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Foolish Encounters – interview series

Posted in contest, Guests, tagged anthology, author interview, contest, new release on March 25, 2015| 4 Comments »

It is with very great pleasure that I introduce the first of the authors who have contributed stories to the Foolish Encounters anthology, which will be available from Wilde City Press on April 1st.

Foolish Encounters began it’s life as a April Fools dare from Marc of Rainbow Gold Book reviews – what’s the silliest story idea you can think of? Naturally everyone pitched in with the daftest scenarios and we all read each others ideas, cackled with laughter then forgot about it.

A month or so later we were contacted again with the challenge to write our story to be included in an anthology to be produced in time for April first this year. The brave souls at Wilde City Press had agreed to publish it

Months later and the release of the anthology is just a few days away.

As usual with these anthology interviews I will provide a prize for one lucky commenter – their name to be selected old school style with bits of paper drawn out of a hat – it could be a WW2 tin helmet, a pirate hat, or something fetching in straw, depending on the time of day, direction of wind and just how I feel. the more comments the more chances you have to win.

So please join me in welcoming guest number one – Angel Martinez

What inspired you to write your story for the anthology?
I suppose you could say this anthology is partly my fault, er, that is, partly because of my interference. Wait. This isn’t coming out right at all. Marc was hosting a series of events for Rainbow Gold with authors and their books. Mine just happened to fall around the time that my Brimstone series (science fiction humor) was out and Marc scheduled me for April 1^st. Appropriate. What he did before the day, though, was to ask me to come up with as many outrageous story prompts as I could. There were some doozies. Other authors were encouraged to add prompts as well and later claim them.

Not normally regarded as cuddly

What prompt did I end up with? A cobra shifter who can only come when he sings, which was actually a combination of two prompts. This was not my idea. Marc insisted I had to write this one. Hmm, I said to myself. What the hell have I done? While I have written characters who change form, I’ve never written, and probably never will write, the pop culture shifter story that people would expect. Not that route. But what if this dual-natured person was an alien and what if he was stuck on Earth and what would he need to sing in order to climax? And how could I make his eventual love interest as annoying as possible… Sissal Naganos, alien diplomat in disgrace and sexually troubled cobra shifter, was born in “A Message from the Home Office.”

Could you tell me a little about it?
Sure! For a few years now, Sissal has been assigned as the OIL (Onsite Interspecies Liaison) to Earth, which is considered a backwater, no open contact with the natives world. It’s essentially a career dead end, but he’s willing to be patient. The assignment has to end some day. But his quiet, boring routine is shattered when a certain ship’s captain dumps a new assistant on his doorstep, an assistant who is so regulation bound, high-strung, and OCD that the calm and patient Sissal seriously contemplates violence.

Could you please tell me about your other work?
I write gay fantasy and science fiction, almost exclusively. Some of it like Brimstone and A Message from the Home Office are comedic pieces, while others like the Endangered Fae series and the ESTO novels are deadly serious. I tend toward science fiction plots with biological/neuroscience or anthropological frameworks, while my fantasy tends to explore (read: twist, tilt, mutilate and bend) folktale, myth and legend.

What are you working on at the moment?
Right now, I’m finishing the second in a pair of paranormal humor stories for a new world/series called Offbeat Crimes. This is about a police squad manned entirely by paranormal misfits –the vampire who can only drink “skim blood,” the firestarter who can’t get a spark when it’s damp, the officer who can teleport objects with his mind, but only if those objects are fruit, and so on. The first story, Lime Gelatin and Other Monsters, is complete and with the editors, the second, The Pill Bugs of Time, is about 2/3 complete.

Please could we have an excerpt?
This is a teensy excerpt from A Message from the Home Office:

“What was that?” Rcrred spoke up directly behind him. “The lighting in here is at least a hundred lumens above efficiency recommendations. I don’t understand why you’ve been left here without inspections. Move out of the chair so I can call the PLIC.”

“I am the Planetary Liaison in Charge. There is no one else.”

“No. No…you can’t. This is an outpost. There’s a central office in orbit?”

Sissal rested his aching head in both hands. “Do you even understand what a Class Five outpost is, kid?”

“Covert operations,” Rcrred offered stiffly. “Undetectable to the planetary population. With a need for liaisons to blend in, which, if you would have read my file, you would see I have already begun to do by taking the local name Richard.”

“Great. That’s just perfect.” Sissal managed a sour chuckle.

Rcrred…Richard glared at him. “Why?”

“Don’t suppose in all your pre-assignment work, you figured out that Dick is a common nickname for Richard? Dick the dik dik dick. It’s perfect. Really, bloody perfect.”

