Rush Penelope Rivers Genre: Gay Werewolf, M/M PNR Publisher: ARe Books Date of Publication: July 1, 2015 ISBN: 9781943576142 Word Count: 50,000 Cover Artist: Erin Dameron Hill Book Description:
Out of desperation and danger comes love. What a rush!
Strapped for cash, Dante Kinnaird agrees to sell a sample of his werewolf DNA to the owner of a security company intent on breeding fierce and fearsome dogs. Dr. Crios Mantzaris Karras III, a brilliant but arrogant scientist, creates the serum and gets on Dante’s last nerve. Dante can’t wait to cash his check and get away from this man.
Crios’s ego takes more than a beating when his hybrid were-dogs become uncontrollable and terrorize the countryside. Dante knows he must make things right, and puts aside his feelings for Crios as they team up to stop these bloodthirsty monsters.
In the heat of battle, he never expected those feelings to change.
***
Excerpt:
Two hours later, Dante sat strapped in the chair as Crios ran his fingers over his bare arm, seeking out a vein so he could draw blood. The other man didn't hesitate before thrusting the needle straight into his inner elbow. Dante barely felt the needle dipping into his skin. To him, being prodded was nothing.
Crios examined the dark crimson liquid that filled the syringe, his eyes gleaming. "Interesting."
"What's interesting?" Blood was blood, after all.
Crios sighed as if dealing with the questions of the common man was oh-so-exhausting. "Werewolf blood looks the same as human blood."
A grin covered his face before he could stop it. "Did you think that werewolves bleed blue or something?"
"Don't be ridiculous. Blue blood? Whoever heard of such a thing? This is reality, not a comic book." Miffed, Crios shook his head. "I just wasn't sure what to expect. I've never worked with werewolves before, so for all I knew your blood could have had a different consistency and color than a human's."
"I take that to mean you haven't been gene mashing werewolves and animals for long?"
Crios picked up the vial of blood and transplanted it into a metal vat beside him. "No, I haven't. I didn't even know that werewolves existed until Norm shared the truth with me. And even then, I was skeptical until I did the research myself."
"I wonder how Norman discovered werewolves." He reminded himself to ask Norman when he returned from the restroom. Werewolves were a pretty well-kept secret, and for a good reason. If the human population discovered their existence, then their kind would never be left alone.
Pulling a white cotton ball from his pocket, Crios rolled it between his thin fingers. "Norm told me that he saw a werewolf transform when he was walking home from a bar. After that, he couldn't get thoughts of werewolves out of his mind. He dug around and found out all about them."
Well, it looked like Dante hadn't needed to wait until Norman returned from the restroom to question the man after all. "The werewolf who was seen should have been more careful. Most of my kind tries not to transform in the presence of humans. It'll put us in danger."
"Accidents happen, I guess." Crios shrugged. "Open."
"What?"
"Open your mouth." Crios rolled his eyes. "I have to do a swab."
"Oh." He blinked in surprise before opening his mouth wide. Maybe he was being ridiculous, but he could only pray that his breath didn't stink.
The man ran the cotton swab along his cheek and then opened a plastic bag and put it inside. As Crios laid the bag next to the blood sample, Dante couldn't help but feel mounting curiosity in regards to this brilliant but socially inept person.
"Have you always liked science?" He noted how natural Crios appeared floating around in his lab coat.
"Science isn't something I like as much as it is something that is in my blood." Crios pushed the glasses further up his nose. "I come from a family of scientists. My mother and grandfather were brilliant chemists. I, however, chose to specialize in a few different scientific fields. I figured that I'm smart enough to work in several different scientific areas at once."
I love how he had to add a little self-plug in there…"You just made it sound as though you don't like science."
"Like I said, science runs in my blood. That's all there is to it. It's not a matter of me liking or disliking it."
"But what's the point spending your life doing something you hate?" He'd rather spend his life trying his best at something he enjoyed even if he was crappy at it. "It sounds like you're setting yourself up for years of pain and misery. I don't know why you'd do that."
"I don't hate science. I just don't particularly like it." Crios stopped talking as his face became the color of a freshly plucked plum. "Why on earth am I talking to you about this? I shouldn't have to defend my life choices to a perfect stranger."
"Sorry."
Crios huffed and pulled another cotton ball from his pocket. "This is why I hate dealing with people. It's always so exhausting."
Other people were exhausting? Dante had once had to run fifty miles in one go, and that had tired him out less than this conversation. "Sorry I'm such a trial."
In response to his jab, Crios said nothing. Zilch. Nada. The guy probably hadn't even noticed his tone.
"Do you have any family?" He wanted to know how Crios had ended up so much like, well, Crios.
"They're all dead." Not even a smidgeon of emotion crept into Crios's crisp voice. Dante had heard someone become more emotional about a deceased goldfish.
Still Dante's stomach twisted. "I'm sorry."
***
About the Author:
Penelope Rivers is an erotic novelist of M/M romance novels and short stories. A hopeless dreamer, she spends her day thinking about all things fantasy, romantic and not. It is her view that when you start choking on the occasionally dry bread of life, you need something sinfully delicious to chase it down with. Currently, she lives in Utah with an abnormal amount of pets.
Bear Wanted The Grizzly List Book One Julia Talbot Genre: Gay, Bear Shifter, M/M PNR Publisher: ARe Books Date of Publication: July 1, 2015 ISBN: 9781943576166 Word Count: 20,000 Cover Artist: Erin Dameron Hill
Book Description:
He always wanted a bear to keep him warm at night…
Lane knows want he wants in a lover, but hasn’t been able to find the perfect bear of a man in his small Colorado hometown. So he turns to the Grizzly List, a regional personal ad service for bears and their lovers. He’s not sure what to expect when he meets Fin, but what he gets might be his perfect man.
Bear shifter Fin has been looking for someone with whom to spend his days, nights, and winter hibernation. He’s a happy guy, but needs someone who wants a big, burly, slightly dominant mate. When he meets Lane, Fin knows he’s found what he needs, but will he be able to convince Lane that they’re made for one another, in human form and bear?
Excerpt:
Bear wanted for cute bottom. Looking for 30-40yo bear, ddf, kind but firm. Seeking companionship/ relationship. Want to cook for you, cuddle, and explore physical possibilities. Hairy a must, uncut a plus. Send photos and response to inbox 4125.
Finley bit his lower lip, trying to decide if he should reply or not.
He hadn’t had the world’s best luck with personal ads. This was his first try on the Grizzly List, which his friend Egan assured him would be way better than Craigslist. They specialized in getting bears together with men who loved them.
Oh, it wasn’t that Fin didn’t want to have sex, but every ad he’d answered so far was just from someone who wanted a quick hookup, and they all wanted him to wear a leather harness and spank them.
