Honorary Blogger Post

Honorary Blogger HelenKay Dimon: Location, Location, Location + Giveaway!

Posted on November 25, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Location, Location, Location

by HelenKay Dimon

I’m a big fan of holiday romances. Combine the cold weather (I live in San Diego where there is almost none), the food (I can’t cook but I can eat), the music (I sing very loud) and the general festive atmosphere, and I’m in. Notice how I’m not mentioning the crowds, the running around and all the other issues that go with family-time celebrations. The holidays can be rough for some people, so the idealized happy holidays doesn’t always fit in real life but it works in romance. There is something very romantic about the idea of a happy ending in this setting.

One of my favorite holiday settings also mixes well with one of my favorite romance tropes – trapped in a cabin. Putting the couple – in the case of STRANDED a lethal alpha male couple – in a “can’t easily get out” situation just ups the tension. The snow is falling around and the cold is rolling in and they are forced to talk it out…and end up doing other things. They can’t walk away or ignore each other. Location demands that they do and say something.

In STRANDED, two men who used to work together and were formally a couple reunite in a cabin in Alaska. They are away from other people and not close to easy transportation home. They have a stack of emotional baggage piled between them. Lies, secrets, and the fact one of them once tried to kill the other. Not exactly easy issues to overcome, but the mix of close proximity, bad weather and a mutual attraction that neither of them can kick give them no choice. It’s either work it out or be done forever. Since this is a holiday romance, I’ll let you figure out which one happens. ☺

About Stranded

Cabe got out of the gun-for-hire business the hard way—by nearly dying. Except then his former boss calls in one last favor for one final job. The mission should be simple: get a message to a retired operative in Alaska. But it puts Cabe face-to-face with the one man he doesn’t want to see and can never forget. Not after all the secrets and lies. Not after Brax almost killed him.

Brax Hughes lived hard and retired young to a cabin in the middle of nowhere. Well, that was the plan, but before he can hang up his sniper rifle, he has one last mission: win back Kyle Cabe. Brax wants another chance, wants to come clean, but after months of lying to Cabe, he knows he could face a bullet—or worse—when they meet again. And they will meet. Brax made sure of that.

With a storm moving in and someone lurking outside the cabin, time is running out. Brax needs to talk fast and keep his weapons ready. And his best weapon is the truth.

Available at: Riptide Publishing, Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About HelenKay Dimon

HelenKay Dimon is a former divorce attorney turned full-time romance author. She has sold over thirty novels and novellas to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Kensington, Harlequin, Penguin, Carina Press and Riptide Publishing. Her nationally bestselling and award-winning books have been showcased in numerous venues and her books have twice been named “Red-Hot Reads” and excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine.

Find out more about HelenKay on her Website.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Stranded, HelenKay is giving away a $25 Amazon or B&N gift certificate (winners choice)! Your first comment at each stop on this tour enters you in the drawing. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on November 28, 2015. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. Entries. Follow the tour for more opportunities to enter the giveaway! Don’t forget to leave your email or method of contact so Riptide can reach you if you win!

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

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: HelenKay Dimon, Riptide Publishing, Stranded, The Blogger Girls | 13 Comments

Honorary Blogger K.A. Merikan: Jed & Ryder + Exclusive Excerpt!

Posted on November 17, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Jed & Ryder

by K.A. Merikan

We are proud to present our newest book, One Step Too Close. It is the #6 in our biker-themed series, Sex & Mayhem, and for the first time, both of the main characters will be actively involved in the outlaw lifestyle. Members of the same club, big, strong, and yet very lost in what they feel for one another. The fact that they had been raised as brothers, despite not being at all related, doesn’t make things any easier.

We came up with the two MCs while writing our previous release, Guns n’ Boys: Swamp Blood, where they fill in the roles of secondary characters. One Step Too Close, is going to be all about them. Jed and Ryder will have to face long-held secrets, fierce jealousy, a love that shouldn’t have happened, and a threat that could cost them both their lives. Loyalty to their motorcycle club will clash with a forbidden love affair. Jed’s daredevil, self-destructive attitude will clash with Ryder’s ambition, and controlling nature. They will both have to learn how to compromise instead of butting heads. Oh, but the compromises will be most delicious!

About One Step Too Close

— One love. One motorcycle club. Two stepbrothers. —

Ryder. Controlling. Ambitious. Protective.

Jed. Self-destructive. Trapped. Lonely.

Their love? Forbidden. Taboo. All-consuming.

For Jed, the Coffin Nails Motorcycle Club is family. With them, he learned how to think, what to enjoy, and how to fight, but there is one thing he knows his friends can’t find about. They would never accept him as gay, and so his life is a constant struggle with desires that fill him with despair. Only there is a much darker secret lurking in Jed’s heart. His feelings for his stepbrother, Ryder, go far beyond brotherly. Trapped with a yearning that can never be fulfilled, Jed spirals out of control and unwillingly puts the love of his life in danger.

Ryder is climbing up the ranks. Recently promoted to sergeant-at-arms, he has it all: drive, respect, and the love of his biker family. When his stepbrother gets into trouble with the law, Ryder decides to take the blame and save him from a long sentence. Deep inside, he knows there is nothing he wouldn’t do for Jed, but through a desperate attempt to suppress his own hidden desires, he might irreversibly break the man he secretly loves.

But finding out what they feel for each other will test their loyalty to the Coffin Nails MC and change their lives irreversibly.

Available at: Amazon

Don’t forget to check out Susan65’s review of One Step Too Close!

An Excerpt from One Step Too Close

His heart was beating like a drum as he neared the pale doorway, already choked by the heavy scent of perfume coming into the corridor. The visitation space was full of couples holding hands and looking into each other’s eyes over the table, and a few sad heart-shaped helium balloons wiggled in the air every time someone walked by.

As he looked for Jess’s dark curls, it was dark blond that he found instead. Jed got up with a squeak of the chair when he saw Ryder, and smiled widely, dimples prominent under his stubble, blue eyes bright and happy to see his brother. Maybe something important did come up last week? Jed would never just forget about him.

