Elin Gregory

Title: Stars Fall
Author: Louis Harris

Blurb:
Keegan Mansfield is a loner.
A bilateral amputee athlete.
With only one goal; to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games. Every move he makes is towards this dream, and even though there are forces trying to stop him, he moves forward because there’s too much at stake. Although he has the determination and the will to succeed, he is dependent on others and there are ingredients missing from his life that he so desperately needs.
Truth, love and happiness.
When team mate Conrad Smith saves him from a violent incident, both embark on a journey of love that would lead to the truth about Keegan’s past and a happiness that will last for only a moment, and a tragedy that will bring them closer, as one, for neither can live without the other. And, just as things seemed as bad as they could get, Keegan learns an important lesson, that trust is not a game, trust is as real as day and night, as real as the wind. He learns, through tragedy, that Rio comes with the sacrifice of his dependency on others. He learns that true love thrives on togetherness.

Buy Links:

Half price special direct from Cooldudes Books.
Smashwords
Amazon US
Amazon UK

Excerpt:
Not many people invited Keegan out.  There was the time that Patrick invited him to play ten pin bowling and the time that he and Jean went to movies at Sandton City.  It was difficult for him to get around.  Not having a car inhibited his movements.  He would dearly love to go out more often but it was no fault of his that he did not have transport.  He couldn’t afford it on his bursary.  Having to rely on others for transport meant that he would have to schedule lifts to and from varsity, to and from practice, to and from competitions.  It wasn’t easy.  It felt as if he owed the whole world favours.

The first thing that surprised him was that Conrad opened the car door for him.  Nice touch.  Gentlemanly.  From that moment Keegan held a new respect for him.  It felt like he was being courted.

‘Hey handsome, you’re looking good. How’s the elbow?’ Conrad said.

‘I washed it properly in the bath and applied more disinfectant.  Hurts a little but otherwise it’s just fine. You look different.’

‘Must be the hair.’

‘Actually, brush-cut suits you.  Brings out your brown eyes.  You look like an American Marine.’

‘My hairdresser was surprised when I told her I wanted a brush cut.  You know what she said?’

‘Tell me.’

‘She said that such a change means that something drastic had happened in my life.’

‘She said that?’

‘Yup.  I told her I don’t really think the word is drastic as much as fantastic.’

‘You said that?  So what did you mean?’

‘I meant you.  I never once thought you and I would be friends.  I think that’s fantastic.’

Keegan’s face burned from the compliment. ‘Well, that’s…that’s…thank you.  The feeling is mutual,’ he said.

Conrad shut the passenger door and climbed into the driver’s side of the vehicle. ‘Your chest still hurting?’

“A little.  Not much.’

‘I wish it was me that Marx beat on.’

That statement was enough to send Keegan’s mind into overdrive.  Guy friends didn’t say that to each other.  Well, they did, especially if there’s caring involved.  And then Conrad said something even stranger.

‘It hurts me to see you in pain, bro.’

‘Believe me, you don’t want to be on the receiving end of Marx’s punches.  Not cool.  So where are we going?  What do you have in mind?’

‘A quiet supper.  Just the two of us.’

‘Sounds cool.’

‘You don’t mind me taking you out for supper?’

‘It’s not like we’re on a date, right?  I mean, we’re just two guys enjoying supper, right?’

‘Yes.  On both counts.  Just two guys enjoying good food.  Guy bonding.  Bronding. Nothing more.’ Conrad laughed at the word he had just coined.

‘Then why would you ask if I mind?’

Keegan found out very quickly why Conrad had asked him that question

The restaurant, settled in a neat suburb just off the main highway, was dressed in warmth and the smell of Italian cooking from the kitchen.  Their small booth had been set with a candle lit table and a violinist played Moon River for them as they entered.  Keegan smiled at the maître d’ as he invited them to be seated.

‘I’ll leave you for a few moments, Conrad,’ the maître d’ said.

‘Thank you, Simon.’

As Keegan sat down, he said, ‘You’ve been here before?’

‘My favourite restaurant would you guess?’

‘Never have guessed.’ Keegan laughed.

‘Simon is my aunt’s husband.  They own this place.’

‘I guess it’s always better to have a connection in the restaurant business.  This is nice, Conrad.  Too nice.  I can’t afford to eat in a place like this.’

‘Who said anything about paying?’

‘I can’t expect you to pay for this, bro.’

‘I asked you out.  It’s on me.  All I want is for you to enjoy.’