That was an awful lot of work. Fin liked the idea of cuddling, and of someone pampering him a little. God knew he loved to play the hot and heavy game, but that came later. He hoped the guy who placed this ad really liked to cook, and maybe knew how to make a honey cake.
Oh, honey.
Fin attached two pictures of himself from the neck down, with his swim trunks on, and added a tiny message.
Love to cuddle, watch movies, hang out in the hot tub. Hairy, uncut, looking for long-term. Let’s meet.
His cheeks heated just typing “uncut” but that was the truth, and what this cute guy seemed to want, so what the heck? Fin took a deep breath and hit send, because he’d left his phone number in there, too. Wow. Okay.
Here went another try. He hoped it worked out better than the last few. If it didn’t, well, there was always hibernation.
***
About the Author:
Julia Talbot lives in the great Southwest, where there is hot and cold running rodeo, cowboys, and everything from meat and potatoes to the best Tex-Mex. A full time author, Julia has been published by Torquere Press, Ellora's Cave, and Changeling Press. She believes that everyone deserves a happy ending, so she writes about love without limits, where boys love boys, girls love girls, and boys and girls get together to get wild, especially when her crazy paranormal characters are involved. Find Julia at @juliatalbot on Twitter. Julia also writes as Minerva Howe.
For more information on other books by Julia, please visit her official website: www.JuliaTalbot.com
Make 'em Laugh by Vikkie Moule M/M Contemporary 5 Stars
Love is the cosmic joke of which we are all the butt.
Gregory firmly believed this and in his fifteen years of professional stand-up comedy he had seen nothing to the contrary. Then Jacob came along. Jacob, with his dimples, his abs and his dreams of becoming a social justice lawyer, was more than Gregory Vannozzo had ever bargained for.
Jacob Mackay was young, qualified, and ready to shoot for the stars, ready to do his family proud, ready to make the world a better place. The only problem was, he wasn’t ready for Gregory.
Love, life, sarcasm and chocolate fondue all take their place in a story that starts when a stand-up comic walks into a bar.
Review:
This was a wonderful, sweet slice of life book which tackles, love, life, laughter, chocolate and more, and not necessarily in that order.
Gregory is estranged from most of his family since he came out as bisexual as a teenager and has had so many terrible relationships in his past that they become part of his stand-up routine. He's not really looking for anything when he starts bantering with Jacob, the hot young barman at the club he's performing in.
Jacob has just finished law school and is preparing for his bar exam, and holding down two jobs to help with expenses and he is not looking for a relationship at the moment, his plate is full enough as it is. But Gregory's jokes amuse him and Jacob decides to go outside his comfort zone for once and gives Gregory his number.
The rest as they say, is history. Or not quite, for the course of true love never runs smooth, at least not in books. Gregory is prone to bouts of depression, and pushes everyone away, including Gregory when he gets into one of his moods.
Jacob is stressed about his upcoming exam, worried about disappointing his family, with a protective older foster-brother who is keen to know Gregory's "intentions".
The book was romantic without being sappy, funny without being cheesy and I just adored Gregory and Jacob. They seem very well suited. I think Gregory has the same sense of humour as my husband: one scene had Jacob and Gregory at a post art gallery, where Gregory was making sarcastic comments about all of the works on display and they got thrown out, I could well imagine that happening with my husband. So too with the way Gregory answers the phone. It's never something as simple as "Hello" for Gregory, but something funny.
Not to say everything was sweetness and light, there was a bit of angst in parts, but that just made the sweeter parts all the sweeter for what the characters had been through before. I'd say the heat level was low to medium, there was one explicit scene, but most were fade to black. I would have preferred a bit less fade to black, but maybe that's just me ;)
The Layred Mask
by Sue Brown
M/M Historical/Regency
Novella Length
Dreamspinner Press
Buy Link: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: July 22 2015.
Blurb:
Threatened by his father with disinheritance, Lord Edwin Nash arrives in London with a sole purpose: to find a wife. A more than eligible bachelor and titled to boot, the society matrons are determined to shackle him to one of the girls by the end of the season.
During a masquerade ball, Nash hides from the ladies vying for his attention. He is discovered by Lord Thomas Downe, the Duke of Lynwood. Nash is horrified when Downe calmly tells him that he knows the secret Nash has hidden for years and sees through the mask Edwin presents to the rest of the world.
And then he offers him an alternative.
About the Author:
Sue is a bi, dog-loving, British gay romance writer, completely addicted to chocolate and coffee, and with a secret desire that she could have been an aristocratic private eye in a former life. She lives on the outskirts of London with her two dogs and two kids. The household is ruled by the youngest member, Faith, whose personality and dominance has grown in proportion to her legs and ears.
When the right space pilot walks into his bar, a desperate bartender uses all his wiles (and tentacles) to talk the man into business and his bed--but the spacer is still enslaved by his past and isn't sure he can deal with a two-handed lover, much less one with six.
As the supply shipments stop coming, Teo Houdin needs all his tentacles to keep his waystation bar open. Facing a riot by thirsty miners stranded in the backwater of the galaxy, Teo helps a greenie space pilot buy a ship in return for a regular haul of liquor.
But he longs for the courage to invite the enigmatic spacer to fill his lonely bed as well.
Still smarting from his newly implanted navigational ports, Jimenez knows owning his own ship will prevent him from ever being bought and sold again. For a former slave, transporting cargo through the emptiness of space sounds like paradise, but after meeting the compassionate and sexy Teo, his heart feels empty, too.
At the edge of the galaxy's spiral arm, can Teo convince Jimenez that the heart has its own tentacles and theirs should be entwined forever?
Jimenez opened the bar’s airlock and the urge to run out again washed over him like a splash of cold water. He commanded his frozen legs to shuffle forward and inside. This could turn ugly if he lost his concentration for even a moment. But he wouldn’t. He’d been practicing, becoming accustomed to groups larger than this for revs now.
He could be just like everyone else.
None of them would see the scars on his back or the brand of his tattoo that had marked him since puberty.
Men and women filled half the tables and booths, some laughing and drinking, a few puffing blue smoke. The gaming tables on the side were empty, while a lone player at the billiard table opposite pocketed ball after ball. The room rang with loud voices, clinking glasses, and raucous music.
Jimenez slid into an empty spot at the pale stone bar and caught sight of the clearest, happiest eyes he’d ever seen, a shade lighter than the man’s tousled brown mop above. A dimple quirked at the side of his full lips, mesmerizing Jimenez. The loud voices behind him slid away and for a moment, it was quiet in his mind. Jimenez flinched when his shoulder was jostled and the spell broke.
“Hey, you okay, buddy? First time? What can I pour for you?”
Jimenez blinked, realizing the tall bartender was speaking to him. The man’s smiling eyes crinkled at the corners of his bronzed face. Jimenez swallowed, and he ducked his chin, trying not to stare again, trying to hide his hot cheeks. He’d never been so close to such a handsome man.
“Did you want a drink?” The bartender quirked an eyebrow.
