Honorary Blogger Post

Honorary Blogger Tempeste O’Riley: Physical Limits and Deserving Love + Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Physical Limits and Deserving Love

by Tempeste O’Riley

Today I thought I’d talk a little about Kaden and why he believes he does not deserve the love and acceptance of a Dom due to his physical limitations.

Kade is loving, submissive, and at one time, had confidence. Then he was the victim of a sever gay bashing, and the only part that stayed the same was the loving part. He packed away his toys and tried to ignore a huge part of himself because he doesn’t believe a Dom would really want him; would be willing to modify things for him and still enjoy their time together.

One of the things that many with mobility issues face is how the able-bodied world around them treats them. This wasn’t something I really thought much of until I began having trouble walking. I got firsthand and up-close knowledge of how some act when you are using forearm crutches or a wheelchair. The way people acted and spoke to me changed. Whether they would meet my gaze or look over my head to speak to me. And may other things altered when my disability became visible due to my tools of mobility.

It’s hard some days to keep your faith in others when faced with others that treat you as less of a person. Then add in that Kade loved kneeling (something he can no longer do), caning (something many would be scared to do thanks to his part injuries), and more. Plus, he did try going to a couple of clubs, where the Doms ignored him. That’s a hard mix to handle and not take personal.

It’s not that he doesn’t think he deserves love, but rather that he doesn’t believe anyone will ever look past his wheels to see the boy he truly is inside.

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About Caged Sanctuary

1Kaden Thorn, a dental surgeon who lives a quiet life, has no hope of finding the love he craves. A vicious gay bashing cost him the use of his legs and confined him to a wheelchair. He has given up hope of finding a Dom or even a nonkink partner to love him. When his best friend practically forces him to attend a dinner party, the last thing he expects is a strong Dom who can see beyond his wheels.

Deacon James is an architect and a demanding Dom, but he has spent the past couple of years without a sub or partner. When an employee invites him to a dinner party to meet his girlfriend, Deacon smells a setup but agrees anyway. He prides himself on being an excellent judge of character, and when he meets the younger dentist, he sees past the chair and finds a sweet submissive man who more than piques his interest.

Kade’s fears and demons continue to haunt him, challenging Deacon to use everything he’s learned as a Dom to earn Kade’s trust and submission. Deacon’s determined, though, willing to battle all of it to have Kade by his side and at his feet.

Available at: Dreamspinner PressAmazon and Barnes & Noble

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An Excerpt from Caged Sanctuary

“Can I help you?”

“Delivery for a Kade Thorn,” the bored-looking man said, holding out the box.

“That’s me.”

After signing for the box, Kade set it in his lap, intending to return to his office before opening it. Sunny, the receptionist, and Katie had other ideas. “So… open it already and see who it’s from,” Sunny insisted, her eyes wide. He knew he shouldn’t be surprised, after all, he’d never gotten a personal delivery at the office before, but as he had no idea what he might find within, he wasn’t certain opening it with others there was the best idea.

“Not here. It’s personal.” Kade looked around, noting a few patients staring, and knew he was blushing again. Swallowing hard, he glanced at the box in his lap then spun himself around and sped down the hall. He wanted to know what was in the box, almost as much as he didn’t want to be watched opening it. Behind him, Katie and Sunny giggled, promising to hunt him down if he didn’t spill soon.

Trying hard to ignore them both, Kade reentered his office, pausing to lock the door this time. Once back at his desk, he set the long box down, then pulled the ribbon off carefully, not wanting to damage it. He slowly slid the lid off, more nervous than he thought he ought to be. There was a cream-colored card tucked into the white tissue paper covering the contents.

Kade picked up the card and opened it.

Kade,

I saw this rose and thought of you. I hope you like the material. I simply love leather. Don’t you?

Deacon

He stared at the card, throat tight as he thought about how sweet Deacon was being already. No one sent him gifts. Ever.

Excited, Kade quickly set the card aside, then opened the tissue, revealing a beautiful, long-stemmed, emerald green leather rose with delicate black lace between the petals. Staring at the rose for a moment, he idly noted that even the stem and leaves were made of soft leather. He’d never seen anything like it and could hardly believe it was for him. They hadn’t even had their first real dinner together yet and already he felt more cherished than he ever had before. He wasn’t sure whether he should be happy that Deacon was so attentive or depressed that no one else had ever done anything like this.

After staring at and carefully stroking the soft petals for a few more moments, Kade reverently set it back into the satin lining the box. He then woke up the computer and quickly sent a thank you e-mail to Deacon, wishing it were Friday evening already.

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About Tempeste O’Riley

TO-logo-250-white_zpsfd9ed5d1Tempeste O’Riley is an out and proud omnisexual / bi-woman whose best friend growing up had the courage to do what she couldn’t–defy the hate and come out. He has been her hero ever since.

Tempe is a hopeless romantic that loves strong relationships and happily-ever-afters. Though new to writing M/M, she has done many things in her life, though writing has always drawn her back–no matter what else life has thrown her way. She counts her friends, family, and Muse as her greatest blessings in life. She lives in Wisconsin with her children, reading, writing, and enjoying life.

Tempe is also a proud PAN member of Romance Writers of America®Rainbow Romance Writers, and WisRWA. You can find Tempe at these sites:

Website ♥ Goodreads ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Google + ♥ DSP ♥ Blog

Blogger_Giveaway

Tempe has graciously offered up an eBook copy from her backlist to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends January 14, 2015 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 JustJen’s review of Caged Sanctuary to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2015 | Tags: , , , | 10 Comments

Honorary Blogger Will Freshwater: How NOT to Write a Successful M/M Romance Novel + Giveaway!

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How NOT to Write a Successful M/M Romance Novel

by Will Freshwater

Most reviewers of Favorite Son usually comment on how the book doesn’t exactly fit neatly into the M/M romance genre. While I won’t bother disagreeing with the growing list of critical assessments, I will shamelessly exploit their comments and poke fun at myself by explaining how NOT to write a successful M/M romance novel:

Be a gay man.  First, and most important, I need to say how much I genuinely respect and admire all authors, regardless of gender. However, it does seem that most successful M/M romances are written by women. While I’m certain that having a penis doesn’t make me any more or less knowledgeable about love, it certainly seemed to limit what I could write about. When I started crafting the novel, my focus was on the ubermasculine topic of politics, but by the end of the first chapter, John Wells, the protagonist, was already making goo-goo eyes at some random guy on the subway. Although it’s a generalization, people usually assume that gay men are more interested in sex than in romance.  That might be true, but I’m just hoping readers will overlook my gender and give Favorite Son a chance.