Keegan smiled at him with a softness in his eyes.  An appreciation. ‘Next time it’s on me.’

‘Yup.  And I don’t mind KFC.’

Both of them laughed and from that moment the evening turned into one filled with music, wine and good Italian cuisine.

Getting to know a person is always like finding a new product.  That may sound beaten and clichéd but it’s true.  As the evening wore on, they spoke about life and the universe, and special friends and what friendship meant to them.

‘Do you have a special lady?’ Keegan asked.

‘A special lady, you mean as in girlfriend?’

‘Yes.’

‘No.  Nothing like that. I can’t afford a girl.  That’s not to say that I haven’t ever had a girlfriend.  I have.  Didn’t turn out well at all.’

‘Sorry.  I’m prying here.’

‘Not at all.  We had a so-so relationship right from the start.  My brother asked us to babysit for him once.  That night we had sex.  Embarrassing for me, but not for her apparently.  I was a virgin.  Had no idea what to do.  I know I didn’t cum inside her.  So when she told my family that she was pregnant, I almost married her.  She didn’t tell me first.  She ran to my mom and told her instead and before I knew it I was hauled over the coals by everyone.  But my mom insisted that she be tested before I committed.  Thankfully the test came back negative.  I wasn’t ready for a family.  Damn, at 18, who is?  Anyway, we went on a last date.  It was then I told her that we weren’t ready for each other.  She asked why and I told her the truth.’

‘What did you tell her?’

‘I told her I had feelings for guys.  I simply wanted to sleep with her to see if I could sleep with a woman.’

‘You said that? Selfish, don’t you think.’

‘No.  I knew I would never marry her.  But at the same time I felt as though she tried to trap me.’

‘What did she say when you told her you’re gay?’

‘She cried, she said all of her boyfriends had told her that they were gay.’

‘You’re not serious.’

‘In a way it was so funny.  In another it was damned sad, but that ended our relationship.  Now, what about you?  Tell me about Jean.’

‘She looks after me, there’s no doubt about that.  Helps me whenever she can.  Transport that kind of thing.’

‘You have any special feelings for her?’

‘You mean is she my girlfriend?’

‘I could have asked if you sleep with her.’

‘I do not sleep with Jean.  We don’t have that kind of relationship. It’s platonic.  All platonic.’

‘Maybe from your side, but from what I’ve seen, I think she wants more than just a friendship.’

‘It’s not going to happen.’

‘And what do you think of me?’

Keegan sipped at his wine. ‘I think you’re amazing. And this….all this…is very special. You care. You’re a fine guy, Mr Smith, and I’m happy that you and I are friends.’

Conrad responded by turning away from Keegan’s gaze.  The sadness in his face caught in the light.

‘Wanna tell me about what you’re thinking?’ Keegan asked.

‘I…I was kind of hoping that….I don’t know, I’m being very unreasonable…’

‘Hoping what?’

‘That you…that you were attracted to me in some way.  I’ve watched you since you were a freshman and always been too scared to approach you.  Now that we’re finally friends, I’ve gone and fucked it up.’

Keegan held his glass to his lips for a moment while Conrad’s brown eyes searched for an honest answer.  Keegan had observed his directness earlier that day; he had displayed humility, subtlety and tact.  Coming to Keegan’s rescue earlier required an impulsive, positive and self-confident nature.  Keegan was attracted to that.

Keegan reached for Conrad’s hand and held it gently. ‘No…no… don’t think like that Conrad.  I just have to discover what it is that’s stopping me from having a relationship. It’s bugged me for years.’

Conrad held his hand tighter. ‘I’m hitting on you and I don’t want to scare you and if you think I’m coming on too strong, just say so and I’ll back off.  Can I be perfectly honest with you?’

‘I wouldn’t expect it any other way.’

‘I looked at you today in the locker room when I helped you fit your prosthetics, and I noticed that…’

‘What did you notice?’

‘I could have sworn you had a semi hard-on.’

A moment of silence followed.

‘I did?’ Keegan knew he had had a semi hard on.  He played it coy.

‘I would like to think that I can make you feel that way again.’

‘I need time for this to register, I had no idea you felt this way about me.’

‘Then time I will give you. But, I’m not going to stop thinking about you, and I’m not going to stop touching you.’ Conrad said, his hand slid over Keegan’s gently, and when Simon approached to take their order, he didn’t remove it.

