Honorary Blogger M.D. Neu: Inspiration + Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on January 22, 2018 by thebloggergirls

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Inspiration

by M.D. Neu

 

I want to thank the folks here at The Blogger Girls for having me here to start my Blog Tour for The Calling. With the story being out now for a couple of weeks I’ve been asked how I came up with the idea for this story. I thought I would answer that question here.

I started with my main character, Duncan.  Duncan is an everyman.  He could be your brother, your cousin, your best friend, or he could be that guy you pass every day on your way to the office. He is meant to represent all of us.  It doesn’t matter who you are, or who you love, you should be able to see something of yourself in Duncan. At least that is my hope.

As for the story idea, when I was a kid and even now I love vampires and vampire stories.  I watched and read everything I could about these amazing creatures.  However, the issue I have with these stories was that we were expected to believe that vampires could exist in our modern world.  Given we have cameras in everything and that we are watched 24/7 I wondered how vampires could really be.  How could you have a pack of vampires kill people without anyone ever finding out.  How would social media play into this?  What if someone live streamed a vampire attack and the video went viral?  How would vampires keep their secret?

Now that I had my main character and an idea of my story I needed to come up with a location.  I picked my hometown of San Jose, California, which is the heart of the technology. I thought it would be fun to set the book in a technology hot spot and poke a little fun at other better-known cities. And I really wanted to highlight San Jose and other local towns. I wanted to show people just what an amazing place this area of the country is and why we are so blessed to live here.

With my main character, my setting and my story idea (vampires and witches, which I always felt complimented each other), I started to populate my story and began writing.  I outlined the story and planned my world’s lore. The final product, which I’m hoping people will enjoy is, The Calling. Continue reading →

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, Honorary Blogger Post, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Love Times Five by Lily G. Blunt: Exclusive Excerpt

Posted on January 21, 2018 by thebloggergirls

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Exclusive Excerpt from Love Times Five

by Lily G. Blunt

The moon shone low and bright in the now cloudless, star-speckled sky. The earlier storm had passed, leaving a cool, clear evening.

The sudden urge to throw his head back and howl prompted Shaun to move away from the cabin towards the cover of the trees.

Everything around him was visible and not just because of the reflected light from the moon. Zach’s unusual heartbeat thrummed slow and steady. A rabbit scurried under a nearby bush. An owl flew low across the open grass leading down to the lake. All of Shaun’s senses were on high alert. The scent emanating from Zach, combined with traces of Colin and their many sex sessions, stiffened his cock. “Gonna fuck you so hard after this,” he declared to Zach.

“Oh yeah?” Zach’s voice was rough.

“Yeah. Against a tree until you coat the bark with your cum.”

The blip in Zach’s heart rate gave Shaun the reassurance that his fantasy would be fulfilled that night.

Shaun didn’t need to check if they were being observed, but he glanced around anyway. In his current state, he would pick up on the scent or sounds made by someone watching them.

“We’re alone,” Zach confirmed.

The time was right.

Shaun stripped out of his clothes and draped them over a low-hanging branch, leaving only his shoes and socks on the still-wet grass beneath.

He stood naked beside Zach under the round moon. His body burned, inside and out. It itched. It stretched. The cool of the night air had no effect on his soaring temperature.

The wolf inside him paced, ready to pounce in an instant.

“Okay, let’s do this,” Shaun said to himself as much as to Zach.

He shook his head and shoulders, sending a violent ripple over his skin. A snarl erupted from his elongated muzzle. His hands fell towards the forest floor, and by the time he landed, Shaun’s paws and claws dug into the damp earth. The bone-cracking pain fizzled out in a flash.

Shaun felt free and so alive.

When he lifted his head this time, a long mournful howl ripped out of his throat and echoed through the forest.

No reply came.

The wolf sniffed the air, and the earthy woodland odour bombarded his nostrils. Zach’s heady fragrance was now intoxicating. Lust curled deep inside of Shaun, and the fur on his back stood on end.

The animal pawed the ground, eager to stretch its legs. He wanted to fuck, but he needed to run more.

The wolf growled low in his throat.

Zach raced past in a flash, and Shaun’s heart quickened. He set off after him. His fluid strides lengthened, and his paws pounded the earth in time with his heartbeat.

Running wild, both creatures dodged low branches and exposed tree roots. Twigs snapped underfoot and leaves fluttered away.

The full moon glowered above them.

The breeze rushed past the fur on his face.

Their race—or chase—was exhilarating. Exciting. Arousing.

Wolf and vampire ran and ran and ran, neither of them tiring.

Continue reading →

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , | Leave a comment

Seeing Red: Interlude by T.C. Orton: Exclusive Excerpt & Giveaway!

Posted on January 20, 2018 by thebloggergirls

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Exclusive Excerpt from Seeing Red: Interlude

by T.C. Orton

As I looked at the thing staring back at me in Benjamin’s reflective lenses, I felt the weight of my humanity lift. My essence, my individuality, my wants and needs and aspirations… All of it gone, all of it meaningless. And in it’s wake, a monster took hold; a monster with eyes like fire, skin like ash, and nails like knives.

