Andrew Q. Gordon's Blog, page 41
September 9, 2014
Cover Reveal: Most Beautiful Words, by Raine O’Tierney
Cover Artist: Brooke Albrecht
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Blurb:
Twelve-year-old Autumn’s world is shattered when her beloved Great-Pop, Tommy Johnson, suffers a stroke that leaves him comatose. With everyone around her resigning themselves to the inevitable, Autumn is the only one not willing to give up. She and Great-Pop have more secret stories to share with each other, after all. More stories about Roy McMillan—the great love of Tommy’s life whom he lost fifty years ago.
Autumn struggles to keep Great-Pop on this side of death’s door. But how can she compete with the beautiful and mysterious Valley—a place of surreal magic where the sun never fully sets? Especially when there’s someone familiar in the Valley who will do everything he can to keep Great-Pop from returning to her.
Excerpt:
“So what’s my prize?”
“I’m gonna let you kiss me,” Roy said with a big, devious smile.
“Yeah?” Tommy asked, thinking he was being put on. “All right, I guess I’ll take the consolation prize then.”
“That leaves me with the grand prize by default.”
And he leaned in, and as sweet as anything Tommy had experienced in his whole life, Roy kissed his slightly parted lips. Even when Tommy stiffened, Roy did not pull back. Instead, slowly and deliberately, he gathered Tommy to him with a hold that was loose enough for him to escape from, but tight enough to be a real, romantic embrace. He kissed Tommy until he had to draw breath, and even then he did not let him go all the way.
“You… really wanted to?” Tommy asked, his head spinning. In that moment he had a single, solitary regret. It wasn’t coming out here to shoot arrows, and it wasn’t that he hadn’t pulled out of Roy’s embrace or even that he’d been kissed. It was that he hadn’t kissed Roy first. Because Tommy liked the kissing. A lot. And he wanted to do it more.
Author Bio:
Called “Queen of the Sweetness” (well, two or three people said it anyway!) Raine O’Tierney loves writing sweet stories about first loves, first times, fidelity, forever-endings and…friskiness?
Raine O’Tierney lives outside of Kansas City with her husband, fellow Dreamspinner Press author, Siôn O’Tierney. When she’s not writing, she’s either asleep, or fighting the good fight for intellectual freedom at her library day job. Raine believes the best thing we can do in life is be kind to one another, and she enjoys encouraging fellow writers. Writing for 20+ years (with the last 10 spent on M/M) Raine changes sub-genres to suit her mood and believes all good stories end sweetly. Contact her if you’re interested in talking about point-and-click adventure games or about which dachshunds are the best kinds of dachshunds!
Author Contact:
Raineotierney.com | Dreamspinner Press Author Page | The Hat Party (LGBT Author Interviews!)
Facebook Fan Page | Twitter
Tour Dates: 9/10/14
Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Prism Book Alliance, Cate Ashwood, Velvet Panic, Fallen Angel Reviews, Regular Guys, Hot Romance, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Iyana Jenna, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Love Bytes, MM Good Book Reviews, Amanda C. Stone, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Up All Night, Read All Day, A_TiffyFit’s Reading Corner, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Nephylim, EE Montgomery, Inked Rainbow Reads, Andrew Q. Gordon, Emotion in Motion
Click the Rafflecopter link below to be entered to win an e-Copy of Most Beautiful Words when it comes out:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Sales Links:
eBook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5498
Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5499
Be sure to check back on Friday September 12, 2014, for the book blast for the release of Taylin Clavelli’s Dakota Skies :
This cover reveal is a Pride Promotions event. Click the badge for more information about Pride Promotions:
September 6, 2014
A Month of Pictures – August ’14
So August was a busy month – ‘lil q grew up – a lot. We had quite a few first. She started to ride her bike by herself, we finished ‘daycare’ and moved on to ‘preschool’, we learned we liked moon bounce houses, were reminded we like cotton candy, and Papa started to teach her Italian-American slang words. (hey, it’s important to be a little different ;) )
To start the month, ‘lil q joined me at the DC Outwrite Fest book fair. I figured Wayward Ink Publishing could use a better ‘face of the franchise’ than me so I had her sit with me for a time.
Helping Papa sell some books
In an effort to corrupt . . err. . . teach her new things, I’m teaching her Italian-American Slang:
(That means stop being a pig at the table)
Some days are just fun to be a kid. First we went to the ‘big girl playground’ And we rode our ‘bicycle’ there.
Then we went to the baseball game – Ask her what’s her favorite team and she’ll say Bowie Baysox. (Minor league affiliate for the Baltimore Oriels.) She got her very first baseball caps and cotton candy. (that was pretty much all she ate for dinner)
And whats a baseball game with out a little dancing?
Her school took the kids to the bouncy house for a ‘field trip.’ We had to ride the bus. As you can see, riding the school bus when you’re two is ‘fun.’ I’m going to keep this picture to remind her it’s ‘fun’ when she’s older and complains.
My first bus ride. We’re going to the moon bounce place.
She liked it so much, we’re going to have her birthday party there.
Here are some random pictures for the month.
August also marked the end of ‘daycare’ ‘lil q was moving on to pre-school. And boy did she tell us that she was a big girl, going to the big kids room, almost a grown up. Here was the last day of daycare. They had ‘messy day.’
And finally, she began ‘school.’ I can’t believe she’s almost three. It feels like just a short time ago that the nurse handed her to me and said – here, she’s all yours. (and Mike’s)
For a throw back, here is me holding her in the hospital that first day:
September 4, 2014
Love and Punishment, by Susan Mac Nicol – Tour and Giveaway
Today I have the pleasure of welcoming back Susan Mac Nicol to my blog. Susan has become one of my good friends in the writing world, having met about a year ago for an interview. At the time, I was working on how to interview authors more effectively and she agreed to be my test subject. Well, today were doing it again. Today will be the first video interview I’ve posted on my blog. Aside from my performance, it turned out quite well, meaning Susan looks and sounds great. Take a look and find out a few things about Susan and her newest release, Love and Punishment. When your finished watching, read on and make sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win an eCopy of Double Alchemy or Double Alchemy: Climax.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eISMHszYPvo
Blurb: On the search for a serial killer, Detective Anthony Parglietto and Flynn Parker learn that every man must make a choice: to kill, to live, to love.
