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Lost and Found by Rick R. Reed: Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Exclusive Excerpt from Lost and Found

by Rick R. Reed

In the excerpt below, we see that when someone does something bad, it doesn’t necessarily make him a bad person, especially if the selfish act was done out of love—and there’s a willingness to put things right. No matter how much it hurts….

*****

Hamburger had come into Mac’s life eight months ago in the middle of a downpour, in the very park where he’d just now met the guy he was sure was Hamburger’s original owner. Hamburger had been emaciated, with his ribs and backbone sticking out through his drenched fur. He had a cut, scabby, above one eye. No collar. He was whimpering and looked as though he was on his last legs. Mac shook his head, forcing the image out of his mind. It was just too painful to remember Hamburger like that. He had originally intended to simply drop him off at the Green Lake Animal Hospital, close to the park, over on Woodlawn Avenue. But the dog wouldn’t, or couldn’t, move. He’d plopped down at Mac’s feet that gray, wintry day and refused to get up. Mac perceived it as the dog seeing something within him that he needed or wanted.

Or maybe it was the half-eaten hamburger from Red Mill in Mac’s hand. He’d held out a morsel of meat for the dog, and he gobbled it up, then went right back to sitting where he was at Mac’s feet, staring at him with those big brown eyes that just about broke Mac’s heart. Mac gave him the rest of the burger, minus the pickles and the bun, and even in his sorry state, the dog begged for more.

It was then a name was born. Continue reading

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , | 1 Comment

Release Day Blitz: Snow In Montana by RJ Scott + Giveaway!

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Snow In Montana (Montana #4) by RJ Scott

montana-4-400An actor in the closet, a sheriff in love, and memories that won’t stay hidden.

Jordan Darby is known as the King of Christmas. The star of eight made-for-TV Christmas movies, the leading man who always gets his girl. Filming at Crooked Tree Ranch in Montana, in the ice and snow, Jordan is fighting to make a go of his new company and dealing with fears of exposure over one huge secret. After all, who the hell would buy into him being a romantic straight lead if rumors about him being gay were proven to be true.

Sheriff Ryan Carter is advising on the new movie being made at Crooked Tree. He hoped this would be one day of work and nothing more. Until, that is, he meets the hero. But while Jordan is sexy, he’s also very much stuck in the closet – everything that Ryan doesn’t need in his life. And then lust becomes part of the equation, and Ryan’s quiet life is thrown into turmoil.

Their story unfolds against the chaos that overtakes the ranch, with Adam regaining memories that terrify him and make him look at Justin differently, and Justin leaving the ranch to make things right. Only through trusting in love and friendship can Justin and Adam learn to look to the future instead of letting the past destroy everything. But will they ever see clearly enough to do that?

Available at: Amazon Continue reading

Categories: Book Promo, Book Review, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Release Day Blitz: Saving Jason by K.C. Wells + Giveaway!

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Saving Jason by K.C. Wells

saving-jason-jpgWhen David Merrow is given the task of finding a suitable soup kitchen so his company can improve their PR, he realizes he needs help. He turns to Jason Garton, the owner of the coffee house that David visits every morning. Funny how it took David so long to notice all the food and beverages Jason gives away to the homeless. Because until then, Jason had been almost invisible.

But the more David learns about him, the more intrigued he becomes. There’s something about the selfless, lonely older man that pulls David in, and what began as work becomes so much more.

Available at: Amazon Continue reading

Categories: Book Promo, Book Review, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Author Q&A with Elizabeth Hoyt

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What do you hope readers will take away from reading Duke of Pleasure?

Hope. That’s the theme of the book—hope and redemption through love.

What can we expect from Duke of Pleasure?

Swashbuckling. There will be lots of swashing of swords due to the fact that Alf, the heroine of Duke of Pleasure is also the Ghost of St. Giles, a masked vigilante who protects the poor and downtrodden in London’s stews. With two swords. She’s badass.

Was there any particular research that you did for the new book?