Make the protagonist a workaholic. Is there anything sexier than a man who spends fourteen hours a day at the office, slaving away over draft legislation and legal memos? Early in the writing process, I realized John was far too engrossed in his work to ever give romance a second thought. Still, I know from experience how easy it is to transform zeal into love and channel ambition into passion. Initially, it seems unlikely that Peter and Danny would ever stop working long enough to fall for each other, but collaborating to restore the chapel becomes the foundation of a truly transformative relationship.

Put a fully clothed silhouette of a man on the cover. This one speaks for itself, no? The cover of Favorite Son may not be salacious, but it definitely tells a story of a man struggling to reconcile his two worlds. Sometimes a picture really is worth a thousand words.

Make the protagonist’s love interest straight. Opposites attract, but how can there be any hope for love or romance when one character is gay and the other is straight? Midway through the first draft of my novel, I decided it would be more interesting, albeit a bit unconventional, to write about an intense “bromance” between friends. After all, romance is defined as “an ardent emotional attachment or involvement between two people.” And besides, it seemed highly unlikely that John would jump back into a relationship after having been burned so badly by David and Paul.

Don’t include any sex scenes. Sex sells. Anyone who watches TV after dark can attest to that fact. Even though I knew that most successful romance novels contain a fair amount of heat, I made the conscious decision not to include any graphic scenes. When Florence Woodside shows up early at Peter’s cottage unannounced, the two horny, half-naked guys inside end up getting a hearty breakfast — not sex. Rather than focus my attention on describing what happens in the bedroom, I decided to work to develop complex, multidimensional characters and let readers use their imaginations to fill in the rest.

This whole post explaining how NOT to write a successful M/M romance novel really illustrates how silly it would have been to restrict the creative process with rules or expectations. As in love, a good writer should always follow his heart.  I know from experience: it always points you in the right direction.  And besides, there’s more to life than just finding success.  If you don’t believe me, read Favorite Son.

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About Favorite Son

FavoriteSonLGBorn into a blue-collar family, John Wells beat the odds and came out a winner. As chief of staff to Patrick Donovan, a US senator and aspiring presidential candidate, he enjoys all the power and privilege of a DC insider. But while riding high on a wave of success, he’s blindsided by a series of betrayals from the people he trusts the most. In the space of a single day, John’s perfect life unexpectedly unravels when his career falters and his marriage implodes. Following a final, devastating blow, John assumes a new identity as “Peter” and flees to Provincetown, where a tight-knit community of eclectic characters slowly transforms him.

Peter finds himself drawn to Danny Cavanaugh, an enigmatic carpenter who is struggling to come to terms with his own troubled past. As they work together to renovate a local landmark, the two men forge an unlikely friendship that blossoms into love and becomes the foundation for a new life they hope to build together. But when a reversal of fortune pulls John back to DC, the treacherous world of politics he thought he’d left behind threatens to destroy his chance at true happiness.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon

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About Will Freshwater

Will FreshwaterWill Freshwater was born and raised in a small steel town outside Pittsburgh. He graduated, cum laude, from Boston College and was awarded a Juris Doctorate from the

University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Will has lived and worked in Boston,  Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Tampa. Although he has spent the better part of the

last twenty years working as a successful corporate attorney, Will can happily confirm that his true vocation is writing. He currently resides in Morristown, New Jersey with his

husband, Stephen, and their golden retriever, Rory. Favorite Son is Will’s debut novel, and he is hard at work on his second novel.

Find out more about Will on Facebook, Twitter or email him at willfreshwater@yahoo.com.

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Will has graciously offered up an eBook copy of Favorite Son to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends January 13, 2015 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.

Good luck!

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Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , | 18 Comments

Blog Tour Serial: Dirty Minds (Part Eight) by Rhys Ford + Giveaway!

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To celebrate the release of my new book, Down and Dirty, I’m inviting you to follow along with blog tour serial of a Cole McGinnis case, Dirty Minds! Enter to win a giveaway at every site!

Dirty Minds

Part Eight

The next day, Bobby came rolling in with a chain of hickeys around his neck. He sure as hell didn’t have them when I saw him at two am. Claudia eyeballed him as he swaggered in.

“Boy, you’ve got to sometimes feed your dates.” She pointed a pencil at his bared throat. “That one you took home last night should have had a sandwich or something before you got down to business.”

“Yeah, he’s a bit…” He slunk past Claudia, trying to avoid the slap she gave his ass. Being a mother of a squillion kids, she got him anyway. I heard the smack from across the room and his booming laugh. “Hey, okay. Next time.”

“Dude, really? You got a booty call at oh-dark-thirty?” I handed Bobby a mug and sat down at my desk. “Shit, Dawson.”

“You be as puritanical as you want to be, Princess. I happen to like sex.” He got himself some coffee. “How about if we talk more about this stupid side case you’ve got going and less about what I’ve got going on the side?”

“Okay, I asked Dex if he could run down the purple Monte Carlo for us.” I’d checked my email before Claudia and Bobby came in but nothing from Wong. “He’s going to do it on the sly. G and J might actually be doing something on the case.”

“If they do, it’s ‘cause Pierce has some pull.” He rubbed his thumb against his fingers. “Boy’s got money.”

“I’ve got money and the cops barely answer the phone when my alarm company calls them,” I pointed out.

“That’s ‘cause your shit blows up every time someone looks at it wrong, boy.” Claudia edged in past Bobby. “They show up when they’re called and God knows what they’re going to walking into. Best wait until there’s a fireball in the sky and then they’ve got a fighting chance.”

“Your faith in me is admirable.” For a church-going, God-fearing woman, Claudia sure knew her way around an evil eye because the one she gave me scorched me down to my ass. I felt like she’d taken me out back and beat me with the leather bag I’d gotten her for her last birthday. “Seriously, all I’ve got is a lead on the former valet. Called the restaurant, hoping to get a hold of the manager but he wasn’t talking. Maybe he thought—”

“Yeah, I went by there before I came here,” Bobby said, sliding a piece of paper out of his back pocket. “Guy was plenty chatty with me.”

“In my neighbourhood, we call that whoring,” Claudia interjected. “That where the vacuum cleaner attacked you? Down at that restaurant?”

“Miss Claudia, I’ll have you know I do not trade sex for information. My hungry companion is someone I know, admire and who probably is still sleeping where I left him, in my bed.” He sniffed, pretending to be insulted but Claudia and I caught the wink he threw her way. “Actually, the manager was pretty nice but said some asshole called earlier, trying to shake him down for info. Like a job reference or something. Since speaking poorly about someone leads to lawsuits these days, he told the guy—probably Cole here—to fuck off.”

“What a dick. I didn’t say it was for a job reference. Just that I was looking for him,” I grunted as I snatched the paper out of Bobby’s fingers. “So did he give you the guy’s name?”

“Better than that.” He smirked. “I not only got the guy’s name. I got his address.”

