Eli Easton's Blog, page 4
December 13, 2020
RJ Scott's Advent Calendar
Hey, everyone! I’ve got December 13th in RJ Scott’s Advent Calendar this year. There are lots of other great authors throughout December. Check out my post for today and all the other goodies!
November 21, 2020
BOY SHATTERED: Now out in Audio!
I'm thrilled to announce that the BOY SHATTERED audiobook is now live on Audible and Amazon!
I've been so moved by the response to this book. I've received emails from so many readers, including teens who worry about their own schools, and even a teacher in Germany who had her entire class read the book.
I'm grateful this story has resonated with people and touched hearts. THANK YOU.
I wanted to choose an extra-special narrator for this book, and Tristan Josiah did a fantastic job. I could not wait to hear each chapter as he completed them, and I think you will love his read as well. Some of my readers will know Tristan from his narration of my books MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. MIGGLES and UNWRAPPING HANK (he was credited as Tristan Wright for those).
Without further ado, you can find the audiobook and a free sample here:
AUDIBLE - https://www.audible.com/pd/Boy...
AMAZON US - https://www.amazon.com/Boy-Sha...
AMAZON UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Boy-S...
For those of you who celebrate Thanksgiving, have a safe and relaxing holiday. For all my wonderful readers, I hope the rest of your November is a peaceful one! I’ll be back shortly with Christmas goodies.
Eli
October 8, 2020
Gothika: Tales of Love & the Supernatural - OUT NOW
It’s release day for Gothika: Tales of Love & the Supernatural
This volume includes four novella-length romances, each with a touch of gothic mystery. These stories were originally printed in various volumes of Gothika (Stitch, Claw, Bones and Spirit). Collected together here for the first time.
Reparation - This off-world tale has shades of Frankenstein and Wuthering Heights as spoor farmer Edward survives deadly storms with the help of a huge Recon named Knox.
The Bird - Set in Jamaica in 1870, a young English gentleman sent to oversea his father's plantation is enthralled by the local Obeah voodoo practice and is forced to confront his true nature.
Among The Dead - Neil Gaven sees dead people. He’s isolated himself, unable to bear the constant barrage of sadness and grief. But a gentle ghost leads him to Trist, a homeless young man who is also tormented by spirits. Are they two of a kind? Maybe together they can find a way to live among the dead
The Black Dog - Constable Hayden MacLairty has a mystery on his hands when a series of killings in his tiny Scottish village are attributed to The Black Dog, a local legend. With the help of a visiting author and cryptid hunter, Simon Corto, Hayden can learn the astonishing truth about The Black Dog.
This book is now out on Kindle Unlimited.
BUY LINKS:Amazon US - https://www.amazon.com/Gothika-Tales.../dp/B08KC9RWQ9/
Amazon UK - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Gothika-Tales.../dp/B08KC9RWQ9/
Read the first chapter of each novella here:
https://www.elieaston.com/gothika
Happy October, all!
Eli
October 7, 2020
Billy & The Beast! New Release
BILLY & THE BEAST BY ELI EASTON
A stolen rose leads Billy to the Beast of his dreams...
The rose is so perfectly pink and delightfully fragrant, so temptingly within reach through the bars of the locked gate. One snip later, and a masked man from Billy’s darkest fantasies grabs his arm.
Billy’s punishment for the theft? To toil in the estate’s horribly overgrown garden for the summer. Only this summer job comes with a mystery. Who is the sexy, scarred, irascible man who lives at Malfleur, and what dark secret from his past is he hiding?
The Beast believes he deserves his self-imposed exile for the crime he committed one awful, reckless night—a night he can’t even remember. He believes no one can love the ruin of a man that survived that cursed accident.
He didn’t count on Billy Martin.
EBOOK:
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Goodreads
Billy & The Beast is set in the Ever After, New York series of contemporary gay romance fairy tales. But it can be read as a stand-alone.
August 13, 2020
Men of Lancaster County - Re-release now up!
Now available again! If you enjoy romances set in rural areas… if you enjoy reading about men who have lived a sheltered life, unable to express their true natures, finding love and freedom, then check these out.
A Second Harvest features a Mennonite widower farmer who stumbles into a surprise May-December romance with a younger gay man from the city.
Tender Mercies features a young Amish man shunned for being gay who goes to work for a farm sanctuary run by a guy who knows nothing about farming.
Out now in ebook and paperback! The audiobooks are also up on Audible.
A SECOND HARVEST
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FRFB896/
Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08FRFB896/
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/A-Second-Harvest-Audiobook/B071JMM8ZN
TENDER MERCIES
Amazon.com: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08FRCPNDY
Amazon.co.uk: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08FRCPNDY
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Tender-Mercies-Audiobook/B0798XLTK7
I hope you are all having a wonderful summer!
Eli
June 12, 2020
THE REDEMPTION OF RIVER - Now available!
