Elisa Rolle's Blog, page 317

2016 Rainbow Awards: Broken Blades by Aleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt (004-02-16-2016)

Broken Blades by Aleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt
Gay Historical Romance
Paperback: 312 pages
Publication Date: February 15, 2016
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1523448040
ISBN-13: 978-1523448043
Amazon: Broken Blades
Amazon Kindle: Broken Blades

They only had one night together—a stolen interlude at the 1936 Olympics. After Mark Driscoll challenged Armin Truchsess von Kardenberg to a good-natured fencing match, there was no resisting each other. Though from different worlds—an Iowa farm boy and a German aristocrat—they were immediately drawn together, and it was an encounter neither has ever forgotten. Now it’s 1944, and a plane crash in hostile territory throws them back together, but on opposite sides of a seemingly endless war. Facing each other as opponents is one thing. As enemies, another thing entirely. And to make matters worse, Mark is a POW, held in a cold, remote castle in Germany… in a camp run by Armin. They aren’t the young athletes they were back then. The war has taken wives, limbs, friends, leaving both men gray beyond their years, shell-shocked, and battered. The connection they had back then is still alive and well, though, and from the moment Mark arrives, they’re fencing again—advancing, retreating, testing defenses. Have they been given a second chance? Or have time and a brutal war broken both men beyond repair?

Rainbow Awards Guidelines: http://www.elisarolle.com/rainbowawards/rainbow_awards_2016.html

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2016 Rainbow Awards: If The Seas Catch Fire by L.A. Witt (003-02-16-2016)

If The Seas Catch Fire by L.A. Witt
Gay Mystery / Thriller
Paperback: 450 pages
Publisher: Lori Witt (January 1, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1943426147
ISBN-13: 978-1943426140
Amazon: If The Seas Catch Fire
Amazon Kindle: If The Seas Catch Fire

Sergei Andronikov was a child when the Mafia wiped out his family, leaving him with nothing but a hunger for revenge. Years later, through ruthless strategy and tireless patience, he’s a contract killer working for the three families ruling Cape Swan… and he’s nearly in position to bring them all down from the inside.

Domenico “Dom” Maisano is Mafia royalty, a made man… and a hitman. He’s caught up in a violent life he can’t escape, struggling to maintain an image he doesn’t want, and suppressing desires he can’t have.

A chance encounter throws the killers into each other’s paths. Though Dom knows he’s playing a dangerous game, he’s intrigued and keeps coming back. Sergei can’t resist him either—Dom is everything he set out to destroy, but he’s also everything he’s ever ached for in a man.

Then Sergei gets the contract he’s been waiting for—the hit that promises to bring the town’s Mafia to its knees.

But when a boss makes an unexpected move, Sergei must choose between dropping the hammer on the families he vowed to annihilate, and protecting the man he swore he wouldn’t love.

And the wrong choice—or even the right one—will destroy them both.

Rainbow Awards Guidelines: http://www.elisarolle.com/rainbowawards/rainbow_awards_2016.html

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Blog Tour: The Way You Look Tonight by Jo Tannah

The Way You Look Tonight by Jo Tannah
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing (February 12, 2016)
Amazon Kindle: The Way You Look Tonight (Standard Series Book 2)

Synopsis: As a member of a wealthy and influential family, Jaime “Jamie” Abello had his life mapped out. Being shipped off to LA with an insurance scam linked to his name was not part of his plan.
It had seemed so simple: pass the Philippines Medical Board Exam;practice in the family-owned and -controlled hospital; join the Board by age forty; and find a partner with whom he could settle down and be himself.
Instead, his father supplies him with a surfeit of money and dangerous secrets and sends him to a strange country.
The Pediatric Residency Program Jamie applies for brings him face to face with untouchable Program Director, Miles Kwon, whom Jamie soon finds to be a man of integrity and vision.
When tragedy strikes, Jamie finds himself falling deeper into depression. Unexpectedly, it’s Miles who helps him work through his pain.
Will Jamie ever experience a life with a loving partner, or will his father’s secrets cause him to lose everything he’s gained?

( Excerpt )




Don’t miss the Valentine’s Day Sale (February 11-22) 50% off on WIP’s website and 40% off on ARe!

