Showing posts with label guest post. Show all posts
Showing posts with label guest post. Show all posts
Guest Post: Drama Cruise by Joe Cosentino
A FUNNY COZY GAY
MYSTERY SERIES
Book Three of the
Nicky and Noah mysteries: Drama
Cruise,
published by Lethe Press
by Joe Cosentino
Guest Post & Giveaway: Kiss and Ride by Teodora Kostova
Kiss and Ride Blog Tour
Guest Post by Teodora Kostova
It’s no secret for anyone who knows me or follows me on social media that I love to travel. Visiting new places or old favourites recharges me, both physically and creatively. There’s something about experiencing the atmosphere in a place you’ve never been before that’s so magical and consuming that the creative juices start flowing freely. So freely, in fact, that I usually set my next book in that same place that has inspired me.
As a reader I love reading books that are set somewhere I’ve never been. I especially love it when the author manages to capture the essence of that place, the little quirks, the magic that makes it different than any other place in the world.
As an author it’s always my priority to make the setting of the book come alive; present it as a character in the story rather than the background, as beautiful as it may be. To achieve that, I need more than Google maps. I need to feel the chill of the morning air on my skin; get lost in the maze of streets outside the beaten track; try to order food or ask for directions in the native tongue, only to realise everyone’s English is much better than my attempts at a one-week-self-study language course.
My new book, Kiss and Ride, is a holiday romance set in Rome. My husband and I went to Rome for the very first time last month to celebrate our ten-year wedding anniversary. I absolutely love Italy and I’ve been all over the country, but for some reason never in Rome.
It’s such an amazing city! I fell in love from the moment I set foot on Roman soil. Luca and Vin’s story flowed so fast I barely managed to keep up.
In Kiss and Ride, Rome is part of the story. Its presence, its atmosphere, its history and sensuality are what inspired the characters, the story, even the title. I didn’t want it to be just a backdrop for events, and I really hope I managed to achieve that.
Title: Kiss & Ride
Author: Teodora Kostova
Genre: Gay Romance, Contemporary, Christmas/Holiday Romance
Synopsis
What happens when you meet the right guy at the wrong time?When Vincent Alesi’s estranged father dies, he gets on the first plane from New York city to Rome to be at the memorial service. Even if he has to max out his credit card. Even if he hates the man for leaving him. Even if it’s a day before Christmas.
Everything that can go wrong does go wrong, and Vin ends up trusting a complete stranger with all his secrets, even the ones he didn’t know he had.
Luca Romano’s job as a flight attendant takes him all over the world. But a jet-setting lifestyle is not what he wants. His dream of opening his own restaurant is being placed on hold over circumstances beyond his control.
Timing is everything…
When Vin bursts into Luca’s life, both men fall fast and hard. But their lives, their dreams, even the cities they live in couldn’t be more different.
Their few days together in Rome are romantic, emotionally intense, and leave them both wanting more.
Can a fleeting love affair change their lives forever?
Buy Links
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01N054R33/Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01N054R33/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01N054R33/
Book Trailer
Giveaway
Prizes- Kindle Fire 7″ WiFi 8GB tablet
- 2 x 10$ Amazon gift cards
- 2 x Signed paperbacks of Snowed In
- 3 x Swag packs, including pens, bookmarks, bracelets, and van Gogh themed items from the National Gallery in London
- 2 x audio books, winners choice. (requires an account with Audible to claim prize)
About the author
Hi, my name is Teodora and I live in London with my husband and my son. I’ve been writing ever since I can remember, but it became my full time job a few years ago when I decided that everything else I’ve tried bores me to death and I have to do what I’ve always wanted to do, but never had the guts to fully embrace. I’ve been a journalist, an editor, a personal assistant and an interior designer among other things, but as soon as the novelty of the new, exciting job wears off, I always go back to writing. Being twitchy, impatient, loud and hasty are not qualities that help a writer, because I have to sit alone, preferably still, and write for most of the day, but I absolutely love it. It’s the only time that I’m truly at peace and the only thing I can do for more than ten minutes at a time – my son has a bigger attention span than me.When I’m procrastinating, I like to go to the gym, cook Italian meals (and eat them), read, listen to rock music, watch indie movies and True Blood re-runs. Or, in the worst case scenario, get beaten at every Nintendo Wii game by a very inventive kid.
Don’t be shy and get in touch – I love connecting with my readers.
Blog: www.teodorakostova.blogspot.com
Twitter: @Teodora_Kostova
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/teodorakostovaauthor
E-mail: t.t.kostova@gmail.com
Instagram: teodorika1
Guest Post & Giveaway Good Boys by Keelan Ellis
Guest Post: Forcing Representation
by Keelan Ellis
I got about halfway through my current work in progress before I realized that there is not one single woman in the entire book that has more than two lines. This has never happened to me. Not because I make a point of putting women into my work, but because it has always come naturally. There are women in the world, so of course there would be women interacting with my characters. I’ve written BFFs, ex-wives, bosses and daughters. My women characters are among my favorites. In this one, however, the characters inhabit spaces that are very much male dominated, and even more so during the time period I’m writing about. I had to stop in the middle of what I was doing and make a decision about how much this bothered me. I had to think about it, if only to examine my own motivations.
First, I thought about how that’s going to make this book different from other things I’ve written. I like to write scenes where men interact with women, because I know the rhythms of those conversations. A book where all of the meaningful interactions are between men seems like it could be a challenge for me, except that I had already written quite a bit before I even realized what was happening.
Next, I thought about why I write MM in the first place. It’s certainly not because I dislike other women. I write it because it speaks to me, and most of all because it allows me to explore romantic themes without having to grapple with the gender dynamic that is unavoidable in MF romance. Even if a woman is not the focus of a book, I still like to see woman represented. So was I really going to write an entire book that’s just about guys?
After some soul searching, I came to the conclusion that I was okay with it. Others might take issue with it, and that’s fine. I would understand. At the same time, I wasn’t interested in writing a token character. If this story is developing organically without any major female characters that make sense, then I guess that’s the story I’m writing. That said, I’m kind of hoping someone presents herself to me and asks to be included in this book. I’m keeping my eye out for her.
Title: Good Boys
Series: The Solomon Series, Book One
Author: Keelan Ellis
Genre: Gay Fiction, Detective, Mystery
Length: Novel
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing
Synopsis
Paul Solomon is a homicide detective in Baltimore, a city with a high murder rate and a complicated relationship between the police and the citizens they are sworn to protect.He’s also a gay man who has been out on the job since he first joined. Being out on a tough police force hasn’t always been easy, but living with integrity is important to him.
Paul’s love life becomes as tumultuous as his job with the demise of his relationship of eight years. While dealing with the emotional and physical upheaval in his personal life, a case comes across his desk that hits a little too close to home—the murder of two gay teenagers.
Paul and his partner, Tim Cullen, must solve the double homicide, and Paul has to find a way to move on from his failed relationship.
Buy Links
WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/good-boys-by-keelan-ellis/ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-goodboys-2087687-149.html
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Good-Boys-Solomon-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B01KK7EKQ2/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Good-Boys-Solomon-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B01KK7EKQ2/
Amazon AU: https://www.amazon.com.au/Good-Boys-Solomon-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B01KK7EKQ2/
Amazon DE: https://www.amazon.de/Good-Boys-Solomon-Mysteries-Book-ebook/dp/B01KK7EKQ2/
Book Trailer
Giveaway
Prize: $6.99 WIP Gift Carda Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author
KEELAN ELLIS is an east coast girl for life, a progressive, a lover of music and musicians, a mother of two very challenging girls, a loyal though sometimes thoughtless friend, a slacker, a dreamer and a bad influence. She likes true crime podcasts, great television and expensive craft cocktails made by hipsters in silly vests.KEELAN ELLIS can be found at:
Website: keelanellis.blogspot.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100004482857209
Twitter: https://twitter.com/KeelanEllisAuth
Guest Post: Writing Gay Romance by Kelli Wilkins
Writing Gay Romances - 4 FAQ
By Romance Author Kelli A. Wilkins
www.KelliWilkins.com
Hi everyone,
My name is Kelli Wilkins and I write romances. My books cover nearly every genre and vary in heat level from mild to super-spicy. People have different reactions when they learn what I write. (Sometimes they gasp and pretend to be horrified, and then ask me if I “act out” my love scenes at home!)