Well, according to my Pinterest page I researched constellations…mostly, as I remember, to see how they were depicted in Georgian times and earlier. Boy, was that a research black hole—I think I looked up from my computer three hours later.

When you start writing, do you already have an ending in mind, or do you just let the narrative go where it takes you?

Yes! I have an ending in mind. It’s the middle stuff that needs working on. 😉

What’s next for you?

Right now I’m writing Duke of Desire, the twelfth and final Maiden Lane book. It’ll be out August 2017.

By the way- this is a simply wonderful series that has several of my fav genres (romance, historical London, a hint of fairy tale magic, mystery/suspense & humor) mixed to create a spectacular story. I read oodles of series but this is one of only 4 or 5 that I read immediately upon release. Thank you for such entertaining stories and characters that never fail to keep me up all night reading just one more chapter.

Thank you! I’m so glad to hear that you like Maiden Lane and that you’re continuing to like it! 😉

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About Duke of Pleasure

dukeofpleasure3_rgb300IN THE ARMS OF DANGER

Bold. Brave. Brutally handsome. Hugh Fitzroy, the Duke of Kyle, is the king’s secret weapon. Sent to defeat the notorious Lords of Chaos, he is ambushed in a London alley-and rescued by an unlikely ally: a masked stranger with the unmistakable curves of a woman.

IN THE HEAT OF DESIRE

Cocky. Clever. Courageously independent. Alf has survived on the perilous streets of St. Giles by disguising her sex. By day she is a boy, dealing in information and secrets. By night she’s the notorious Ghost of St. Giles, a masked vigilante. But as she saves Hugh from assassins, she finds herself succumbing to temptation . . .

ONE KISS WILL CHANGE THEIR LIVES FOREVER

When Hugh hires Alf to investigate the Lords of Chaos, her worlds collide. Once Hugh realizes that the boy and the Ghost are the same, will Alf find the courage to become the woman she needs to be-before the Lords of Chaos destroy them both?

Check out Heather C’s review of Duke of Pleasure to see what she thought of it!

Available at: Amazon | B&N | iBooksGoogleKoboIndieBound

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About Elizabeth Hoyt

Elizabeth Hoyt is the New York Times bestselling author of over seventeen lush historical romances including the Maiden Lane series. Publishers Weekly has called her writing “mesmerizing.” She also pens deliciously fun contemporary romances under the name Julia Harper. Elizabeth lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota, with three untrained dogs, a garden in constant need of weeding, and the long-suffering Mr. Hoyt.

Find out more about Elizabeth on her Website, Twitter or Facebook.

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WICKED INTENTIONS is now FREE for a limited time!

The ebook edition of WICKED INTENTIONS, the first book in Elizabeth Hoyt’s bestselling Maiden Lane series will be FREE from November 28 through December 12!  This is a great opportunity to introduce friends to the series! On December 13 the price returns to $5.99.

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Categories: Author Q&A, Book Promo, M/F, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , | Leave a comment

Character Interview with Ev and Adam from Bare by Lynn Kelling + Giveaway!

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Interview with Ev and Adam from Bare

Lynn: Evelyn. Adam. Thank you both for speaking with us today. How has all of the recent publicity been affecting you?

Ev: You can just call me Ev.

Adam: Evelyn is fine, Lynn. Trust me. I don’t think the publicity has affected us much, other than giving us reasons to focus on other things, like work.

Lynn: Ev, do you agree with that?

Ev: Yeah, I do. I haven’t really been paying much attention to the press, or even my own email or social media accounts, especially after everything happened. After I said my part, I felt like the fallout wasn’t really about me anyway, but other people’s reactions. Sometimes it’s best to step back and let things play out without interfering. It’s been all about school for me. Granted, it is kind of difficult to ignore the attention when you’re actually appearing on Good Morning America, so there are some odd days.

Lynn: Let’s take this back a little. Pretend our readers today don’t know all of the juicy details of your story, haven’t seen Adam’s gorgeous paintings—they really were breathtaking—

Adam: Thanks Lynn, I try.

