Talon P.S.'s Blog, page 4
September 26, 2016
Talon’s ManCandy Monday – Dreams in My Sheets
Dreams in My Sheets
September 19, 2016
Talon’s ManCandy Monday – Here are some wet men to cool you down
Here are some wet men to cool you down
September 5, 2016
Talon’s ManCandy Mondays – Did you miss me?
August 8, 2016
WRITERS ARE FOR WRITING NOT WHINING
Every author and writer gets down in the dumps, just like anyone else does. Only we, as writers, are damn good at putting it into words and often for sharing. I don’t refute a person the right to just dump every once in a while. I have. But I don’t confuse depression with whining. And I have to say I have been seeing a lot of whining lately. I usually shut it out. I just don’t need it. Any struggling author can probably get where I am coming from when I say: “It’s hard enough facing the truth of the struggle, that we don’t need to expose ourselves to more duress by listening or reading someone whining over frivolous things, or stuff they know comes with the industry and need to grow some thick skin on. Who needs that added to the day to day grind of just being a writer?”
But there is one author who is a frequent poster in my Facebook news feed. And this author often whines about Goodreads. Now, a lot of authors say they stay away from Goodreads. And usually when they say that, they do just that. They DON’T GO ON GOODREADS AND READ REVIEWS ON THEIR BOOKS.
But this (unnamed) author says they won’t go there but then they go there. And every so often they come back to Facebook to rant/vent about how ugly and mean readers/reviewers are on Goodreads. The author gets other authors to chime in with them and next thing you know there’s this mini protest of authors claiming they don’t go on Goodreads anymore because it’s so evil and vile over there. But this has become an almost regular daily dance. So apparently they lied and they DO go on Goodreads. But no worries, I understand being a gluten for punishment.
I finally decided to go look myself, to see how bad was bad. You wanna know the first thing I noticed on the author’s list of books? —Book 1, the first book they ever published had 282 reviews on it. — Really? I mean really? You are over there whining about shit and you have TWO HUNDRED, EIGTHY TWO REVIEWS on a book that has only been out for a two years.
At this point I don’t give two shits if there is a one-star review on it. I don’t care that it might even be scathing. The fact is There isn’t an author
out there who gets a perfect score. If they have 500 five-star reviews on their first book and nothing else— they BOUGHT THEM! So get real and grow some skin because with 282 reviews, some of them are going to be one-stars. But look!! There are also 2s, 3s, 4s, and 5s. There are more 5s then there are 1s. So shut up and go back to writing. If you want to know why you have so many 1s then listen to what they say about your book, then ponder it about the same way you would ponder grass growing. THEN! Go back to writing and stop whining that there are 282 people who read and took time to review your first book out.
I’d seen something similar to this on an even greater scale taking place at Amazon. A Facebook group for post apocalypse fiction I am in had a first time published author and they posted inside the group one day asking people to help report out a scathing one-star review. I went to look. What was the first thing I saw? Over 800 reviews (on Amazon, no less) and the book had been released only eight months ago. Once again, I failed to give a shit about the lowly review and NO! I did not vote it down. The author should feel so luck they had 800 reviews on their first book out ever.
Mine and Talon’s first book published was released in 2011, granted it doesn’t have sex or rotting zombies in it, but still five years trumps two years and it trumps eight months. Yet, our five-year-old book only has 71 ratings on GR and 20 on Amazon. That’s the highest on any book with my name on it. My brother’s rank higher, my own don’t even come close. Am I complaining? Not one iota! Do I wish I could get more reviews for my books? Hell yes!! Because while I also saw this author’s other books had ratings in the 176, 148, 198 and the lowest I think was seventy something. I don’t have a single (solo) title with more than 34.
Why, the most recent review left for one of mine was quite scathing. I disagree with the reviewer’s story ripping, but someone bought my book and left a review. His opinion is his prerogative, mine is mine, and that is that. Bottom line? I sold a book.
Authors publish books for the hopes of sales and delivering a moment of entertainment. While reviews are helpful and most authors want as many as come. What those reviews say is none of our (author’s) business. If an author can’t handle them, then they need to stick to their rule and don’t go read them.
WRITERS ARE FOR WRITING, NOT WHINING – get on with your writing.
August 7, 2016
Books ‘n Cozy Spots – Its the end of the review club
Sad news being brought, rather late in the inititive, as it just a big bummer to have to annouce it at all. Another adventure on the website is closing the bookshelf. Life has just gotten in the way. Work, family, the stress of daily news are just a few of the things that have made the cozy spot more of a chore we’re couldn’t keep up with and less of friends coming together to have fun with their reviews.