But when people find out that I write gay romances—that really gets them going! “Why would you write one of those? You’re not a man or gay.” (Here’s my turn to gasp and act surprised. Really? You’re kidding!) I generally respond with: “Why shouldn’t I write gay romances? I wrote a vampire romance, and I’ve never been a vampire.” (That usually quiets people down for a while.)
I get a lot of questions about “why” or “how” I write gay romances. Here are the top four, along with my answers.
You’ve written lots of straight romances. Why write gay romances?
Why not? I’m a writer. And as a writer, I write whatever romance book comes to me, whether it’s a contemporary, historical, paranormal, or gay romance. My stories are about people who meet, fall in love, and overcome obstacles to be with each other.
This basic philosophy applies whether the characters are same-sex, different sex, or space alien and earth girl. Love is love and romance is romance. I’m not married to one specific genre or heat level. I go where the story and the characters take me.
When I wrote A Secret Match and Killer in Wolf’s Clothing I trusted my instincts and wrote the story that was in my head. Although both books are contemporary gay romances, they’re very different.
In A Secret Match, a big part of the storyline centers around Everett dealing (or rather, not dealing) with his sexuality, and his (un)willingness to be open about who he really is. The characters in Killer in Wolf's Clothing are comfortable with their sexuality, but have other issues to deal with. This super-hot paranormal/shifter is a fun look at the werewolf legend and blends romance, mystery, danger, humor, and sizzling love scenes.
How do you write the gay love scenes?
I approach a same-sex love scene the same way I would if I was writing about a hetero couple. When I write a straight romance, about half of the scenes are written from a male point of view. So I have experience “thinking” about scenes from a male perspective anyway.
Peter thinks about the girl he loves, fantasizes about making love to her, he kisses her, they touch, and… There’s not much difference in writing a story from two male points of view. Writing a love scene isn’t only about the gender or the anatomy of the characters—it’s about creating a believable, intimate scene where two people express their love for each other.
Each character in each book is unique, so the love scenes are always approached from different directions. Everett and Josh’s first kiss (in A Secret Match) was a tender and sweet moment, while the first time readers meet Deke (from Killer in Wolf’s Clothing) they realize he’s anything but shy.
What’s the hardest part about writing a gay romance?
The answer to this is quite surprising, and no, it has nothing to do with bedroom activities. The hardest part about writing a same-sex romance or love scene is: pronouns.
As I’m writing, I’ll dash off something like: “He ran his hand down his chest and…” Wait, what? He ran his own hand down his own chest? No… I have to pay extra close attention when revising or editing a same-sex scene. Too many “his” references and the reader doesn’t know who is doing what. Better to say: “He ran his hand down Kevin’s chest and...”
Are you concerned about “what people will think” about you writing gay romances?
Not in the least. People will think whatever they want. I realize that not everyone wants to read the same type of romance, and that’s fine. But if readers are turned off to me as an author just because I write gay romances… well, that’s too bad, see ya.
When I wrote my first gay romance, I considered “what people would think” about the book and me writing it—for about three seconds. Then I reminded myself that I’m a writer, and I create the characters and scenes that make up the book.
I don’t worry about what people might think of me writing about two male characters kissing, going to bed, or making dinner. Basically, the story needs to be told, and I’m the one telling it. As a writer, I’ve made up all sorts of things: an erotic Bigfoot story, a historical Viking tale, detailed ménage scenes (in all combinations), and a first-person vampire love story.
Writers need to turn off their internal editors and forge ahead with the story as it should be (and needs to be) told. If we constantly worried about what grandma would think about our writing, or if we were afraid to open up and let the characters (and the story) take us into the bedroom, we’d never write anything except G-rated fables.
I once read a blog where a woman was “confessing” to writing an erotic romance, even though she couldn’t tell anyone about it and wouldn’t “dare” put her real name on the story. I got to wondering…why? Why hide your writing? And if you’re “ashamed” to be writing in a particular genre, why invest the time and energy into something you’re not going to stand behind?
Now more than ever, I’m just as proud of my gay romances as I am of my straight romances. Why? Because I’m a romance writer—and in my books, everyone deserves to be in love and live happily-ever-after with whatever partner they choose.
And that’s the way it should be… in fiction and in real life.
Kelli
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 95 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.
In 2016 Kelli is re-releasing her romances previously published by Amber Quill Press. Visit her website and blog for a full title list, book summaries, and other information as it becomes available. Look for her Medallion Press historical western romance, Lies, Love & Redemption, coming in September.
Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative non-fiction guide based on her 15 years of experience as a writer. It’s filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.
If you like to be scared, check out Kelli’s horror ebooks: Dead Til Dawn and Kropsy’s Curse.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor. She also writes a weekly blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/.
Visit her website, www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings, read book excerpts, reviews, and more. Readers can sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb.
CATCH UP WITH KELLI
Here are a few links to find Kelli & her writings on the web
Website: www.KelliWilkins.com
Blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/kelliwilkins
Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1123678.Kelli_A_Wilkins
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/KWilkinsAuthor/
By Romance Author Kelli A. Wilkins
www.KelliWilkins.com
Hi everyone,
My name is Kelli Wilkins and I write romances. My books cover nearly every genre and vary in heat level from mild to super-spicy. People have different reactions when they learn what I write. (Sometimes they gasp and pretend to be horrified, and then ask me if I “act out” my love scenes at home!)
But when people find out that I write gay romances—that really gets them going! “Why would you write one of those? You’re not a man or gay.” (Here’s my turn to gasp and act surprised. Really? You’re kidding!) I generally respond with: “Why shouldn’t I write gay romances? I wrote a vampire romance, and I’ve never been a vampire.” (That usually quiets people down for a while.)
I get a lot of questions about “why” or “how” I write gay romances. Here are the top four, along with my answers.
You’ve written lots of straight romances. Why write gay romances?
Why not? I’m a writer. And as a writer, I write whatever romance book comes to me, whether it’s a contemporary, historical, paranormal, or gay romance. My stories are about people who meet, fall in love, and overcome obstacles to be with each other.
This basic philosophy applies whether the characters are same-sex, different sex, or space alien and earth girl. Love is love and romance is romance. I’m not married to one specific genre or heat level. I go where the story and the characters take me.
In A Secret Match, a big part of the storyline centers around Everett dealing (or rather, not dealing) with his sexuality, and his (un)willingness to be open about who he really is. The characters in Killer in Wolf's Clothing are comfortable with their sexuality, but have other issues to deal with. This super-hot paranormal/shifter is a fun look at the werewolf legend and blends romance, mystery, danger, humor, and sizzling love scenes.
How do you write the gay love scenes?
I approach a same-sex love scene the same way I would if I was writing about a hetero couple. When I write a straight romance, about half of the scenes are written from a male point of view. So I have experience “thinking” about scenes from a male perspective anyway.
Peter thinks about the girl he loves, fantasizes about making love to her, he kisses her, they touch, and… There’s not much difference in writing a story from two male points of view. Writing a love scene isn’t only about the gender or the anatomy of the characters—it’s about creating a believable, intimate scene where two people express their love for each other.
Each character in each book is unique, so the love scenes are always approached from different directions. Everett and Josh’s first kiss (in A Secret Match) was a tender and sweet moment, while the first time readers meet Deke (from Killer in Wolf’s Clothing) they realize he’s anything but shy.
What’s the hardest part about writing a gay romance?