Lynn: Pretend they don’t even know your relationship to each other. Describe each other for me, and what you see in the other.

Ev: Oh no…

Adam: (laughs) Should I answer honestly?

Ev: No! Sorry. But no. Please God, no.

Adam: Should I answer as if I were a Senator’s son, filtering my every thought and feeling for mass consumption and dulling all of the rough, hard edges so no one is shocked or offended?

Ev: Yeah, that’d be much better.

Adam: Even though we’ve agreed truth is our friend?

Ev: See, Lynn, he does this thing where he answers questions with other questions, and it leads down some pretty fucked-up rabbit holes. Don’t fall for it. (clears his throat) So, I’ll start then. Adam Buchanan is… well, he’s colorful. I mean that both literally and figuratively. The fire-engine-red hair and the bright blue eyes. The paint splatters that are always covering his clothes and skin. But it’s in his personality too. He pushes people. Challenges them to think and face things they might never have without coaxing. He doesn’t play things safe and he’s not afraid to offend. I mean, he’s got the whole lawyer side to him too, so he does things in a really intelligent way. It’s always totally thought out. Almost disturbingly so. Anyway, it’s one of the things I liked about him right away, because I appreciated how unapologetic those qualities were. He was visually loud, and messy, and crossed lines I’ve always lived between.

Adam: So, I’m colorful? What does that make you?

Ev: Nope, not falling for it.

Adam: Lynn, I think my work describes Evelyn better than my words ever could.

Lynn: Well, then describe your work for us.

Ev: Oh, he can totally do that. He talks about his work constantly.

Adam: And what are you implying when you say that?

Ev: Are you just doing it on purpose now? I can’t tell. But I’ll answer that one to say that I meant you do self-promotion, which is a necessary part of your job, and something you’re rightfully passionate about.

Adam: And I’m not rightfully passionate about you?

Ev: (groans) Lynn, do you see what I’m dealing with here? It’s impossible not to fall for this crap. Should I answer Lynn’s question for you?

Adam: (pauses to look at Ev, then begins to speak) I’m a painter. I’m also an adjunct professor at Lehigh University, which is where Evelyn and I met. Lately, the focus of my work has been in exploring vulnerability in male sexuality in order to expose the ways our society attempts to force men into rigid gender roles that limit our opportunity to safely and comfortably express broader truths.

Ev: It’s a mouthful, isn’t it?

Adam: That’s what he said.

Lynn: And Ev, how do you factor into Adam’s work?

Ev: He paints me.

Adam: Among other things. Evelyn does inspire me in a wide variety of ways.

Lynn: Ev, does Adam inspire you too?

Ev: (smiles, falls quiet, bows his head)

Adam: (rests a hand on Ev’s knee and whispers) It’s okay, sweetheart. You don’t need to—

Ev: No, I do. It’s an important question. I just—

Adam: You’ve been through a lot. You don’t have to push yourself.

Ev: (struggles to speak and holds Adam’s hand) You have… no idea… how much Adam inspires me. He’s changed my whole life. And I know how corny that sounds, but to know how clearly he sees me, and everything he’s done in such a short time for someone he didn’t even know? The things that inspire Adam are really important. They are. They matter on a huge scale, but the ways Adam inspires me? That’s everything.

Lynn: I think we can see what you mean—both of you. Thank you for joining us today.

Adam: You’re welcome. (kisses Ev)

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About Bare

32129904Ev Myers was looking for trouble when he signed up to do nude art modeling, but he wasn’t expecting this much trouble. All he’d wanted to do was rebel against the moral limits of his strict religious family and the PR requirements of his father’s senate seat. He saw how much bigger his world could be when Professor Adam Buchanan opened Ev to new passions and new experiences but when Ev’s family learned how far he had gone, they decided to resort to kidnapping and brainwashing to save their son from sin and scandal—even if it kills him.

Available at: Forbidden Fiction, Amazon, All Romance eBooks and Smashwords.

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An Excerpt from Bare

“So does that mean you’ll do it?” Hope lingered in the question. Led by instinct, Ev found his answer.

