Jaycee Edward's Blog

Guest Post: Scenes From Adalaide Road - Helena Stone

I'm thrilled to have my best friend and sometimes co-writer, Helena Stone on my blog today! She has a brand new release, Scenes From Adalaide Road, and it's fantastic! She's here today to share something a little "extra" with all of you!




Thank you Jaycee for welcoming me to your blog today. I’ve got something rather special for you and your readers.

The following is not an excerpt from Scenes from Adelaide Road. In that story one of the main characters, Lennart, is writing two books, which are only described in the most general of terms. One of them is light-hearted and fun, the other one much darker. For promotional purposes Lennart was gracious enough to allow me to share a tiny excerpt from the darker story here.


About Lennart’s story:

Two sixteen-year old boys—Paddy and Killian—have recently met and become friends. After a fun and exhilarating afternoon spent swimming in a local lake they’ve walked back to Killian’s house, where they’re about to say goodbye behind the shed in the back garden.


Excerpt:

“I saw you, you know,” Paddy said while he stared into my eyes, as if he expected to find something there.

“You saw what?” I asked, almost scared to hear his answer.

“You liked it, didn’t you?”

“I....” I knew I should pretend I’d no idea what he meant, but the words got stuck in my throat. My cheeks heated up and I knew I’d turned bright red.My mouth went dry and I licked my lips, my heart stuttering in my chest.

His gaze travelled from my eyes to my mouth and I watched, mesmerized, as he too licked his lips. He took two steps, obliterating the distance between us. Torn between fear and elation I retreated until my back hit the wall of the shed.

“You got excited when you saw me strip out of my trunks, didn’t you?”

I wanted to deny his accusation, but even as he spoke I could see his naked body in my mind’s eye. It was only a few seconds, as long as it took him to shed his wet gear and put his shorts on, but the effect on my body had been immediate and embarrassing. I stared at our feet while I numbly shook my head.

“Have you forgotten how to talk, Killian?” He smirked at me but his eyes were bright and friendly,his gaze intense. “Maybe there are better uses we could put that mouth of yours to.”

Paddy took one last step, bringing us toe-to-toe, and bent forward, pressing our lips together, while his gaze never left mine.

I raised my hands and placed my palms against his chest, determined to push him away, yet unable to make myself actually do it. His lips against mine made me forget why this was a bad idea. I’d dreamed about this moment for so long. I hadn’t been crazy. I wasn’t the only one with feelings like these. My mind stopped working. My blood sang as it rushed through my veins. I should have been ashamed when a whimper escaped my lips, except Paddy made similar noises. So good.Too much. Not enough. I lifted my arms and wrapped them around his neck pushing my body closer to his at the same time.

"What the fuck is going on here?"

The loud voice shattered my happiness. Paddy jumped away from me and I looked over his shoulder. My father's face was bright red and although he didn't literally have steam coming out of his ears it was all too easy to visualise.

"You. Go." He scowled at Paddy with a mixture of disgust and hatred on his face.

Paddy squeezed my hand before releasing it and I treasured the small gesture. I was scared out of my wits. I'd no idea what my father might do. But I didn't want Paddy there with me when I got my answer.

I stared at the ground in front of me and followed Paddy’s movement from the corner of my eye.He circled around my father, keeping as much distance between them as he possibly could. I’d never felt as alone in my life as I did the moment he disappeared from my sight.I knew I’d still be able to see him if I looked up, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. I wouldn't give my father any more ammunition.

"And now for you." My father's voice was soft and all the more menacing for it.

I raised my head when I recognised the sound of a belt being pulled through loops.

****

Scenes from Adelaide Road By Helena Stone
About the book:

Can a young man find the courage he never knew he had when faced with losing everything he holds dear?

A few months before his final exams in secondary school, nineteen-year-old Lennart Kelly discovers he’s inherited a house on Adelaide Road in Dublin from a grandfather he never knew. Having been ignored, bullied and abused for as long as he can remember, Lennart can’t wait to leave behind his father and the small town he grew up in. Moving away as soon as he finishes his exams doesn’t cure his deep-rooted insecurities though.

Meeting twenty-three-year-old Aidan Cassidy in a gay club on his second night in Dublin, scares Lennart. Used to being ignored and ridiculed, he doesn’t trust the attention he receives and can’t believe a man like Aidan could possibly be interested in him. It takes infinite patience and understanding from Aidan to slowly coax Lennart out of his shell.

But the past refuses to stay where it belongs and Lennart’s father is determined to take the house in Dublin off his son by whatever means necessary. Just when Lennart is learning to trust and embrace life, a violent attack threatens everything he holds dear. Suddenly Lennart is in danger of losing his house, the man he’s grown to love and maybe even his life. If Lennart wants to protect Aidan and safeguard his future, he’ll have to find the courage he never knew he had.


****
General Release: December 1, 2015
Publisher: Pride Publishing
Pages: 188
Genre: Contemporary Romance / MM / NA

Buy links:

Pride Publishing    Amazon.com    Amazon.co.uk    Barnes & Noble 
Link to book trailer: YouTube


About the Author:

Helena Stone can’t remember a life before words and reading. After growing up in a household where no holiday or festivity was complete without at least one new book, it’s hardly surprising she now owns more books than shelf space while her Kindle is about to explode.

The urge to write came as a surprise. The realisation that people might enjoy her words was a shock to say the least. Now that the writing bug has well and truly taken hold, Helena can no longer imagine not sharing the characters in her head and heart with the rest of the world.

Having left the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam for the peace and quiet of the Irish Country side she divides her time between reading, writing, long and often wet walks with the dog, her part-time job in a library, a grown-up daughter and her ever loving and patient husband.