About the author: JO TANNAH is a wife, mother, and blogger by day, writer by night. It can be difficult to say the least but it is a challenge that keeps her on her toes.
She grew up listening to folktales her father and nannies spun to either entertain the children or send home a message. These narratives stayed with Jo until she finally decided to write them down in a journal way back when she kept one. Years later, going through junk led to finding a long forgotten box and nestled within it was the journal. Reading over the stories of romance, science fiction, and horror that she had taken time to put to paper all those years before brought to light the realization that they were tales she’d never come across in her readings.
The tales Jo write are fictional but all of them are based on what she grew up with and still dreams about. That they have an M/M twist is simply for her pleasure. And she hopes, yours as well.

Jo Tannah can be found at:
Website: http://www.jotannah.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jotannahauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jotannah

Giveaway
Prizes: $4.99 WIP Gift Card and ebook copy of What A Difference A Day Makes by Jo Tannah
a Rafflecopter giveaway

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2016 Rainbow Awards: Love and Pain by W.S. Long (002-02-16-2016)

Love and Pain by W.S. Long
Gay Mystery / Thriller
Publisher: JMS Books LLC (November 8, 2015)
Amazon Kindle: Love and Pain

Sequel to Love and Murder

After their too-thrilling courtship that included capturing his former lover's killer, Jake Chandler has started a new life for himself with FBI agent Xavier. Living together is wonderful, but moving to Washington D.C. has resulted in temporary jobs that don’t last long. When Jake finally lucks out on a too-good-to-be-true position with a big law firm, Xavier suspects Jake’s new boss is crooked.

With some sleuthing, snooping, and close calls, Jake gets deeper into trouble at work, and conflicts with Xavier make his world start to crumble. When a key witness is shot to death in front of Jake, they both begin to realize how high the stakes are. Can Jake and Xavier get through these threats and find happiness with each other?

Rainbow Awards Guidelines: http://www.elisarolle.com/rainbowawards/rainbow_awards_2016.html

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Blog Tour: Love Unlocked Anthology

Love Unlocked by Claire Davis and Al Stewart, Victoria Milne, Dawn Sister, J P Walker, Caraway Carter, Ofelia Gränd, Debbie McGowan
Amazon Kindle: Love Unlocked

Blurb: Love Unlocked is a collection of seven short stories and novellas - unique LGBTQ romances inspired by the Love Lock Bridge.

THE STORIES:

THE TRAP by CLAIRE DAVIS AND AL STEWART
New job - sexy boss - fate - Art...
When Sal attends an open exam for an apprentice artist to work alongside the infamous Matthew Picard, the last thing he expects is to be the winner. But then his role is revealed and nothing is ever the same again. As he toils day and night on the unique sculpture, strange sensations begin to affect both him and the watching master artist.
Matthew Picard thought he was through with men and love. What he wanted was for Sal to help him create one final monstrous masterpiece - The Trap.
But as he observes his young apprentice, his focus shifts, and so do the very walls of the gallery.
Is it the beauty of art, or something more magical at work?
As the sculpture is created, a power is unlocked.
Can love save them, or will they be trapped forever?

WRITER'S LOCK by VICTORIA MILNE
Spending a month in Paris to write his romance novel had seemed like the perfect plan, but one week in, Phil Pearson is suffering from a severe case of writer's block. With barely a word written, he's fed up and ready to cut his trip short.
When Laurent Marceau sees Phil in his café, it sends him hurtling into the past, opening old wounds and reminding him of the love he lost. But, after watching the aspiring writer struggle for inspiration, he surprises himself by offering to show him Paris through the eyes of a true Parisian.
Finally bursting with ideas, Phil is delighted to put pen to paper, albeit badly at first. As the writer finds himself falling in love for the first time, Laurent knows he needs to decide quickly if he's strong enough to return his affections, or whether it would be better for them both if he walked away. He knows he may not have a choice, once Phil finds out the truth.

LOCKED IN THE MOMENT by DAWN SISTER
Due to a misunderstanding, the troll that lives underneath one of the most romantic bridges in Paris inadvertently unlocks every single padlock lovers have left there over the years. L'Authoritié de Fée Folklorique are up in arms. He has no idea what all the fuss is about. The noise was driving him mad. He just wanted a bit of peace and quiet.
A spell is cast, leaving the troll in a bit of a predicament. He is charged with the seemingly impossible task of fixing the locks before the spell can be reversed and he is allowed to return to his home. There are other complications, the least of which is the insistence and persistence of a fairy who is determined to help him against the wishes of his own people.
Now the troll has a dilemma. What is more important to him? The only home he has known for two thousand years, or a fairy he has just met?