“I think so. Yeah. I will. But…” How to say it? “What are you going to expect here? I’m guessing it’s not just posing.”

“It can just be posing, if that’s where your comfort level is.”

Thinking of his family and church, when he wished he wasn’t and was focused only on his own preferences instead, Ev fought not to get sidetracked by conditioning. What they thought about Ev posing for this man didn’t matter, or so he tried to tell himself.

“I’m not a prude or anything,” Ev clarified. “I was just… wondering. Like, would touching be involved?” The painting Adam had set out indicated one of his last models had been touched.

“Not without your permission.”

He imagined it without wanting to—being touched like the subject of that painting had been, by another man. It made a shiver race up Ev’s back. Folding his arms tighter, he squirmed.

“Would I need to be…” Ev exhaled, tripping on the next word, feeling mortified for even thinking it.

“Hard?” Adam guessed, maybe by reading into Ev’s body language, his arms wrapped around himself, his fingers rubbing his lips.

“Yeah.”

“You wouldn’t need to be, no. But, total honesty, I would be able to work with it if you were.”

Ev blew out a breath. “How old are you?”

“Twenty-five. You?”

“Almost twenty.”

“Okay. No pressure, Ev. If this doesn’t work for you, you can bail at any time. It’s okay. You won’t hurt my feelings.”

“You’re not gonna, like, put my name on these are you? Or tell people?”

“I’ll totally honor your privacy in whatever ways you request. I swear it. My work hinges on honesty. What happens here only leaves this space through the artwork. I do take reference photos, but I keep those locked up when I’m not using them.”

Ev hesitated, mostly because he really wanted to do it, and the realization scared him. It made him question his ability to make rational decisions. There were so many dangers here; he’d be crazy to stay.

Adam just waited, watching.

“I know what they pay at the school for the models,” Adam said, interrupting Ev’s indecision. “Twenty bucks an hour, right? Double that for your hourly rate when you sit for me, and that’s just to start. If this works out, I’ll increase the amount as we go.”

“Adam, that’s insane. I can’t take that much money from you for this.”

“I insist. I’m a professional, hiring you as a professional model. I’ll be photographing you, as I said, in addition to simply using you as a reference for my paintings. The rate I’m paying is not astronomical.”

“Really? Wow, maybe I should’ve just done this instead of go to school.”

Adam just raised an eyebrow at him, looking profoundly patient and equally as determined. “Well, you are suited for it, in my humble opinion, but an education is invaluable. I say do both.”

There was another pause, filled with tense anticipation.

Ev pulled off his jacket. Folding it over his arm, he said, “Okay.”

The idea of getting forty bucks an hour was ridiculously amazing, but that wasn’t what convinced him. It was the temptation—something he’d successfully resisted his whole life, and he was just plain exhausted by the effort. Maybe it was time to take a calculated risk.

“Okay,” Adam agreed. “If you’d feel more comfortable changing into a robe first…”

Steeling himself, Ev took a deep breath, then pulled his shirt over his head. Bare-chested, feeling his nipples stiffen, he said, “Kind of cold.”

“Right. Sorry,” Adam apologized. He pulled out his phone, tapped at it a few times and said, “There. The heat’ll take a moment to warm things up. I’ve got space heaters too.” Walking away, he emerged only a second later, wheeling a small heater up to a bed. Adam shifted the bed slightly under the lights overhead, then turned on a few professional looking large soft box boom lights, shifting them closer and angled to cast light on the bed. The heater was shifted even closer. The set-up was similar to various television and photography studio sets he’d visited as the Senator’s son—though without the bed and nudity—and the familiarity was comforting.

While Adam fussed with the arrangements, Ev unbuckled his jeans. It took a flare of courage before he was able to push them down, toeing off his sneakers and socks along with the pants. That left him only in snug, black, low-rise boxer briefs, the thin cotton straining to contain him even though he was completely flaccid. Needing warmth more than anything, Ev walked into the path of the space heater, rubbing his hands together, then rubbing his arms. Right away, he felt more comfortable and less tempted to run for cover.

