Tempeste O'Riley's Blog, page 31
February 12, 2014
Thursday Tasters: Desires’ Guardian
Welcome to the Thursday Tasters. Here you will find links to some awesome tasters of works written by awesome authors. Find the other tastes HERE
Today’s Taste is from my newly contracted (and unedited) Desires’ Guardian. DG is the story of Chase and Rhys, whom you first met in Designs of Desire, and will be out June 2014 from Dreamspinner Press.
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Dal sidled up beside Chase, bending to whisper into his ear, “He’s got one last painting to reveal but it’s a special one. I heard not even Britt”—the owner of the gallery—“has seen this one.”
“Really?”
“Shh… he’s getting ready to speak.”
Chase looked back to the front and noticed James now stood in front of the painting, smiling again.
“First, let me thank everyone for your warm reception and the wonderful turnout. As some of you know, I don’t really do speeches but this last one is special. I debated showing Inner Light, but in the end decided others needed to see the subject as I do.” James moved to the side, releasing his grip on one forearm crutch. He touched the sheet but didn’t move it yet. “You see, sometimes when people reveal who they truly are inside, we find a vile rotting corpse, but other times what we find…” he trailed off and touched a recessed panel.
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Blurb:
Chase is outwardly a party-boy twink, or at least that’s what many think when they first meet him. Actually, Chase is a loyal friend with deep wounds that only his BFF knows anything about. When he meets Rhys things don’t go well, but he can’t shake the attraction for the huge, sexy man.
Rhys Sayer is a man of contradictions and fear—a strange combination for a PI and bodyguard. When he first lays eyes on Chase Manning, he’s not in a good place emotionally and causes any possible future together to go poof, maybe. Rhys is not a complicated man, he doesn’t think so at least. But he fears the very type of relationship he desires, and even worse, Chase is his dream man in more ways than one!
Can Chase move past his hidden pains to truly let a man into his heart in the forever kind of way? Can Rhys win over the whiley Chase and teach him that love and trust are his to grasp?
The True Story of Creation (According to the Sons of Adam series) by Vicktor Alexander
The True Story of Creation (According to the Sons of Adam series)
It’s day three of my "In The Beginning" blog tour and I just want to thank Tempeste for hosting me on her blog. I am so happy to be here! –waves at Tempe-
-Waves back at Vicktor -
When I got the idea for the Sons of Adam series I knew that I was going to have to do some research into the very foundation of creation. The beginning of the world. The "big bang theory," and evolution, as it were. Being that the characters in this book worship the Supreme Being, I knew that I would have to study the ancient paranormal religious texts. What I discovered absolutely baffled me. And…. Well… let me share with you what I discovered…
The Holy Bible that you grew up hearing about or reading or having your parents read to you, is missing a few important parts. Thanks to The Beginning (Sons of Adam) I have discovered the truth about creation and I cannot wait to share it with you. And in the comments section let me know which of the children of the Supreme Being you think you would have been:
The world was created over six millennia ago when the Supreme Being, a wise male deity whose emanated love, compassion and understanding, his partner, his sister and her partner, met to discuss the universe. They had twenty five thousand children between them, created from these two pairings, angelic beings with wings, startling beauty and great power and yet the Supreme Being felt lonely. He loved his partner and adored his children, but he felt incomplete. Upon discussing his feelings of discontent with the other powerful beings, they decided to create the universes. There were three at first, filled with galaxies and planets and for a moment, the effort that it took to create them, distracted the Supreme Being from his loneliness. But soon, that creation wasn’t enough.
And so animals were created. Smart creatures who wandered the universes, procreating, and living in happiness. And while the Supreme Being and his family could communicate with the animals, he felt as if there were something or someone missing. Another meeting provided the solution.
“Let us create man in our image,” the Supreme Being’s partner, Holy One, said.
Man was created then and though the Bible and the Torah only speaks of Adam, Adam had six other brothers created at the same time. Axilum, Azon, Awheybus, Atolium, Asilion and Avus. Each man was given talents and powers. Created in the image of these four omnipotent beings, they were beautiful, majestic… and extremely innocent.
Adam was given the talent and the power to fly and to create something out of nothing. He spent his days flying around Paradise, the garden the Supreme Beings created for their new creations. Paradise was just that. A garden filled with food, animals, trees, flowers, and beautiful lakes. Adam loved to fly up into the trees to try and touch the sky that lay above them and he never gave up on his quest to try and reach the man that he called, God. Though it is not common knowledge, Adam looked down on his brothers. He was created first and he was pure. He didn’t shift into anything else, didn’t need blood to survive and of them all, he was the only one who could fly. He thought that he was as close to being “God” as one could be. Perhaps this is what led to his mate being the one to entice all of the men to disobey the mandate of the Supreme Being, but whatever the reason Adam was arrogant and spent more time flying than getting to know his brothers.
Axilum was a shifter. He could shift into any animal form that he wanted to and many times, unbeknownst to Adam, he would shift into the form of a bird and fly high above his brother. Axilum was a protector, the biggest of his siblings, he walked through the garden with his shoulders almost touching the trees with his wide shoulders. Where Adam had blond hair, Axilum’s hair was black. It flowed down past his tanned shoulders to the middle of his back and his blue eyes gleamed in the sunlight. Axilum had another talent, one that even he wasn’t aware of, and that was the gift of sight. He could see within the souls of his brothers and see their inner selves. Perhaps that is why he flew above Adam, for he saw his brother’s arrogance, and knew what Adam thought of the rest of them. It saddened him, but he kept his mouth shut. It was his guilt that caused him to eat of the fruit of the tree of Good and Evil and disobey the Supreme Being that he called Zeus.
Azon lived on food and blood. He had fangs that gleamed in the light and he stood taller than his brothers, though his form was lean and lanky. He had a wicked sense of humor and spent his days making his brothers laugh. He was adored by all of his siblings, even Adam, who begrudgingly laughed at the jokes his brother made. Azon’s hair was black, and so were his eyes and he was aware that he could compel his siblings to do whatever he wanted them to do just by looking at them. Azon loved the night and slept mostly during the day, though the sunlight didn’t hurt him and his skin did not shine like diamonds. It is perhaps his affinity for the dark that led humans in later times to believe that vampires had to avoid the sunlight, though that wasn’t true. Azon could sense Adam’s arrogance, though he never remarked on it, and having compelled his brother to walk around on his hands one day is what led to his guilt when Adam crashed into a tree and hurt himself. That guilt led to him being quicker about accepting the fruit given to him by his sister-in-law, Eve, for Azon was the second one after Adam to eat of the fruit of the tree of Good and Evil. It is that reason that he was the third one to realize that they were all naked. Axilum ate the fruit after Azon, but unlike Azon, he was not embarrassed about the state of his undress. Azon, however, developed an almost puritan view on his nakedness. This is perhaps why those who would come to be known as “vampires” are uncomfortable with the sexual freedom their shifter counterparts display.