‘I think I can handle that.’ Keegan said breathlessly, his heart throbbing.  The fullness of his cock wanting escape.

~~~

You can follow Louis on the following sites

Author Links:
Cooldudes Books
Goodreads Page
Facebook

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Book Name: Third Eye

Author Name: Rick R. Reed

Publisher: DSP Publications

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Categories: Crime Fiction, Gay Fiction, Horror, M/M Romance, Mystery, Thriller

Blurb:

Who knew that a summer thunderstorm and his lost little boy would conspire to change single dad Cayce D’Amico’s life in an instant? With Luke missing, Cayce ventures into the woods near their house to find his son, only to have lightning strike a tree near him, sending a branch down on his head. When he awakens the next day in the hospital, he discovers he has been blessed or cursed—he isn’t sure which—with psychic ability. Along with unfathomable glimpses into the lives of those around him, he’s getting visions of a missing teenage girl.

When a second girl disappears soon after the first, Cayce realizes his visions are leading him to their grisly fates. Cayce wants to help, but no one believes him. The police are suspicious. The press wants to exploit him. And the girls’ parents have mixed feelings about the young man with the “third eye.”

Cayce turns to local reporter Dave Newton and, while searching for clues to the string of disappearances and possible murders, a spark ignites between the two. Little do they know that nearby, another couple—dark and murderous—are plotting more crimes and wondering how to silence the man who knows too much about them.

 

Sales Links: http://www.amazon.com/Third-Eye-Rick-R-Reed-ebook/dp/B00OWMY0CG/

 

 

Excerpt:

Cayce was just about to put the paper aside when another article—and a familiar name in the byline—caught his eye. “Teenager Reported Missing,” by Dave Newton. It wasn’t so much the headline that got his attention but the picture of the young girl beneath it. Pretty. Long blonde hair. And disturbingly familiar.

Even though Fawcettville was a small town, the girl’s name, Lucy Plant, didn’t ring any bells. Perhaps Cayce had waited on her at the Elite, the diner where he worked. But still, no specific recollection came back. Cayce couldn’t visualize the girl sitting at the counter, nor at one of the booths.

And yet she looked so familiar, as if she were someone Cayce was friends with, or even a relative.

Cayce scanned the story. The girl had been reported missing by her mother yesterday afternoon, just before the storm that had caused such a turn in Cayce’s own life.

There were no clues. The girl, at least according to her mother, could not possibly have been a runaway. “Lucy’s a good girl,” Amy Plant had told Fawcettville police detective JT Simmons. “She wouldn’t even go down the block to visit a friend without telling us first.”

The last time anyone had seen Lucy Plant was when her mother looked outside the living room window. Lucy had been playing with her Barbie dolls on the front lawn.

Cayce closed his eyes. He remembered, suddenly, the storm coming, and not knowing where Luke was. He sympathized with the girl’s mother and the panic she must have felt when she couldn’t locate her daughter.

A ceiling fan. Beneath his closed lids, Cayce saw a ceiling fan. He didn’t know why. He didn’t own one himself, and the one in his parents’ living room was an entirely different model from this one, which was white, with a plain globe. His parents’ fan had four frosted-glass light fixtures and faux wood blades.

Cayce kept his eyes closed, watching the ceiling fan whirl, its blades blurring and becoming singular. There was something wrong with the fan. It didn’t work quite right.

Cayce felt nauseated and opened his eyes. His face was glazed with sweat. His stomach churned, and he was afraid he would vomit. Why was seeing a ceiling fan so disturbing? Or was this some sort of aftershock, an effect of his accident?

Cayce didn’t think so.

He glanced down at the face of Lucy Plant and sucked in some air. “Oh my God,” he whispered, “she’s dead.”

Author Bio:

Rick R. Reed is all about exploring the romantic entanglements of gay men in contemporary, realistic settings. While his stories often contain elements of suspense, mystery and the paranormal, his focus ultimately returns to the power of love. He is the author of dozens of published novels, novellas, and short stories. He is a three-time EPIC eBook Award winner (for Caregiver, Orientation and The Blue Moon Cafe). Raining Men and Caregiver have both won the Rainbow Award for gay fiction.  Lambda Literary Review has called him, “a writer that doesn’t disappoint.” Rick lives in Seattle with his husband and a very spoiled Boston terrier. He is forever “at work on another novel.”

Web: http://www.rickrreed.com
Blog: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/
Facebook: www.facebook.com/rickrreedbooks
Twitter: www.twitter.com/rickrreed.
E-mail: jimmyfels@gmail.com

 

Tour Dates: November 18, 2014

 

Tour Stops:

Parker Williams

Decadent Delights

Full Moon Dreaming

BFD Book Blog

Andrew Q. Gordon

Prism Book Alliance