Once Adam had things arranged to his liking, he finally turned around. His gaze swept down Ev’s body, then upward to his face. Ev tried to read into the look, or the thoughts behind it, but couldn’t.

“I’d like to do some sketches, maybe take some photos, just to see what’s working. It’ll probably take a while for me to narrow it down to one pose. Who knows, maybe I’ll start a few pieces at once. Are you sure you don’t want a glass of water or anything before we start?”


“Nah, I’m good. Um,” he reached for his briefs, stopped himself, then went ahead and hooked his thumbs under the waistband. He felt Adam watching as Ev slid the underwear off. By the time he’d stepped out of them, briefs wadded up in his hand, he was breathing harder. His balls drew up, his skin both hot and cold in places. It felt wrong on many levels, in ways it hadn’t in the classroom earlier that day.

But Adam wasn’t reacting in a negative way, or telling him to cover back up; he just kept scrutinizing the view of Ev’s body. “Would you rather lie down or sit to start?”

“Whatever you want.”

“Okay, then come lie down here,” he said, pointing to the bed. Ev shuffled over, fighting the urge to cover himself with his hands. “Are you okay with me using my hands to help position you? Be honest.”

“Yeah, that’s fine.”

“Okay. If you change your mind, just tell me.”

Ev sat on the edge of the bed, then lay back.

“Shift up the bed a little more.”

He slid upward. Adam’s hand touched Ev’s knee. “Relax your legs. Let them fall open.” Gentle pressure urged Ev’s legs apart. Ev thought his breathing sounded too loud in the quiet of the room. The light touch of Adam’s fingertips on the inside of Ev’s left knee sent a thrill to Ev’s cock. Inwardly, he groaned with dread, his tension reflecting in his expression.

“Bring your arms up so your hands are on either side of your head. Just relax them.” Adam arranged Ev’s hands, letting the fingers curl, and the back of his hand resting by his face. “Good. Keep your head turned to the side.” The curled fingers were by his eyes. His chest rose and fell, with each breath seeming to come quicker than the last.

Watching from the corner of his eye, he saw Adam draw a sheet over, letting the corner of it cover Ev’s stomach, keeping his chest and genitals exposed.

“Nice,” Adam murmured, his eyes everywhere, all over Ev. Ev got the sense that Adam had gone into his head, concentrating on his ideas and plans instead of judging Ev’s body in any way, which helped Ev stay calm. Adam went back to the supply cabinets along the wall and brought out a large camera with a long lens. He moved close again, bringing the camera up to his eye and adjusting the focus. The soft whir of the machinery was a pleasurable little sound, acting like a tickle over Ev’s cock.

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About Lynn Kelling

Lynn Kelling began writing in order to tell stories that aren’t afraid of the dark, don’t hold anything back and always strive to be memorable, forging lasting attachments between character and reader. Her inspiration comes from taking a closer look at behaviors and ideas lurking at the fringes of life—basically anything that people may hesitate to speak of in mixed company, but everyone wonders about anyway. Her work is driven by the taboo in order to expose the humanity within it. Lynn is an artist, designer and lover of any form of creative self-expression that comes from a place of honesty and emotion, whether it’s body art or opera. She has had multiple novels published, has written over seventy works of erotic fiction of varying lengths, and always has several novels in progress.

Find out more about Lynn on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest or email her at lynn@lynnkelling.com.

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As part of this blog tour, Lynn is giving away an eBook copy of Bare! 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 Just Jen’s review of Bare to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Character Interviews, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Blueprint by RJ Jones: Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Exclusive Excerpt from Blueprint

by RJ Jones

I rolled my body to the beat of Kylie coming through my earbuds while I imagined getting pushed down over the table by Mr. Fine. Still swinging my hips, I removed another tray of cupcakes from the oven. I touched the top of one lightly. Yep. Nice and springy. I’d have to wait until they cooled before I could spread the icing on. The thought of piping the sweet topping through the thin nozzle made me think of a tube of lube, and there I went again, thinking about him and his intense green eyes, the way his lips felt as they tentatively brushed mine. A whole-body shiver ran through me.

