Andrew Q. Gordon's Blog, page 35
December 21, 2014
New Release: Swordplay – A Jeff Woods Mystery; by Chris T. Kat
Today is release day for my friend Chris T. Kat. Her latest Jeff Woods Mystery, Swordplay, is out today and it’s set in DC. (As if I needed another reason to buy as Chris T. Kat book.) Please take a moment to read the blurb and the excerpt and then go buy the book.
Blurb:
After leaving his dream job as an Atlantic City detective, Jeff Woods has moved to Washington DC with his life partner Alex Fisher and Alex’s disabled little brother Sean. Parker Trenkins, Jeff’s ex-partner on the force, has made the move as well, along with his significant other David. Jeff and Parker partner up once again, but in a new way, as owners of their own detective agency.
Life is difficult at the best of times. Sean loses sight in one of his eyes, a direct result of being pushed into the Atlantic by a homicidal maniac a year ago. In his struggle to deal with everything, a restless Alex enrolls in Tai Chi classes at a nearby school.
As it happens, a murder case Jeff and Parker take involves the head of that very Tai Chi School, Charles Cooper. Cooper is a suspect in the murder of a financial corporation official. He appears to have motive. Jeff and Parker’s investigation arouses the real killer’s interest, and if they don’t uncover his identity soon, it may be too late for them.
Buy links:
Dreamspinner Press:
eBook:
Paperback:
Excerpt from Chapter One:
“Earth to Jeff. Someone in there?” Parker was standing next to me, waving his hand in front of my face.
“Fuck off, Parker.”
“Wow. Remind me not to talk to you before you’ve had decent caffeine input. Now, come on, why are you so tired? I’m your new shrink, remember?” Parker blinked his blue eyes at me in mock-offense, flipping a lock of black hair back.
I snorted. Coffee aroma filled the air, and the water bubbled enticingly. After rubbing my hands over my eyes, I leaned back in the chair and looked up at him. The man drove me crazy on a daily basis, but he was my best friend—right after Alex, my lover, of course.
“Oh boy, this is going to be a long story, isn’t it? Hang on, I need to sit down.” With a theatrical flourish, he heeled a chair closer and fell onto it with gleeful expectation written all over his face.
“Sean’s going to lose sight in his left eye.”
Parker’s mouth dropped open, and for a long time neither of us said anything. I stared at him, wondering whether I should’ve cushioned my words a bit. His jaw muscles tightened, and he worked hard to get words out of his mouth. I’d probably worn a similar expression yesterday when Alex broke the news to me after the visit with the eye specialist. Sean was only seven years old—only seven. Didn’t he’d already suffer enough with his cerebral palsy?
“You can’t just drop a bomb like that without giving me fair warning,” Parker protested.
I shrugged. “Sorry.”
“Are you sure?”
I gave a curt nod. My eyes stung stupidly. Alex had tried so hard to keep it together, but in the end he’d wept for hours, cuddled up against me. He’d cried endlessly for his little brother and what he had to go through. I’d feared he’d make himself sick—which he had, but only once—and when he’d finally fallen asleep, I’d lain awake in our bed, helpless and hurting.
“What about another opinion? Maybe—”
“Parker, that was the third opinion. We noticed he was getting clumsier and he was losing focus on his left side. His sight in that eye has gone down to ten percent, and it won’t take long for the rest to vanish too. We’ll cope.”
Whether I wanted to reassure myself or Parker didn’t really matter, did it? At least I’d had enough presence of mind not to throw that platitude around when I talked to Alex. He never bought into any of them. Parker, however, did from time to time.
“Does Sean know?”
Pain closed like a vise around my throat, and I coughed in a deliberate attempt to get rid of it. “Yes. We explained it to him.”
“How did he react?”
I grimaced. “He was worried about his other eye, but the doc said it was okay. Sean’s main concerns were if he was still allowed to go to school and if we’d still love him.”
I bolted from the chair, choking on my last words, and stalked over to the coffeemaker. I poured milk into Parker’s mug, added two spoonfuls of sugar, then attempted to grab the glass carafe. My hands shook.
Parker materialized next to me, nudged me aside, and filled our mugs. I was still blinking against the wetness in my eyes. Maybe it was a good thing I’d had no time for breakfast earlier. I wasn’t sure if it would’ve stayed down anyway. Alex hadn’t even tried to eat this morning. He’d been white as a sheet when I left. I hadn’t wanted to come to work, but the money had to come in from somewhere and—
Chris T. KatAbout the Author
Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there’s any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.
Links:
Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.com
Twitter: http://twitter.com/christi_kat
GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/ChrisTKat
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChrisTKat
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/Chris-T.-Kat/e/B008FQQH2Q
December 20, 2014
A Likely Story; A Wayward Ink Publishing Anthology
Synopsis
Suspend rational thought.
Leave logic at the door.
Be ready to roll your eyes and pick your jaw up from your lap.