The answer to this is quite surprising, and no, it has nothing to do with bedroom activities. The hardest part about writing a same-sex romance or love scene is: pronouns.
As I’m writing, I’ll dash off something like: “He ran his hand down his chest and…” Wait, what? He ran his own hand down his own chest? No… I have to pay extra close attention when revising or editing a same-sex scene. Too many “his” references and the reader doesn’t know who is doing what. Better to say: “He ran his hand down Kevin’s chest and...”
Are you concerned about “what people will think” about you writing gay romances?
Not in the least. People will think whatever they want. I realize that not everyone wants to read the same type of romance, and that’s fine. But if readers are turned off to me as an author just because I write gay romances… well, that’s too bad, see ya.
When I wrote my first gay romance, I considered “what people would think” about the book and me writing it—for about three seconds. Then I reminded myself that I’m a writer, and I create the characters and scenes that make up the book.
I don’t worry about what people might think of me writing about two male characters kissing, going to bed, or making dinner. Basically, the story needs to be told, and I’m the one telling it. As a writer, I’ve made up all sorts of things: an erotic Bigfoot story, a historical Viking tale, detailed ménage scenes (in all combinations), and a first-person vampire love story.
Writers need to turn off their internal editors and forge ahead with the story as it should be (and needs to be) told. If we constantly worried about what grandma would think about our writing, or if we were afraid to open up and let the characters (and the story) take us into the bedroom, we’d never write anything except G-rated fables.
I once read a blog where a woman was “confessing” to writing an erotic romance, even though she couldn’t tell anyone about it and wouldn’t “dare” put her real name on the story. I got to wondering…why? Why hide your writing? And if you’re “ashamed” to be writing in a particular genre, why invest the time and energy into something you’re not going to stand behind?
Now more than ever, I’m just as proud of my gay romances as I am of my straight romances. Why? Because I’m a romance writer—and in my books, everyone deserves to be in love and live happily-ever-after with whatever partner they choose.
And that’s the way it should be… in fiction and in real life.
Kelli
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 95 short stories, 19 romance novels, and 5 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels.
In 2016 Kelli is re-releasing her romances previously published by Amber Quill Press. Visit her website and blog for a full title list, book summaries, and other information as it becomes available. Look for her Medallion Press historical western romance, Lies, Love & Redemption, coming in September.
Her writing book, You Can Write—Really! A Beginner’s Guide to Writing Fiction is a fun and informative non-fiction guide based on her 15 years of experience as a writer. It’s filled with writing exercises and helpful tips all authors can use.
If you like to be scared, check out Kelli’s horror ebooks: Dead Til Dawn and Kropsy’s Curse.
Kelli posts on her Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins and Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor. She also writes a weekly blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/.
Visit her website, www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings, read book excerpts, reviews, and more. Readers can sign up for her newsletter here: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb.
CATCH UP WITH KELLI
Here are a few links to find Kelli & her writings on the web
Website: www.KelliWilkins.com
Blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/
Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/kelliwilkins
Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorKelliWilkins
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/KWilkinsauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1123678.Kelli_A_Wilkins
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/KWilkinsAuthor/
Guest Post: Cozzie Cove Bouncing Back by Joe Cosentino
Writing COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK, a novel published by NineStar Press
by Joe Cosentino
Don’t you love the summer? White sandy beaches, foamy waves splashing on jagged rocks, crystal-blue sky kissed by fluffy clouds, coconut-scented suntan lotion, Speedos, cool shades, fluffy beach towels, and that warm, comforting sun. I’ve always loved cozy beach towns with welcoming beaches, warm bays, a miniature golf course, trampoline emporium, salt water taffy, and dining at seafood restaurants overlooking the ocean. All those places and experiences are in the novel set in a fictitious place I call Cozzi Cove, a gay resort of eight bungalows in a private cove on the Jersey Shore. Each bungalow is furnished with hand-carved nautical furnishings, and has a stunning view of the bay and lighthouse in the distance. The main beach and boardwalk are only a mile away. It’s a place you can visit in COZZI COVE: BOUNCING BACK.
What is a cove? A cove is formed when softer rocks are worn away by the sun and salty water faster than the harder rocks surrounding them. This creates a gorgeous bay of turquoise water shielded by large rocks in the distance and smaller rocks near the water’s edge. It is amazingly beautiful, and I love sharing that view in the book.
My leading character is Cal Cozzi. Cal, short for Calvin, is thirty years old, tall, and muscular. That’s him on the gorgeous book cover. His Italian and Scottish heritage left him with striking auburn hair and a strong nose. He dabbled as a professional football player then restaurant owner, but neither was a good fit. After Cal’s parents died in an automobile accident, he found his calling: managing Cozzi Cove in the New Jersey shore town named after his great-grandfather. Sensing Cal’s sexual orientation as a boy, Cal’s father had turned Cozzi Cove into a gay resort. Cal is honored to follow in his father’s footsteps.
Lance is twenty-four, short, stocky, African American with dark hair and dark eyes and amazing dimples. He grew up poor, and worked hard getting scholarships and maintaining good grades throughout school. As a second grade teacher, Lance is off during the summers, his favorite time of year. This leaves him more time to do what he loves most: being with Cal for the last five years.
Connor, the college student assisting Cal, is packed with muscles and hormones. He revels in Cozzi Cove, and in checking out each resident for a possible fling on the cove.
Tommy, the bald, muscular, tattooed resident of Cozzi Cove who owns the local bar has held a torch for Cal since high school. Carla Mangione who runs Carla’s Seafood Restaurant holds a similar torch for Cal’s sister.
Cal’s sister, Taylor, drops in from Rome, Paris, Wall Street, or Palm Springs. As a tough as nails top one-percenter, the world revolves around her, which makes her hysterically funny. She is also incredibly devoted to her brother Cal.
After my two Bittersweet Dreams novellas, An Infatuation and A Shooting Star (In My Heart Series) published by Dreamspinner Press, were released, countless readers begged me for more time with one of the characters from An Infatuation (Divine Magazine Readers’ Choice Award 2nd Place for Best MM Romance). So that character and his brother are the first guests at Cozzi Cove.
This summer the vacationers are two brothers/college students who look alike, but couldn’t be more different. Mario is searching for love, and Harold is searching for lust. A wealthy older couple, Josh and Greg, play matchmakers for their gorgeous son Christopher. Opposites attract as gregarious Tim meets shy Mark, and porn star Chuck Caliber connects with Sean, a virgin romance novelist. Finally computer game designer Arthur has a midnight sea rendezvous with a merman. Even Cal faces an emotional upheaval when a gay bashing turns into something quite unexpected for him. The novel is full of humor, tragedy, mystery, and romance in these intercut stories (a la The Love Boat). Everyone has a secret and things are not always what they seem at the magical place called Cozzi Cove.
The second book, COZZI COVE: MOVING FORWARD, is written and set for release by NineStar Press on April 18. I can also see COZZI COVE as a television series. Make me an offer, producers! I want to play Sean Guile!
So grab your Speedos, suntan lotion, and shades and head to Cozzi Cove. A bungalow is waiting for you!
Joe Cosentino http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
***
by Joe Cosention
M/M Contemporary
Cover Design: Arai Tan
Buy: Ninestar Press | Allromamnce | BN | Amazon US | Amazon UK
On Cozzi Cove at the New Jersey shore, handsome Cal Cozzi’s seven bungalows are open for summer and love. Mario and Harold are brothers and college students who happen to look alike, but couldn’t be more different: Mario is searching for love, and Harold is searching for lust. Josh and Greg, a wealthy older couple, are matchmakers for their son, Christopher.
When it comes to Connor, the maid, packed with muscles and a roving sponge, anything can happen. Opposites attract as wild Tim with the secret past meets shy Mark, and porn star Chuck Caliber connects with Sean, a virgin romance novelist. And what will happen when computer-game designer Arthur has a midnight sea rendezvous with a merman? Even married Cal faces an emotional upheaval when a gay bashing turns into something quite unexpected.
