Honorary Blogger Post

A Blogger Girl Interview with Ava March + Giveaway

Posted on April 8, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Heather C: For those who follow The Blogger Girls, they may have recognized that I’m pretty much the only one that reads and reviews historical romances. Any thoughts on how to convince readers that historicals are just as good as contemporaries? (For the record, you totally converted me with your Brook Street series)

Ava: I think historicals are more fun than contemporaries because the reader gets to be transported to another time and place. It’s different than what people experience in everyday life. There were also no mobile phones, no TV, no cars. You couldn’t just call someone. If you liked someone, you had to spend time with him in person to get to know him better. As a result, historicals have just always felt more romantic to me.

***

Heather C: If I remember correctly, all of your books have a Regency setting. Any plans to explore other time periods?

Ava: Perhaps. I have an idea for a contemporary that has been nagging at me. We’ll see, though, if it ever gets written. Usually, if I get a contemporary idea, it quickly morphs into a historical. My muse must prefer historicals. But this idea hasn’t morphed yet. So maybe someday I’ll try my hand at a contemporary.

***

Heather C: From Afar is your one and only paranormal, any plans to continue that story into series? Or create other paranormal worlds?

Ava: At this time, I don’t plan to continue From Afar into a series. I have ideas for additional stories set in that world, but I also have a long list of other story ideas. Invariably, when it has come time to decide on a next book to write, there’s been another story screaming louder at me to write it.

***

Heather C: What kinds of research do you do when getting ready to start a new project?

Ava: It depends on the story. Sometimes I need to do research ahead of time in order to nail down plot points. Other times, I’ll do research as I write the story.

***

Heather C: What new things can we expect to see from you in 2015?

Ava: Viscount’s Wager, the 3^rd book in the Gambling on Love series, will be available in August, 2015. And later this year, I’m collaborating with Cooper Davis on a duology. My contribution will be a novella featuring Sam from Brook Street: Thief, and Cooper will be contributing a story set in her Noble Pleasures world.

***

Heather C: Now I’m going to make you play favorites! Out of all the books you’ve written, please tell us your…Favorite Series?

Ava: The Brook Street series. I adore all the guys in that series and how they each found love. And I particularly liked how most of the guys were friends and hung out together. I have an idea for a dinner party epilogue short story for them, and one of these days, I’ll get around to writing it.

Heather C: …Favorite Book?

Ava: This one varies with time. It was All In with the Duke for a while (because Max and Tristan – love their relationship), but lately, I’ve been super in love with Viscount’s Wager. I’m almost almost done writing the book, and I’m just loving how it has come together.

Heather C: …Favorite Character?

Ava: Leopold Thornton from Convincing Arthur and Convincing Leopold. He comes across as this gorgeous, unrepentant rakehell seeped in vice. Yet inside, he’s desperately in love with Arthur and terribly insecure. And he’s so drama. He was fun to write.

Heather C: …Favorite Sex Scene?

Ava: Oliver and Vincent’s first sex scene in Bound by Deception. I love the dynamics of the scene. Oliver’s excitement to finally be with the guy he’s loved for years coupled with the need to hide who he is and the surprise at finding out Vincent’s into some kinky play. Vincent starts off all ‘I’m in control’ alpha, but by the end of the scene, he’s showing signs of turning into a softie for Oliver.

***

Heather C: One final question, just for fun. If you were thrown back into a historical time period, what is the one modern amenity you would have to take with you and why?

Ava: Modern plumbing. It’s not an easy thing to take with you, but since we’re talking hypothetical, in my hypothetical world, I could wave my magic wand and bring modern plumbing with me when I travel back in time. Granted, by the late Regency, valves that could mix hot and cold water had been patented and were beginning to be put in use. Still, it wasn’t the same as the convenience of a full modern plumbing system. And since I’m bringing plumbing with me, I’d throw together a bag of my favorite shampoo, conditioner, and yummy smelling soaps and lotions. What would be the fun of having a big jetted tub in 1820 if you couldn’t slather on yummy smelling lotion when you got out?

About His Client

Love wasn’t supposed to be part of the bargain…

On every visit to Madame Delacroix’s brothel, Nathaniel Travers requests the same man. Stunningly handsome and highly skilled, Jasper not only shares Nate’s fondness for wickedly erotic games and black leather corsets, but he has become a trusted confidant. And Jasper’s the only person who knows Nate longs for a committed relationship with his childhood friend, Peter Edmonton.

Unrequited love hurts, but it hurts even more when the object of affection is in love with another. Jasper Reed has been working at Delacroix’s for a decade. He’s saved enough to retire, yet he remains at the decadent London brothel. Leaving would mean leaving Nate and the hope someday the rugged gentleman would stop pining for his best friend and realize he loves Jasper, just as Jasper loves him.

Edmonton’s impending marriage looms before them, causing Jasper to take another look at his stubborn heart. Yet Jasper’s a bastard whore, and Nate’s the nephew of a viscount. Surely there can’t be any hope for them…

Note: This is a previously published work. This second edition has been edited with minor changes. For readers who purchased the original edition, this second edition is not substantially different.

Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble Kobo | GoodReads

About Ava March

Ava March is a bestselling author of sexy, emotionally intense M/M historical erotic romances. She loves writing in the Regency time period, where proper decorum is of the utmost importance, but where anything can happen behind closed doors. With over fifteen works to her credit, her books have been finalists in the Rainbow Awards and More Than Magic contest, and deemed ‘must-haves’ for Historical M/M romance by RT Book Reviews readers. Visit her website at www.AvaMarch.com to find out more about her books or to sign-up for her newsletter.