Awheybus was created after Azon. His powers oftentimes caused his brothers and their mates to gasp, even his own mate was in awe of him. For Awheybus’s powers resembled those of the Supreme Being. He could create things out of thin air, much like Adam, but to an even greater degree. He could command the heavens and communicate with the animals. Awheybus was tall and lean, with almost no body fat on him at all. He had the ability to disappear and reappear wherever he wanted to, which made hide and seek with his brothers, extremely interesting and difficult for the other boys when they were younger. Awheybus had long blond hair and bright gold eyes, something that distinguished his descendants for centuries. He was impossibly beautiful, something that caused envy to arise among his brothers and their chosen mates. It wasn’t his fault, of course, for it was just the way he was created, and yet, Awheybus used his beauty for his own special gain. This was one of the reasons his curse of having to hide his powers hit him so strongly because he knew that he would be seen as nothing more than a pretty face for the rest of his days and that this curse would extend to his descendants.
Awheybus was followed by Atolium. A hulking figure of a man with skin the color of burnished gold and long black hair that fell to his shoulders. Atolium shared his soul with that of a wolf. Two separate entities sharing the same form. He was much more animalistic than his siblings, other than Asilion. Atolium often spent his time in his wolf form, hunting animals and running through the garden. He was much quieter than his brothers and often stood back to observe them. His eyes were dark, almost black and when he was created a black tattooed image of a wolf appeared on the back of his right shoulder. It was the first birthmark ever seen and it was one that Atolium was quite proud of. His quiet presence was unnerving to everyone but Asilion who often stood shoulder-to-shoulder with his twin brother, the two communicating with each other without words. Atolium was harder to convince than the other brothers and Eve had to resort to bullying tactics to get him to eat the fruit of the tree of Good and Evil. While Atolium wasn’t afraid of her, his mate was and Atolium was fiercely possessive, jealous, and protective of the other man. It was for that reason that he finally ate the fruit, though his instincts fought him the entire time. After eating the fruit, it was Atolium that noticed they were all naked, because his possessive nature increased tenfold. His descendants would be known as wolf shifters, or werewolves, even though they were not bound to the moon, humans would think that they were. When making love with his mate, the head of Atolium’s cock would expand and latch onto his mate’s prostate. Something that came to be known as “knotting.” It ensured that his mate had a better chance of becoming pregnant and forced the two of them to spend time together after intercourse. This wasn’t something that Atolium minded for it was only with his mate that he could ever truly be himself. His mate was the other half of his soul. He kept Atolium grounded and in control of the beast within him. Atolium’s curse, having to keep his wolf side a secret and having his descendants have to search for their mates was dangerous for if they went too long without finding their mate, Atolium’s descendants would give into their beast side and never return to their human form.
Asilion, Atolium’s twin brother, was just as large as his brother, if not a hair bigger. His skin was also burnished gold, but where Atolium’s hair was black, Asilion’s hair was brown with golden highlights. His eyes were a dark brown, his jaw square and his smile was intimidating, which was why he did not smile often. Asilion shared his soul with a majestic creature, a lion, and though he was the sixth one born, Asilion was definitely the “king” of the garden. He enjoyed being in his lion form and laying out in the sun. He had a playful side that he only showed to his mate, his twin and his twin brother’s mate. He walked around the garden as if he were a prince which caused his other brothers to be envious of the confidence he displayed. Asilion’s cock also knotted inside of his mate whenever they made love and while Atolium constantly bit into his mate’s shoulder, in order to keep the mark he’d made there, displayed prominently, Asilion only needed to bite his mate once, though he spent an inordinate amount of time rubbing his scent over the other man. Asilion was not always that confident, he was actually self-conscious about his size, for he was a gentle giant and so it didn’t take much for Eve to get him to eat of the fruit of the tree of Good and Evil. A little peer pressure and Asilion ate of the tree, even ignoring his mate’s warnings. Asilion’s descendants would bear the brunt of his disobedience and not only would they have to hide their true nature, these men and women who shared their souls with the majestic lions, but their confidence, or arrogance, would cause them to spend much of their lives alone, while their need for attention, to be the center of someone’s world, would cause them to spend their lives searching for their mates.
Avus was the last created and was perhaps the most special. He had a sweet disposition and was the smallest of his brothers created. Small of height and thin framed, he looked as if he could be snapped like a twig. He had long red hair that hung down to his waist and bright green eyes. His full lips were always pulled up into a smile and he spent his days, and even some of his nights, dancing around the garden, talking with the animals and changing the seasons. Avus’s powers were that of a healer. He could heal not only his brothers and their mates, but animals and the heavens. He caused the skies to darken and rain to fall, just as he caused the sky to brighten and the sun to shine. Avus had pointed ears that caused him to be teased, lovingly, by his brothers, and his sweet disposition brought peace to them all. It was his naivete that led him to eat of the forbidden fruit, because he lived to see the good in all things. Avus could not impregnate his mate, he could only be impregnated and he had an affinity for keeping house and caring for others. His descendants would become housekeepers and nannies, they would also, because of the curse, spend their lives being used and taken advantage of while seeking the mate who would treasure them. Avus’s mate treated him as if he were the most precious thing created and it was Avus’s worse nightmare that his descendants would not experience the same type of love. Avus spent a lot of time with either his mate or the “angels,” the children of the Supreme Being, his partner, the Holy One, the Supreme Being’s sister, Agape, and her partner Judgment.
Each man was given the option to choose for himself a mate. Only one. Man or female it didn’t matter for each would have the ability to procreate. Adam chose a woman whom he named Eve and then mocked his siblings when they all chose men. Axilum chose a man, of darker color than all of those already created and named him Negolus. Azon chose a man whom he named Japidious, a man smaller than them all. Awheybus chose a man whose skin looked as if it were a shade lighter than Negolus and named him Litano. Atolium chose a man with tanned skin and long black hair that grazed the top of his ass. He was named Cherok. Asilion chose a man whose skin looked as if it were crafted from bronze and was named Indio. And finally Avus chose a man whose skin was the same shade as Negolus and he was named Afrise.
After the Great Disobedience, the seven brothers and their mates were cast out of Paradise and forced to live outside of the lush garden. They were forced to toil the land, working harder than they ever had before to get their food. Tensions were high between Adam and his brothers and soon that led to Adam and Eve being ostracized from the others, something that Eve didn’t care about but something that affected Adam deeply.