Helena can be found in the following places:

Author website    GoodReads    Facebook    Twitter    Pinterest 

Guest Post: Edmond Manning & The Music of the Lost And Founds

I was blown away when I was asked if I'd be willing to host my friend, Edmond Manning for one of his King John book tour blog stops. Of course - I would love to host him! I love Edmond and I'd do anything for him! (Except give him my PIN# - he really needs to stop asking...) Heck, he can take up permanent residence here if he wants to - Irish Spring and all!
I'll have to give you all a disclaimer, though: I have yet to read King John - not even a single excerpt - but there's a very good reason. There are a few authors - less than five - for whom I have to set aside time to read their stories. I don't want to just pick up their book and read it when I have a few minutes. I want to "experience" every, single moment and every, single word.  Edmond is one of those authors.
I'm saving King John for a cold, rainy, fall day, with maybe a fire in the fireplace, a cup of mulled cider and nothing on the agenda but reading. So, I'm excited to be able to still take part in all the hoopla surrounding the release of this much-awaited next chapter in Vin Vanbly's story - and thrilled to get to revisit all my old favorites, like Perry and Mai through song.
Without further ado, I'll shut up and let Edmond take it from here. You're in for a treat.                                                           ~Jaycee Edward
P.S. (Be sure to leave a comment and click on the Rafflecopter link for the Giveaway!)


The Lost and Founds: Theme Songs
I admit, I get a little fixated. Okay, sometimes a lot fixated. I often need the right music to feed some artistic direction I’m feeling. If I were a great oil painter, my brush would fly furiously around the canvas while I was inspired by great classical music. But painters are cool, and I’m busy developing a writer’s stiff neck and hunched-over back. See? Not cool.  But I listen to music that is integral to the story I’m writing. If you liked The Lost and Founds, I thought you might enjoy knowing some of the tunes that tickled my ear while I was typing madly, dancing in my chair, having fantasies of swiping the color red hardacross a bone-white canvas. Enjoy some of these musical stylings.
Theme song to The Lost and Founds: “Lolita” by Alizéehttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtAPPvmz7hYYou’re going to have to grant me a little artistic license on this one, because this song is literally about a young girl named Lolita, the same child-molestery-named character written about by ex-Russian novelist Vladimir Nabokov in his famous book. Ignore the video’s crazy plot (a country girl goes dancing in a night club). Listen. The sultry, swoony beat, the sexy sneaking around inherent to the song…it’s Vin’s song, stalking men he loves. It’s brooding and chill and lovely. Whenever I needed inspiration for one of the king stories, I would go for a walk and listen to this song. It’s magic. I always felt so groovy listening to it, I would relax, and ideas would come. Not being able to translate or understand the words was an advantage, because I could invent whatever meaning I wanted. I love the smooth beat, the raw seduction in the song…seducing the reader as Vin seduced his would-be kings. King Perry theme song:  “In The Beginning” by K’naanhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uq0pygjQK74According to my iPod, I have listened to this song 800+ times. (This does not include the number of times I listened to it in my car, which is probably another 400+ times. Who listens to a single song 1200 times?
I would listen and think about details from the novel…this was my “think about Perry” song. “In the Beginning” is the closest this novel has to a theme song as he sings his crazy/jubilant song about The Lost and Founds.
I love this goofy song! It’s so happy and its lyrics express such interesting darkness. There’s a line in here that I love: “People get held back by the voice inside them.” In the very beginning of the song, the artist whoops it up, a big scream. I imagine that this is Vin’s screech on the Golden Gate Bridge realizing it’s King Diego’s birthday. The ethereal “lalalalala” in the background gave me the idea for a line about starfish singing of the ocean’s great love.  King Mai theme song:  “Battleflag” by Lo Fidelity Allstarshttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZuwWvPGul3o
I love the raw sexuality of this song, the rough and dirty electronic vibe. This is a song that rolls around in the dirt and doesn’t give a fuck, just gets up grinning and laughing, knocking clumps of mud off its grass-stained jeans. I’m not sure the lyrics are a great match, but I’ve listened to this song so many times, I can both hear and not hear the lyrics as I please.
I listened to this song while writing about Vin and Mai eating burgers in a townie bar, when they drove around DeKalb searching for a damned stalk of corn. This ain’t a pretty song – it’s a man’s song. Rough, raw, goofy and sensual.
Now that the book is finished and released, I have new associations. I always see Mai’s new bubba friends with him during this song, laughing, shoving each other around, drinking beer, and of course, playing tag in cornfields at night. They run and chase each other like little kids, teaching their wives and children how to run the corn with love for the earth. Of course, Randy uses this as an opportunity to chase down his wife and use the privacy away from their kids to make out with her while everyone else plays tag. But it’s not his fault. He’s a bubba in love.     The Butterfly King theme song:  “The Big Wheel Keeps on Turning” by Massive Attackhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0TrishCMmpc
I can’t think of a song that sounds less like New York City. The song opens with these whale sounds, a very watery, oceanic adventure. And then I remember Manhattan is an island. This song appealed to me because it’s so regal, it’s so much like the main character, Terrance Altham. The song is big and strong, like Terrance. The powerful underlying sound makes me think of that Australian musical instrument, the didgeridoo. I guess that’s part of the appeal of this song and its relationship to New York. You can’t put New York in a box and say, “it’s this.” Of course it’s whale sounds, a didgeridoo, and a low, steady, electronic beat. This song is skyscrapers and hard lives. “The big wheel keeps on turning. One man crumbles, while another relaxes.” I can’t think of a better way to summarize New York City. When I listen to this song, I see Rance Altham swaggering down Manhattan streets. People whisper and say, “It’s him. That’s the Butterfly King.”
King John theme song:  “Hallelujah” performed by Rufus Wainwrighthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBo-n_17XU0
This might be an odd choice for a book set in the desert. But honestly, there’s nothing reasonable in the relationship between music and what it inspires in us. There is only the relationship, surprising it in its strength, and the pictures music presents to our mind. Why fight it? This lovely song is the theme for King John.
This is a holy song, and burners consider Burning Man sacred space. Yes, some come to party and do drugs. Sure. But many come to worship the land, the spirit of survival, the power of human ingenuity. Burning Man is a prayer offered up to the future, a prayer for who we might become as a people.
When I listen to this song, I see people wandering the playa, laughing, talking, making new friends. Maybe they flirt with each other. Maybe they just say, “Great costume, you’re beautiful,” and walk away. This is the song of broken people loving each other the very best they can.
I also love this lyric in the song:  “The baffled king composing Hallelujah…”
Vin and Alistair spend half of this book baffled. Baffled by each other, by the circumstances, wandering (running!) blindly in the desert as half-broken men, hoping that grace will sweep down and pick them up. They are so tired…and all they want is to say hallelujah.
Book Five theme song: “So Close” by Jon McLaughlin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q2WHo5bGRNw
I don’t want to say much about this song yet, but enjoy this beautiful love song. I picture Vin in a tuxedo dancing around a restaurant with—nope. I can’t say anything else. Can’t. But let’s not end this blog post on this slightly, bummer-feeling song. It’s a great song, but it’s a teeny bit sad. Let’s get happy.