FROM DARKNESS AND LIGHT
Someone is leaving a trail of bodies throughout London, and Detective Anthony Parglietto is determined to end the violence. Then he’ll return to the man he loves.
Tough, street-savvy, and used to dealing with lowlifes, Flynn Parker is the last person Anthony thinks he has to protect. Then the Bow-Tie Killer strikes close to home and the world turns upside down. Right is wrong, black is white, and a policeman might become a monster. But in the name of love, justice must be served. In the name of love, pain can be endured. In the name of love, a man can taste the very essence that defines him.
Cover Artist: Boroughs Publishing Group
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
Sales Links:
Watch the Video Trailer for Love and Punishment:
Excerpt:
Anthony walked down the hall. He reached the bedroom and gently pushed the door open. He saw Flynn framed in the light of the lamp shining from the lounge. He lay, apparently asleep, on the leather and wood divan Anthony had brought over from Italy. Its dark burgundy colour contrasted with what Flynn wore, which was nothing but a black thong lying stark against his pale skin. The divan was under the window. The bed covers were rumpled, as if Flynn had been sleeping. His robe was draped across the foot of the bed. Anthony moved towards the gleaming body of his supine lover.
Flynn’s face was turned away towards the back of the sofa. His dark hair was tousled and his arms stretched above his head to the right. He wore a blindfold. Anthony felt a stir in his groin seeing those lean, hairy legs stretched out wantonly, inviting him to run his hands up and over his groin. Even appearing asleep, Flynn had the power to excite him, to make Anthony hard and ready. He stepped towards him, watching the rise and fall of Flynn’s chest with their already hardened nubs. Anthony wanted to run his tongue over that chest, with its smattering of fine hair, to take Flynn’s nipples in his mouth and suck them until Flynn groaned in pleasure. As he got closer in the dim light he saw the hands with their bonds of silk. Green bonds lay dark against Flynn’s wrists, fastened to the wooden struts of the upright chair arm. His hands were tight fists. Anthony chuckled softly, a noise that sounded loud in the stillness of the room.
“Been waiting long?’ he whispered as he took off his jacket. ‘I tried to get home as soon as I could.”
Anthony knew the bonds would be loose so Flynn could break free if needed but he also knew he wouldn’t. It was the way the game was played.
Author Bio:
Susan Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. At the age of eight, her family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa where she stayed for nearly thirty years before arriving back in the UK in December 2000. Currently, She lives in the rural village of Bocking, in Essex, with her family.
Sue is a PAN (Published Author’s Network) member of Romance Writers of America and a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. Also, she is a member of a rather unique writing group, called the Talliston Writer’s Circle, which in itself has a story all of its own to tell. She has written nine novels, two novellas and a screenplay since February 2012 and clearly believes in keeping herself busy. She has found herself wanting to stay in the sub-genre that is M/M Romance so more can definitely be expected.
Her plan is to keep writing as long as her muse sits upon her shoulder. Her dream is to make enough money to give up the day job and get that big old house in the English countryside overlooking a river, where she can write all day and continue to indulge her passion for telling stories.
Author Contact:
website: www.susanmacnicol.com
blog: susanmacnicol.wordpress.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/susiemax77
twitter: www.twitter.com/SusanMacNicol7
pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/susiemax777/pins/
linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/susanmacnicol/48/a44/602
tumblr: http://www.susanmacnicol.com/my-tumblr-blog/
Tour Dates/Stops:
8/29: The Hat Party, It’s Raining Men
9/1: My Fiction Nook, Tara Lain
9/2: MM Good Book Reviews, EE Montgomery, Sarah Madison Fiction
9/3: Love Bytes, A_TiffyFit’s Reading Corner
9/4: Parker Williams, Amanda C. Stone
9/5: Full Moon Dreaming, Andrew Q. Gordon, Penny For My Thoughts
9/8: Hearts on Fire, Rainbow Gold Reviews
9/9: Jade Crystal, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves
9/10: Prism Book Alliance, Fallen Angel Reviews
9/11: Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Book Suburbia
9/12: Havan Fellows, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings
9/15: Decadent Delights, 3 Chicks After Dark
9/16: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Because Two Men Are Better Than One
9/17: Regular Guys, Hot Romance, Joyfully Jay
9/18: Louise Lyons , Foxylutely Book Reviews
9/19: Cate Ashwood, Iyana Jenna
9/22: The Novel Approach, Crystal’s Many Reviewers
9/23: Inked Rainbow Reads, Wake Up Your Wild Side
9/24: LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Emotion in Motion
9/25: The Blogger Girls, Velvet Panic
Click the link below to be entered for a chance to win a copy of either Double Alchemy and Double Alchemy: Climax.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Love and Punishment, by Susan Mac Nicols – Tour and Giveaway
Today I have the pleasure of welcoming back Susan Mac Nicols to my blog. Susan has become one of my good friends in the writing world, having met about a year ago for an interview. At the time, I was working on how to interview authors more effectively and she agreed to be my test subject. Well, today were doing it again. Today will be the first video interview I’ve posted on my blog. Aside from my performance, it turned out quite well, meaning Susan looks and sounds great. Take a look and find out a few things about Susan and her newest release, Love and Punishment. When your finished watching, read on and make sure to enter the giveaway for a chance to win an eCopy of Double Alchemy or Double Alchemy: Climax.
Blurb: On the search for a serial killer, Detective Anthony Parglietto and Flynn Parker learn that every man must make a choice: to kill, to live, to love.
FROM DARKNESS AND LIGHT
Someone is leaving a trail of bodies throughout London, and Detective Anthony Parglietto is determined to end the violence. Then he’ll return to the man he loves.