Follow the Down and Dirty Blog Tour

Dec 30 Part One — 3Chicks after dark

Dec 31 Part Two — Boy Meets Boy Reviews

Jan 1 Part Three — Joyfully Jay

Jan 2 Part Four — LoveBytes

Part Five — On Top Down Under

Jan 3 Part Six — Prism Alliance

Jan 4 Part Seven — It’s About The Book

Part Eight — The Blogger Girls

Jan 5 Part Nine — Sinfully Sexy

Jan 6 Part Ten — NDulgent Bloggers

Jan 7 Part Eleven — The Novel Approach

Jan 8 Part Twelve — Under the Covers Blog

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About Down and Dirty

22906910From the moment former LAPD detective Bobby Dawson spots Ichiro Tokugawa, he knows the man is trouble. And not just because the much younger Japanese inker is hot, complicated, and pushes every one of Bobby’s buttons. No, Ichi is trouble because he’s Cole McGinnis’s younger brother and off-limits in every possible way. And Bobby knows that even before Cole threatens to kill him for looking Ichi’s way. But despite his gut telling him Ichi is bad news, Bobby can’t stop looking… or wanting.

Ichi was never one to play by the rules. Growing up in Japan as his father’s heir, he’d been bound by every rule imaginable until he had enough and walked away from everything to become his own man. Los Angeles was supposed to be a brief pitstop before he moved on, but after connecting with his American half-brothers, it looks like a good city to call home for a while—if it weren’t for Bobby Dawson.

Bobby is definitely a love-them-and-leave-them type, a philosophy Ichi whole-heartedly agrees with. Family was as much of a relationship as Ichi was looking for, but something about the gruff and handsome Bobby Dawson makes Ichi want more.

Much, much more.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon

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About Rhys Ford

rhysfordRhys Ford was born and raised in Hawai’i then wandered off to see the world. After chewing through a pile of books, a lot of odd food, and a stray boyfriend or two, Rhys eventually landed in San Diego, which is a very nice place but seriously needs more rain.

Rhys admits to sharing the house with three cats of varying degrees of black fur and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and an overworked red coffee maker.

And at the Starbucks down the street. No really, they’re 24/7. And a drive-thru. It’s like heaven.

Find out more about Rhys on her Blog, Facebook, Twitter or her books can be purchased, folded and first chapters read at Dreamspinner Press.

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As part of this blog tour, Rhys has graciously offered up a $20 Gift Certificate to the e-tailer of their choice to one lucky winner!! The giveaway starts now and ends January 10, 2015 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 Nikyta’s review of Down and Dirty to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

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Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Special Treat | Tags: , , , , , | 58 Comments

Honorary Blogger Wade Kelly: Don’t Be Afraid + Exclusive Excerpt

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Don’t Be Afraid

by Wade Kelly

I think that starting out with gay suicide as my topic in When Love Is Not Enough, I may have scared readers away. Maybe my stuff seems too angsty? I don’t know. What I want to say is please don’t be scared away forever. Maybe don’t read the one with the suicide. At least I started out telling you he died so it was not a shock and that one DID end with a “happy for now.” What I know, is that readers seem shy and reluctant to chance my books because of the emotional content. (I surmise this from comments.) And while they are emotional, I think you will find that for the most part you are glad for the tears. I think readers connect with the characters and that is why many cry.

Don’t be afraid. Come on over and experience the pain, the sadness, and the joy. I strive to always produce a happy ending! When Love Is Not Enough was a happy for now, but it also had a sequel. (And book 3 planned.) My other books do end well! I promise. Names Can Never Hurt Me was a beautiful love story and once readers get past the controversial cover, they fall in love with Scruffy Dude!

Misplaced Affection is much the same. Yes, there is some pain, and sadness, but the tears are worth it when you see the romantic end. I do always write about contentious subjects, because I think they are realistic, but I try to weave the romance in and give readers hope that life can work out for the good. That love triumphs over all. Isn’t that what “happily ever after” means? Even Disney films have some sort of big bad trying to thwart the princess. But love triumphs.

In Misplaced Affection we have a sort of love triangle, since there are three main characters. The tug and pull between them creates some angst, but I think the struggle is worth it. In the end, the tears are good ones.

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About Misplaced Affection

23784817Clichés are overrated and loving the boy next door may not be as genuine as the love Flynn sacrifices along the way.

Knowing he’s gay and acting on it were two separate notions to Flynn Brewer until he’d met Keith, his first boyfriend, in high school. Before then, being gay wasn’t as real as the pain of living day-to-day. Flynn’s fear of coming out to his religious best friend Zach in their conservative community destroyed his relationship with Keith, but Flynn rationalized his avoidance and bottled up the truth until it was regrettably too late.

Zachary Mitchell was the perfect son and role model as far as the outside world could tell. Active in his church while attending college, Zach had a personality that could sell anything, do anything, or be anything. Except, he couldn’t sell the truth to himself. Just when he was ready to reveal his internal conflict to Flynn and expose the darkness lurking in his heart, and in his “perfect” family, Zach met a girl and got sucked deeper into his chasm of deception.

Caught in a living Newton’s Cradle of his own design, Flynn must choose between idealistic childhood fantasy, or a tempestuous passion that could ignite the very air he breathes.

Available at: Amazon, iTunes, Barnes & Noble and Kobo

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An Excerpt from Misplaced Affection

I laid a slice of cheese over the tuna and put the plate in the microwave for ten seconds, and then I glanced at Keith and gave him a wink, testing my bravery.

He groaned.

I chuckled and said, “Come here.” I knew I could be myself around Keith, but until now it had only been harmless flirting. Acting on my physical desires meant confronting my fears surrounding coming out. I didn’t want to be bullied, but I hated hiding. At what point would I have to choose?

He didn’t hesitate. Keith walked over to me and came right up in my personal space. He placed his hands on my hips and looked into my eyes as he licked his lips. “I’ve never kissed anyone before. Have you?” I shifted my eyes away momentarily, and he picked up on my thoughts. “Oh, that’s right—Zach, but you haven’t kissed anybody else?”

Our many conversations over the last couple months did make it around to the topic of my best friend who lived next door, and was now in college. I also told Keith about the kiss. We’d talked about being virgins sex-wise, but I had felt wrong letting him think I’d never kissed a boy, so I spilled the gory details over trigonometry homework.

“No,” I said. We gazed into one another’s eyes again and my heartbeat quickened. I felt his fingers caressing me through my shirt just above my belt. He leaned closer and our stomachs touched. Then the word “boyfriend” hit me somewhere between lust and logic. “So, should this be an official thing?” I asked, curiously, throwing him off as he blinked away his hormone-induced daze.

“Official?” He wasn’t getting my drift.

I explained, “Like, it’s the first time we’re messing around as boyfriends. If I kiss you, then are we officially official or are we open to dating other people?”