Children started to be born to the couples, beautiful children who were told of Paradise, of a garden they could not visit or even see, and about the omnipotent deities who had created them all. These children wanted to honor the Supreme Being and his family and they did so with the blessings of their parents. Adam’s sons, Cain and Abel, are the two known of, but there was much more to that story. For Cain and Abel were joined by their twelve cousins: Aurora, Calise, Bulinda, Fratillina, Ophelio, Rune, Drekka, Whuli, Zolif, Sonton, Nocturn, and Lea. They were all there and witnessed the true reason that Cain killed his brother Abel. It was not because Abel’s offering to the Supreme Being was the only one accepted and looked upon favorably as the Bible and the Torah say, for many of their offerings were accepted. It was because Abel happily told his brother that Rune, the son of Asilion and Indio, was his mate. Cain found Abel’s news to be unacceptable for he thought that his brother should have chosen a female to be his mate and in a fit of hatred for the possibility and the reality of his brother having a male mate, Cain killed his brother.
The Supreme Being watched, horrified, as the first murder was committed and he and the other deities cried as Abel’s blood called out for justice and in mourning. Rune’s heart stopped beating when Abel was killed before him and his parents demanded justice when their only son died because of a broken heart. Such tragedy befell creation then, all because of one man’s bigotry and homophobia. But this is not the story that is told, for it would ruin the idea that God hates homosexuals if the truth was known.
Adam’s brothers, their mates, and their children lived in fear then, of what Adam and his children would do to them and so they hid. Not only their true natures, but also their need for their true mates, if said mate was of the same gender and this passed down from generation to generation, until it became a law that the Supreme Being did not give them mates of the same gender, though many knew that to be false. It would be thousands of years before things were changed around, and until then, if one of them found their mate to be of the same gender, they would hide their mating as best as they could, for fear of death and punishment.
This caused much despair and grief until the year 2014, September the 18th, the day of the Great Reveal.
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The Beginning
Sons of Adam #1
Vicktor Alexander
Ronny Parker has always been aware that there was more to life outside of his Harlem apartment. When he goes to work one morning at Starbucks, he finds himself coming face to face with a reality that he was not prepared for. He finds himself the eyewitness to a fight between two shifters, a wolf and a lion, one of which bites Ronny and calls him “mate.” When Ronny wakes up the next morning, he finds himself thrust into a world neither his family, nor his teachers, ever taught him about and he does the only thing he can do. He starts to investigate.
Cole Tronk has been taught from an early age that he is never to mate a human, never reveal his true nature to a human, and that he cannot be gay. But when he gets into a fight with his oldest friend outside of a Starbucks and finds himself smelling the most intoxicating scent ever, he throws all of those rules out of the window. Before long, Cole and his mate, Ronny, are on the run from the governing body of the paranormals, humans who have now discovered that paranormals, magicks, and supernaturals exist, and someone from Ronny’s past who is determined to kill them both.
Along the way, Cole and Ronny meet up with a group of paranormals, magicks, and supernaturals who are also gay, and who are researching the true history of the world and creation. What they find will not only change their lives, but the entire world and the future. Will Ronny and Cole’s mating survive all of these obstacles? When a millennia-old lie comes back to bite them in the ass, will Ronny and Cole be able to deal with the consequences?
The Beginning can be pre-ordered from Rooster & Pig Publishing at a discounted price until its release day at which time it will go to its normal price:
http://www.roosterandpigpublishing.com/coming-soon
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Tour Schedule:
10: Lexi (http://lexiander.blogspot.com/),
11: NJ (http://normanielsen.blogspot.com),
12: Tempe (http://tempesteoriley.com/blog/),
TN:13 (http://tntarrant.blogspot.com),
14:Purple Fantasy Den (http://authorvicktoralexander.com),
15: N/A
16:Tara Lain (http://taralain.com/blog/),
17: Gale (http://galestanley.blogspot.com/),
18: Lee (http://leebrazilauthor.blogspot.com/),
19: Iyanna (http://iyanajenna.blogspot.com/),
Pender: 20 (http://www.pendermackie.com/),
Sid Love: 21st (http://sidlove.com),
21-22: N/A
LM Brown: 24 (http://lmbrownauthor.wordpress.com/blog/),
Wendy Hoffman: 25 (http://wickedwolvesanddreamingdragons.blogspot.com),
Bella: 26 (www.bellaleonebooks.com),
Lor: 27th (http://www.lorrose.com)
February 11, 2014
The Good Fight Series in Review
Series: The Good Fight
Author: Andrew Grey
Genre: Contemporary M/M Western Romance
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
The Good Fight Series
The Good Fight
Cover by Anne Cain
Jerry Lincoln has a problem: his Sioux Falls IT consulting business has more work than one man can handle. Luckily, that means he can hire some help. Jerry just hopes his new employee, John Black Raven, ends up being more helpful than distracting—but John’s deep eyes and long hair are very distracting.
John came to town for an education and a chance at a life he couldn’t have on the reservation, but what’s important to him now is getting a job and keeping it. Six months ago, his sister died, and now her children are in foster care. Despite having the law on his side, John can’t get custody—can’t even see his niece and nephew.
As Jerry and John grow closer, John discovers he doesn’t have to struggle alone. Jerry helps him win visitation rights and provides much-needed support. Yet their victories aren’t without setbacks. Child Services is tangled up with money, politics, and red tape, and Native American children are their bread and butter. But John and Jerry are determined to fight the good fight and to win—in more ways than one.
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The Fight Within
Cover by Anne Cain
Bryce Morton needs a change of scenery. Since his partner’s death a year ago, he’s become withdrawn and quiet, so his friends, Jerry Lincoln and Akecheta (John) Black Raven, convince him to go camping with them on a Sioux reservation. Though he’s not immediately sure he’s done the right thing, Bryce becomes more interested when he meets Paytah, the man who owns the reservation’s trading post.
Paytah Stillwater’s life is filled with hurt, and sometimes the only thing he has left is pride. After being abused as a child and disbelieved when he spoke up, he has withdrawn into himself – but he can never truly put his past behind him, because the source of his pain still lives on the reservation. Paytah is proud of his heritage and careful with his heart, but when Bryce commits a selfless act of kindness for one of the reservation’s children, the walls around Paytah’s heart begin to melt.
Bryce and Paytah each fight the pain within them. When Paytah’s abuser sets his sights on one of the reservation youngsters, Bryce and Payton must set their individual fights aside. Finding a way to stop the abuser unites them to fight their way forward – together.
