Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 110

Review: OCCUPIED BY NEW GIRLFRIEND’S CHARM by Amanda Huber (erotic manga)

Guy was in love with best friend’sgirl. He’s pretending to be happy about it, but inside he was dying. He getsstupid drunk and forgets his diary, which the girlfriend finds. Upon trying toreturn it, she almost catches him with another girl. What the guy didn’t knowwas that the other girl—a childhood friend—had a secret crush on him. It’s anentanglement of confusing emotions here.

It was so sweet how he saved hischildhood friend from that fake cop. Who knew what could’ve happened if hehadn’t.

So, each pair spends a wild nighttogether. What a double whammy! Four inexperienced college students practiceall kinds of sexual techniques, and, while some of it is awkward, a lot of itwas fun for them. Very sexy scenes! But then other people coming around causesa lot of misunderstanding. Oh no! Who will end up with who? Were some cheating?Will Kevin get his shot with this dream girl?

Such great and juicy drama! Iliked it a lot, but I didn’t like the cliffhanger.

 

Rating:4 stars

Review: THE NAUGHTY SECRET AT OFFICE by Victoria Hyde (erotic manga)

A shy, mousy office clerk with abad boss decided to do kinky things at the office. This comic has some funnyscenes and expressions, which I enjoyed, but nothing really good happens. Itwas cute how she got all flustered and embarrassed when she nearly gets caughtevery time. This ends up being a sweet love story between her and a randomco-worker that was crushing on her. It was sweet, but, like I said, we didn’tget any good stuff.

 

Rating:3 stars

Review: STICKY SITUATIONS Erotic Anthology – Volume 1

The first story was basicallyabout a nanny that has an affair with the husband and takes the place of thewife that was always working. She gets pregnant and causes a sticky situation,but it all worked out for her in the end. There was no heat at all, which was adisappointment for me.

Stories were decent reads, butthey certainly weren’t erotic. They seemed more dramatic than anything. Andthis was supposed to be an erotic anthology, right? And that meant heat. Therewas none.

These were okay read—quick andnice—but I was expecting more naughty.

 

Rating:3 stars

Book Blast: COCKTAILS AND CASUALTIES by Carly Wayne

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author is awarding 4 prizes to randomly drawn winners (a leather bound diary and pen, a set of 4 drink coasters, a pewter necklace of a Quetzal bird, a copper compass). Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Teddy Aarons is a nomad, using her bartending skills as an excuse to move to a new luxury resort with each change of the season. But when she finds herself stuck on the remote island of Mahina Cay, she finds refuge in the quirky little Township of Crooked Cove.

Crooked Cove is a village of expatriates from various countries, and the people are welcoming, but she only intends to stay long enough to make the money to get off the island and back to her real life.. However, when one of the village’s most distinguished citizens turns up dead, it’s up to her to either solve the case or become a permanent resident of the slammer!

With her new friend Jasmine at her side, Teddy will do whatever it takes to shake out the truth and stir up the real killer to clear her name. Will she manage to keep herself out of lockup, or will she end up under the influence of the Mahina Cay Prison?

Read an Excerpt

“Teddy, what are you thinking?”

“I’m thinking you should give me the pictures and the phone and wait here,” she said.

Jazz pulled her purse close to her. “Oh hell no. If you are going to question Frannie, you’re not leaving me sitting out of the action. I’m coming with you.”

Knowing it was pointless to argue, Teddy sighed. “Alright. But you have to promise me to behave, Jazz. Let me do the talking. We are going to try the soft approach first.”

The look in Jazz’s eyes told Teddy she was not planning on staying silent. She was chomping at the bit to back Frannie into a corner.

Frannie stood and walked to the ladies’ room, and they followed. Teddy counted to twenty, and then walked in with Jazz behind her. The room was empty except for the two of them, and Frannie was in the last stall. Teddy pointed to the door, and Jazz silently locked it. They leaned against the door and waited for Frannie to emerge....

About the Author: Carly Wayne first discovered her love of storytelling as a child when she would create alternate endings for all of her favorite fairy tales. As she grew, her fascination developed into a passion for writing about the characters and worlds she imagined.

Now, Carly has returned to her ancestral home deep in the woods of Jacksonville, Florida, not too far from the ocean. She fills her days pursuing her bliss by writing, creating, and exploring nature.

Carly holds Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Psychology.

Website: https://carlywayne.online
Purchase Link: https://books2read.com/cocktails-casualties
FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/creator.of.worlds
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarlyWayneJax
GoodReads: https://cutt.ly/carlywayne-goodreads
BookBub: https://cutt.ly/carlywayne-bookbub

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Book Blast: NONBINARY, TRANS, PAN, AND LOVESICK by E.S Corby

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. The author will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Sex is awkward! Gender is confusing!

Discovering his gender and sexual identities in the lonely dungeon of the pandemic, Echo Corby found an outlet through poetry. Graduating high school as everyone was thrust into isolation, friends were hard to find and love was even harder. Loneliness made him crave connection even more, but what did he like and who would love him?

Piecing together the queer world, Corby uses comedy and anecdote to express the uncomfortable ins and awkward outs of gender, sex, love and all outrage that comes with categorization. This collection of autobiographical poetry is a form of release and expression of the vibrant emotions that so many of the LGBTQIA+ community struggle with.

Corby prides himself as an open-book. The vulnerability enclosed within these pages proves as much.

Read an Excerpt

My Name is Not my Pronoun

No, sir/madam,
My name is not my pronoun.

Yes, sir/madam,
I have a pronoun and it is not my name.
Nor is it “it.”
My pronouns are he/him, she/her, they/them, xe/xem.

Yes, sir/madam,
I did say, “I’m happy as long as you’re trying.”
That does not mean I am an object, or a time period, or a figure of speech,
Where you can replace my pronoun with my name.

Why, sir/madam?
Why do I feel the need to correct you when you’ve corrected yourself?
Because when you say the wrong pronoun, then in an effort to fix your mistake, repeat the sentence only with the pronoun replaced by my name…
That disrespects me,
And my choice,
To go by he/him, she/her, they/them, xe/xem.
You disrespect me and my pronoun.

My pronoun is meant to present myself as the male I truly am, or the female I was always meant to be,
It’s meant to scrap aside the foolishness of gender when you call me they/xe instead of she/he.
You’ve prevented yourself from calling me the wrong thing, yes,
But have you committed yourself to getting it right?
Or have you replaced my pronoun,
With my name?

How does it sound, sir/madam,
When I say, “Oliver walked Oliver’s dog through Oliver’s neighborhood before Oliver stopped Oliver, realizing Oliver’s keys were still at Oliver’s home.”
It sounds like shit, doesn’t it?

I am not subterranean to you, sir/madam, who walks at ground level.
Nor am I standing on your shoulders; I walk beside you—
See me there?
I just want to be level with you, sir/madam.
I prefer to be your partner, not your butler.
When we stand on either end of a scale, I want us to weigh the same.

So, no, sir/madam,
My name is not my pronoun.
My name is who I am, my pronoun is what I am.
I am a he/him, she/her, they/them, xe/xem.
And a human being.

About the Author: Having started writing “seriously” as an ignorant fourteen-year-old, Echo has progressed in his writing and editing skills since finding the inspiration in middle school. His whole life, his imagination has always driven him in the creative writing and arts fields. The imagination of childhood has never left him but has evolved into something malleable to his career and tolerable in his vocabulary and sentence structure. Echo’s writing and other creative endeavors have deep relevance to his personal life, as his characters, world and themes always reflect aspects of his personality and identity in ways that may go beyond the average reader’s comprehension. Often writers add elements of themselves to their characters, as it is easier to write what we know, but Echo goes beyond that in exploring deeply sentimental to traumatic elements in his life as a form of therapy for himself and others tackling similar internal conflicts. As a trans masc, nonbinary, pansexual man discovering his identity in the middle of a pandemic, his writing also acts as a way of exploring himself deeper as well as dealing with mental health issues he has been struggling with his whole life. Writing is both deeply personal for him and also something he has always wanted to share with the world. He feels emotions are better told then hidden and that building a community is extremely important to recovery and rejuvenation.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/Nonbinary-Trans-Pan-Lovesick-Corby/dp/B0BYTNKDZV

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Blog Tour: TEMPTATION TRIALS REBELLION by B. Truly

 

Temptation Trials Rebellion

by B. Truly

 

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GENRE: Dystopian Post-ApocalypticRomance Audio Book

 

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BLURB:

 

Can love defeat the greatest temptation ... lust?

 

Ina post-apocalyptic nation where the land of the free is now run under adictatorship, there is one factor that holds the key to keeping worldorder—love. The new Regime controls the emotions of the heart. It’s their mostvital law. At the age of twenty-one, every citizen is forced into an arrangedmarriage. The only way to escape the arrangement is to enter the TemptationTrials—a government-sponsored reality TV show where the loyalties of thecontestants are tested by Tempters and Temptresses who are impossible toresist.

 

Catalinaenters the Trials as a Temptress in hopes that she can win the funds to saveher brother. Sahara’s been ridiculed in the eyes of the public. By being aTemptress, she’ll be able to have a fresh start. The Regime promises that ifshe fulfills her role on the show they will wipe her slate clean.

 

Theproblem is that the Trials are rigged for failure. In all the prior seasons,love’s rival, lust, has proven to be more powerful. No contestant has ever wonthe Temptation Trials and been allowed to stay with their chosen partner.Lutheran Eminence, the world’s dictator, has shown that he’s the ultimatematchmaker.

 

Asthe Temptation Ball approaches, conflict is at an all-time high. Most couplesare too hurt by betrayal to reconcile. With the odds stacked against them,Kincade and Tobias try to mend their relationships, hoping that the greatergood will prevail.

 

Attemptingto uncover the true meaning of love may cost the contestants more than theybargained for—it may cost their souls.

 

 

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EXCERPT:

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

B. Truly haswanted to be an author since she was fifteen years old, and she’s grateful tohave accomplished this dream. She has very vivid dreams and a wild imagination.She likes to read, watch tons of TV shows, and movies. She is addicted toromance and gets a thrill out of suspense. She writes YA and New Adult andAdult Romance, Urban, Dystopian, Sci-fi, Post-Apocalyptic, Romantic Suspense,and Paranormal genres.

           

B. Truly has threewonderful children and a husband who defines the person she today. She worksfull-time as an Ultrasound technologist in Sugarland, Texas.

 

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/temptation-trials-rebellion-b-truly/1143482962

 

https://www.chirpbooks.com/audiobooks/temptation-trials-rebellion-by-b-truly

 

https://play.google.com/store/audiobooks/details/B_Truly_Temptation_Trials_Rebellion?id=AQAAAECifnw-zM

 

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/temptation-trials-rebellion-1

 

https://books.apple.com/us/audiobook/temptation-trials-rebellion/id1693664433

 

https://open.spotify.com/show/3yT0JCPoffpDc3Mpj0eR6t

 

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GIVEAWAY 

The author will be awarding a $10Amazon/BN to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour.

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Blog Tour: THE SHADOW COLLECTOR by Bonnie Randall

THE SHADOW COLLECTOR

by Bonnie Randall

 

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GENRE:  Psychic Thriller/Ghost Thriller

 

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BLURB:

 

HAVEN'TYOU WONDERED?

 

Undercover,on skid row . . .

 

OwenBrophy, summoned by a street psychic, is alarmed when she knows his realname—andunnerved by her obstinate question: "Who did you abandon backhome?"Home. The Okanagan Valley. Owen hasn't been there since he was akid. Hasn'tseen his oldest friend—a guy he once loved like a brother, a manhe's longbeen estranged from—in years. Yet the psychic forecasts an ominouscollision:past will crash against present when his old buddy exhumes along-concealedsecret—a secret more than one person has died for. A secretsomeone will killto keep hidden.

 

ORMAYBE YOU KNOW

 

Unannounced,at her door . . .

 

Agrisly package arrives for Natalya Nikoslav, its cryptic verse clearlywrittenby someone who knows her history something she, abandoned as a toddler,hasnever been able to unearth on her own. Shaken, Natalya scours herpsychicshadows to see where this package has come from. She's shocked by whatshe sees:her tombstone. Its death date waxes and wanes alongside an enigmaticspectre, aman she almost—almost!—recognizes, begging for her help. Aretrocognitive,Natalya knows her psychic shadows are limited to the past . . .yet this man isunmistakably calling out from her future. And he'sfrantic—they'll both die ifshe doesn't come home.

 

But. . . where is home? Who is he?

 

Andwhen she finds him will she know . . .

 

WHEREDID ALL THE CHILDREN GO?

 

 

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Excerpt One:

 

East Hastings& Main, Vancouver, British Columbia

 

Owen Brophycrept down the alley, silently navigating around puddles— some blackened likeoil slicks in the darkness, others gilded by the amber glow of Hastingsstreetlights. All reeking; stagnant rainwater. Piss. “Gretel?” His hushed shoutdrifted over all the bags and rags slumped in the alley; people, covered by orcovering their worldly possessions. “Gretel?”

 

“Shut it!”hissed someone, but then another voice, a rasp that sounded the way rustybarbed wire looked, said, “That you, Boss?” There, beyond her usual haunt,crouched Gretel, an emaciated husk framed by sprays of graffiti, looped shapesand sharp angles in the night. Like The Louvre if it shot up a speedball, Owenmused, and sprinted to her, feet practiced enough to dodge the puddles andfloating needles without needing to look. “How come you’re not in yourdoorway?” he whispered.

 

“’Cause Iwanted a vacation?” Gretel’s wrinkles were crevassed in the dim light, tinysunbursts around the corners of her eyes. In the murk Owen could see the craterof an abscess in her front tooth.

 

She reached up,hid it with her hand. “Gave my doorway to Albert.” One wasted shoulder angledtoward a heap of rags in her jamb. “He gots the grippe. Won’t last long.”

 

What wouldn’tlast long—the grippe? Or Albert? Owen was versed enough in Gretel-speak to knowthe grippe was pneumonia (the most oft-visiting Grim Reaper of the heroin crowd),and that most of the predictions she made down here on skid row came true. “Youtell the street doc about Albert?” he asked.

 

She jacked abrow over the eye that had finally gone opaque from cataract just over a yearago. “You knows I don’t talk to no street doc.” ‘Street doc’, spat out as if ittasted like her tooth. “You got the stuff?” She splayed a hand.

 

 

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AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Bonnie Randall, author of Divinity & The Python and Within TheSummit's Shadow, writes stories that explore what love looks like in the faceof paranormal peril. She lives in Western Canada where she is hard at work onthe next two novels in the Shadow Valley series.

 

Website: https://www.bonnierandallstories.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063601869120

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shadowvalleystories

 

Amazon:

 

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GIVEAWAY  

Theauthor will award a $10 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blog Tour: WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR by Tanith Davenport

 

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR

by Tanith Davenport

 

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GENRE:  Paranormal Erotic Romance

 

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BLURB:

 

Whenhairdresser Tatum Fox takes part in a séance at a party, her only thought is ofthe attractive man sitting beside her, the mysterious Zack, who appears in herdreams that night and who she hopes to see again. However, when she begins toexperience paranormal activity and finds herself confronted by an unnervingclient at work, she discovers that the séance summoned a demon – and Zack maybe the only person who can free her of him.

 

Zackreveals himself to be an angel, and shows Tatum that she also has the power tobattle supernatural creatures – a power that is increased through sex with him.Their connection soon strengthens, but is Tatum strong enough to defeat thedemon with Zack by her side – and can there be a future with an angel, or istheir passion doomed to end?

 

 

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Excerpt One:

 

“You’re notinto this, are you?”

 

The voice, lowand male, cut through Tatum’s thoughts. Automatically, she looked across thetable at its owner, wondering at the same time how she had even heard him. Hewas on the other side of the table and conversation was going on all around them,yet she had heard him as clearly as if he had spoken directly into her ear.

 

She didn’trecognize him. His dark hair was slicked back, revealing high cheekbones and achiseled jaw, a surprisingly modelesque face she was sure she would haveremembered if she had seen him before. Ice blue eyes were focused on hers, amysterious smile flickering on his lips.

 

“It’s not mything, but I’ll go with it.”

 

“Mine neither.”His smile broadened just a little. “I’m Zack, by the way.”

 

“Tatum.”

 

His voice wasstill low, deep, and yet seemed to be cutting through the surrounding noise asthough directly connected to her ear. Nobody else seemed to be payingattention.

 

“Ouija boardsare an uncontrolled medium. Too many people, not enough care, not enough …respect.” Zack threw a glance at Nicole, who was swigging from a glass ofpunch. “Anything could go wrong.”

 

“So why are youdoing it?” Tatum knew the question could have been directed equally at herself,but somehow she found herself wanting to know the answer.

 

Zack arched aneyebrow. “Somebody has to be in control.”

 

His eyes werestill locked on hers, and Tatum felt a dark flush cover her face. To havesomebody’s attention so tightly focused on her made something tingle low in hergut.

 

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A pivotal scene in my story and why it’simportant

My heroine, Tatum, doesn’t know her ownstrength. As far as she’s concerned, she’s just a hairstylist aiming to becomea colourist. But my hero, Zack, knows she has supernatural powers – and he alsoknows she’s in danger. Which leads to my favourite scene in the story; thescrying scene.

When Zack suggests Tatum and some othershold a séance at his place, Tatum’s main interest is in seeing his flat. She’sheard of scrying – looking into a mirror and trying to see a spirit lookingback at you, essentially – but has never tried it, nor is she expecting much tohappen. Until suddenly something does. Amongst her friends fooling around andsaying “Candyman” as they look into their mirrors, Tatum sees something shewishes she hadn’t, and Zack immediately knows what she’s seen.

Tatum’s new client, Dante, appears in themirror, appearing inhuman and terrifying.

Dante, you see, is a demon – and he has hissights set on Tatum. Zack knows she has supernatural abilities, but Tatum hasno idea how to use them. It’s down to Zack and the connection they have to helpTatum defeat Dante once and for all.

This was one of the first scenes I plannedand was one of the inspirations for the title. Tatum is fairly skeptical aboutthe paranormal and when she initially meets Zack, at a séance held by anotherfriend, she sees it as nothing but a good time. Zack is the only one who canshow her that there are darker forces at play and Tatum will need all thestrength she has, as well as Zack’s support, to fight them off.

I hope my readers enjoy reading the book asmuch as I enjoyed writing it!

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Tanith Davenport began writing erotica at the age of 27 by way ofthe Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme. Her debut novel"The Hand He Dealt" was released by Totally Bound in June 2011 andwas shortlisted for the Joan Hessayon Award for 2012.

 

Tanith has had short stories published by Totally Bound, NaughtyNights Press and House of Erotica. She loves to travel and dreams of one daytaking a driving tour of the United States, preferably in a classic 1950s pinkCadillac Eldorado.

 

Tanith's idea of heaven is an Indian head massage with a Mojito ather side.

 

www.facebook.com/TanithDavenport

www.twitter.com/TanithDavenport

www.tanithdavenport.blogspot.com  

Books 2 Read: https://books2read.com/u/bOPO7W  

Amazon US:  bit.ly/46xnwe5

 

 

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GIVEAWAY 

TanithDavenport will award a $10 Amazon/BN gift card to a randomly drawn winner.

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Book Blast: SLIGHTEST IN THE HOUSE by Barbara Casey

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Barbara Casey will award a $20 Amazon/BN GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter. Click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

On some level she was aware that an elderly woman had come out of the darkness and put her arms around her. Meredith heard her say that everything would be all right. But on another, more conscious level, the one where all of her senses saw, felt, processed and recorded what was happening, Meredith watched two black body bags being loaded into the back of an ambulance. Then she watched the ambulance turn around and drive off in the opposite direction. Her long, tumbling mass of blond curls hung loosely over her face, shielding it. For Beth, the reality of what had taken place would come later. But Meredith had seen what had happened and understood. That knowledge was now seeping through every pore of her body.

Seventeen-year-old Meredith and her four-year-old stepsister, Beth, face the numbing reality of suddenly losing their parents in a freak accident. With no other family, they are taken from their mobile home in Georgia to go live with a grandmother they have never met in a mansion in Palm Beach, Florida. Beth soon adjusts to her new environment; but Meredith withdraws from everyone and everything, unable to blot out the image of the horrible crash that killed her parents. It is only when she reaches out to a homeless woman that Meredith is finally able to find herself and face her demons. With the help of her grandmother’s long-employed staff, a family doctor, a museum curator, an attorney who is more than just her grandmother’s legal advisor, and, of course, her conniving grandmother who is dealing with her own guilt for having been estranged from her son and his wife (Meredith’s and Beth’s parents), Meredith is able to pull herself from the depths of despair into a life filled with faith, hope, and generosity.

Slightest in the House is a contemporary novel with strong, interesting characters from different walks of life, brought together because of life’s difficult and often unexpected circumstances, and bonded together by their faith and belief that everything works out as it should.

Read an Excerpt

Ron stared wildly at the crumpled car. “You don’t think the girls were . . .” Ron didn’t finish. It was simply too horrible to say out loud. Instead he reached out and grabbed at the twisted metal frame of the car, yanking and clawing at it, as though once he got it out of the way, he would find two young girls miraculously sitting there, whole and perfect, and untouched by gore and death. Terror filled Ron’s face as he glanced back at his partner. “Oh, god, Mack, they would never leave the kids at home alone,” he yelled as he knelt down and wrenched harder, surreal, blood-soaked images flooding his mind that were simply too unbearable for words.