“Yeah… I mean yes. Whiskey neat.” His voice came out gruffer than he expected.
“Bourbon, Scotch, Rye…?”
“Surprise me.” It was a game Jimenez played. He’d order whiskey and discover what the bartender served. If he reached for the rail bottle closest to hand, it meant he would pour either the cheapest or the local favorite. If he pulled something from the top shelf, the bartender angled for a bigger tip. But if he grabbed a decanter off to the side or behind another bottle, he’d score the bartender’s personal pick.
“Coming right up.”
The bartender raised a tentacle in greeting, calling out to another patron.
Oh, God. The man was a Pod.
Of course he was.
In a joint named the Klockwerk Kraken, who better to tend the bar than a tentacled man?
About the Author
Aidee Ladnier began writing fiction at twelve years old but took a hiatus to be a magician’s assistant, ride in hot air balloons, produce independent movies, collect interesting shoes, and amass a secret file with the CIA. A lover of genre fiction, it has been a lifelong dream of Aidee's to write both romance and erotica with a little science-fiction, fantasy, mystery, or the paranormal thrown in to add a zing.
You can find her on her blog at http://www.aideeladnier.com or on her favorite social media sites:
GIVEAWAY CENTRAL
Coloring Contest
Aidee is holding a Coloring Contest!! Visit the link below and download one of her coloring sheets and upload it once you have finished coloring for a chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card plus a signed LIMITED EDITION of the Klockwerk Kraken. So get some crayons and grab the kids because the more you enter the more chances you have to win.
Drama Queen A Nicky and Noah Mystery by Joe Cosentino M/M Contemporary/Mystery Lethe Press Paperback Buy Links: Lethe Press | Amazon Ebook: Amazon | Smashwords Blurb:
It could be curtains for college theatre professor Nicky Abbondanza. With dead bodies popping up all over campus, Nicky must use his drama skills to figure out who is playing the role of murderer before it is lights out for Nicky and his colleagues.
Complicating matters is Nicky’s huge crush on Noah Oliver, a gorgeous assistant professor in his department, who may or may not be involved with a cocky graduate assistant...and is also the top suspect for the murders! You will be applauding and shouting Bravo for Joe Cosentino’s fast-paced, side-splittingly funny, edge-of-your-seat, delightfully entertaining novel. Curtain up!
***
Excerpt:
With the student actors and technicians sitting in the front of the theatre (obliviously texting on their phones), my student stage manager, SuCho, screamed for everyone’s attention, and for me to come to the front of the theatre house to give them my notes. This thankfully sent David off to his office in a huff.
After I had given my first few notes, I noticed Noah Oliver standing in the back of the theatre. Noah is tall and lean with curly blond hair, blue eyes, and the sweetest smile I have ever wanted to kiss in an Assistant Professor. While I teach Theatre History and Play Directing, Noah is our department’s specialist in Acting, and for good reason. Noah is a terrific actor, a creative and passionate teacher, and a wonderful colleague. More importantly, I have had a crush on him since the moment he made his entrance into our humble campus three years ago. Noah is single, gay, and seems to really like me. Why don’t I ask him out? Noah is twenty-eight years young. As a junior professor in my department in need of my vote for tenure this year, if I make a pass at him it could be considered attempted coercion on my part.
It was difficult for me to concentrate on giving my notes to the students since Scotty Bruno, my graduate assistant and Assistant Director of the play, was talking, laughing, and obviously flirting with Noah in the rear of the theatre. I had reason to be concerned. Scotty has bleached blond hair, contact lens turquoise eyes, ultra-white bonded teeth, and muscles as if sculpted by Michelangelo, housed in multi-colored, stuffed shorts and tank top (in winter) that were not unnoticed by Noah. Unless I was becoming nearsighted, I could have sworn that Scotty whispered something into Noah’s ear then handed Noah a box. What the heck is in it? Love letters? Condoms? My heart on a silver platter?
“Any notes for me, professor?” Paul Amour, my leading man, sat front row center and winked at me. Identifying as bisexual, Paul uses his charms with men and women alike to get their attention. Tall with shiny, wavy black hair climbing down his neck, chiseled features, and a body like a Greek god, getting attention wasn’t too difficult for Paul.
“You were like terrific tonight, Paul. I really believed you were like the murderer!” Ricky Gonzalez, Paul’s co-star and last onstage murder victim, sat next to Paul like an art dealer admiring the Mona Lisa. Ricky is shorter and darker than Paul with a smaller but equally cut physique. After he graduates from college and gets over his crush on Paul, Ricky will no doubt make some guy a wonderful husband.
“Thanks, Ricky.” Paul squeezed one of Ricky’s abdominal muscles.
Ricky beamed like a floodlight.
Kayla Calloway and Jan Annondale, who play murder victims one and two in the play, sat on the other side of Paul to reward their peripheral visions. Zaftig, giggly, and insecure, they hung on Paul’s every word, wishing they could hang on Paul.
“Your fight scenes were totally awesome tonight, Paul,” said Kayla.
Jan added, “And you really like aced your cool monologue at the end of the play.”
Before Paul could sign autographs, I said, “I have five more pages of notes tonight, people. Can I have everyone’s attention?”
As the cast members groaned I noticed that Noah and Scotty had left the theatre (to have a quickie in the lobby?). The students listened while I gave notes for improvement on their diction, movements, timing, reacting on stage (or lack thereof), character development, and emotional levels. After my last note, the students presented me with a blueberry cheesecake (thanks to the organic dairy farm bordering the college), singing “Happy Birthday” in four-part harmony (the lesbians at the lower notes and the gay men hitting the high notes). I was filled with gratitude until I noticed the thirty-five candles on top of the cake (obviously leaked to my students by Eve Harrington, my graduate assistant Scotty Bruno).
***
About the Author:
Joe Cosentino is the author of Drama Queen the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), An Infatuation (Dreamspinner Press), Paper Doll the first Jana Lane mystery (Whiskey Creek Press), and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards. His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers).
Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are Drama Muscle the second Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), A Shooting Star (Dreamspinner Press novella), A Home for the Holidays (Dreamspinner Press holiday novella), and Porcelain Doll the second Jana Lane mystery.
Title: Tyler Knoll’s Just For Fun Series (Books 1-4) Author: A.B. Gayle Genre: Satire, humor, gay, gay romance, LGBT Length: Novella Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing
Synopsis
Tyler Knoll was born one wild, stormy night in April 2013.
Of course, Tyler might tell you he was born twenty years earlier, but should we believe anything he says? That’s for you to decide.
In Tyler’s first adventure—like many a gay man before him—he was SNARED by gay porn, wallowing in tales of bigger, stronger, harder….
Then his fickle mind was seduced and SHREDDED by the prospect of BDSM and slavery.