Keith’s grip loosened and I thought he was about to pull away, but he didn’t. He hung his head as if scared to answer.

“Keith?” I prompted.

He was looking away when he finally answered me. “I don’t really want an open relationship. I kinda want a boyfriend. One boyfriend.”

“Kinda?”

He looked up sharply. “Don’t make fun of me.”

“I’m not,” I said.

“Then why are you smirking at me?”

Keith’s irritation was adorable as hell. “I’m not,” I repeated.

“Yes, you are!”

He tried pulling away, but I held him firmly in my grasp. “Stop. I’m sorry. I promise I’m not laughing. I think you’re adorable. I’m glad you want a boyfriend, because I do too. Really.”

“Then why’d you ask that as if you wanted the freedom to go out with someone else? Someone like Zach.”

“Zach? It has nothing to do with Zach. I don’t want anybody else. I just wanted to find out if you did.”

Keith relaxed. “Promise?”

I nodded. “Promise.” I was suddenly acutely aware of our groins touching and how rapidly he was breathing. “Nervous?”

Keith nodded and swallowed hard.

I licked my lips and whispered, “Then I better make it good.”

After Keith closed his eyes, I leaned in and seductively licked his lips right before pressing my mouth to his. He shivered in my embrace, not expecting me to be so bold. I tilted my head and licked his lips before kissing him again. I wasn’t trying to coax him into using his tongue right away; I was teasing him, hoping he’d shake with anticipation. As soon as he opened his mouth, I backed away.

He made a little whining noise and I chuckled wickedly. “Don’t worry, that’s just the first taste.” I grabbed a hold of his hand and brought his fingers to my mouth. I kissed his knuckles before releasing his hand. “We agreed on slow, remember?”

His look of disappointment thrilled me because he had no idea what I was thinking. I planned on exploring his mouth and neck for hours.

Kissing Zach years ago felt like a dying ember compared to the sensation of Keith’s lips on mine. Maybe it was because I was so much younger then, and I’d had no clue what I was doing.

Keith, on the other hand, was warm flesh, and sensitive eyes, and his kiss kindled the spark I had felt years ago with Zach into a roaring furnace. I’d had to step away when I kissed Keith, because suddenly I was feeling new, unexpected things. Kind of like when I heard the word “virgin” from his lips and I suddenly couldn’t stop thinking about his ass. Keith did things to me. I could feel my dick throbbing in my jeans, but I played it off as being devilish and teasingly making him wait. No, the waiting was for me so I could get myself under control. I didn’t want to rip his clothes off, but I knew if we had kept on kissing, that’s exactly what I would have done—he revved me up that much.

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About Wade Kelly

Wade Kelly lives and writes in conservative, small-town America on the east coast where it’s not easy to live free and open in one’s beliefs. Wade writes passionately about controversial issues and strives to make a difference by making people think. Wade does not have a background in writing or philosophy, but still draws from personal experience to ponder contentious subjects on paper. There is a lot of pain in the world and people need hope. When not writing, she is thinking about writing, and more than likely scribbling ideas on sticky notes in the car while playing “taxi driver” for her three children. She likes snakes, can’t spell, and has a tendency to make people cry.

Find out more about Wade on her Website, Twitter, Subscribe to her Blog or email her at writerwadekelly@gmail.com.

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT | Tags: , , | 1 Comment

Honorary Blogger Chris T. Kat: Tai Chi: Martial Arts or Gentle Exercise? + Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Tai Chi: Martial Arts or Gentle Exercise?

by Chris T. Kat

Hello, I’m Chris T. Kat, visiting the lovely Blogger Girls again. 🙂 I’m here to talk about my new release, Swordplay (A Jeff Woods Mystery). Swordplay is the third and last book in the Jeff Woods Mysteries series, and was published by Dreamspinner Press on December 22nd.

In Attachment Strings and Sacrifices, the first two books in the Jeff Woods Mystery series, Jeff, his boyfriend Alex, and Alex’s brother Sean lived in Atlantic City. In Swordplay, the whole family moved to Washington DC. Alex is still unemployed, and to occupy his time he starts tai chi lessons.

Jeff is all for Alex having fun, especially if it keeps him from another hair-rising escapade like in Sacrifices, but he’s not so sure about tai chi. Jeff considers tai chi to be for elderly people to relax, a sort of gentle exercise. It took him a while to grasp the concept of tai chi as a martial arts sport. Alex had to explain this to him—quite often. In Swordplay, Alex and his teacher train in Chen style.  Most modern styles, often referred to as Yang style, show slow, soft moves, whereas Chen style also include fast and explosive moves (plus the use of various weapons). Here are two short video (second one is performed with a sword):

http://youtu.be/WoHF2Pc7s-M

http://youtu.be/DnEUQ7Dz22w

I don’t do tai chi myself, but my husband does, and I know more of tai chi and its principles than I ever wanted to know. On the other hand, it’s a really stunning sight when he trains and wields his sword, so I’m all for enabling him to pursue this hobby. 😉 After watching him numerous times, I knew I needed someone who exercised tai chi in one of my next books, plus I really wanted a sword to make an appearance, and voilà! There you have Swordplay.

Do you have a hobby that’s important to you? How did you find it?

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About Swordplay

SwordplayLGAfter leaving his dream job as an Atlantic City detective, Jeff Woods has moved to Washington DC with his life partner, Alex Fisher, and Alex’s disabled little brother Sean. Parker Trenkins, Jeff’s ex-partner on the force, has made the move as well, along with his significant other David. Jeff and Parker partner up once again, but in a new way, as owners of their own detective agency.

Life is difficult at the best of times. Sean loses sight in one of his eyes, a direct result of being pushed into the Atlantic by a homicidal maniac a year ago. In his struggle to deal with everything, a restless Alex enrolls in tai chi classes at a nearby school.

As it happens, a murder case Jeff and Parker take involves the head of that very tai chi school, Charles Cooper. Cooper is a suspect in the murder of a financial corporation official. He appears to have motive. Jeff and Parker’s investigation arouses the real killer’s interest, and if they don’t uncover his identity soon, it may be too late for them.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press & Amazon

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An Excerpt from Swordplay

As I walked to the door leading to our apartment, the soft chimes of calm Chinese music filtered through. I cautiously pulled the door open and stuck my head inside.

Alex had cleared the space in the living room so he could exercise. He was still wearing his blond hair long since we’d both had realized we liked it this way best. Well, I’d been a bit dense and only realized it after a haircut a couple of months ago.

I leaned against the doorframe, watching him. He was wearing gray sweatpants, soft shoes, and nothing else. Perspiration was visible on his upper body. He moved in short but graceful steps accompanied by hand gestures. Not for the first time, it struck me how agile he was.

