Aisling Mancy's Blog, page 15

A Special GRL Guest Post on Love Bytes Reviews!

I'm over at Love Bytes Reviews today with a special guest post for Gay Rom Lit and a snippet from Grotesque! Check it out!





Wings by Luisbc Deviant Art

Cover Reveal! The Teddy Bear Collection: Ivan vs. Ivan by Princess S.O. Coming October 13th!

COMING OCTOBER 13th!
IVAN vs. IVANMM-Gay Romance/ Mature Men’s Romance / Industrial Blue-collar
Out here in the North Sea love usually passes a man by like a ship in the night. So it’s a nice surprise when the captain of the ship hired to transport Ivan’s platform rig into port for the winter might actually offer some unexpected non-business type amenities as well.
Ivan Voloshyn owns and operates the Marianna Shoal, a deep sea oil rig. It’s hard work and long days out in harsh weather. And he loves it that way. Because that’s what he knows. Seabeds— rigs— oil— and bad weather. He’s also about to find out the Norse Gods have a sense of humor. For who should it be to come riding in on the Sea Dock Heavy Lift ship? Another Ivan.
Captain Ivan Blažević knows who he is and what he wants, problem is he also know he can’t have it. Just because the rest of the world is coming out of the closet doesn’t mean every gay man can or should. Out here on the seas the weather can change in an instant. He needs to trust his crew to do their job, and their hostility towards gays would get in the way of that if he was ever found out.
Ivan-the rig-owner’s very presence threatens Blažević’s closet doors, nevertheless it’s hard to turn that away, because he wants him to. Out here, the North Sea can change a man’s life —but hatred can take it away.
THE TEDDY BEAR COLLECTION Their Plane from Nowhere Big Spoon & Teddy Bear Ivan vs. Ivan~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~  *  ~

The Mind Replays What The Heart Can't Delete

L'esprit rejoue ce que le cœur ne peut effacer.

Grotesque: a short story coming Valentine's Day 2016

We Paint the Colors of Our Life Rainbow

COVER REVEAL!!! Turning His Life Around by Grace R. Duncan is now available for preorder!