Vin’s theme song:  “I Just Haven’t Met You Yet” by Michael Buble. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1AJmKkU5POA


This goofy, happy song expresses Vin’s indomitable spirit. Yes, he’s tired of being a Lost King. Yes, he’s frustrated. But boy, there’s a part of him that is nothing short of a big, splashy trumpet parade. And when he finds that true love…he is going to dance. And sing. Music can do that to you, create a parade in your heart exactly when you need one.

* * * * *

Meet the Author:
Edmond Manning is the author of the romance series, The Lost and Founds. The books in this series include King Perry, King Mai (a 2014 Lambda Literary finalist), The Butterfly King, and King John. King John takes place at Burning Man.
* * * * *Giveaway!Winner’s Prize: An eBook copy of King John(Leave a Comment here and then click the link below)King John Rafflecopter Giveaway* * * * *
Where to get your copy of King John:

King John on AmazonKing John at All Romance eBooks***King John on Goodreads

* * * * *About King John:English attorney Alistair Robertson can’t quite believe an astonishing tale of kingship and transformation he hears at Burning Man, the annual counter-culture art festival in the Black Rock desert. Who are the Found Kings? Is “being kinged” as magical as it sounds?Determined to find the mysterious garage mechanic named Vin who helps men “remember who they were always meant to be,” Alistair catches his quarry amid the extravagant sculptures, fire worshipers, mutant cars, and lavish costumes. After searching for three years, he’ll finally get to ask the question burning inside him: “Will you king me?”Wandering together through the desert, Vin Vanbly and Alistair explore Burning Man’s gifting culture and exotic traditions, where they meet the best and worst of their fellow burners. Alistair’s overconfidence in Vin’s manipulative power collides with Vin’s obsessive need to save a sixteen-year-old runaway from a nightmarish fate, and the two men spiral in uncontrollable, explosive directions.In this fourth adventure of The Lost and Founds, beneath the sweltering summer sun and the six billion midnight stars, one truth emerges, searing itself on their hearts: in the desert, everything burns.* * * * *
King John Blog Tour:
Mon, Sept 7                    My Fiction NookMon, Sept 7                    AJ Rose Books             pre-release excerpt #1Tues, Sept 8                   Thorny, Not Prickly      pre-release excerpt #2Wed, Sept 9                   Love Out Loud             pre-release excerpt #3Thurs, Sept 10                Edmond Manning.comThurs, Sept 10                Facebook Release Party, 7p-9p Central, hosted by Bike Book ReviewsFri, Sept 11                     Reviews by Amos LassenSat, Sept 12                    Vanessa North.com
Tues, Sept 15                 MM Good Book ReviewsWed, Sept 16                 The Novel ApproachThurs, Sept 17                Purple Rose Tea HouseFri, Sept 18                     Posy Roberts.comSat, Sept 19                    Zipper Rippers
Tues, Sept 22                 Joyfully JayWed, Sept 23                 Boys In Our BooksThurs, Sept 24                It’s About the BookFri, Sept 25                     Lou Harper.comSat, Sept 26                    Love Bytes ReviewsSun, Sept 27                   Sinfully Addicted to Male Romance
Mon, Sept 28                  Josephine Myles.comTues, Sept 29                 Molly LollyWed, Sept 30                 Coffee and Porn in the MorningWed, Sept 30                 Stumbling Over ChaosThurs, Oct 1                   The Blogger Girls ReviewsSat, Oct 3                       Because Two Men Are Better Than One
Sun, Oct 4                       The Hat Party!Fri, Oct 2                        JessewaveMon, Oct 5                     Prism Book AllianceTues, Oct 6                     Jaycee Edward.comWed, Oct 7                     Hearts on Fire Book Reviews

A Solitary Man - Cover Reveal

COVER REVEAL!
Authors Shira Anthonyand Aisling Mancy have teamed up to write a red-hot action-packed thriller!


A Solitary Man coming from Dreamspinner Press November 6th!