At first I hadn’t been sure why he had to take tai chi lessons instead of karate or taekwondo.. I’d believed tai chi to be for elderly people to relax, a sort of gentle exercise. Alex had explained to me the various tai chi styles. He was training in Chen style, the source for all other tai chi styles. Most modern styles, often referred to as Yang style, showed slow, soft moves, whereas Chen style also included fast and explosive moves—I really liked the cannon fist—and the use of various weapons. But as Alex had also told me, “ten thousands forms and one principle,” so whatever style chosen, it was all good.

My mouth went dry when he pushed his hands out, the ropy muscles on his arms showing off his power. The sweatpants bulged around his knees when he made a couple of fast-moving steps, and he twisted where I could admire his chest and abdomen. A moment later, his lips curved upward, and he asked, “What are you doing here? Other than drooling all over me?”

I pushed off, kicked the door shut, and advanced on him. “I’m not drooling.”

“Oh, you were. Only thing missing was your panting.”

“Feeling cheeky this morning?” I asked.

I grabbed his hips and kissed him hard. He laughed and scurried away. I shucked my jacket and threw it on the sofa. Alex picked up a towel and dried himself off, all the while watching me. Hunger lurked in his dark eyes.

Sure, I was here to talk to him about Cooper, but right now my cock demanded action and overruled my brain. I advanced on him, and Alex met me halfway. We collided, and both of us grappled for a secure hold on the other. I slid my hands into his hair, yanking his head back so I could pepper his throat with sharp nips and firm kisses.

Alex grasped my shirt, and he let out those delicious sounds of arousal that always brought my cock to full erection within seconds. It was no different this time. I ground my crotch against his, eliciting a shudder from him.

When I looked at his face again, his eyes were closed and his lips parted. I slipped my tongue into his mouth. I tasted a mix of coffee and chocolate. “White Chocolate Mocha Frappuccino?”

Alex’s eyes fluttered open, and he smiled sheepishly. “I needed something sweet this morning.”

With gentle hands, I cupped his face and pressed a kiss on the tip of his nose. I understood. Anything to take his mind off Sean’s impending sight loss, even if it was just a drink. He dug tighter into my shirt, crumpling it, at the same time trying to pull me closer to him.

“Something else you need?”

“You,” he replied without hesitation.

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About Chris T. Kat

Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.

Find out more about Chris on her Blog, Twitter, Goodreads, Facebook or Amazon Author Page.

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Chris is giving away a set of all three books in the “Jeff Woods Mystery” series (Attachment Strings, Sacrifices and Swordplay) as paperbacks to one lucky winner! Comment on any of the Swordplay blog tour stops for your chance to win.

Here’s the list of participants:

December 23rd: The Novel Approach

December 27th: Love Byte Reviews

December 30th: The Blogger Girls

December 31st: Joyfully Jay

Chris will pick the winner on January 3rd and contact the winner via e-mail. Winner has 48 hours to respond.

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

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , | 40 Comments

Honorary Bloggers Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock: Better Than Sex Cake + Giveaway!

Honorary_Blogger_PostHi! We’re Lisa Henry and J.A. Rock, the authors of THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF ALTONA. 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!

“Do you think if I take Mac some cake, he’ll be less angry?”

“I think if you take him some cake, you’ll come out wearing it.”

-THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF ALTONA

The PLAYING THE FOOL series contains a lot of references to cake. This is mostly because Henry Page–con man, junk food addict, and Shakespeare aficionado–spends 85% of his waking life thinking about cake. And so do we. So we’ve decided to let Henry share a favorite recipe with you today, a cake aptly called “Better Than sex Cake.” It’s easy to make, incredibly delicious, and will definitely kill you. Like, McDonald’s wishes it could come up with something less healthy for you than this. So hold onto your cholesterol counter (We’re kidding, throw it away.) and enjoy.

BETTER THAN SEX CAKE

INGREDIENTS:

1 box devil’s food cake mix

1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

1 (12-ounce) jar caramel ice cream topping

8 ounces Cool Whip

½-1 cup Heath toffee bits

“It’s really good. The frosting is as soft as a baby seal.

Or a cloud. Or a baby seal riding a cloud.”

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Bake the cake according to the directions on the box.
  2. Remove the cake from the oven and immediately poke holes all over the top using either the bottom of a wooden spoon, a skewer or a fork.
  3. In a medium bowl, stir together the sweetened condensed milk and caramel sauce, then slowly drizzle the mixture all over the cake. Allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour.
  4. Spread the Cool Whip over the top of the cake, top with the Heath toffee bits and refrigerate again for 1 hour. Serve cold and refrigerate any leftovers.

“Funny,” Jeff said after a few minutes. “You’d think Maxfield would be cake after Rasnick.”

Mac wasn’t sure if that was an insult or not. And did Jeff have to say cake?

About The Two Gentlemen of Altona

TwoGentlemenOfAltona_500x750Mischief, thou art afoot.

Special Agent Ryan “Mac” McGuinness is having a rough week. Not only is he on a new diet, but he’s also been tasked with keeping Henry Page—the world’s most irritating witness—alive. Which is tough when Mac’s a breath away from killing the Shakespeare-quoting, ethically-challenged, egg-obsessed Henry himself. Unless killing isn’t really what Mac wants to do to him.

Con man Henry Page prefers to keep his distance from the law . . . though he wouldn’t mind getting a little closer to uptight, handsome Agent McGuinness. As the sole witness to a mob hit, Henry’s a valuable asset to the FBI. But he’s got his own agenda, and it doesn’t involve testifying.

When evidence surfaces of a mole in the FBI office, Mac and Henry are forced to go into hiding. Holed up in a fishing cabin, they’re surprised to discover that their feelings run more than skin deep. But as the mob closes in, Henry has to make his escape. And Mac has to decide how far he’s willing to go to keep Henry by his side.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF ALTONA is the first in our PLAYING THE FOOL trilogy. Book 2, THE MERCHANT OF DEATH, will be available on February 2. Book 3, TEMPEST, will be released March 9.

You can preorder the series, and check out excerpts, 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 the contents of Henry Page’s bag during his arrest in THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF ALTONA: that’s some Shakespeare and a bunch of Henry’s favorite candy!

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 January 9, 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!

Don’t forget to check out JustJen’s review of The Two Gentlemen of Altona to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , , , | 19 Comments

Honorary Blogger Lane Hayes: The Soccer Star, the Interior Designer & The Right Words + Excerpt & Giveaway!

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The Soccer Star, the Interior Designer & The Right Words

by Lane Hayes

I think it’s safe to suggest soccer, design and literature are very separate topics, but my new release, The Right Words, touches on all three.  Michael Martinez is a closeted professional athlete who suffers a potentially career ending injury.  Luke Preston is a literature enthusiast as well as an interior designer who has recently left an abusive relationship.  Both men need time to heal.  Renovating a tired old beach house is the perfect way to rebuild and restart, literally and figuratively.