When a Big Misunderstanding SLASHED at Tyler’s sanity, almost costing him his life, he turned to another genre for his salvation. But even this encounter proved potentially hazardous—not from freezing temperatures, but at the hands of irate fans.
Finally, tired and SCREWED by his all his trials and tribulations, he discovers—like many storybook heroes before him—that sometimes Mr. Right is closer than we think.
Prize: $20 WIP Gift Card and 1 ebook copy of Tyler Knoll’s Just for Fun a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author
Unlike many authors, A.B. Gayle hasn’t been writing stories all her life. Instead she’s been living life.
Her travels have taken her from the fjords of Norway to the southern tip of New Zealand. In between, she’s worked in so many different towns she’s lost count. A.B. has shoveled shit in cow yards, mustered sheep, been polite to customers, traded insults with politicians. Sometimes she needs to be forgiven as she get confused as to who needs what where.
Now living in Sydney, Australia, A.B. finally has time to allow her real life experiences to morph with her fertile imagination in order to create fiction thatshe hopes her readers will enjoy.
A.B. values feedback on her writing, both negative and positive.
Brought together by a crime committed on a cold dark night.
From the moment they meet, their lives can never be the same again…
Wild and rugged Dave Pearce is haunted by the demons of his past. He’s done his best to make a life for himself after the devastation of his lover’s suicide years earlier, but the trauma has left its mark on his soul.
Danny Wong is what Dave considers a “nerdy Bruce Lee.” Handsome, refined, out of his league.
But that doesn’t matter.
Dave believes himself to be dangerous for any man who would love him. So he stays back in the shadows, letting the desire he harbors for the hot grad student remain unrequited.
Danny has demons of his own. Duty-bound to his family’s goals for him, he remains shy and closeted, contenting himself with his secret fantasies about the sexy Irish cop who patrols the campus building where Danny does his graduate work.
Until one freezing winter night…
Leaving the building, fate steps in and their paths cross in a new…deeper way. Neither man can turn back. Danny and Dave must face the demons rearing their heads with full force, or lose their chance at an epic love…
Footsteps in the hall jerked Danny from his fantasy. Danny’s heartbeat sped up. It was him. Pearce.
He leaned back, away from the computer screen at which he’d been staring for the last twenty minutes during his fantasy, and discreetly swiveled his desk chair, just enough to be able to watch the campus police officer pass his door on his nightly patrol of the building. Since the start of the school year last September, Danny had gotten to know the man’s work schedule, and as time passed, had made certain he was at his desk just for the moment’s glance he got of him each night. The only thing he knew about Pearce, besides the time he patrolled Stata Center, was his name.
Pearce reached the doorway and peered in as he passed. He did that every night, giving Danny a clear view of his large blue eyes set deep in his freckled face. He was a rugged man with a strong jaw. His cap thankfully didn’t cover all of his short-cropped reddish-blond hair, and his blue uniform jacket rested evenly on his broad shoulders. Danny couldn’t even count at this point how many times he had imagined what the guy’s chest looked like underneath his clothes.
When he saw Danny he smiled, as if he was truly glad to see him. “Working late again, eh?”
Danny felt heat flush his cheeks, feeling like Pearce could see into his head, see the hot fantasy he entertained nearly every night. He nodded, hunching down a bit. He’d be mortified if Pearce saw the erection pushing out his pants. “Always.”
The police officer nodded. “Same here.” A heartbeat passed in which he appeared to want to say more. “Hope it’s going well.”
Danny shrugged, struggling to appear casual. If the other man lingered a moment longer, his voice was going to stick in his throat and embarrass him. His eye fell on the nametag. David Pearce. “Not so much.”
Pearce smiled again. “Don’t push it.”
Danny shook his head, his heart beginning to pound. “I won’t.”
The other man remained in the doorway, giving Danny the sense he was lingering. “Just be careful leaving so late. I see you here often at this time, and I keep wanting to tell you that.”
Danny heard a protective note in the other man’s voice which sent another tingle up his spine. One more moment and his voice would fail him completely. “Thank you.”
Pearce nodded. “It’s my job.” He paused. “Well, I guess I should let you get back to work. Take care now.”
This was the longest exchange they’d had yet, and a strange energy zinged through the room like a ball bouncing back and forth between them. Danny wondered if he was imagining it.
He returned the nod. “You too.” Feeling like a nervous adolescent, he swiveled his chair quickly around and stared at the screen again. He attempted to resume his typing but stopped because his hands were trembling. He sighed and slumped back in the chair.
Award-winning, multi-published author of erotic romance, SEDONIA GUILLONE spends her days writing deliciously naughty romances—when she’s not cuddling with the man she loves or watching kung fu and samurai films and eating chocolate.
Late Summer, Early Spring by Patricia Correll Dreamspinner Press M/M Historical Fantasy/ Japan/Folktales/Supernatural 5 Stars Review Copy from Netgalley Blurb:
Hour of the Lotus
General Sho Iwata is devastated when the man he secretly loves, Prince Narita, is struck with a mysterious illness. Iwata's current lover, Hiroshi, is well aware of the general's unrequited passion. But that isn’t his biggest problem. His sister is Narita’s favourite consort, but Hiroshi believes she has been replaced by an imposter. When they discover the true cause of the illness, they will have to battle an ancient spirit and survive.
Fox Hunter
Lord General Iwata Sho sets out in search of the mysterious Fox Hunter. When he finds his former lover, Hiroshi, he discovers a changed man, scarred inside and out and consumed by vengeance. Together with Narita’s grown son Daigo, Iwata and Hiroshi pursue the malicious spirit as it leaves bloodshed in its wake. Iwata worries about what will become of Hiroshi when the fox is defeated—if Hiroshi’s revenge doesn’t kill him first.
Review:
I have to admit that I was drawn to this book by the beautiful cover of two Japanese samurai warriors, but it was the writing and the characters that made me stay drawn.
This book combines the two novellas Hour of the Lotus and Fox Hunter, but both go well together and could also stand on their own.
General Iwata has been in love with his Prince, Narita, but he also knows it will be forever unrequited, for Prince Narita loves only women. It's not overtly stated whether or not the prince knows about Iwata's love for him or not, but I think he probably does.
The prince is suffering from an unknown illness, something seems to be draining his life force and everyone in the palace is worried; from the wives and concubines to the soldiers in the Imperial army.
The prince's favourite concubine is a sister of Hiroshi, Iwata's current lover, which complicates matters somewhat. When Hiroshi insists that the woman purporting to be his sister is an imposter, Iwata believes him at once, for Hiroshi is not given to idle fancy.
The culprit is a kitsune - a fox shape-changer who has taken on the guise of the concubine in order to kill the prince.
The second book takes place eight years later, with Hiroshi having been gone those eight years trying to hunt down the fox and seek revenge.
I enjoy books that take you on a journey to undiscovered places and legends, and Late Summer, Early Spring, certainly does that. With vivid, lush descriptions, you can see, smell and hear everything the characters do. I also loved the names, such as the Nightingale Court for the wives and concubines. It conjured up something strange and exotic.
Hiroshi and Iwata are both troubled characters and you really feel for them. The love scenes are fade to black, but there is no doubt that the two of them are lovers and not just friends. Parts were bittersweet, but it was a wonderful story to get lost in for a few hours.
Perfect for fans of historical fantasy or paranormal stories.
Publisher: MLR Press (May 30, 2014) Category: GLBT Romance, Hollywood ISBN: 978-1608209415 Tour Date: June/July, 2015 Available in: Print & ebook, 285 Pages
Fame is fickle, and stardom's flip side harbors and reflects darkness. Stardom on a network situation comedy had been Grant Jackson's lifelong dream. Ambitious, young, sexy, and willing to do almost anything, Grant makes his dream come true at age twenty-three.
When we meet him, in 2004, Grant Jackson is a star of NBC-TV's "Our House". The reality of television stardom is heady and intoxicating. As a songwriter once put it, "The sound of applause is delicious, it's a thrill to have the world at your feet." And Grant's newfound celebrity lives up to his expectations:
The money, the recognition, striving for creative excellence and rating numbers every week.
But stardom's flip side harbors and reflects darkness. The knives are always out. One of Grant's co-stars harbors a cocaine addiction. Another co-star masks a career-busting sexual secret---as does Grant Jackson himself.
Zipper Ripper Review 3.5 Stars
Grant Jackson is living the Hollywood dream: he's one of the stars of hot new sitcom, Our House, which has just been given the go-ahead for a second season and he is living with the man of his dreams, Cameron Cody, the hottest star in gay adult films.
But there is trouble in Paradise. Grant is anxious and unsure, he feels like a fraud, that he only got the part through luck, not skill or talent and he's waiting for the day when his world will come crashing down. He doesn't feel he deserves all this fame and happiness and underneath, he is still a small town boy agog at Hollywood.
His contract has a morals clause, so he is not out at the studio and he certainly isn't out to his family. No one can know that his domestic partner is a gay porn star and a high class escort. They also can't know that for a brief while, Grant did the same.
Cam himself is fed up of being the dirty little secret, but he wants to support his husband in every way, and if that means pretending they don't even know each other, then that's what he'll do. Cam wants to leave the flesh peddling business himself, but he doesn't want to give it up and rely on Grant's money for support, so he wants to wait for something else to come along first.
And when the world does come crashing down around them, they know that whatever happens they will always have each other.
The story is well-written, with fully-fleshed out characters, even the side ones like Aunt Honey, and I adored Aunt Honey. If only more people in real life were tolerant like her.
There is a good balance between plot and romantic elements and short, snappy chapters encourage the reader to keep reading for the next part. It's not a romance in the traditional sense, as Cam and Grant are already a couple in this book, more like a look at their life together at certain points. The love scenes are raunchy and hot, no flowery purple prose here.
The author tackles a great many subjects in the book, from infidelity to drug addiction, to homophobia to marriage equality, but at no point did the book feel preachy. It fitted in with the plot and flowed well.
I enjoyed the story, but I did have some problems with it. During the first half of the book, which is told in Grant's point of view, Grant compared nearly every character or situation to a tv show or film, rather than let the character or situation stand on its own. The first few times might have been considered a quirk of his character, but after a while it got a bit wearing. As a reader, I felt excluded from some exclusive club I wasn't welcome at, especially since I didn't know a lot of the shows or films mentioned. We get some US shows here in the UK, but not them all, and it jarred me out of the story somewhat.
And the ending, I'm not even sure what to say about the ending. The book just sort of fizzled out, it's not really a cliff-hanger, but it does leave the reading feeling a bit, is that it? I turned the page, and the book had finished in a very strange and unexpected place.
But if you like reading about actors and Hollywood, give it a go.
View the Trailer:
Listen to Chapter One of 'The Dark Side of Stardom' by Christopher Stone:
Praise for 'The Dark Side of Stardom' by Christopher Stone:
"I really loved this book! It is quite the page-turner, between wondering if Grant, a former porn star, is going to be forced out of the closet, to the dramas he faces working on a legitimate television sitcom. Not only that, but it is a very emotionally involving story. We truly care about Grant and his long-term partner Cam, so we want them and their relationship to succeed every step of the way. Since we care about them so much, it’s the small details of their lives that truly make the story what it is. I also really loved the ambiguous ending, and am hoping that the author will make it a trilogy! A fun, sexy exploration of Hollywood life."- Rebecca VanDusen, Amazon Reviewer
"The Dark Side of Stardom kept my attention from start to finish. Dealing with issues of fame, love, and sexuality from a unique perspective, it sheds light in areas that often remain dark and unspoken of. A perfect book for a rainy day, or whatever the weather for that matter. I highly recommend it.”- Rich Kendall, author of 'The Road to Elmira'
Praise for 'Frame of Reference' by Christopher Stone:
"This book was recommended by one of my gay friends and I must admit, as a straight lady, I wasn't sure it was something I would be interested in reading. Glad I took the plunge. Interesting characters, in an interesting Hollywood setting that the writer is very familiar with.
I loved the references, by the main character, to all the TV. and movies. Clearly, Mr. Stone has done his homework. The sex scenes, (while a bit too much information for me!) will be much appreciated by the appropriate audience - in other words, quite hot!
Still, no romance novel is worth its salt without a good story line. Again, Mr. Stone has shown his mettle. The characters are well developed and the story interesting as a young man fights his way to the top of the heap. Bring on the next book, sequel!"- Sharyn St.Clair, Amazon Reviewer
"I only have good things to say about this book from a literary point of view. The characters are well-developed and Christopher Stone’s writing style is superb. I enjoyed going with Grant on his journey of self-discovery and look forward to seeing what happens next in his life. In case the description of the book isn’t clear enough, this is a gay romance, so readers should not be surprised about the fact that the sex scenes are between two or more men. The sex scenes are not the whole of the book, and they are not overly-explicit, but they are more explicit than the average romance novel.
I truly enjoyed this offering by Christopher Stone, and I will definitely be putting him on my list of authors to look for in the future."- Brriske, Paranormal Romance & Authors That Rock
"This book is definitely not in a genre I ordinarily read, so when a friend recommended it to me, I was admittedly a little skeptical. Skepticism, however, soon turned into genuine delight. Using an almost Christopher Isherwood, I-am-a-camera-like precision, Stone expertly evokes the world of a young gay man from a small town who struggles to establish himself as an actor in Hollywood.
Written vividly and wryly, the book is by turns touching, exciting, erotic and dark, and is always compelling. The characters were full-bodied (in more ways than one!) the dialogue was realistic, the situations off-beat and interesting. When I finished the book, my first thought was, "Bring on the sequel!" I can give "Frame of Reference" no higher praise than that!"- Robert J. Van Dusen, Amazon Reviewer
"I stumbled on Frame of Reference at the nail salon. A lady was reading it and would read passages to the entire shop. So, I bought the book. What an eye opener into the world of gay young men. Being raised in Hollywood as a non-gay, I had no idea about this vibrant subculture. Being mature and growing up in a movie family, I understood all the references to movie stars, TV shows, and cinema. Do read it, you won't be able to put it down!"- Dee Lewis, Amazon Reviewer
About Christopher Stone:
Born in Bronx, New York, and raised in Fresno, California, Christopher Stone’s early years were dominated by school, watching television and motion pictures, bicycling, skating, and reading avidly. Summers were spent swimming, and doing whatever it took to survive the oppressive San Joaquin Valley heat. But he also remembers fondly the yearly summer trips to New York, to visit family and friends – and to see Broadway shows.
Christopher left Fresno, for Hollywood, California, during his college years after being accepted into the Writers Guild of America’s Open Door Program, a two-year, scholarship, training ground for aspiring screen and television writers.
As it happened, rather than a teleplay or screenwriting gig, his first professional writing job was in journalism – as the Los Angeles Editor for Stage Door, at that time, Canada’s equivalent of the U.S. entertainment trade weekly, Variety.
Christopher would later use his Writers Guild of America training to co-author and sell the original screenplay, The Living Legend, with Jon Mercedes III, to the Erin Organization, and later, and also with Mercedes, to write two seasons of The Party Game, a Canadian TV game show.
As a young freelance entertainment journalist, he contributed to many Los Angeles-based publications, among them The Advocate, for which he wrote a breezy film column, “Reeling ‘Round,” and the Los Angeles Free Press. During this time, he became a member of the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle.
Christopher dipped his toes into the world of motion picture advertising and publicity, as assistant to the West Coast Director of Advertising and Publicity for Cinerama Releasing Corporation, in Beverly Hills.
At the same time, he also did special advertising and publicity projects for 20th Century-Fox. Christopher went on to become an Account Executive for David Wallace & Company, a public relations firm specializing in entertainment accounts – and located on West Hollywood’s legendary Sunset Strip.
Returning to his first love, writing, Christopher became a full time freelance contributor to national consumer publications including Us, Good Housekeeping, Family Circle, McCall’s, In Cinema, and The National Enquirer, among others. Many of his stories were syndicated worldwide by the New York Times Syndication Corp.
Another important area of endeavor for Christopher Stone was Re-Creating Your Self. A Blueprint for Personal Change that he first developed for himself, the journalist went on to teach the principles and processes of Re-Creating Your Self to others – first, in private sessions, later, in workshops and seminars, and, finally, for California State University Extended Education.
Eventually, one of his students suggested he write a book version.
Re-Creating Your Self was first published in hardcover by Metamorphous Press, and subsequently published in a trade paperback edition by Hay House. It has since been published in Spanish, Swedish and Hebrew language editions.
When not writing, Christopher used his longtime interest in, and study of, metaphysics, to teach meditation and psychic development classes – first in Beverly Hills, then later, in Manhattan Beach.
He went on to co-author, with Mary Sheldon, four novellas for a Japanese educational publisher, and then, also with Mary Sheldon, the highly successful The Meditation Journal trilogy of hardcover books. Subsequently, he returned to journalism, this time, contributing hundreds of print and online entertainment features, columns and reviews to magazines and websites.
For eight years, Christopher was the Box-office Columnist for MatchFlick.com, a popular online motion picture site.
In his private life, Christopher Stone met David M. Stoebner on May 17, 1994, and they have been together ever since. ?In 2008, they were married in Los Angeles.
They share a home with their three pets in Coastal Los Angeles County.
In 2013, Christopher’s pet project has been transforming their rarely used kitchen table area into a killer, retro 1950s Diner Nook, complete with a 1952 Seeburg Table Top jukebox, a neon diner sign, and a malt machine.
Christopher’s first novel, Frame of Reference was e and print published, in fall 2012, by MLR Press.
A short story, Sweet Homo Alabama was published by MLR Press, December 19, 2012.
Stone spent much of 2013 writing Frame of Reference 2: The Dark Side of Stardom, a sequel novel to Frame of Reference, as well as, Abracadabra, and a short story, published at Halloween. But the indefatigable scribe also found time to contribute weekly reviews, columns and interviews to Queer Town Abbey.
Christopher is currently writing Going and Coming, a novel laced with metaphysical themes, and wrapped around the character of Dr. Minnow Saint James, a highly successful Past Life Regression Therapist, and the author of a best-selling nonfiction book. Christopher hopes Going and Coming will launch a series of Dr. Minnow Saint James Metaphysical Adventures novels. As of this writing, Going and Coming is tentatively scheduled for November 2015 publication, by MLR Press.
On a personal note, Christopher and David adopted a five-month-old Yellow Lab puppy, Sammy (Samantha Stevens), on February 6, following the sudden passing of their beloved Yellow Lab, Gracie, on January 22.
Ton win an ebook copy of the Dark Side of Stardom, please comment below with your name and contact email, which will only be used to contact you if you win. Closing date July 21st. If you are in the US, you can also enter to win a paperback copy.
Asher Logan is a bartender and a pretty wicked guitar player, when he isn’t wrecking his hands fighting in a cage. With a past he keeps hoping to outrun, Asher’s been on a downward spiral for longer than he can remember. When his sister-in-law leaves Rory, his eight-year-old nephew, in his care, Asher is forced into two things he’s never been good at: sobriety and responsibility. As he struggles to care for Rory, his own life begins to unravel.
When Asher’s brother, Alex, turns up, presenting as a girl and announcing her new name is Alexia, it further complicates matters, as does the arrival of his new neighbor, Conner. Both, in their own way, compel Asher to look at his own closely-guarded views on sexuality.
When the siblings’ older brother, Cole, reacts violently to Alexia, Asher is placed squarely in the middle of a family conflict which compels him to confront who he pretends to be versus who he really is.
Asher must choose who to trust and who to finally walk away from.
LAYLA DORINE lives among the sprawling prairies of Midwestern America, in a house with more cats than people. She loves hiking, fishing, swimming, martial arts, camping out, photography, cooking, and dabbling with several artistic mediums. In addition, she loves to travel and visit museums, historic, and haunted places.
Layla got hooked on writing as a child, starting with poetry and then branching out, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. Hard times, troubled times, the lives of her characters are never easy, but then what life is? The story is in the struggle, the journey, the triumphs and the falls. She writes about artists, musicians, loners, drifters, dreamers, hippies, bikers, truckers, hunters and all the other folks that she’s met and fallen in love with over the years. Sometimes she writes urban romance and sometimes its aliens crash landing near a roadside bar. When she isn’t writing, or wandering somewhere outdoors, she can often be found curled up with a good book and a kitty on her lap.