THE WEEKEND by J P WALKER
Nat's been through a rough breakup and trust does not come easily. When she accompanies a group of friends to Paris for a hen weekend, she finds a connection she wasn't looking for, in the form of beautiful, passionate Morgan. They quickly fall into a wonderful weekend fling and even engrave their initials into a lock and attach it to the most romantic bridge in the world, Love Lock Bridge.
But was that weekend fling all there was, or will news of the bridge being taken down lead to something more?

THE SCARLET LOCK by CARAWAY CARTER
Brandon Marshall, in Paris for his twin sister's wedding, has a fling before the big day. At the end of a whirlwind week of discovering each other, Brandon and his lover place a scarlet lock on the Love Lock Bridge.
Follow Brandon through six years of letters - to the citizens of Paris, on everything from how to make love, to eating passionate fruit - and to the lover, who is now his brother-in-law.
The locks are being removed, the bridge refitted... What will be the fate to The Scarlet Lock?

HE MELTED US by OFELIA GRÄND
All Delron wants is to live his life with Phillipe, but when their love lock is stolen from Pont des Art, their relationship is in jeopardy. Without the lock holding them together, Delron is convinced they'll crash and burn. The only way he can save their relationship is to find the stolen lock, and that is just what he plans to do, no matter what.
Phillipe loves Delron, he really does, but it's driving him insane that Delron can't see that a padlock is simply a piece of metal. The lock has nothing to do with them, not really. Up until the night the lock was stolen, their life was great, but Del's crazy behaviour has Phillipe wondering if he has ever really known his boyfriend.
Delron's search leads him through art-filled Paris, but will a symbol of love ever be enough to soothe the mistrust his quest has planted in Phillipe? Phillipe always thought he'd spend the rest of his life with Del, but who can live with anyone willing to break the law just to find a padlock when they can buy a new one in just about any shop?

CHAIN OF SECRETS by DEBBIE MCGOWAN
Josh and George have always shared the special bond of friendship. From days in primary school, to holidays spent riding their bikes along the canal, theirs is a promise to remain best friends forever.
But can that promise withstand the trials of adolescence, and the changes in their feelings towards each other?



The authors and where to find them:

Claire Davis and Al Stewart
Al Stewart and Claire Davis write about people who are not perfect. Claire embraces the dark side, and Al the good side of the force. Their work is there for a fusion of both, mixed often with kink and humour.

1) Why do you write?
For lots of reasons. Sometimes to help my co-author tell a real life story, often for fun, and always because I love it.

2) Which of your books was the most difficult to write?
Impact Ripples. It was part of the MM group writing event, but in coincided with me losing someone in RL. I wanted to withdraw but Claire and my cover artist persuaded me to carry on. And the lady who submitted the prompt for the story was so wonderful I did not want to let her down.

3) Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
Sal. He thinks he is very ordinary, and can never fit into the world of art, but actually he is incredibly talented. One day he watches the news and sees a famous artist – Matthew Picard – say he is through with art. Sal is inspired and thinks of an innovative way to bring Matthew back from the darkness.

4) How much research do you do for your books?
In terms of people, lots.

5) Who designs your covers?
My dear friend Noah Homes. He is a very special person to me and Claire. 

Contact and Media
Website: http://astewartcdavisbook.wix.com/author
Goodreads:
goodreads.com/author/show/8328423.Cla...
goodreads.com/author/show/8510218.Al_...
Facebook: facebook.com/pages/Claire-Davis-and-A...
Beaten Track: beatentrackpublishing.com/clairedavis...

Victoria Milne
Many years ago, Victoria chose the words ‘watch this space’ to accompany her picture in the school yearbook and had no dreams of being a writer. Sixteen years later, after someone joked that she should be an author, she began the first page of her very first novel and realised how perfect those words had been.
As a latecomer to the world of creative writing, Victoria is now making up for lost time and enjoying every second of the experience.
In the rare moments these days when she’s not writing or dreaming up new plots, she can usually be found at either the ice rink or the dojo and all of these activities are done listening to loud music.
Victoria would love to hear from anyone who shares her passion for writing; and in particular from anyone who has tips on how to tame the editing fetish she has unwittingly acquired along the way.
Contact and Media:
Goodreads: goodreads.com/VMilne
Facebook: facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004591...
Beaten Track: beatentrackpublishing.com/victoriamilne

Dawn Sister
Dawn is from the North East of England. Her life is spent juggling. The juggling balls are: children, husband, work (occasionally), voluntary work, professional knitting (notice she doesn't class this as work), and writing. When she has time she actually sleeps.
The whole point of writing for Dawn is just to get it all off her chest and out of her head. If she doesn't write it down then she ends up having long conversations with the characters out loud and her husband thinks she's crazy.