Connect with Ava online at: Blog | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest

Blogger_Giveaway

Ava has graciously offered up one ebook copy of His Client to one lucky winner!! (Gifted via Amazon, Apple, or Barnes and Noble) The giveaway starts now and ends April 15, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. To enter, just click the link below AND tell us about your FAVORITE HISTORICAL ROMANCE!

a 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.

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Author Interview, Ava March, His Client, M/M Historical Romance, The Blogger Girls | 15 Comments

Honorary Blogger Lilah Suzanne: Funny Things Are Everywhere + Giveaway!

Posted on April 6, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Funny Things Are Everywhere

by Lilah Suzanne

Am I funny? Well, I was named funniest girl in my fourth grade end of year superlatives. If that’s not a ringing endorsement I don’t know what is.

I do think I am, and I also think the book is funny, but the risk with humor is often taking the chance of it not quite landing with everyone the way it’s intended to. Maybe that’s why there aren’t that many rom coms in romance, a genre that tends to rely heavily on drama and angst. There’s nothing wrong with drama and angst, of course! I certainly read my fair share. But humor tugs on the heartstrings in a different way, a sometimes more subtle way, and I think it can be easier to dismiss it as less meaningful, just because we’re laughing at it. But really important stories and moments can be funny ones, and characters that stick with us are often the ones that makes us smile.

I think readers will recognize Spice as a romantic comedy, and like any good rom com, I hope they come away from Benji and Simon’s story with warmth and affection, and if all I can contribute to the world in any small way is more joy and laughter, than that is more than enough for me.

I feel like I should end this with a joke. Okay: What is a machine that can be used to get spices from the future? A thyme machine. (It’s a spice joke, get it?) (I’m sorry.)

About Spice

Spice 4x6x COVER-Front-1 As writer of the popular “Ask Eros” advice column, Simon Beck has an answer to every relationship question his readers can throw at him. When it comes to his own life, the answers are a little more elusive—until computer troubles introduce him to the newest and cutest member of his company’s IT support team. Simon may be charmed by Benji’s sweet and unassuming manner, but will he find the answer to the one relationship question he has never been able to solve: how to know when he’s met Mr. Right?

Available at: Amazon

About Lilah Suzanne

Lilah Suzanne has been writing actively since the sixth grade, when a literary magazine published her essay about an uncle who lost his life to AIDS. A freelance writer, she also authored a children’s book and has a devoted following in the online fan community.

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

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Lilah is giving away Grand Prize: $25 Interlude Press Gift Card; Multi-Format eBook Copies of Spice to Five Winners!! 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.

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Interlude Press, Lilah Suzanne, Spice, The Blogger Girls | 5 Comments

Honorary Blogger Jane Davitt: Reading, Writing, and Math + Giveaway!

Posted on April 4, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Reading, Writing, and Math

by Jane Davitt

Word limits are useful when I write, but sometimes they’re an ever-receding goal. For instance, for this post, I have a limit of 500-750 words. I aim to give good value and I’m an over-achiever, so let’s go for 750. What do I have to say that can fill 750 words?

Let’s break this down.

I’m a fan of drabbles. They’re short stories that have to be 100 words exactly, not counting title. 101 won’t cut it and neither will 99. So this is seven and a half drabbles long.

Would it be easier if it were longer? A story has a shape to it. A beginning, a middle, and, of course, in my line of work, not just an ending but a happily ever after. So assuming a novel is around 80-100,000 words, if you’re at 60,000 and the lead characters haven’t had any contact at all, there could be a problem. Pacing takes practice, but after a while you get a feel for it.

A daily word limit helps to keep me on track. I do some math. A book of say 80,000 words needs to be handed in on such and such a date. That’s 65 days away. Let’s ignore weekends; I’m always busy then with the family around me, jobs to do, soccer to watch if it’s that time of the year, food shopping to take care of. Stuff. So that leaves me with 57 working days. A tap or two on the calculator and I need to do 1403 words a day. Let’s round up to allow for days when I can’t write. Call it 1500.

No, wait. That’s pathetic. 2000! Yes! I can do 2000. My daughter and husband leave at eight. An hour to dress, tidy up, and see to my Neopets (addicted to Neopets do not judge me!) and I can start writing at nine. I have peace and quiet until 2.30. Allowing for coffee breaks and lunch, that gives me, uh, four hours to write. Oh, I can slurp coffee and write at the same time. Four and a half hours.

More math. 2000 divided by 270, then multiplied by 60 is 444.444444 words an hour.

That is so easy! A little over a drabble every fifteen minutes.

Day one usually goes well. I greet my family with a beaming smile and announce the good news; 2,312 words!

Day two, I read them over, tweak, change, edit, and lose 56 of them before I start. Darn. Halfway through the day, I realize I need to research the wildflowers of Patagonia and bam, there goes a chuck of precious time.

Day three, I’m blocked.

Day four, breakthrough! I write 4,000 words and love the world.

Day five, on a roll. The characters are alive, words pour out of my head and I can’t type fast enough to keep up. I use my two middle fingers and stare down at the keyboard which is probably why. It’s touch typing of sorts, but not really.

Day six my back aches so much I can barely sit at the computer. Writing doesn’t burn many calories but it’s hell on the back and hands. It’s the weekend though, so I relax.