What secrets and passions lie in magical Cozzi Cove?
***
Excerpt:
As Lance rested in bed and Cal was putting on jeans, sandals, and a canary polo shirt, they heard Connor enter the living room and call out to Cal. After giving Lance a kiss on the cheek, Cal begrudgingly left his lover, shut the front bedroom door after himself, and then met up with Connor, who was standing next to the living room sofa.
Connor said, “It’s good to be back at work.”
“How were your grades at college this year?”
Connor shrugged his muscular shoulders. “Pretty average.”
Cal thought, If average is getting Cs and Ds. “I’m guessing you were quite involved with extracurricular activities.”
“One or two.” He giggled. “Maybe, three.”
Cal had a soft spot for the kid. “You did a nice job preparing the bungalows yesterday.”
“I aim to please.”
Cal thought the nineteen-year-old looked like an American flag in cutoff blue jeans that matched his eyes, a T-shirt and sneakers that matched his red hair, and pale skin with freckles.
“How can I be of service to you today, boss?”
Cal ignored Connor’s obvious double meaning.
“Just the usual routine.” Cal wasn’t immune to Connor’s charm, but Connor was a kid, and Cal was a one-man man. “Carry their luggage into the bungalows when the guests arrive. Turn down beds at four p.m.” He attempted to look sternly at the boy. “… Without you in them.”
“Me come on to a guest?” Connor feigned surprise.
“Yes, you, Connor. This is a vacation resort, not the baths.” Cal moved behind his desk. “After today, make up the rooms late mornings and early afternoons. Leave the sheets and towels in front of the garage for the laundry pickup. And don’t forget to sweep out the parking area.”
Connor saluted. “Aye, aye, Capitán .”
They heard a knock at the front door. Cal shouted, “It’s open.”
“Is this the office?”
“We’re informal here,” Cal explained. He typed into his computer, and then motioned for the young man to join him.
“I’m Mario Ginnetti.” He placed a piece of luggage at his feet. “Is it okay to park in the lot?”
Connor seemed to nearly salivate at Mario’s arms in his violet short-sleeved shirt. “You can park anywhere you like.”
Ignoring Connor, Cal said, “Yes, that’s the lot for the bungalows.” Cal handed Mario a key. “You’re in Bungalow One. I’ve got your credit card, so you’re all set.” He took a map from the topmost desk drawer. “The ocean beach is open to the public and is only minutes away. You can swim, surf, snorkel, or go on a glass-bottom boat there.” He pointed to various black dots on the map. “You’ll want to get some groceries here. Tommy Malone’s is a good bar, and Carla’s is my favorite seafood restaurant. This place has killer ice cream, which you can work off here at the gym.”
Connor interjected with, “If you need help finding anything, just ask me. I’m a native.”
“Or you can come into the office and ask me.” Cal handed Mario the map and then pointed outside. “The cove is private property. You can sit out there all you like. The bay water is calm and warm. As you can see, the view is amazing.”
Connor added with a grin, “Nude sunbathing is permitted.”
Mario was visibly trying to take it all in.
“Any questions?” asked Cal.
Mario’s dimples appeared. “Will the weather always be this nice?”
“From your lips to the sea gods’ ears.” Cal smiled. “The weather report calls for rain, so that means it’s going to be sunny all week. Connor will take you to your bungalow.”
Connor looked like the wolf meeting Little Red Riding Hood as he took Mario’s luggage. “Follow me, Mario.”
***
About the Author:
Amazon Bestselling author Joe Cosentino wrote Cozzi Cove: Bouncing Back (NineStar Press), Drama Queen and Drama Muscle Nicky and Noah mysteries (Lethe Press), An Infatuation, A Shooting Star, A Home for the Holidays, The Naked Prince and Other Tales from Fairyland (Dreamspinner Press), Paper Doll (Whiskey Creek Press) and Porcelain Doll (Wild Rose Press) Jana Lane mysteries, 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 Cozzi Cove: Moving Forward (Nine Star Press), Drama Cruise Nicky and Noah mystery (Lethe Press), and Satin Doll and China Doll Jana Lane mysteries (Wild Rose Press). Joe was voted 2nd Place for Best MM Author of the Year in Divine Magazine’s Readers’ Choice Awards for 2015!
Web site: http://www.JoeCosentino.weebly.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoeCosentinoauthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/JoeCosen
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4071647.Joe_Cosentino
Amazon: Author.to/JoeCosentino
Guest Blog & Giveaway: Accidental Hero by R.J. Scott
Guest Blog
Heroes and Villians by R.J Scott
It’s always so hard to come up with ideas for blogs but this time I thought I would explore bits of my favorite spy/action/buddy movies, given that Accidental Hero is a bit of both.
The movie/book villain is vital in any spy/buddie/story, because it the one thing the heroes have to defeat before they can move on. The best villain of all time was, to me, being a Star Wars freak, is Darth Vader. Oh my God, when I saw Star Wars for the first time (aged 10) I was so scared of him. The absolute unbeatable power he had, meant that the destruction of the death star became so much more; the heroes had overcome the near impossible.
And Hans Gruber in Die Hard – the perfect evil nasty, randomly shooting people, apparently without morals, or redemption, he had to die, and boy was his death a good one! His evil was the perfect foil for John McClane’s white T-shirted, bare footed, hero. Oh, and T-1000 (the silvery changing baddie from Terminator 2) he was again apparently unbeatable, which made his ending all the more sweet.
A good bad guy will have you rooting more for the hero.
Do you have a favorite bad guy or villain in a book or film?
***
Accidental Hero
Sanctuary #8
by R.J. Scott
Buy Links
Chicago Cop Simon Grant and Sanctuary operative Cain Brodie, have to be the heroes of their own stories, just to stay alive.
Everyone wants Chicago cop, Simon Grant, dead. Armed with an address, he is on the run and heading for Sanctuary, only to end up at the wrong end of a gun. Is it possible the tall amber-eyed man holding the gun is actually going to be able to help him?
Cain Brodie is in charge of Sanctuary’s new Chicago office, C-Tower. His well organised administration day takes an unexpected turn when he has a man wanted for murder right in his gun sights. Thrust into a situation he has no control over suddenly he needs to be the one in control.
Accidental or not, Simon and Cain have to be the heroes of their own stories, just to stay alive.
Sanctuary Series:
Book 1 - Guarding Morgan
Book 2 - The Only Easy Day
Book 3 - Face Value
Book 4 - Still Waters
Book 5 - Full Circle
Book 6 - The Journal Of Sanctuary One
Book 7 - Worlds Collide
***
Excerpt:
Everyone wants us dead.
Cops. The entire Drugs & Gangs team. Varga. Any of them, all of them, they all want us gone.
Simon Grant crab-walked backward, reaching the wall and curling his knees up so that he was as far away from the body as possible. Blood pooled in a macabre circle of scarlet, spreading almost to his feet. What was left of Jamie Harrington’s face was toward him, and Simon couldn’t look. He closed his eyes tight, aware the sight of broken skin and shattered bone would never leave his memory.
I’m telling you, we should talk to someone outside the precinct.
The last words Jamie had said just a day before. Mere hours before Simon had found this tableau of blood and gore, laid out before him.
A noise had him plastering himself against the wall, belatedly realizing it was he himself who had made the sound, halfway between a groan and a keen of denial. Horror had nausea rising and he tried to breathe to calm his gorge, but all he could smell was cordite and blood.
“I should have—” not said a fucking thing to anyone. Simon finished the harsh words that had begun out loud and ended inside, where he knew he would keep them forever.
He pushed his hand through his hair, anchoring his fingers in the length of it, blood smearing his skin. Then he crawled over, the wetness of blood soaking his pants, and felt for a pulse.
Jamie had half his face missing, his dark hair and skull matted, and one of his eyes blasted away… no face.