1) Why do you write?
I have all these stories and characters swirling around in my head. If I didn’t write about them I’d end up having long conversations with them out loud and my family think I’m nuts to begin with.

2) Which of your books was the most difficult to write?
Always the most current WIP. I need motivating (read: needs a kick up the *ss). I work best with a deadline. Otherwise I just procrastinate.

3) Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
Sol is a troll. He doesn’t think he’s special at all. He’s ugly, scary and bad-tempered. He doesn’t need anyone to tell him this, he knows already. He’s been cultivating this image for two thousand years whilst he hides from the world, beneath a bridge in Paris. Humans don’t even know he exists, but something draws them to his bridge in their hoards and compels them to fasten their love-locks to the grids above his head. There must be some magic at work there but Sol doesn’t understand it. It takes a fairy named Lucien, who sees past his grumpy, gruff exterior, to make him realize he has more to offer, and that there’s more to life than hiding in a damp hole beneath a bridge.

4) How much research do you do for your books?
It depends on the subject. The recesses of my brain hold a lot of unrelated, but interesting facts and I can sometimes call on those reserves for a story. The rest of the time I use the internet. A Google search can take you to so many unexpected places.
Google Earth is always an essential when researching a location. I like to have that fixed in my head from the beginning. Whilst writing Locked in the Moment I spent a lot of time wandering the streets and parks of Paris without ever having to leave my sofa.

5) Who designs your covers?
The picture for the cover of Locked in the Moment was taken by a very good friend who happens to be a photographer, named Russell. He does this sort of thing as a hobby. I added the wording, however, the title is actually engraved on the lock itself.

Contact and Media
Twitter: https://twitter.com/dawnsister1
Tumblr: http://dawnsister.tumblr.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/DawnSister
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/DawnSister
FictionPress: http://www.fictionpress.com/~dawnsister
Fanfiction.net: https://www.fanfiction.net/~dawnsister

J P Walker
Jem Roche-Walker was born in Norwich and moved to the Northwest in order to attend Edge Hill University, studying Social Work Studies. After studying, she began working in rehabilitation for patients with acquired brain injuries and spent seven years writing her first novel, Knights of the Sun, (2013, Beaten Track).
She lives in Burscough with her wife and baby girl and loves spending family time with them.
Contact and Media
Goodreads: goodreads.com/JPWalker
Facebook: facebook.com/jpwalkerknightsofthesun
Beaten Track: beatentrackpublishing.com/jpwalker

Caraway Carter
Caraway Carter has worn numerous hats. He’s been a furniture salesman, a dresser, a costumer, an actor/waiter, a rabble rouser, a poet and most recently a writer. He married his husband on Halloween and they are the loving parents of two rambunctious cats. He loves words and stringing them together, he loves sex and sexy men. He loves seeing how far his muse will take him and he’s looking forward to entertaining you.
Contact and Media
Website: carawaycarter.com
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/13539002.Ca...
Beaten Track: beatentrackpublishing.com/carawaycarter
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CarawayCarter
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CarawayCarter
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/carawaycarter/

Ofelia Gränd
Ofelia Gränd is Swedish, which often shines through in her stories. She likes to write about everyday people ending up in not-so-everyday situations, and hopefully also getting out of them. She writes contemporary and paranormal, and dreams about one day writing a post-apocalyptic story—if that ever happens we’ll see.
Her books are written for readers who want to take a break from their everyday life for an hour or two.
When Ofelia manages to tear herself from the screen and sneak away from husband and children, she likes to take walks in the woods. She’s recently discovered the miracle of podcasts and spends her strolls listening to wise people talk.