Regular Guys, Hot Romance

My Fiction Nook

Emotion in Motion

Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Velvet Panic

Inked Rainbow Reads

Queer Town Abbey

Elin Gregory

Jade Crystal

Love Bytes

Amanda C. Stone

Fallen Angel Reviews

Molly Lolly

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Cate Ashwood

Sinfully Sexy

MM Good Book Reviews

3 Chicks After Dark

Wake Up Your Wild Side

Book Reviews and More by Kathy

The Novel Approach

Michael Mandrake

Havan Fellows

Iyana Jenna

 

Rafflecopter Prize: E-book of Rick R. Reed’s thriller novella, ‘How I Met My Man’

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Title: Written in the Stars
Author: Lily Velden
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing
Genre: gay romance, contemporary romance, MM
Pages: 26

Synopsis

Who needs a holiday when your destiny is Written in the Stars?

Written in the Stars is also a part of the BOLLOCKS! Anthology

Buy the short story:

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJXZT2I/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OJXZT2I/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00OJXZT2I/
WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/written-in-the-stars-by-lily-velden/

Buy your copy and get a bonus short story – Life According to Buddy! To get your complimentary story, email Wayward Ink Publishing after purchase.

Excerpt

“NOW, Sebastian, dear, I want you to promise me you’ll mind your Ps and Qs.”

“Oh, I don’t think you need to worry about that, Mom. I don’t think they let you swear on prime time telly.”

“Well, I certainly hope not, dear, because I have not only Granny May coming but also Nanna Robson. And then there’s Uncle Phil and his wife, Delores, and you know how Old School she is. If she had her way, we’d still be living in the Victorian era. Honestly, I’m sure she has a pole lodged up… well, never you mind, you know how she can be. And Grandpa Robson would be most upset if he heard you blaspheming and making a mockery of the Queen’s English on the telly.”

“Mom—”

“Aunt Sue and Uncle Tom are coming up from Birmingham, and bringing the twins with them. Ned is coming, too. He’s bringing that floozie he’s been dilly dallying with since the divorce. I thought that would stop Cheryl coming, but, God love her, she says she doesn’t care and that she’s bringing a male friend. Is that what they’re calling a boyfriend these days? A male friend? God only knows who it is. She says we don’t know him. I do so hope he’s a nice lad, though. She deserves someone nice after the run-around Ned gave her. Between you and me, if he wasn’t my cousin, I’d give him a clip around the ears. I just hope your brother Jordy doesn’t say something to him. I don’t want them spoiling your night. And Carol—you remember Carol, don’t you? From bingo?—well, she’s coming with her new bloke, and—”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Mom! Who didn’t you invite?”

“Father Henderson, which is probably just as well if you’re going to take the Lord’s name in vain and swear like a trooper, Sebastian.”

I flushed—not even the ten or fifteen thousand miles and God only knew how many seas and oceans that separated Sydney from the UK managed to dim my mother’s ability to reduce me to feeling like a ten-year-old again.

“Sorry, Mom, but, jeez, it sounds like the entire extended family and half of Yorkshire are going to be watching.”

“Well, Aunt Peg said she can’t because she has to work, though I promised her we’d record it, but other than that….”

I groaned. I was going to shoot Declan. How could he run off and tell my mom about my going on Written in the Stars? How could he offer to livestream it to her? He knew what she was like. Come the fourteenth of February, my humiliation would be complete. I’d never be able to return to the UK.

About the author:

Lily Velden lives on the east coast of Australia, her family having emigrated from Holland when she was a child.

She’s both a left and right brain person, holding qualifications in both Finance and Fine Arts. She tells her friends that her way with numbers will make her a profitable artist and writer… one day.

Lily has always had a love of language and a beautifully crafted sentence, and admits to having a fetish for collecting quotes, poems, and song lyrics. What she won’t admit to is how many notebooks she’s filled with those quotes… Her fascination carries on into her artworks where she often incorporates text. When a shoulder injury slowed down her art practice she decided to explore her love of the written word more fully and began writing. “I’ll paint my pictures with words.”

Not that she’s abandoned artmaking in its entirety—Lily collaborates on the designs for all her book covers.

There are many things Lily loves, here are just a few of the PG rated ones: a good laugh (all the better if caused by a naughty joke), the smell of freshly baked goods and mown grass, a smile from a stranger, rainbows after the rain, and witnessing a promise kept.

Social media links:

Website: http://lilyvelden.wordpress.com/
Email: lilyvelden@live.com.au
Twitter Name: @LilyVelden
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lily.velden