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The Fight for Identity
Cover by Anne Cain
Will Martin’s racist father, Kevin, hates Native Americans and wants to keep them off his property, never mind that part of the ranch land is sacred ground for the Sioux. When they request access for prayer, Kevin refuses—but Will doesn’t share his father’s views. Ever since he first saw Takoda Red Bird during one of the Sioux sacred ceremonies, Will has been fascinated. He grants the tribe access.
Takoda defies Kevin on a regular basis. He often sneaks to the sacred site on the rancher’s land for prayer and knows Will has seen him there. When, out of spite, Kevin places the land up for auction, Takoda knows it is time for action and bands together with Will to stop the sale.
In the fight that follows, Will gets more than he expected. He starts out helping the tribe preserve their identity… and ends up finding his own.
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Takoda and Horse
Cover by Paul Richmond
Ever wonder how Horse got his name?
A FREE bonus story in The Good Fight Series!
Series Review
First up, we have The Good Fight. I absolutely love John’s take control attitude in bed and how Jerry reacts every time! It’s also a story of overcoming and being willing to stand up for what’s right, even in the face of corruption, fear, and hate.
Next comes, The Fight Within is a gripping journey of loss, love, learning to both let go of the past and stand up for yourself in the now and future. Paytah is such a multifaceted and lovely character and Bryce is a moody yet sweet.
Then, there’s The Fight for Identity in which Takoda and Will meet when kids, then meet again as men. During their fight with Will’s father over use of sacred land, these men find their way to each other and Will finds not only his heart, but also his soul.
And lastly, there’s Takoda and Horse is a little short about how Takoda got Horse, and why that’s his name. It’s not long but it is a nice addition to the series.
Overall, this series touched me deeply and will be read again and again. If you love real character and stories with Native American themes, then this series is a guaranteed tearjerker and a must read.
About the Author
Andrew grew up in western Michigan with a father who loved to tell stories and a mother who loved to read them. Since then he has lived throughout the country and traveled throughout the world. He has a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and works in information systems for a large corporation.
Andrew’s hobbies include collecting antiques, gardening, and leaving his dirty dishes anywhere but in the sink (particularly when writing) He considers himself blessed with an accepting family, fantastic friends, and the world’s most supportive and loving partner. Andrew currently lives in beautiful, historic Carlisle, Pennsylvania.
♥ Site ♥ Blog ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Dreamspinner ♥
February 8, 2014
Cover Reveal: Blood’s Voice by Áine P Massie
“For our kind, love is the only lasting bond we make. However, if a human falls in love with one of us, they tend to be consumed by the power and obsession it causes.”
“But–”
“The most dangerous issue,” he continued, ignoring me, “comes in that our passions are more than a mortal body can handle. Accidentally killing one of them is a real concern. And . . . once you start on that desire path you will crave it, always.”
Blood’s Voice
by Áine P Massie
House Millar: Book 1
Cover by Rue Volley
New Adult Paranormal Romance
March 15th 2014
From Crushing Hearts & Black Butterfly Publishing
Anya Millar had no memory of her life or an instruction manual on how to navigate the insane world of humans, biting, and reality. Instead, Anya has had to learn to navigate the world of love, life, and sanity while avoiding those that would see her dead or enslaved.
This is the ongoing journey of Anya and Nicholas, human loving vampires and the human they love, Declán. What makes it all more complicated is that they are abominations in their own world and Declán is a natural born vampire hunter called a Guardian.
Anya must come to terms with who she is and her missing past, Nicholas must win back the object of his eternal love while dealing with new cravings in his silent heart, and Declán must learn to destroy the very creatures that he has unequivocally given his heart and blood.
Áine P Massie is originally from Florida, she now lives in Wisconsin where she works on her House Millar series full time while raising four children (the term herding cats comes to mind). Her major in College was Childhood Education (specializing in ages zero to five) with a minor study in Deaf Culture/ASL. She is also a Wiccan priestess dedicated to the gods, family, and love.
Áine is a proud member of the Rom-Critters, the Romance Writers of America®, Celtic Hearts Romance Writers, and Rainbow Romance Writers. Áine has always had a particular fascination with vampires, mythology, and the unusual. When she can escape from her children and books, she enjoys . . . oh yes, reading, playing, ritual, a good cappuccino, and working with her healing stones.
Her first published work came in high school where she was part of a writing and drama group. However, she has been reading the likes of Shakespeare and Poe since late elementary school and enjoys most forms of fiction.
♥ Site ♥ Blog ♥ Facebook ♥ Twitter ♥ House Millar ♥
February 7, 2014
Women Fighters in the Crusades By Christopher Hawthorne Moss, author of Beloved Pilgrim
Women Fighters in the Crusades
By Christopher Hawthorne Moss, author of Beloved Pilgrim, a novel of the Crusade of 1101.
Though my protagonist, Elisabeth/Elias, identifies as male, as do female to male transgender people do, it is inevitable that many readers will fix on her female body and ask, with a skeptical eyebrow raised, "Did women fight in the Crusades?"
One of the challenges an author has in writing historically accurate novels about the Middle Ages is whether sources from that time can be trusted. A combination of alternate sources, archeological evidence, and just plain common sense over and over has put what clerical chroniclers set down as fact in doubt. Perhaps one of the most notable examples of this fact is writing about the Crusades. Another is any writing at all about women.
If you take what the Church writers record as the sole evidence, there were no women at the Crusades. They were certainly discouraged from going, though in fact as the mass of pilgrims were not military, coupled with the fact that both soldiers and other pilgrims brought their families, it is clear that in fact plenty of women were present. There are, of course, famous examples of noble women who went to the Crusades, most notably Eleanor of Aquitaine when she traveled with her first husband, the King of France. But for all her play-acting at being an Amazon warrior, she did not in fact fight.
What constitutes fighting? We have a tendency to interpret the fighter as the knight, or at least, a man at arms. There were documented female knights, but they were not necessarily fighters. More likely a woman knight would be the mistress of lands under fealty to an overlord, obligated to provide armed men for his use. But the mounted knight and even the man at arms is not the whole picture of a Crusader. Women could and did use bows and could participate in many aspects of siege warfare, part and parcel of the Crusades. It is a sort of classism and sexism that makes us see the woman’s involvement as lesser and therefore not credit it as fighting.
Recent consideration of Moslem sources and points of view offers alternate evidence of women in battle. The role of women in a siege is a perfect example. At Acre Moslem chroniclers describe in detail the women’s remains found afterward on the battlefield, women who wore some armor and carried weapons. The Church chroniclers do not admit to this, but the Moslem writers dispassionately acknowledge that Christian women fought alongside their husbands and brothers. The fact is that the question is not whether women fought but whether their participation in fighting was recorded.
