A.O. Chika's Blog, page 12

Live Chat With Author Wesley Rivers

A.O. Chika will be hosting a Live Chat with Author Wesley Rivers. Join the chat to win a $25 Amazon gift card or a copy of Letters to Laura

The post Live Chat With Author Wesley Rivers appeared first on A.O. Chika.

Interview with Wesley Rivers -Author of Letters to Laura

Here are some interview questions for Wesley Rivers, she’ll be attending the live chat tomorrow to answer them as well as any other questions you might have.

LETTERS TO LAURA INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

What brought you to write this book?
How long did it take you to write this book?
What are you trying to achieve with this book?
What got left out in the final draft?
Where there alternate endings you considered? If so, what were they?
What’s next for you? What are you working on now?
What was the hardest part of writing this book?
What did you enjoy most about writing this book?
What is the biggest thing that people THINK they know about your subject/genre, that isn’t so?
What makes your book stand out from the crowd?
What question do you wish that someone would ask about your book, but nobody has? Write it out here, then answer it.

WESLEY RIVERS INTERVIEW QUESTIONS

What made you want to start writing?
What things have you read that have especially helped your writing?
What’s the hardest thing about writing for you?
What do you wish you knew before you started?
Why did you choose to write in your particular field or genre? If you write more than one, how do you balance them?
Where did your love of reading & writing come from?
How long have you been writing?
What does your “writing cave” look like?
Do you use music as inspiration? Can you tell us about what type of music inspires you?
Must have beverage and snack while writing?

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Author Highlight: Wesley Rivers

Wesley Rivers is a no–nonsense individual with a strong disgust for fruitless endeavors. However if you point out how whimsical she can be, she will simply smile and reply: “but with a purpose.” Wesley never avoids being brash when it’s needed, determined to see herself through her own heart rather than anyone else’s. She finds staring into one’s own darkness to be very therapeutic and so shies away from stories, movies, or entertainment that hinges too heavily on formulas, trope–ing, or “feel good” material.

Wesley is enthralled with Asian pop culture, expressing her adoration for anime, K–pop and historical Asian folklore on a daily basis. Much of her inspiration comes from the various art forms of these cultures. She adores foxes and often times plays with the idea that she is indeed the reincarnation of a Kitsune (Japanese nine-tailed fox Yokai).

Being part of the community herself, Wesley has strong ties to LGBT advocacy and social activism. She will also be the first to admit that she finds two men engaging in sexual acts to be too stunning for words, never hiding that she hopes to come back in the next life as a gay man “…in a better world of course.”

She is a dedicated minimalist, quoted saying… “The hoarding of things is death to all the experience life can offer.” Wesley Rivers adores the refinement of tea; she believes there to be more culture in a bag of tea leaves than in the entire world. Wesley sees no difference between children with fur and children without, having five fur–babies: two cats and three dogs. She believes all life matters and the idea that some matter more is primarily what’s wrong with the world.

Bio blurbs like this make Wesley cringe, mainly because she despises being tied down or forced to represent herself in a certain way. Loving change for the sake of change, her work spans several genres.

“Being pinned to one genre or style is the equivalent of staying in the right lane, going 20 miles an hour. It gets you there, but in the most boring way imaginable. Writing is my way of landing on the moon, flying with angels, fighting dragons, doing the impossible.”

–Wesley Rivers

Wesley Rivers is charmingly kooky beyond reason, willful beyond words, and warm beyond understanding. She is a spitfire for the ages, but still classy as fuck. Wesley embodies the idea that we don’t have to define or identify ourselves with petty human concepts, but instead we can embrace each present moment—the NOW—and just BE.

“Let your DO be playful, and your You just BE.”

–Wesley Rivers

 

For more information on Wesley Rivers:

Goodreads page (https://www.goodreads.com/therivergod)

Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/AuthorWesleyRivers)

Twitter page (https://www.twitter.com/RiversofWords) (@RiversofWords)

Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/therivergod) (@therivergod)

Tumblr page (http://authorwesleyrivers.tumblr.com)

Wattpad page (https://www.wattpad.com/user/AuthorWesleyRivers)

 

To contact Wesley Rivers or her editor, e-mail:

Wesley Rivers (authorwesleyrivers@gmail.com)

Patricia Vane (editorpatriciavane@gmail.com)

Download Sample chapter of Letters to Laura

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EXCLUSIVE EXCERPT: Letters to Laura by Wesley Rivers

Exclusive Except:

Dear Laura,

I hope this letter finds you well. I desire that each and every new day is truly a new day for you. Truth be told, writing this letter is kind of difficult because lately, I don’t think of you often at all. I mean I mention your name, the gifts you bought me get used and remind me of you, our mutual friends show up on my Facebook feed and I am reminded that they are your friends too, but as far as painful thoughts go, they’ve become few and far between.