Excerpt:
Evan pressed the button on his phone to connect. “Freddy? What did you find out?”Fred laughed. “For this, I’m going to exact a price.”“You mean the keg I sprang for at graduation doesn’t get me a freebie?” Evan shot back.“We’ve been out of law school for how many years now? Eight?”“Nine this year,” Evan corrected.“Credit’s no good anymore,” Fred answered. “I’m thinking dinner at Ivy at the Shore next time you’re in LA. On you, of course. Including a bottle of Veuve Clicquot.”“For that,” Evan said with a chuckle, “this had better be good.”“It’s good. And it was hell to get.”“Okay, okay. Dinner on me. Assuming you and Margie put me up for the night,” Evan replied. “I’m looking forward to seeing your McMansion.”“Deal. Took a little digging. Seems your mystery man did some undercover work for the FBI.”“And?”“My buddy in the US Attorney’s office wouldn’t give details, but word is Constantine got fed up with the bullshit after a case went bad somewhere down in South America.”“Drugs?” Evan asked.“No. He dealt with human trafficking. Specifically, child sex trafficking. My friend says the guy’s good. He tried a few cases where Constantine was the government’s key witness. Knows his stuff. Works his ass off and gets into his work. I got the impression sometimes he gets a little too close.”Now that was interesting. “Why?”“Seems the guy’s rabid about protecting kids.”“Any idea why?”“Nothing anyone would tell me,” Fred replied.Evan leaned back in his chair. At least Xav wasn’t a slacker, but it didn’t make Evan feel any better about the prospect of bumping into him at work. “Anything else?”“Constantine grew up in LA, went to school in Boston.”“Boston?” Even more interesting. So much for his initial assessment of Xav as a broceanographer.“Yeah, you’ll love this.”Evan could almost hear Freddy’s grin over the phone.“He did undergrad at MIT. Mathematics major. Master’s in criminology from U Penn with an emphasis in cryptology. The FBI was probably falling all over itself to recruit him.”No shit. This just got better and better. “What the hell’s a guy with that kind of background doing in North Carolina?”“I could ask you the same question,” Fred shot back. “Of course, if you decide you want your own McMansion….”“You couldn’t pay me enough to come to work for you,” Evan joked. Fred was serious—they’d had this discussion a half-dozen times before.“Try me.” Fred paused for a moment and then asked, “This personal?”Evan had no intention of telling Fred he’d slept with Xav. “Not personal.”“’Cause word has it he’s gay,” Fred said. “Out but not advertising.” When Evan didn’t take the bait, Fred added, “But you already knew that, didn’t you?”Evan shook his head and sighed theatrically. “Don’t even go there, Freddy. You know I don’t mix business and pleasure. I just want to know what I’m dealing with. That’s all.”“You can’t bullshit a bullshitter, man.”“Thanks for the help,” Evan said, foreclosing the topic. “I’ll let you know next time I’m out your way. Tell Margie she’s a brave woman.”“Always do. Laters. And make sure you get your sorry ass out here soon.”“Will do.” Evan disconnected the call and rubbed his mouth. Mathematics major at MIT and a master’s from U Penn? No wonder the FBI had recruited him. And he’d pegged Xav for a surfer! What the hell are you doing in Dare’s Landing, Xavier Constantine?
About A Solitary Man
Sparks fly when Chance meets tall, sexy Xav at a Wilmington bar and they have the hottest one-nighter of their lives. But Chance doesn’t do repeats, Xav seems detached, and they go their separate ways without a word. Two months later, when closeted Assistant District Attorney C. Evan “Chance” Fairchild meets Dare’s Landing’s newest deputy sheriff, Xavier “Xav” Constantine, Evan isn’t only wary. He’s irritated as hell.
Xavier is a former FBI agent turned deputy sheriff who is hot on the trail of a South American child prostitution ring. Evan is fighting to put an end to rampant cocaine trafficking and chafing under the thumb of an election-hungry boss. When someone tries to kill the thirteen-year-old witness who holds the key to both their investigations, they’re forced to work together as they put their lives on the line to protect him. As Chance and Xav collide in heat of a sweltering North Carolina summer, dodging bullets and chasing bad guys isn’t the only action going on.
Pre-order A Solitary Man from Dreamspinner Press!



About Shira Anthony
Shira loves a great happily-ever-after and never writes a story without one. She’s happy to write what her muse tells her, whether it’s fantasy, sci fi, paranormal, or contemporary romance. She particularly loves writing series, because she thinks of her characters as old friends and she wants to visit them even after their stories are told.
In real life, Shira sang professionally for 14 years, and she currently works as a public sector attorney advocating for children. She’s happy to have made writing her second full-time job, even if it means she rarely has time to watch TV or go to the movies.
Shira writes about the things she knows and loves, whether it’s music and musicians, the ocean, or the places she’s lived or traveled to. She spent her middle school years living in France, and tries to visit as often as she can.
Shira and her husband spend as many weekends as they can aboard their 36′ catamaran sailboat, “Lands Zen,” at the Carolina Coast. Not only has sailing inspired her to write about pirates and mermen, her sailboat is her favorite place to write. And although the only mermen she’s found to date are in her own imagination, she keeps a sharp lookout for them when she’s on the water.
Shira looks forward to meeting you at Gay Rom Lit!
Find Shira on blog, Twitter @WriterShira, Facebook, and Goodreadsand Subscribe to Shira’s monthly newsletter  for updates, free fiction, and subscriber-only contests!



About Aisling Mancy
Aisling is an author who lives, most of the time, on the West Coast of the United States. Aisling writes adult fantasy, adult LGBTQIA romance, and fiction for gay young adults (C. Kennedy).
Raised on the mean streets and back lots of Hollywood by a Yoda-look-alike grandfather, Aisling doesn’t conform, doesn’t fit in, is epic awkward, and lives to perfect a deep-seated oppositional defiance disorder. In a constant state of fascination with the trivial, Aisling contemplates such weighty questions as If time and space are curved, then where do all the straight people come from? When not writing, Aisling can be found taming waves on western shores, pondering the nutritional value of sunsets, appreciating the much maligned dandelion, unhooking guide ropes from stanchions, and marveling at all things ordinary.
Aisling looks forward to meeting you at Gay Rom Lit!
Find Aisling on blog, Twitter @AislingMancy, Facebook, Goodreads, and Aisling does respond to emails because, after all, it is all about you, the reader

'Not Good Enough' for a Rainbow

A Facebook friend posted this yesterday and it's caused a stir of comments. It's a one-man tirade about why straight people should not use the rainbow in their profile pics.

Allies, like the friend who posted it, and me, felt hurt. Maybe it's just the added stress I've been under lately, but it literally made me cry. Wonderful friends rushed in to tell all of us, "Don't listen to this jerk!" They showered us with all kinds of love and assured us that any and all support is greatly appreciated and needed, but, like I said on another friend's beautiful rebuttal, it's like a 1-star review: you know you shouldn't let it get to you, but, for whatever reason, it's a little louder in your head than all the positive ones.

Every time someone writes a blog post about how straight allies aren't 'doing it right', it upsets me. There's no handbook for this. Help us to do it better, but don't criticize the very people who want to help you! It's like being hit with friendly fire.

So, today's a new day, but this fucking article is still bothering me - and not just for the obvious reasons. It's making me mad at myself that one lousy person saying hurtful things (about me and others like me) is still upsetting me. Am I really that thin-skinned?

Then it hit me - this type of stuff is what the LGBTQAI people hear and read on a daily basis - and this week there's been a ton of it. It's not just one hateful post, it's hoards of them - and, you know what? I now get where the feelings behind this post came from. And to take it one step further - this was just one article written by some dude I'll never meet or probably even pass anonymously on the street. I'll never have to worry that his words of hate will manifest into physical violence on me or the person I love. It's such a little, tiny, scratch on my psyche - one that will probably be healed by tomorrow.