The tales in A Likely Story don’t let truth get in the way of telling a good yarn.
They might push your buttons or make you laugh.
They may make you scoff or spit out your coffee.
You might even scratch your head in disbelief.
Whatever your reaction, the one thing they are guaranteed to do is entertain you!
Buy Links:
Watch the Video trailer:
Stories included:
THE BIRTHDAY GIFT
Eric Gober
A sexy and mysterious stranger . . .
A luxurious Las Vegas penthouse . . .
And one very bizarre timepiece . . .
It’s gonna be a birthday Nick will never forget.
A WHALE OF A TIME
Asta Idonea
An Australian surfer and a British Marine Biologist meet in the strangest of circumstances in this tale of Biblical proportions.
DUDE MAMA
Michael P. Thomas
When button-down biracial lawmaker Cassidy Uematsu meets hardscrabble fry cook Buford “Jax” Jackson, it’s lust at first sight.
They’re only too happy to jump into the sack, and when Jax loses his condom mid-getting-to-know-you, Cassidy urges him forward, damn the consequences.
What’s the worst that can happen?
THE WITCHING HOUR
kirifox
When Jeremy was killed in service to his country, Mason lost everything.
Now Jeremy is back…
But is it really him?
Eternity may not be just a concept.
THE GIFT
Frostina
He searched high and low in the tiny town he lived in, exasperated, sad, and desperate!
He wanted something special for the two most important people in his life.
JUSTIN GAYLORD
Lily Velden & Taylin Clavelli
A Quaker with size issues
A jock without size issues
And a sex therapist who likes to solve size issues.
Should be a match made in heaven.
PERFECT
jn olsen
Seeing your favorite action hero on the screen…
What could be more perfect?
Will’s about to find out.
CHIMERA AIR
Taylin Clavelli
An airline entirely staffed by gay people
Where there customer isn’t always right…
WIZARD’S SPAWN
L.V. LLoyd
The magic in Aelith was dying.
The only way to restore it was for the King to marry and produce an heir.
Why was he taking so long to choose a wife?”
THE LAST APPOINTMENT
Louise Lyons
Dr. Glen Wright loves his young male patients – sometimes a little too much.
When handsome Martin Reynolds visits him with a rather personal problem, Glen finds he can’t keep his hands to himself…
Giveaway:
Be among the first readers to buy A Likely Story and enter the giveaway for a chance to win a $20 gift card!
a Rafflecopter giveaway
December 18, 2014
Hot Reads For The Trevor Project – Fundraiser for the Trevor Project
Tis the season for giving and better yet, giving and getting something cool in return. Read on about a fundraiser for the Trevor Project set up by six M/M authors. If you buy the book, they donate all proceeds. You and the Trevor Project win.
Hot Reads For The Trevor Project
Get ready to lower your thermostat because your winter is about to get hot! For a limited time only, get SIX great reads by some of the hottest authors in M/M! A guilt-free guilty pleasure at an incredibly low price with all proceeds going to The Trevor Project!
Buy link:
Hot Reads for the Trevor Project
ABOUT THE TREVOR PROJECT:
Founded in 1998 by the creators of the Academy Award®-winning short film TREVOR, The Trevor Project is the leading national organization providing crisis intervention and suicide prevention services to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and questioning (LGBTQ) young people ages 13-24.
THE BOOKS:
- ROAD RUNNER (ENCHANTMENT #1)
By Rain Carrington
In the Land of Enchantment, New Mexico, lives a man who has secrets. Levi Kape watches people at a bar nightly, writing things in his notebook and trying to blend in with the locals. His secrets keep him from getting close to anyone until Bobby Dawes comes off the road after a long haul in his 18-wheeler. After getting to know Bobby, he realizes he’d never been close to anyone. That was about to change.
Levi can’t settle down and not because he doesn’t want to, but because it could endanger his life. Bobby is a gentle, loving and strong man who doesn’t do commitment. He’s also a man that Levi wants more than anything, including his own safety.
Danger causes Levi to leave but he can’t forget the truck driver that drove into his life, changing everything. When Levi leaves, Bobby goes back onto the road, trying to forget the “Golden God” he’d fallen for, but with some help from friends with connections to dark people and places, Bobby finds his man and swears never to let him go again.
Can they save each other not only from the men who want Levi dead but from years of never seeking or finding the love they found in one another? Will the ultimate betrayal cost them the trust they need to make it work between them? Can Bobby save him, or be lost in a dark world alone…
- CAGED: LOVE AND TREACHERY ON THE HIGH SEAS (BAAL’S HEART #1)
By Bey Deckard
Sheltered and lonely, Jon’s life changes drastically when a strange ship sails into the harbour of his small port town one day. Trapped between the possessive pirate captain and his murderous first mate, he must learn to adapt or he will lose himself completely. An epic tale of love, treachery and revelation, this first installment of the Baal’s Heart trilogy brings you into the lives of three men so bound together by jealousy and lies that they must sail to the very ends of the earth to find forgiveness.