Monday rolls around and I sigh and chip out a grudging couple of hundred. I’ll make it up tomorrow. Or maybe Wednesday.

Rinse and repeat.

And it sounds as if I hate my job. That it’s a chore. And it isn’t. I’ve been writing for over a decade now and nothing can stop me. I began in fanfic and moved to original m/m novels and made writing my career, but it was the first step that was the important one.

Once you discover the high of sharing a jumble of thoughts with another person through the medium of words (it’s like telepathy! How cool is that?) there’s no going back. There’s a scene in a Robert Heinlein book called ‘The Cat Who Walks Through Walls’ where a writer gets married and his wife asks if he enjoys writing.

“No one enjoys writing,” he replies.

She points out that she’s rich, so he can stop.

“Thank you, my love. But I did not explain to you the other insidious aspect of writing. There is no way to stop. Writers go on writing long after it becomes financially necessary…because it hurts less to write than it does to stop.”

Writing this didn’t hurt. Much. But I’ve reached 750 words now, so I’ll stop.

About Life Under New Management

This is the third book in Totally Bound’s Totally Five Star imprint, set in glamorous hotels around the world.

Working for a perfectionist like strict, sexy-as-hell Ethan isn’t easy. Falling in love with him? No problem at all.

Taking a bar job in an exclusive hotel is a stopgap for Andy. He’s an actor and his big break is coming soon—he knows it. His hot, new boss, Ethan, is strict, demanding and totally off-limits, but Andy can’t stop thinking about him.

When Andy learns of Ethan’s need to be in control of his partner—in bed and out of it—he’s stunned by the intensity of his reaction. He wants Ethan guiding him, bringing order to his chaotic life. And he sees that Ethan needs him too, though they can’t be open about their feelings.

Ethan deals out deliciously perverse consequences for misbehaving, but when it comes to incentives, he knows just what to offer to have Andy on his knees begging for more.

But some secrets can’t stay that way for long. And when difficult choices arise, for once Andy can’t turn to Ethan for guidance. This time, he’s on his own.

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes of intense pain play, including the use of a Wartenberg wheel and figging.

Available at: Totally Bound & Amazon

About Jane Davitt

Jane Davitt is English, and has been living in Canada with her husband, two children, and two cats, since 1997. Writing and reading are her main occupations but if she ever had any spare time she might spend it gardening, walking, or doing cross stitch.

Jane has been writing since 2005 and wishes she’d started earlier. She is a huge fan of SF, fantasy, erotica, and mystery novels and has a tendency to get addicted to TV shows that get cancelled all too soon.

She owns over 4,000 books, rarely gives any away, but is happy to loan them, and is of the firm opinion that there is no such thing as ‘too many books’.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

Enter Totally Bound’s competition for a chance to win a copy of Life Under New Management and a $5 TB gift card! Click here to enter!

Don’t forget to check out JustJen’s review of Life Under New Management to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Jane Davitt, Life Under New Management, The Blogger Girls, Totally Bound | 1 Comment

Honorary Blogger M.A. Church: Simon Says… Write that Sequel! + Giveaway!

Posted on April 3, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Simon Says… Write that Sequel!

by M.A. Church

LOL, I knew when writing Shadows there would be a book for Simon and Hawk. *Grin* I was informed of this by Simon—who was very vocal about the many ideas he had concerning his mate, their problems, and how to solve them. Oh my God, was he ever. And once he got to yakking in my ear, it was hard to ignore him. Simon is hard to ignore period He’s not the shy and retiring type, as Hawk found out.

Simon is very opinionated and outspoken. He has that bulldog mentality. As much fun as I had writing Chip and Jason from Shadows, Simon is the one who really spoke to me. He grew on me as Shadows progressed.

There’s just something about him, lol, that’s hard to forget. It’s kind of funny—even though this series is actually about Native Americans—Simon is the one who sparked book #2, not Hawk. But Simon is the one who spoke to me.

The plot actually came from something Simon and Chip talked about in book #1, so the idea was already there; I just had to expand it. I knew Simon was going to be the more outrageous one of the two, and that Hawk was going to have… issues—shall we say—and a past that haunted him. All that was left was for me to figure out how to bring the two together. As it turned out, I had some Divine intervention in the form of Wha-tay!

About To Touch the Sky

He can run, but he can’t hide…

Centuries ago, Hawk made a terrible mistake which has haunted him since. Fear of responsibility and feelings of unworthiness leads him to denying the mate Wha-tay showed him in a vision. So now Hawk runs his bar, has casual sex, and never, ever dates men with blond hair and brown eyes. But then Simon walks into his bar, and the future he’s feared is about to end up in a brawl if Hawk doesn’t do something—fast.

Simon Carter has a smart mouth and a bulldog temperament. So when Hawk runs, Simon pursues the sexy man, only to be rejected. Just as Simon decides to give up, someone—or something—visits him to change his mind… and scares him to death. Now Simon is backpedaling, and Hawk is in pursuit.

Desperate to reassure Simon and keep him safe, Hawk is forced to reveal his secrets before he’s ready. Can Simon learn to accept things aren’t always as they seem? Is the connection between them strong enough to help Hawk overcome centuries of pain? The only way the two men will move beyond Hawk’s past is for both of them to take a leap of faith.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon

About M.A. Church

M.A. Church is a true Southern belle who spent many years in the elementary education sector. Now she spends her days lost in fantasy worlds, arguing with hardheaded aliens on far-off planets, herding her numerous shifters, or trying to tempt her country boys away from their fishing poles. It’s a full time job, but hey, someone’s gotta do it!