Dazzle Me by Ofelia Gränd M/M Contemporary/Short Story 5 Stars Beaten Track Publishing Part of "Summer Bigger Than Others - A Summer Anthology" from Beaten Track Publishing.
Tom has been planning for months, but in those plans he never once found himself on a spa table in Bangkok on his and Santino's one year anniversary. He doesn't do aeroplanes, doesn't like the tropical climate, and he does not do spas.
Yet there he is, without a stitch of clothing, and with a man he's never met before. He'll do his best to enjoy his day and then he'll give Santino the best anniversary imaginable, even if it means he has to be covered in chopped-up veggies on him for an entire day...
...if only it were veggies.
***
Tom has been planning a big anniversary surprise for his lover Santino for months. He has booked them time away at a romantic hotel suite and he intends to propose on their anniversary.
But the path of true love never does run smooth and Santino has to take a work trip to Thailand when their anniversary would fall.
Tom doesn't like planes, doesn't like flying and he wilts like a flower in tropical heat. But he can't turn down Santino's invitation to accompany him on the business trip, even if it means doing things he'd rather not do.
Things go from bad to worse for our luckless lovers. Tom's bag goes missing, the bag with the engagement ring in it and then their reservation is lost and they have to put up with a single room at the hotel. Santino has booked a full day at a spa for Tom while he's off working, and Tom agrees, if only to keep his lover happy. He soon wishes he stayed at the hotel.
This was a fun, light-hearted read. It's told from Tom's point of view, so we only get to see Santino through Tom's eyes and it is pretty obvious from the start that Tom is madly in love with him and will do anything for him. Even if it means enduring some rather unorthodox spa treatments. I was squriming along with Tom at some of them, especially the fish pedicure. I have a phobia about fish, but it didn't panic me too much as it wasn't my feet in the tank, thank goodness.
Sidhe The Incubus Saga Book 3 by Amanda Meuwissen Genre: Urban Fantasy/Gay Paranormal Romance Publisher: BigWorldNetwork.com, LLC Date of Publication: July 2, 2015 ASIN: B00Y1WDVK4 Word Count: 180,000 Cover Artist: Mario Hernandez
Book Description:
Nathan Grier returns from the Veil a changed man. The consequences of his time with Malak, the dark sidhe king, and the deal made to free him may be more than he can bear. The weakening of the Veil and new enemies foretell of a greater battle still ahead.
With Nathan’s brother Jim now an Awakened changeling, and Nathan’s role in Malak’s plans finally revealed, Nathan’s love for fae hunter and incubus, Sasha Kelly, may not be enough to save him after all.
“Nathan, it’s us,” Sasha tried to say calmly, inching closer with hands held up in seeming surrender. Jim did the same.
Nathan knew he had to be a pitiable sight with that weakly held knife, but he’d use it, damn it, he would. Somehow he’d use it.
His back hit the corner of the room.
“Playing that game?” Nathan scoffed. “I know better. You haven’t been them in…in so long, I…I don’t even remember. I don’t remember…”
“Nathan,” Jim pleaded, moving closer with one hand outstretched. He looked so strange to Nathan, almost believable with those dark blue eyes so caring, so concerned. “I can’t imagine what it must have been like, but it’s over. You’re not in the Veil anymore. We got you out. You’re safe. With us.”
“Please believe us, Nathan,” Sasha said. “Just look at us.” He gestured to himself; to Jim. Sasha too looked so normal, so honest and how Nathan remembered him. “It’s really us. You’re safe, Nathan. Please recognize us…”
He recognized them. But it had to be a trick. Another damn trick like all the others.
“I gave you what you wanted,” Nathan said again. He was so cold. Nothing looked right. Nothing felt right. He couldn’t understand why this was happening when he had finally given in.
“Nathan, it’s us,” Sasha said more firmly, like maybe Nathan just couldn’t hear them.
“Malak took you and we’re so sorry,” Jim said. “We wish we could have gotten you out sooner, but you have to know us. Please tell me you still know us…”
“Malak…?” Nathan glared at the false images before him, knife still held firm, warning them not to get closer. “It had nothing to do with that, you know that, you know. I didn’t…I didn’t go to the Veil.”
Jim and Sasha stopped their progression toward him, their eyes wide and disbelieving. They shared a pained look, not knowing what to say until finally Jim spoke, slow and gentle.
“Nathan, don’t you remember? Malak said killing the spriggan instead of banishing it broke the deal. That’s why we couldn’t win, why we couldn’t save you. You went to the Veil, Nathan. You’ve been in the Veil. But you’re out now. I don’t know what Malak did to you there, but we got you out.”
It almost made sense, as if a second reality were trying to push into Nathan’s mind: memories of what Jim was saying, memories he knew weren’t fabrications, and yet…how could he remember things happening two different ways?
The Veil? Had that been the Veil? To him it had felt like life.
***
About the Author:
Amanda Meuwissen is the author of The Incubus Saga and The Collector. Amanda also serves as COO and Managing Editor for BigWorldNetwork.com. She oversees editing and series selection, and is featured as a narrator for several BWN series. Amanda lives in Minneapolis, MN, with her husband, John, and their cats, Helga and Sasha (no connection to the incubus of the same name).
Can missing a fatal flight be the wake up call Harrison needs?
When Harrison Kelley is banned from getting on Flight HA1710, it seems to be the perfect ending to a crappy couple of days. Not only did he wreck a wedding, but he’s drunk way too much and been on the receiving end of the groom’s brother’s fists. Being escorted out of the airport by security was just the icing on the wedding cake.
Elijah Pettifer has lusted after Harrison from afar for years but Harrison never sees him as anything more than a friend. If he ever saw him at all. While attempting to defend what little honor Harrison has left, Elijah gets caught up in the wave of chaos surrounding his teenage crush. But missing his flight home because of Harrison’s mess might just be the luckiest thing to ever happen to him.
With a 24 hour ban imposed by the airport, and having only each other for company, the two men grow closer. But will the fate of the airplane they should have been on be the push Harrison needs to walk away from the toxic relationship of his past? And can Elijah make Harrison see exactly what he’s been missing out on because of it?
Excerpt:
“I am happy to pronounce you, husband and wife. You may kiss the bride.”
Elijah clapped in time with the rest of the guests as Antony leaned his bride downward in a sweeping romantic gesture, kissing her. He breathed in deeply, letting the joy of the occasion lift his mood. His attention drifted and he smiled as he caught Harrison’s eye on the opposite side of the room. Harrison nodded in his direction. Then Harrison looked away, his focus falling to the newlyweds.
Following Harrison’s gaze, Elijah watched the couple as they seated themselves behind the table.
“Can guests please take their seats for the signing of the register,” the lady registrar instructed. The witnesses made their way to the front of the room when she called them.