Michael was a more complex character for me to write than Luke.  Maybe that was because I have more in common with Luke, minus some of his neurosis.  I am an interior designer who writes and loves literature. There wasn’t much research to be done regarding interior design because I’ve personally done Luke’s job.  I’ve dealt with my fair share of overzealous homeowners who want high-end makeovers at discounted prices. And much to my husband’s dismay, I still have a huge collection of expensive tile and fabric samples cluttering up office space.

Soccer? Well, that’s another story. All of my kids have played the sport and one of my sons is still a big fan (Arsenal is his team :)), but that certainly didn’t give me the background needed to write about a professional athlete.  However, I love sports.  ESPN is the channel of choice in our house.  I won’t claim to know more than I do about any given sport but I do listen and over the years, I’ve learned quite a bit.  And when I’m uncertain, I’m smart enough to ask someone who does.  Michael’s career in the story is actually secondary to the fact he’s a closeted Latino man.  He was raised in a traditional, religious home that upholds a very machismo attitude toward male and female roles.  Being gay may be part of who he is, but it isn’t something he wants anyone to know.  At the beginning of The Right Words, healing quickly to get back on the field faster is what is importantÉ not his sexuality. Until he meets Luke.

Language is powerful. Words carry more weight than they are often given credit.  In a world where the goal is to condense sentiment in 140 characters or less, we often lose sight of their incredible strength and ability to build or destroy.  The Right Words aren’t necessarily easy to say, and they aren’t the same for everyone.  However,  I do believe they have the potential to change lives and unlock doors for those brave enough to use them.

Thank you for having me on your blog today!

Happy Reading!  Lane Hayes xo

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About The Right Words

The Right Words by Lane Hayes eBookEscaping an abusive relationship left Luke Preston anxious and spouting panic-induced poetry. Desperate for a fresh start, Luke accepts a job remodeling a tired old beach house for a professional soccer player and his model girlfriend. While his passion is literature, not sports, focusing on the renovations eases his anxiety. Until the job he signed up for turns out to be more complicated than advertised.

Sidelined with a serious injury, soccer star Michael Martinez decides his beach house is the perfect place to recuperate. Remodeling might be the diversion he needs to keep his mind off his busted knee. Falling for the pretty designer with some quirky habits wasn’t on the drawing board. Unfortunately, Luke didn’t build a big enough closet for Michael to hide in. Having a star-powered sports career used to be all Michael lived for, but he’ll have to reevaluate his plans and find the right words if he wants to build more than a beach house with Luke.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press

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An Excerpt from The Right Words

“One day at a time,” he repeated thoughtfully, making an obvious effort to steer the topic toward something more pleasant. “Well, I don’t have anything better, so… I’ll go with that too.” Michael’s smile lit his entire face. It was a beautiful thing to witness. He was handsome always, but wow… what a smile.

“Was the picture of us good at least?”

This time he laughed out loud, a sweet, musical sound that made me chuckle along with him.

“Yeah, very hot.” He reached over and pulled me into his side effortlessly. “Look, I wasn’t trying to send mixed signals this week. I know I haven’t been around like I said I would. I… Jamie isn’t going to go away easily. This has been a weird blow to add to an already fucked-up situation, but… I like you and I do trust you.”

“You like me?”

He gave a small half chuckled and shrugged. “Un poco.” He translated when I gave him a blank stare. “A little.”

“I like you a little too.”

I couldn’t help my response at being near him. I curled into his side like a cat begging for attention. Michael wrapped his arms around me and kissed my cheek and my chin. I didn’t want a “friend” kiss, though. I wanted what he gave me Friday night. I wanted “that kiss.” I intercepted him when he leaned in to peck my temple and stuck my tongue out to trace the corner of his mouth. He groaned and accepted the invitation, diving and thrusting his tongue inside my mouth to stake his claim. His right hand traveled down my throat and came to a stop over my left nipple. He rubbed at the sensitive flesh through my tight T-shirt and squeezed hard when he heard my moan of approval.

I arched my back into his touch but kept my mouth fastened to his. I didn’t want to lose this connection. He bit at my chin and sent kisses down my neck as his hand dipped down to my belt and came to rest on my hardening cock. I whimpered and scooted on his lap to straddle his thighs.

“Is this okay? Am I hurting your knee?”

“It’s good, honey. Really good.” Both of his hands splayed flat on my back and circled to the front to pluck at the fabric of my T-shirt. “Take it off.”

I didn’t have to be told twice. I was burning up. I yanked it over my head and tossed it aside before I began working on the seemingly endless row of buttons on his dress shirt.

“Fuck. Help me get his off you. I need to feel your skin.”

I barely recognized my voice. I sounded breathless.
When Michael finally leaned forward to let the fabric slide from his shoulders, I met him halfway to feel his skin against mine. Heaven. He was simply beautiful, with finely toned washboard abs and gorgeous skin. It was smooth like mine but much darker. Olive against golden. I loved the contrast and I was anxious to explore. I let my hands roam, over his chest, down his stomach, and back again. My fingers itched to palm his cock through his worn jeans. Instead I fused my naked torso against his and ground my aching cock against his equally hard member. We both hissed, and the kiss became something more like sex.

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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 well-told love story with beautifully written characters.  These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men.  Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked.  Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and her third received an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards.  She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and the coolest yellow Lab ever in an almost empty nest.

Find out more about Lane on her Website, Twitter, Facebook or email her at lanehayes@ymail.com.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Lane is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card and eBook copy of The Right Words!! 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, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Honorary Blogger A.L. Boyd: Challenges – Love On The Divide + Giveaway!

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Challenges – Love On The Divide

by A.L. Boyd

I have never met Eric Arvin in person. I only “knew” him through his books, the Goodreads MM Romance Group, and that amazing videos with TJ Klune. I had been following his story through the surgery, so when Kate Pavelle sent me a message asking if I was interested in writing a short story for the anthology know as Kickass, I said sure. My story in the Kickass anthology, Love On The Divide is based in my home state and near my favorite National Monument. I got the inspiration for the story from the Continental Divide Trail that runs through out the state of New Mexico. I have driven or hiked much of the El Malpais area through volunteering with the Park Service and while I was a wildland firefighter with the BLM. Knowing that the area terrain was quite difficult and fully of danger, I knew it would be the perfect setting for my story. 

Eric’s life struggle inspired me to write this story about challenging situations. Everyone faces challenges in life, It may be a small thing like loosing a loved one, or it may be bigger like a health issue. How a person deals with those challenges has a profound impact on the person’s life. If one just gives up, things can spiral out of control. If you fight, or struggle through the tough parts in life, you gain something important. 