It’s release day! I’m so happy to share this book with you.
A funny thing happened on the way to publishing this book….
This book is in the Sex in Seattle universe because it takes place, in part, at the Expanded Horizons sex clinic in Seattle. (However, it features a new couple and can be read as a stand-alone). Now, there is quite a gap between book #3 in this series, The Mating of Michael, which was published in 2014, and this new book, The Redemption of River. Six years in fact!
After I wrote The Mating of Michael, I had a little niggle of an idea in my head that I wanted to do another book and it would feature a new sex surrogate to the clinic, a wanderer who is only there temporarily and who specializes in tantric sex therapy.
Where did that idea come from? I have always been interested in Eastern philosophy and took several college sources in the subject. I’ve also listened to a fair number of audiobooks over the years. (One of my favorite authors is Thich Nhat Hanh.) When I heard of tantra, a sexual practice which evolved from Hinduism, I was naturally very curious and did some investigation. That’s not to say I am an expert in any of this, only that I’ve always been interested in the subject.
So yes, I had a niggle in my mind that it might be a fun and interesting challenge to write a character like River, a sex surrogate coming from a place of sexual spirituality and tantra. But the book was a little daunting and I ended up putting it on the back burner.
Unfortunately, when it comes to my series, it may be years between books. I’m a “follow the inspiration” writer, and inspiration often strikes someplace new.
But in February of 2020, having just come up a four-month sabbatical to work on a political campaign, and needing to get back in the writing saddle, this book idea came up again and this time, I was ready to write it.
A mellower love story that focuses on connection
I knew if I were going to write about a tantra practitioner, the book would be very steamy. And it is! But what came up unexpectedly as I wrote was the deep soul connection between Brent and River. I guess it shouldn’t have been a surprise, since tantra is about connecting in a deeper way, but it still took me back how deep and natural their connection was, how strongly I felt it, and how well it came across on the page. I hope you feel that connection too!
This story begins with Brent as a surrogacy client of River’s. They have tantric sessions right away, which are very sensual, but also not reciprocal (at least, not as reciprocal as Brent wants). Then they part ways, only to meet again later when River starts working at Brent’s coffee shop. From there it’s a slow burn romance as the two of them struggle to place their chemistry and connection into a boss-and-employee relationship, then a friendship, and finally give in to what they both truly crave.
Mature characters
I read a lot of romances with young characters and/or emotionally immature ones. While that can be fun, in this story, I felt that both Brent (being older and having gone through the death of his wife) and River (who, although only 26, is an old soul who follows a spiritual path) would act maturely. There’s no miscommunication, yelling, or hurtful attacks. They both sincerely want the best for each other, which makes their parting even more difficult. (Don’t worry— there is a happily ever after!).
The Blurb
River Larsen is a world traveler, truth-seeker, and tantric healer. He’s a master of loving all—and no one. Both his past and his spiritual path warn him against attachment. When he falls for his surrogacy client and coffee magnate, Brent McKay, River tells himself it’s a temporary idyll, a beautiful encounter they’ll both enjoy and move on from like two ships passing in the stream of life. Except his heart misses that memo.
Brent McKay hasn’t been interested in sex since his wife died two years ago. When he goes to Expanded Horizons sex clinic in Seattle for help, he meets River Larsen, a sex surrogate specializing in reiki massage and tantric sex therapy. Brent never expected to be interested in a man, but River’s light-filled spirit, inner peace, and electric touch bring him back to life. Brent’s loyal heart is ready to commit again. But how can he convince River that love can last forever—if you just have faith?
The Redemption of River features a widower who surprises the hell out of himself, a gorgeous hippy who thinks he’s a dandelion puff, an age gap, midlife discovery of bisexuality, foodie Seattle, a houseboat, dogs, a trip to Mumbai, and tantric secrets. (You know, the ones that let you have sex for hours. Those secrets.)
Check out the first chapter
LINKS
I hope you enjoy the book! Please check out my Facebook group for discussion and giveaways.
Eli
April 27, 2020
SUPERHERO now out on Kindle Unlimited, Paperback & Audiobook
I’ve been slowly rereleasing older titles I got back from Dreamspinner Press. Superhero has been out of print since last Fall and is now available again! The new edition has a new cover and features a bonus short story with Owen and Jordan at the end. There’s also a paperback for the first time! The book is on Kindle Unlimited. There’s also a terrific audiobook available. New cover by Anna Tif SIkorska.
This coming-of-age story is set in high school but has a few steamier/explicit scenes.
BLURB:
It’s not easy for a young gay artist like Jordan Carson to grow up in Jefferson, Wisconsin, where all anyone seems to care about in middle school and high school are the sports teams. But Jordan was lucky. He met Owen Nelson in the second grade, and they’ve been BFFs ever since. Owen is a big, beautiful blond and their school’s champion wrestler. No one messes with Owen, or with anyone close to him, and he bucks popular opinion by keeping Jordan as his wingman even after Jordan comes out at school.