I feel panicked by that all of a sudden. I don’t want to forget you. I don’t think I am ready to seal the end with such finality. I don’t want to imagine that you and I really will just be a sad pathetic story of two broken people who barely lasted five months.

It’s strange how such a short amount of time can warrant such powerful bonds. I bonded with you Laura, in ways perhaps you didn’t bond with me. I sometimes wonder if you ever cared at all. Every so often, when I am feeling stressed or tired, I do think of you. I think about all the bullshit you put me through and then, for at least a five-minute span of time, I am supremely convinced that you were always a bad person—a user, an abuser without any conscience or conviction within you whatsoever.

These feelings are tensely angry and fuel a few short moments of determination to make you wish you had never hurt me. Followed, of course, by a few seconds of notions to never again open up or love someone that way again, out of self–preservation.

I assume we all feel this way: this muddled, mixed up, confusion that leads down several paths on any given day. One day I am perfectly fine—no memories, no pain, no sadness. The next, I am angry and still wish I could have gotten in those clever last words to sting your heart with. Then, of course, there are still those days when I just wish I could kiss you again, feel your warm skin, hear your laugh and see those beautiful brown eyes staring back at me—the days I remember our love.

Those days are in short supply recently and it has me startled. Is it odd that I don’t want to stop loving you? I don’t want to move on? I would rather be in pain for many more months, if it meant I could recall your face easily without having to see a picture.

I try and see you in my mind and the image gets more blurry and faded as time continues on. I try and remember a moment we shared, the sound of your voice, the words that were said and they slip away, almost like autumn leaves being carried off by a brisk winter wind.

I am scared. Have you forgotten me, Laura? Am I forgetting you? I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you. I was sure. I chose to love you and I was gonna choose to stay loyal to that choice till death took my very breath.

You used me to fill time, a space that you couldn’t bare empty. I was just a placeholder till you could figure out what else to jam in that great big gaping void in your life. School replaced me. At least I think so. It could have been your ex. I know you’re talking to her again, which by the way is really fucked up.

Did you ever really love me, Laura? I find a ton of insecurities that I thought were gone swirling around in my head as I write this. I find myself disturbed that in this very moment, I feel insecure and yet hollow at the same time. I feel empty. I am only human. My self–awareness, gained wisdom, sense of love and forgiveness, they are all wonderful attributes that any person should desire; but here in my room in the middle of the night—unable to sleep, unable to even really write what I feel deep down—they fail me.

Maybe it’s ok. Maybe we are all supposed to experience days like this. Days where nothingness consumes us. Days where the literal fear of having nothing left to fear rears its ugly head and reminds us that we will never have it all figured out.

A rush of peace just hit me. The idea that I have to understand everything all the time or be centered every day is insane. Truth is, life is all about balance. It’s about learning the beauty of the yin and the yang so to speak. There will always be dark days, confusing days. These days prepare and ready my spirit for the days of harmony and light. How would I recognize such goodness without such sorrow?

I don’t know if you can appreciate any of what I am saying Laura. I am not sure, at least while I knew you, if you were ready to embrace balance. You saw it as an enemy, a foe to fight.

You saw dark days and confusion as the results of you being a failure in some way. “If bad things happen to me, then I must be doing something wrong.”

Truth is, most of society sees life in this very manner. I know I did for a very long time. In fact, I catch myself sliding right back into that brand of thinking quite often. Usually when something happens in my life that is less than pleasant, (and I use those words sarcastically, because typically my whole world goes to shit in a matter of seconds—it’s not just one or two things, it’s like a dozen in an hour, lol) I will instantly wonder why I am being punished, or what it was I did that has brought such plight upon me. This kind of rationalization isn’t rational at all.