In a strange twist of irony, I now think he's right - even though he's hurt my fragile little feelings. It's one more thing I understand just a little better than I did before.

So, to all my LGBT friends - especially the kindest and gentlest of you - I can't imagine what it must be like to read mean and hateful shit about you. Every. Single. Day. It definitely sucks to be told you aren't good enough - even if it's just for something as insignificant as painting your profile pic with a rainbow.

In The Distance - Eileen Griffin & Nikka Michaels

I'm so excited to host two of my favorite friends and writers on my blog today!  Eileen Griffin & Nikka Michaels have just released a phenomenal new book - In The Distance - and it's getting incredible reviews! Check out the blurb and an excerpt:

Because sometimes it takes some distance to finally see what’s right in front of you…Tyler Mitchell has worked hard to rebuild his life after his family kicked him out. A culinary student and sous chef who spends his spare time volunteering with kids, he’s happy enough even though he has no time to consider a relationship.Trevor Pratt is finally getting over losing his best friend and the one person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with, but it’s taken screwing every cute guy in Manhattan to get there. He’s vowed to repair the friendship he endangered, but that’s hard to do when his friend’s new employee catches his eye. Despite being warned to stay away from Tyler, Trevor knows the sous chef is more than just a hookup.Romance is a terrible idea. Trevor is ten years older and a relentless playboy. Tyler is still unsure of his place in the world. Neither of them is ready for life-changing love, but as things heat up, their chemistry in the bedroom might just take that decision out of their hands.Read about Ethan and Jamie's romance in In the Raw and In The Fire, Books 1 & 2 in the In The Kitchen Series, available now!
Excerpt:I threw him a dirty look over my shoulder as we walked out of the diner. “Okay. So I might have had my dad’s Platinum AmEx card to help me out, but I struggled just like the rest of my classmates.”
Tyler’s low, deep laugh hit me in all the right, and wrong, places. “Poor baby. I’m sure it was hard to choose between the double shot extra whip latte and the regular Joe Blow latte.”
God, it was good to hear him laugh. “Hey now. Leave my double shot latte out of this,” I shot back as I unlocked the doors to the Mercedes coupe I’d rented.
His laughter slowly faded as I pulled out of the parking lot. I had only been to Ethan’s old place a few times when Jamie had first moved back to Seattle and before they had bought a new condo together. But Tyler made sure to keep me on the right track with directions, his voice getting softer and softer the closer we got to the apartment.
I pulled up to the curb, letting the car idle instead of parking and walking him to his door. As much as I found myself not wanting the night to end, it wouldn’t have been smart to push whatever this was. Anyone else? We’d already be upstairs with Tyler’s pants around his ankles and my mouth on him. But he wasn’t just anyone else.
Tyler, who had been staring out his window, slowly turned toward me. The soft lights of the dash barely illuminated his face. God, he looked young, innocent and worth every ounce of protectiveness he brought out in the people who cared about him.
“Thanks for the ride. And dinner. It was nice.”
He turned again and reached for the door handle.
“Hey, Tyler. Wait up." 

Want more?  You know you do!  Well, you're in luck, because Eileen and Nikka were awesome enough to give me a little something extra for my blog today!  Below is a little note from the writer ladies themselves AND a deleted scene!  Take it away girls!  
Our philosophy in writing is throw everything you have in there and then decide what works and doesn’t work after it’s finished and we’ve sent it off for a first editing pass from our editor. It was during this first pass (and second and third, and the multiple rounds of edits with our editor at Carina) of our novel, In The Distance, Book Three of our In The Kitchen Series, that we were reminded how rambly we can be. The following scene is a short one, and even though we loved it, it didn’t really add anything extra to the story except for Trevor showing his goofier side. It’s from Trevor’s POV while he’s back in NYC, trying (and failing) to keep things simple and uncomplicated with Tyler.
The article that inspired this scene can be found HERE , if you’d like to see what your zodiac sign says about your love life.
~Eileen Griffin and Nikka Michaels

Trevor Late February - NYC, Grand Central Station
Bored and out of sheer curiosity, I picked up the Glam Style magazine someone had left on my table at the Grand Central Station Cafe. Ten minutes later, my mind was reeling from the “Which Zodiac Lover Are You?” quiz I’d just taken. Apparently Leos burned with fiery passion and took charge in bed. Oh, and they loved it when their lovers played with their luxurious hair. I snorted. I wasn’t sure about the luxurious locks part, but I did love having my hair played with. Suddenly, an idea hit me, and I headed back into the main lobby to scan the enormous green ceiling for a certain zodiacal sign.“Perfect.” I snapped a picture and sent it to Tyler along with, “Wanna know why I’m the king of the jungle?”A few minutes went by before my phone pinged. “Grand Central?”“Mmmhmm.”“Do I even want to know?”“Probably not, but I might be getting a subscription to Glam Style magazine soon.”“Should I be worried?”I chuckled and typed out, “Nah, but according to the article I just read, I apparently have really great hair.”“???”“Gotta run to catch the next subway. TTYL.”I tucked my phone back into my pocket, but before heading downstairs to catch the next train, I swung back by the cafe and picked up the discarded magazine. By the time I’d reached my platform, I was absorbed in an article about the top ten best sexual positions for the winter. A subscription was looking better and better with every page.
© Nikka Michaels and Eileen Griffin

Jaycee's Review:
As I read the In The Kitchen series, I secretly fell in love with Trevor.  I know I wasn’t supposed to.  I know I was supposed to think he was a big, fat jerk for what he did to come between Ethan and Jamie, but I couldn’t help that my heart went out to him. I knew from practically the first scene Trevor was in that he was in love with Jamie. I understood his motivation and felt sorry for him, so when I heard that he was getting a story of his own, I cheered – and what a story it is – and, just for the record, I wasn’t wrong about him!
In The Distance is perhaps my favorite book of the series.  Ethan and Jamie are overly protective of Tyler, who they’ve taken under their wings, almost as an adopted son.  They warn love-em-and-leave-em Trevor to keep his hands off.
I love the carefully orchestrated dance that Tyler and Trevor perform on the knife-edge of friendship.  They both know that one misstep and they not only will bring down the rath of Ethan and Jamie upon them, but they risk severing the beautiful, fragile comfort zone they’ve created for themselves.
And therein lies the angst of the story (my favorite part). They both crave the warmth and coziness of the mundane – watching TV together, just hanging out, texting and sharing a laugh, but they both feel the pull of something deeper, something more, and Trevor, especially, is terrified of it.
The text messages between the two are some of the most deliciously angst-ridden parts of this story.  One exchange, in particular had me snot sobbing at 2 a.m. #JustInCaseYouWereWondering.
You could read this as a standalone, but why would you want to when the prior books are so wonderful? Fans of In The Raw and In The Fire will love how often Ethan and Jamie (and even Claire and others) are in the scenes.  The vitriol between Ethan and Trevor is heavy and dripping and culminates in an awesome scene at a hotel bar when a tipsy Trevor calls on Jamie for support.
I haven’t said much about Tyler and that’s only because I love Trevor so much, but Tyler is such a complex character that I almost think you’re better off discovering all his layers and letting him develop in your eyes right along with Trevor. It won’t take long before you are smitten with him too.


In the Distance
By Eileen Griffin and Nikka Michaels
Genre: M/M, Foodie Romance
Length: 105,000 Words
Series: In the Kitchen, Book 3
Release Date: June 15, 2015
Publisher: Carina Press
Goodreads page





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EILEEN GRIFFIN
Eileen Griffin lives in the southwest, but loves to travel and has spent many summers crossing Europe with nothing but a packpack on her back. She enjoys TexMex, lives for good wine, and has a certain penchant for purple unicorns. She loves reading all genres of books, but her current obsession is writing M/M romance.
Website and Blog  /  Twitter  /  Facebook Profile    FB Author Page  /  Goodreads  /  Evernight Publishing  /  Amazon US  /  Carina Press    All Romance eBooks



NIKKA MICHAELS
Nikka Michaels lives in the rainy Pacific Northwest where she spends her time cooking, laughing and crafting romantic tales to satisfy her craving for HEAs with heat. A voracious reader, novice knitter and music lover she's been known to multitask without breaking a sweat. She loves to read and write M/M romance but believes everyone deserves a love story.

I'm Not Gay But...

Something's been bugging me for awhile.  You know that meme that says, "I'm not gay but..."? There are a bunch of them, actually. They all have rainbow colors and sentiments such as:
"I'm not gay, but I have friends who are...""I'm not gay, but I support my LGBT friends.""I'm not gay, but I believe in equal rights." 
I see them all the time and they make me cringe every single time. 


"But, wait," you say.  "I thought you were an ally!"
I am!  I am - and that's why they bother me.  I used to share and post them whenever they crossed my timeline, too, but one day it hit me - it's like saying, "I'm not one of them, but..."
The wording is derogatory. It's a disclaimer.  It's putting the very people you support at arms length - at a separate counter - at the back of the bus.
Bullshit. Not when we're discussing people I love and care about.
To me, saying, "Okay, first of all, just so everyone's clear, I'm not gay, but, I support gay people" is drastically different from saying, "I'm straight and I support LGBT equality."  
I'm a straight ally. Period.
Not a perfect one, by any means, but, like anything else in life, I'm learning, and I know I've made some mistakes, but I also know I've changed a few hearts and minds along the way. Like everyone else, I'm a work in progress. 
We have our own flag? Who knew!

"But wait," you say again. "Is it necessary to even say straight ally, then?"
Yeah, I think it is. Because I was born at the tail end of the civil rights movement in a town dubbed "Caucasian Falls" (proudly dubbed, mind you) and I remember the talk at the dinner table and I'm ashamed of what side of the argument my parents were often on.  I remember the marches and the riots. And, later, I remember learning about the Freedom Riders.  If you don't know about them, I highly recommend you check out the info and the full length movie here. 
In a nutshell, the Freedom Riders were a small, brave group who rode buses through the most highly volatile and segregated areas of the U.S.  What made this an unusual act, is that blacks and whites rode together - on the same bus - and (gasp!) even sitting next to each other - as if they were, you know... equal.  An unheard-of idea back in that time.

Had those buses carried blacks only or whites only, they would've gone totally unnoticed. But a handful of white people stepped up and stood behind their belief that: It's not a black thing. It's not a white thing. It's a human thing. It's worth fighting for. (Sound familiar?) And a handful of black people were brave enough to ride on those very same buses, knowing full well when their bus stopped, they would most likely get the worst of any beatings being doled out. It didn't stop them - any of them - black or white. They got dressed up and they got on those buses. (As it turned out there were equal opportunity bigots waiting for them and the whites got beaten too.) 










I'm sure every one of these men and women - black and white - boarded those buses wondering if it'd be the last thing they'd ever do. Brave, brave people. Every one of them.
No matter what the cause, change and awareness doesn't begin to happen until members of the majority add their voice. Doesn't matter the topic. Pick one: Autism Awareness, Breast Cancer, AIDS, Homeless Veterans, Victims of natural disasters like earthquakes and floods, animal abuse... It's not until people OUTSIDE of the issue start to say to their family and friends, "Hey. Are you aware of this? These other (humans / animals / living breathing beings) need help," that things start to change. Little by little other people get on board and suddenly the scales start to level out and then gradually tip in the other direction.

Look at what happened in Ireland last week. I feel relatively safe in saying, without looking it up, that 62% of Ireland isn't gay. (Edited: I got curious. According to this article in The Irish Times and these statistics on Wikipedia, it's anywhere from 4% to 10%). In other words, the majority of YES votes weren't LGBT votes - they were overwhelmingly straight ally votes. Seeing the pictures from Dublin that day, my first thought was, 'I wish I was there'. Not only because I'd love to travel to Ireland to finally meet my beloved co-writer, Helena Stone and her ornry hubby, Dermot, in person, but to actually have been there soaking up all the energy of that moment.
When I was a pre-teen, my mom used to look at me, decked out in my amber sunglasses, peace sign t-shirt and bellbottoms and say she was glad I wasn't born sooner because she knew I'd have been marching right along side Dr. King or those kids at Kent State.  Even as a twelve or thirteen year old, I knew she was right. 
I still have a fascination with Kent State. I was a little kid, but we had close family in Kent and I remember it all as it happened. As an adult, I went there to do a geocache and was approached by a professor who'd been there as a student on that tragic day in 1970. He told me his perspective. He pointed out the bullet hole in the iconic metal sculpture we were standing next to. 