Tumblr: http://lilyvelden.tumblr.com/

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Title: Just Like Pulling Teeth
Author: LJ Harris
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Short Story Blurb:

A trip to the dentist has never been so… interesting…

JUST LIKE PULLING TEETH is also a part of the BOLLOCKS! Anthology

Buy links

AMAZON US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OJ31N2I/
AMAZON UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00OJ31N2I/
AMAZON AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00OJ31N2I/
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/just-like-pulling-teeth-lj-harris/1120558936?ean=9781925222067
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-justlikepullingteeth-1658979-145.html
WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/just-like-pulling-teeth-by-l-j-harris/

 

Excerpt

“BOLLOCKS,” I groaned, failing at my attempt to chew on the wedge of pickle-covered cheese. It was only Tuesday, and yet, as I sat at the end of the bar at the Thistle and Lion, whining and moaning with every bite of my ploughman’s lunch, this particular week had already begun to drag. I’d had the mother of all headaches for two days, and throbbing gums for three, the pain so bloody awful I’d been driven to take some long overdue time off work. My bite had been out of alignment for weeks, thanks to the swelling in the back of my mouth, and everything above my shoulders hurt.

Even my sodding hair.

The ibuprofen I was taking was no longer helping, and I hadn’t slept well in days. Luckily my sister, Rachel, was able to secure an appointment with a new dentist near where she worked. Dr. Anderson had been looking after my teeth ever since I was a young lad, but retired earlier in the year. As much as I felt awkward around new people, I figured I’d give this new bloke a shot, considering my dear sister had been gushing about how wonderful he was non-stop for the past few weeks. It wasn’t as though I had much choice, anyway. The other dentists I’d contacted, including every one of them at the Holistic Solutions Clinic, were booked solid for months ahead.

I didn’t even give a toss if I had to get my teeth pulled, if it meant the pain would go away.

Unable to finish my meal, I downed the rest of my pint to help sate my hunger and perhaps give me a little Dutch courage before I left a tenner on the end of the bar and headed for the men’s to carefully floss and brush.

It was torture, yes, but no sense in grossing out the new dentist with my recently acquired mustard pickle and beer breath.

I made my way across the cobbled alleyway that was a stone’s throw away from the city centre, the London sun shining and the air brisk with mid-October winds, until I found myself standing in the lobby of the two-storey building. Quickly checking the directory located next to a small cafe, I made my way up the single flight of stairs, passing by everything from chiropractors to physiotherapists, acupuncturists to hypnotherapists.

I was certain the name on suite door number ten, Acacia Dental Spa, was a contradiction in terms.

About the author

L. J. HARRIS is a mother of teenage twin boys who she loves with all her heart. Her family is her life, her soul, and the very reason she gets out of bed every day. Coming a close second to her family is her writing.

She only just discovered a passion for writing in the past five or so years. She’d always written little poems in birthday cards for family members, but that was as far as her writing aspirations went…until she decided to write poems and give them to family members as homemade gifts.

It was then a spark was lit, and ever since, she hasn’t been unable to switch off the urge to write.

After a close family member fell ill, she began questioning what she wanted and searching for answers. Unable to sleep one night, she sat up and typed out her feelings on the laptop. Her husband read what she’d written and encouraged her to write more. It was then she knew she wanted to share her thoughts with others. She began with writing what she knew—her life story, but couldn’t get into it. Instead, she decided to write about something not based on fact, but fiction, and wrote a dream sequence which she showed to her family. They encouraged her to expand on it, and she hasn’t stopped since.

L.J. Harris discovered that as much as enduring pain, loss, betrayal, or any other negative thing in our lives can be devastating, if she hadn’t experienced them for herself, she not only wouldn’t have found some lifelong friends, she doubts she would have been able to write the feelings of anguish and loss that some of her characters have had to endure.

L.J. has been previously published and has shared several online stories and looks forward to continuing to share her work.

L. J. Harris can be found at:

Website: http://theworldofljharris.blogspot.com.au
Email: lisa.harris1965@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LJHarrisAuthor?ref=hl
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/LJHarrisAuthor
Tumblr:  http://www.tumblr.com/blog/heartofdarkess

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