Author Bio:

While Angel Martinez is the erotic fiction pen name of a writer of several genres, she writes both kinds of gay romance – Science Fiction and Fantasy. Currently living part time in the hectic sprawl of northern Delaware, (and full time inside the author’s head) Angel has one husband, one son, two cats, a changing variety of other furred and scaled companions, a love of all things beautiful and a terrible addiction to the consumption of both knowledge and chocolate.

Website: Angel Martinez

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/amartinez2

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/angelmartinez/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AngelMartinezrr

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New Release – His Client – Ava March

Posted in contest, New Release, tagged contest, new release on March 17, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Title: His Client
Author: Ava March
Length: Novella
Category: Historical, Kink
Available: 17th March

Blurb:

Love wasn’t supposed to be part of the bargain…

On every visit to Madame Delacroix’s brothel, Nathaniel Travers requests the same man. Stunningly handsome and highly skilled, Jasper not only shares Nate’s fondness for wickedly erotic games and black leather corsets, but he has become a trusted confidant. And Jasper’s the only person who knows Nate longs for a committed relationship with his childhood friend, Peter Edmonton.

Unrequited love hurts, but it hurts even more when the object of affection is in love with another. Jasper Reed has been working at Delacroix’s for a decade. He’s saved enough to retire, yet he remains at the decadent London brothel. Leaving would mean leaving Nate and the hope someday the rugged gentleman would stop pining for his best friend and realize he loves Jasper, just as Jasper loves him.

Edmonton’s impending marriage looms before them, causing Jasper to take another look at his stubborn heart. Yet Jasper’s a bastard whore, and Nate’s the nephew of a viscount. Surely there can’t be any hope for them…

Note: This is a previously published work. This second edition has been edited with minor changes. For readers who purchased the original edition, this second edition is not substantially different.

Buy Links:

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ ARe ~ Kobo ~ B&N

Excerpt from His Client by Ava March

“You’re wonderful, Nate. Any man who wins your heart should count himself very fortunate.”

Jasper’s pulse skipped a beat. But judging by the way Nate arched his brow in sardonic disbelief, the man hadn’t read anything more into Jasper’s statement, nor had he heard the longing hidden behind it.

“Really?”

“Indeed.” Jasper threw him a playful smile. “Who wouldn’t count himself fortunate to be guaranteed a lifetime of orgasms of amazing proportions?” He bumped Nate’s knee with his own. “And very interesting nights.”

Nate rolled his eyes, a hint of smile teasing his lips. “A damned fool, when put that way.”

“Exactly. It’s just that sometimes…” Jasper let out a breath, and when next he spoke, the levity was gone. “Sometimes people are better suited as friends than lovers.” He held Nate’s gaze. “You need to let him go,” he said, just above a whisper, hoping beyond hope Nate could not detect the heavy plea behind his words.

“I know.” His lips barely moved, his voice even softer than Jasper’s. More a low, reluctant rumble from his broad chest than actual words.

Jasper felt himself lean forward, slowly closing the distance between them, pulled by the all-encompassing need to press his lips to Nate’s mouth. To erase that hard, melancholy line.

The kiss started with just the lightest brush of skin against skin, but Jasper felt it down into his bones. Nate opened, and the first brush of Nate’s tongue against his pulled a moan from his throat. He pressed up against the hard bulk of Nate’s side, needing more. A large hand grabbed his hip and tugged. Jasper quickly shifted to straddle Nate’s lap, their kiss unbroken, their tongues stroking together, mouths hungry and eager.

Jasper ground his hips, rubbing his rapidly hardening cock against Nate’s, fueling the flames of lust even higher. Nate gripped his arse, hard enough to leave bruises, but Jasper could not have cared in the slightest. All he wanted was Nate. The man’s body beneath him, behind him… It didn’t matter, as long as he was with him.

His fingers threaded into Nate’s hair, held on tightly to the short strands. He dragged his lips down to the other man’s jaw. Nipped hard and then flicked his tongue over the spot. An inch farther down and he encountered starched linen instead of hot skin.

Starched linen that refused his attempts to free it from Nate’s neck.

He pulled back, glared down at Nate. “Did you use a bloody square knot?” He tugged again on the offending knot.

“Hardly.” Nate chuckled. “I’ll strike you a bargain. I’ll see to mine if you see to yours.”

“Agreed.” The word had barely left his lips before his own cravat was fluttering to the floor. The next moment, he pulled his shirt over his head, flicking it behind him to join the cravat.

He felt the force of Nate’s hot gaze swept over his bare chest as the man undid the intricate knot on his own neck cloth.

“Do you know what would be interesting tonight?” Nate asked, pulling the white linen free and revealing the strong lines of his neck. “The second option.”

“Pardon?” Jasper’s fingers paused, hovering over the fabric-covered buttons on Nate’s dove gray waistcoat. He dragged his gaze up to meet Nate’s.