It suddenly hit Ryder just how enticing those eyes were. Being with Jed was like flying close to the sun without getting burned by it, but he found himself stalling on the way to their designated place when the reality of what he was seeing kicked in. Jed was fine. Finer than he’d ever seemed, with broad shoulders that Ryder no longer saw as just a token of masculine strength. He wanted to hold on to them and then slide his hands to Jed’s pecs, which seemed so appetizing under the tight white shirt.

Ryder blinked, bringing himself out of the stupor and walked over, pulling Jed into his arms, only to get buried under a scent reminiscent of sandalwood mixed with soap. Was it Jed’s shampoo that tugged on Ryder’s cock with such persistence? He didn’t know, but it wasn’t helping that when he wanted to pull away, Jed only hugged him tighter, pressing his hard body against Ryder’s and getting his ears hot.

“Miss you, man,” Jed whispered so close to Ryder’s ear that the hot air gave Ryder goosebumps.

About K.A. Merikan

K.A. Merikan is the pen name for Kat and Agnes Merikan, a team of writers, who are mistaken for sisters with surprising regularity. Kat’s the mean sergeant and survival specialist of the duo, never hesitating to kick Agnes’s ass when she’s slacking off. Her memory works like an easy-access catalogue, which allows her to keep up with both book details and social media. Also works as the emergency GPS. Agnes is the Merikan nitpicker, usually found busy with formatting and research. Her attention tends to be scattered, and despite pushing thirty, she needs to apply makeup to buy alcohol. Self-proclaimed queen of the roads.

They love the weird and wonderful, stepping out of the box, and bending stereotypes both in life and books. When you pick up a Merikan book, there’s one thing you can be sure of – it will be full of surprises.

Find out more about K.A. on her Website, Facebook, Twitter, Goodreads, Pinterest or email her at kamerikan@gmail.com.

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: K.A. Merikan, One Step Too Close, Series - Sex & Mayhem, The Blogger Girls | Leave a comment

Honorary Blogger Kenzie Cade: For the Love of an Alpha + Giveaway!

Posted on November 16, 2015 by thebloggergirls

For the Love of an Alpha

by Kenzie Cade

Hey y’all! Thanks to The Blogger Girls for having me today! It’s an honor.

Dylan is near and dear to my heart and has been since day one. When Piper and I sat down to hash out Prickly Business and then later Prickly By Nature, Dylan came to me almost immediately. Here’s why: I love alpha males. Like, seriously love them.

Of course, we all love men or we wouldn’t be addicted to this genre, so it’s true that I have a place in my heart for all different types of characters. However, the alpha male just does it for me. I like their growly, bossy, and even the domineering sides. the greatest thing is that each alpha male, while they may contain a combination of all of the above, is different in their own way.

I’ve done my fair amount of delving into my collection of alpha book boyfriends, and there’s one thing I’ve learned (well, many things, but one important thing). An alpha male cannot have a weak partner. The alpha male always, but always, has the idea that he is the one in control, the one in charge, and while outwardly that’s true, he has to have someone who can and will go toe to toe with him then be there after the fire settles. For all worthy alpha males, their partner must be as badass as they are, even if they don’t recognize it at first.

Take Dylan for example. He knows what he wants and who he is, but he’s also a stubborn jerk when he thinks he knows best. I’ll admit, Avery is just as stubborn and definitely prickly, but he’s got attitude and charm in spades, but man, do they go head to head time and time again. This second book was one of my favorite to write because of the continuation of that relationship. Dylan and Avery are settling in, but they don’t lose themselves, they don’t lose the alpha-sense and the hard-headed nature.

I have a ton favorite alpha male characters from m/m books and m/f books alike—Sloan Brody from Charlie Cochet’s THIRDS series is one of my all-time faves, as is Kane “Tack” Allen from Kristen Ashley’s Motorcycle Man and Chaos Motorcycle Club series. But those are just two. Who are your favorites?

About Prickly by Nature

Some people might call Avery Babineaux a prick. He’s a hedgehog shifter from an old-money Louisiana family, with a penchant for expensive shoes and a reputation for being a judgmental snob. His attitude is why he and his fated mate are estranged. Not that Avery cares. He doesn’t want to be mated to some blue-collar werewolf anyway. Or so he keeps telling himself.

No werewolf likes to be looked down upon, least of all Dylan Green. He doesn’t need a mate, especially not some snotty hedgehog who sneers at his custom motorcycle shop and calls him a grease monkey. But when Avery gets into trouble with a shady loan shark, Dylan can’t stand by and let him be hurt—whether he wants the brat or not.

Yet once Dylan steps into Avery’s world, he realizes there’s more to Avery than his prickly exterior, and that unexpected vulnerability calls to Dylan’s protective instincts. The sassy little hedgehog needs a keeper, and despite their horrible first impressions, Dylan starts to believe he might be the wolf for the job.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon

About Kenzie Cade

Kenzie Cade was born and raised in the South where she spends her days in the field of private medicine observing interesting people and committing them to memory for later use. When she isn’t reading, experimenting with recipes, or being distracted by social media, Kenzie spends time with her family, friends, and fur-babies who likes to keep her company while she writes. Writing to keep the fictional voices at bay, Kenzie enjoys the journeys her characters travel to find their happy endings, and she loves the challenge of writing a great love story.

Find out more about Kenzie on her Blog, Facebook, Twitter or email her at kenziecade.author@gmail.com.

Blogger_Giveaway

Kenzie has graciously offered up an eBook copy of Prickly by Nature to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends November 23rd at 11:59 p.m. To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

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

Don’t forget to check out Morgan’s review of Prickly by Nature to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT | Tags: Dreamspinner Press, Kenzie Cade, Prickly by Nature, The Blogger Girls | 14 Comments

Honorary Blogger Kate Lowell: Part 6 – Undercover Operations + Giveaway!

Posted on November 6, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Hi, I’m Kate Lowell! Thanks for joining me on the Flesh Market tour, or what I’ve come to call “The blog tour that will forever make you question your view of the world around you”. I know it did that for me. Tons of research that went into this book. So many books, so many articles, and over the course of the tour, I’m going to share some of that research, and some of my sources with you. (Please be gentle—it was extremely difficult to condense all that info down to a reasonable sized blog post for each topic. I could have gone on ad nauseum—and honestly, some of the reading was nauseating.) One lucky winner will get to choose any one book from the ones I’ve highlighted through the tour, and I’ll send it to them. (Caveat: I won’t necessarily send the cheapest version of a book, but I do need to keep my pocketbook in mind. And some books may only be available used, or in electronic format. We’ll talk when you win. )

Post 6 – Undercover Operations

The house across the road from my mother-in-law was for sale about a decade ago. A family moved in—mom, two kids. Pets. The father followed several months later.