Deckard’s first novel is a masterful portrayal of sorrow, hope, and passion, with a narrative that twists the reader through a world set in the Golden Age of Piracy. A thrilling look into the darker side of human nature, Caged effortlessly melds serious historical fantasy with five star erotica.
- DANGEROUSLY HAPPY
By Varian Krylov
Aidan has always played it safe. Instead of pursuing his dream of creating innovative music that makes his soul sing, he settled for a degree in software, a job in a cubicle, and a spot in a generic band with his buddies.
And he’s always been straight. But when he’s seduced by magnetic local literary luminary Dario, Aidan must decide whether to keep playing it safe, or succumb to a ravenous passion and a nourishing love unlike anything he’s experienced before. Will he find the courage to go after real happiness if it means admitting he’s in love with a man?
Their journey together isn’t easy. Sometimes it isn’t safe. Even if Aidan has the courage to admit he’s in love with Dario, can he endure the repercussions of the traumatic event in Dario’s past?
- LUXURIA: THE OSWALD WITCHES
By Mathew Ortiz
Duncan Blackthorne carried a heavy burden for one so young. One of the most powerful witches of the Earth Clans, his singular ability to control fire was both blessing and curse. The wallflower of his family, they had no idea of what turbulent waters churned under his calm surface. Never expecting to find love, he trudged through life, expecting nothing. Until the man in his dreams became more real and insistent, Duncan realized his dream lover was so much more than expected. Suddenly he had a real world dominant that rocked his body and a dreaming ghost lover who captured his heart. Now what the hell was witch to do?
- GRIF’S TOY (TEASE AND DENIAL #1)
By Joseph Lance Tonlet
Grif believes he’ll live his life as a virgin. After all, who would want him? How could anyone find him, a guy who came with less than man-sized equipment, worthy of their love?
What he hadn’t counted on were the two amazing men who would change his life. After entering college, he meets Tate, his fun-loving roommate. While years later, with Tate now just a memory, Wes, a handsome, rugged ex-marine who runs his own security firm enters his life.
Both men lead Grif through a twisted mesh of pleasure, pain, and denial, as they force him to see his value, despite his size and insecurities.
- SAM AND DEREK: THE WHOLE STORY
By Brad Vance
Sam Bradford is a down-on-his-luck former Special Forces soldier when he meets Derek Constantine, sexually confused billionaire. Together the two men will play a series of games that bring them ever closer together…and which in the end may be the death of them…
Sam’s Reluctant Submission
Sam’s down to his last five dollars when he meets Derek, who makes him an offer – come to my estate for a manhunt, evade me for two days, and you’ll make ten grand…but if I catch you, you surrender your ass to me! Sam’s got SERE training and he’s pretty sure his straight ass is safe, but anything can happen when the hunt is on…
Sam’s Reluctant Submission II: Urban Manhunt
In Part I, Sam lost his ass to Derek, but kept something more important – Derek submitted him, but didn’t break him, and that’s what Derek really wanted. Now Derek wants a rematch – fifty grand for an urban manhunt, if Sam evades Derek’s crew…if he doesn’t, it’s four on one and Sam’s ass is toast!
Sam’s Reluctant Submission III: Search and Rescue
In Part 2, Sam lost his ass to Derek again – and loved it! Which left him wondering if he was gay after all. Maybe a three way with Jake and Eddie will help him figure that out… And when Derek calls Sam to get his help with a search and rescue effort, what sexual sparks might be generated if they clash again in a “threematch”?
Sam’s Reluctant Submission IV: Avenging Devils
The epic conclusion to the saga of Sam and Derek! When Derek’s dark past rears its head to jeopardize the couple and their friends Jake and Eddie, Sam will have to call on his old Special Forces buddies to do battle with The Factory, a malevolent cartel bent on revenge. Will Sam and Derek rescue Eddie from his kidnappers? Will seeing Sam explore his top side with Eddie make Derek jealous…or make him want Sam to do that to him? Most frightening and dangerous of all, will Derek finally say the L word!
BONUS STORY – Eddie’s MMA Submission – the story of Sam’s friends Eddie and Jake
Eddie works across the street from Downtown Fight Academy. And he can’t stop thinking about Jake, the hot MMA fighter he ran into at the store. When Jake offers to train him, Eddie’s ready to throw down in the Octagon. But when Jake has him submitted, and pulls out a weapon you won’t see on TV, will Eddie tap out…or take the punishment?
About the Authors:
- Rain Carrington
When she isn’t taking out gay bashers with her mean right hook she is at her desk writing steamy stories of man on man love. Rain also spends time with her beloved family and friends and in her spare time maybe sleeps for a few hours.
Rain is an ally in the gay rights crusade, she also loves animals and tries her best to stop animal abuse.
She is at her desk now getting some of her other stories ready for publication and will let them out as she they are ready so keep an eye out for Cabin Fever next!