Can Kane recognize what's right in front of him before he loses everything?
When Kane Harris’s world turns upside down, his lifelong best friend is the only one to catch him.
Years ago, Ian Kelly accepted Kane would never return his love, since he knows Kane believes he’s incapable of it. Ian is willing to settle for what he can get—a best friend, sometimes casual lover, and occasional submissive. He's learned he can’t live without Kane, but he can’t let Kane know. Because when, not if, Kane confirms that Ian’s love will never be returned, Ian won’t be able to take it. But when Kane loses his job and asks Ian to step up their play to help him deal, Ian’s ability to hide his feelings falters. Then Kane starts his own computer security firm and asks Ian to join him, and Ian struggles further.
It’s not until they visit the exclusive BDSM club the Iron Door that things come to a head. Kane screws up big time, and he’s afraid he can’t fix it. He’s sure he’ll lose his best friend, his Dom, his everything… forever.
Pre-Order it now from Dreamspinner Press!Excerpt:
IAN COAXED his ancient Toyota into the parking spot next to Kane’s Accord and shut off the engine. He was exhausted. He’d gotten into a fight with the IT director again, was given another project to work on with the database developer whom he hated with a passion, and had been forced to sit through no less than three completely useless meetings in the afternoon. All he wanted to do was eat something and go kill something. Not necessarily in that order.
He dragged himself out of the car and locked it, tossing his bag over his shoulder. He trudged up the steps, giving a halfhearted wave at their elderly neighbor, a sweet old lady not entirely with it anymore. She was out on her balcony in little more than a nightgown, watering nearly dead plants. She smiled a wide, toothless smile and he gave a weak smile back.
He finally made it to the apartment door on the third floor. He slammed the door deliberately so Kane would know he was home, then kicked off his shoes, hung his keys up, and shed his jacket. He put it in the closet before heading down the hall.
Their living room wasn’t all that big, but they didn’t care. Half of it was taken up with their computer desks, stuffed next to each other and covering one entire wall. Opposite them was the large flat screen TV and entertainment center, complete with all three major gaming consoles, a home theater system, and large collection of movies and games. In front of the TV, between it and their desks, was the one piece of furniture they’d spent any real money on: their couch. They’d had more than a few friends crash with them, and they’d finally broken down and bought a decent one for them to sleep on. It had certainly come in handy a few times when they’d decided to fuck there in the living room too. Ian shook his head at the thought and turned his attention to Kane. He had his headphones on and there was a battle going on the screen, one hand was on the keyboard, and the other was on the mouse.
“No, goddammit! He was… fuck. What do you mean you’re out of power? That’s not what I see! Just… send in the pet. Fine. Look, we’re in the bottom of fucking Moria. You can’t fuck around like that!”
Ian leaned against the wall, crossing his arms, and watched the battle. There were way too many enemies for Kane’s group—he could see that from there.
“Goddammit!” Kane shouted, ripping his headphones off and throwing them onto the desk.
“Pick-up group?” Ian asked.
Kane spun around, and Ian glanced over Kane’s shoulder to see his character’s corpse lying on the ground. “Yeah. Why do I get into them again?”
Ian shook his head. “I don’t know. They’re not usually that bad in Middle-earth, though, are they?”
“No, which is why I’m so pissed.” He sighed. “Must be the daytime players.”
“Want to order in tonight?” Ian asked, crossing the room to stand next to his friend.
“Chinese?” Kane looked up hopefully, and Ian laughed.
“Sure. If we can order from the place that does the sushi too.”
“Done!” Kane grinned and snatched at the menu he kept pinned to the small bulletin board over his desk. “How was your day?” he asked as he looked over the menu.
Ian sighed. “Long. Meetings all damned afternoon. I hate meetings. I hate people. And, um, don’t you have to deal with your group?” He pointed at the screen.
Kane shook his head. “No, I dropped it. I should port back, though.” He turned back to the computer and clicked a few things. His corpse revived, the pretty green swirls surrounded him, and the loading screen came up, complete with a twenty-four-inch version of a spider.
Ian shuddered and looked away. Instead, he turned to inspect his friend. He could tell something was bubbling under the olive skin and nearly black eyes. He knew it was very likely the old job, the new job hunt, and the frustration Kane was likely feeling over it. Kane always thought too much, spent way too much mental energy worrying about things.
“Did you work out today?” he asked, giving in and playing with a bit of Kane’s shaggy ebony hair. “Yeah,” Kane said, and that one syllable told Ian enough: that while the workout might have done some, it most certainly wasn’t enough. He knew Kane would have gotten started on what he had to do, would have done what he felt he needed to, and hated every second of it. He was likely worried about money and not looking forward to working for another bullshit company with bullshit politics and bullshit people.
He knew his friend well.
They’d been friends since they were six. He’d met Kane one hot summer day behind his house, and from that point on, Kane had just always been there.
Kane spun back around in his chair and surprised Ian. He wrapped his arms around Ian’s waist and pulled until they were tight against each other, burying his face in Ian’s stomach.
“Kane?”
It’s not that they never hugged or touched. They did—quite often, in fact, for two people who weren’t committed lovers, but this was… different.
“Sorry. Just….” He didn’t continue, instead shook his head a little.
At a loss for what to do, Ian wrapped his arms around Kane’s shoulders.
They stayed that way for a few moments, and then Kane pulled back. “I’m sorry. Just overthinking things today.” He peered up at Ian. “And you’re tired. Let’s get dinner ordered. Want to play for a while?”
Ian considered him for a moment. As much as he wanted to log in and play too, he knew Kane’s current state of mind was not conducive to making any kind of progress. They’d end up dying more than once; then they’d get frustrated over it. Death in the game was relatively painless, but it was still annoying and inconvenient. Which would only serve to make things worse.
Maybe what he needed was another type altogether. “Maybe. Maybe what you need is a different kind of play tonight.” Ian watched Kane’s eyes. His pupils expanded just a bit and his breathing quickened. “Would you like that, pet?”
“Yes, Sir.” Kane’s voice was clear and deferent, his eyes dropping away.
Ian’s own breath quickened and he worked to get hold of himself. “Very well. Strip, get the cushion, and get on your knees. Wait here for me.”
“Yes, Sir,” Kane answered, voice already rough with anticipation, and as Ian stepped away, he hurried to obey.
About Grace:
Grace Duncan grew up with a wild imagination. She told stories from an early age – many of which got her into trouble.  Eventually, she learned to channel that imagination into less troublesome areas, including fanfiction, which is what has led her to writing male/male erotica.
A gypsy in her own right, Grace has lived all over the United States.  She has currently set up camp in East Texas with her husband and children – both the human and furry kind.
As one of those rare creatures who loves research, Grace can get lost for hours on the internet, reading up on any number of strange and different topics.  She can also be found writing fanfiction, reading fantasy, crime, suspense, romance and other erotica or even dabbling in art.
Website ◊ Facebook ◊ Twitter ◊ Goodreads◊ Email ◊ Amazon Author Page