When not writing, she’s exploring the latest M/M novel to hit the market, watching her beloved Steelers, or sitting glued to HGTV. That’s if she’s not on the back porch tending to the demanding wildlife around the pond in the backyard. The ducks are very outspoken. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, and they have two children.

She was a finalist in the Rainbow awards for 2013.

Find out more about M.A. at Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Amazon or Goodreads.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, M.A. is giving away ebook copy of Shadows in the Night (book #1) and To Touch the Sky (book #2)!! To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Don’t forget to check out Nikyta’s review of To Touch the Sky to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Dreamspinner Press, M.A. Church, Series - Leap of Faith, The Blogger Girls, To Touch the Sky | 1 Comment

Honorary Blogger Thianna D: Acceptance Brings Change + Giveaway!

Posted on March 27, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Acceptance Brings Change

by Thianna D

Some people look on spanking as just something you do to kids, some people look at it as a sick fetish. To others, it is just for fun. And yet, also for a segment of the population, spanking is also used as a form of discipline. Strangely enough, some of the stuff we are most attracted to, society makes us ashamed of. That kind of shame can eat at a person. Coming out of that shame, can also give you the freedom you need to overcome almost any obstacle in your way.

That’s how things are for Christian. After coming back from Afghanistan, broken both physically and mentally, he doesn’t see much of a future for himself. Meeting Logan is a surprise, especially because it brings up the slight interest he had in men – an interest he had denied for a long time. But Logan doesn’t just bring out his sexual need, he also brings out a kink that Christian has been hiding for a long time – the desire to be spanked.

For someone like Christian for whom spanking is a fetish, being spanked by Logan opens his eyes to the fact that maybe he isn’t bad or wrong for accepting something he has been dreaming about for years. He comes out of the closet to his family, finds a therapist to help him with his PTSD, and works at making himself the kind of man Logan deserves. In doing so, he becomes stronger and frees the man inside who has been hiding for far too long.

And isn’t that we all wish for? I am violently against shame and what it can do to people and to the body. Accepting parts of ourselves we have always denied or put down, finding others who are accepting of it as well, is liberating, good for the body, and for one’s mental health as well. Shame should be outlawed in my opinion.

About As Natural As Breathing

As Natural as Breathing For Christian Darringer, life isn’t worth living. Just back from the Middle East; scarred and with permanent damage to one leg, he does not think anyone will want him for anything. Meeting a gorgeous man he finds himself thinking about constantly is not in his plans. Pulled toward the startling younger man with striking blue eyes, he begins to question a lot of things – especially his sexuality. Not one to hide from a challenge, he plunges ahead only to find himself more than just attracted to Logan who is full of life and joy, he finds himself head over heels in love.

Logan Mannette has almost everything he ever wanted: loving parents, happiness, friends and security. The only thing missing is finding the love of his life, a love that is just like his parents’. When he meets Christian at a party, everything changes. Instantly attracted, he does his best to help this sad man and quickly finds himself feeling more than he has ever felt before. Raised in a domestic discipline household, he holds that ideal as what he wants but his interest in spanking became a fetish and when Christian admits that he wants to be spanked, Logan believes he might have found the perfect man.

Just as everything begins for them, Christian’s past intercedes and one of his brothers makes waves about him dating a man. If it weren’t for Logan’s support, he might fold; but with the love of one amazing man, Christian finds that living his life rather than just existing is as natural as breathing.

Available at: Amazon

About Thianna D

Thianna loves to write strong stories with even stronger heroes. While all of her books have an erotic overtone, it is the story that is the most important to her. “The story should be able to stand on its own. The erotic elements are an add-on.”

She enjoys writing about couples with kink, paranormal couples, and straight out strangeness. But more on that later… mm.thiannad.com.

Find out more about Thianna at her Website, Facebook or Twitter.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Thianna is giving away 2 eBook copies of As Natural As Breathing, and a $10.00 gift card to an eBook seller of the winners choice.!! To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: As Natural As Breathing, M/M, The Blogger Girls, Thianna D | 3 Comments

Honorary Blogger Nico Jaye: Chicago and Wisconsin + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on March 26, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Chicago and Wisconsin

by Nico Jaye

Hi! Thank you so much to The Blogger Girls for inviting me to chat a little about my new book, He’s Just Knot That Into You. I had a lot of fun writing this fluffy werewolf novella and am excited for you to meet Tanner and Jon. =) Right now I’m touring the web to talk about the book, how it came about, my processes—and anything else that comes to mind, to be honest. Of course, a blog tour wouldn’t be complete without a giveaway, so please check out those details at the end of the post!

HJKTIY is set partly in Chicago, partly in the woods of Wisconsin. Chicago has a special place in my heart after I lived there for three years during grad school. Sure, grad school was tough, but the city made it some of the most fun years of my life. There were jazz clubs. And great restaurants. And my little studio apartment along Lake Michigan.

And, of course, who can forget Wrigley Field? Its iconic red-and-white marquee and its famous ballpark franks make Wrigley Field one of a kind in the baseball world. When I lived in Chicago, I spent many a game there and enjoyed the setting immensely.