- Bey Deckard
Born and raised in a small coastal town in northern Québec, Bey spent his early summers on his uncle’s boat and running wild on the beaches of the surrounding islands, lighting fires and building huts out of driftwood and fishermen’s nets. As an adult, he eventually made his way to university and earned a degree in Art History with a strong focus on Anthropology. Primarily a portrait painter and graphic artist, Bey sat down one day and decided to write about the two things that he felt most passionate about: sex and the sea.
Bey currently lives in the wilds of Montréal with his best buddy, a spotty pit bull named Murphy. Caged: Love and Treachery on the High Seas is his first novel.
- Varian Krylov
Since her girlhood in a sunny coastal town in California, Varian Krylov has nurtured a love of words and a curiosity about the deep, dark forces at work in human nature, especially sexuality, and how they often paradoxically twine with our tenderest impulses. Her stories tend to explore the sometimes fine line between what arouses, and what frightens, what we’re driven to, and what we’re ashamed of.
As witty and seductive as I am sarcastic and self-deprecating, I spend as much time as possible thinking and writing about sex. No, not dense, inscrutable post-feminist texts on media representations of gender and the body–that was grad school. I write stories–short stories, novels, and starting a few weeks ago, screenplays–most of which poke and prod and the dark little corners of human sexuality. In a sense, nothing’s taboo, anymore. There’s no act, no fetish that hasn’t been made utterly banal in the proliferation of porn. What intrigues and excites me is the exploration of the conflicting impulses, the twisted psychology and turbulent emotions of people who find themselves unable to resist desires that lie beyond their own moral boundaries.
- Mathew Ortiz
Mathew Ortiz was born in Nuremburg Germany in 197O, the son of a quiet Army man and his loud Hungarian wife. Spending only two years in Germany, his family relocated to Fort Smith, Arkansas where he spent his youth in exile. Here is where he attended primary school and college, obtaining a degree in Nursing. He moved to Phoenix and met the bane and love of his life, Tim. When not on his laptop watching Are You Being Served or Keeping Up Appearances, Matt can be found either napping or reading with gusto.
- Joseph Lance Tonlet
Joseph is a born and raised Southern Californian–with a twenty-year stint of living in the Midwest. He loves the laid-back lifestyle of San Diego and considers himself lucky to live where people dream of vacationing.
A lifelong reader of m/m fiction, he began his writing career one night sitting at his MacBook and has never looked back. He writes to bring the characters he dreams about to life.
- Brad Vance
Brad Vance writes gay romance, erotica and paranormal stories and novels, including the breakout hits “A Little Too Broken” and “Given the Circumstances.” Keep up with Brad at BradVanceErotica.wordpress.com, email him at BradVanceErotica@gmail.com, and friend him on Facebook at facebook.com/brad.vance.10
December 13, 2014
Cover Reveal – Moment of Impact by Karen Stivali
(Book 1 of the Moments In Time Series)
Blurb:
Outside Collin Fitzpatrick’s dorm room is a dangerous place. Beyond his door the students of his small, conservative college think he’s straight, as does his Catholic family who’d disown him if they learned the truth. Inside, he’s safe with his incredibly sexy roommate Tanner D’Amico. Their room makes a perfect place to hide away and fall in love. The moment they cross the line from roommates to lovers, Collin becomes caught between their heavenly passionate encounters and the hellish reality that someone might find out and destroy everything. Tanner’s not used to being so confined, and wants to show the world how much he loves Collin. But Collin’s not sure he’s ready for the impact stepping outside will make.
Release Date: January 7, 2015
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Pre-order Link:
*Discounted price for pre-orders
Excerpt
Don’t blow this. Not now. Not when he’s right here. So close. So… Forcing myself to move, I reached out and clutched at his shoulder. His skin was smooth, warm. I pressed my fingers into his flesh with enough force, he flinched. His gaze darted to mine, wary.
Swallowing hard, I willed myself to maintain eye contact. “I didn’t think I wanted that, until I met you.”
Tanner’s gaze raced back and forth between my hand, which was still gripping his shoulder, and my eyes, which felt like they were about to bulge out of my skull. I couldn’t blink. Couldn’t breathe. Couldn’t think. Do something. Say something.
Then his mouth crashed into mine.
I like kissing. I always have. Even though I wasn’t super into any of the girls I’d been with, kissing was the one thing I still enjoyed. Warm mouths, wet tongues, moving together. It felt good. I seriously thought I’d done some decent kissing in my life.
I was wrong. Tanner’s mouth on mine for one fucking second proved to me that what I’d done before might have looked like kissing, might have felt like kissing, but was like the frozen french bread pizza version of kissing. Nothing like the real thing.
Nothing like this.
His tongue swept into my mouth, hot and velvety. His hand gripped the back of my neck, tugging me upright. Everything fell away. Disappeared. The whole world was this one kiss. I could have drowned in it and died happy.
Tanner pulled away, breathing hard, his forehead pressed to mine. The room spun like a carnival ride.