Leona Windwalker and Ben's Beginning, Book II in the New Beginnings Series! Character Interview with Mama!

Join me in welcoming Leona Windwalker and Book II in her New Beginnings Series, Ben's Beginning! Today we have a fun character interview with Mama from the book!

Leona: Hello and thanks for stopping on by, Mrs.—
Candace: Goodness, no, call me Mama! Everyone does! Or if you really must use my name, please use Candace. Mrs. sounds so OLD! *giggles and pats her teased out curls*
Leona: Well, thanks for stopping by, Candace. I'd like to talk to you about Ben and Marty today.
Candace: *pouts* And nothing about little old me? *leans over and pats Leona's knee* I'm just teasin' ya. Ben and Marty are good boys.

Leona: You first met Ben over Christmas, I believe.

Candace: Oh my, yes! You should have seen that poor boy's face when he got outta that cab! It were a right picture. *laughs* You'd think he'd never seen a house properly done up for Christmas! Then there was that rude cabbie. I called the cab company after and gave them a what for. *sniffs*

Leona: Had you known about him before Christmas?

Candace: Sorta. Now don't get me wrong, Marty is a good boy who listens to his Mama, usually. But he likes his privacy, so alls I had heard before Christmas was Ben's name as one of his friends. I mean, I did wonder as his other friends all tend to be girls. Plus he mentioned that he'd met Ben at the Crab Derby when we was visiting Crisfield. I remembered then that his cousins had all teased him that evening because he'd gone off with some good looking boy. *smiles widely*  Our Marty always turns heads, you know. He's such a sweet, polite boy and a real looker.

Leona: *smiles* They do make a nice looking couple. Marty is gender fluid, I understand.

Candace: Yeah, but so what? Man, I hate labels. When he was little, people'd always be on me. “Candy, your boy is wearing your shoes.” “Candy, is that nail polish on his fingers?” “Candy, did you really buy him that dress?” It wasn't so bad when we was on the road because we'd only be in one place a day or two, so no one knew if he was a boy or not. So's they'd not think anything about one days seeing a pretty little girl in a dress and the next seein' her in jeans and a boy's t-shirt. But it shouldn't matter. *looks disgruntled* It's just clothes and make up what washes off! Makes me so mad.

Leona: I'm sorry if I gave the impression that I was being judgmental. That wasn't my intention.

Candace: Oh! No, I just... people say things. Or they try to be nice, but don't understand or seem to know how to ask.. They see Marty and wonder if he's confused or being rebellious. Or they think he's a transvestite and make jokes about Rocky Horror or if he is possibly a transsexual trying to get the courage up to transition and either suggest he get mental help or suggest plastic surgeons who do boobs. I've even had people ask me if he was intersex and trying to decide his gender, as if that would be any of their business. Plus some folks think he just plain does the clothes and make up because he's gay, which is a stereotype. Marty is just Two-Spirited and his being gay's not got anything to do with his gender identification or presentation. I myself think of Marty as being a kind of third gender. If boys are blue and girls are pink, he's lavender- both blue AND pink, just some days more blue and some days way more pink. Like, really navy blue some days or super hot pink on others. It's the same Marty, either way. Marty's just Marty.