Tanner and Jon spend some time in Chicago throughout HJKTIY. I had fun revisiting the area through photos and memories, and I hope I did the Second City justice.

The latter half of HJKTIY takes place north of Chicago, in the woods of northern Wisconsin. Although I’d been to Wisconsin—indeed, I’d even stayed in the woods there—it’d been a while since I’d visited, and I wasn’t nearly as familiar with Wisconsin as I was with my daily lifestyle in Chicago.

Hence…research! Is anyone shocked that I discovered Vilas County through the beauty of the Internet? *hears crickets*

By this point you all know how awesome the Internet is for research. Heck, the Internet is awesome, period. I’m saying hello to you through the Internet, after all. =) And, yes, I mean official research in this case, and not the tumblr binges I find myself on when I want a distraction to see some pretties and shinies on there. 😉

Anyway, I digress! We all know the Internet is awesome. Yup, established and accepted into evidence. What I didn’t know was the breadth of information available about this random little corner of northwest Wisconsin that I was determined to feature as the setting of Jon’s family home.

Photo - Autumn in the Northwoods (Used with permission of Life in the Northwoods)

Lucky for me there was a wonderful nature photographer who had a veritable bevy of inspiring photos on his site, Life in the Northwoods. Check it out and you’ll see what I mean. Just the variety of animals and scenery really had my imagination going. Add to that this amazing vacation home I found in the area, and I was all set.

In He’s Just Knot That Into You, I had a lot of fun with the setting—both going down memory lane to revisit Chicago and discovering gorgeous Vilas County, Wisconsin, through the powers of the Internet. =) If you decide to check out the book, I hope you’ll get a taste of the city and backwoods through Tanner and Jon’s eyes.

Nico ♥

About He’s Just Knot That Into You

He's Just Knot That Into You - Cover (artist - Anna Sikorska) When Tanner moves to Chicago for a new job, he experiences his First Shift, a revelation that signifies he’s met his mate since the last full moon. The only problem? He doesn’t know who it is. To find his mate, he enlists his new assistant Jon to arrange a series of dates, but each one turns out more disastrous than the last.

With the next full moon quickly approaching, Tanner finally determines the identity of his true mate. Unfortunately, Jon has since disappeared, and Tanner must now begin a new search. Is it really Jon’s family crisis pulling him away, or is Jon just not that into him?

Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon

An Excerpt from He’s Just Knot That Into You

A note from Nico: Some of you might be wondering what First Shift means to an alpha werewolf in this universe. Well…here’s a little taste of the opening scene. Hope you like it!

He’d suspected nine days ago, but he hadn’t dared to hope.

This night, though, with the first full moon since he’d started at Dilarium, confirmed it.

Curled up on his side in the living room of his subleased townhome, Tanner gritted his teeth, his eyes squeezing shut as he felt the irrepressible movement of bones shifting beneath his skin. The silky carpet was cool and soft against his cheek, and he pressed his face into it, struggling with that over which he had absolutely no control. His body was on fire, his blood pumping through his veins at supersonic speed. An invisible spike pierced his fingertips, one by one, while his jaw rearranged itself on his face.

“AaaaaaaaAAAAAGGGHHH!”

He couldn’t hold back the scream that ripped through him as he felt his spine stretch, then curve, turning him into that one elusive form he’d craved for all of these years: werewolf.

A First Shift was supposed to be the hardest.

The first time bone broke and mended in its transformation into that creature of the night. The first time claws extended, pointed tips puncturing nail beds to replace human fingers. The first time fangs punched out, the teeth of a hunter replacing those of a benign human.

A First Shift was shocking. It was thrilling. It was painful.

Above all, it was exhilarating.

A First Shift meant he had found his mate.

About Nico Jaye

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

Find out more about Nico on her Website/Blog, Twitter, Facebook or Goodreads.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

There will be a giveaway across blog visits. Two winners will be chosen, and each winner will receive (1) their choice of an ebook from my backlist (not including HJKTIY), (2) a pretty ring with the word “love” inscribed on it, and (3) a crescent moon necklace. There are no shipping restrictions, and this giveaway is open worldwide where permitted by law.

Giveaway Pics for HJKTIY Tour

The raffle will end on April 1st. To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Don’t forget to check out Nikyta’s review of He’s Just Knot That Into You to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Chicago and Wisconsin, Dreamspinner Press, He's Just Knot That Into You, Nico Jaye, The Blogger Girls | Leave a comment

Honorary Blogger G.B. Gordon: Part IV – Gathering Survivors + Giveaway!

Posted on March 25, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Part IV – Gathering Survivors

by G.B. Gordon

Hi everyone, I’m thrilled to be here and especially thrilled about the reason I’m here: Bengt and Alex are back with The Other Side of Winter. Some of you wanted to know a bit more about what happens between the two books, so I’m taking the opportunity to give you some glimpses into that year the guys spent apart from each other in a series of intermezzos over the course of this booktour.

SPOILER ALERT! A warning for those of you who’ve NOT yet read Santuario: since thesescenes are set after the first book, there will, of course, be spoilers.

Thank you for having me,

Read on at your own discretion.

IV. Gathering Survivors

Alex found a jumble of tree trunks and branches that gave him a perch off the sodden ground, where he could lean back and doze off without falling. He slept like the liebre, the jackrabbit of the brush lands: minutes at a time. In between those scant rests he listened into the darkness and tried to think of nothing.