“You okay?”
His voice sounded lower than usual. Deep and gravelly. I gave a shaky nod, and he tipped his head back, looking at me.
“You sure?”
“Yeah.” My heart beat double time as I realized he still had his hands on me. And he was still naked. And I was probably harder than I’d ever been in my entire life. Jesus.
“We can stop.”
“No.” That wasn’t what I wanted. Not at all. “I just… I mean… we’re roommates. What if this doesn’t work out?”
Tanner’s lips pulled into a grin so sexy my brain turned to oatmeal. He rubbed the back of my neck. “So, one kiss and you’re already thinking about what happens if we break up?”
I shook my head. “I don’t know.”
“Let’s see how we feel after another kiss.”
About the author
Karen Stivali is a prolific writer, compulsive baker and chocoholic with a penchant for books, movies, and fictional British men. She’s also the multiple award-winning author of contemporary and erotic romances. Her lifelong fascination with people has led her to careers ranging from hand-drawn animator, to party planner, to marriage and family counselor, but writing has always been her passion. Karen enjoys nothing more than following her characters on their journey toward love. Whether the couples are m/f or m/m, it’s guaranteed that Karen’s novels are filled with food, friendship, love, and smoking hot sex—all the best things in life.
When Karen isn’t writing (and often when she is), she can be found on Twitter attempting witty banter and detailing the antics of her fruit-loving cat, BadKitteh. She loves to hear from readers (and other writers), so don’t hesitate to contact/follow/like her at:
Twitter: https://twitter.com/karenstivali
Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/KarenStivaliAuthor
Website: http://karenstivali.com
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/karenstivali
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/KarenStivali
E-mail: karenstivali@gmail.com
December 7, 2014
New Release: A Spartan Kind of Love, by Kayla Jameth – Book Blast and Giveaway
A Spartan Kind of Love, by Kayla Jameth
Blurb:
Alone, Andreas toils on a remote farmstead for a Spartan overlord. When a kryptes enters his world, Andreas fears for his life. The dread warriors stalk and kill helots—like Andreas’ father—as part of their training.
Andreas sees only one way to save himself: he must tame the fearsome warrior.
But what began as self-preservation develops into attraction. Yearning for the company of someone other than his ferret Ictis, Andreas decides to trust the Spartan warrior and risk the fate that claimed his father.
Born to rule by the sword, Theron sees the world as his and acts accordingly, taking everything Andreas offers and reaching for more. However, love between men in Sparta is considered shameful and requires either exile or suicide to redeem Sparta’s honor. Now, only the gods can save them from the terrible price Sparta extracts from men who desire other men.
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Catt Grant
Sales Links:
Dreamspinner Press – eBook:
Dreamspinner Press -Paperback:
Author Bio:
Kayla Jameth grew up on the family farm in Ohio, baling hay, raising cattle, and making maple syrup. An unrepentant tomboy, her father taught her to weld before she graduated from high school.
She attended Cleveland’s Case Western Reserve University and later, Texas A&M University in her pursuit of veterinary medicine, taking her farther away from her rural roots. You can transplant the county girl, but you can’t make her a city slicker. Besides, it was only going to be for a little while, right?
But it wasn’t all hard work for Kayla, her sojourn as the princess of the Celestial Kingdom left her with the title sir and a costume closet the envy of many knights, lords, and ladies. See? She does have some ladylike qualities complete with the title of Lady to back it up.
After declaring for years that she was just a veterinarian who wrote not an author, Kayla now finds herself living in Spring, Texas (practically Houston) and writing m/m erotic romance. The location is probably a bigger surprise than the genre. Never the kind of girl to discuss makeup and clothing designers, she would rather be outside getting dirty with the boys.
Kayla shares her home with a cat, two guinea pigs, a gerbil, three guppies, a husband and a son and daughter.
Author Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/Author.Kayla.Jameth
https://www.facebook.com/KaylaJameth
https://twitter.com/KaylaJameth
Tour Dates: December 8, 2014
Tour Stops:
Love Bytes, Andrew Q. Gordon, Cate Ashwood, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Rebecca Cohen Writes, MM Good Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Parker Williams, Tara Lain, Nephylim, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Full Moon Dreaming, Multitasking Mommas, Jade Crystal, Velvet Panic, Kimi-Chan, Queer Town Abbey
Click the Rafflecopter link below to be entered to win for a chance to win a Free Short Story
a Rafflecopter giveaway
This Book Blast is a Pride Promotions event. Click the badge for more information about Pride Promotions:
December 3, 2014
Cover Reveal – On Wings of Song, by Anne Barwell
Please welcome an old (as in long time, not age ;) ) friend, back to the blog. Anne’s newest release is coming soon, but today she is revealing the beautiful cover art. If you like the cover, go pre-order the book. And as always, please leave a comment for the author. They are always appreciated.