Tough, street-savvy, and used to dealing with lowlifes, Flynn Parker is the last person Anthony thinks he has to protect. Then the Bow-Tie Killer strikes close to home and the world turns upside down. Right is wrong, black is white, and a policeman might become a monster. But in the name of love, justice must be served. In the name of love, pain can be endured. In the name of love, a man can taste the very essence that defines him.
Cover Artist: Boroughs Publishing Group
Publisher: Boroughs Publishing Group
Sales Links:
Watch the Video Trailer for Love and Punishment:
Excerpt:
Anthony walked down the hall. He reached the bedroom and gently pushed the door open. He saw Flynn framed in the light of the lamp shining from the lounge. He lay, apparently asleep, on the leather and wood divan Anthony had brought over from Italy. Its dark burgundy colour contrasted with what Flynn wore, which was nothing but a black thong lying stark against his pale skin. The divan was under the window. The bed covers were rumpled, as if Flynn had been sleeping. His robe was draped across the foot of the bed. Anthony moved towards the gleaming body of his supine lover.
Flynn’s face was turned away towards the back of the sofa. His dark hair was tousled and his arms stretched above his head to the right. He wore a blindfold. Anthony felt a stir in his groin seeing those lean, hairy legs stretched out wantonly, inviting him to run his hands up and over his groin. Even appearing asleep, Flynn had the power to excite him, to make Anthony hard and ready. He stepped towards him, watching the rise and fall of Flynn’s chest with their already hardened nubs. Anthony wanted to run his tongue over that chest, with its smattering of fine hair, to take Flynn’s nipples in his mouth and suck them until Flynn groaned in pleasure. As he got closer in the dim light he saw the hands with their bonds of silk. Green bonds lay dark against Flynn’s wrists, fastened to the wooden struts of the upright chair arm. His hands were tight fists. Anthony chuckled softly, a noise that sounded loud in the stillness of the room.
“Been waiting long?’ he whispered as he took off his jacket. ‘I tried to get home as soon as I could.”
Anthony knew the bonds would be loose so Flynn could break free if needed but he also knew he wouldn’t. It was the way the game was played.
Author Bio:
Susan Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, Yorkshire, in the United Kingdom. At the age of eight, her family moved to Johannesburg, South Africa where she stayed for nearly thirty years before arriving back in the UK in December 2000. Currently, She lives in the rural village of Bocking, in Essex, with her family.
Sue is a PAN (Published Author’s Network) member of Romance Writers of America and a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. Also, she is a member of a rather unique writing group, called the Talliston Writer’s Circle, which in itself has a story all of its own to tell. She has written nine novels, two novellas and a screenplay since February 2012 and clearly believes in keeping herself busy. She has found herself wanting to stay in the sub-genre that is M/M Romance so more can definitely be expected.
Her plan is to keep writing as long as her muse sits upon her shoulder. Her dream is to make enough money to give up the day job and get that big old house in the English countryside overlooking a river, where she can write all day and continue to indulge her passion for telling stories.
Author Contact:
website: www.susanmacnicol.com
blog: susanmacnicol.wordpress.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/susiemax77
twitter: www.twitter.com/SusanMacNicol7
pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/susiemax777/pins/
linkedin: http://uk.linkedin.com/pub/susanmacnicol/48/a44/602
tumblr: http://www.susanmacnicol.com/my-tumblr-blog/
Tour Dates/Stops:
8/29: The Hat Party, It’s Raining Men
9/1: My Fiction Nook, Tara Lain
9/2: MM Good Book Reviews, EE Montgomery, Sarah Madison Fiction
9/3: Love Bytes, A_TiffyFit’s Reading Corner
9/4: Parker Williams, Amanda C. Stone
9/5: Full Moon Dreaming, Andrew Q. Gordon, Penny For My Thoughts
9/8: Hearts on Fire, Rainbow Gold Reviews
9/9: Jade Crystal, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves
9/10: Prism Book Alliance, Fallen Angel Reviews
9/11: Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Book Suburbia
9/12: Havan Fellows, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings
9/15: Decadent Delights, 3 Chicks After Dark
9/16: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Because Two Men Are Better Than One
9/17: Regular Guys, Hot Romance, Joyfully Jay
9/18: Louise Lyons , Foxylutely Book Reviews
9/19: Cate Ashwood, Iyana Jenna
9/22: The Novel Approach, Crystal’s Many Reviewers
9/23: Inked Rainbow Reads, Wake Up Your Wild Side
9/24: LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Emotion in Motion
9/25: The Blogger Girls, Velvet Panic
Click the link below to be entered for a chance to win a copy of either Double Alchemy and Double Alchemy: Climax.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Free Fiction Friday: Second Shot – The Senior Year – 36
Second Shot – The Senior Year: Chapter 36
Blake paced his small dorm room. Brett’s stuff added to his made it feel even smaller. He’d been spoiled having the room to himself for the three weeks. Spoiled in more ways than one. But the weekend came and went, Ethan went home and Blake left Jason and Darryl’s house to come back to the dorm.
During the two days at Jason’s place, he’d tried to find the right words to tell his roommate. Everything he came up with sounded lame. “Brett, I’m gay,” was direct but had an overly dramatic feel. And he didn’t think he could or should blurt it out to start the conversation. On the other hand, the whole, ‘sit down, I have something to talk about,’ wasn’t any better.
Plus he really liked his roommate—in a friends only way. The last thing he wanted was to cause him more stress than needed. Especially the first week of school.
Still, they had to have this talk tonight. Enough people knew about Ethan and he being a ‘couple’ that sooner or later Brett would get the, ‘whoa, dude. You’re living with a gay guy?’ question and then it would be on. Better to deal with it directly and early on so they could both move on with the semester—one way or another.
His phone vibrated and he quickly dug it out of his pocket.
Ethan: {hows it goin?}
Why would he text that? He’d told Ethan he’d let him know how it went after he and Brett talked. Ethan meant well, but getting messages from him and Jason didn’t help him keep calm. Biting back the snark he composed an answer.
Blake:{He’s not back yet, I’ll text AFTER we talk. Promise}
He hoped Ethan took the hint. Back and forth with his boyfriend wouldn’t help him relax while he waited. And speaking of waiting, where the fuck did Brett go?