Their friendship survives, but Jordan’s worst enemy may be himself: he can’t seem to help the fact that he is head-over-heels in love with a hopeless case—his straight friend, Owen. Owen won’t let anything take Jordan’s friendship away, but he never counted on Jordan running off to find a life of his own. Owen will have to face the nature of their relationship if he’s to win Jordan back.
- Eli
April 21, 2020
RJ's Autism Awareness Blog Hop 2020
Hi, this is Eli. I’m participating in RJ' Scotts Autism Awareness Blog Hop for 2020. Every year, RJ does a blog hop with other romance authors to bring attention to autism.
For example, did you know that dogs are helpful for autistic individuals? Dogs have been shown to improve autistic children’s quality of life, independence, and safety. The presence of a trained dog can reduce aggressive behavior, calm the child, and serve as a link to the child’s community.
You can learn more at RJ’s website, and check out her master list of all the author’s participating in the blog hop.
http://rjscott.co.uk/autismbloghop2020
The theme of this year’s blog hop is food, so I thought I’d share something that I really value. I have been following a WFPB (whole food plant based) diet since around 2016. I haven’t always been strict about it, but when I stick to it for longer than a few weeks, I feel so much better, have so much more energy, am sharper mentally, and I honestly love the food.
Since the coronavirus has upset the apple cart (or the Hostess Ding Dong cart for me), I have been much more aware of how important it is to eat healthy, stay active, and guard my health. Every. Single. Day. If illness strikes, I want to have the best chance of recovery. Also, we know that certain foods, like sugar, feed viruses while others, like garlic, onions, lemons, and any food high in vitamin C, help boost the immune system. Fortunately, a WFPB diet is rich in the most helpful foods.
Even if you don’t want to give up meat and dairy entirely, you can bring more plant-based meals into your life—for your health and for the planet’s.
I subscribe to a meal plan that I love called Clean Food Dirty Girl. Every week they send me a meal plan with a grocery list, all the recipes, and instructions for a “batch cook”. I typically do the batch cook on the weekend. It means 3-4 hours in the kitchen, but then I have food for the entire week. Usually there’s a grain, a soup, a salad dressing, a side veg, and an entree or two. In the image below, there’s a potato salad and chili-spiced Tofu dish. You can mix and match the elements to get lunch and dinner all week.
Batch cooking is super helpful because when you have delicious, healthy food all ready to eat in the fridge, you’re less likely to grab for that bag of chips or cookies out of hunger or laziness.
Whole food plant based cooking uses no oils, processed flours, or sugars but it does use a TON of spices. Literally before I began this way of eating, I had one small drawer of spices that were often years old. Now I have two large drawers, and I have to replace spices often. Spices are not only super healthy but they give a true depth of flavor, far more than you find in prepackaged foods.
You can try a free meal plan at Clean Food Dirty Girl or simply try one of their dozes of free recipes. A few of my favorites are the African Peanut Stew and the potato salad. I promise both are super delicious, even to omnivores!
That’s my quarantine routine. However you guard your health, stay well during this surreal and challenging period. Read. Love. Appreciate life.
xxxxooo, Eli
March 24, 2020
HOW TO RUN WITH THE WOLVES - Audiobook is now out!
Now available!
This is the fifth in the Howl at Moon series. Matthew Shaw has narrated all the audiobook in the series. He’s so funny and brilliant with all the “dog shifter” voices. You can listen to a sample or pick it up on Audible.
LINK ON AUDIBLEBLURB:
Zeus loves his job on the Mad Creek search and rescue team, and his inner Saint Bernard is finally being used to his full potential. When he sees a mysterious and wild-looking quickened - a dog shifter - at an earthquake site in Alaska, Zeus is compelled to investigate.
Zeus falls hard for the primal beauty of Timo and of Alaska itself. Both call to his deep canine soul. But the Qimmig pack’s laws are as harsh as the Alaskan winters, and Timo is out of his reach.
Timo’s pack of dog shifters left their Inuit village generations ago and have lived wild, ever since. Not trusting the “one-skinned” and with their numbers dwindling, the Qimmig are on the verge of extinction.
Timo is shocked to discover a whole group of “two-skinned” working as a rescue team, and he is particularly fascinated by Zeus, a gentle giant. He senses what Zeus feels for him, but it’s forbidden.
Can Mad Creek save this lost quickened clan? Perhaps, if they can learn how to run with the wolves...
February 14, 2020
HOW TO RUN WITH THE WOLVES - Audiobook in progress
I’m pleased to announce that Matthew Shaw is currently recording “How to Run with the Wolves”. It should be available on Audible in March! (It’s amazing).
Here’s chapter 1