Christians were just one side of the conflict. Islam has numerous female warriors in its tradition. Though not specifically involved in the Crusades Nusaybah Bint k’ab Al Maziniyyah was a female fighter who fought at the Battle of Uhud with the army of Muhammad. Sharifa Fatima was a Zaydi chief in 15th century Yemen, and conquered San’a.
Looking at other conflicts in history one finds instances of women fighting along with men. Even in the Middle Ages there are numerous examples of women who fought, not only Joan of Arc, but also Aethelflaed, Lady of the Mercians, British Queen Boudica, the Irish Pirate Queen Grace O’Malley, and other warrior queens. Of the common soldier there is ample evidence of women fighting in, for example, the American Civil War. In that conflict women not only fought, but they joined the army and passed as men in order to do so. There are dozens of such accounts, revealing that it is not impossible for a female-bodied person to get away with passing as a man. They not only could, they did. If this happened in earlier wars, they simply would not have been counted as women fighters but included among the men.
When I was first working on BELOVED PILGRIM someone asserted to me that swords were huge and heavy and no woman’s wrist was strong enough to wield one. Then how does one account for the many women who did in fact wield swords? As author Brandy Purdy quipped, “Joan of Arc did not go into battle wielding an embroidery needle.” There are strong men and weak men, and there are strong women and weak women. With the right physique and training a woman most certainly can wield any number of weapons. This is clearly not evidence none did.
It is a novelist’s job to speculate, for instance, what it would take for a woman to be accepted as a knight in order to construct a credible story. My hero-ine, Elisabeth/Elias, grows up training alongside hi/r brother. S/he is the essential tomboy, and she is not a pretty little slip of a thing but tall, squarely built, and strong. If female-bodied Civil War soldiers could be accepted as men, then, I reasoned, so could s/he. Hi/r motivation for this is complex, a mix of not wanting the role s/he is expected to fulfill of the passive wife of a baron, a positive wish to live with the freedom of a man in hi/r social class and time, and, in the second edition, hi/r innate understanding of being a man in heart and mind, what we now call "transgender". As a character, she fulfills a revelatory role. Being female-bodied s/he was not brought up with the values her brother was expected to adopt, making her a more objective observer of life as part of a crusading army, so I was able to illustrate the journey more fully with hi/i unique point of view.
Did women fight in the Crusades? The answer is yes, but it is also “Why not?” I firmly believe women have always been part of armies and fought alongside men, and I believe as well that I created a female-bodied character who fits what such a woman must be.
Giveaway
“Enter to win a copy of the BELOVED PILGRIM ebook by posting a comment to this blog entry with the answer to this question – What does Elias’s horse’s name mean and in what language?
We will draw the winner from among the correct answers. Be sure to include your email address so I can get the ebook to you.”
BELOVED PILGRIM
by Christopher Hawthorne Moss
Historical Transgender YA
From Harmony Ink
At the time of the earliest Crusades, young noblewoman Elisabeth longs to be the person she’s always known is hidden inside. When her twin brother perishes from a fever, Elisabeth takes his identity to live as a man, a knight. As Elias, he travels to the Holy Land, to adventure, passion, death, and a lesson that honor is sometimes found in unexpected places.
Elias must pass among knights and soldiers, survive furious battle, deadly privations, moral uncertainty, and treachery if he’ll have any chance of returning to his new-found love in the magnificent city of Constantinople.
Christopher Hawthorne Moss wrote his first short story when he was seven and has spent some of the happiest hours of his life fully involved with his colorful, passionate and often humorous characters. Moss spent some time away from fiction, writing content for websites before his first book came out under the name Nan Hawthorne in 1991. He has since become a novelist and is a prolific and popular blogger, the historical fiction editor for the GLBT Bookshelf, where you can find his short stories and thoughtful and expert book reviews. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his husband of over thirty years and four doted upon cats. He owns Shield-wall Productions at http://www.shield-wall.com. He welcomes comment from readers sent to christopherhmoss@gmail.com and can be found on Facebook and Twitter.
February 5, 2014
Thursday Tasters: Desires’ Guardian
Welcome to the Thursday Tasters. Here you will find links to some awesome tasters of works written by awesome authors. Find the other tastes HERE
Today’s Taste is from my newly contracted (and unedited) Desires’ Guardian. DG is the story of Chase and Rhys, whom you first met in Designs of Desire, and will be out June 2014 from Dreamspinner Press.
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“James, it’s time.” Seth’s voice broke their moment, startling both men. “Gather up your Chase and hurry, please.”
Chase looked over to Seth, confused about what he was referring to. The show isn’t over, so where is he taking Jamie and what does that have to do with me?
“Oh! Oh, good. Come on, dear.” James pushed him toward where Seth was, and then maneuvered on his forearm crutches the same way.
Chase followed obediently, confused but moving with the flow of bodies around him. “What’s going on guys?” he asked once they were back to the front of the gallery. He looked around and noticed there was a large, covered frame that hadn’t been there earlier.
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Blurb:
Chase is outwardly a party-boy twink, or at least that’s what many think when they first meet him. Actually, Chase is a loyal friend with deep wounds that only his BFF knows anything about. When he meets Rhys things don’t go well, but he can’t shake the attraction for the huge, sexy man.
Rhys Sayer is a man of contradictions and fear—a strange combination for a PI and bodyguard. When he first lays eyes on Chase Manning, he’s not in a good place emotionally and causes any possible future together to go poof, maybe. Rhys is not a complicated man, he doesn’t think so at least. But he fears the very type of relationship he desires, and even worse, Chase is his dream man in more ways than one!
Can Chase move past his hidden pains to truly let a man into his heart in the forever kind of way? Can Rhys win over the whiley Chase and teach him that love and trust are his to grasp?
Guest Author Wednesday ♥ Anne Barwell
Happy New Year! I’m ecstatic to have Author Anne Barwell with me today share a bit about Shades of Sepia is book 1 of The Sleepless City, an urban fantasy series co-authored with Elizabeth Noble. Please say hi and leave her a comment or two below.
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Anne Barwell lives in Wellington, New Zealand. She shares her home with two cats who are convinced that the house is run to suit them; this is an ongoing "discussion," and to date it appears as though the cats may be winning.
In 2008 she completed her conjoint BA in English Literature and Music/Bachelor of Teaching. She has worked as a music teacher, a primary school teacher, and now works in a library. She is a member of the Upper Hutt Science Fiction Club and plays violin for Hutt Valley Orchestra.