So it is with a sad heart that I announce Books ‘n Cozy Spots is no longer accepting book submissions for review and at this time is not expected to publish any more reviews.
It was fun while it lasted. Now off to the next adventure.
Jaycee’s, Terry’s, and Damir’s reviews will continue to be hosted here, so you missed any of them, you can find them here.
^ Terry’s Reviews ^
^ Jaycee’s Reviews ^
^ Damir’s Reviews ^
(Please note, many were lost when the website crashed last year, but slowly I am tracking theirs reviews down and reposting them here at the new site.)
And as Always, HAPPY READING!!
July 21, 2016
BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS ~ Becoming Clissine by Anastasia Vitsky
~ 4 Stars ~
Review by Jaycee for BECOMING CLISSINE, by Anastasia Vitsky.
Alternate Universe-Fantasy / Dystopian / F-f / Corporal Punishment
*purchased on Amazon.com
Reviewed by Jaycee ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
What if heterosexuality were a crime?
Betrothed at birth to the daughter of one of the most prominent Houses in the totalitarian theocracy of Bastia, soon-to-be-college-graduate Clissa isn’t sure whether she is ready to undergo the Mar. Once she becomes the Nur, or the submissive partner, to her betrothed she will have to submit all major decisions of her life to the beautiful Helaine, whom she has met once. She must marry a woman, according to the decrees of Bastian law.
Caught between a desire to “get along” and the growing awareness he is “het” and is attracted to Clissa, her childhood friend, Destral, kisses her one day as they study in their college library. Shocked at the feelings the kiss awakens, Clissa begins to question everything she has been taught. Did Basti, their deity, condemn relationships between a man and a woman? Will her growing feelings for Destral cost her everything her parents have worked hard to give her?
After a mad attempt to subvert Bastian authority, Clissa is assigned to new parents for “reeducation” in the doctrine of Bastia. Her new parents are given one mandate: bring her back to rightness with Basti.
Clissa, lost in a system threatened by her very identity, must make her choice. Will Bastian authority break her, or will she find a way to break free? Can true love overcome a harsh regime?
*Warning: Contains scenes with corporal punishment.*
Quite honestly, when I first finished this book I was not as generous in my evaluation as I finally became. It was too weird. Too…too. But I thought about it. A lot. And then it struck me: this author is all about a “thinking” story. I am more accustomed to an entertaining-escapist read, but this book just comes at escape from a different direction.
The premise asks the reader to imagine a world where heterophobia is not merely rampant, it core to a blind, authoritarian doctrine. Women must marry women and be given children produced by societal cast-offs, to raise according to The Word: in the strictest, blindest sense of The Word. Societal cast-offs include non-conforming men and hets, and children are raised by unyielding, role-defined parents who themselves do not question their directives. Fear and discipline and, yes I must even say, superstition, blanket the populace in a Stepford-on-steroids like society. There is an abundance of corporal punishment, and sex scenes while implied, are not germane to the point. This story posits a most distasteful and repugnant milieu, and a state of being that thinking-people could/should only abhor.
And then I realized: it was *supposed* to do just that.
And just like that, Ms. Vitsky is once again a freaking genius. This is too close to a mirror imagine to be comfortable, and if not a cautionary tale, at least one that might make a reader decry blind dogma.
BECOMING CLISSINE also received the following ratings:
STING FACTOR ~ 3 Paddles ~
TWIST FACTOR ~ Life in a 180 degree universe ~
BONUS FACTOR ~ a wake-up call ~
July 19, 2016
BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS ~ Into Deep Waters by Kaje Harper
~ 5 Stars ~ And an additional 5-Star Bonus Star Award ~
M-M Romance / Through-the-Years / Military-history
*purchased on Amazon.com
Reviewed by Jaycee ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
For Jacob and Daniel, two young gay men aboard a Navy ship in WWII, the risks were high. Not just the risks of injury and death from Japanese planes and submarines, but the risk of discovery, of discharge, imprisonment or worse. Only a special kind of love was worth taking that chance. But from the moment Daniel met Jacob’s eyes across a battle-scarred deck, he knew he had to try.
Being together required figuring out what it meant to be gay and in love with another man, in an era when they could be jailed or committed for admitting the desires of their hearts. On a ship at war, their relationship was measured in stolen moments and rare days of precious leave, with no guarantees there would be a tomorrow. And if they survived the war, they would need even more luck to keep their love alive through all the years to come.
This story was written for a photo and story request letter as part of the Goodreads M/M Romance Love is Always Write event. Author royalties will be donated to Lambda Legal, for their continued legal support of the rights of LGBT individuals.