Now, should we weigh our choices and consequences next to each other to help us grow and better our lives? Of course. Do bad things happen sometimes because we invited them? Oh hell yes. But can bad things happen when we really had no part in it? YES. Why? Because they do.

Simple. Bad things happen. Good things happen. End of story. There is no big mystical explanation.

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Book Blitz: Lucky StarFlowers by Kate Pavelle

Blurb:

Theodore and his cousin Rickey inherited their aunt’s flower shop, Starflowers. They decide to run and improve it with their families’ financial support. Starflowers gives Theodore’s life meaning after a depressing breakup. Focusing on work is easy when he’s absolutely sure there’s no space for a man in his life. If he did allow for a boyfriend, it would be someone boring and every day. Someone unlike the exotic Attila. He’d have a cubicle job, wear a cheap suit, and drive a Kia.

Sam Grey is a professional gambler who got caught counting cards one too many times, and consequences can be severe. He got beaten up, robbed, injured, and ends up homeless in Pittsburgh, living out of his Porsche. His temporary job helping with the Valentine’s Day craze makes him yearn not only for the perky florist but for a slower, friendlier way of life. When the shop runs into financial trouble, Sam’s dangerous and exotic skills might be just the thing to help Theodore and show him he’s not just a deadbeat moocher who’s “just passing through.”

FREE Books from Kate Pavelle

I have an occasional newsletter, which gives updates on my works and new releases. Every newsletter contains a free story, book, or ARC of a new book. If you sign up this weekend, you’ll get a goodie in the mail on Sunday. The sign-up link is on the front page of my website: www.katepavelle.com.

Lucky Starflowers Interview

What inspired Lucky Star flowers ?

Whenever I look around myself, I see characters, and stories, and what-ifs. One well-known writer and mentor of younger writers makes no secret of having lived homeless out of a Porsche in his younger years. The incongruity of it captured my imagination. I also have relatives who gamble and are good enough at it to pay their bills. Thus, Sam was born. The concept of a book that revolves around a flower shop came to me while I had worked for a florist, and since I’d been writing out of a coffee shop, I decided to rearrange the neighborhood a little bit and place the shop just up the street from my favorite hangout, Espresso a Mano.

The initial impetus to write this story came out of a desire to give Theo a happy ending. Theodore used to be serious about Attila Keleman, the handsome horse trainer from Wild Horses, Broken Gait, and Sire. Even though they weren’t compatible in the long-run, Theo was a good person, and he kept hanging out in the outskirts of my consciousness, suffering and sighing and begging for some sort of a resolution.

So Sam & Samantha Huh? How did you come up with having a male MC with a female side?

I am not sure. Ideas just pop up, like bubbles. Some stick, others burst. The really good ones burst into lots of other bubbles, and creating Sam was just like that. He is my final try at coming up with a romantic match for Theo. I’ve discarded the barista (sorry, Brandon,) the visiting salesman, the tough biker. All of them felt contrived, and none of them stuck. I only remember thinking that the new facial recognition software is making life hard for card counters at casinos, and I’ve been watching YouTube theater makeup videos with my daughter. An idea of a disguise was born, and then a what-if. This was right before a very cold Halloween. “Wouldn’t it suck to have to live out of a Porsche just now,” I remember thinking.

Sam ends up embracing his feminine side just for fun, but only on special occasions. He isn’t trans, nor a drag queen, but he likes his easy-to-pack satin underwear. You have to travel light in a Porsche.

There was so much detail to the flower business and to gambling, how much research did you do?

My florist research comes from having worked at Pittsburgh’s Flowerama. The work his hard and never-ending, but very satisfying. It has entirely changed my perspective on the floral business. I owe what I know to Patti-the-owner and Angie-the-manager, who were generous teachers, and who even suggested the occasional mishap that can derail a business in their trade. Floristry is more than “playing with flowers,” and a ton work goes into running a shop and keeping up with new techniques and trends.

I’m horrible at playing cards. When it comes to gambling, I did a lot of reading, studied instructional videos, and talked to people. I even visited a casino, which I found to be quite creepy in its distracting and shiny way. Watching people play poker is like watching grass grow. Researching poker was the hardest thing ever. Sam’s good at it, though, and so is my step-brother and my uncle. I’m fascinated by their minds, and the way they can run the odds and make betting decisions.

What was the weirdest thing your Googled while researching this book?