-AQG
Thank you for hosting my cover reveal for On Wings of Song J
TL Bland has done a great job in capturing the story and essence of On Wings of Song. It’s not only a great cover, but fits perfectly as part my growing collecting of covers I have framed on my wall.
You can see more of TL Bland’s work at her website: http://www.thruterryseyes.com/
Blurb:
Six years after meeting British soldier Aiden Foster during the Christmas Truce of 1914, Jochen Weber still finds himself thinking about Aiden, their shared conversation about literature, and Aiden’s beautiful singing voice. A visit to London gives Jochen the opportunity to search for Aiden, but he’s shocked at what he finds.
The uniform button Jochen gave him is the only thing Aiden has left of the past he’s lost. The war and its aftermath ripped everything away from him, including his family and his music. When Jochen reappears in his life, Aiden enjoys their growing friendship but knows he has nothing to offer. Not anymore.
Pre Order Link:
Dreamspinner Press: On Wings of Song
Excerpt:
“I’ve seen it,” Aiden said quietly. “I wish to God I hadn’t.” He looked directly at Jochen. Jochen met Aiden’s gaze. He’d seen an echo of Conrad’s fire in Aiden when he’d talked about his music earlier that afternoon.
“Don’t die on the wire, Aiden.”
“I’ll try not to.” Aiden’s words were an empty promise. They both knew it, but what else was he going to say?
The red-haired man Aiden had spoken to about arranging the burials walked over to him. He too held a shovel, and he wiped perspiration from his brow despite the cold. “There’s going to be a combined service for the dead,” he told them. “In about ten minutes in no man’s land in front of the French trenches.”
As they made their way over, men were already beginning to gather, soldiers from opposite sides sitting together, conversation dwindling to a respectful silence. A British chaplain stood in front of them, a Bible in his hand, a German beside him. Jochen recognized him, although he didn’t know his name. The young man was only a few years older than Jochen and was studying for the ministry—would he ever get the chance to complete those studies?
Jochen and Aiden found somewhere to sit a few rows back from the front and joined the company of men. The German spoke first. “Vater unser, der du bist im Himmel. Geheiligt werde dein Name.”
The British chaplain repeated the words in English. “Our Father who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name.”
They then spoke a few words each, some from the Bible, the rest from their hearts. Their congregation was silent apart from a few quiet “amens.” Jochen saw a couple of men wipe tears away. He was close to it himself.
Finally the chaplain bowed his head in prayer. When he’d finished, he spoke quietly to the man who had come to stand next to him. It was Captain Williams. He nodded and looked over the crowd, his gaze fixing on Aiden.
Aiden must have guessed what Williams wanted. He inclined his head in response and then stood. Jochen glanced between the two men, confused. What did Williams expect Aiden to do?
“Aiden?” Jochen asked softly.
Aiden smiled at him and began to sing. “O Holy Night, the stars are brightly shining….” He lifted his head, his voice strong and clear, each note building on the last to create something truly beautiful, something angelic. Aiden’s eyes shone; his body swayed slightly in time with the music. He was the music.
His audience sat in awe. Jochen could feel the emotion rippling through the men around him, tangible, as though he could reach out and touch it. He felt something inside himself reach out, wanting to be a part of it, to be carried along the wave of pure music, to grab it and never let go.
Author Bio:
Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with two cats who are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing “discussion,” and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.
In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.
She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as “too many.” These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of “spare time” is really just a myth.
Author Links:
Blog: http://anne-barwell.livejournal.com/
Website: http://annebarwell.wordpress.com/
Coffee Unicorns: http://coffeeunicorns.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/anne.barwell.1
Dreamspinner Press Author Page: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_426
December 1, 2014
Murder in Torbaydos, by Ian James Krender – Book Blast and Giveaway
Murder In Tordaydos, by Ian James Krender
Blurb:
Old houses hide secrets, sometimes dark ones.
In the 1970’s, London based family, Marjorie, Stanley and their theatrically bent son fall in love with a dilapidated Victorian seaside villa. Dreaming of a better life by the sea, they transform the property into a luxury guesthouse, ignorant of the tragic events that occurred there at the beginning of the century. They discover that their guests are not the only other occupants in the building.
The souls trapped within the house offer the temptation of wealth and power, but all come with a deadly price. Stanley, supported by his ambitious wife, enters political office. Marjorie will stop at nothing to achieve her goals for her husband, no matter who gets in the way.
Thirty years later, an affluent gay couple, Jez and Graham, purchase the hotel, which now unoccupied has once again fallen into disrepair. They are blissfully unaware of the building’s grisly past. Jez falls under the influence of the spirits within the house, rapidly achieving fame, fortune, and a life beyond his wildest imagination, but the price is ultimately the corruption of his very soul.
Bound by a common destiny, both Marjorie and Jez’s fates lie inextricably intertwined across time and connected to the house. Their gruesome realisation is that death is not necessarily a release.