"I’m a thirty-something-year-old Swedish woman who spends far more time in front of the computer than any sane person should. I live with my husband, our four children, two cats, one dog, and a various number of fish in a house in the middle of nowhere. If you’ve ever read any Astrid Lindgren, books you might have heard of Småland; that’s where I live. When I’m not at home taking care of children, I’m a teacher. I teach Swedish as a Second Language to teenagers and adults, but while that can be an interesting job I would much rather be writing.
My current book is called He Melted Us and it takes place in Paris. It’s part of the Love Unlocked anthology, an anthology about love locks, or rather about the people behind the locks. In He Melted Us you’ll meet Delron, a rather uncharismatic young man, and Phillipe, his more level-headed partner. Delron believes their relationship will fail without their padlock and is willing to do whatever it takes to get it back once it’s been stolen from Pont des Arts. Phillipe, on the other hand, can’t see how a stolen lock could have any impact on them whatsoever."

1) Why do you write?
You know, I often ask myself the same thing. I invest so many hours, on a daily basis, in my writing and most often there is nothing to show for it. No money, no fame, no raving fans *laugh*. But what else would I do? How do people who don’t write stay sane? My head is filled with all these ideas, all these people and voices and I’m afraid it might explode if I don’t let them out. So that is one part of it, another is that I want to do something meaningful and while writing might not change the world, it changes my world. The people I’ve come to know through my writing are very dear to me.

2) Which of your books was the most difficult to write?
Silent Woods I think. Some stories come easy, I get caught in a flow and can’t seem to stop until the story is finished. Others have me tied up in knots and Silent Woods was one of those. I couldn’t get it right and I was about to hit delete more times than with any other story I’ve ever written. But I finished it and sent it out to my beta readers and none of them seemed to hate it. Then I had my husband read it and he suggested a change in the ending. I’m so glad I changed the ending, it wasn’t much, just a few lines, but it changed a lot about how I felt about the story. Now I have a sort of love-hate relationship to that book.

3) Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
Of Phillipe and Delron I think Delron is the most interesting one mostly because he’s insane *laughs*. He has this belief that the fate of his and Phillip’s relationship comes down to that one little padlock they placed on Pont des Arts a few years before the story takes place. He takes no responsibility for his behaviour because it doesn’t matter, to him, what he has to do as long as he gets the lock back—it matters a great deal to Phillip what Delron does, but Del is unable to see that. I don’t know if it makes him special but he sure creates a heap of frustration. I was frustrated with him while writing though I had a laugh too. There is something about Del that makes me smile.

4) How much research do you do for your books?
There is always research behind a story, even small things that need to be checked, but I think I do far less research than many others. I mostly write contemporary or paranormal and I don’t think you ever can compare those genres to say historicals. Most often I get away with googling things, and if I’m working on a paranormal story I can most often simply make things up.

5) Who designs your covers?
Most often I make them myself. I like playing around with Photoshop but I’m far from being a graphic designer. I also have some covers made by the lovely Amy Spector.

If you want to know more, subscribe to Ofelia's Mailing List:
http://ofeliagrand.us9.list-manage.co...
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...+
Facebook 1:
https://www.facebook.com/ofelia.grand
Facebook 2: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Ofelia...
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/ofeliagrand/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/ofeliagrand
Website: http://ofeliagrand.com/

Debbie McGowan
Debbie McGowan is an author and publisher based in a semi-rural corner of Lancashire, England. She writes character-driven, realist fiction, celebrating life, love and relationships. A working class girl, she ‘ran away’ to London at seventeen, was homeless, unemployed and then homeless again, interspersed with animal rights activism (all legal, honest ;)) and volunteer work as a mental health advocate. At twenty-five, she went back to college to study social science—tough with two toddlers, but they had a ‘stay at home’ dad, so it worked itself out. These days, the toddlers are young women (much to their chagrin), and Debbie teaches undergraduate students, writes novels and runs an independent publishing company, occasionally grabbing an hour of sleep where she can.
Contact and Media
Twitter: @writerdebmcg
Facebook 1: facebook.com/DebbieMcGowanAuthor
Facebook 2: facebook.com/beatentrackpublishing
YouTube: youtube.com/deb248211
Tumblr: writerdebmcg.tumblr.com
LinkedIn: uk.linkedin.com/in/writerdebmcg
Google+: plus.google.com/+DebbieMcGowan
Goodreads: goodreads.com/DebbieMcGowan
Pinterest: pinterest.com/b10track
Website: debbiemcgowan.co.uk



( Tour Dates & Stops )

Giveaway:
Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of the anthology
Rafflecopter Code:
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2016 Rainbow Awards: Indigo Road by R.J. Jones (001-02-15-2016)