“Calm down.” Saying it out loud made him feel slightly psycho, but it also helped to calm his angst.
He plunked onto his bed and felt the not so new springs sag. Maybe dorm life wasn’t as good an idea as he thought. He spied his ‘getaway’ bag on the chair. Jason had suggested he have an exit plan. If Brett needed some space, Blake could stay at the house.
Of course, if Brett didn’t come back soon, Blake might not be awake. Weekends with Ethan were great and he loved curling up next to him, but that close, sleep wasn’t always what followed. Not that he minded the wake up sex, at least not at the time. But it left him so tired the next day.
Shifting slightly, he put his hands behind his and settled back against his pillow. He needed to get up if he wanted to stay awake, but settled in like this, his motivation for sitting up quickly evaporated.
He’d just started to drift off when he heard a noise at the door. The twisting feeling in his gut brought him to full consciousness before Brett turned the lock.
“Yo! You’re here.” Brett walked over as Blake sat up and slowly swung his hand. Blake clasped hands with a loud smack and let himself be pulled off the bed and into a quick hug. Brett let go and flopped onto his bed. “Wasn’t sure what happened to you. I haven’t seen you since I got back.”
“Um yeah, I was…um…staying at Jason and Darryl’s for the weekend.” He noted the look his roommate gave him and added. “Jason’s dad bought a house on Otis and Jason, his boyfriend Peter, Darryl and Jase’s younger brother Dean are living there.”
“Nice. Sorta like a mini frat house without the rules.”
He laughed at image. “It got that way a couple times when the team was hanging out there, but Jase has been toning it down. His dad will kick them all out if they don’t keep up their grades.”
“Still, has to beat being in the dorm.” Brett sat up and swung his feet over the side of the bed so he faced Blake. “So why were you staying there all weekend? I mean, I don’t think you even came back to change.”
“Yeah, I know.” He met Brett’s gaze for a moment, then looked down. All he had to do was say it, tell him the truth and it’d be out there. So why wouldn’t the words come out. “It’s kinda complicated.”
It really wasn’t. Just tell him and be done. When he glanced up, he found Brett still looking at him.
“Okay, so start wherever.”
It sounded so simple. Swallowing loudly, Blake nodded without meeting his roommate’s stare. “I was…I am…I’m seeing someone and it was easier to stay there.”
“Seeing someone? As in dating and sleeping together seeing?”
Blake snorted despite the serious topic. “Um…yeah. Is there another type of seeing someone?”
“No doofus, I just meant…I didn’t know is all. You’d think you could have told me or something.”
“It’s something I wanted to do in person.” His mouth suddenly got bone dry and he found it a struggle to swallow. He finally looked Brett in the eye. “It’s a guy. I’m seeing a guy and his name is Ethan.”
Brett didn’t react and the room was so quiet Blake could hear himself breathe. They continued in silence until Brett nodded. Almost imperceptible at first, it continued until it moved his whole body. “I see.”
“I know I should’ve told you sooner, but…I don’t know, it’s just been impossible to tell anyone. If you want some space, I can go. Jase said I can stay with them until I figure out where I’m going to live.”
It would take considerably more effort than he made it sound, but he wouldn’t stay if Brett didn’t want him. Waiting for an answer, his fingers played with the strap on his getaway bag.
“It’s kind of a shock, you know? I mean, we hung out all last year and you never said anything.” Brett never broke their eye contact. “I mean you could’ve at least said something before we agreed to room together another year.”
“I know.” Of all the things coming out entailed, that was the one area of regret for Blake. He should have told Brett last year or else found another place to live. And from how Brett reacted, it did matter. He stood up and pulled the bag with him. “I’m sorry, Brett. I’ll get out. Just don’t trash my stuff, please? I’ll move out as soon as I can. I promise.”
“Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Who said you needed to leave?”
“No one, but I’m not going to put you in that position. I fucked up, not you. You shouldn’t have to say get out.” That and if the university found out Brett told him to leave because he was gay he could get in trouble.
“Do you want to go?”
“No.” Shaking his head, he debated whether to keep going. “But I don’t want you to be uncomfortable. I don’t do conflict well.”
“Says the man who’s idea of fun is sliding tackling other players.”
“That’s controlled.” He cracked a grin. “I just mean, I decided to stay because we got along and I never had to worry about being able to study here. If we hate each other….” He shrugged.
“I don’t hate you. Like I said, I’m a bit stunned.” Using both hands he pushed off the bed and confronted Blake. “I always wondered what I’d do if a friend came out to me. I’ll be honest I didn’t expect it to be you, but I always told myself it would be no big deal.”
He waited for more, but when Brett didn’t add anything, he said, “But I get the sense it is.”
Brett’s expression changed and he seemed distant. “I’ll be honest, I’m not as good with it as I thought I’d be or as I want to be.”
The queasy feeling returned as Blake realized he’d need to move. “I understand. I’ll let you know when I can get my stuff.”
Disappointed, he tried to keep his anger down. He had promised himself if Brett wasn’t cool, he’d leave quietly. Even if he didn’t want to, he planned to keep to that plan. He shifted his bag and stepped to his left. Avoiding his roommate’s gaze, he started toward the door.
He hadn’t cleared the foot of the bed when Brett grabbed him by the arm. “Wait.”
Blake stopped walking, but didn’t turn around. The hurt at being rejected was no doubt plastered on his face and he didn’t need Brett to see that.
“Don’t go, Blake.” Brett pulled gently on Blake’s arm to no effect. He let go and walked in front of Blake. “Please don’t go. I’m…I’m cool with you.”
“Are you sure?”
“Look, I won’t lie and say it’s not weirding me out a bit, but you’ve always been a good friend. And you’re easy to live with. You’re certainly not the dumb jock I expected when they told me I was rooming with a soccer player.”
“Was that a compliment?” Blake relaxed enough to smile.
Brett returned the grin and flopped back on his bed. “Not that I can tell. Being a step up from being a knuckle dragger like most of the jocks doesn’t make you attractive.”