Publisher: Torquere Press Publishers
Cover Artist: Ali Futcher
Excerpt:
I write this book in my twilight years. Though considerable time has passed since these tragic events occurred, there is no doubt in my mind that it will be controversial. Some people will suspect me of profiteering. However, if I am privileged enough to see this work published, then I will donate any proceeds to the affected surviving family members. The money would be of little use to me now, as I am elderly, and I have no heirs.
Perhaps writing this is a form of therapy, a way to assuage my own guilt. Goodness knows, I have spent much time reflecting on the ‘what ifs.’ Over the years, I have learned to forgive myself the errors of my past. However, I will never forget the pain that I have caused others through my poor decisions.
Author Bio:
I am a gay man in my early forties. I escaped the London rat race by buying a small hotel in the beautiful coastal town of Torquay, England with my civil partner. My career has been in business but I have written articles on a freelance basis for a gay website that is part of the Gaydar group. I am passionate about reading and writing and try to squeeze both into my busy week. My hobbies include watching films, travelling and I am a keep-fit fanatic. The hotel provides me with a constant source of writing material, given my interactions with the weird and wonderful British public. I served briefly as a police officer in London and considered writing a story about this, but I do not think anyone would believe me. I am an alumnus from the great seat of learning known as Portsmouth University.
Author Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Marstan/133658398878?ref=hl
https://www.facebook.com/ian.krender
https://twitter.com/IanJamesKrender
Tour Stops:
December 2, 2014
Parker Williams, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Havan Fellows, BFD Book Blog, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Cate Ashwood, MM Good Book Reviews, Queer Town Abbey, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Andrew Q. Gordon, Fallen Angel Reviews, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Elin Gregory
December 3, 2014
Sales Links:
Amazon UK:
Click the Rafflecopter link below to be entered to win an e-book copy of Murder in Torbaydos
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November 30, 2014
November ’14 in Pictures.
Just a few pictures from the month. Sadly I have none from Thanksgiving this year. I’ve no excuse, but I’ll do better for Christmas. :)
There are pictures of us cooking, at her tumble class, making pie for Thanksgiving (that’s as close as I got to the actual day), from the DC Area MM Romance Readers Meet Up today and her class pictures. Enjoy.
-AQG
November 25, 2014
Guest Author – Susan Mac Nicol – How Many Senses Do We Really Have?
Love You Senseless, by Susan Mac Nicol.Please welcome Susan Mac Nicol back to my blog. Today she is here to talk about senses, and more specifically how many senses do we have. This ties in nicely with her new release, Love You Senseless, which deals with – you guessed it – human senses. So please take a moment to read on and then enter the contest at the end.
How many senses do you think we really have?
I know we talk about the main five- sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell, but I think we have more than these. In William Shakespeare’s time, these were also called ‘the five wits’. I think that’s a really quaint term to describe them.
What about our sixth sense? Doesn’t everyone have that little prickle of awareness down their spine that tells them something is up, without even really knowing what it is? The forewarning that the phone is going to ring, the feeling you get when you just know you should stop without really knowing why, and then a truck plows into the place where you might have been standing or placed in the car if you’d continued. This has happened to me more than once.
What about our sense of time? That annoying habit of waking up every morning on the dot at arse o’ clock, without needing an alarm bell. It might be a good thing in some instances but on a weekend- Grrr. I want to be able to sleep in just a little. Sometimes you don’t need to look at a watch or a clock to know what time it is.
And there’s our sense of balance….no, not when you fall over when you’ve had one too many, but the sense that keeps you upright, feet placed firmly on the floor (except of course in aforementioned drunken situation) and also allows you to judge when you might fall of the top of a cliff.
And then there’s the sense of something scientifically called thermoception, which is the sense and absence of heat. It might be argued that this is linked to touch, as our skin comes into contact with external factors like fire or ice.
Lastly, there’s our sense of the wonderfully named nociception. This is the experience and sense of physiological pain, signalling nerve or tissue damage. It intertwines with all of the other senses, including of course, touch.
So there you have it. There are more, but I won’t list them all here. That’s what Wikipedia is for. We humans are a complex creation of physical, mental and sentient factors that make each one of us into the extraordinary physiological beings we are today.
There’s a really interesting article on the subject of senses below, which makes some entertaining reading.
http://www.todayifoundout.com/index.php/2010/07/humans-have-a-lot-more-than-five-senses/
Blurb:
London’s saucy up-and-coming chef, Eddie Tripp has just the right recipe to drive tragedy from the mind of Gideon Kent—and leave him senseless with desire.
From Soho to Norwich, there’s no escaping love.
A TASTE OF FOREVER
An award-winning chef with his own restaurant and an inexhaustible passion, Gideon Kent once had everything. Then came tragedy. It stole more than Gideon’s home. He hasn’t cooked since.