Leona: I think a lot of people get confused on the subject of gender identity. It's certainly been in the news lately.

Candace: It sure has! I hope folks pay attention. Then it won't seem strange, ya know?

Leona: *nods* Marty seemed to feel a bit defensive when he was asked about the reservation, saying “It wasn't what people usually thought of”. What did he mean by that?

Candace: Ohhhhh. Well, if folks have been to a rez, it's usually for a pow wow. Lots of folks think the Natives dress a certain way, either jeans and western shirts or in regalia, all the time. People will ask if he dances, pow wow dancing that is, and about totems. Or act like they're practically kin. “My great-great-great granny was an Indian princess. How about that.” Other folks assume that the Natives are all drunks on hand outs and live in rusty trailers or shacks. He gets upset, rightly so. First people make assumptions about him based on the way he dresses in general, then they judge him based on his race. He feels invisible when they do that, lost to whatever fantasy image they have lodged in their head.

Leona: When not traveling about, where did he grow up mostly?

Candace: Well, Robert, that's my husband, is from Alabama. He was raised in Atmore, which is not even ten miles from the rez. We lived there the first two years we was married, then got a refurbished Airstream and began traveling. We wanted our kids to see America and get to know her. ::beams:: Robert's a freelance photographer and sometimes goes on an assignment abroad for a couple of months. We'd just park the Airstream up in a trailer park close to where we were and stay put until he got back. And if we just got tired of traveling, we'd go back to home base. That was in Raleigh though. We fell in love when visiting there, oh, back in '98, and bought a little house. Always thought we'd retire there but ended up selling it to move close to Robert's mama after his dad died.

Leona: So you're not from Alabama?
Candace: Oh my, no! I'm from St Paul, Minnesota. I met Robert at church. He was in town to do a photo series and he attended our church while he was there. He told me all about his being freelance, and his home, and all that and it sounded so exciting! I was just a middle class girl whose daddy worked in insurance and who's mama did the PTA. BOOOOOOR-ING!

Leona: Back to Marty and Ben—

Candace: Yes! *claps hands*

Leona: Ben's a troubled young man.

Candace: Oh, honey! Everyone's got troubles of some kind or t'other. Yes, Ben's got issues, but he's a smart kid. He's seeing a therapist and all that. He's not an axe murderer or an abuser or anything. He's been abused and neglected.But now he's also got a proper family. Properly done up Christmases and big family Thanksgivings, and just wait 'til Easter! Plus family vacations! EVERYBODY comes on the vacation. This year we're planning on going to Gilroy for the Garlic Festival. There'll even be garlic ice cream! *laughs*

Leona: So you're not worried about Marty getting hurt.

Candace: Now why would I worry about that? Ben is a right sweetheart. In fact, he's usually too hard on himself. *waves a hand back and forth in dismissal* They'll be all right. His family is all gone or locked up now, so they can't hurt neither one of 'em. 'Sides, I met Seth, his brother Sol's husband. *squeals* They are so CUTE! Have you met 'em? Anyways, as I was sayin', I met Seth. You don't wanna mess with Seth. He's made real sure ain't nobody gonna come a mile within him and Sol. That goes for my Marty and Ben too. *nods her head vigorously* That man knows the real meaning of family and he takes care of his own. Family takes care of their own, and we're ALL family.

Leona: Is there anything you'd like to say before we wrap this up?

Candace: Hell yes! *whispers* Oh, can I say that?::raises voice back up:: I want to just say that you should judge a person by how they treat other folks and animals and what they do for the community, not by how they look or dress or anythin' else. And I'm real proud of my boys. All of them. And that includes Sol and Seth as well as Ben. *glances about, glaring fiercely* and don't be messing with other folk's civil rights. Yes to equal marriage! Love is love! *tosses her head, gold hoops jangling*

Leona: Thanks again for coming.