That barb, more than any assurances told him they’d probably be fine. But he kept the bag on his shoulder.
“You sure we’re okay?
“I’m sure I don’t want you to move out.” He stared at the ceiling.
Blake stayed rooted in place. Not being mad wasn’t enough. Thinly veiled anger wouldn’t make for a good living situation. Maybe a night apart would help. “How about I crash at Jason’s tonight and let you think about it?”
“No!” The rejection caused Blake to flinch. “Blake, I’m good with us. Or at least I will be once I work through how this affects us going forward.”
“It shouldn’t affect us at all.” He held up a finger. “We can still talk about girls you want to date.”
“True. That was always one sided come to think of it.”
“Ya think?” Blake raised an eyebrow and then a second finger. “I’ll never try to steal your girl.”
“As if.”
“And I promise to never hit on you. I’ve already got a…someone.”
The lite moment nearly past, but Brett popped off his bed with a smirk. “Can I get those in writing?”
“Text okay?
“It’ll do.” He held out his hand and when Blake shook it, he pulled them together for ‘bro hug.’ “See? Problem solved.”
Blake patted him on the back and fought back the urge to say, “For now.”
Be Sure To Check Out The Other Free Fiction Friday Stories:
Follow all your favorite authors and read the first 100 words on the group’s website:
Free Fiction Friday
September 3, 2014
New Release: David’s Dilemma by Rae Brewer
Blurb: It’s been three years since David broke up with Michael. He’s ready to find his mate. Only the only man he’s attracted to at all is a hookup from a bar. After hours of passion they separate and David only discovers the next morning the man was his mate. Where can he find him again? And what is his name?
Publisher: JK Publishing, Inc
Cover Artist: Jess Buffett
Sales Links:
Amazon:
ARe:
Smashwords:
Kobo:
Excerpt:
David woke late Sunday afternoon with a headache, which didn’t seem fair because he hadn’t drunk very much the night before. Damn head cold! He still remembered every minute of the night before. Part of him wished he’d broken his own rule and let the handsome hunk stay over. He got what he wanted, he would have blown me off when he saw me in the light of day. Getting out of bed he stumbled to the bathroom sneezing. He decided to take a hot shower, the steam would clear up his sinuses, for a while. He wanted a clear head so he could convince himself it was time to settle down and find a forever love. No more casual sex!
Setting the temp as hot as he could stand, he stepped into the oversized stall. The room quickly filled with steam and his nose started running. He gave a fleeting thought to the scents he was washing down the drain before he remembered his sheets. His cougar wasn’t very happy with him for kicking HH, the handsome hunk, out of their bed and was pouting by being silent. Of course his cougar was generally subdued when he was showering.
After twenty minutes in the steam his muscles were loose and he could breathe again, for now. Stepping out of the shower onto the bathmat he grabbed a clean towel off the shelf and after a quick rub down, wrapped it around his waist. Taking a look in the mirror he decided to take some cold medicine and spend the day being lazy. He was already envisioning a long afternoon on the couch snuggled in a blanket with a pitcher of lemon water and some chicken soup within easy reach. I’m wallowing, because I already miss him.
First though, he needed to strip the bed and put the sheets in the wash. Later, he knew he’d want cool fresh sheets to sleep in. And right now he was as awake, alert, and as energetic as he was going to be for the rest of the day. Walking through the door to the bedroom the scents from his sheets hit him all at once. His inner cat roared and David was so surprised he didn’t stop the shift.
Leaping onto the bed in his puma form, he rolled around in the sheets before sneezing. Sitting up in the bed he had a sheet wrapped around him, the end flopping over his head. He could see his reflection in the mirror on the opposite wall. Big tough cat, not! Mate! We found our mate!
Shifting back into his human form allowed him to say what he was thinking. “Shit! Shit, shit, shit!” Untangling himself from the bedding he began to pace around the room. I don’t even know his name!
Tour Dates: 9/4/14
Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Prism Book Alliance, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Velvet Panic, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Guilty Indulgence Book Club, Andrew Q. Gordon, The Hat Party, Cathy Brock Romances, MM Good Book Reviews, Hearts on Fire, Multitasking Mommas, Up All Night, Read All Day, Iyana Jenna, Redz World, Nic Starr, Carly’s Book Reviews, Michael Mandrake
Click the Rafflecopter link below to be entered to win one of three copies of David’s Dilemma:
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Author Bio:
Rae Brewer is new to writing romance and has found a niche in the M/M paranormal genre. After growing up in San Francisco, Rae now calls Chicago home.
Author Contact:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Rae-Brewer/134062900095923
Be sure to check back on Friday September 5, 2014, for a video interview with Susan Mac Nicols as part of her Love and Punishment tour:
This Book Blast is a Pride Promotions event. Click the badge for more information about Pride Promotions:
September 1, 2014
Cover Reveal: No Fae Is An Island, by Angel Martinez
Publisher:
MLR Press
Cover Artist:
Lex Valentine
Blurb(s):
Three years ago, Danu banished Diego for a time from the human world. Three years and three days doesn’t seem that long to be away from home but living among the wild fae can change a man and the human world returns the favor by changing while he’s gone. There’s a vampire on Tearmann Island’s security force. A curious selkie’s followed him home. So much to do to keep the world safe…but Diego’s no longer sure he has the right to interfere.
Theo Aguilar started his vampire life on the wrong side of the law. He’s killed and knows he’s dangerous if he doesn’t stay in control every moment. But the fae took him in and Prince Lugh has given him a position of trust. So when Diego and Finn are arrested on a diplomatic mission far from home, he knows his duty. He’s striking out on his own to rescue them, a lone vigilante once again, this time for the good guys. The only glitch? The selkie, Limpet, can’t seem to understand the alone part.
Categories: Contemporary, Fantasy, M/M Romance, Paranormal, Romance, Urban Fantasy
Excerpt:
“You don’t need to come with me.” Theo fought clenched teeth. The selkie was a friend of Mr. Sandoval’s and Finn’s, too—Finn who had been so kind to him after accidentally squashing him in dragon form. No need to be rude.