Manties! You know, sexy panties for men? It was a “thing” in my circle of FaceBook friends for a while, and I visited many websites to look at men’s exotic underwear, drag underpinnings, and the like. This is before I discovered “private browsing,” and thus I’d received some very interesting e-mail offers!

What chapter was the toughest to write?

The poker-playing chapters were the toughest. I had to keep referring to my notes and saved links, which was messing with my flow something fierce.

What chapter was your favorite?

When Sam sleeps over in the empty apartment downstairs! I can’t tell you much because of spoilers, but Sam’s sleep got disturbed, and Theo raced to his rescue, and… go find out!

Did you consider any alternate endings?

Not really, no. I’m a big believer in happy endings, even though I make the guys work for it.

What got left out in the final draft?

My false starts. This book got started several times, and it never felt quite right. I dumped about 30K words before Sam came on the scene and winked at me.

What challenges did you face in the production of this book?

That would be the book covers, definitely. I’ve learned a bit of Photoshop, and between that and InDesign, I was feeling very cocky. I created a cover that didn’t convey the genre. Once I realized that, I added two cute, half-naked guys. Kevin Chandler, my narrator, must’ve been pretty appalled, because he sent me a sleek, modern cover of his own. Alas, that one didn’t really fit either, so I turned to a pro and had one made. Now everybody’s happy. Being indie and knowing how to do things doesn’t mean I should.

What is your writing schedule like?

I wake up before six, shower and dress, and stumble downstairs to see my teen off to school and coordinate our schedules. I say hi to the dog, get coffee and water, and I waste a lot of precious time on social media. Then I write for a while. When my husband emerges, we have breakfast, and then I write some more. If I have 2K by lunch, I feel pretty accomplished. Since my hip injury doesn’t allow me to sit for a long time at a stretch, I get up more often than I used to. I take breaks gardening, doing household tasks, walking the dog. My daily goal is three thousand words, plus the endless editing and publishing tasks. I used to write every day without fail, but I find I’m happier if I stay away from the computer for one day over the weekend.

Anyone you’d like to say a special thanks to?

Every book is improved by a team effort. My writer friends and I beta-read for each other, and this book is a lot better for the suggestions of Jackie Keswick and Pd Singer. Jonathan Penn was a meticulous proofreader, and Emma from HardCandiesPublishing made the final cover. I’d like to thank Espresso a Mano for letting me use their name in the book and for making delicious and beautiful lattes for me, and Brendan for agreeing to appear in it – as long as I make him look like Brad Pitt.  Patti and Angie at Flowerama have my gratitude for their teaching and good humor. This book is special, because it’s my first work that has been narrated as an audiobook, and Kevin Chandler knocked it out of the park! I miss getting his new chapter updates, his voice is so pleasant and he brings my guys to life, snark and all. It will be out on Audible and iTunes in a week or so.

Last but not least, I’d like to thank my family for supporting my quirky writing ambitions, and I’d like to embrace my readers for their support and enthusiasm. Without you, my efforts would be meaningless.

About Author

Kate Pavelle learned to use a gas mask in first grade, fired her first VZ50 in her sixth-grade civil defense class and her dog was a wolf hybrid stolen from the Czechoslovak border guard. Her eccentric father blew out the windows of their house with a stun grenade.

Her high-stakes childhood leaves Kate searching for the next exciting thing: martial arts, horses, toxic mushrooms.

Her quests resonate through her suspense, thrillers, and romances. Kate once knew the hunger of being a political refugee and the terror of being pursued by government agents. She imbues her characters with her own struggle for survival, excellence, and world domination.

Only the dead bodies are imaginary.

Author Interview

How did you start writing?

Poorly at first, just like everybody else. My first effort was a fruit of frustration at work. I needed something that was all mine, a place where I’d have all control. We were on a business trip in Ireland at the time, and I went to the hotel lobby and powered up my laptop. The book that resulted took seven months for the first draft and was 250,000 words long. It was one giant, incoherent word vomit. After several failed rewrite attempts, I got into fan fiction, which proved to be great training wheels! Three years later, “Wild Horses” came out with Dreamspinner Press, and I just never stopped writing.

Why gay romance?