He’s gone, and I checked for a fucking pulse.
Simon froze in place. A gun lay in the blood, obscenely black against the red, just inches from Jamie’s outstretched hand as if he’d been reaching for it, looking up at his attacker and hoping to hell he reached the police-issue gun before he was killed. Why had it been left?
For fuck’s sake, think. Analyze the situation.
Was Simon supposed to pick it up, put his prints all over it? Was the killer watching, waiting for him to fuck up, waiting for him to be blamed for the death of his partner?
He had to box away the horror, push aside the shock and grief, and think.
He counted down from five and considered what next. The apartment was on the second floor. Whoever did this could be waiting or coming for him next; there was a gun in the blood, and Jamie was dead. What if it wasn’t Jamie’s gun? Simon looked around the otherwise spotless room, grabbed the nearest bag he could see—a brown grocery bag—upending it. The apples and cans inside spilled into the scarlet on the wooden floor. Had Jamie been out shopping? Did his murderer follow him home?
Just to one side, a bouquet of red roses lay half in and half out of the pool of blood. The white paper they were wrapped in had darkened in places; petals lay on the ground, weighed down by blood.
Simon used the grocery bag to pick up the gun. Long strings of sticky scarlet linked the gun to the floor for a moment and Simon pushed back sickness again. He’d seen death before, but never one that hit so close to home.
He turned his head to get some fresh air from the open window. The sound of sirens closing in was enough to have him leaving the apartment, turning left instead of right, moving to the back of the building and the way he knew he would be able to get out. Going up instead of down, he made it to the roof in record time, only a little winded. The gun was in the bag, pushed firmly into a pocket of his jacket.
He stepped back right near the edge and centered himself. Counting in his head again, he sprinted toward the next building and jumped the six-foot gap, landing and rolling onto solid roofing on the other side. He fell heavily on the gun, shoving it into his ribs, but he’d made it across and that was no mean feat.
The exit plan had been formed amid teasing and laughter over beers at Jamie’s last get-together for colleagues, on that clear Chicago night.
“You’ll never make it across,” Jamie had said on a belch. “Your short ass and stubby legs will have you tumbling into the alley. You’ll end up in a dumpster, and don’t think anyone’ll come get your stinking body.”
Simon had shoved him. “Five ten is not short, asshole.”
I can’t think of Jamie now. I made it over.
He looked around for somewhere to hide the gun. No way was he getting caught with it. He shoved it into the air intake, pushed it a long way back to a small shelf area. Done.
Why am I even keeping it?
“Because there may be other prints, or a trace, or something,” he answered his own question. “If it isn’t Jamie’s gun, we might be able to….”
To what? Why did you take it? Are you stupid? You took evidence?
With stealth he made his way across the roof and to the stairs, taking them three at a time and landing lightly on the first floor. From there he took a joining walkway to yet another apartment block and finally left that by using the fire escape, stopping only to scrub his face to clear away any blood. Finally he joined the crowds walking the sidewalk with purpose. They parted before him, some acknowledging him with nods, others bypassing him, and some shooting him guilty looks. A couple cursed him as he walked against the flow, but no one stopped him. No one shot at him, no one shouted. There was no recognition of who he was inside the uniform.
He was just another Chicago cop on the beat. Nothing to stand out. As long as he walked steadily and with resolution and didn’t break out into a panicked run, no one would look twice past the badge.
At soon as he could, he stepped into business premises—a coffee shop. He went straight to the bathroom, washed his face and his hands properly, then looked critically at his uniform. There was blood there—Jamie’s blood—but the dark blue of the uniform was enough to cover it. He pulled out his cell and stared at it for the longest time. It was nothing special, but it had all his numbers in there. Including Elliot’s. It also had a GPS chip that could be traced. No way was he calling anyone or reaching out.
He fingered the card in his pocket.
“Here, if you need anything…”
Elliot had told both him and Jamie. Promised them a place where they could get help. Even at that moment Simon had placed his faith squarely in the cops he served with, Jamie as well.
“This is bigger than just you two,” Elliot told them.
***
About the Author:
RJ Scott has been writing since age six, when she was made to stay in at lunchtime for an infraction involving cookies. She was told to write a story and two sides of paper about a trapped princess later, a lover of writing was born.
As an avid reader herself, she can be found reading anything from thrillers to sci-fi to horror. However, her first real true love will always be the world of romance where she takes cowboys, bodyguards, firemen and billionaires (to name a few) and writes dramatic and romantic stories of love and passion between these men.
With over seventy titles to her name and counting, she is the author of the award winning book, The Christmas Throwaway. She is also known for the Texas series charting the lives of Riley and Jack, and the Sanctuary series following the work of the Sanctuary Foundation and the people it protects.
Her goal is to write stories with a heart of romance, a troubled road to reach happiness, and most importantly, that hint of a happily ever after.
rj@rjscott.co.uk
www.rjscott.co.uk/
https://twitter.com/Rjscott_author
www.facebook.com/author.rjscott
www.librarything.com/author/scottrj
www.tumblr.com/blog/rjscott (some NSFW (not safe for work) photos)
www.pinterest.com/rjscottauthor/
***
Giveaway:
Win a $15 Giftcard from Amazon or ARe, plus 2 further prizes of an ebook from RJ’s catalogue. Competition closes 4th December – midnight GMT.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Guest Post & Giveaway: King John by Edmond Manning
King John
by Edmond Manning
Lost and Found Series #4
M/M Contemporary
Buy link: Amazon | Allromance | Goodreads
English attorney Alistair Robertson can’t quite believe an astonishing tale of kingship and transformation he hears at Burning Man, the annual counter-culture art festival in the Black Rock desert. Who are the Found Kings? Is “being kinged” as magical as it sounds?
Determined to find the mysterious garage mechanic named Vin who helps men “remember who they were always meant to be,” Alistair catches his quarry amid the extravagant sculptures, fire worshipers, mutant cars, and lavish costumes. After searching for three years, he’ll finally get to ask the question burning inside him: “Will you king me?”
Wandering together through the desert, Vin Vanbly and Alistair explore Burning Man’s gifting culture and exotic traditions, where they meet the best and worst of their fellow burners. Alistair’s overconfidence in Vin’s manipulative power collides with Vin’s obsessive need to save a sixteen-year-old runaway from a nightmarish fate, and the two men spiral in uncontrollable, explosive directions.
In this fourth adventure of The Lost and Founds, beneath the sweltering summer sun and the six billion midnight stars, one truth emerges, searing itself on their hearts: in the desert, everything burns.
***
Guest Post: Learn the Language, Broner
by Edmond Manning
Dude.
If you’re going to show up at Burning Man, learn the language. You don’t want to be a broner (describes men who display the same “douchy” behavior one might see in a night club or at a rave).
The unique vocabulary did not spring up overnight. The words reflect years of an evolving Burning Man culture. Like any unique culture-based lexicon, they are informal ways to express approval and disapproval, reinforcing norms and values that Burners want respected.
It’s easy to see how a word like broner evolved. In the early days, Burning Man was considered a unique cross between spirituality, anarchy, and radical self-expression. Those who value those qualities were dismayed when, during the mid- to late-nineties, Silicon Valley dotcommers showed up en mass and began turning Burning Man into their own networking rave. Broners is a criticism, judging those who do not treat Burning Man as a special place.
There is other less flattering nomenclature, too:
e-tards / e-nnoying
Someone acting like an idiot on Ecstasy.
Usage: “That e-tard is trying to hug a canvas tent.”
Sparkle pony
This word can be negative or positive, depending on how it is applied. A sparkle pony is most often a beautiful young woman, displaying her…um…beauty for all to see. Could be nudity. Skimpy costume. She’s a goddess. She’s wearing glitter. She’s young and beautiful. On the other hand, a sparkle pony is almost the cousin of broner. A sparkle pony could be that same young woman who didn’t bring food, didn’t bring gifts to exchange, brought barely enough water…it’s someone who didn’t prepare and expects their good looks to carry them.