At the time they purchased the house, the father was undercover for the RCMP, investigating a biker gang that had moved into Ontario. When he arrived, he still wore the appearance of the man he’d played: rough talk, rough walk, bearded and stern. He was friendly enough, but he never quite shook the aura of danger. They eventually moved away, I think because the neighborhood had trouble warming up to him.

Local forces don’t generally have the resources for long undercover assignments. Federal agencies, like the FBI or the RCMP, can run undercover investigations for years if necessary.

In an undercover investigation, the stakes can be very high, and the risks commensurate. Some agencies run operations using people local to the area, but the risk of an undercover identity being blown is much higher. Imagine sitting in a bar with the person you’re investigating, only to be greeted by your real name by your kid’s teacher, or your mechanic.

Federal investigations, with their longer time frames, often involve the investigator leaving behind all signs of their real life. They carry ID and credit cards belonging to their undercover identity, meet their supervisor rarely, and go into their jobs knowing that their back-up is not right behind them, but possibly hours away. They must shed their own mannerisms, and adopt those that will allow them to blend in with their target. They live away from their home, wear clothes that are not their own, and live a double life.

In Flesh Market, Leo’s undercover assignment goes from medium risk to high risk. He spends a year setting up an identity—doing small, semi-legal jobs, gradually making a name for himself on the wrong side of the law. Co-operation between agencies (don’t believe all those TV shows showing FBI and local law enforcement not getting along) solidifies his background. FBI agents in all their centers also make a practice of cultivating informants, who can often be convinced to do a favor for law enforcement—more background. And then he gets hired.

At that point, he goes from regular meetings with his supervisor (and the regulation every-six-months psychological evaluation), to having a bugged phone, and being followed on a regular basis. Then again, when he’s moved into the ‘procurement’ branch of the organization where he doesn’t even have the option of leaving to go to his rooming house, things gets even more awkward.

About Flesh Market

27273838 Special Agent Leo Gale is up a creek. A year and a half of deep cover is about to go up in flames. He needs help – something, someone to salvage the operation and save the lives of untold numbers of trafficked teenagers.   But he isn’t expecting the partner they send, or his own gut-punch of a response to the man.

Julian worked hard for that FBI Honors Internship. It’s supposed to be a foot in the door. He’d never expected it to catapult him into the middle of a major undercover operation. Yet here he is, sleeping on a filthy mattress and using every trick in the book to avoid torture–and worse. He’s never felt so scared, or so alive, in his entire life, and he’s not sure if it’s the danger, or Leo, that’s making his heart race.

There’s no time to think about it, though. The operation is heating up, and Leo and Julian are running out of time and options. They must find a way to take the traffickers down, before Julian becomes just a set of organs on the flesh market.

Available at: Loose Id

About Kate Lowell

Kate lives on the east coast of Canada, in an old farmhouse in the middle of nowhere. She has one horse now, who still has medical issues, and three cats, all of which still have mental issues. She still refuses to get a dog, because who knows what would be wrong with it?

Kate loves to read and write. She also likes playing with computers and is going back to school to do a programming degree, just for giggles. Or the opportunity to take over the world. (Oh, who are we kidding? Think of all the work that would mean.) She also likes pictures of pretty men and keeps many of them on her computer. (The pictures, not the men.) She would dearly love a cabana boy to mow her lawn and maybe rub her shoulders after a long day of making men fall in love with each other, then cackling evilly and raining frustration and danger on them.

Find out more about Kate on her Facebook, Twitter and Website.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Kate is giving away an E-book copy of one of the recommended reads Kate used in her research for Flesh Market!! To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

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

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

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Flesh Market, Kate Lowell, Loose Id, Series - Bodies and Souls, The Blogger Girls | 1 Comment

L.B. Gregg on Riptide’s Anniversary Tour + Giveaway!

Posted on October 22, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Thank you for joining Riptide on our 4th Anniversary blog tour! We are excited to bring you new guest posts from our authors and behind the scenes insights from Riptide. The full tour schedule can be found at here. Don’t miss the limited time discounts and Free Books for a Year giveaway at the end of this post!

Please welcome L.B. Gregg to the tour!

My Bluewater Bay novella marked a departure for me as a writer. Not just because the series is a group project, but also because I wanted to pay tribute to the sort of friends-to-lovers romances I’ve always adored. The sort of story where characters meet as children and, after trials and tribulations and conflicts and resolutions, the pair come together and find true love as adults. Because they were meant to be.

Linda Howard and Deborah Smith wrote two of my all time favorites in this trope, and while I’d written stories about guys who meet in high school (Mark and Tony; Mistletoe at Midnight; Simple Gifts), I’d never attempted to write one that tapped into the heart of a childhood experience. It was a little daunting, and frankly, my spin is probably a little weird. But that’s okay. We’re all a little weird, and ultimately, this weirdness works.

Buck isn’t responsible for the circumstances of his life, but they define him. He’s like the lonely child inside all of us. Alien in his environment, alone in a crowd, and all he really wants—needs— is a friend. Just one.

We all have favorite stories. This happens to be mine.

About Bluewater Bay

BWB_SeriesCover Welcome to Bluewater Bay! This quiet little logging town on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula has been stagnating for decades, on the verge of ghost town status. Until a television crew moves in to film Wolf’s Landing, a soon-to-be cult hit based on the wildly successful shifter novels penned by local author Hunter Easton.

Wolf’s Landing’s success spawns everything from merchandise to movie talks, and Bluewater Bay explodes into a mecca for fans and tourists alike. The locals still aren’t quite sure what to make of all this—the town is rejuvenated, but at what cost? And the Hollywood-based production crew is out of their element in this small, mossy seaside locale. Needless to say, sparks fly.