“Again?” Gray’s voice penetrated Kylie’s and I removed my earbuds. I hadn’t expected them home so soon. “You can’t still be thinking about him.” Continue reading

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , | Leave a comment

Cover Reveal: Bare by Lynn Kelling + Exclusive Excerpt & Give Away!

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Bare

by Lynn Kelling

Blurb: Ev Myers is a former high school football star and Republican State Senator’s son, raised in a strict Southern Baptist household where his only option was to be silent, behave and, no matter how he might be feeling, to put on a happy smile. Desperate to escape the pressure to be the man his family insists he become, Ev has fled Kansas to attend college and is working to find out who he really is beneath the lies and carefully composed public image. But when he applies for a job as a nude model for a life drawing class out of a desire to be seen in a way that shatters all of his family’s taboos, it’s just the first step on a path that leads him away from everything he’s ever known. Handsome and headstrong adjunct arts professor, Adam Buchanan, is the first person to recognize Ev’s potential, and his determination to have Ev realize the importance of truth and stark honesty, as well as the beauty of flawed vulnerability provides the hope Ev needs to escape a world rife with kidnapping, brainwashing and deadly determination cure homosexuality, using whatever means necessary.

Bare is scheduled to release November 15, 2016!

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And the moment you’ve been waiting for! Bare cover reveal… Continue reading

Categories: Book Promo, Cover Reveals, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Book Review: Harey Situation by Bailey Bradford

Reviewed by Morgan 

31732793Title: Harey Situation
Author: Bailey Bradford
Series: City Shifters #2
Heroes: Oliver Biggerstaffer/Jagger Osterman
Genre: MM Paranormal
Length: 117 Pages
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Release Date: September 20, 2016 (Pride Publishing)
October 18, 2016 (Amazon)
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb:  This time, it’s a real bunny shifter and you know the saying about doing something like bunnies…

Oliver Biggerstaffer comes to Texas from Boston, looking for a job and a new life. He’s hoping the advertising firm he interviews for will hire him, and he can put his past where it belongs—behind him. No one will know who or what he is—a snake shifter.

Except he’s interviewed by Jagger Osterman, a bear shifter, and he meets a cute bunny shifter at the hotel where he’s staying. Oliver can’t hide his shifter status from them. And he doesn’t want to, once he meets them—especially the bunny, Peter Ruiz. It’s lust at first sight, but Oliver wants to take things slow as long as he’s staying at the hotel Peter’s working at.

Peter wants to get laid, and he wants to get laid now. The sexy snake shifter he’s attracted to has morals and ethics and things most of the guys Peter’s screwed around with before lack.

Oliver treats Peter like a person, not a body to have sex with, and if they can survive a series of weird accidents that might not be accidents after all, then Oliver and Peter just might have a happy ending all their own.
Continue reading

Categories: 4.5 Star Ratings, Book Promo, LGBT, Morgan's Reviews, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Blog Tour Serial: That Time Kai Rescued A Shoe (part 3) by Rhys Ford + Giveaway!

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That Time Kai Rescued A Shoe (part 3)

by Rhys Ford

Thank you for following the Mad Lizard Mambo tour. My name’s Rhys Ford and well, we’re going back to the first character I wrote for this genre, Kai Gracen.

When I first began to write seriously, I went with an urban fantasy featuring a bisexual elfin character named Kai Gracen. The first book was Black Dog Blues and to make a long story short, DSP Publications approached me about publishing it after I’d self-pubbed it following my publishing a few books with Dreamspinner. DSP Publications hadn’t started yet but it suited their catalog and well, it’s a Dreamspinner Imprint so of course I was on board.

Now, after a few years, I would like to introduce to you Kai’s second adventure, Mad Lizard Mambo. It takes place a little bit after Black Dog Blues and well, life’s just gotten more complicated for Kai. I hope you enjoy it as well as the three short pieces I’ve done for this tour.