“Quite all right. I’ve nothing better to do.”
“You can’t come with me,” Theo said in the chilliest, sternest tone he could muster.
“Oh, of course I can. I see quite well at night.”
Theo squeezed his eyes shut against the headache. It shouldn’t have been there. He’d fed that morning and napped the rest of the day in lethargic, sated bliss. Fine. He’ll get bored and leave soon. “All right. But you have to be quiet.”
“Yes, yes, of course. In case something bad is here. A pack of nixes maybe. Oh, they’re bad. Or a kraken tries to swim close and ambush you, yes? You’re a real warrior, then? Have you seen many battles? Do you have scars? I have scars, but only because I was very young—”
“Limpet.” Theo stopped and took the selkie’s chin in his hand, holding his head still. “Whispering is not being quiet.”
“Right you are. Sorry. You have beautiful eyes.”
Theo dropped his hand and walked away, shaking his head. It was going to be long night.
Author Bio:
While Angel Martinez is the erotic fiction pen name of a writer of several genres, she writes both kinds of gay romance – Science Fiction and Fantasy. Currently living part time in the hectic sprawl of northern Delaware, (and full time inside the author’s head) Angel has one husband, one son, two cats, a changing variety of other furred and scaled companions, a love of all things beautiful and a terrible addiction to the consumption of both knowledge and chocolate.
Author Contact:
Website: Erotic Fiction for the Hungry Mind
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Angel.Martinez.author
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1010469.Angel_Martinez
Email: ravenesperanza@yahoo.com
Tour Stops:
Parker Williams, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Multitasking Mommas, Velvet Panic, Love Bytes, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Tara Lain, Amanda C. Stone, Hearts on Fire, Fallen Angel Reviews, Andrew Q. Gordon, Cate Ashwood, Regular Guys, Hot Romance, Gaylist Book Reviews, Romance the Night, Queer Town Abbey, Cathy Brockman Romances, Kimi-Chan, MM Good Book Reviews, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Smoocher’s Voice, It’s Raining Men, Michael Mandrake
Click the Rafflecopter link below to be entered for a chance to win an eCopy of ‘No Fae Is An Island’
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Sales Links: http://www.mlrbooks.com/books.php
Be sure to check back on Thursday September 4, 2014, for the Rae Brewer’s, David’s Dilemma, Book Blast:
This cover reveal is a Pride Promotions event. Click the badge for more information about Pride Promotions:
August 30, 2014
Steven’s Heart; by Ashavan Doyon – New Release and Giveaway
Thank you, Andy, for having me here at the Land of Make Believe again. It was just about a year ago that I was here talking about Loving Aidan, and it’s great to be back to talk with you and your readers again, this time about Steven’s Heart. It’s interesting because when I first stopped by I remarked on writers starting first as readers, and my post yesterday at Prism Book Alliance was focused on books that really influenced me.
I remember that you were struck by the cover for Loving Aidan, and I will report that lightning does apparently strike twice, because once again I got almost exactly the cover I asked for. In this case I did ask for one change… the blue in the eyes was enhanced, and in the first draft of the cover they looked a little unearthly, like you might expect a modern “Twilight” inspired vampire to have, and with the suggestion of a cemetery at the bottom of the cover, I was nervous about that first impression and asked the cover artist to tone it down. Steven’s Heart is not at all paranormal inspired, and I know when I get a false impression from a cover it always bugs me. Other than that, I got a cover that is, again, pretty much exactly what I’d asked for. I’m going to cross my fingers and hope that luck continues!
I think one of the changes for Steven’s Heart, for me, was a change in inspiration. I’ve talked a lot about Steven being a sort of runaway character… I added him for a purpose and he just grew and grew. And I think that really was the case here, Steven grew so much that he needed his own book. I still get comments, angry comments, that readers feel let down by what I allowed to happen to Steven in the first book. I stand by Aidan’s decisions in Loving Aidan, but I also absolutely understand the heartbreak readers have for Steven. I feel it, too — in many ways probably more strongly, since the relationship between Aidan and Steven was the main victim of scene editing in Loving Aidan. In many ways that relationship was stronger in the earlier drafts.
That left me very inspired to write a follow up novel. When we talked last year, the plan was to write this story, but to do it from Michael’s perspective. But when I sat down to write it, that’s really not what came out. I ended up in Steven’s head right after he woke up. Aidan had made his choice, and now Steven was left to live with it. I think that’s such a powerful moment. And so much of the story has roots in that very first chapter. I think readers would be surprised by how much if they look back on it when they’re done. It’s still very much a story about Michael, as we talked about last year, but I think Steven’s perspective is very different and also quite special. I think it says a lot that left with no real direction, that Steven seeks out Michael to understand what it means to lose Aidan. There’s a really good short scene early on where Steven is in the hospital visiting Michael and trying to make sense of his sense of loss and he puts it into words:
“Aidan, he believes you loved him,” Steven said. “The way he… he really loved you, you know that?”
Michael’s hand wrapped around Steven’s and squeezed.
“You did know.”
Michael squeezed Steven’s hand again.
“Did you love him?” asked Steven. He wasn’t sure what response he was expecting, but the squeeze was unexpectedly strong.
“Ouch!” Steven said, pulling his hand away. He shook it and cursed. “That hurts!”
“Y-yes. Hurts.”
“To love him?”
Michael grunted. “T-to lose… hurts to lose.”
To lose him. Steven closed his eyes again. “You do understand.”
The story really grows from that moment. The two start with so little in common. They have this one thing, they both loved Aidan. They both do love Aidan. And that sense of loss, of still caring but knowing that the relationship that in many ways they both still want is something they can never have becomes a bonding moment for them.