Indigo Road by R.J. Jones
Gay Contemporary Romance
Paperback: 160 pages
Publisher: CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform (December 4, 2015)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1523643447
ISBN-13: 978-1523643448
Amazon: Indigo Road
Amazon Kindle: Indigo Road

Two best friends take a year off to find themselves… and end up finding each other. Joshua Simpson has just finished four years at Purdue University, but that’s not why he’s buzzing with excitement. Once they’ve said goodbye to their families, Josh and his best friend Alex are taking off to discover America in an old but reliable VW van, planning on not seeing snow for an entire year. Josh has always considered himself straight—except for that one time in college—so when he and Alex are living in such close proximity on the road, he’s unsure what these new feelings mean. Is it because they’re spending 24/7 together, or is it something deeper? And does it really matter since Josh has only ever seen Alex with women? While in Oregon, Josh meets Johnno, a sexy but confusing Aussie surfer. While having an impromptu surfing lesson, Johnno helps Josh realize who he is and what he wants—but Alex’s reaction leaves Josh confused. From a Montana ranch to the bright lights and dangerous streets of Los Angeles, to a dark and lonely deserted highway in Alabama, join Josh and Alex as they drive around the US, discovering not only who they are, but who they can be together.

Rainbow Awards Guidelines: http://www.elisarolle.com/rainbowawards/rainbow_awards_2016.html



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Blog Tour: Speakeasy by Suzey Ingold

Speakeasy by Suzey Ingold
Paperback: 256 pages
Publisher: Interlude Press (February 18, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1941530699
ISBN-13: 978-1941530696
Amazon: Speakeasy
Amazon Kindle: Speakeasy

Blurb: In the height of the Prohibition era, recent Yale graduate Heath Johnson falls for Art, the proprietor of a unique speakeasy tucked away beneath the streets of Manhattan where men are free to explore their sexuality. When Art’s sanctuary is raided, Heath is forced to choose between love and the structured life his parents planned for him.

( Excerpt )



Meet the author: Suzey Ingold is a writer, linguist and coffee addict, currently based in Edinburgh, Scotland. Brought up in a household where children’s books are quoted over the dinner table, literature has always had a strong influence on her life. She enjoys traveling, scented candles and brunch. Her short story, “The Willow Weeps for Us,” was included in “Summer Love: An LGBTQ Collection,” published by Duet, an imprint of Interlude Press (2015).

"Thank you for having me! I’m a writer and linguistics student, currently based in Edinburgh. I’ve been writing for years and had my first short story, The Willow Weeps for Us, published in 2015, in the Summer Love anthology from Duet Books. Speakeasy is about a recent Yale graduate who must discover what he really wants when he meets the owner of a unique Midtown speakeasy in 1920s Manhattan."

10 things we didn’t know about you.
1. My name is actually Susanna, although no one calls me that, nor have they in years. I have friends who have actually been made confused when they see the name Susanna written on anything of mine.
2. I speak five languages—to varying levels. I was brought up bilingual speaking both English and Finnish; I studied Spanish and French in high school; and then did two years of Italian at university. I love languages—next, I’d really love to learn Swedish, or maybe Arabic.
3. One of the perks of being half Finnish (apart from spending beautiful summers by the lakeside) is that I get to have two Christmases: on Christmas Eve, we have a Finnish Christmas with all the delicious traditional dishes, and then on Christmas Day we do the British traditional things.
4. I am the baby of my family. I have three older brothers, but they are 13, 16, and 18 years older than me, respectively. By the time I was 5 years old, they’d all moved out, so in many ways I grew up like an only child.
5. I’m a little obsessed with astrology. (I’m a Gemini, FYI.) I could spend hours reading things about what my sign says about me—they’re almost always accurate, which is the cool thing!
6. I can’t drive. I started taking lessons when I was still in high school, because it’s what everyone did at that age, but after having more than one panic attack during a lesson, I quit. One day, I will go back to it. Honest.
7. When I go to the movies, I will order salted popcorn and then buy a bag of some kind of chocolate (Revels are my favorite choice for this) and eat a handful of salted popcorn together with a chocolate. I can’t even explain how good it tastes.
8. I’m naturally a dirty blonde but, over the years, my hair has been peach, red, orange, dark brown, bleach blonde, and purple.
9. I love to swim, even though I actually didn’t learn until I was about 9 nine years old. For a long time, I was scared of water because the youngest of my three brothers took me on a water ride when I was 3 years old, with a promise that it would be absolutely fine. (It wasn’t fine.)
10. I can touch my nose with my tongue.