When you are actually standing there and you see how far away the students actually were from the Guard... you can't help but wonder... why were any shots fired? 



I've stood in the exact spot the famous photo of Mary Ann Vecchio kneeling over the body of Jeffrey Miller was taken.  I've driven through the parking lot that requires you to steer around the awkwardly placed memorials of the four students Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young sing about in the song, Ohio and a piece of me wishes I'd have been there.
Four Dead in Ohio


Yep, Mom was right. Had I been old enough, I'd have probably been 'there' - maybe not specifically Kent State or marching with Martin Luther King, but 'somewhere'.
Looking at the pictures from the 1960's, it doesn't even seem right to sit here in comfort behind the safety of my computer and say I'm an ally. I'm not boarding a bus, or protesting in front of the National Guard or taking my life in my hands, but I'd like to think that we've all evolved a bit and those type of protests are no longer necessary. We don't have to yell and scream anymore. We still use our voices, but in a different way. When I hit "publish" these words can literally be heard around the world in seconds.
Looking at what happened here in the 60's and last week in Ireland makes me proud to know that when (not if...when) my friends - all my friends - are treated equally - not just under the law, but socially as well - my straight ass will have been along for the ride - no 'but's' about it.
(Oh, and by the way, the pic of the two guys on the bus? Definitely my next plot bunny, so don't even think about it.)

Flash Fiction - Up and Away

Up and Away
“Are you sure this thing is safe?” Walter fidgeted in his seat.
“Yes! Yes. Completely safe,” the man in the fancy suit and top hat swished his fingers dismissively in Walter’s face. “Are you ready? Away we go!”
Walter’s heart pounded as the roar of the fire inside the orbs suspended above them grew louder and the carriage shuddered and lifted. For just a moment, it bumped the ground and re-settled. The urge to jump was overwhelming, but Walter’s brief hesitation cost him his only opportunity at escape. They ascended rapidly and within seconds they were too high for Walter to jump.
“Wait!” he shouted. “I want to go back.”

“Sorry. There is no ‘going back,’ the man said. The steam engine on one end of the frame fired up, followed by the whir of the giant propeller behind them. “The motor will boost us into the jet stream. Once there, we’ll only need the lamp-lifters. Walter craned his neck out the window to look at the glowing orbs straining above their ornate carriage.
“What if those cables break?”
The man laughed. “Such a practical boy. Where’s your sense of adventure?” His eyes glowed as bright as the flaming bubbles pulling them higher and higher into the heavens. He looked so familiar…. At that moment, the engine sputtered and died and the propeller slowed. Walter leapt to his feet.
“The motor!”
“Sit,” the man said calmly. “We’re high enough. We no longer need it.” Walter perched on the edge of the bench seat across from the man and tried to relax. He glanced up and the man smiled at him. “You might want to enjoy the view, Walter. It really is a beautiful evening and this will be the last you see of your home. You might want to take a look while you still can.”
“What do you mean ‘the last I’ll see of it’? Who are you? Where are you taking me?” He was frightened and began to cry. He wanted to go home. He wanted to see his mom and dad. He even wanted to see his stupid little sister, Angelina.
“Remember telling your family you never wanted to see them again? Well, I came to rescue you from them. As soon as we get to where we are going, the child version of you will be no more. You’ll be the adult you’ve always wished to be. Every decision will be yours to make. No more parents to tell you what to do or little sister to annoy you. Isn’t it wonderful?”

“No!” Walter screamed. “Take me back! I don't want to be an adult! I want to go home!”
The man leaned forward and took Walter by the shoulders and shook him. “Walter! What’s wrong? Walter!” He shook harder. Walter blinked and suddenly, the man became his father.
“Walter! Wake up! You’re having a nightmare!”
The young boy looked around the bedroom - at all the familiar trappings of his childhood. He buried his face in his father’s warm chest and sobbed.
"I'm sorry, Dad, I didn't mean it."
 -----------------------

Yeah, okay... I cheated. I don't know the first thing about steampunk so I used the dream-work-around. Hey - it's flash fic - anything goes, right?  ;o)
Check out my fellow Flashers' stories here!

J.R. Gray / Veil of Scars

I'm thrilled J.R. Gray is visiting my blog today and bringing Veil of Scars!
I started following Gray on Twitter several years ago (if you don't follow Gray on social media, you really should... just sayin') and it tickles me to no end that we're now fellow Evernight family members!
Veil of Scars is J.R. Gray's fourth book and was just released yesterday.It sounds phenomenal!
====================================================

A little bit about Veil of Scars:
Steven is tall, dark and damaged. He doesn't let anyone close, comfortable on the outside of normal life where he can hide his scars behind a wall so high that nothing gets through…except them. Despite a childhood marred with black and blue, he's survived and moved in with his two best friends, Sam and Charlie.
Life should get better, but it was Sam who held him when the dark threatened to swallow him whole, Sam who gave him a place that felt like home, and Sam who knew every scar and every broken place.
And it's all been taken away with Charlie sharing Sam's bed.
Without his former comfort, Steven realizes what's been hiding in the deep corners of his heart, and the truth sinks him like a weight. He’s in love with one or maybe both of his roommates. Navigating unrequited love tears Steven apart and brings him to the precipice, and he has to choose: his feelings or Sam’s…and Charlie’s?