As the first light trickled down to the forest floor, he drank some water and refilled his canteen from the numerous mini pools in leaves and flowers, then gingerly picked his way back. When he could smell the remnants of the fire he stopped to listen, then, as quietly as he could, he started to walk around the camp or whatever was left of it in a slowly tightening spiral, stopping ever so often to listen, unfocusing his eyes to look through the canopy instead of at it. He much preferred the more open palm forests he’d grown up around. He tried to tell himself that the cover worked both ways, but still felt exposed and claustrophobic at the same time.

He didn’t step into the clearing when he came to it, again circling around at the edge of the vegetation. All that was left of the bunkhouse and the attached cooking station was a heap of ashes and charred beams. The rain had extinguished the flames before they could spread. Or maybe the jungle was too wet to burn anyway. Alex had braced himself for a heap of bodies, but didn’t see a single one. Nor any turned soil. Odd. While the securitas had a reputation for cleaning up after themselves, he didn’t see them lugging a pile of bodies over this kind of terrain.

His shoulder blade pricking with imagined eyes he took a step forward. Like walking through glue. When nothing happened, he took another step. And another. Searching the debris, for what, he didn’t even know. There was nothing left here. He should scram.

The shock when he recognized the first skull in the ashes hit his body like a physical blow that brought him to his knees. Once seen, they were hard to miss—skulls, ribcages; the fire hadn’t burned hot or long enough to consume the bones.

Don’t think. He’d known every one of these people. Not closely, maybe. He hadn’t been here long enough for that. Don’t. Fucking. Think.

The soft metallic snick whipped his head up. Gun slide. And he was kneeling in the fucking middle of the fucking clearing like a sacrifice.

“Hands behind your head.”

That voice. He did as he was told, but he knew that voice. “Simón?”

Stunned silence answered him, followed by, “Caray. Alex?”

Simón Mendez walked around him and held out his hand to help him up. Alex took it. He hadn’t seen the man in months, and never out of uniform. He was glad to see to see him alive, but there wasn’t much room for happiness in this place, so it just felt strange, skewed to meet him like this. “What are you doing here?”

“We got word of the raid, and tried to get here in time to warn everyone.” He stared into the charred ruins and swallowed the obvious.

“We?”

Simón raised his arm, and Alex turned to watch a dozen more men step out into the open. Three of them he recognized as bunkmates. So he hadn’t been the only one to make it out alive. Four out of sixteen.

“How did they find us?”

Simón shrugged. “My guess? Some poor sod breaking under torture. I just hope it earned him a quick bullet.” He spit into the ashes.

Alex ran his hands through damp hair. The taste of ashes clogged his throat. He swallowed the bile and concentrated every bit of willpower he possessed on blanking out his thoughts. “I lost my fucking hat in there,” he said.

About The Other Side of Winter

Not all wounds are visible.

Skanian investigator Bengt fell in love with fellow policeman Alex Rukow in a week. But that was a year ago, and they’ve been apart ever since. Then Alex escapes the corrupt and destitute island nation of Santuario and comes to live with Bengt. Happy ever after . . .?

Alex’s lifelong dream of leaving Santuario has come true at last. But he finds himself adrift in a society he doesn’t understand. Worse, past nightmares come back to haunt him, and after so many years of suspicion and self-reliance, it’s harder than he imagined to trust someone else.

Bengt just wants Alex to share his comfortable life. But the more he tries to give, the more Alex pulls away. Their physical connection couldn’t be better, but Bengt can’t seem to get through to his difficult, taciturn lover outside the bedroom. Meanwhile, he has his own demons to confront—not to mention a serial killer on the loose.

Bengt and Alex must dig deep for the courage to face their pasts, but it may be too late to save their relationship or their lives.

Available at: Riptide Publishing

About G.B. Gordon

G.B.Gordon worked as a packer, landscaper, waiter, and coach before going back to school to major in linguistics and, at 35, switch to less backbreaking monetary pursuits like translating, editing, and writing.

Having lived in various parts of the world, Gordon is now happily ensconced in suburban Ontario with the best of all husbands. Santuario is G.B. Gordon’s first published work, but many more stories are just waiting to hit the keyboard.

Find out more on G.B.’s Website, Twitter or Goodreads.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a draw for a $15 Riptide gift card. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on March 27. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Don’t forget to add your email so we can contact you if you win!

Good luck!

TheOtherSideWinter_TourBanner

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: G.B. Gordon, Riptide Publishing, The Blogger Girls, The Other Side of Winter | 27 Comments

Honorary Blogger Barbara Elsborg: A Difficult Subject + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on March 17, 2015 by thebloggergirls

A Difficult Subject

by Barbara Elsborg

One of the things writers are often asked is – where do you get your ideas? The answer for me is everywhere as I suspect it is for most authors. The germ for Falling was the story a friend told me about her friend’s son who taught in a school in Scotland. He’d been accused—unjustly—of sexual assault. The pupil in question later withdrew her claim but too late to save the guy’s career. Mud does indeed stick and teaching lost a talented guy.

I took the story a stage further and sent my hero to prison. I have a few friends in the English judicial system and I researched to find out what would happen to him, the sort of sentence he’d get, the likelihood of him being convicted. The fact that Harper was so unfairly treated is, I hope, uncommon. And it’s very important to balance all this against the terrible crimes that are committed against children. Most of those charged with sexual assault deny it and continue to do so even after conviction. But juries don’t always get it right. Sometimes the good guys are delivered into a nightmare that continues long after they are released.