My main character Justin starts out with a challenge being that he’s smaller than your average man, but he doesn’t let that become a hindrance in his life. His doesn’t let his smaller size stop him from being able to help people in many different ways. He shows us that you don’t have to be the biggest or the strongest in order to make a difference. Ron, the other main character has a challenge of his own. He may be taller, but he’s the bookish type now hiking the Continental Divide Trail. He’s learning new things like how to put up at tent and how to survive in wilder terrain then his own city streets. 

During the writing of this story, I also ended up with a major challenge in my life. I was nearly finished with my rough draft way back in April, when I got a phone call from my hubby, that we needed to get home ASAP because our house might be on fire. Well I came home to basically nothing but the clothes on my back, my hubby and almost all of my animals. At first I was devastated, I had no home, no computer, no notes, not even any clothes. I messaged Kate and told her that I might have to back out of the whole thing. Really I could have at that point as I had a good excuse. But I’d been saving my work on Dropbox and had access to the document at my work and on my tablet that I had taken with me that day. As way to calm my scattered nerves, I sat down and started editing the draft, then adding things in here and there. Soon I was searching out beta readers. After several messages back and forth with very helpful betas, I finally knew that I would be able to finish and submit the story in time to be added to the anthology. 

I don’t write on a regular basis. I’m not setting out to become the next great novelist or even a famous author. I write when a story moves me. I wanted to donate this story to help Eric. Working on the story of the little guy who saves the day was the thing that kept me strong during my own troubles. I hope the story inspires others as well. I can’t wait to read all the other stories in the anthology. I watch Eric’s video’s on his Facebook page and hope that one day soon he will be off the ventilator and on to even better things. 

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About Kickass Anthology

Kickass cover 3Against bad odds, he persevered. Wit, grit, and guile pulverized his scary opponent into a sad pile of dust.

Eric Arvin is Kickass.

Even a kickass hero needs a hand from a secondary

character, and Eric needs that extra power boost right now. This anthology is a volunteer effort organized by Eric’s fans and fellow writers in order to help him raise funds and help cover the cost of his high-tech recovery. His wicked sense of humor is intact, but his body needs a bit of help.

These stories are meant to inspire. They’re a warm hug, a wave from afar, a wink and a nod. Discover new authors and graphic artists as you, too, get revved up to slay whatever ails you!

A Note from the publishers: KICKASS ANTHOLOGY was produced in order to raise funds for the medical recovery of our friend and colleague, author Eric Arvin.

All artwork, both written and graphic, was donated free of charge. All proceeds will go directly to Eric Arvin and his family.

Available at: Amazon

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About A.L. Boyd

A cartographer by day, A.L. Boyd spends most of her free time with her horses, gardening, or reading. Becoming an author happened by accident. She never intended to be a full time writer, but sometimes the stories just pop into her head so she sits down to write them out.

Her other published fictional work is Crest Ridge Vacation. It is another short story originally written for the 2013 Love Has No Boundaries event hosted by the MM Romance Group on Goodreads.

I was volunteering behind the scenes as an editor for the event when a prompt became available for the third or fourth time late in the event. As soon as I saw the photo, a story popped into my head. I decided to take on the prompt and write the story so it wouldn’t get dropped altogether. I am currently expanding the story and adding in more details. I may publish a revised edition of Crest Ridge Vacation this next year. I’m also working on a couple more stories that may end up novella or novel length when done.

Find out more about A.L. on her Goodreads or Facebook.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

The giveaway in this blog tour is a $25 Amazon Gift Card! 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!

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Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , | 11 Comments

Honorary Blogger Z.A. Maxfield: + Excerpt & Giveaway!

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Talkin Bout Cowboys

by Z.A. Maxfield

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While my favorite movie with Kevin Costner is Bull Durham, (because I too, am a charter member of the church of baseball), I very much enjoyed his 90’s Westerns, Dances with Wolves and Wyatt Earp.

Kevin’s a pretty, pretty man, and there’s just something so earnest about him. He brings back the quiet cowboy of the High Noon variety, and probably got himself a lot of comparisons to Gary Cooper. He’s a local boy, or rather, he spent a lot of his childhood in Southern California, and for a long time, he went to school a few minutes from where I live at Cal State Fullerton, our local college. I worked and went to school there at different times in the eighties. I’d like to say I saw Kevin Costner there in person but I was a few years too late. 😦

I remember seeing Dances with Wolves in the movie theater when it came out. Despite how long that film ran, I never spent a minute wondering how much longer we had to go. It was a great, visually stunning movie.

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My thoughts are complicated about Wyatt Earp. On the one hand, I liked the movie, on the other, I didn’t like the Earp Brothers. I didn’t feel very connected to the characters and I thought it was awfully violent. I did like Denis Quaid. I thought he was amazing as Doc Holiday. Part of me still wants a love story about Wyatt Earp and Doc Holiday. (With liberal poetic license and less tuberculosis.)

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About My Cowboy Homecoming

My Cowboy HomecomingLove can heal the deepest wounds…

A sense of duty brings a soldier home…but a passionate cowboy makes him want to stay.

After his brother’s tragic death, Tripp has to leave the army and return to New Mexico to take care of his mother while his father is in prison for arson. Seeking work at the J-Bar Ranch, Tripp is immediately drawn to injured cowboy Lucho Reyes, whose foot was accidentally crushed by a rescue horse. But will the sins of the father interfere with the desires of the son? Tripp’s father may be responsible for the death of Lucho’s grandfather. Now Tripp must balance caring for his mother, repairing his father’s damages, and trying to win the heart of a man who has every reason to hate him and his family…

Available at: Amazon, All Romance eBooks, iTunes, Google Play & Barnes and Noble

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An Excerpt from My Cowboy Homecoming

The road home was less auspicious than I thought it would be. Traffic slowed to a bare crawl outside Las Cruces, and the overheated bus had started to smell.

Just like on every bus, everywhere in the world, people were packed in tight. They stared ahead expressionlessly, as if that cramped, anonymous ride was the best they could expect because it probably was.

All four westbound lanes had been forced into one until at last we reached what seemed like a flare-lit city of fire trucks, police cars, and ambulances. Uniforms covered the highway like ants at a picnic.

When I saw the wreck, my heart gave a lurch. An old yellow school bus with “Iglesias Angelica Bautista” written on the side had been hit head-on by a double tractor-trailer truck. The impact had scattered debris all over both sides of the highway.

A single battered high-top sneaker lay in the middle of the street, blood-spattered and abandoned. I couldn’t take my eyes off it as we drove past.

The front of the wrecked school bus was crushed like an accordion. No way the driver survived the crash. There were others lying still and lifeless beneath sad yellow tarps. EMTs raced between people lying side by side in a makeshift triage area.