Usage: “Check out that woman who just offered those guys a dance with scarves if they give her a burger. What a sparkle pony.”
Burnier-than-thou
The burner is acting like somehow they are the only person who embodies the true spirit of Burning Man, and luckily, they are here to show us all how to live it.
Usage: “You know, it’s funny you should bring up Burning Man. I actually wrote a book about Burning Man, myself. It’s called King John.”
“Okay, geez, don’t get all burnier-than-thou. I get it. You danced naked in the desert. You’re practically an earth spirit. Waiter? Can I get the check please? This first date is going nowhere.”
Yahoo
Someone who watches and doesn’t participate.
Usage: “Hey, yahoo, instead of filming people dance, why don’t you set down your iPhone and dance, fucker.”
Burgin (pronounced: bur-jin )
First time attender of Burning Man.
Usage: “You forgot to bring sunscreen? What are you, a burgin?”
Circle jerk
A drum circle. These are generally considered to be quite annoying.
Usage: “Ugh. No, let’s not go in that direction. I hear a circle jerk I’d rather avoid.”
Assplanade
The very outer street in Black Rock City. The very innermost street is called the Esplanade. The Assplanade is its less popular cousin.
Usage: “Where’s that camp that washes your feet? Out on the Assplanade? Oh, fuck it. I’m not walking that far.”
Blue room bolt
Ditching an unwanted companion (traditionally someone you just met) who is busy using a porta potty.
Usage: “Hey, that Sparkle Pony is only wandering with us because we have water. She just went inside to piss. Let’s blue room bolt.”
Family rubies
This describes the unfortunate condition of having sunburned your genitalia—one of the side effects of wandering the desert naked and forgetting sunscreen.
Usage: “There’s no way I’m going dancing tonight, not with these family rubies.”
Playa vampire / vamp (pronounced: ply-uh – the type of desert terrain found at Black Rock)
Someone who parties all night and sleeps all day.
Usage: “Better not wake up Peter. He was out until dawn. He’s a playa vamp.”
Faffing
Short for Fucking Around For Fucking Forever (acronyms don’t have to follow the rules at Burning Man). When you want to leave and go explore the playa, and your camp mates are taking their sweet, sweet time delaying. C’mon. Hurry up!
Usage: “Hey, we want to get out clubbing! Quit faffing around!”
Trailer chaser
Someone who will sleep with you just so they can crash inside your air-conditioned RV for the night instead of their dusty, hot tent.
Usage: “Edmond rented a luxury RV for Burning Man, counting on trailer chasers to flock to him. What a broner.”
TTITD / That Thing in the Desert
Burners often feel judged, when discussing Burning Man, by those who have never been. Out in the real world, when they want to speak in code about the event, they simply say TTITD or perhaps, “That Thing…” without getting scornful glances or eye rolls from nearby tables.
Usage: “At the coffeehouse this morning, I heard the table next to me discussing That Thing in the Desert and before I left, I told them I thought Burning Man sounded wonderful, and to have fun next year.”
***
Edmond Manning is the author of the romance series, The Lost and Founds. The books in this series include King Perry, King Mai (a 2014 Lambda Literary finalist), The Butterfly King, and King John. King John takes place at Burning Man.
He has always been fascinated by fiction: how ordinary words could be sculpted into heartfelt emotions, how heartfelt emotions could leave an imprint inside you stronger than the real world. Mr. Manning never felt worthy to seek publication until recently, when he accidentally stumbled into his own writer’s voice that fit perfectly, like his favorite skull-print fuzzy jammies. He finally realized that he didn’t have to write like Charles Dickens or Armistead Maupin— two author heroes— and that perhaps his own fiction was juuuuuuust right, because it was his true voice, so he looked around the scrappy word kingdom that he created for himself and shouted, “I’M HOME!” He is now a writer.
In addition to fiction, Edmond enjoys writing nonfiction on his blog, http://www.edmondmanning.com. When not writing, he can be found either picking raspberries in the back yard or eating panang curry in an overstuffed chair upstairs, reading comic books.
Feel free to contact him at remembertheking@comcast.net.
***
Giveaway!
Winner’s Prize: An eBook copy of King John
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Guest Post & Giveaway: Cutting Out by Meredith Shayne
Guest Post
by Meredith Shayne
Aussie & NZ Accents
You’d think, because Australia and New Zealand are so close together, that their speech would be quite similar. It is, in some ways. But in other ways it’s really not. Take the slang, for instance; in Cutting Out, Lachie and Shane have a couple of discussions, joking around about the different slang terms used by New Zealanders (Lachie) and Australians (Shane). Some slang is almost the same: to describe someone going into the middle of nowhere, Australians say “he’s gone to woop woop”, whereas Kiwis say “he’s gone to the wop wops”. Some slang is quite different: an American cooler is an “esky” to an Australian, and a “chilly bin” to a Kiwi.
When I moved from Australia to New Zealand almost ten years ago, a lot of people joked that I would lose my accent, but that’s not what happens, not when you move somewhere as an adult; at least, it didn’t happen to me. What happened was that my slang started to change. It’s not on purpose, necessarily, mostly it’s just that you tend to pick up words from the people around you, in a very organic way. So while I still call an esky an esky, and I enjoy using the word “thongs” and watching people think I’m talking about underwear (I’m really not!), I do call the corner shop a dairy. I’ve admitted defeat there. I’ve also stopped using some phrases that I used to use all the time. The phrase “you’ve got Buckley’s” (which means “you’ve got no chance”) is no longer part of my vocabulary when I’m in New Zealand, to avoid the blank stares of confusion I get when I use it. The opposite is true as well; once, one of my friends asked me to pass her a Vivid. I didn’t, because I had no idea what a Vivid was. Now they just ask me to pass them a marker pen!
As I mentioned before, like Shane in Cutting Out, my accent is still 100% True Blue Aussie. It marks me as an interesting topic of conversation as soon as I open my mouth (“Oh, so you’re Australian? How long have you been here?”), and if I ring up a phone company to discuss calling plans, I automatically get offered a package which includes calls to Australia. Sometimes my Kiwi friends like to test out how good a foreign person’s ear is; if we’re around someone from the US or UK, I’ll often find myself having to repeat a typical sentence after a Kiwi has said it because the Kiwi has asked our visitor, “So, can you tell the difference between our accents?” Asking me to repeat iconic Australian movie lines also apparently never gets old.
Below are two videos which demonstrate perfectly the differences between the Australian and New Zealand accents, so see if you can hear them; maybe the next time someone asks you, “So, can you tell the difference between our accents?” you’ll have no trouble at all identifying them.
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bj05ICDL6Cc
Video Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ab_MLnr1Q4I
***
Book Details: Novel
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Release Date: October 11, 2014
Blurb
A twenty-year veteran of the shearing shed, Aussie Shane Cooper loves his job, and the home he’s made for himself in New Zealand. If he’s a little lonely, he’s got good mates to keep his spirits up. When a hot, cocky young shearer named Lachlan Moore catches his eye at a competition, he’s content to look but not touch, knowing the young man is out of his league.
Lachie wouldn’t mind a piece of Shane, but the gorgeous gun shearer from Australia is soon forgotten when the Christchurch earthquake hits, and tragedy strikes Lachie’s family. Lachie deals with it the best he can, cutting himself off from all he knows. A year later and he’s back in the shearing shed, out of practice and lacking confidence. That Shane’s there to watch him flounder doesn’t help his nerves.
As Lachlan struggles to re-acclimatise, Shane can’t resist giving him a hand to get back on his feet. As they move from friends to something more, Shane finds himself wanting to know everything he can about Lachie. But Lachie’s got secrets he desperately wants to keep, and when things come to a head, those secrets might just mean the end of them before they’ve truly begun.
Buy Links
The e-book is available for sale for $5.99 via the BDP Digital Shop
and other online booksellers.
Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon AU
Apple iBooks | All Romance
***
About the Author:
A scientist in a past life, these days Meredith Shayne mainly uses her scientific training to poke holes in television pseudoscience. Originally from Australia, she moved to New Zealand to start a new life a few years ago and hasn't regretted it for one minute, even if she frequently wishes that the New Zealand weather was a little better; if she's forced, she'll admit that the refreshing lack of animals that can kill you in New Zealand makes up for a little rain.
Meredith travels a lot, so much so that she has developed a shameful love of airplane food and knows her passport number by heart. When she is at home, she enjoys baking, horrible music from the 1980s, reality television, and gloating any time Australia thrashes the living daylights out of New Zealand on the sporting field.
Find Meredith at her online:
www.meredithshayne.com
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23280855-cutting-out
http://booklikes.com/cutting-out-meredith-shayne/book,12925937
www.bottomdrawerpublications.net
***
Release & Blog Tour Giveaway
Paperback copy of Cutting Out
$10 BDP voucher
3 x Cutting Out e-books
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Guest Post: Inside Look at A Secret Match by Kelli Wilkins
A Secret Match… An Inside Look
by Romance Author Kelli A. Wilkins
www.KelliWilkins.com
Hi everyone!
Today I’m sharing an “inside look” at the making of my latest gay romance, A Secret Match.
It’s a contemporary novella set in the world of professional wrestling.
Before we get started, let me answer the question lots of folks may be asking: “Why do you write gay romances? You’re not a man or gay.” I generally respond with: “Why shouldn’t I? I wrote a vampire romance, and I’ve never been a vampire.”
But seriously, I’m a writer. And as a writer, I write whatever romance book comes to me, whether it’s a contemporary, historical, paranormal, or gay romance. My stories are about people who meet, fall in love, and overcome obstacles to be with each other. This basic philosophy applies whether the characters are same-sex, different sex, or space alien and earth girl. Love is love and romance is romance. I’m not married to one specific genre or heat level. I go where the story and the characters take me.
When A Secret Match came out, a friend asked me: “How do you write a gay romance?” I replied: “The same way I write my other romances. I write the story that’s in my head.” For me, writing a M/M romance is no different than writing a romance in any other genre. All the elements of telling any good story: an interesting plot, characters readers care about, sensory details and descriptions, etc., are the same.
So, how did A Secret Match come about? I’ve been a wrestling fan my whole life and A Secret Match is a follow-up (of sorts) to my other wrestling romance, A Perfect Match. That book is about a straight couple (Vin and Danni) and Everett (the main character from A Secret Match) is a secondary character (and Vin’s best friend).
I loved writing for Ev— he’s one of those characters who tries to run away with the book. I always thought “one day” I’ll give him a story of his own, but I didn’t have a clue as to what the plot would be. I put thoughts of him aside and wrote other books. Then, one morning as I was driving to work, he popped into my head with a four-line book summary. Within an hour, I had the whole story in my head and I started writing.
A big part of the storyline centers around Everett dealing (or rather, not dealing) with his sexuality and his (un)willingness to be open about who he really is. Ev’s longtime partner, Josh, is tired of being kept in his “walk-in closet” and wants Ev to come out (at least to his friends and family) but Everett is concerned about losing his job. Will fans accept a gay wrestler? How will his boss react? Part of him wants to keep everything just as it is because that’s safe. But another part of him longs to stop hiding the truth.
When I wrote the book, I focused on Ev’s anguish over being caught between two worlds: his job (where his wrestling persona is a horny womanizer) and his secret, private life with Josh. Everett can’t balance the two and worries about what the other wrestlers would think of him coming out.
As Ev tells Vin as they discuss the issue of gay athletes in sports: “Sure, gay athletes are out there, but a gay baseball player doesn’t have the type of physical contact with other guys like we do. Does he grab other men when he’s all sweaty and crawl on top of them to cover them for a pin? No. There are all sorts of issues—changing in the locker room, showering together… Can you imagine some of the things that would go through the guys’ heads when I tried to put a hold on them? You think they wouldn’t freak out when I touched them if they knew?”
Vin’s reply: “You won’t know if you never take the risk.”
And risk Ev does. After he comes out (twice, in fact—I loved writing those scenes!), he discovers a different side to himself, embraces who he is, and even faces down intolerant fans and homophobic coworkers.
I enjoyed showing Everett on his journey of self-acceptance. He’s a bit of a cocky wise-ass, and definitely a fun character to write for. I was glad to give Ev and Josh the happy-ever-after ending they rightly deserve (and some hot love scenes!), because no matter what, love is love, and that’s all that matters.
I hope you’ll check out the book. (It’s already gotten great reviews.) In the meantime, here’s the summary and a spicy excerpt.
Happy Reading!
Kelli A. Wilkins
Everett Kinkade is a world-famous professional wrestler and the sexy heartthrob of millions of adoring female fans. But Ev has a secret he doesn’t dare share with anyone. He’s gay.
After years of being Ev’s secret lover, Josh is tired of hiding in the shadows and wants Ev to openly acknowledge their relationship. Coming out is the last thing Ev wants and fears it will ruin his career.
One night in a moment of truth, Everett outs himself on live TV. There’s no going back, and his announcement sparks a firestorm of problems – both personally and professionally. He’s forced to come to grips with who he really is while facing down a tag team out to destroy him.
Torn between living a lie and losing the man he loves, Ev has risked everything… can he find a balance between his career and his heart?
***
Excerpt:
Josh ran his soapy hands down Everett’s chest and ribs. Normally, he loved admiring Ev’s rock-hard naked body, but not today. It pained him to see the man he loved covered in bruises. Were they from those rednecks or had Ev gotten them wrestling? It sickened him to think that Ev put his body through this kind of punishment every night. Was it worth it?
He unhooked the massaging showerhead and rinsed the soap off of Everett’s tanned torso. He watched as it left a white foamy trail down to Ev’s rigid cock.
“My poor love.” Josh kissed a bruise on Ev’s stomach, and he flinched. “Did I hurt you?”
“No, it tickles.”
“What?” Josh looked down and realized the water was spraying on Ev’s balls. He laughed. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize. Do it again.”
Ev loved having his balls played with, and sometimes he could make him come just by sucking on them. That was fun, but right now, he wanted something else. “Turn around.”
Everett turned and faced the wall.
Josh soaped his hands, then slid them down Everett’s back and ass. He took his time, massaging Ev’s firm buttocks, cupping and squeezing them lightly. Touching Ev always turned him on. He rinsed Everett’s back with the showerhead, angling it so the soapy water ran down between his cheeks. Ev shivered.
“Want it?”
“Yeah.”
Every so often they liked to spice things up. When they had first made love, Everett was anxious and afraid to be vocal about what he liked. But since then, Ev was willing to try anything, and he liked it when they got naughty.
***
ABOUT KELLI A. WILKINS
Kelli A. Wilkins is an award-winning author who has published more than 90 short stories, 18 romance novels, and 4 non-fiction books. Her romances span many genres and heat levels. Kelli had three romances published in 2014: A Secret Match, Wilderness Bride, and Dangerous Indenture. A Secret Match is her third gay romance. Don’t miss the others: Four Days with Jack and Killer in Wolf’s Clothing.
Kelli publishes a blog: (http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com) filled with excerpts, interviews, writing prompts, and whatever else pops into her head. She also writes a monthly newsletter, Kelli's Quill, and posts on Facebook and Twitter. Kelli invites readers to visit her website, http://www.KelliWilkins.com to learn more about all of her writings.