This collaborative story world is brought to you by eleven award-winning, best-selling LGBTQ romance authors: L.A. Witt, L.B. Gregg, Z.A. Maxfield, Aleksandr Voinov, Heidi Belleau, Rachel Haimowitz, Anne Tenino, Amy Lane, SE Jakes, G.B. Gordon, and Jaime Samms. Each contemporary novel stands alone, but all are built around the town and the people of Bluewater Bay and the Wolf’s Landing media empire.

There’s Something About Ari and the first five Bluewater Bay titles are being sold in a special discounted bundle by Riptide this week only. Check out the sale on this series and other bundles, including more from Bluewater Bay, at Riptide.

Find out more about the series at Riptide Publishing. blogger_bee_trans

An Excerpt from There’s Something About Ari

Prologue

The cafeteria doors burst open and a stick-thin boy with streaming black hair hit the playground at top speed. His lime-green light-up sneakers flashed as he dodged the kickball game and zigzagged through jump-ropers. In red cargo pants and a yellow Power Rangers T-shirt, he was colorful and electric and probably every bit as bad for me as the bag of Skittles I’d hidden in my jacket pocket.

He made a beeline for the jungle gym, scampered to the tip-top, then flipped upside down, squinting into the sunshine. His arms dangled like tentacles, one wrist-to-elbow covered in a green cast.

My mother would have had a heart attack if I’d flipped over anything, even with two good arms and a safety net. Not this kid. He swiveled from his bat perch beaming such joy—his small, heart-shaped face mesmerized me.

I kept to my swing, toeing the dirt and popping Skittles one after the other, the bright flavor coating my teeth. If only the candy could give me the courage I needed to say hi. Hi. Hi. Hi.

The pint-sized guy waved like I might miss him. “Hey. Hey! Hi! Hi.” He had a squeaky mouse voice, missing front teeth, and a bruise under his left eye—but he had no problem talking to a stranger. “I’m Ari!”

Ari. The name sounded weird and new and maybe even foreign. Ari. I swallowed the candy and lifted my sticky hand. “I’m Buck.”

His eyes widened. “Buck? Wow. Are you a real cowboy? ’Cuz that’s an awesome name for one.”

I was terrified of horses. And I didn’t think Buck was such a great name since I’d learned it rhymed with something awful—but it impressed Ari, so I kept my answer simple. “It’s short for Buckley.”

What else was there to say? I wasn’t good at talking to other kids because they didn’t talk to me. Not at recess anyway. And not in class unless we were partners for something. Not even at Cub Scouts because I was different. I didn’t know how they knew, or what left me standing on the outside, but I was smart enough to stay out of everyone’s way, because when the other boys did include me, it wasn’t especially nice.

This Ari kid’s face was glowing with excitement, though. “Today’s my first day of school. We were late getting here because the car wouldn’t start and we had to walk, so I haven’t gone to class yet, but Mr. Bennett said that’s okay, ’cuz he’s my teacher.” Ari dangled upside down, chatting like this development in my day was totally routine. I didn’t know what to do, so I watched him hang there, his hair falling from his head in straight black lines. He stuck his tongue through the gap in his smile. “Hey. Wanna see something cool? Watch this.”

He flung high in a wild arc, and his arms pumped until he swung parallel to the ground for a hovering second and then he whipped backward. Then he did it again and my heart skipped, and no, no, no. I didn’t want to watch anything cool. He was going to fall and break his other arm or his neck or something, and the teachers would probably think we’d been fighting.

I chewed my lip, sneaking a look at the grown-ups, but they were lumped in a group on the blacktop, talking. Some of them were even laughing.

I felt sweaty.

He used his small weight to rock higher and higher. “One. Two. Three!”

Ari tucked his knees, letting go of the bar, like he trusted gravity not to face-plant him in the woodchips. I thought I was going to die, but he flipped vertical and stuck a two-footed landing. He grinned goofily and took off, running circles under the jungle gym like a crazy person.

Ari squealed, “My dad taught me how. Wasn’t that the coolest?”

I didn’t even know boys could do a penny drop, because that’s something girls did, but his had looked perfect. More than perfect. Magic. Once I got my breath back, I nodded. Ari was actually the coolest.

“My dad says I have a lot of energy, so he showed me all kinds of tricks. I can teach you too, if you want.”

“I’m not very energetic.”

“That’s okay. I have plenty of energy for both of us.” He laughed and wriggled into the empty swing next to me, having to hop to get his butt in the seat. When his toes didn’t touch the ground, he turned to lay on the swing’s seat, chest down. His feet trailed through the dirt.

I started to understand why he had a broken arm.

Ari said, “I’m in Mr. Bennett’s room.”

“Me too.” Mr. Bennett might sit Ari next to me because I modeled good behavior. That’s what all the teachers said. “Why are you wearing the yellow Power Ranger? That one’s a girl.”

“Yellow’s my favorite color. I don’t care if it’s a girl’s shirt. I like girls. They’re okay. I really like your shirt.” Today was Scout meeting day. I was wearing a blue Cub Scout shirt, like the other boys in my class, and the fabric pulled across my chest. “Are you in Scouts?”

I nodded. “We don’t do much, yet. We’re supposed to go camping. That’s why I joined. My mom just had a baby and she can’t take me camping anymore.” I didn’t mention my dad being sick, because it made my stomach hurt and I’d eaten a lot of candy. I didn’t want to puke in front of the other kids.

Ari twisted on the swing. “Can I come too? To Scouts? And camping? I could go with you. We can be friends, if you want. I like you. We can go together.”

I like you.

Those three words pierced the loneliness and chased away my shyness. I pictured the two of us walking into the Scouts meeting room, side by side. Sharing a tent on the sleepover. Eating marshmallows and reading comic books. Shooting rockets in the backyard like my dad used to do. A friend.

My friend.

Hope curled inside my belly, and it soothed the hunger that Skittles never eased. I gripped the metal chain with one hand; the other, I wiped on my clean pants. I held my palm above my head, waiting until Ari beamed and slapped me up high with a solid thwack.

Best high five ever.

That’s the day I fell in love with Ari Valentine.

About L.B. Gregg

When not working from her home in the rolling hills of Northwestern Connecticut, author L.B. Gregg can be spotted in coffee shops from Berlin to Singapore to Panama–sipping lattes and writing sweet, hot, often funny, stories about men who love men.

