who would try to hit on a straight man. It just wasn’t his style, or perhaps he didn’t have enough confidence to initiate such an interaction. He wasn’t sure. He had a nice friendship with Christopher, and he didn’t want to risk losing that over some weird fantasy. He wouldn’t be able to look at himself if Christopher rejected his advances. Continue reading →

Categories: Book Promo, Book Review, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment