Mickie B. Ashling's Blog, page 159

Merry Christmas!

On New Year's Eve, Dreamspinner will publish its 200th paperback. To celebrate, we're having a huge trivia contest. One question for each book. To enter, download, the trivia questions href=http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/images/promotional/200th_paperback_trivia_questions.pdf from our web site and answer as many of them as you can, and submit your answers by Jan. 1. Winners will be announced on Jan. 7.

1st prize - an Amazon Kindle and every ebook on your wishlist.
2nd prize - an Amazon Kindle
3rd prize - a $50 GC
4th prize - a $25 GC
5-10th prizes - $10 GCs

In the event of a tie, the winner will be chosen at random between all entries with the same number of correct answers.

Merry Christmas to all my wonderful readers. Thank you for your ongoing support and for making this year quite memorable. May 2011 bring us all peace, contentment, and a wealth of good reading.

Book Rec

72 Hours by Clare London

My rating: 4 of 5 stars


Tanner Mackay and Niall Sutherland were once far more than just fellow intelligence agents. But then a mission went horribly wrong and everything fell apart, sending Tanner into hiding and splitting the team and their affair wide apart.

Now an unknown traitor is threatening the team, and their ex-boss is determined to reunite them before it's too late. She finds Tanner in a run-down trailer park, bringing with her a most unwelcome refugee in need of temporary sanctuary: Niall, the man he thought he'd never have to face again. The man he's sure feels exactly the same in return.

Trapped in a situation that's both claustrophobic and highly dangerous, Tanner and Niall will have to revisit their past and reconsider their perceptions, their loyalties—and their desires—in order to survive, let alone forge a future together

72 Hours is an emotion packed story about two men who have serious communication malfunctions. Talk about men not wanting to ask for directions. It's no wonder the GPS was invented by a guy. Really? Sometimes you just want to knock their heads together and scream, TALK! Jeez...I loved this book by the way. Clare London's characters are so terribly real you can almost smell, taste, and feel the high tension throughout the entire novel. The deep and abiding love between Niall and Tanner jumps off the page and if they would only pay attention to their unspoken signals the sexy bits would have come a lot sooner. And the sex was very, very good...as was the drama, and the mystery. A 4.5 read and highly recommended.

Presents!!!!

This year let Dreamspinner make your eBook dreams come true. Each day from Dec. 26- Dec. 31, we will draw one name from the customers that purchased during the month of December to win every eBook on their wish list. Now's your chance to catch up on all your reading for free! If you don't have an account yet go here: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com and sign up. Fill up your wish list. You may be a lucky winner!

P.S. I would like to thank the very talented clmiles for my lovely Christmas banner.

Book Rec

Shining in the Sun by Alex Beecroft

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Damn it, a man shouldn't always have to be afraid-

Alec Goodchilde has everything a man could want-except the freedom to be himself. Once a year, he motors down to an exclusive yacht club on the Cornish coast and takes the summer off from the trap that is his life.

When his car breaks down, leaving him stranded on the beach, he's transfixed by the sight of a surfer dancing on the waves. The man is summer made flesh. Freedom wrapped up in one lithe package, dripping wet from the sea.

Once a year, Darren Stokes takes a break from his life of grinding overwork and appalling relatives, financing his holiday by picking up the first rich man to show an interest. This year, though, he's cautious-last summer's meal ticket turned out to be more pain than pleasure.

Even though Alec is so deep in the closet he doesn't even admit he's gay, Darren finds himself falling hard-until their idyllic night together is shattered by the blinding light of reality-


I thought this would be a simple tale of a summer romance between a closeted man and a sufter dude. Snort...I should have known better. It's Alex Beecroft, after all. This is a memorable story of self-discovery, passion, understanding, and forgiveness. The writing is beautiful and Ms. Beecroft captured and held my attention throughout the entire book. I can honestly say I didn't skim through a single page. This is a great read and one I would highly recommend. Definite 5 stars.

Coming Soon!

""


Tono a sequel to Loving Edits

In the aftermath of Mick Henley's death, his two lovers, Paul Alcott and Tono Garat, find themselves at odds. Tono has rejected Paul on the pretext that the public will find out about their love affair, thus tarnishing Mick's memory; the reality is that Tono fears Paul will lose interest in him because they're not intellectual equals. Tono's fear is compounded when Mick's final novel, Momentos, is presented to Paul posthumously with a request to start a trust from the proceeds to aid artists and writers suffering from ALS. Mick's only stipulation is that Tono spearhead the organization.

Paul is energized by Mick's request, but Tono is angry and conflicted about the challenge. After a five-month separation, they reunite, rekindling their strong physical attraction—and illuminating their many differences. As always, Mick's presence lingers, intruding at unexpected times. Are their memories preventing Paul and Tono from finding true happiness as a couple? Can there be a life for two vibrant alphas without the gentle Mick to buffer the discord?

Some good news came my way today. Loving Edits received an honorable mention in the Rainbow Awards held over at Elisa Rolle's blog. My novel tied for fourth place in the Best Gay Contemporary Romance Category where fellow Dreamspinner author, Marie Sexton, won second place for Strawberries for Dessert. My second entry Cutting Cords tied for ninth place and also received an honorable mention in the same category. All in all a most excellent day.

Tono will be available January 14, 2011. If you have an account with Dreamspinner Press you can pre-order and they will add it to your bookshelf so that you will have it the day it releases. Go here to order. :

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/upcoming_products.php

Book Rec

Finding Zach by Rowan Speedwell

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


For five years, Zach Tyler, son of one of the world's richest software moguls, was held hostage, tortured, and abused. When he is rescued at last from the Venezuelan jungle, he is physically and psychologically shattered, but he slowly begins to rebuild the life he should have had before an innocent kiss sent him into hell.

His childhood best friend David has lived those years with overwhelming guilt and grief. Every relationship David has tried has fallen apart because of his feelings for a boy he thought dead. When Zach is rescued, David is overjoyed—and then crushed when Zach shuts him out.

Two years later, David returns home, and he and Zach must come to terms with the rift between them, what they feel for each other, and what their future could hold. But Zach has secrets, and one of them might well destroy their fragile love.

The accolades for this book are well deserved. Finding Zack will rip your heart apart and put it back together in the most wonderful way. I loved this book and look forward to Ms. Speedwell's next release. If you enjoy emotional roller coasters this is a must read.

On the home front, I just got my contract for my novel Taste which is the spin-off to Horizons. It's a full length novel and will release in April 2011. Stay tuned for more news as we get closer.



View all my reviews

Book Rec

Dragonfly in Amber by Diana Gabaldon

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



With her now-classic novel Outlander, Diana Gabaldon introduced two unforgettable characters Claire Randall and Jamie Fraser delighting readers with a story of adventure and love that spanned two centuries. Now Gabaldon returns to that extraordinary time and place in this vivid, powerful follow-up to Outlander....

For twenty years Claire Randall has kept her secrets. But now she is returning with her grown daughter to Scotland's majestic mist-shrouded hills. Here Claire plans to reveal a truth as stunning as the events that gave it birth: about the mystery of an ancient circle of standing stones ... about a love that transcends the boundaries of time ... and about James Fraser, a Scottish warrior whose gallantry once drew a young Claire from the security of her century to the dangers of his....

Now a legacy of blood and desire will test her beautiful copper-haired daughter, Brianna, as Claire's spellbinding journey of self-discovery continues in the intrigue-ridden Paris court of Charles Stuart ... in a race to thwart a doomed Highlands uprising ... and in a desperate fight to save both the child and the man she loves....

Dragonfly in Amber is book two of the Outlander series. I'm hooked--just as badly as I was in the nineties when I first discovered Diana Gabaldon. This is an intense and beautiful love story about a time traveler that spans 2 centuries. It's rich in historical details, and there is even an a little bit of an m/m element which I'd forgotten all about. I've lost several days immersed in this novel, an easy thing to do once you get started. Each book is over 900 pages but the author captures and entertains with her beautiful writing making each page a joy to read. The best part is you don't have to wait a whole year for the next book in the series since they are all in print or in ebook form and readily available. If you've never heard of this author or this series I urge you to pick up the first book, Outlander, which is a free download at Amazon. You won't regret it.

Book Rec

Trust Me by Jeff Erno

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Shawn Graham and Bobby Wilder couldn't be more different. Shawn is a devout Christian fundamentalist from northern Michigan; Bobby is a street-smart, latchkey kid from southern Ohio. From an early age, they are both confused and troubled by their attraction to the same sex. Shawn believes that homosexuality is sinful, and a traumatic incident of childhood sexual abuse adds to his guilt and shame. Bobby has an image to maintain and flatly denies the possibility that his same-sex attractions even exist. He's just too cool to be gay. When they finally connect, their preconceptions are suddenly dwarfed by what they feel for each other.

They become inseparable and fall deeply in love; however, love doesn't make life easy. Plans are in motion that will surely devastate the young couple. Painful experiences of the past overshadow happy memories, and heartbreaking obstacles loom over the possibility of a future. If Shawn and Bobby want to stay together, they will have to fight with everything they have.


I've never read anything by this author but I decided to try this based on several recommendations. It was a long (366 pages) and gut wrenching story that brought me to tears several times. Some parts were extremely difficult to get through but I'm glad I forged ahead. The trauma that Shawn had to endure on his own broke my heart. As a mother I had a hard time understanding Deni's blatant disregard for her son's feelings and her subsequent decisions. I loved Bobby and his cocky attitude but Shawn won me over from the very first. Great story if you like angst. I'd recommend it without hesitation.

Book Rec

Vamp Camp by Wynn Wagner

My rating: 4 of 5 stars



Who knew that being a gay vampire could be loving and tender? This is a blazingly fast adventure and all the scary / creepy / freaky drama you'd expect from a vampire tale. You also get the wicked wit of Mårten Larsson as he learns to live (no, not 'live' exactly) as a vampire. From steamy sex to hunting rogue goons, Mårten masters the art and science of vampirism.

Did he want to be a vamp? Not so much. He wanted it as much as he asked to have a sissy circle over the 'å' in his name. His mother didn't ask him about the name, and his Maker didn't ask if he wanted to be a vampire. He just woke up dead one day with a piece of paper that said, "Dude, you're a vampire. Drink some blood."

Vamp Camp is an entertaining and irreverent novel about a young man who was turned against his will and finds himself a vampire abandoned by his Maker. Our young hero has no idea how to survive until he meets a true Master vampire and is taken under his wing. The blurb alone was hilarious and the humor continues throughout the book as our vampire apprentice learns the basics of being a good blood sucker. The secondary characters are colorful and it was so easy to suspend belief and imagine myself amongst the young men learning the ancient secrets of the vampire world. I look forward to the next book in this series and I'm delighted to add Wynn Wagner to my list of favorite authors.

Happy Turkey Day!

A fellow DSP writer posted this and I couldn't resist sharing, lol! Happy Thanksgiving Day to all who celebrate. I have so much to be grateful for this year, especially all the new friends I've made through my writing. I treasure each and every one of you.