For more info on L.B., because surely one can never get too much of a good thing, you can follow her on her preferred social media, Facebook. You can also e-mail L.B. at lbgregg at lbgregg dot com, visit her website www.lbgregg.com, be her GoodReads pal or follow her sporadic appearances on Twitter.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

To celebrate our anniversary, Riptide Publishing is giving away free books for a year! Your first comment at each blog stop on the Anniversary Tour will count as an entry and give you a chance to win this great prize. Giveaway ends at midnight, October 31, 2015, and is not restricted to US entries.

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT | Tags: L.B. Gregg, Riptide Publishing, Series - Bluewater Bay, The Blogger Girls, There's Something About Ari | 16 Comments

Honorary Blogger L.A. Witt: Five Favorite TV Shows + Giveaway!

Posted on October 20, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Five Favorite TV Shows

by L.A. Witt

Since Bluewater Bay deals with a TV show, I thought it would be fun to talk about the TV shows I have been known to watch when I actually tear myself away from the computer. Though, to be fair, I sometimes bring my computer into the living room with me, but I don’t see how that’s relevant.

Anyway.

Here, in no particular order, are my five favorite TV shows of all time:

The X-Files – You guys. I was such an X-phile when I was a teenager. Seriously. I bailed around the sixth season because it started sucking, and I have the second movie tucked away in the “this didn’t actually happen, it was all a fever dream” part of my brain where I keep things like the fourth Indiana Jones movie and the Star Wars prequels, but the series itself will always have a special place in my heart. Also, David Duchovny was my first celebrity crush. I REGRET NOTHING.
Burn Notice – Decided to watch one episode at the recommendation of my lovely author friend Aislinn Kerry, and wound up binge watching the whole damned thing over the course of two weeks. Still haven’t watched the last three episodes, though. I’m just not ready to let go. Also, Jeffrey Donovan is hot.
South Park – It’s crass, it’s badly animated, it’s some of the most biting satire on television… what’s not to love? I don’t have a crush on anyone on South Park.
The Daily Show – SHUT UP JON STEWART IS HOT. But seriously, I love this show. And Trevor Noah is hilarious, so I have high hopes that it’ll remain as awesome as Jon Stewart made it.
Forensic Files – I could do without the annoying narrator, but I can binge watch the hell out of that show for hours. Though I’m pretty sure it annoys my husband when I roll my eyes and mutter “I’d get raked over the coals if one of my characters did something that stupid…”

So there you have it – my five favorite TV shows. What are your favorite shows? blogger_bee_trans

About Rain Shadow

26220011 Jeremy Rose came to Bluewater Bay to work as Anna Maxwell’s bodyguard, not to escape his increasingly bitter relationship with his estranged kids. He just wants to focus on his job and be alone for a while. He’s done with love, especially now that three years after his long overdue divorce, he’s got a front-row seat to the rapid deterioration between Anna and her girlfriend. Cynical doesn’t even begin to describe him.

Then Anna and Leigh’s attempts to reconcile put him in the crosshairs of marriage counselor Scott Fletcher. Scott’s exactly what Jeremy needs right now: gorgeous, hot, horny, single, and 100% uninterested in a relationship. The problem is, too much no-strings-attached sex — and too much time in each other’s company — inevitably builds emotional connection.

Except Jeremy refuses to seek counseling for his broken family, and Scott refuses to get seriously involved with men who work dangerous jobs. They both need to realize they can only hide for so long from the pain they came here to escape. They must face their pasts before they lose their shot at a happy future.

Available at: Riptide Publishing & Amazon blogger_bee_trans

About L.A. Witt

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut…

A.’s backlist is available on her website, and updates (as well as random thoughts and the odd snarky comment) can be found on her blog or on Twitter.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (excluding Rain Shadow) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on October 24th, and winners will be announced on October 26th. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.

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

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: L.A. Witt, Rain Shadow, Riptide Publishing, Series - Bluewater Bay, The Blogger Girls | 17 Comments

Honorary Blogger Lane Hayes: The Joy of Discovery + Giveaway!

Posted on October 13, 2015 by thebloggergirls

The Joy of Discovery

by Lane Hayes

I admire people who aren’t afraid to take risks. It’s just so not me. Don’t get me wrong… I’m usually willing to give something new a try, but on my terms. I like a planned orderly existence in which I feel as though I have a modicum of control. But let’s be honest… where’s the fun in that? The unexpected is what keeps things exciting. At times it may test my comfort zone and cause me to question my sanity, but I admit I have a soft spot for wacky, smart people who aren’t afraid to take a chance. And thankfully, I’m surrounded by a few.

One of my closest friends from college is a perfect example. She’s off the charts intelligent and has a few degrees to prove it, but she’s kind of… eccentric. She’s the original “nature” girl. Loves to camp, has traveled the world and for a self-proclaimed hippy has led a pretty cosmopolitan life. Until I met her (almost thirty years ago, yikes!), I’d never been on a plane, slept in a tent or had a shot of tequila. True, it was college and I probably would have discovered a few of those things on my own, but I wonder if I would have developed a love of travel.

My first ever plane ride was from LA to Hawaii. I was twenty years old and scared shitless. Of course, I soon realized it wasn’t that bad, especially when I arrived five hours later in a magical, tropical land where everything smelled like flowers. From the minute that trip began, it was nonstop trip of firsts ranging from trying poi (a Hawaiian staple that looks like purple mush) to sleeping on the cold ground in a tent with a hole on top of a red ant colony. I came home with a sunburn, bug bites and the intense desire to do it all over again. Minus the ants. Over the past couple of decades I’ve traveled quite a bit. The joy of discovery in a new place is a rush. Moreover, the exposure to other cultures and ways of thinking is priceless. It’s an education all its own. Every time you leave your comfort zone, even if it’s by way of a train or a bus rather than a 747, you’re learning something new. There is no doubt that travel has been a major influence on my writing. Exploring a new world and being open to new experiences can change your life.

In Better Than Safe, Paul is a British ad exec who’s traveled extensively for his work and enjoyed it. However, he’s looking forward to spending time at home in DC and maybe even meeting someone nice. Instead he meets Seth. Seth is an international fashion model, sometime guitarist slash aspiring artist. He’s beautiful but undeniably odd. One minute Paul could be convinced Seth is an immature, overgrown adolescent and the next, a genius. Either way, he’s exactly the type of man Paul swore off years ago. Crazy artist types are a bad bet for a man who values a measure of peace in his personal life. In spite of all the compelling reasons Paul can think of to steer clear of Seth, he can’t deny he is very attracted to Seth’s brand of chaos. He may be exactly the man to convince Paul some risks are better than being safe.

Better Than Safe is book 4 in the Better Than Stories series. These books are standalones and can be read in any order. Thank you so much for having me on your blog today!

Happy Reading! Lane Hayes xo

About Better Than Safe

25512977 Paul Fallon is a fashion advertising guru. He’s a genius at dealing with difficult editors, art directors, and designers alike. He thrives on the chaotic atmosphere and constant challenges. But in his personal life, he’s hoping for peace and stability. Settling down with a nice doctor or lawyer sounds perfect. Anyone but an artist. He’s been there, done that, and he doesn’t want to relive the heartache.

Seth Landau is a model, occasional guitarist, and aspiring painter. He’s quirky, flighty, and wise beyond his years. Life has taught him some tough lessons, then given him opportunities he never dreamed of. He’s learned to appreciate the fragility of life and to express it in his work. Seth’s flare for the absurd combined with a supple mind and a beautiful body are too alluring for Paul to ignore. Against his best intentions, Paul is drawn to the younger man whose particular brand of crazy challenges Paul to accept that things aren’t always as they seem. Sometimes taking a chance is better than being safe.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press and Amazon

About Lane Hayes

Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to a well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles both be men! Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her first novel was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards and her third received an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards. She loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and the coolest yellow lab ever in an almost empty nest.

Blog || Facebook || Twitter || Email

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Lane is giving away a $25 Gift Card to Ebook retailer of choice (DSP, Amazon, ARE Café) and a second winner will win an eBook copy of any one title from author’s backlog!! To enter, just click the link below!

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Don’t forget to check out Morgan’s review of Better Than Safe to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Better Than Safe, Dreamspinner Press, Lane Hayes, The Blogger Girls | 1 Comment

Honorary Blogger Annabelle Jacobs: Matt & Thomas + Excerpt!

Posted on October 2, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Matt & Thomas

by Annabelle Jacobs

My latest book, The Altered 3, was released the week, and is the third and final book in the Lycanaeris Series.

The main focus of this book is Matt, the only single member of the group now. He’s the steady guy, the one you can rely on to use common sense and not get flustered. That is until Thomas comes along and changes everything.

Before I began writing this one, I needed a little inspiration for my characters and I think these two actors are perfect.

For Matt, I went with Chace Crawford.

Unknown

And for Thomas, I chose a young Brad Pitt. He’s one of my all-time favourite actors and fits exactly with what I imagined for Thomas.

brad pitt

This book picks up the story a few months after where book 2 ended, and whereas The Altered 2 was primarily about the relationship between Sam and Ash, this book carries on the storyline from book one and has all the main characters involved in the action.

About Altered 3

26825839 Matt is a single shifter living in a house full of couples. It’s not that he begrudges his friends their happiness—especially after everything they’ve been through—but he wants someone for himself. He wants a mate. Living out in the Cornish countryside there seems little chance of him finding one.

Thomas’s life has recently been changed for ever. Newly altered, he finds himself in danger as his mother, a prominent politician, works to put a stop to the mistreatment of altereds and bring those responsible to justice.

To keep him safe, Thomas is sent to Cornwall where Matt and his friends offer him refuge until he can return to his home in London. Despite the circumstances surrounding his arrival, Thomas and Matt bond in a way neither of them were expecting. They struggle to come to terms with what this might mean for their future once the threat is eliminated.

Available at: Amazon

An Excerpt from Altered 3

“Daniel?” He strained to hear anything but the whole farmhouse seemed quiet. His senses were a little overwhelmed after being effectively dampened for the last three hours, but after thirty seconds or so he could hear the tread of footsteps outside and a car approaching the farmhouse.

Jordan’s black Volkswagen T5 pulled up onto the gravel drive at the same time as Matt opened the kitchen door. Daniel walked over to meet him as he got out of the van, holding his phone out for Jordan to see. Whatever was on there had Jordan tensing up immediately.

“What’s wrong?” Matt called out, making Daniel jump, but Jordan didn’t even flinch already fully aware of his presence. He walked over to them, and looked pointedly at Daniel.

Daniel motioned for Jordan to give him his phone back and handed it straight over to Matt. “I got an email from Shaw.”

It took Matt a good few seconds to recognise the name. And when he did, his chest tightened at the memories it invoked. It wasn’t that anyone had forgotten what happened at the facility, but it wasn’t exactly a popular topic of conversation either. Shaw, along with Ash and a Dr Adams, had been injected with the serum by Chambers and had ended up a partial altered. Whatever he had to say, Matt doubted it would be anything good.

The email was short and to the point. Shaw hadn’t bothered with pleasantries, and Matt felt oddly pleased by that. They weren’t friends, and he was glad no one pretended otherwise. He read it again to make sure he hadn’t missed anything and handed the phone back to Daniel.

“So.” Matt glanced up at the sky, knowing their peaceful existence was about to change. But he asked the question anyway. “Are we going to take them?”

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.

Find out more about Annabelle on Twitter, Facebook, her Website or by email at ajacobsfiction@gmail.com.

Blogger_Giveaway

AUTHOR has graciously offered up PRIZE to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends END DATE at 11:59 p.m. To enter, just click the link below!

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Don’t forget to check out REVIEWER’s review of BOOK to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, AUTHOR is giving away PRIZE to one lucky winner!! To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Don’t forget to check out REVIEWER’s review of BOOK to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Altered 3, Annabelle Jacobs, Series - Lycanaeris, The Blogger Girls | 1 Comment

Honorary Blogger Edmond Manning: Secondary Characters Speak Out About Burning Man + Character Interview & Giveaway!