I was free, and in my freedom, I gained some profound knowledge.

I was going to tear them to shreds. I was going to revel in their deaths. I was going to slaughter them both, drain them of their innards, and walk away with a smile on my face.

“Sorry, Benjamin,” I grinned as the pulse devoured me. “Dying here wouldn’t be fitting for a prince.”  

Before he could retaliate; before he could formulate a retort, I rammed my fist into his throat. Not around, not a grip, not a hold, but into his throat. I wore his neck like a glove and felt his insides sloshing between my fingers. Then, I raised him up, and watched as blood oozed out around my hand. 

Continue reading →

Categories: Book Promo, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , | 7 Comments

Book Review: Regret by Christina Lee

Posted on January 20, 2018 by susan65coug Miss Behaving

Reviewed by Susan65

Title: Regret
Author: Christina Lee
Series: Under My Skin #1)
Heroes: Brian “Brin” Schubert/Nicholas Dell
Genre: MM Contemporary
Length: 235 Pages
Publisher: Self-Published
Release Date: June 25, 2017
Available at:  Amazon and Barnes & Noble
Add it to your shelf: Goodreads

Blurb: When Brian “Brin” Schubert’s condo floods, he takes his co-worker up on the offer to stay on his crappy futon for a while. The last thing he expects is for his friend’s roommate to be the one guy he despises the most. The same guy who stomped on his heart senior year of high school. And by the looks of the girl on his arm, the same man who’s still deep inside the closet.

Nicholas Dell never predicted that eleven years later, one of his greatest regrets would show up on his doorstep down on his luck. Nick has made some terrible mistakes—story of his life—and he’s been paying for them ever since. And if the guilt and shame aren’t enough, his first crush had to turn into one of the sexiest men he’s ever laid eyes on.

Nick and Brin have weeks to steer clear of each other. Weeks to avoid strangling each other. But when stubbornness leads to skyrocketing sexual tension, hate-sex doesn’t seem like such an awful way to work through their frustration. Except hate is a powerful emotion, especially when it’s turned inward. And in Nick’s case he’s been drowning in a sea of self-loathing for so long, he can’t see his way out.

As Brin reconnects with Nick, his perception of what really happened in their past begins to change. He’s finally ready to forgive him and take a second chance on the one guy who stirs him like no other. But Nick’s demons are complicated, heart-wrenching…demanding. So devastating, he might never allow himself true happiness—even with the one man who’s always owned his heart.
Continue reading →

Categories: 4 Star Ratings, Book Review, LGBT, Published in 2017, Susan65's Reviews | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Character Interview with Jackson Jablonic & Evan Goodwyn from Bleeding Like Me by Riley Parks + Giveaway!

Posted on January 19, 2018 by thebloggergirls

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Interview with Jackson Jablonic & Evan Goodwyn

My name is Riley Parks and I’m the author of Bleeding Like Me, a romance novel about Jackson Jablonic and Evan Goodwyn, two men in rival street gangs who fall in love. I’m lucky to be joined by these antiheroes today.

Riley Parks: Thank you so much for agreeing to sit down with me to talk all things Bleeding Like Me.

Jackson Jablonic: Antiheroes, huh?

Evan Goodwyn: Guess she’s not down for us like she said she was when she started writing the book.

JJ: Guess not.

RP: In all fairness, you guys have done some questionable things in the past, and some things are blatantly wrong. It’s not that you aren’t likable. I like you…

JJ: What do you say about motherfuckers you don’t like then?  

EG: Shit.

RP: Do you want to be heroes? Role models?

JJ: First, that’s two questions. We told you we’d answer five, and you’re going for two right from the jump.

RP: We could call it one.

EG: We could, but we won’t.

RP: Tough crowd.

EG & JJ: (crickets)

RP: All right (clears throat), do you want to be a hero, Jackson?

JJ: Would I get to fly and shit?

EG: That’d be pretty cool.

RP: I was thinking more an “everyday” hero, not so much a superhero.

JJ: The problem with you is you do too much thinking.

EG: Too much limiting really. I’d be down to be a superhero.

JJ: Do you write that kinda shit?

RP: I don’t. I like to focus on more realistic, true to life gritty stories, like yours.

EG: That sucks. Jack would look fucking hot in some superhero shit. That ass would be like, POW!

(all laughing)

JJ: Shut the fuck up.

RP: Me or Evan?

JJ: Both.

RP: Let’s move on. Role models. Do you want to be role models?

JJ: To who?

RP: To anyone.

JJ: That ship’s sailed, capsized and sank, so probably not.

EG: I’d like to be a role model.

RP: Yeah?

JJ: You would?

EG: (shrugs) Why not? Do you only get one chance to be an okay person? Two? What’s the limit?

RP: That’s not for us to decide, I guess. Maybe that’s a question for the reader.

JJ: I don’t give a shit what they say about it. If he wants to be a role model, they’re not gonna tell him that one day he can’t be.