The first, When Kai Fell in Love, is written a little bit after Dempsey took him in. He’s young in this section and while his Singlish isn’t great, he understands a lot of what he hears. This is two parts.

The second, When Kai Discovers He Does Not Bounce, is when he’s about in his early teens(ish) and he’s on a disaster of a hunt with Dempsey. This is in four parts.

The third, That Time Kai Rescued A Shoe, is a few months after Dempsey retired and he’s moved into his warehouse in San Diego. This is in three parts.

Hope you enjoy and don’t forget to enter the giveaway on this blog! Follow the stories as they unfold on the tour and enter to win a $20 USD Gift Certificate at the e-retailer of your choice at every stop! See below for more details.

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That Time Kai Rescued A Shoe (part 3)

The newt was huge. Larger than a lot of dragons stomping around the lava fields in Pendle pretending to be apex predators. Okay, it might not have been that big but it was certainly bigger than a standard tiger. Not one of the saber toothed ones, just a standard.

One thing for sure, the tiger would be a lot prettier.

Cave newts were somewhat see-through, mottled geckos who waddled at alarming speeds and preferred to spend their time partially submerged in muck and water. Normally, they were harmless, inedible blobs of gelatinous meat without much interaction with the human world, hibernating much of their life away.

Until they woke up and then an insane hunger drove them from their happy little mud packs and up towards the surface where they feasted on pigeons, rats, fish and the occasional bunny. It was a cyclic life of sleep, raging hunger, frenzied feeding then more sleep.

Problem was, they grew while they slept, using up their energy reserves so when they woke again, their only instinct was to consume everything in their path. And if they’d eaten something particularly large, they doubled or sometimes even tripled their size during their slumber. Continue reading

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

Honorary Blogger Joseph Lance Tonlet: Strength in Submitting + Giveaway

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Strength in Submitting

by Joseph Lance Tonlet

Merriam-Webster defines submission as:

An act of submitting to the authority or control of another

The most important word in that definition, as it applies to this article, is act. As a submissive, I believe that act of giving is a gift, and it’s something I take enormous pride in. Indeed, nothing that I can see within the definition implies something being done to me (without my consent) or being taken from me (without my consent). Additionally, there’s no implication of weakness – which is another important point.

I’m going to veer off for a bit, but I promise to return to the topic. *smiles* I don’t’ know if it applies to all authors, but the often repeated I’m a reader first, and an author second definitely rings true for me. Books are my passion, they’re my entertainment, my escape, and they’re my hobby. Throughout my life books have offered me a safe place. In my teen years they allowed me to escape a strictly religious home life and venture into worlds where being gay wasn’t an unequivocal sentence to a fiery place of damnation. Later, as an adult, they offered a level of entertainment, with their gay content, no television show or trip to the movie theatre could even come close to matching. And, now they’re the vehicle I use to tell my own naughty stories.

When I pick up a book, I’m filled with hope. The hope that I’ll meet characters I can relate to, hope that I’ll ‘see’ places I might long to visit, and hope that I’ll experience stories that will stay with me long after those dreaded The End words are read. My challenge in finding those books has grown as, over time, who I am has changed. Of most significance is my self-identification as a submissive.

Phetra H. Novak, of the review site Seduce Me With Words, said something in her review of Grif’s Toy that so matches my feelings they could’ve been my own words. I found her entire review stunningly beautiful, but I’ve placed the (paraphrased) comment which struck me hardest here:

“…[so often] the submissive is portrayed as a person who has to be convinced by the more dominant partner of what they need; like a child who needs a parent to explain why it’s important to brush their teeth. That aspect, that hint of “parent/child” behavior (for the lack of a better comparison), drives me absolutely bonkers.”