Not an easy topic. Not a light topic. So I balanced it with a guy I fell for the moment I chose his name – Malachi. The meaning of his name is significant!

About Falling

Harper is no longer behind bars, but it doesn’t feel like it. Ten years serving time for a crime he didn’t commit have left him shut down, numb, and a frozen wreck over the simplest of choices.

He’s acutely aware of the dark-haired young man checking him out in the supermarket, but he’s too deep in panic mode to even meet the guy’s gaze. Afraid the slightest move will trigger a fall that will never stop.

Fresh off a long-term relationship with a controlling man, Malachi is stuck living with relatives who think he’s a waste of oxygen. The tall guy in the long, gray coat is the first bright spot he’s glimpsed in a long time…though the man’s unblinking stare at a bottle of shower gel is a touch alarming.

Hard experience tells both of them to turn away before lust turns to hopeless attraction, and inevitably to disaster. But once their sparks connect, the arc of electricity is too strong to deny. Even if the cost is too much to bear.

Available at: Samhain Publishing & Amazon

An Excerpt from Falling

Harper walked quickly back down the main road, rising anxiety making his chest ache. Past The Station pub where light and noise spilled onto the pavement, past a row of shops that were no longer familiar, past the car dealership that was, and he kept going alongside the cricket ground until he reached Ings Lane. He was almost running, but he didn’t seem able to slow down even though his breathing was ragged.

He turned off Ings Lane onto Oddstone Lane. Willow House was right at the end. He wasn’t supposed to be here yet, but the place he’d agreed to stay in for a month had been wrecked by a burst pipe. He transferred the bags to one hand and fumbled in his pocket for the key. It worked—thank fuck—and a flick of a switch turned on the hall light. See? Everything is fine. He closed the door behind him, his chest heaving, stared at the bolt before he wrenched it across, and then he started to shake.

Before the bags fell from his trembling hand, he put them on the floor, then slid down the wall to his haunches, covering his head with his arms, his fingers interlinked.

Safe, safe, safe.

But he wasn’t. His head wouldn’t let him be safe. His head threw him right back into hell. He stayed in that position for a long while, his breathing fast and erratic, waiting for something to happen, for someone to kick him or shout abuse or whisper obscenities or order him to his feet. The complete silence freaked him out. Mentally and physically exhausted, he had no thought of doing anything other than sleeping, because that would shut down his racing mind.

He rocked back and forth, struggling with the churning in his head, his mixed-up thoughts tumbling hard and heavy like boulders rolling down a hill. Taking deep breaths began to help. He had a mountain to climb and falling rocks to dodge, but the mountain would still be there in the morning, and maybe when he woke, it wouldn’t look quite so much like Everest.

Once he was sure his legs would support him, he pushed himself up. He left the supermarket purchases where they lay, picked up his duffel bag and made for the stairs. He didn’t even know if there was a bed to sleep in.

He pushed open the door to his old room and pressed the light switch. A double bed but no sheets, blankets or pillows. He pulled thin, flowery curtains across the window. What a novelty, though he felt no more secure. Cleaning his teeth and washing his face was a nightly ritual and he broke it. He didn’t even need to take a piss. Had he drunk anything today? A coffee, first thing. Nothing after.

He left the light on, kicked off his shoes and curled up on the bed in his coat. A moment later he got up and put the shoes neatly together on the floor. He’d hardly lain flat again before he reached down and tossed them across the room. He closed his eyes. Please let me sleep. Please don’t let me dream. Please give me my life back.

No one was listening. No one ever had.

He was still falling.

About Barbara Elsborg

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

After dragging up two rotten, ungrateful children and frustrating her sexy, devoted, wonderful husband (who can now stop twisting her arm) she finally has time to conduct an affair with an electrifying plugged-in male, her laptop. Her books feature quirky heroines and bad boys, sometimes two bad boys for each quirky heroine, and more recently two bad boys all on their own. She hopes her stories are as much fun to read as they are to write.

You can find out more about Barbara and her books at www.barbaraelsborg.com, catch more of her scintillating wit at her blog on the same site, and if you want to tell her how much you love her books, please, email her!

Blogger_Giveaway

Barbara has graciously offered up an eBook copy of Falling to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends March 23, 2015 at 11:59 p.m. To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

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

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Barbara Elsborg, Falling, Samhain Publishing, The Blogger Girls | 47 Comments

Honorary Blogger Susan Mac Nicol: Reasons Why My Story Is Different + Giveaway!

Posted on March 13, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Reasons Why My Story Is Different

by Susan Mac Nicol

Oh yes, there are a few books out there with this theme. I’ve read Harper Fox’s ‘Tyack and Drayne’ mysteries and love every one of them. I think the reason my story is different is because it’s not so much about helping the police with formal investigations, but rather Taylor trying to ease his pain over a friend’s death and unravel the mysterious circumstances around it for his own peace of mind. He also wants to bring closure to a man who is on the edge trying to retain what’s left of his family.

This is less about the police work and the investigations and more about a man (Draven) who is a real sceptic coming face to face with someone he doesn’t believe in (Taylor) and having everything he thought was true in his grounded world come apart. It’s about the frailty of the human psyche in managing a gift like this and the loneliness that ensues as a result. It’s about someone with a special gift telling you something you really don’t want to hear but knowing it’s the right thing to do.