Until Eddie Tripp. Fun-loving and vivacious, the Norfolk redhead’s a real up-and-comer in Gideon’s kitchen—and other places. Slim where Gideon’s broad, easy-going where Gideon is growly, he and Gideon seem polar opposites, and yet Eddie conjures flavors that would tempt anyone with a taste for perfection. The sauce of love is already simmering, and this pair is about to dine on the most delicious dish they’ve ever prepared. Because Eddie’s been Gideon’s missing ingredient all along.
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
Cover Artist: Boroughs Publishing Group
Buy Links:
Excerpt:
Eddie kissed back, wanting nothing more than this moment, this man in his body and his lips on his. Somewhere a bell rang and for a minute Eddie thought it might be the sound of his own passion translated to tinkling sleigh bells and fireworks like in the cartoon movies when two people kissed. He smiled at that thought then as the bell got more insistent and irritating, he turned to Gideon only to find he was no longer there. Eddie scowled and reached across to where the annoying bell sound was….
He woke from his dream upright, sweating, sticky with come and tangled in musty smelling sheets that had seen their fair share of jack off action lately and needed washing. His hand rested on his mobile phone as it trilled incessantly with his Big Ben alarm. He blinked owlishly for a minute, wondering where he was, then as the dream faded, he fell back in a loose heap with a sense of loss.
Tour Stops:
11/3: Rainbow Gold Reviews
11/4: Amanda C. Stone, Joyfully Jay
11/5: Rebecca Cohen Writes
11/6: Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly
11/7: Nic Starr
11/10: The Novel Approach, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews
11/11: Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Hearts on Fire
11/12: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
11/13: Love Bytes, Twinsie Talk
11/14: Prism Book Alliance, Dawn’s Reading Nook
11/17: The Blogger Girls, Kristy’s Brain Food
11/18: MM Good Book Reviews, Regular Guys, Hot Romance
11/19: 3 Chicks After Dark
11/20: Smoocher’s Voice
11/21: Multitasking Mommas
11/24: Kimi-Chan, Cathy Brockman Romances
11/25: Iyana Jenna, The Hat Party
11/26: Queer Town Abbey, Andrew Q. Gordon
11/27: Crystal’s Many Reviewers, BFD Book Blog, Michael Mandrake
11/28: EE Montgomery, My Fiction Nook,
Click the Rafflecopter link below to be entered for a chance to win eBook copies of Saving Alexander & Stripped Bare
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November 24, 2014
Hunter or Hunted – New Short Story from Lily Velden.
Synopsis
Any hunter worth his salt will tell you that in order to capture your prey, there are few simple rules you must follow…
HUNTER OR HUNTED? is also a part of the LOVE, LOSS, LAUGHTER & LUST Anthology
Buy the short story:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJZ2EVU/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OJZ2EVU/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00OJZ2EVU/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/hunter-or-hunted-lily-velden/1120558941?ean=9781925222173
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hunterorhunted-1682067-340.html
WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/hunter-or-hunted-by-lily-velden/
Buy your copy and get a bonus short story — Life According to Buddy! To get your complimentary story, email Wayward Ink Publishing after purchase.
Excerpt
David
RULE # 1
KNOW YOUR PREY
I RECOGNIZED his type the moment he first approached me—a typical love-’em-and-leave-’em. His kind swoops in, sweeps you off your feet, fucks you stupid, and before you’ve even had time to gather your wits, they’ve pulled up their pants and zipped their flies at the same time as they rush toward the nearest exit.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I have no problem with being fucked stupid. Rather like swapping roles, actually, when it’s the right guy. The right guy being older and more experienced, just like this guy is—but I want to be memorable. I want to be more than another notch on the bed post. You want to fuck me, you’re going to have to earn the privilege, and you’re damn well going to remember it. Fuck, you’re going to want to repeat it… again and again. Whether I let you is another story….
In the interim, I’ll hunt down for myself some cute, but forgettable, little twink to fuck stupid.
Which is exactly what I’ve been doing all week…
About the author:
Lily Velden lives on the east coast of Australia, her family having emigrated from Holland when she was a child.
She’s both a left and right brain person, holding qualifications in both Finance and Fine Arts. She tells her friends that her way with numbers will make her a profitable artist and writer… one day.
Lily has always had a love of language and a beautifully crafted sentence, and admits to having a fetish for collecting quotes, poems, and song lyrics. What she won’t admit to is how many notebooks she’s filled with those quotes… Her fascination carries on into her artworks where she often incorporates text. When a shoulder injury slowed down her art practice she decided to explore her love of the written word more fully and began writing. “I’ll paint my pictures with words.”
Not that she’s abandoned artmaking in its entirety—Lily collaborates on the designs for all her book covers.
There are many things Lily loves, here are just a few of the PG rated ones: a good laugh (all the better if caused by a naughty joke), the smell of freshly baked goods and mown grass, a smile from a stranger, rainbows after the rain, and witnessing a promise kept.
Social media links:
Website: http://lilyvelden.wordpress.com/
Email: lilyvelden@live.com.au
Twitter Name: @LilyVelden
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lily.velden
Tumblr: http://lilyvelden.tumblr.com/