I’m married, and there are certain differences between men and women that cannot, and should not, be overlooked. A relationship is a pleasure, but it’s also works.Often times, I’ve wondered how things would be if both partners were the same size, possessed the same physical strength, and worked under similar societal and family expectations. If two guys can open a jar of tomato sauce with equal ease, and if they have the same macho attitude, how will they help each other when going gets tough?

What do you like to do for fun?

My interests are pretty broad. I knit and garden, I like to paint and tell stories to live audiences. Being out in the woods and foraging for wild mushrooms is fun, and so is horseback riding. Studying martial arts has always been a constant in my life. I’ve trained in several styles for several decades, which made writing the “Fall Trilogy” pretty easy.

How did you research “Lucky Starflowers” material?

I have worked in a florist shop for a while. They needed help right before Valentine’s Day, and that experience was a real eye-opener. Learning flower-arranging was fun, sure, but most of my day had consisted of a never-ending parade of mundane tasks that are required to keep a shop running. It’s hard work, although I’d found it very satisfying. Theo is the florist. Sam, his love interest, is an itinerant gambler who lives out of his car, a Porsche, which he won in a poker game. I’ve slept in a car before, so I can tell you Sam was exceedingly grateful when Theo offered him a place to crash.

I hear you made an audio book.

Yes. To be accurate, a narrator in LA made an audiobook through Audible’s royalty-split program, and he put a lot of work into it. Now that it’s finished, I’m almost sad, because I really enjoyed getting an e-mail from Kevin every few days with a new chapter. I listened to the narration for the usual quality-control purposes, but soon I got sucked into the story, and now it’s over. The good news? The audio book will be available for purchase by the end of May.

What are you writing now?

Presently I’m finishing Book 3 of the SwimBikeRun Trilogy, and even though the book is going well, I still haven’t decided on the title. It has to consist of two words and it has to refer to running (to match with “Treading Water,” the swim part, and “Hard Climb,” the cycling part.) Let me know if you have any suggestions! Tell you what, suggest a title, and the winner gets a signed paper copy.

The SwimBikeRun Trilogy is about triathlons, right?

Yes. I started writing it in 2011 to help me through triathlon training. When I was swimming in the pool, doing countless laps, I kept thinking of plot, and I pretended the characters were my training buddies. Fessing up to having imaginary friends feels extremely awkward right now, but back then it really helped. Doing the triathlon with author Venona Keys was a lot of fun, too! She is very fit, and she ran through the finish line twice, first on her own and then with me, which encouraged me not to just walk it.

What’s the most important thing in your life?

My family. Watching my daughters grow into competent young adults is like bittersweet chocolate: it’s satisfying, but it has that bite of knowing life isn’t just fluff anymore. And, of course, my husband. He’s a wonderfully supportive and loving man. I’d be lost without them.

LUCKY STARFLOWERS BUY LINKS

   

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Book Blitz: Letters to Laura by Wesley Rivers + Giveaway

Blurb:

Letters to Laura is the story of one woman’s journey from heartbreak to healing. Told through a series of letters, this unique epistolary offers insight into coming out of the closet, losing your virginity, and learning how to genuinely grieve in the face of loss.

People don’t have to die to leave us and when two women—madly in love—break apart, the leaving is all too real. In this inspiringly raw work, grief shows its true nature: that of a healer. How much pain have you shoved down into the depths of your broken heart? Perhaps the light needed for your darkness lies between the lines of one brave woman’s willingness to be exposed.

Excerpt:

“…She was a terrible girlfriend, an even worse friend, and I would have done anything for her. Why? Why would anyone devote so much to someone so messed up and cruel? Because she was me. I mean, not exactly. I know there were a lot of differences in how we treated people, how we chose to mask our brokenness, but she was essentially just like me. She was looking for someone to save her, rescue her, make all the nightmares disappear inside of a kiss. And it inspired me a grand desire to be all she dreamed for. Because if I could save her, maybe it would save me as well.

When the dust settled and the smoke cleared, I was alone. My princess, the one I worked so hard to save, had betrayed me. She’d sold me out to the enemy of loneliness and I was bound by the chains of heartache, held in the prison of good intentions. I looked down at myself, busted and bleeding profusely from every wound I’d ever gotten. They were all noticeable now, glaring back at me saying…”this is it, you’ve suffered long enough, we won’t survive this one, not unless a miracle comes”.