Candace: My pleasure, sweetie. Any time!
:::applause:::
Thanks for joining me today Leona! It's been great having you and Candace on my blog! My, isn't she a character to beat all characters! The book sounds fantastic! I can't wait to read it!

About Ben's Beginning


Ben's Beginning is available now from Rune Tree Press on AmazonRate and review Ben's Beginning on Goodreads and AmazonRequest an autograph through Authorgraph Like Ben's Beginning on Facebook
About Leona Windwalker

Leona is a longtime staunch supporter of human rights and environmental causes. Her favourite genre to read is M/M fiction and she particularly enjoys science fiction, fantasy, and action/suspense subgenres—especially if they have a nice seasoning of romance. She has far too many books on her Kindle, has overloaded her phone with even more and, when not reading, writing, being driven to distraction by her children, or being overlorded by her three cats, can be found trying to locate the portal that the sock monster uses to steal socks from her dryer.
Find Leona Walker on Goodreads and on Facebook

Welcome to the Blood and Ghosts Blog Tour and Giveaway!

Welcome to the Blood and Ghosts Blog Tour Giveaway!


Join me in welcoming Shira and her newest book, Blood and Ghosts, to my blog! Go ahead! Enter the Blood and Ghosts Blog Tour Giveaway! You know you want to!
Enter to win a Blood Seriesprize basket including a Dr. Who Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Pendant, a paperback copy of Blood and Rain, and a Blood Series pen!
Thanks, Aisling, for hosting the Blood and Ghosts Blog Tour today! A reminder for anyone reading that I’m giving away a cool Blood Series gift basket with some great goodies including a Dr. Who Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey pendant. Read down to the end of the post to find the Rafflecopter giveaway details! 
The Blood Series books were inspired by both my love of fantasy and of the Anne Rice vampire books. Over the years, I’ve read a lot of vampire books other than Anne Rice’s, but hers were the most “human” and compelling to me. Still, I wanted to do something different with my vampires, not hang my hat on all the vampire myths already out there. The result? The Blood books are a mixture of fantasy and paranormal, with a little sci fi (in the form of time travel) thrown in.
The Blood Series feature three MM pairings, but focuses primarily on the love between immortal vampire hunter Adrien Gilbert and ancient (born a vampire) vampire Nicolas Lambert. Until he meets Nicolas, Adrien despises vampires because a vampire killed his mother when he was very young. Nicolas shows Adrien that vampires are not only powerful, but can be kind and loving as well. When Nicolas saves Adrien’s life, Adrien becomes immortal, although he does not become a vampire. But the possibility of eternal happiness together is dashed when Nicolas disappears and Adrien is left to search for him.
The second book of the series, Blood and Rain, takes up where the first book ends. In Blood and Ghosts, Adrien becomes aware of the powers of the blood Nicolas gave him. Without really understanding what he is doing, Adrien manages to turn back time. Just a few minutes, but those minutes are infinitely precious to Adrien. Adrien must learn how to control his newfound power so he can use it to recover Nicolas and ultimately defeat the hunter who threatens to destroy everything Adrien holds dear.
The final book in the series, Blood and Eternity, will be released in 2016. In the meantime, Adrien and Nicolas end book two on a happily-for-now, together, but facing a daunting and frightening past and future. I hope you’ll enjoy reading these books. I certainly enjoyed writing them! -Shira
Enter Rafflecopter Giveaway
About Blood and Ghosts
Sequel to Blood and Rain - Blood: Book Two
With vampire Nicolas Lambert’s marriage to a rival clanswoman only weeks away, Adrien Gilbert struggles to come to terms with his defeat at the hands of Verel Pelletier, a vampire hunter and an immortal like himself. Adrien and his former teacher, Roland Günter, begin to explore his newly acquired abilities. But without his soul’s sword, Adrien flounders.
On Nicolas’s wedding day, a two-hundred-year old secret is revealed, sending the wedding party into a blazing battle between hunters and vampires. Once again Adrien finds himself facing Pelletier’s superior strength. Just as Adrien believes all hope of a future with Nicolas is lost, he finally learns his true gift—he can turn back time. But time travel comes with a high cost. To save Nicolas, Adrien must become strong enough to use his power without descending into madness.