She is an avid reader across a wide range of genres and a watcher of far too many TV series and movies, although it can be argued that there is no such thing as "too many." These, of course, are best enjoyed with a decent cup of tea and further the continuing argument that the concept of "spare time" is really just a myth.
♥ Site ♥ Blog ♥ ♥ Coffee Unicorns ♥ DSP Author ♥
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Thanks, Tempe, for hosting me today 
The topic of graphic novels might seem like a weird choice for a blog post promoting an urban fantasy novel, but for this one it’s very apt. Ben Leyton, one of my POV characters in my new release Shades of Sepia, loves to read graphic novels. So do a couple of the other characters. I must admit I had a little too much fun with the references, but as a writer I like to give my characters quirks, and interests. It makes them seem more real and, after all, the story they’re in is just a ‘slice of life.’
Of course the fact that I’m an avid graphic novel reader helped, and the references are to comic books I’ve read. So what’s the difference between graphic novels and comics? When I first started reading comics I could only get them in single issue form, but it was easier to get hold of them then and to go into a bookshop and ‘browse’. These days they’re still available in single comics format but I prefer to read them in graphic novel/trade format which is a collection of the single comic issues collected into a book. It’s not only cheaper and lacking the ton of advertising in the single issues, but it makes it much easier to follow a storyline which tends to cross over into other titles I had no intention of collecting.
Most of my current reads are through the library as they have a really good selection, although there are a couple of titles I buy, or they’re on my wish list to buy. Graphic novels here are twice the price as in the US so I buy mine through online outlets such as Book Depository (as it has free international postage), although I’ve recently found a couple of local (NZ) online stores which have them for a similar price. I don’t buy a lot of stuff through Amazon because the international postage often ends up being more than the item I’m buying and finding a seller who will ship here is becoming more and more of a problem. It’s also difficult to find them in physical stores here unless I want to trip into Wellington city which I don’t as parking and petrol adds to the double price those stores sell them for.
I’ve always been more of a DC (Batman, Superman etc) comics’ girl, but since the Marvel (Avengers, X-men, Spiderman etc) movies, I’ve got sucked into that universe as well. I’m collecting DC’s Nightwing, and have done so for years, and also DC’s Red Robin, although I’m going to have to buy DC’s Teen Titans to read more of the latter as he hasn’t got his own title anymore *grumble *. And yes there is a pattern there with both Nightwing (Dick Grayson) and Red Robin (Tim Drake) being former Robins aka sidekicks to Batman. Since last year, and a friend hooking me by sending me cute pictures of Wiccan and Hulking kissing, I’ve also started collecting Marvel’s Young Avengers series. It’s a great series, has an interesting and involved plotline, and characters, and two cute guys in a relationship to boot. How could I resist?
But overall what’s the appeal of graphic novels? For me it’s a mix of things. I love the characters I read about, and their struggle to do the right thing while trying to keep that part of their life separate from the people they care about. Keeping a secret identity isn’t easy, and there’s often a rather dark duality lurking in there. Some of the plot lines are very complex, and cover several volumes and years of story. Coming in mid point isn’t easy, or picking up again after years of not reading. I remember doing that with Batman and having to do a crash course of reading around on wikis to work out what was going on. When I’d gone on reading hiatus, Dick was Robin. When I returned it was Tim, and Dick was Nightwing.
I also love the art work. There are some really talented artists out there, and the visuals are just gorgeous. There’s also the whole thing of guys in spandex but hey a girl can be shallow too, right?
Are any of you comic book/graphic novel readers, and if so what are your favourites?
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Shades of Sepia
The Sleepless City, book 1
A serial killer stalks the streets of Flint, Ohio. The victims are always found in pairs, one human and one vampire.
Simon Hawthorne has been a vampire for nearly a hundred years, and he has never seen anything like it. Neither have the other supernaturals he works with to keep the streets safe for both their kind and the humans.
One meeting with Simon finds Ben Leyton falling for a man he knows is keeping secrets, but he can’t ignore the growing attraction between them. A recent arrival in Flint, Ben finds it very different from his native New Zealand, but something about Simon makes Ben feel as though he’s found a new home.
After a close friend falls victim to the killer, Simon is torn between revealing his true nature to Ben, and walking away to avoid the reaction he fears. But with the body count rising and the murders becoming more frequent, either, or both of them, could be the killer’s next target.
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Excerpt
“Cool. I knew you guys were like the Justice League or something.”
Lucas laughed. “I was going more for the Legion of Super Heroes, actually.”
“Yeah, but the League has Batman in it,” Blair began, “and the Legion is—” Luckily, whatever he was going to say was interrupted by the sound of a telephone ringing. Once he and Lucas started on one of their comics conversations, they’d go for what seemed forever.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Forge asked Simon.
“What?” Simon glanced around for the source of the ringing. He didn’t get telephone calls and had presumed the noise was coming from wherever Blair was.
“You’re the only one around here who insists on that horrible ringtone,” Forge pointed out, “so it’s obviously your phone.” He’d complained about it ever since Simon had explained—quite logically he’d thought—that if he was to carry a telephone, it made sense for it to at least sound like one.
“Try your pockets?” said Lucas helpfully.
“Oh, right.” Simon fished his telephone out of his pocket. Its screen was flashing with the name of the caller. Simon stared at it.
“You’re supposed to answer it, not stare at it,” Forge said. “Or have you forgotten how to again?”
“I know how to answer it.” Simon poked at the appropriate button, then held the telephone up to his ear. “Simon speaking. How can I help you?”
Forge snickered. Simon glared at him, thought for a moment about retreating to somewhere more private, then realized it would be a waste of time. Damn vampire hearing. Not that werewolves and ghosts were much better.
“Hey, Simon. It’s Ben.”
Perhaps he was calling to say he’d thought twice about meeting for coffee. But why would he take the time to do that? Surely if that were the case, he’d just not contact Simon again at all?
“Hello, Ben.” Simon took a couple of steps toward the door, half turning his back on the other occupants of the room.
“I rang to apologize,” Ben said, his words tumbling out over each other.
“Apologize?” Simon frowned. “Why?” If anyone should be apologizing for the way in which their conversation had ended, it should be him.
“I obviously upset you, and I’m sorry.”
“You didn’t,” Simon reassured him. “I overreacted. I do that sometimes.” He reached for his glass of milk and took a long drink. Feeling a little calmer, he collected his thoughts before breaking the silence. “Would you still like to meet for coffee?”
Lucas and Forge high fiving was something best ignored, as was the smug expression on both their faces.