I don’t know whether it was the right time, or just the right combination of events, advice from well–meaning friends, and a few bottles of organic beer. But a sudden moment of clarity took me over. If I wanted to get out of this mess, break from these chains and storm my way out of my self–made prison, I’d need a new perspective. No one was coming to save me. There was no knight in shining armor. My princess was long gone and would not offer aid. I took a deep breath, wiped the tears from my eyes, and decided I’d be my own miracle. I looked grief in the eye and said, “I’m ready.” Grief, the surgeon to the lost, cut me wide open, removed all the faulty wiring, and gave me a new chance.

A chance to become my own hero.”

Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Kobo Goodreads

About the Author:

Wesley Rivers is a no–nonsense individual with a strong disgust for fruitless endeavors. However if you point out how whimsical she can be, she will simply smile and reply: “but with a purpose.” Wesley never avoids being brash when it’s needed, determined to see herself through her own heart rather than anyone else’s. She finds staring into one’s own darkness to be very therapeutic and so shies away from stories, movies, or entertainment that hinges too heavily on formulas, trope–ing, or “feel good” material.

Wesley is enthralled with Asian pop culture, expressing her adoration for anime, K–pop and historical Asian folklore on a daily basis. Much of her inspiration comes from the various art forms of these cultures. She adores foxes and often times plays with the idea that she is indeed the reincarnation of a Kitsune (Japanese nine-tailed fox Yokai).

Being part of the community herself, Wesley has strong ties to LGBT advocacy and social activism. She will also be the first to admit that she finds two men engaging in sexual acts to be too stunning for words, never hiding that she hopes to come back in the next life as a gay man “…in a better world of course.”

She is a dedicated minimalist, quoted saying… “The hoarding of things is death to all the experience life can offer.” Wesley Rivers adores the refinement of tea; she believes there to be more culture in a bag of tea leaves than in the entire world. Wesley sees no difference between children with fur and children without, having five fur–babies: two cats and three dogs. She believes all life matters and the idea that some matter more is primarily what’s wrong with the world.

For more information on Wesley Rivers:

Goodreads page (https://www.goodreads.com/therivergod)

Facebook page (http://www.facebook.com/AuthorWesleyRivers)

Twitter page (https://www.twitter.com/RiversofWords) (@RiversofWords)

Instagram page (https://www.instagram.com/therivergod) (@therivergod)

Tumblr page (http://authorwesleyrivers.tumblr.com)

Wattpad page (https://www.wattpad.com/user/AuthorWesleyRivers)

To contact Wesley Rivers or her editor, e-mail:

Wesley Rivers (authorwesleyrivers@gmail.com)

Patricia Vane (editorpatriciavane@gmail.com)

Download Sample chapter

or Enter Giveaway

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The post Book Blitz: Letters to Laura by Wesley Rivers + Giveaway appeared first on A.O. Chika.

Book Review: Rockin’ the Alternative by Morticia Knight

Title:


Rockin' The Alternative






Series:


What's his passion





Author:



Morticia Knight






Genre:


Contemorary Romance





Publisher:


Pride Publishing





Release Date:


August 1, 2014







Pages:


60

REVIEW:

Rockin the alternative is interesting for a short book. Lemme explain, the attraction a bit too fast but the fact that Bryan was a massive fanboy made it less of an Instalove…. Scratch that, the book makes me wonder if it’s all lust or love. Emotions were thrown in pretty quickly, but the author managed to pull off a subtle character arc for Aubrey and Bryan.

Also, Damn Aubrey need to chill a bit on the seduction, He was on the prowl and all I could think was ‘subtlety thou art a lost cause’ PS: loved the thong!

Personally, I’m not very comfortable with explicit sex scenes unless I can see a strong emotional connection between the two men, and while I couldn’t call what they have a strong emotional connection per se, There was tension, emotional conflicts, nervousness, and hesitation. That made it more real and less like an Instalust or a groupie sex thingy.

Another thing I loved was the vulnerability in Aubrey, it made him seem more attainable and more human, I could do without his self-deprecating moments but it seemed to fit him somehow.

I’m still on the fence about how Bryan went from straight to Bi to your the only dick for me and that’s why it didn’t work out with ladies.  I think the author tried to ease up on it by showing some hesitation and the scene where his boner shriveled up. The ending was a bit abrupt and I felt that their relation moved to fast.