As it was in Love You Senseless, this is about Taylor bringing peace to other people using his talent and at the same time, causing havoc within himself. And of course, the fact there is a hot investigator with a past tragedy in his own life just makes it that little bit more interesting.

I think Taylor sums up the whole raison d’être of a psychic in these words.

Taylor swallowed. “I’m sorry you feel that way.” His throat was dry, his stomach roiling at Draven’s harsh words. “I’m just a messenger, believe me, it’s no fucking fun for me either. I didn’t ask for this gift, I was cursed with it, and sometimes it seems more heartache than it’s worth.”

And

Taylor’s temper flared. “I’m sorry that I’m not able to switch it on and off like a fucking light switch, Dray, just to stop you hurting. I’m just passing on a message from a boy that thinks you’re holding onto him for your own needs, not his.”

About Sights and Sinners

SMSight and Sinners_4 THE MEN OF LONDON – From Charing Cross to Waterloo, there’s no escaping love.

SEEING THROUGH…

28-year-old Draven Samuels has a tragic past, but as an investigator with a high-profile London company he now gets what he wants. Tough, sarcastic, and sceptical, he has no patience for lies and even less for people who waste his time. Even if they’re as beautiful as the wild and dark-haired Taylor Abelard. Especially when they’re talking over the body of a murder victim.

THE DARKNESS

Psychic Taylor Abelard is used to people calling him a freak. He can see past events and feel the ghostly vibrations of people close to him who’ve passed on. It’s why he doesn’t get too close to the living. But this time, against his better judgment, despite Draven’s mocking rejoinders, Taylor will get closer than ever before. The mystery surrounding a dead friend will lead the two men down a dark and seedy trail of blackmail and lies. Add in the heartbreak of a family tragedy, and events lead them straight into each other’s arms. By the end of this night, all their demons will have risen—and been banished with the dawn.

Available at: Amazon and Barnes & Noble

About Susan Mac Nicol

Susan Mac Nicol is a self confessed bookaholic, an avid watcher of videos of sexy pole dancing men, self confessed geek and nerd and in love with her Smartphone. This little treasure is called ‘the boyfriend’ by her long suffering husband, who says if it vibrated, there’d be no need for him. Susan hasn’t had the heart to tell him there’s an app for that…

She is never happier than when sitting in the confines of her living room/study/on a cold station platform scribbling down words and making two men fall in love. She is a romantic at heart and believes that everything happens (for the most part) for a reason. She likes to think of herself as a ‘half full’ kinda gal, although sometimes that philosophy is sorely tested.

Lover of walks in the forest, theatre productions, dabbling her toes in the cold North Sea and the vibrant city of London where you can experience all four seasons in a day , she is a hater of pantomime (so please don’t tar and feather her), duplicitous people, bigotry and self righteous idiots.

In an ideal world, Susan Mac Nicol would be Queen of England and banish all the bad people to the Never Never Lands of Wherever -Who Cares. As that’s never going to happen, she contents herself with writing her HEA stories and pretending, that just for a little while, good things happen to good people.

Find out more about Susan on her Website, Blog, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, LinkedIn & Tumblr.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Susan is giving away 2 copies of Double Alchemy and Double Alchemy: Climax!! To enter, just click the link below!

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Don’t forget to check out Susan65’s review of Sights and Sinners to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: Series - Men of London, Sights and Sinners, Susan Mac Nicol, The Blogger Girls | Leave a comment

Honorary Blogger Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock: Who Should Play Mac? + Giveaway!

Posted on March 9, 2015 by thebloggergirls

Who Should Play Mac?

by Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock

Hi! We’re Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock, the authors of TEMPEST. We’re touring the web taking about our influences, our processes, anything we can think about actually, and even giving you guys a sneak peak or two! And what would a blog tour be without a contest? Check out the details at the bottom of the post to see what you can win!

It becomes a running joke in our PLAYING THE FOOL series that Henry is writing a screenplay based very loosely on his and Mac’s adventures. And we figured this email is probably the sort of thing that Mac has to put up with while Henry’s doing that:

blogger_bee_trans

About Tempest

Something wicked this way comes.

FBI Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness and con man Henry Page are on the run again. This time they’re headed back to where it all began: Altona, Indiana. Population: some goats. Henry’s not happy about lying low at the McGuinness family farm, but they’ve got nowhere else to go.

While Mac fights to clear his name and Henry struggles with whose side he’s really on, a ghost from the past threatens to destroy everything. And those aren’t the only storms on the radar. Cut off from both sides of the law, Mac and Henry must rely on their tenuous partnership to survive.

If Henry can convince himself to let Mac see the man behind the disguises, they’ll stand a chance of beating the forces that conspire against them. The course of true love never did run smooth, but for the two of them, it might be their only hope.

Available at: Riptide.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

Thanks for following our tour! To celebrate our release, we’re giving away an awesome prize – an ebook copy of a novel of your choice from either of our back catalogs. We’re also giving away a $20 Riptide gift voucher, and some comfy items picked especially for you by Henry: a pillow shaped like a donut, and a pair of donut-themed socks.

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post with a way for us to contact you, be it your email, your twitter, or a link to your facebook or goodreads account. Please put your email in the body of the comment, not just in email section of the comment form, because we won’t be able to see it otherwise! On March 20, 2015, we’ll draw a winner from all eligible comments! Be sure to follow the whole tour, because the more comments you leave, the more chances you have to win the prize!

Good luck!

Tempest_TourBanner