RP: So maybe we don’t call you antiheroes anymore. What should we call you instead?

JJ: You’re the writer.

RP: How about works in progress?

EG: I like that.

JJ: Fine. You got three more questions to go.

RP: What was your favorite part of the book?

EG: I liked when you wrote about how I painted Jack.

JJ: I liked when you wrote about Evan’s dick.

EG: (rolls eyes) Really?!

JJ: That’s quality content right there.

EG: Do you regret interviewing us?

RP: (bites inside of mouth) Not at all. What about your least favorite part of the book?

JJ: You wrote about shit you shouldn’t have written about. That’s all we gotta say about that.

RP: (looks at Evan)

EG: That’s all we gotta say about that.

JJ: Last one. Make it good.

RP: What’s something you want readers to know about you that they may not have learned in the book?

JJ: I don’t want them to know anything else about me. They know too much already.

RP: Evan?

EG: I want them to know I’m trying to be a better person.

JJ: You’re doing fine, Evan.

EG: (shrugs) It is what it is.

RP: Thanks for talking with me.

JJ: We done here?

RP: We’re done.

JJ: Thank fuck. Continue reading →

Categories: Book Promo, Character Interviews, Excerpts, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2017 | Tags: , , , | 1 Comment

Giveaway Winner!

Posted on January 19, 2018 by thebloggergirls

So this post is a little late buuuuuuut it’s time to pick a giveaway winner! Yay!!!

 

So, the winner of a $20 e-tailer gift certificate from Rhys Ford is… Continue reading →

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Author Q&A: Cari Z. & L.A. Witt + Giveaway!

Posted on January 18, 2018 by thebloggergirls

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Please welcome Cari Z. & L.A. Witt to The Blogger Girls!! Tell us about the Bad Behavior series, where are you getting the inspiration for each book?

Cari: The Bad Behavior series is romantic suspense, with an emphasis on suspense and police procedure. There aren’t a lot of hot and heavy moments, but we managed to find time to develop the relationship in between the cases. The cases themselves are totally different in each book, which was part of the fun of it. We kind of picked a crime and then built the plot around it—for example, the first book deal with taking down police corruption, the second one has a serial killer, the third one is a kidnapping. It helped keep things interesting for us.

L.A.: What Cari said. And we did still want the romance, but we didn’t want their jobs to take a backseat to their relationship because it just doesn’t work that way with cops. Especially when they’re in the middle of a major case. So we started with the crimes, and let the relationship between the guys – both professional and romantic – develop alongside the cases they were working. Which means getting interrupted at inopportune moments, and stealing fleeting moments whenever they can. Which in turn frustrates the hell out of everyone, so color me happy. Hehehe

Is it hard co-writing a series? Does the process take longer or is quicker than writing alone?

Cari: It was so easy to write with Lori! That hasn’t been the case with, well, any of my other co-authors, but this collaboration was just kismet, as far as I’m concerned. Lori is a pro at working with others, and very adaptable, so I knew I was in good hands, so to speak. And for me it was a LOT faster than writing alone.

L.A.: Definitely not hard! Cari is amazing to work with. I love co-writing in general, and I hope to do a lot more with Cari.

Tell us a little about Romantic Behavior, what are the characters like and how have they changed since the start of the series?

Cari: Aw, this story is the sweet resolution 😊 Darren and Andreas are finally ready and able to commit to each other, and they’re serious about making it work for the long haul. It’s definitely the book with the cutest moments in it. The guys are totally in love, they rely on each other, they have no doubts (well, almost no doubts) and they’re looking forward to a happy future together. *sigh*

L.A.: I’d say Andreas has had to get his priorities straight, both regarding his family and his boyfriend. By book 4, he’s mellowed considerably across the board, and as I said, he’s gotten his priorities straight. As for the Romantic Behavior, it’s basically a chance for the characters to finally have their hard-won happy ending. That’s not to say there aren’t bumps in this one, but no one’s getting shot at or anything this time.

What’s your favorite scene from the book?

Cari: My favorite scene is either the very first one, where Darren is nervous because Andreas is acting weird, or the one where he finally loses it and tells off someone who, quite honestly, really deserved telling off at that point. It felt cathartic.

L.A.: The wedding. Definitely.

And lastly, where do you see the series going from here?

Cari: This is the end of the Bad Behavior series! It’s done, finished, fini, finito, and all the other f-words that mean the end. I’m really proud of how it’s turned out, and hopefully now that it’s done readers who were reluctant to start something without having an end in sight will feel ready to dive in.

L.A.: Yep. I’m not opposed to the boys showing up as secondary characters in other books, but their story is done. We deliberately set out to make this one a trilogy with a well-deserved extended epilogue, rather than making it go on and on. Ongoing series can be fun, but not this one. Even though I am going to miss Darren and Andreas something fierce.

Continue reading →

Categories: Author Q&A, Book Promo, Giveaways, LGBT, Published in 2018 | Tags: , , , , , | 13 Comments