I know we talked last time about works in progress, and I’m afraid the fantasy romance I talked about, NEM, still hasn’t found a home. But I’m pleased to report that the other story I had talked about, the Christmas one that didn’t make the anthology, has found a home. I did end up reworking it into a full length novel and it will be published in early spring of next year as Gerry’s Lion. I think we’ll see some more of the characters from Loving Aidan and Steven’s Heart again also. I expect to start writing again in September and that’s the likely next story. I’m still not decided on which character to concentrate on next… feel free to leave suggestions in the comments!
So I hope at this point that you’ve read Loving Aidan (I know Andy has!) and have picked up Steven’s Heart to read. I know you want to know just how this unlikely pairing between Steven and Michael comes together. There’s a lot for them to work through, and yes, a lot of drama. I hope you’ll check out the blurb for the story and pick it up, and don’t forget the rafflecopter (you might have to like my author page and tweet, but hey, chance of free book…)
Blurb:
When a love triangle breaks, Steven Everett is left alone to grieve over a boyfriend lost to someone else. Surrounded by friends too tied to Aidan’s new lover to give advice, Steven turns instead to a broken and beaten man, Aidan’s other ex, Michael Rossier, who also knows the pain of having loved and lost Aidan. Steven’s and Michael’s confessions grow deeper, each confiding in the other until neither can deny an attraction. But being with Michael feels like cheating, and Steven isn’t sure what to do. The connection get stronger every day, and Steven realizes he’s facing an impossible choice.
To make a relationship with Michael work, Steven needs to make peace with Michael’s troubled past. Even more terrifying, he’ll have to tell Michael the secret he’s never told anyone, not even Aidan. With Michael recovering from yet another surgery, Steven leaves to face the ghosts of the past. He has to be certain. This time, Steven knows, the decision means revealing the secrets of his heart and hoping their fragile feelings can survive.
Buy links:
From Torquere:
http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=97&products_id=4263
From Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/Stevens-Heart-Ashavan-Doyon-ebook/dp/B00N2IRV1S/
Giveaway:
For a chance to win one of 2 ebook copies of “Steven’s Heart” or a signed paperback copy of “Loving Aidan” ( US restricted ) click the Rafflecopter link below:
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Author Bio:
Ashavan Doyon spends his days working with students as part of the student affairs staff at a liberal arts college. During lunch, evenings, and when he can escape the grasp of his husband on weekends, he writes, pounding out words day after day in hopes that his ancient typewriter-trained fingers won’t break the glass on his tablet computer. Ashavan is an avid science fiction and fantasy fan and prefers to write while listening to music that fits the mood of his current story. He has no children, having opted instead for the companionship of two beautiful and thoroughly spoiled pugs. A Texan by birth, he currently lives in New England, and frequently complains of the weather.
Author Contact:
Twitter:
@ashavandoyon
FB:
www.facebook.com/ashavandoyon.writer
website:
Tour Shedule
aug 29 th Love Bytes: http://lovebytesreviews.com
aug 30 thPrism bookalliance: http://www.prismbookalliance.com
aug 31 st Andrew Q Gordon : http://andrewqgordon.com
sept 1 st Larry Benjamin: http://www.larrybenjamin.com
sept 2 nd Kimi-chan Experience : http://www.kimnsarah.co.uk
sept 3 rd The Blogger Girls: http://thebloggergirls.com
sept 4 th GGR- Review :http://www.ggr-review.com
sept 5 th JoyfullyJay : http://joyfullyjay.com
sept 6 th Rainbow Gold Reviews: http://rainbowgoldreviews.wordpress.com
sept 7 th The Novel Approach :http://thenovelapproachreviews.com
August 28, 2014
Free Fiction Friday – The Price of Love – Part 5
The Price Of Love – Part 5
Epilogue
Sitting on the edge of a parapet in the Magi Citadel, I stared up at the Island in the Clouds. Three months later and he still filled my thoughts. I lost him the day the world was saved. Another bittersweet day in my life.
Part of me wanted to go back to that cave to see if his spirit remained, waiting for me to return. In my heart I knew I wouldn’t find him there, but I couldn’t quell that last bit of hope.
After the defeat of the Degari, Chenoth and his army left our world. No explanations, no words of wisdom, nothing. The blue dragon, however, remained. He refused all my requests for his name, but insisted he would remain with me until the end of my days. His presence only added to the growing legend around me that I couldn’t quell. I wanted the bards to sing about Barh, not me, but my requests fell on deaf ears.
The three Magi who had survived became the new Magi Council. Following words of praise for Barh and sympathy for my loss, they told me I could stay in Barh’s quarters as long as I wanted. While we lived there, I’d always thought of them as our rooms, not his. Others clearly didn’t agree with me.
With nowhere else to go, I remained in the only home I’d known for eleven years. My family had died at the beginning of the war and my home had been destroyed. And with a dragon following me, my options were few.
But I also couldn’t stay. I found no peace among the memories of my home or the citadel. Everywhere I looked, I saw a part of him I loved; his chair beside the fireplace where he liked to read, his books, the trinkets from our travels, the weapons we used to practice and of course our bed. Finding a new home would be hard, but with some help, I knew I could find something suitable.
I noticed my fingers had started to rub Barh’s medallion. Since he had hung it around my neck, I hadn’t taken it off, not even to bathe. I’d often found myself touching it when I thought of him. Turning the gold circle over to read his name inscribed on the back, I noticed it felt warm.
My thoughts were interrupted by the familiar sound of the dragon winging his way toward me. As his hulking blue form, framed by the waning hours of daylight, drew closer, I tucked Barh’s pendant back inside my tunic.
He landed on the battlement and moved carefully toward me. No matter how many times I reminded him the Magi had enchanted the tower centuries ago, he still took care to not damage the stone.
We fell into our usual routine; he’d show up to keep me company, but we didn’t speak. Today he followed my gaze toward the floating Island in the Clouds. I didn’t know how long we stared at the wondrous place, but it had been long enough for me to tune out my surroundings and remember my time there.
When he shifted his weight, I blinked and returned to the present.
“It is time to leave this place, Jacks.” His words caught me by surprise.
No one called me ‘Jacks’ except… “Barh?”
My heart ceased beating as hope filled me. The giant head swung around slowly, and I found myself looking into two crystal blue eyes. For a second, I dared to believe, but he shook his snout and the moment past.