Another phrase I often hear is It takes more strength to kneel before than it does to stand over. Although I certainly appreciate the intended compliment toward submissives, I’m not sure there is more fortitude in either role. I’m not a Dominant and, therefore, I have no concept of the strength required to assume that position or mindset. However, I can surmise it’s simply a different type of courage. Neither is better, or stronger, or more valuable. In Wes’ Denial, one of the main characters, a younger Wes, is on a journey and finds himself under the tutelage of a far more experienced Dominant. Below, we join Wes, Thomas, and his sub, Henrik in a teaching moment:

“Henrik climbed onto the table and assumed a hands-and-knees position. Thomas, with a tap to Henrik’s inner thigh, silently ordered his legs wider apart and then ran a finger over Henrik’s exposed hole.

“Why are you here, Pet?”

“My sole purpose is to please you, Mirus.”

“You see, Weston, the important thing is his gift.”

I looked at him, perplexed. “His gift?”

“You said you were here to learn, is that right?”

I nodded. “Yes. Absolutely.”

“Then the first thing I’d like to share is my philosophy on The Gift. That philosophy is what everything else is based on.”

He was talking to me, looking at me, but his finger never ceased its gentle strokes over Henrik’s exposed hole.

“He gives me—all subs give us—a gift; a gift of self. He has no idea what I’m going to do to him this evening; it could be toe-curling pleasure, or pain so intense he’ll be screaming and begging me to stop. Or perhaps both.” His hand abandoned Henrik’s ass and softly ran up the man’s tight back. “Isn’t that right, Henrik?”

His muscles tensed and his torso arched slightly at the soft touch. “Yes, Thomas. I am yours to do with as you please. To use in the way which offers you the most pleasure.”

I stood slightly to their side and had a clear view of Henrik’s refined profile. “The desire to please aside, do you hope for something in particular tonight, Henrik?” I asked.

Thomas’ hand moved down his back, past the puckering hole, and gently palmed Henrik’s low hanging balls. “Yes, Wes. I do. Mirus knows exactly what pleases me. Of course I want that, desire that. But if he decides I’ll not have it then I’ll find my pleasure in knowing I’ve served him well.”

“He does this because he knows—because I’ve communicated, on the most basic level—how deeply I appreciate what he’s giving me.” Thomas steadily rolled and massaged Henrik’s nuts in his palm. “There’s no doubt in his mind how much I value him. Without their gifts, Weston, we’d be alone without an outlet. There are those who quite mistakenly judge submissives as less than, and us Doms as better than. That we, because we’re the aggressors—because we’re male and assertive—that we somehow hold a higher position, or that we’re somehow better. This can be a costly mistake. One I hope you’re never guilty of making.”

In my experience, most submissives freely relinquish control to a Dominant not because they need to, not because they seek a parental figure, and not because they are broken and require fixing. We offer the gift of kneeling because it brings us pleasure. And, we are thankful for the gift given to us when a Dominate accepts our offering. My partner and I have been married for nearly thirty years and maintain a self-styled D/s relationship. I won’t go into specifics, but like Wes and Grif, we have very distinct Vanilla and Chocolate times. Thus, when I kneel I’m not kneeling for my husband, rather I’m kneeling for my Dom. A Dom who respects me. A Dom who accepts my gifts. A Dom who offers me his gifts in return.

If you’re an author and you happen to be reading this, know I appreciate – beyond words – reading your portrayals of strong, healthy, fully fleshed out submissives. If you’re a reader and you also enjoy these types of characters, perhaps Grif and Wes might just be your thing.

Peace,
JLT
#pleasurethroughdenialblogger_bee_trans

About Wes’ Denial

23211354Wes has spent his life looking for that one special guy who will understand and love him—all of him. From his tender vanilla side, to his darker debauched side.

Throughout high school, his successful career in the Marines, and as a BDSM Dom, he’s remained confident his partner is out there waiting to be found.

However, several events shake his normally unflappable self–assurance.

And, even after he finds Grif, will his past catch up with him and possibly drive his soul mate away?

Available at: PayhipAmazonSmashwords and ARE

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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.

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As part of this blog tour, Joseph is giving away several awesome prizes!! 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 JustJen’s review of Wes’ Denial to see what she thought of it!

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Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2016 | Tags: , , , , , | 6 Comments