Posted on October 1, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Secondary Characters Speak Out About Burning Man

by Edmond Manning

My latest release in The Lost and Founds series, King John, introduces a few secondary characters, all attendees of Burning Man in the year 2002. We see bits of their stories through their interactions with narrator, Vin Vanbly, but a few of them have intriguing insights about Burning Man and what drives people to attend.

These voices might be worth hearing.

Meet Helena and Alan, a mid-twenties couple who have attended Burning Man for a number of years. He’s blond and a little sunburned, but who isn’t this week at Burning Man? This mighty and naughty festival in the desert boasts incredible costumes, mutant cars, and the craziness of people who gather to worship the sun and themselves. Helena is his girlfriend, and she walks the playa like a black goddess, turning the heads of men and women alike. Back home, she works as a costume designer for a university drama department.

John is possibly the same age as Helena and Alan and wants a career as a musician, but to be on the safe side, he’s getting a degree in pharmaceuticals. Lots of jobs in that market. But attending Burning Man is freeing for him, a reminder his life isn’t locked up in a pill box, unless he wants it to be. Last year was his first year as a burner, and he loved it.

And Michelle, who—well, Michelle speaks for herself. Best not to give her an introduction. She’d only criticize it.

<<< >>>

How many times have you been to Burning Man?

Alan: This is my fifth year and Helena’s third.

Helena: Actually, babe, it’s my fourth and your sixth.

Alan: Right. I forgot about the year it rained.

John: My second year. I was a burgin last year, which is what you call someone who is attending their virgin year. But that’s not me this year.

Michelle: My first time. Although I don’t like the word burgin. Don’t call me that.

And what brought you back to Burning Man? Or for Michelle, what brought you here for the first time?

Helena: We love it. As a costume designer, I come for inspiration. And these people are doing fabulous things on the cheap. I learn how to do things on a budget from everybody here.

Alan: Uh, and it’s fun, right, honey? Fun? Honey? She doesn’t like it when I call her honey.

Helena (laughing): I only dislike it when you’re so phony about it, you fucking fake.

Alan (laughing): Also, we have more sex out here than we do at home.

Helena: True. But it can get boring out here. Sometimes sex is all there is.

Alan: Gee. Thanks.

Michelle: Gross. By the way, you look fabulous. I love those necklaces. They’re all fake gold, right?

Helena (laughs): Thank you. And no comment.

John: I came—

Michelle: Kisses, girl.

John: I came this year because last year was amazing. I had such a great time. We didn’t get the exact same crew back this year, but I’m sure it’s gonna be a blast. We love hanging out together, me and my camp. We never get enough of it in the real world and so out here, we really get to spend time together. It’s amazing.

Michelle: Me? Oh, I dunno. I came because I was bored.

How would you describe Burning Man to someone who had never been here?

Alan: I would describe it as a wild party in the desert. A chance to get outside of civilization and remember freedom. It’s insane out here. Even with all the electronics and fire and parties, the best part is the people.

Helena: This is why I love you. I know you’re obsessed with the electronics, the fire gadgets and everything, but you still said the best part is the people. Love you, babe.

Alan: I love you too. And I want to be clear that I don’t mind being used for sex, even if it’s just because you’re bored.

Helena: I’m never going to live that down, am I?

Alan (smiling): No, ma’am.

Helena: If I promise we can do something kinky later today, will that help you forget?

Alan (grinning): Yes, ma’am.

Michelle: This place is boring as hell. You go and look at art stuff. Big deal. Also, it’s very sandy in the desert. Or powdery. Whatever.

John: Burning Man is where you go when you need to challenge yourself and also remember there’s more to life than studying and tests and a good credit score. This is what matters. Life. You come out here and you let life get into your skin, and when you—

Michelle: It gets in your butt crack. The sand.

John: It’s worth it. Even with the sand.

Alan: It is.

What’s your favorite costume?

John: I gotta be honest, I do not mind seeing a scantily clad Sparkle Pony. I do not mind that at all. I don’t mind saying it. They like the respectful attention.

Alan: Last year, Helena wore—

Helena: Well, aren’t you the flatterer. I was serious. We can do something kinky.

Alan: Good. So, she wore this golden—

Helena: Don’t tell that story. I was fat. Pick another costume.

Alan: Um, okay. How about I also say Sparkle Ponies just to make it easy.

Helena: Sparkle Ponies? Why’d you pick them?

Alan (grimacing): I do not see any winning way out of this conversation.

Michelle: There’s a lot of costumes, okay? But I want to get off my chest that I don’t think you’re a good interviewer. You haven’t asked anything we weren’t expecting. I mean, what do you like about Burning Man? It’s lame.

Alan: Chill out. It’s the third question.

Michelle: Thanks for the advice, frat boy. If it’s okay with you, I’m not gonna not listen to a guy who puts product in his hair in the desert. I mean, this is supposed to be an interview. Ask us something evocative. Interesting. C’mon. Get interesting.

Michelle, how old are you?

Michelle: How old do I look?

John: Only chicks in their teens ask that question. She’s not even twenty. Bet you a hundred bucks.

Alan: No, she’s gotta be twenty three. She talks like she’s from Vassar, and she just finished her first philosophy class last semester. Nothing but attitude.

Michelle: What’s a Vassar?

Helena: I’m with John. Michelle looks like she’s nineteen. Maybe. And my favorite costume is something we saw a day ago, this cute little family dressed as Star Wars characters, with their water cooler fitted out to look like R2D2. Next question.

What’s the hardest part of dealing with being away from civilization for over a week?

Helena: I won’t lie. I’m addicted to email. Who would have known by 2002 people would get addicted to answering email and making sure their Inbox was clean, right? I mean, how much worse could it get than that? I miss clicking Send.

Alan: Carpet. I forget how soft and good it feels under your feet. Nothing but hot sand here. I miss carpet.

John: Taking a normal dump on my own toilet.

Michelle: You guys are pathetic. Carpet and a dump? But the real problem is the questions being asked. You’re not taking chances. You’ve got to risk more in this life if you want more in this life, and your questions are lame. Ask something better.

What’s your favorite Burning Man food?