The Blood Series is available now at Dreamspinner Press    Amazon   AllRomanceEbooks


About Shira Anthony
Shira Anthony is a complete sucker for a happily-ever-after, and rarely reads or writes a story without one. Never a fan of instalove, Shira likes to write stories about real men with real issues making real relationships work. 
In her last incarnation, Shira was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as “Tosca,” “Pagliacci,” and “La Traviata,” among others. Her Blue Notes Series is loosely based upon her own experiences as a professional musician.
Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 36’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.

Interested in hearing Shira sing? Here's a link to a live performance of Shira singing an aria from Puccini's "Tosca"!

You can subscribe to Shira's monthly newsletter for updates, free fiction, and subscriber-only contests!

Follow the Blood and Ghosts Blog Tour!:

April 20th – Prism Book AllianceApril 21st – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue WordsApril 22nd – My Fiction NookApril 23rd – Love BytesApril 24th – MM Good Book ReviewsApril 25th – Andrew Q. Gordon (The Land of Make Believe)April 26th – Aisling MancyApril 27th – Bike Book ReviewsApril 28th – Charlie CochetApril 29th – Hearts on Fire Book ReviewsApril 30th – Kim Fielding

Happy Release Day to Shira Anthony! Blood and Ghosts, Book II in the Blood Series, is OUT!

Happy Release Day to Shira Anthony! Join me in welcoming Shira and her newest book, Blood and Ghosts, to my blog! Go ahead! Enter the Blood and Ghosts Blog Tour Giveaway! You know you want to!
Welcome to the Blood and Ghosts Blog Tour Giveaway!
Enter to win a Blood Seriesprize basket including a Dr. Who Wibbly Wobbly Timey Wimey Pendant, a paperback copy of Blood and Rain, and a Blood Series pen!
Enter Rafflecopter Giveaway
About Blood and Ghosts
Sequel to Blood and Rain - Blood: Book Two
With vampire Nicolas Lambert’s marriage to a rival clanswoman only weeks away, Adrien Gilbert struggles to come to terms with his defeat at the hands of Verel Pelletier, a vampire hunter and an immortal like himself. Adrien and his former teacher, Roland Günter, begin to explore his newly acquired abilities. But without his soul’s sword, Adrien flounders.
On Nicolas’s wedding day, a two-hundred-year old secret is revealed, sending the wedding party into a blazing battle between hunters and vampires. Once again Adrien finds himself facing Pelletier’s superior strength. Just as Adrien believes all hope of a future with Nicolas is lost, he finally learns his true gift—he can turn back time. But time travel comes with a high cost. To save Nicolas, Adrien must become strong enough to use his power without descending into madness.

The Blood Series is available now at Dreamspinner Press    Amazon   AllRomanceEbooks


About Shira Anthony
Shira Anthony is a complete sucker for a happily-ever-after, and rarely reads or writes a story without one. Never a fan of instalove, Shira likes to write stories about real men with real issues making real relationships work. 
In her last incarnation, Shira was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as “Tosca,” “Pagliacci,” and “La Traviata,” among others. Her Blue Notes Series is loosely based upon her own experiences as a professional musician.
Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs and when she’s not writing, she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 36’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.

Interested in hearing Shira sing? Here's a link to a live performance of Shira singing an aria from Puccini's "Tosca"!

You can subscribe to Shira's monthly newsletter for updates, free fiction, and subscriber-only contests!

Follow the Blood and Ghosts Blog Tour!:April 20th – Prism Book AllianceApril 21st – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue WordsApril 22nd – My Fiction NookApril 23rd – Love BytesApril 24th – MM Good Book ReviewsApril 25th – Andrew Q. Gordon (The Land of Make Believe)April 26th – Aisling MancyApril 27th – Bike Book ReviewsApril 28th – Charlie CochetApril 29th – Hearts on Fire Book ReviewsApril 30th – Kim Fielding

#LGBT PUSH BACK #CHARITY #GIVEAWAY

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