Here is a sneak peek from Veil of Scars: 
     "Charlie coming home from the party, too?" I didn't dare to hope.
     “She didn’t go. She’s pulling an all-nighter in the library with a group for a project or something or other." He shrugged.
     Maybe I would get a stolen night. One like old times.
     We sat there for a while in silence, not quite wrapped up in one another but taking comfort from the other's body heat. I closed my eyes. Even on the sofa a night in his arms was bliss.
     "Want to go to bed?" Sam asked, rousing me from the light sleep I had slipped into.
     “Yeah, sorry." I got to my feet, cheeks flushing a bit, realizing I’d just fallen into something that wasn’t a reality anymore. In seven months there had been a few stolen nights with my best friend, but living with Charlie had put a stop to how we once were.
     His brows fell, and he looked up at me before getting to his feet. I was turning to head to my room when he grabbed me by the hand, lacing his fingers through mine. I stopped, looking up to search his face.
     He didn't say a word as he led me to the bed he shared with her. I couldn't help the smile that spread over my lips. The dark gave me the cover I needed to watch him pull the polo off his broad shoulders and cast it aside. I kicked out of my jeans and added my shirt to his on the floor, before crawling into bed. 
     The assured way he scooted in after me, coming up from behind to wrap his arms around my body, gave me a pain in the middle of my chest I couldn’t explain. I leaned back into his bare skin, and a calm washed over me. Within moments, it was like the nervous bundle of energy that had been wound inside me for months started to dissolve. 
     He tucked his head in next to my shoulder and whispered, “Goodnight," against my skin.

Get Veil of Scars now at Evernight PublishingGet Veil of Scars now at Amazon
====================================Want to connect with J.R. Gray?
JRGrayBooks.com
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theoriginalgray.tumblr.com   (NSFW)====================================Other books by J.R. Gray: 
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Evernight

Guest Post: Donina Lynn - Lose Control

Thank you for having me here today! I'm so excited to be sharing my new release Lose Control with you!
Myles and Cassie's story isn't about wine and romance. Their journey is about finding love with someone who you not only click with personally, but physically as well.
Let's be honest, when it comes to sex, we all have our likes and dislikes, right? We have our preferences and what we're willing to do. On the flipside, we also have that list in our heads of dealbreakers that when mentioned make you want to run in the other direction because there's NO WAY you're giving that a try. Kink-meter has officially been pegged, thank you very much.
Lose Control is about finding that person you're compatible and comfortable with. The one who has the same wants and desires, and is perfect for you both in and out of the bedroom. It's about falling for someone who can love every part of who you are ... even if some of those parts can be a bit naughty. ;-)
BLURB:
Myles Oliver Dayton likes control in every aspect of his life. He desire it, demands it, demands it in the board room and his bedroom. But when his teenage crush walks into his office to be his temporary assistant, the tight restraint he kept on his emotions starts to come undone. Something he couldn't allow. His idea of love is demanding and possessive, and in the end there would only be pain - for both of them.
Cassie Sorrelson grabs onto opportunities when they come along and assisting Myles with all his demands is an opportunity she isn't about to pass up. Sexy and controlling, he has her breathing hard and soon yearning for more than a few days together at the corporate retreat. When he suddenly pulls back, though, and refuses the desire she knows is running hot within him, Cassie is going to have to work at getting what she wants ... making Myles lose control.
EXERPT:
Myles closed his eyes and took a long, steadying breath. Cassie begging him, pleading with him to take her was playing havoc with the restraint he prided himself in. He never lost control. In fact, he did what was necessary to make sure he never even came close. This sudden willingness to loosen the tight hold he held himself in check with was a temptation he shouldn’t even be considering. Taking another breath, he buried the feeling as quickly as it surfaced and leaned back to face her. “I haven’t begun to punish you. Turn around.” When she turned, he placed his hand between her shoulder blades and gently pushed. “Bend over, hold on to the handles of the chair, and spread your legs.”

Myles clenched and unclenched his fists while he watched Cassie’s long hair cascade across her shoulders and fall around her face as the line of her back drifted lower and her firm ass rose. The picture she created before him—vulnerable, exposed, and so unbelievably fucking sexy—had him strung tight and ready to break. But when his eyes finally registered the thin piece of material that didn’t even come close to covering where the globes of her ass met, he felt himself snap.

She wore that to the beach? That wasn’t a bathing suit. The damn thing was barely a step above a thong, exposing every inch of soft, white skin on her perfectly rounded backside. Myles didn’t have to think hard to imagine the effect it would have on every man she sashayed past. Possessive jealousy rippled through him at the thought of other men drooling over her and being able to get a glimpse of what he was seeing right now. Mine. The word shouted in his head as a fierce need to stake his claim overtook him. It wasn’t about staying in control anymore. It was about him showing her she fucking belonged to him. And by the time he was done, she was going to know just that.

Myles hooked his finger under the flimsy piece of material and ripped it in two.

Cassie’s head flew around. “Hey. What the hell do you—”

A warning rumbled low in his chest, cutting off her words. “What am I doing, Cassie? Is that what you want to know? You disobeyed me. What do you think is going to happen next?” Myles placed himself at an angle, wrapping one arm around her abdomen to support and keep her still as his other hand came to rest on her ass. “You’re going to remember who commands this body. I’m going to fucking make sure of it.”

Wide, shocked eyes looked back at him. “You wouldn’t.”

“I would and will.”





BUY LINKS:
Evernight | Amazon.com | Bookstrand | All Romance eBooks 

ABOUT DONINA:
Donina Lynn lives in a small rural Pennsylvania town with her daughter and German Shepherd. Coincidentally, it's the same town where she grew up. There was a time, however, when she ventured away from her home and moved around a bit, crossed a few state lines, and got a degree or two. But, eventually she found her way back to where it all began.
When she's not at her day job, hanging with her family, curled up with her Kindle, or typing away at the computer, you can find her infront of the TV watching anything paranormal, sci-
fi, or a good action flick. Respect and admiration go to any show or movie that can incorporate explosions, big guns, some ass-kicking, and gratuitous butt shots.
Her addiction to romance novels started as soon as she could turn a page and has carried with her until she decided it was time to fulfill a promise she made to herself and give writing one a whirl. Her goal is to create stories and characters that the reader can relate to, laugh with and have them routing for that happily-ever-after. If there happens to be a few steamy scenes, well...that's just an added bonus.


FIND DONINA ON THE WEB:
Website | Facebook profile | Facebook author page | Twitter | Goodreads 

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