“Yeah, sure, that would be great,” Ben answered very quickly. “When and where? I’m working a long shift tomorrow so that won’t work, but I don’t start until eleven on Thursday.”
After mentally consulting his calendar, Simon nodded. “That would be fine. I don’t have lectures on Thursday mornings. Do you know Hunter’s on West Thirteenth Street? We could meet there at nine.”
“I haven’t been there, but I’ll find it,” Ben said. “See you at nine then on Thursday?”
“Yes. Good-bye, Ben.”
“Bye, Ben,” called out Lucas.
“Bye….” Ben trailed off. “Hey, who is that?” His voice took on a rather suspicious tone. “Simon, is there someone listening in on us?”
“Unfortunately, yes,” Simon said. “I share my… building… with some friends who don’t understand the concept of privacy. That was Lucas. I’ll explain on Thursday.”
“Okay. Bye.”
“Good-bye,” Simon said again, this time to a darkened telephone. He shoved it back in his pocket.
“He sounds cute,” said Lucas. “I like the accent.” He grinned. “Can I come too? I want to hear how you explain me.”
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February 3, 2014
Big Bone Lick Pack (Anthology) Interview and Giveaway
Happy Tuesday! Today I’m sharing Cherie’s interview with her characters from the Big Bone Lick Pack, an anthology which came out January 24 from MLR Press. http://www.mlrbooks.com/ShowBook.php?book=ANTHBBLS
It features stories written by Kendall McKenna (www.kendallmckenna.com), Jambrea Jo Jones (www.jambrea.com) and Cherie Noel
(http://talesfromthewritingcave.blogspot.com/p/my-books.html).
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Thanks Tempe for having us on your blog! Today we are starting a three blog installment! This is Cherie and her boys. Enjoy!
A shiver traced its way along Simon’s spine. Drawing in a deep breath he flicked a desperate glance out the big picture window of the coffee shop. Josiah tuned his head towards the window as well.
“What’s wrong, babe? I thought you were all excited to see Ms. Noel again.”
Simon’s stomach grumbled at him, but he knew better than to indulge in a snack at this point. He might be hungry, but he was seriously about to piss kittens. The muscles in the small of his back tightened more with every breath he drew. He could smell bear, at least two wolves besides Josiah, and at least a dozen humans. The humans he could disregard, the wolves were both known, but the bear’s strong musk had fine hairs standing on end at the nape of his neck. A steady whoosh, whoosh, whoosh in his ears grew louder with every inhalation. Simon knew from experience that he was only moments from his mouth being flooded with the sour metallic taste he equated with anxiety.
“Yeah. I love hanging out with Cherie. She’s not put off by anything and never hesitates to tell wankers to bugger off. I just don’t understand why we need to all do the interview together. I mean, we see them all at the pack meetings—”
Josiah raised an eyebrow. “Simon, the only pack member you’ve connected with besides me and my parents is Rae. You have to start expanding your horizons a little.”
Dishes clattered behind them, the clink and ting noises they made cutting through the mellow rock playing over the cafe’s speaker system. Simon raised and then lowered his shoulders. A woman’s voice raised in counterpoint to the hissing of the espresso machine. The afternoon’s low grew light grew dimmer as rain began to fall outside.
“I can’t help it Josiah. Grizzlies and foxes are exactly setting up bloody play dates in the wild, you know. What if he—you know—loses control again? I saw the size of those paws when he shifted. They’re bigger than my whole little fox head. I—”
A deep growl reverberated through the air. Josiah immediately tipped his head subtly to one side, lowering his eyes as he spoke.
“Alpha, Alpha-mate, Ms. McKenna. We’re pleased to see you.”
A gaping chasm yawned in the pit of Simon’s stomach. Oh, hell, he recognized that power infused growl. The possible pissing of kittens grew more likely. Shoulders climbing right back up around his ears, Simon hunched down and tipped his head to one side as well.
“Alpha—” his voice squeaked to a stop. He had no idea what to say.
Josiah patted his knee, then stood between him and the others. “Alpha, I’m so sorry. He means no disrespect. I’ll explain it to him.”
A weighted silence filled the air, and then Josiah spoke again. “Yes, Alpha. I’ll make sure my mate understands the commitment pack has to one another before the next pack meeting.”
Asa, Seth, and Ms. McKenna moved off toward a table against back wall. Josiah returned to his seat, clearing the line of sight between Simon and the pack’s alpha. Asa gave him a small smile and a wink before turning to his mate and the author they’d worked with for the whole Big Bone Lick Pack anthology project. She cast a sharp glance Simon’s way, nodded briskly at someone behind him, and then turned back to the two men at her table.
Cherie and Ms. Jones entered the dining area together. Behind them were Kane and Dov. Ms. Jones nodded at something Cherie said, and then drew Kane and Dove over to a table mostly secluded from the rest of the café. “Simon, Josiah, so good to see you again. How are things?”
Josiah snorted. “Hello, Ms. Noel. We’re not talking about our sex life today. Can you ask us about something else?”
Pushing a hank of curling hair out of her eyes, she chortled. “Sure thing, Josiah. I wanted to ask a bit more about what it’s like to be back in the pack you grew up in. I understand you were temporarily part of another pack while in medical school?”
Josiah relaxed back against the tall wooden back of his seat. His shoulders heaved, a gusty sigh escaping his lips. Tipping an imaginary hat to Ms. Noel, he grinned.
“Now that I’m happy to answer. I spent some time with the Poughkeepsie pack while I was going to school in New York City. It was definitely different.”
Cherie glanced over at Simon, winked at him and continued questioning Josiah. “Different how?”
Josiah squirmed in his chair. “Well, for one thing, they didn’t consider me an Omega. I mean, an Omega is an Omega, right? But their pack only considered the least powerful adult wolf an Omega. The most powerful was their Alpha, and everyone else was mid-pack. They didn’t have Betas. I liked some stuff about it, but honestly, I could never get comfortable.”
She nodded, turning to Simon next. “Simon, I understand you didn’t even know you were a shifter until you met Josiah. That must have made for some serious adjustments in your worldview, huh?”
Simon blinked. “You look just like a jolly auntie, and then you open your mouth and I see fangs and a forked tongue. It’s like you can taste my thoughts the way a snake scent-tastes the air.”
Cherie’s eyes opened wide, and she opened her mouth to speak again. Simon shook a hand at her. “Hang on a moment. I only meant your questions are rather pointed. Ah, spot on about the worldview. I don’t think I’ve found my sea-legs yet. I keep having reactions because of what my fox wants, and then finding out I’ve made an ass of myself.”