This absolutely perfect story was recommended by a friend and at the time of “purchase” was a free read. As a vociferous reader, I would pay about anything for a story of this quality. And make no mistake, while a romance in every sense of the word, it is *all* about the story, and the wonderful, wonderful men who live it.
I doubt I can do the depth of feeling I have for these characters or their journey the justice it deserves, but quite simply, the tumultuous pilgrimage, for that is exactly what it is, of these gentle, gentle souls touches my heart in a way few stories have. Fictionalized account notwithstanding, a reader knows they are getting a glimpse into what men faced in a time of unspeakable personal peril, where comfort was cold and in brief snatches of valuable time. It deepens the reading experience in profound measure.
Strength and immutable love is personified in these characters and I think that is the power of this tome. Apart from being beautifully written, the reader *experiences* this journey, not merely reads it. I loved these strong, gentle men and how they won the golden age they deserve. Its my sincere hope that many, many real men whose stories we will never know, found the same.
INTO DEEP WATERS also received the following ratings:
ROMANCE FACTOR ~ 10 of the biggest Hearts ~
BONUS FACTOR ~ Just plain-old, completely perfect beauty ~
BOOK TOUR BLITZ ~ Angel Undone by Leta Blake
Title: Angel Undone
Publisher: Leta Blake Books
Release Date: 7/18/2016
Genre: Gay Urban Fantasy
Tags: angel, wings, erotic content, blasphemy, urban fantasy
Heat Level: 5
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 25,000 words
Add To Goodreads
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000038_00050]](http://indigomarketingdesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/07/angel-undone.jpg)
Synopsis
The Archangel Michael is tired. He fought wars and shoved his brother Lucifer out of heaven all before the Dark Ages rolled around. His role as protector of Israel now encompasses all of humanity, and while he performs his job perfectly, there’s little personal joy in it.
Until one night in a bar when he meets Asher.
Michael isn’t sure what it is about the vulnerable, self-deprecating Asher that calls to him, but something about the restrained depths of Asher, his gentle smiles and encyclopedic knowledge of flowers, tugs at Michael in a way that can’t be denied. Too bad romance isn’t part of his mission.
Facing an eternity of perfect submission to God’s authority, rebellion stirs in Michael. Questions of free will, angelic vocation, and the role of love and lust demand answers that just might cost Michael his place in heaven.
Excerpt
Angel wings aren’t easy to fold into the shape of human scapulae, but Michael is accustomed to the strain and hardly breaks a sweat. He forces the long primaries to bend into the upper wing coverts, and then, in moves like feathered origami, he tucks it all in again, before smoothing them under flawless human skin.
He glances in the modest hotel room’s bathroom mirror and pulls on the dark brown shirt that will set off his eyes, before running a hand through his blond, curly hair. The light of his angelic grace glows from his pores, too bright to escape notice, and with a small exertion of will he tamps it back.
Though human form is confining and uncomfortable, the time has long passed when dropping down in a blaze of angelic righteousness was appropriate. Now covert operations pay the dividends of souls delivered from jeopardy. Even if Michael’s skin feels too tight, and his wings are already aching, protection is his business and discomfort is a small sacrifice.
After tightening the laces on the leather, soft-soled Clarks he keeps for nights of trawling the Mercy Street bars, he kneels by the sliding glass door to the balcony and looks up at the stars. It’s a fallacy that heaven is up there somewhere. Heaven is everywhere all at once, and yet when Michael dons human skin, he finds his eyes drawn to the sky when he prays.
He rises. Time to go.
Purchase
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | ARe | Smashwords
Meet the Author
Author of the bestselling book Smoky Mountain Dreams and the fan favorite Training Season, Leta Blake’s educational and professional background is in psychology and finance, respectively. However, her passion has always been for writing. She enjoys crafting romance stories and exploring the psyches of made up people. At home in the Southern U.S., Leta works hard at achieving balance between her day job, her writing, and her family.
You can find out more about her by following her online:
July 14, 2016
BOOKS ‘n COZY SPOTS BOOK REVIEWS ~ Perfect Boy, Perfect Son by Stephan Knox
~ 3 Stars ~
Review of PERFECT BOY, PERFECT SON, by Stephan Knox
Dark-Taboo Erotica / M-m / BDSM / pseudo incest / novella
*ARC copy provided by author for honest review.
Reviewed by Jaycee ~ for Books ‘N Cozy Spots Book Reviews, www.Talon-ps.com
To say the Sadou are a secret club would be an understatement. For the Sadou are to the sexual cults what the Illuminati are to New World Order. Secretive. Wealthy. Powerful. Generations old and filled to the brim with more dark taboos than most humans can imagine.