Where to find the author:
Homepage: www.suzeysays.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/suzeysays
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/suzeysays/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/suzeysays



( Tour Dates & Stops )

Giveaway:
Rafflecopter Prize: $25 IP Web Store Gift Card Grand Prize + 5 eBook editions of Speakeasy to randomly-drawn winners
Rafflecopter Code:
a Rafflecopter giveaway



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Cover Reveal: Anthem (Notes from Boston 1) by A.M. Leibowitz

Anthem (Notes from Boston 1) by A.M. Leibowitz
Paperback: 234 pages
Publisher: Supposed Crimes, LLC (March 1, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1938108973
ISBN-13: 978-1938108976
Amazon: Anthem (Notes from Boston 1)
Amazon Kindle: Anthem (Notes from Boston 1)

Blurb: Trevor Davidson has everything going for him. He’s just moved out on his own with three friends, and he’s landed a job as music director at a large Boston church. He has high hopes for marrying his long-term girlfriend and settling into a comfortable, devout lifestyle.
Andre Cole has spent the past few years throwing himself into a dead-end job at a Cape Cod-based call center. When an opportunity to move back to Boston arises, Andre believes it will be the do-over he needs to put his past behind him.
A chance meeting in a club on New Year’s Eve brings Trevor and Andre together for a brief but steamy encounter. Both assuming that’s the end of it, they are unexpectedly thrown back into each other’s lives when Trevor’s church hires Andre for their website design. While Andre is content at first to move on, Trevor’s conflicted feelings bubble over into his songwriting. Before he can stop it, his ode to Andre becomes an inadvertent Christian radio hit.
Unfortunately for Trevor, he isn’t the only one who knows the song’s hidden meaning. Someone has leaked the story and upended Trevor’s life. In order to put the pieces back together, he needs to learn to be honest with his girlfriend, with Andre, and especially with himself.

( Excerpt )



Meet the author: A. M. Leibowitz is a queer spouse, parent, feminist, and book-lover falling somewhere on the Geek-Nerd Spectrum. Ze keeps warm through the long, cold western New York winters by writing about life, relationships, hope, and happy-for-now endings. In between noveling and editing, ze blogs coffee-fueled, quirky commentary on faith, culture, writing, books, and hir family.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amymitchell29
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/UnchainedFaith
Twitter: https://twitter.com/amyunchained (@amyunchained
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/amyunchained/
Web site: http://amleibowitz.com
Amazon author page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B00OIC158W (A. M. Leibowitz)
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AMLeibowitz
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...



Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, Divine Magazine, The Hat Party, Three Books Over The Rainbow, KathyMac Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Bayou Book Junkie, Elaine White, Unquietly Me, Elisa - My Reviews and Ramblings, MM Good Book Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Happily Ever Chapter, Molly Lolly, Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews, Alpha Book Club, Wake Up Your Wild Side, Louise Lyons, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads, Love Bytes, Velvet Panic, Kirsty Loves Books, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews

Giveaway:
Rafflecopter Prize: eBook of choice: Anthem, Passing on Faith, or Lower Education
Rafflecopter Code:
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Book Blast: Love Me Tenor (PerfectHarmony 2) by Annabeth Albert

Love Me Tenor (PerfectHarmony 2) by Annabeth Albert
Paperback: 270 pages
Publisher: Lyrical Shine (February 16, 2016)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1601835051
ISBN-13: 978-1601835055
Amazon: Love Me Tenor (#PerfectHarmony 2)
Amazon Kindle: Love Me Tenor (#PerfectHarmony 2)

Blurb: Trevor Daniels is feeling aimless. A recent college grad, he’s not sure what to do with his useless degree, and his family all but abandoned him after he revealed the truth about himself. But a friend’s suggestion that he take his chances on a reality show aimed at finding the next big boy band strikes a chord with him—until the show’s producers convince him to act like he’s in a relationship with a guy who’s not at all his type. It isn’t exactly love at first sight for Jalen Smith either—but lust just might push them in an unexpected direction. If only their secrets weren’t even more twisted than their sheets, threatening to cost them the win—and each other…

( Excerpt )



Meet the author: Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.
Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter. In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two children.
Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/annabethalbert
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/annabethalbe...
Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnnabethAlbert
Tumblr: www.annabethalbert.tumblr.com
Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/annab...
NEWSLETTER: http://eepurl.com/Nb9yv
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...