He glanced over to where Dov and Kane sat. Heat flooded Simon’s cheeks. “I mean, look at how I’ve been treating Kane’s mate. Everyone knows he wasn’t himself when he attacked Seth. Every time I get within sniffing distance of him though, my fox wants to run and hide… I think when I get a better handle on the dual nature of being a shifter I’ll be able to stop being such an ass around him. I. Honestly? I’m a bit ashamed. It’s just so knee jerk. And because I’m just learning all the stuff most of these guys have known since they were little boys.”
He waved his hand to encompass the other shifters, a wry smile flitting across his face. Cherie reached over to pat his hand. “I expect they give lee-way in special circumstances, hon. Isn’t that right, Josiah?”
Josiah nodded. “Yeah, Asa’s really great about that. One of the things I learned by being away was how well run our pack is. Asa’s dad was a great alpha, and so far Asa’s turning out to be equally good.”
Cherie smiled. “Okay, I think that’s enough for what I need. I’m going to get a white chocolate-cherry cookie and some hot chocolate, and then we can just hang out for a bit, okay?”
Simon’s mouth watered at the mention of cookies. “Oh, that sounds great. And thanks. I know you took it easy on us today. I—I’m trying to get better about this whole shifter thing. And Asa told me it’s a hard and fast rule that no one is allowed to turn me into full moon kibble. So, you know, that’s settled. No need to worry or miss out on potential friends because my fox is nervous. Josiah keeps telling me we’re not just animals. I know that. I do.”
Cherie patted his hand again. “You’ll get there, Simon.”
As she walked away, Josiah leaned across the table. Grabbing Simon’s upper arms, he pulled him partway out of his seat to press their lips together. “Now who’s the silly muppet? Of course fox is off the menu. You’re pack, babe. That means everything. Dov is pack too, so you’ll have to remember not to take anymore nibbles out of him either.”
Simon’s mouth dropped open. “You are completely corked, aren’t you?”
Josiah, just winked, kissed him again, and then settled back into his chair. He kept hold of Simon’s hand though. “Nah. Just mad for you, mate. I’ll help you learn what it means to be pack. Pretty soon you’ll be so used to all this those knee-jerk fox-mind responses will be a lot easier to control.”
Simon glanced around the café. Dov and Kane, Asa and Seth, and Josiah and himself. They were all pack. Maybe if he thought of them like foster brothers he liked, he’d make fewer mistakes. That could work. Sometimes his foster brothers were right frightening until he got to know them. Asa caught his eye and winked again. Simon chuckled.
“I think I’ve got it sorted in my head, mate.”
Josiah stroked a thumb across the back of Simon’s hand, scooted his chair around the table and pulled Simon close. “That’s a start, Simon. That’s a fine start.”
Simon leaned into Josiah’s side, shoulders loose and free, breaths oming easy. “When Cherie comes back maybe we could ask the others to eat with us?”
A smile like sunrise broke across Josiah’s face before he bent his head to lick his way into Simon’s mouth. Well, Simon would take that as an affirmative. Baby fox steps, but he would get there. All he had to do was believe in his mate, his alpha, and his pack.
For today’s prize Cherie is giving away a donation to Fox Wood Wildlife Rescue in your name. Here are a couple links so you can check it out.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Fox-Wood-Wildlife-Rescue-Inc/140252331913
http://foxwoodrehab.typepad.com/
You’ll hear from Dov and Kane when we visit Tara Lain’s blog on Friday the 7th. http://taralain.com
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BIG BONE LICK PACK (ANTHOLOGY)
Bad Wolf & Devil Dog by Kendall McKenna
Big, Bad Bear by Jambrea Jo Jones
Shifty Fox Shenanigans by Cherie Noel
Welcome to the Big Bone Lick Pack: A more friendly and hospitable group of werewolves you’ll never meet! Visit with; ‘Devil Dog & Bad Wolf’, a ‘Big Bad Bear’ and enjoy some ‘Shifty Fox Shenanigans’. Watch yourself, ’round the state park, ’cause we had a grizzly on the loose, just a bit ago. Our brave men and woman of the Boone County Sheriff’s Department have everything under control. (Except maybe their own love lives!) But if you find yourself needing a doctor, head on down to Rabbit Hash clinic, or St. Elizabeth’s Hospital is just up the road a piece. We hope you enjoy your stay.
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Giveaway
January 30, 2014
Thursday Tasters: Desires’ Guardian
Welcome to the Thursday Tasters. Here you will find links to some awesome tasters of works written by awesome authors. Find the other tastes HERE
Today’s Taste is from my newly contracted, Desires’ Guardian. DG is the story of Chase and Rhys, whom you first met in Designs of Desire, and will be out June 2014 from Dreamspinner Press.
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“It doesn’t matter, Jamie.” He wrapped one arm around James’s shoulders. “Come on, show me around some. I hear the artist is supposed to be pretty good, after all,” Chase teased.
“Oh, you think he might be better than me?”
Chase would do anything for the huge grin gracing his best friend’s face right then. “Maybe,” he singsonged. Considering him for a moment, Chase took James’s hand. “Seriously, you’ve out done yourself, Jamie. I’m so proud of you.”
James blinked and looked up, his cheeks pink, smiling. “Thank you, Chase.”
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Blurb:
Chase is outwardly a party-boy twink, or at least that’s what many think when they first meet him. Actually, Chase is a loyal friend with deep wounds that only his BFF knows anything about. When he meets Rhys things don’t go well, but he can’t shake the attraction for the huge, sexy man.
Rhys Sayer is a man of contradictions and fear—a strange combination for a PI and bodyguard. When he first lays eyes on Chase Manning, he’s not in a good place emotionally and causes any possible future together to go poof, maybe. Rhys is not a complicated man, he doesn’t think so at least. But he fears the very type of relationship he desires, and even worse, Chase is his dream man in more ways than one!
Can Chase move past his hidden pains to truly let a man into his heart in the forever kind of way? Can Rhys win over the whiley Chase and teach him that love and trust are his to grasp?
January 23, 2014
25% Off Sale At Dreamspinner Press!
Baby, it’s cold outside!
Come in and warm up with a good book. We’re offering 25% off the entire store (including in-stock paperbacks) from January 23-27.
Right now you can get books from some of my favorite authors (and my books too, lol) for 25% off!
Check out the offerings from some of those on my MUST BUY list:
Andrew Grey
Lex Chase
Amy Lane
Rebecca Cohen
TJ Klune
Eric Arvin
Madison Parker
Mary Calmes
Grace R. Duncan
Elizabeth Noble
Jay Jordan Hawke
And many, many more…