“Mr. Reynolds?”

The soft voice came from somewhere behind him, through the dust and the fumes of the wreckage, and through the noisy confusion of fire trucks, sirens, and frantic people. Ron turned around, searching through all the chaos made even more so by the flashing blue and red emergency lights, until his eyes stopped and focused on a young girl. A much smaller child had her arms wrapped around her neck, clinging to her. Both of them were covered with dirt, and their clothes were torn. But otherwise they looked to be all right. Ron’s panic was quickly replaced by a façade of calmness. He glanced up at the elderly man standing behind them, his arms encircling them protectively. He was bleeding from a cut on the side of his face, and his eyes were glazed over in shock.

“Meredith. Beth.” Ron stood up and brushed off his hands. Then he gently took the little girl out of her sister’s arms and held her tightly against him. “Are you two all right?” he asked taking a deep breath.

“Yes,” answered Meredith. “We were in the candy shop.” Her eyes looked too large for her face, and her normally fair skin was ashen. “Mr. Devening has a cut.”

“I hurt my finger,” announced Beth sticking up her thumb. “And Oinky hurt his tail.” Beth then proceeded to poke the back end of a rather ugly stuffed toy pig into Ron’s face so he could examine that as well.

“I see,” said Ron, fighting down the sick feeling that was threatening to overtake him. He knew he couldn’t lose it now—not in front of the girls. They needed him. He must be strong for them. He would be able to go home later on to his wife and young daughter. But for Meredith and Beth, their nightmare was just beginning.

“I’ll tell you what,” he said. His voice was soothing—in control. “This man is my partner, and his name is Mack.”

Both girls looked at the man standing next to Ron.

“He’s going to drive us all to the hospital so we can get everyone taken care of.” Mack led Mr. Devening to the patrol car.

“Oinky’s tail, too?” asked Beth.

“Absolutely. Then he’s going to take us to my house. Would you like that?”

“And see Christie?” asked Beth.

“And see Christie,” Ron answered. “Is that O.K. with you, Meredith?”

Meredith didn’t answer. On some level she was aware that a woman had come out of the darkness and put her arms around her. Meredith heard her say that everything would be all right. That she was safe. And that she must be strong. But on another, more conscious level, the one where all of her senses processed and recorded what was happening, Meredith saw two black body bags being zipped and placed into the back of an ambulance. Then she watched the ambulance turn around and drive away. Her long, tumbling mass of blond curls hung loosely over her face guardedly, concealing it, preventing the horror from penetrating any deeper. For Beth, safeguarded by youth and innocence, the reality of what had taken place would come later. But Meredith had seen what had happened and understood. That knowledge was now seeping through every pore of her body. Ron glanced at the woman, nodded, and took Meredith’s hand.

About the Author: Barbara Casey is the author of over two dozen award-winning novels and book-length works of nonfiction for both adults and young adults, and numerous articles, poems, and short stories. Several of her books have been optioned for major films and television series.

In addition to her own writing, Barbara is an editorial consultant and president of the Barbara Casey Agency. Established in 1995, she represents authors throughout the United States, Great Britain, Canada, and Japan.

In 2018 Barbara received the prestigious Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award and Top Professional Award for her extensive experience and notable accomplishments in the field of publishing and other areas.

Barbara lives on a mountain in Georgia with three cats who adopted her: Homer, a Southern coon cat; Reese, a black cat; and Earl Gray, a gray cat and Reese’s best friend.

http://www.barbaracaseyauthor.com
http://www.barbaracaseyagency.com
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/182118114-slightest-in-the-house

https://www.amazon.com/Slightest-House-Barbara-Casey-ebook/dp/B0CB21NJXT/ref=sr_1_1
https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/slightest-in-the-house-barbara-casey/1005814600

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Blog Tour: KING OF THE MOUNTAIN by Aiden Ainslie

 

KING OF THE MOUNTAIN

by Aiden Ainslie

 

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GENRE:  M/M romance

 

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BLURB:

 

CLIFFORD

 

Afteryears of hard work and training, I finally have the chance of fulfilling mylifelong dream of winning the Tour de France. Nothing can be allowed todistract me from this mission, especially not Gabe O’Reilly, the adorable artstudent from San Francisco.

 

Buthe looks so vulnerable – all alone in France.