Tour Dates & Stops:
Parker Williams, Gay Book Reviews, The Hat Party, Louise Lyons, BFD Book Blog, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Bayou Book Junkie, Divine Magazine, Jessie G. Books, Boys on the Brink Reviews, My Fiction Nook, Open Skye Book Reviews, Happily Ever Chapter, 3 Chicks After Dark, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Just Love Romance, V's Reads, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Unquietly Me, Book Lovers 4Ever, Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews, QUEERcentric Books, Charley Descoteaux, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, MM Good Book Reviews, Alpha Book Club, Elisa - My Reviews and Ramblings, Mikky's World of Books, Inked Rainbow Reads, Molly Lolly, Let's Get Ready To Romance, Velvet Panic, Kirsty Loves Books, Cheekypee Reads and Reviews

Giveaway:
Rafflecopter Prize: $20 Amazon gift card
Rafflecopter Code:
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Blog Tour: The Art of Hero Worship by Mia Kerick

The Art of Hero Worship by Mia Kerick
Paperback: 212 pages;
Publisher: Cool Dudes Publishing (Feb. 14 2016);
Language: English;
Amazon Kindle: The Art of Hero Worship

Blurb: Trembling on the floor, pressed beneath a row of seats in a dark theater, college freshman Jason Tripp listens to the terrifying sound of gunshots, as an unknown shooter moves methodically through the theater, randomly murdering men, women, and children attending a student performance of Hamlet. Junior Liam Norcross drapes his massive body on top of Jason, sheltering the younger man from the deathly hail of bullets, risking his life willingly, and maybe even eagerly.

As a result of the shared horror, an extraordinary bond forms between the two young men, which causes discomfort for family and friends, as well as for Jason and Liam, themselves. And added to the challenge of two previously “straight” men falling into a same-sex love, are the complications that arise from the abundance of secrets Liam holds with regard to a past family tragedy. The fledgling passion between the men seems bound to fade away into the darkness from which it emerged.

Jason, however, is inexplicably called to rescue his hero in return, by delving into Liam’s shady past and uncovering the mystery that compels the older man to act as the college town’s selfless savior.

The Art of Hero Worship takes the reader on a voyage from the dark and chilling chaos that accompanies a mass shooting to the thrill of an unexpected and sensual romance.

( Excerpt )



Meet the author: Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.
Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young men and their relationships, and she believes that sex has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to CoolDudes Publishing, Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press for providing her with an alternate place to stash her stories.
Mia is proud of her involvement with the Human Rights Campaign and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

"Hello, and thank you so much for welcoming me to your blog to promote my new Mia Kerick Adult release, The Art of Hero Worship. As I am focusing on expanding my adult releases, I’d like to offer a sample of a new book I have just finished writing and am currently in the process of rewriting and editing called Thousand-yard Stare. This book is the love story between a very broken thirty-year-old man who was abducted as a child and, though he was returned to his family, has never been able to rejoin the world, and a gender fluid man who lives his life fluctuating from being a man to being a woman, which has also been a very difficult path.

( Here is an excerpt in Vedie’s narrative voice. I will discuss it afterwards. )

In this excerpt, Vedie is trying to figure out where he stands with Mateo, as a gender fluid person who lives his life as a man and a woman. Vedie shows in this section that he is defensive about who he knows he is and who he has decided not to hide. He needs Mateo to understand that his gender fluctuates and that he is more than a sexual object. Mateo, on the other hand, is not concerned with Vedie’s gender. I do not think that even he understands why Vedie’s gender/sexuality do not matter to him. In essence, this excerpt is all about acceptance. In an earlier scene vedie showed complete acceptance of Mateo’s quirky behavior, and here, Mateo returns the favor. Interestingly, these two men who have every reason to protect themselves find in each other a non-judgmental partner.

Keep your eyes open for Thousand-yard Stare, the love story of Vedie and Mateo."

Where to find the author:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/Mia-KerickAu...
Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/Mia-KerickAu...
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/bCLWfT
Website: www.miakerick.com
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show...
Amazon Author Page:
http://www.amazon.com/Mia-Kerick/e/B0...
Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/2...



( Tour Dates & Stops )

Giveaway:
Rafflecopter Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card
Rafflecopter Code:
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