“I wish such a thing were possible, but your mate has moved beyond the curtain of life.”
I could hear the sorrow in his voice, and his eyes showed concern. None of it mattered. With that one word, I showed my friend the depth of my foolishness.
“My name is Hasble.”
It didn’t immediate register what he’d said. When it did, my confusion was complete. “Why? I’ve asked for three months, why tell me now?”
“I have a message for you.” The way he brushed aside my question irked me, but before I could voice my annoyance, he continued. “The gods are not unmindful of what they asked of you and Barhingolis. They granted your mate a boon. He has been permitted to wait for you just beyond the curtain. When your time comes, you will be reunited. It is a gift beyond any they have granted.”
“Gift?” The word came out before I could stop it. How could the gods think leaving him on the other side of death was a gift? “That’s not a gift.”
“To the contrary. Had they not interceded, his soul would have been sent back and reborn to a new body. They have agreed to allow you both to enter the eternal together and not be parted again.”
My companion seemed to believe this was a wonderful blessing. “What does that have to do with my leaving our old home?”
“Your task is not yet complete.”
“What? I did everything they asked. Chenoth and his army are gone. There is nothing for me to lead.”
Hasble moved his head in a slow, exaggerated turn until he looked up at the island. “It falls to you to lead what Barhingolis’ sacrifice bought.”
“I did that already.”
“That was but the start. It is Chenoth’s will that you rule from his home in the clouds.”
“Rule? Rule what?” My answer had to wait, as a commotion below demanded my attention.
I watched as a carriage guided by a Magi seated on the front bench floated toward my position. Behind the gilded coach were three more. Atop these three I noticed the flag of the three principle kingdoms of our continent.
“To make certain the world does not forget Magi Barhingolis’ gift or the need to be ever vigilant, you will become emperor of this land and rule from your home in the clouds.”
I stumbled to find the words to answer. When I recovered enough to decline the position, my rejection was pre-empted by the head of the Magi council.
“Emperor Jackson.” He bowed as deeply as he could from his perch. That he would show me such respect shocked me, but my disbelief widened when I saw the three kings do the same from their carriages. “We are here to escort you to your new home.”
Hasble lowered his head and I mounted out of habit.
“You sacrifice will be noted by the gods, and you, like your beloved, will be rewarded. Though it may seem a punishment to be separated for so long, your time apart will go by in the blink of an eye. It will be a small price to pay for the eternity together you and Barhingolis will be granted.”
We lurched forward and I endured that awkward moment when Hasble worked to gain altitude and speed. Though I listened to his words, all I heard was that Barh and I would be apart for a long time.
Sunlight reflected off something from the Island and it broke my train of thought. A castle that hadn’t been there before sat at the base of the mountain. This place was like Barh; it appeared delicate, but I sensed a hidden strength.
Light caught my eye again and I was reminded of my promise. I could—nay, I needed—to do this. Barh gave all that he had for the world. In his honor, I could do no less. My broken heart might be the price of our love, but soaring toward my magical new home, I had faith we’d both be rewarded.
The End – for Now
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Free Fiction Friday
August 27, 2014
New Release: Satyr’s Lure, by Anya Richards
Blurb:
Summer in the high mountain pastures, in the shadow of ancient Greece’s Mount Parnassus, is usually Iason’s favorite time of year. A time when he feels happiest, surrounded by nature and free to take a lover from among the other shepherds. But this year he’s chosen his companion poorly and the resulting scars, of both body and soul, have left him questioning his worth.
It is only in the arms of the enigmatic and enthralling stranger Telesphoros, who rescues him from a storm, that Iason begins to heal. Yet the secrets both men hide overshadow the magic of their encounter, and foreshadow the heartache to come.
Publisher: Self Published.
Cover Artist: Lea Barrymire
Excerpt:
The tenor of the music changes, seems to call to me once more, and I am bound to heed the summons. Turning my head, I squint to see beyond the fire pit in the center of the small room. Through the heat-haze I see a man seated on the floor, the pipes to his lips. Only his face and upper torso are visible above the leaping flames, but looking at him causes a rush of something wild and hot to flood my veins.
There is the impression of a radiant, powerful face, a nose like the blade of a scythe, high, finely wrought cheekbones and black curls falling to almost impossibly broad shoulders. But those attributes are cast into shadow by the dark, sparkling eyes, deep-set and compelling, which meet my gaze and hold it in an unwavering stare. My heart pauses between one beat and the next, then begins to rush. Looking into those eyes is like falling off a cliff or being swept away by a torrent—completely overwhelming.
Author Bio:
After living a checkered past, and despite an avowed disinterest in domesticity, multi-published erotic romance author Anya Richards settled in Ontario, Canada, with husband, kids, an adorable pup and two cats that plots world domination, one food bowl at a time. Her slightly darker alter-ego, Anya Delvay, emerges occasionally to write erotica.
Interested in all things historical and hysterical, Anya describes herself as intensely curious, (although the word ‘nosy’ has been bandied about) and a life-long people-watcher. Using what she’s discovered about people, places and various weird and wonderful things, Anya has written contemporary, historical and paranormal/fantasy romance novels, novellas and short stories for Samhain Publishing, Ellora’s Cave, Cleis Press and Spice Briefs.
Tour Stops:
Parker Williams, Velvet Panic, Prism Book Alliance, Cate Ashwood, Jade Crystal, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, MM Good Book Reviews, Fallen Angel Reviews, Carly’s Book Reviews, Andrew Q. Gordon, Amanda C. Stone, For the Love of Bookends, Wicked Wolves and Dreaming Dragons, Up All Night, Read All Day, Love Bytes, Up All Night, Read All Day
Giveaway:
Click the Rafflecopter link below and enter for a chance to win a copy of Dragon’s Claim.
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Sales Links:
Amazon:
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ARe:
Author Contact:
Find out more about Anya:
Be sure to check back on Tuesday September 2, 2014, for the No Fae is an Island, Cover Reveal:
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