Helena: This is going to sound disgusting, but beef jerky. I would never eat that at home. But I relish it here. I don’t know why I never crave it—

Michelle: Okay, see, this is what I am talking about. Sorry, girlfriend. I had to cut you off. This is lame. Everybody’s going to have different foods they prefer and someone says pretzels and someone else says, chips. Who cares? Nobody. You should ask people what feelings they feel the strongest, something that matters, not whether or not you like Twinkies.

Alan: I love Twinkies. I’d eat a Twinkie right now. I want one.

John: Me, too. Love Twinkies.

Alan (holds out fist): Dude. Fist bump.

(The gentlemen fist-bump.)

Michelle: Oh my god. You boys and your jock games. Fist bump. Ask something real. Get to the truth of things, man.

Okay, Michelle. Let’s get to the truth of things. No way you’re twenty-three. What’s your real age?

Michelle: You know what? This interview bores me. I’m leaving. Also, where do I get food in Black Rock City? Like, a convenience store or something?

Alan: You are kidding me.

Michelle (shrugging): I left in a hurry. I packed light.

Alan: You are a total Sparkle Pony. I’m changing my favorite costume back to Helena in the golden wings, her ancient Greek costume. I pick that. Even if she was fat that year.

Helena: Excuse me? Fat? Did you just call me fat?

Alan (bewildered): But you said…you said you were—

Helena: There goes the kinky thing I promised.

Alan: Well, shit.

John: I’m twenty-five. Well, I’ll be twenty-five in two months. That’s my real age.

Michelle: You’re a terrible interviewer. Someone point me toward the nearest Coke machine. Also, I need some quarters.

About King John

26195309 English attorney Alistair Robertson can’t quite believe an astonishing tale of kingship and transformation he hears at Burning Man, the annual counter-culture art festival in the Black Rock desert. Who are the Found Kings? Is “being kinged” as magical as it sounds?

Determined to find the mysterious garage mechanic named Vin who helps men “remember who they were always meant to be,” Alistair catches his quarry amid the extravagant sculptures, fire worshipers, mutant cars, and lavish costumes. After searching for three years, he’ll finally get to ask the question burning inside him: “Will you king me?”

Wandering together through the desert, Vin Vanbly and Alistair explore Burning Man’s gifting culture and exotic traditions, where they meet the best and worst of their fellow burners. Alistair’s overconfidence in Vin’s manipulative power collides with Vin’s obsessive need to save a sixteen-year-old runaway from a nightmarish fate, and the two men spiral into uncontrollable, explosive directions.

In this fourth adventure of The Lost and Founds, beneath the sweltering summer sun and the six billion midnight stars, one truth emerges, searing itself on their hearts: in the desert, everything burns.

Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble blogger_bee_trans

About Edmond Manning

Edmond Manning is the author of the romance series, The Lost and Founds. The books in this series include King Perry, King Mai (a 2014 Lambda Literary finalist), The Butterfly King, and King John. King John takes place at Burning Man.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Edmond is giving away an eBook copy of King John!! To enter, just click the link below!

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Don’t forget to check out Gyn’s review of King John to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Character Interviews, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Edmond Manning, King John, Series - The Lost and Founds, The Blogger Girls | 4 Comments

Honorary Blogger Larissa Ione: Mood Enhancers + Giveaway!

Posted on September 17, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Mood Enhancers

by Larissa Ione

So…last night I was reading, and I had my feet wrapped in a fuzzy blanket, a nice apple scent wafting up from my wax burner, and a bowl of popcorn and bottle of beer next to me, because who doesn’t like to make a huge production of reading?

My husband would raise his hand if he saw this question. He just reads. He sits in a chair and…reads.

Personally, I like “mood enhancers.” And no, I don’t mean alcohol. Not specifically, anyway.

But when I settle in with a good book, I like to set the tone, and it all depends on the story.

If I read a book set in the Arctic, I grab a blanket and some hot cocoa (assuming it’s not the middle of summer.) If I’m reading something set in the past, my drink of choice is wine. Paranormals usually call for a nice Scotch, and beer goes with everything. Iced tea is a favorite for any book set in the American South.

I like to snack while reading too, and anything salty is my go-to, but I do try to avoid snacks like Cheetos – no yellow cheese powder on my pages! Ack!

I’m not a big music person, so unless it’s Christmas music, I don’t usually turn any on. Christmas music is perfect for the Arctic-set books, though, which I love. Man, set any book in the snow and I’m there.

What about you? Do you have any book rituals that involve food, drink, music, etc? And if you’re reading Base Instincts and need any suggestions, I recommend dark chocolate and a Duvel, a Belgian ale named after the devil. Fitting, for a story full of demons, don’t you think? ☺

So tell me…what’s your ritual? blogger_bee_trans

About Base Instincts

25880767 As a Seminus demon, Raze’s life literally depends on having sex with females. The problem is that he doesn’t desire females, and it’s physically impossible for him to be with males. Thankfully, he and his best friend, Fayle, have an arrangement that keeps him alive . . . if lonely. He finds some solace in his work as a medic at Thirst, a vampire club known for its rough clientele. But his carefully structured world turns upside down when he meets a mysterious male who makes him want what he can never have.

Slake is an assassin used to getting what he wants, and what he wants is Raze. But he also wants to earn back the soul he sold when he was a much different demon. All he has to do is capture a runaway succubus named Fayle and hand her over to her family. What he doesn’t count on is being caught himself by a web of lies—and his attraction to Raze.

Raze and Slake must navigate a dangerous world to be together. But as Fayle’s jealousy of their relationship turns deadly, they find themselves embroiled in a battle not only for their love, but their lives and souls.

Available at: Riptide Publishing & Amazon

About Larissa Ione

Larissa Ione is an award-winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author. An Air Force veteran and former EMT, she traded in a career as a meteorologist to pursue her passion for writing. She now spends her days in pajamas with her computer, strong coffee, and supernatural worlds. She believes in celebrating everything, and would never be caught without a bottle of champagne chilling in the fridge . . . just in case. She currently lives in Wisconsin with her US Coast Guard husband, her teenage son, a rescue cat named Vegas, and her very own hellhound, a King Shepherd named Hexe.

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

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a tote bag with swag and signed copies of Pleasure Unbound and Desire Unchained, the first two books in the Demonica/Lords of Deliverance series! Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on September 19. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget your email so we can contact you if you win!

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

Good luck!