I mean they went from Fanboy meets Rockstar> first-time gay sex> Only penis for me> let’s travel together. For someone who is supposedly straight and another with some subtle abandonment issues, their relationship seems to move at lightning speed, not to mention the fourteen-year difference. It’s a good book but I wish some scenes were expanded to show more depth.

I can’t wait to read the second book- Rockin it Forever, I hope the Author added some physical and emotional conflicts as well as give their relationship more depth.

BLURB:

The chance of a lifetime and the touch of a rock god are offered to music journalist Bryan Gallagher on the same day. Embracing one is easy, but resisting the other is harder than he’d anticipated—especially since Bryan has never been with a man.

It could be his dream assignment. Aubrey King, the legendary god of alternative rock music has requested to meet with journalist and writer Bryan about penning the star’s memoir. Aubrey and his dark, angsty songs are the reason Bryan was inspired to become a leading rock journalist. His obsession for his career has alienated the women in his life, but Bryan doesn’t care. What really matters to him is the music.

Aubrey King has been out of the music scene for almost ten years—ever since his alternative rock band, Falling in Stereo, broke up. Questions about his sexual preferences have always surrounded him, and now that he’s ready to make a solo comeback, he wants to tell his story, his way. He’s followed journalist Bryan Gallagher’s career for a while and believes that Bryan’s obvious passion for music mirrors his own. He loves his writing style, but is also enraptured by the boyishly handsome writer.

Bryan finds pushing his fanboy nervousness aside is difficult when Aubrey finally stands before Brian. He’s amazed at how little Aubrey has changed—his intense gaze, his unique style and his still youthful looks epitomise the star he’s always been. But Aubrey’s vulnerability when he sings and shares the deeply personal lyrics of a new song triggers something in Bryan that he never knew was there. The need to give himself to Aubrey, to let the rock god do to him what he’s never before desired a man to do.

The post Book Review: Rockin’ the Alternative by Morticia Knight appeared first on A.O. Chika.

Letters to Laura: Blurb + Giveaway + Free Sample

Blurb:

Letters to Laura is the story of one woman’s journey from heartbreak to healing. Told through a series of letters, this unique epistolary offers insight into coming out of the closet, losing your virginity, and learning how to genuinely grieve in the face of loss.

People don’t have to die to leave us and when two women—madly in love—break apart, the leaving is all too real. In this inspiringly raw work, grief shows its true nature: that of a healer. How much pain have you shoved down into the depths of your broken heart? Perhaps the light needed for your darkness lies between the lines of one brave woman’s willingness to be exposed.

Buy Links: Amazon US Amazon UK Kobo Goodreads

Download Sample chapter

or Enter Giveaway

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The post Letters to Laura: Blurb + Giveaway + Free Sample appeared first on A.O. Chika.

Blog Tour: Letters to Laura by Wesley Rivers

I’ve always wanted to organize a blog tour, and wow, a lot of work goes into it. Planning a tour on short notice is VERY complicated. But this post isn’t about me stating the obvious. This week I’ll be working with Wesley Rivers and five other blogs.

These are the blogs:

B.A. Brock Books

Divine Magazine

Molly Lolly

The Purple Rose Tea House

Unquietly Me

Off Tour Host

The Novel Approach Reviews

The Letters to Laura blog tour will run from 24th-31st May. Tour includes Giveaway + Live Q&A with Wesley Rivers. Chat is open to all. At the end of the chat, Wesley Rivers will give two attendants a copy of Letters to Laura and a $25 Amazon gift card respectively.

Download Sample chapter

or Enter Giveaway

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The post Blog Tour: Letters to Laura by Wesley Rivers appeared first on A.O. Chika.

SALE BLITZ: Rockin’ the Alternative by Morticia Knight +Giveaway

The chance of a lifetime and the touch of a rock god are offered to music journalist Bryan Gallagher on the same day. Embracing one is easy, but resisting the other is harder than he’d anticipated—especially since Bryan has never been with a man. 
 

It could be his dream assignment. Aubrey King, the legendary god of alternative rock music, has requested to meet with journalist and writer Bryan about penning the star’s memoir. Aubrey and his dark, angsty songs are the reason Bryan was inspired to become a leading rock journalist. His obsession for his career has alienated the women in his life, but Bryan doesn’t care. What really matters to him is the music. 