Master Clayton not only grew up in the Order, he is one of the more revered members. And he is about to partake in a selection that will give him a young man of his choosing to be his sex slave boy forever.
Twenty-three are handed over to the selection, handpicked from those who qualify for such honours and asked to be among the entries. Only their identity is kept from Clayton, and as he interviews and explores them all, one of them happens to remind him of his own son, Nathanael.
Some taboos aren’t just dark; they’re too damn tempting.
Warning: Subject matter is devised around pseudo-incest, but with intentions to deceive you to think it’s the real thing.
Placed in a setting that conjures amazing mental imagery, the premise of this steamy novella is a tantalizing one. From the reconstructed, old European castle to the notion of a society structured not unlike nobility, living within its confines and breeding lifestyle into its select membership, the very concept is enveloped in darkness from the outset.
Initially based largely on the debauched reminiscences of Master Clayton, a senior member of some standing, the story brings the reader to the present; the place Master Clayton now finds himself after his life of marriage, family and mentorship to potential life-slaves. His wife-in-name passed, his “son” by optics alone, gone to make his way in the world, the Master now finds himself about to receive his long anticipated life-reward in a ceremony that will bestow a permanent slave of his choosing unto him.
Suffice it to say The Master has an excellent memory, which is explicitly recounted in his mental diary. His memories take the reader into what might be interpreted as murky waters (and in fact, are interpreted as such by this reader) and then manifest themselves again in the present time.
It is true this particular novella has stretched my personal comfort zone past the breaking point, and yet the world itself is intriguing. It is true that this story, and likely this world in future books, is pure erotica and as such, one can not expect more than a one-sided characterization of the main protagonists. This reader prefers a three dimensional read, and yet, this world has a great deal of potential.
On the merits, both the premise and the construct are very sound and as a hot, one-hand-worthy read, it succeeds. Apart from a taboo which is unpalatable to this reader and not one I would repeat, it is fair to say the taboo is open to interpretation both because of the actual relationship as well as the lifestyle dynamic involved. For those who can set their mentality to that place and who also appreciate pure, simple erotica, this will invoke a memorable quickie.
PERFECT BOY, PERFECT SON also received the following ratings:
HEAT FACTOR ~ 4 Flames ~
STING FACTOR ~ 2 Paddles ~
TWIST FACTOR ~ Sadou through the Looking Glass; a mind-bending premise ~
July 13, 2016
Two Writers Rambling – What do you mean no more naughty words?
like… ever?
So I stumbled upon a random thread on facebook asking friends and readers what was the one thing they didn’t like to read in erotica. It was a fun thread to read with a variety of answers. But the list was starting to get so long that as a writer, it was becoming worrisome. I started to make a list just so I would not what was left that a wrote could do. In fact, by the time I summed them all up, I realized it left very little for authors of erotica to actually use. **insert faint of heart reaction**
But, authors, the readers have spoken!! Here is the summation list of what not to use in erotica, because it grosses, (<< most commonly expressed word in the thread), them out according to ALL the comments given. Plus, commentary to make you laugh while your favorite words are stripped away one by one.
Erotica readers have united and from this day forth there shall be NO MORE….
— no dirty talking during sex words
— no raunchy description words
— no wet words
— no clinical sounding genital words
— no raw genital words
— no kink except BDSM is required (uhhhhhh….)
— no rimming (and there was a great whimpering that passed through the gay men of the world)
— no dirty sex (spoil sport)
— no sweaty sex (unless they’re not moving, sweat happens)
— no sex before a shower
— no morning breath sex (there’s a pillow for that)
— no going deep-deep (Ohhh come on!)
— self lubers are not tolerated, artificial lube must be applied to all orifices at all times
— no cream (again see no wet words, lmao)
— no purple prose
— sniffing or smelling (scriffing is apparently allowed since it wasn’t mentioned)
— no dripping, leaking, and getting wet (see ‘no wet words’)
— no ‘daddy’ calling (PAPA!)
— no dubious consent
— no pushing woman into things he knows she wants (that about kills every BDSM scene of pushing limits)
by the way, while as hysterical as this is to read, we writers are running out of words we can use… have pity on us. Now to continue
— no arousal fluids (that explains why we need mandatory lube, I suppose)
— no cum (well fuck, what’s the point of fucking then if we can’t have cum in fucking? Lol)
— no dirty dick play (ass to mouth or ass to vagina in case that went over our heads) (I have wash clothes. 
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