 

Iwould be failing in my patriotic duty to a fellow American if I didn’t takecare of him, wouldn’t I? And what possible harm could come from spendingtwenty-four hours with him on the shores of the Mediterranean? I deserve thatlittle break, don’t I?

 

GABE

 

Ihave never seen a human specimen as perfect as Clifford Du Frey. During ourfleeting encounter in Paris, I saw a man who was funny, caring, and tender – sovery different from the way the media portray him. He is everything I couldever dream of in a boyfriend.

 

Butin what universe will an international sports superstar pay any serious attentionto me?

 

Donot get involved, my brain yells; you can only get hurt again. But my heart isthrumming to a different tune.

 

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Excerpt One:

 

CLIFFORD

 

In my line ofwork as a professional cyclist, me-time was rationed like the tiny,individually wrapped squares of chocolate my mother would give me as a rewardfor good school results. Of course, once I had found her secret stash, I usedto help myself and haughtily decline her miserly tokens of approval.

 

But there wasno secret stash of time. I had to live with the given rations to deal with myanxieties. I knew what none of the team even suspected – this was do-or-die, mylast attempt at finally pulling off the big win that had eluded me throughoutmy ten-year professional career. I knew that I would not be able to muster thehunger for another Tour – to withstand the hundreds of hours of training ridesin extreme heat and the Alps' arctic altitude. This was it. But if my cycling careerwas at an end – then what? It was all I had ever done. My grueling schedule hadnot allowed me to attend college. At twenty-eight, I stared into the chasm ofobscurity, a has-been, yesterday’s hero discarded with yesterday’s trash.

 

I nursed acoffee and was about to spiral into a pit of self-doubt and anxiety when Inoticed a young man at the restaurant entrance. His indecision was palpable. Hehad a camera on a strap around his neck. Who still used cameras? Didn’teveryone have a smartphone? And he held a copy of the Lonely Planet in onehand. He wore cargo shorts, a UC San Francisco T-shirt, and leather sandals.There was something so open, innocent, and vulnerable about him that it tuggedat my jaded heart. He might as well have had “American student – rip me off”tattooed on his forehead. Physically he was gorgeous – average height withsun-tanned skin and the perfect proportions that come from working on a farm orconstruction site. The soft curls of his dark hair shone in the midday sun andfell in unruly waves over his forehead. I had the fleeting, insane urge to pushmy fingers through that hair so that I could get a good look at his eyes. A fewwell-heeled ladies in the bistro were giving him the once-over, but he wasutterly oblivious.

 

The man bit hislower lip as he studied the menu, and it was as though I could read his mind.The hand in his pocket was no doubt assessing how many euros he had and whetherhe could afford the expensive bistro which the Lonely Planet recommended as a“must-do.” Again, his eyes scanned the packed restaurant, and the waiters weretoo busy to notice his dilemma.

 

To this day, Ido not know what made me do it. I, who had wanted anonymity, to get away fromthe oppressive togetherness of a competitive sports team in a foreign country.I, who desperately needed time to straighten out my head. I, who definitely didnot need any distractions in my life. I rose from my seat and beckoned for thestranger to join me at the intimate table with its white tablecloth, the vase withlavender, and the table-setting for two.

 

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2023_08_15 Sandra’s Book Club

 

Topic:  Pleasedescribe a pivotal scene in your book and why it's important.

 

APIVOTAL SCENE IN “KING OF THE MOUNTAIN”

 

“Kingof the Mountain” employs the gay awakening trope. Sports superstar, Clifford duFrey, maintains a carefully crafted heartthrob image for thousands of femalefans while denying himself true love. He pours all his energies andfrustrations into cycling and has reached the pinnacle of the sport: leader ofthe Tour de France. Then he meets Gabe O’Reilly, a soft-spoken, dreamy artstudent traveling in France. The chance encounter in Paris leaves Cliffordconfused and off-balance. But he remains in denial about his sexuality andconvinces himself that he is “merely doing his patriotic duty” by looking outfor a young American, all alone in France.

 

Theirrelationship grows and when Clifford has time off from the race, he invites Gabeto join him for a day on a picturesque Mediterranean beach near Nice. Theysunbathe and frolic in the water while the mutual attraction and desire hang inthe air like the perfume of tanning lotion. Clifford finds it ever moredifficult to deny his desires. But, when Gabe gazes into Cliff’s eyes and leansin for a kiss, Clifford turns away.