Elijah ran a hand over the front of his shirt, smoothing the pale blue cotton as he took his seat. Idly, he ran his thumb over his lower lip, igniting a memory from over a decade ago. A memory he wondered if, in fact, had only been a dream. The memory of a kiss.
He glanced over at Harrison. They had just been kids, stupid teenagers who had gotten into their friend’s parents’ liquor cabinet when they were out of town one time. Drunk and sleepy, Harrison had lain on the couch, watching Elijah and their other friends through half-lidded eyes. Only when Elijah was sure no one would see had he dared to do something he’d wanted to do for so long. He had kissed Harrison. Elijah still held onto that memory as if it was only yesterday, held onto the memory of a moment when everything in his life had suddenly made sense and clicked into place. When he finally admitted, to himself at least, that it was okay he was in love with a boy.
The boy he had loved, still loved, was right there in that room. Harrison Kelley. A decade had passed, and Elijah had found other men, but Harrison would always be his first crush. Harrison was as handsome as ever, with the darkest hair and the most beautiful honey and bourbon-brown eyes. Elijah wished he could forget about his feelings for Harrison, but over the years, with every new meeting, he not only found himself hopeful of seeing Harrison again, but also that maybe the next time Harrison would finally see him.
Lowering his hand, Elijah glanced across the room. He tensed his jaw as he watched Harrison, and noted whom Harrison was watching in turn; Antony. Years of jealousy lurched in Elijah’s gut. Years of wanting to be the one who turned Harrison’s head, who caught his eye. Elijah looked away and fixed his attention on the front of the room. Scenes from last night played over in his mind, scenes of guarded looks and awkward moments between Harrison and Antony. Would they really have been so foolish, so cruel to act on old feelings here and now?
He glanced over at Harrison. Please, say you didn’t.
***
About the Author:
Meredith Russell lives in the heart of England. An avid fan of many story genres, she enjoys nothing less than a happy ending. She believes in heroes and romance and strives to reflect this in her writing. Sharing her imagination and passion for stories and characters is a dream Meredith is excited to turn into reality.
An Infatuation by Joe Cosentino M/M Contemporary Dreamspinner Press Buy Links: Dreamspinner Press | Amazon
Blurb:
With his ten-year high school reunion approaching, Harold wonders whether Mario will be as muscular, sexy, and tantalizing as he remembers.
As a teenager, it was love at first sight for Harold while tutoring football star Mario, until homophobia and bullying drove Mario deep into the closet. Now they’re both married men.
Mario, a model, is miserable with his producer wife, while Harold, a teacher, is perfectly content with his businessman husband, Stuart.
When the two meet again, will the old flame reignite, setting Harold’s comfortable life ablaze? How can Harold be happy with Stuart when he is still infatuated with his Adonis, his first love, Mario? Harold faces this seemingly impossible situation with inimitable wit, tenderness, and humor as he attempts to reconcile the past and the future.
***
Excerpt:
One Friday afternoon I accidentally ran into my hero in the boy's locker room. I’d had enough of the big guys banging me into gym lockers, pushing me into cold showers, and hanging me from the gym ropes. So I was on my way to give Mr. Adoni a note from Dr. Dlorah excusing me from gym class for the remainder of the school year (due to my highly contagious disease being studied by my doctor in Guatemala, where he could not be reached for the next year).
The locker room smelled of an odd combination of soap, cologne, sweat, and desire. Mario was getting ready for football practice, standing at his gym locker without a combination lock on it. Nobody would dare to break into it (Except for me that one time I smelled his jock strap. Okay maybe it was a few times, but not more than ten.). Mario slid his T-shirt (red today) over his thick, black hair and threw it on the nearby bench. No longer harnessed by cotton, his arm, back, chest, and neck muscles swelled to full size. I was half hidden behind the adjoining row of lockers, wearing my usual green and blue flannel shirt and brown corduroy pants. Mario, who wasn’t looking in my direction, said something really beautiful to me that I will never forget. “Hi.”
“Did you just? Oh. Hi. Hello. Good afternoon. Nice to see you. I mean, change with you.” I looked down at the floor (but cheated a bit) as Mario kicked off his boots, slipped off his jeans then threw them in the lucky locker. His red underpants (briefs) revealed ample manhood. This is better than the newspaper’s underwear ads!
“Good gym class today with Mr. Adonis, I mean, Mr. Adoni.” Did I just say that? “Harold High.”
“Hi.”
“High.” How can I get my pulse down to 260?
“Hi.” Mario reached into his locker for his sweat clothes.
Shouldn’t people be doing that for you? “Oh, my last name is High. Like a kite.” How can I stop my arms from waving like an airport flagger on speed?
“Mario Ginetti. Like nothin’ else imaginable.” Mario smiled, revealing a row of perfectly white teeth, and held the sweat clothes in his hands as if he was mortal.
“I know. I watch your body play.” Why can’t I stop talking? “I mean, I watch you play … football … on the field … in your football outfit.” I feel like Michelangelo with his David!
As Mario put on his sweats, I continued to sweat.
“I'm voting for your body … I mean I'm voting for you for president of your … our … the student body.” I need my jaw wired shut. “I’m your lab partner in Chemistry class. Ms. Hungry’s class … I mean Ms. Hunsley’s class.”
His olive-colored face glistened as Mario’s face registered recognition—of me! “I thought I knew you from somewheres. Hey, thanks for doing the lab reports.”
“It’s my honor … I mean my pleasure. It’s fine. If you need help putting up posters for your campaign, I can … ”
Having just tied the laces of his sneakers, Mario stood absolutely still. He looked at me as if he was staring into my heart and somehow knew what I was feeling. “I gotta take a wicked piss.”
Can I watch?
“Thanks for helping me out, Buddy.” He slammed the locker door and left.
He called me, Buddy! My heart was as soft and silly as putty that Mario held in the palm of his hand like his soap on a rope.
***
About the Author:
Joe Cosentino is the author of An Infatuation (Dreamspinner Press), Paper Doll, the first Jana Lane mystery (Whiskey Creek Press), Drama Queen, the first Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), and The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (Eldridge Plays and Musicals). He has appeared in principal acting roles in film, television, and theatre, opposite stars such as Bruce Willis, Rosie O’Donnell, Nathan Lane, Holland Taylor, and Jason Robards.
His one-act plays, Infatuation and Neighbor, were performed in New York City. He wrote The Perils of Pauline educational film (Prentice Hall Publishers). Joe is currently Head of the Department/Professor at a college in upstate New York, and is happily married. His upcoming novels are Porcelain Doll (the second Jana Lane mystery), Drama Muscle (the second Nicky and Noah mystery), A Shooting Star (Dreamspinner Press novella), A Home for the Holidays (Dreamspinner Press holiday novella).
Books reviewed here are usually complimentary copies supplied by authors, publishers and blog tour companies for the purposes of an honest review. I also review books I have bought or got from the library etc.
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Synopsis