Catch up with Kelli on the Web:
Website: www.KelliWilkins.com
Blog: http://kelliwilkinsauthor.blogspot.com/
Newsletter sign-up: http://eepurl.com/HVQqb
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Kelli-A.Wilkins/e/B001JSAB24/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1
Amber Quill Press Author page: http://www.amberquill.com/store/m/149-Kelli-A-Wilkins.aspx
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/@KWilkinsauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1123678.Kelli_A_Wilkins
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kelli.wilkins1
Guest Post Shoulder Pads and Flannel by Jo Ramsey
High school football star Guillermo Garcia can count himself among the popular kids—for now. Although he secretly dates Evan Granger, who is openly gay and badly bullied for it, Guillermo doesn’t dare let his teammates, classmates, or close-knit family learn about his sexuality.
But Guillermo witnessed an attack on Evan, and now the school bullies plan to out Guillermo in retaliation. In their small town, word spreads rapidly, so Guillermo must make a quick choice—come out now on his own or risk having someone else do it for him.
Contemporary LGBT Fiction, Published by Harmony Ink, an imprint of Dreamspinner Press
Twitter: @JoRamseyYA
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/JoRamseyAuthor
The Story of Shoulder Pads and Flannel
Being a teenager isn’t exactly easy. You might not have the same stresses adults have, but that doesn’t mean there isn’t stress.
One of the hardest things about being a teenager is figuring out who you are and how that fits with the rest of the world. You want to be like your friends, please your parents, and be true to yourself all at the same time, whether or not it’s possible. And sometimes, being true to yourself is the scariest part.
We’re living in an era now where homosexuality is no longer considered a psychological disorder. It hasn’t been all that long since that change occurred. And it’s only within the past year or so that professionals have decided identifying as something other than cis-gender is not a mental illness. Among my kids and their friends, I see a lot of acceptance for each other’s sexualities and gender identities, and I think that’s a wonderful thing.
But some teens are facing the fact that they identify as something other than heterosexual, or that their gender doesn’t match up with the body they’re living in. They’re afraid of being rejected by family and friends. Of losing their homes. Of being hurt or even killed for no reason other than being who they are. And yet denying themselves is painful too. They’re stuck.
In my novel Shoulder Pads and Flannel, Guillermo Garcia has known for several years that he’s gay. He’s even dated two boys in the past, and is currently dating Evan Granger, the most openly gay boy at their high school. But Guillermo keeps his sexuality—and his relationship with Evan—a deeply hidden secret. As the oldest son in his family, he is held to certain standards by his father. He fears his parents’ rejection, along with the condemnation of their church. Guillermo knows exactly who he is and isn’t ashamed of it, but he doesn’t dare to show his true self.
Guillermo’s coming out has a happy ending for him. But too many teens and even adults face negative results. And too many continue to live in silence, afraid to be themselves.
This blog tour is sponsored and run by Muse Charmer PR, providing superhero promotion for your book. Learn more and check out all the tour stops by visiting http://www.promoyourmuse.com
Guest Post & Giveaway: Double Alchemy by Susan Mac Nicol
Guest Post - Role playing
by Susan Mac Nicol
I have to confess that this is one of the things that confuses the hell out of me on Facebook. Of course, with it being an online world anyone can be what they want to be. David Gandy seems to be a popular choice as well as Tom Hardy and Tom Hiddleston. The thing is, you never know when you’re talking to a real person or someone who is real behind the scenes but who you see isn’t the real them.
I was chatting away the other day to someone who then told me they were a dog. Yep, that’s right. An animal. Apparently one of the other characters I chat with (a male model but I still don’t know if he’s real or not although he’s very convincing) has a dog who is a model and she has her own Facebook account for promotional purposes. Blow me down with a feather but I felt like a real idiot.
I think I might be one of the few people who’s a real person. You can see what I look like, see a little about where I live, when you send me a message it’s the true person Susan Mac Nicol responding on the other side. I know people use aliases to protect their privacy, and in the genre in which I write, gay male Romance, a lot of authors use nom de plumes to protect themselves from scrutiny and vilification. Sad but true and they have to do what they need to do to keep their family and their personal affairs safe from ignorant, bigoted tossers. Luckily I don’t have to do this because everyone knows if they give me grief I’ll wait for a quiet moment, when they’ve forgotten they insulted me, and then get my own back. I’m a Capricorn -it’s how I play the game.
I’ve seen cartoon characters playing along in role play forums along with famous athletes, actors, porn stars, strangely named individuals that you just know can’t be real, and as my characters, Shane Templar and Matthew Langer, I’ve been invited to many orgies and BDSM themed weekends. Of course Shane encourages all that so it’s very much my fault, but oh, it’s such fun. Until people really think you are real then it’s not so amusing. Shane has had his fair share of stalkers and it can get pretty scary when women and men try to proposition him thinking he’s an actual person and getting upset when you give them the cold shoulder.
It’s an entertaining way to spend time and when I first released Stripped Bare, it was a great forum in which to get the story out and led to this book doing very well and becoming my first best seller.
Just make sure you know who your real friends are. :)
***
by Susan Mac Nicol
M/M Paranormal Romance
Boroughs Publishing Group
Released 25th March 2014
Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K91KLzo5-Og
Powerful yet tormented modern warlock Quinn Fairmont must initiate the silver-eyed Cade Mairston into the world of witchfinders, Withinners, and what can happen when two men fall truly, madly, deeply in love.
THE WORLD IN SHADOW
In modern London there lurks a warlock, Quinn Fairmont. Dangerous, powerful, tortured, sharing his body with the soul of an ancient Welsh sorcerer, Quinn is never alone—and never wholly himself. He fights against all those who would exploit his kind. He takes pleasure where he can find it.
In the forest of Hampstead Heath, Quinn’s hometown, Cade Mairston appears to him like a waking dream. Lithe, lean and silver-eyed, he evokes feelings in Quinn unlike any other: lust with true affection, immediate and shocking. Cade is clearly more than he seems. And yet, if a man of the world, Cade is innocent. He knows nothing of warlocks, witchfinders or Withinners. He knows nothing of what he is, what he might be, or what he might feel. For him, the story is just beginning. Magyck, peril and passion await.
Praise for Double Alchemy
“I love Paranormal stories & I'm a huge fan of Susan Mac Nicol's M/M books. In this book, she brings both genres together & gives us this amazing story. With her master storytelling, she takes us into the mystical & magical world of Witches, Warlocks, Withinners & Feys. A world where danger lurks in the shadows.” - Maria Recchia
“I stayed up all night reading this story. Susan has a way of writing that is different than anyone else. She's uniquely brilliant at weaving a tale that brings out my emotions. I have laughed in every one of her stories. That's incredible for me. Not just a smile, but a laugh. I love that. This book needs to be read. You won’t be disappointed.” - Author Kindle Alexander
Praise for Susan Mac Nicol
"We have to re-iterate that this Author will always be an automatic one-click for us. Her writing is flawless and her flawed characters are completely lovable. There’s always something quirky and fun in her stories as well as drama, angst and heaps of passion! We can highly recommend!!" - Gitte & Jenny - Totally Booked Blog
"Susan has been hailed as a genius writer of male/male literature. Her Saving Alexander has been nominated for several awards and has been reviewed widely. Congrats on all your success, Susan. You have earned it." - Gay Lit Authors
***
Susan Mac Nicol was born in Leeds, UK, and left for South Africa when she was eight. She returned to the UK thirty years later and now lives in Essex. Her debut novel Cassandra by Starlight, the first in a trilogy, was published last year by Boroughs Publishing Group in the US. Sue’s latest story, Double Alchemy is her fifth m/m romance.
Sue has written since she was very young, and never thought she would see herself becoming a Romance writer, being a horror/psychological thriller reader all her life. But the Romance genre is now something very close to her heart and she intends continuing the trend.
Sue is a member of the Romance Writers of America and the Romantic Novelists Association here in the UK.
Susan Mac Nicol is also author of The Magick of Christmas, Confounding Cupid, Cassandra by Starlight, Together in Starlight, Stripped Bare, Saving Alexander, Worth Keeping and Waiting for Rain.
Social Links: Website | Blog | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads | Pinterest
***
Giveaway:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