 

Thishurts Gabe deeply. He thought there was something real developing between them,but now suspects that the celebrity sports star was just toying with him –leading him on. Clifford’s action, or rather inaction, costs him dearly.Because although their relationship continues to evolve, the seeds of mistrusthave been planted. Gabe, who is naturally very trusting, is now on the alert –and at crucial moments, when trust is sorely needed, he is prepared to believelies spread by Clifford’s enemies.

 

Hereis an excerpt from the scene, narrated from Gabe’s perspective.

 

We horsed around in the water like acouple of drunken teenagers. Drunk on sunshine, drunk on life, drunk on lo…   I didn’t dare to complete the thought. Whowas I to think a man like Clifford du Frey would fall in love with me? For allI knew, he was straight as straight can be. Sports stars let off steam byhorsing around with their teammates. And after the grueling days on the road,he sure needed some fun to relax and unwind.

I reminded myselfthat a man could bathe in the warmth of the sun, but that did not mean the suncared about the man’s existence. He was an international celebrity, asuperstar. As unattainable as the sun itself. And we all knew what happened tothose who flew too close to the sun.

After a few moreminutes of splashing and laughing, I got his glistening body in a half-nelsonand made him concede that I was a superior wrestler.

Cliff stood bentover, panting. I beat my chest like Tarzan and hollered at the waves, “I,Neptune, King of the Sea, have conquered the one and only King of theMountain.”

He smiled his mostdisdainful smile, came to stand right in front of me, and said, “Just wait tillI get you up into the mountains.”

“What are yougoing to do?” I teased, “Drag me into your castle and tie me up?”

His nostrilsflared, and his face showed such a mixture of emotions that I was at a loss tointerpret them.

“For starters,” hesaid, “I’ll whip your ass….”

I caught mybreath.

He continued, “…atskiing.”

He drew himself upto his full height, which meant I was looking directly at his lips and thestubble on his chin. I ached to reach out and feel that roughness. I didn’tjust want to feel it with my hands; I wanted to feel it on my neck, my chest,on every square inch of my body. He parted his lips, and I imagined the sweet,salty taste they would leave on my tongue.

My throat wassuddenly dry. I licked my lips and looked up at the eyes that were waiting tobore into mine. Our chests were only separated by a minuscule air gap and twothin layers of water, rapidly evaporating under our bodies' heat. I stoodmotionless; my heart was pounding so loudly that I was sure Cliff could hear it.I had the sensation of my chest hair vibrating to the rhythm of his heartbeat.

I had never beenin a situation like this. With anyone else, I would have reached up, threadedmy fingers through their hair, and kissed them till either or both of us faintedfrom lack of oxygen. But my instincts told me that if we were to cross thisline – this line between being buddies and being…being something more – it hadto be his decision.

I clenched myhands to prevent them from reaching up of their own volition and waited. Then Isaw it. Cliff’s eyes roamed to the beach, to the people way behind us, and outto the yachts. He was trying to make sure that no one was watching us.

If someone wasembarrassed to be seen kissing me, then that person wasn’t ready to kiss me.

I made thedecision for him. And though it broke my heart, I flashed him a brilliant smileand said, “Race you to the towels. Last one there is a loser.”

I already knew whothe loser was – the one who had lost his heart to the King of the Mountain.

 

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Aiden Ainslie lives in the Diablo foothills, east of SanFrancisco. He grew up in various small towns and loves to draw on thatsmall-town feel for his romances: the sense of community but also the pettygrievances, intrigue and rivalries. “An author has to draw on personalexperience to create authentic stories.”

 

According to Aiden, setting and mood are critical parts of aromantic story, hence he is always taking pictures of romantic settings to beused in future novels. Check them out on his website www.aidenainslie.com

 

When Aiden is not writing or listening to audiobooks, he likes tocycle and hike. During those solitary pursuits, he dreams up the characters andplots for his MM Romance novels. He also enjoys zipping around town on hismotor scooter, drinking coffee at the local coffee shops, and watching peopleto get inspiration for his writing.

 

Website: www.aidenainslie.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aiden.ainslie

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AidenA36208349

Amazon buy link: https://www.amazon.com/KING-MOUNTAIN-LOVE-LAKE-CLYDE-ebook/dp/B0996S9871

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/books/king-of-the-mountain-by-aiden-ainslie

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/58576572-king-of-the-mountain

 

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