I tried to make myself do the deep breathing the army shrinks taught me. I thought about trying the other bullshit stopgap measures I was supposed to deploy before going to the little pills they gave me for anxiety, which I’d thrown away anyway. I tried repeating nonsense rhymes and visualizing my happy place, but the fact is, if you’ve been in a sniper’s crosshairs long enough, it’s hard to convince yourself there’s nobody trying to kill you anymore.

I was home, goddamnit. I wasn’t in danger. Except . . . we’re all in danger all the time. We just don’t know it.

As we inched past the wreck, even I—with the knowledge of how random and tragic fate could be—shook with shock. I couldn’t take my eyes off that shoe lying by itself in the street because my brother used to wear those same Converse high-tops when he was about five. Chucks. I got annoyed every time I heard his little feet padding after me as I tried to run away and play with my “big kid” friends.

Wish I had that now.

Wish I had time to play with him and a chance to know him, now that we were both out from under our father’s thumb, but while I’d been deployed to the valley CNN once called the most dangerous place on earth, my brother got killed on the I-10, exactly like the poor bastard who was driving that bus.

Random.

The stifling heat made the Greyhound nearly unbearable. A woman on the seat behind me cried out to Jesus, starting a prayer that three or four of the other passengers echoed. Instinct, still honed to razor-sharp readiness, lifted me to my feet, even though the bus was moving.

“Sit down,” said the old man next to me, whose skin was gray with age and probably cigarettes. Tattoos littered his forearms, including one I recognized, the Devil Dog. Marines. “What do you think you’re going to do out there they aren’t already doing?”

I shrugged and sat.

He studied me. “Just get back?”

“Yeah.”

That got a laugh. “I thought so. You look it.”

“How so?”

He just stared at me then, and something passed between us. Anxiety and fatigue and that indefinable pinch of pain, as if our lives were too small now, and it hurt to walk around in them.

“Yeah.” I glanced away.

I sat still, even though every cell in my body was telling me I should do something. It was both my nature and, up until recently, my job to keep order. Yet now my TOS was up, and I was going home.

In spite of everything, I stayed still.

It seemed like it took forever to pass the accident.

“Lordy, Lordy.” The woman behind me cried softly. “Sweet Jesus, help your children in their hour of need.”

I let my old, cold friend discipline flow through my heart and I looked away.

Maybe I’d built up this illusion that home was a place made of safety and order, but that goddamn shoe told me different.

Anyhow, that’s why I was late getting into Deming.

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About Z.A. Maxfield

_AuthorPhotoZ.A. Maxfield started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back.  Pathologically disorganized, and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. Three things reverberate throughout all her stories: Unconditional love, redemption, and the belief that miracles happen when we least expect them.

If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four can find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”

Readers can visit ZAM at her website, Facebook, Twitter, or Tumblr.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Z.A. is giving away a $25 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky winner!! 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 Gyn’s review of My Cowboy Homecoming to see what she thought of it!

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , | 4 Comments

Honorary Blogger Posy Roberts: Earthquake Changes + Giveaway!

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Earthquake Changes

by Posy Roberts

In the opening scene of Tangled Mind, Beck Lund walks into to his house and hears his boyfriend Brady choking on his own vomit because of the heroin he injected. Brady dies right in front of Beck’s eyes, and there is nothing he can do to help.

So why start a book there? The simplest answer is that heroin can shut down a person’s natural coughing reflex, causing them to aspirate and choke. So that’s the reality of the drug.

The not so simple answer has to do with Beck and Brady’s relationship. They had a codependent relationship where Beck kowtowed to all of Brady’s needs in order to make life easier for him because Brady suffered from severe depression, untreatable by traditional means. And for Beck to have experienced a situation where he was utterly powerless to help, is earth shattering. He’s always been able to do something.

Beck loved Brady very much despite how unbalanced their relationship was, but it was by no means a healthy one. He would likely have stayed with Brady until he was used up. You’d think Beck would at least feel some relief or sense of freedom, but he’s utterly lost without Brady. It was a symbiotic relationship where Beck gained meaning from being a helper and being needed.

From the outside, Timothy Kallis, Beck’s best friend, sees how much Beck has struggled in the past, but it’s even worse after Brady’s death. Timothy wants to help him deal with the grief, but he also wants to see Beck grow stronger. Yet he sees how adrift Beck still is months after Brady’s death and helps Beck seek out professional help. So while Beck is working on recovering from a co-dependent relationship, he’s completely oblivious to the fact that Timothy has loved him from afar for years. Beck needs to be oblivious to other peoples’ wants so he can focus on his own for the first time, because after being in a codependent relationship for so long, he’s forgotten how to listen to his gut.

Brady’s death is the impetus of change that never would’ve happened for both Beck and Timothy. Beck would’ve continued in his life with Brady until he was so ruined that he’d become a shell of a man. Timothy wouldn’t have pushed Beck to get help or made other small changes to show Beck his affection. Sometimes we need the earth to shake so we can make changes in our lives.

Recovery has to happen before Beck has a chance of being in a healthy, egalitarian relationship, which he needs to be. Recovery before love. But if Beck can’t recognize Timothy’s affection for him, it might be too late for them to move beyond friendship.

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About Tangled Mind

Tangled Mind by Posy Roberts eBookFor years Beck Lund has taken care of his volatile boyfriend Brady, always putting Brady’s needs above his own and walking on eggshells to keep the peace. After Brady overdoses on heroin, his death devastates Beck. Thankfully his best friend, Timothy Kallis, finds him the help he needs. Beck slowly starts to recover and moves in with Timothy to get back on his feet, but he’s oblivious that Timothy is secretly nursing romantic affection for him.

Beck focuses on his own healing for the first time in his life. After months of challenging his codependent tendencies and learning how to stand up for himself, Beck finally starts to trust his gut and hopes to one day love again. Timothy is patient throughout, taking care of Beck in ways no one ever has. But if Beck can’t recognize Timothy’s affection for him, it might be too late for them to move beyond friendship.

Available at: Dreamspinner Press

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About Posy Roberts

Posy Roberts writes about romantic male love. Whether her characters are family men, drag queens, or lonely men searching for connections, they all find a home in her stories.

Posy is married to a man who makes sure she doesn’t forget to eat or sleep; her daughter, a budding author and loyal Brony, helps her come up with character names. When Posy’s not writing, she enjoys crafting, hiking, and singing spontaneously about the mundane, just to make normal seem more interesting.

Find out more about Posy on her Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, Tumblr or Instagram.

Blog_Tour_Giveaway

As part of this blog tour, Posy is giving away an eBook copy of Tangled Mind to one lucky winner!! To enter, just click the link below!

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

Good luck!

Categories: Book Promo, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, LGBT, Published in 2014 | Tags: , , , | 6 Comments