 

Aubrey King has been out of the music scene for almost ten years—ever since his alternative rock band, Falling in Stereo, broke up. Questions about his sexual preferences have always surrounded him, and now that he’s ready to make a solo comeback, he wants to tell his story, his way. He’s followed journalist Bryan Gallagher’s career for a while and believes that Bryan’s obvious passion for music mirrors his own. He loves his writing style, but is also enraptured by the boyishly handsome writer. 

Brian finds pushing his fanboy nervousness aside is difficult when Aubrey finally stands before him. He’s amazed at how little Aubrey has changed—his intense gaze, his unique style and his still youthful looks epitomise the star he’s always been. But Aubrey’s vulnerability when he sings and shares the deeply personal lyrics of a new song triggers something in Bryan that he never knew was there. The need to give himself to Aubrey, to let the rock god do to him what he’s never before desired a man to do.

 

Buy links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU | Amazon DE 

 

Pride Publishing | ARe

 

M/M Erotic Romance author Morticia Knight enjoys hot stories of men loving men forever after. They can be men in uniform, Doms and subs, rock stars or bikers – but they’re all searching for the one (or two!) who was meant only for them.


When not indulging in her passion for books, she loves the outdoors, film and music. Once upon a time she was the singer in an indie rock band that toured the West Coast and charted on U.S. college radio. She is currently working on more installments of Sin City Uniforms and The Hampton Road Club, as well as the follow-up to Bryan and Aubrey’s story from Rockin’ the Alternative.
 
 








Author links: Website || Facebook || Twitter || Goodreads || Amazon
Rockin’ It Pinterest page

Bryan and Aubrey’s story continues in Rockin’ it Forever

 

Can the touch of a rock god last forever?



Music journalist Bryan Gallagher’s life has completely changed in an unexpected way. Not only has he snagged a dream assignment as the memoirist to alternative music’s rock superstar Aubrey King, but he’s also promised to give the beautiful and enigmatic musician a chance for them to forge a relationship. It’s all very overwhelming for Bryan since, up until he spent a sexually charged day and night with Aubrey, Bryan has never even dreamed of being with a man.


Aubrey is completely smitten with the boyishly handsome, young rock writer, Bryan. After their instant spark grows into something more, Aubrey is desperate to keep Bryan by his side for always. He’s promised Bryan that their love is for real, that Bryan isn’t simply one of his rock star conquests.


Their road isn’t an easy one, though. Despite their deepening bond and growing need for each other, other factors intrude. Neither Aubrey nor Bryan is ready to come out, and their relationship needs to remain a carefully guarded secret. In addition, Aubrey has to answer to the demands of his profession and Bryan has to traverse the shifting waters between his personal and business relationship with his famous lover.


Then a secret is revealed and everything in their joint world implodes. When a love is so strong that two men can barely take a breath without thinking of the other, will that be enough to bridge the loss of trust? The only way they can rock their love forever is if Aubrey can reach Bryan before it’s too late.


Pre-order now on Amazon

 

 
This is a tour wide giveaway beginning with the Sale Blitz, running until the end of the Rockin’ It Forever Release/Review tour. 
 
A little something different for this one, Knight will be doing 2 giveaways per week starting with the Sale Blitz, ending the week before the RR tour. That is 6 small giveaways, 2 per week over 3 weeks, and then there is the Grand Prize Rock & Roll gift basket that will be given out at the end of both tours.
 
Up first for the first week of giveaways for 2 lucky peeps is an exclusive coffee mug with Morticia’s official Author logo on it! Who wouldn’t want to drink their morning java with these two sexy studs?!
 


Also, the Twitter message will change weekly. The Rafflecopter is set up where you can share daily via Twitter, so that gets you 5 entry points daily, if you chose to share daily. And let’s not forget the change your facebook image option. Again, it will change from the Rockin’ the Alternative image to Rockin’ it Forever as the tours change out. 
 
{To see the weekly giveaways – 2 giveaways each week for this week, next week and the week after for a total of 6 small giveaways – visit Morticia Knight’s site. There is a list of all the blogs participating in the blitz where you can visit and comment for additional entries into these giveaways, as well as a new post each week with that weeks giveaway items. You can also see the weekly giveaway images here at TTC Books and more. The winners will be chosen via rafflecopter}
 
 Good luck everyone!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 
 

 

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