“The second option from last night.” Nate swept his hands up Jasper’s chest, leaving a path of tingling skin in his wake. “You wear black leather so well.”

CLICK HERE to enter a Rafflecopter giveaway for a chance to win a $50 gift card.

Author Bio:
Ava March is an author of sexy, emotionally intense M/M historical erotic romances. She loves writing in the Regency time period, where proper decorum is of the utmost importance, but where anything can happen behind closed doors. With over fifteen works to her credit, her books have been finalists in the Rainbow Awards and More Than Magic contest, and deemed ‘must-haves’ for Historical M/M romance by RT Book Reviews readers. Visit her website at http://www.AvaMarch.com to find out more about her books or to sign-up for her newsletter.

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Blog Tour – Frankie & Al by Sue Brown

Posted in contest, Guests, New Release, tagged contest, new release on March 5, 2015| Leave a Comment »

TITLE: Frankie & Al

SERIES: Frankie’s – Book One

AUTHOR: Sue Brown

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

LENGTH: 158 Pages

COVER ARTIST: DWS Photography

RELEASE DATE: March 21, 2014

BLURB: A Novella in Frankie’s Series

Dumped by his boyfriend, Frankie Mason goes out with the girls, gets totally trashed, and ends his night by falling in front of a taxi. He’s rescued by a man with beautiful green eyes who takes care of him until he’s put into an ambulance. Frankie curses himself as he realizes he doesn’t have the man’s phone number. Still in pain a few days later, he is dragged out to a club only to be saved by Green Eyes once more. This time, he isn’t letting the man go.

Unfortunately Frankie has to attend a team-building exercise, nicknamed Womb Weekend, organized by his company. Al is working so he doesn’t mind, until he discovers who the team leader is. Al has a lot of explaining to do!

BUY LINK:

Dreamspinner Press – Amazon US – Amazon UK – ARe

EXCERPT

ONE OF the joys of working in a large insurance company was that Frankie had a Monday-to-Friday job processing new insurance policies. He waved good-bye at five o’clock Friday evening and didn’t have to think about work or his colleagues until eight thirty Monday morning.

Until the day Frankie opened the e-mail from Human Resources. “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.”

Charlotte looked over from her desk. “What?”

“They’re sending me on a team-building exercise.” He didn’t appreciate Charlotte’s chuckle. “Winning Ways? What the fuck is that?”

“You’ve been caught. They get us all in the end. You get to spend the weekend in a swanky hotel, building egg wombs and sucking up to managers. Don’t sweat it. You’ll enjoy it.”

“Don’t bank on it,” he muttered. “Wait, egg what?”

“Egg wombs. You know.” At Frankie’s frown, she said, “You have to drop the egg out of a window without it cracking, using only a plastic bag and a cup.”

“Is that what they really call it?”

She shrugged. “Who knows? That’s what you’ve got to do. And the sucking up to the managers. They give you the ‘We’re all equal here. Call me Jeff’ speech but you know they’re just spying on everything you do.”

It was Frankie’s recurring nightmare—to be stuck in a small room with his colleagues and not be able to get away. He got that five days a week but at the weekend as well? “Karma’s a bitch.”

“What have you done?”

“Do you want the list?”

“You’ve been that bad?”

“Probably worse,” he admitted.

She smirked at him. “Frankie’s been a bad, bad boy, and now he is going to get his bottom spanked?”

“I wouldn’t mind if it was that sort of weekend.” Frankie grinned as Charlotte’s cheeks crimsoned. “Gotcha!”

“You’re wicked,” she said. “My mother warned me about boys like you.”

“My mother warned me about boys like me too. They sounded much more fun than the good, church-going boys she wanted me to meet.”

She gave him an odd look. “She knew you were gay back then?”

He rolled his eyes. “Girl, look at me. Could anyone not realize I’m gay?”

“You have a point.”

Frankie’s mum said it was obvious he was gay from the moment he came out of the womb. According to her description, Frankie flounced out to the song on the radio. Frankie thought that being born to Kylie must have been prophetic. It could have been worse—he might have been born to Meat Loaf.

“When are you going on the exercise?”

Frankie scanned the e-mail. “Next month. They’ve got a dropout and they want me to fill in.”

“Can you go?”

Frankie shrugged. “It’s not like my calendar is full or anything.” It would give him something to do. Since Chaz had thrown him out, his social life consisted of clubbing with Jonno or staring at the walls in his tiny flat, eating ready meals he could ill afford and wishing he had Sky TV instead of Freeview. “It might be fun.”

She gave him a dubious look. “Your life really is boring at the moment, isn’t it?”

“You have no idea.”

“Why don’t you come out with me and the girls? We’re going to try that new club in town.”

“Uh, gay, remember?”

“Uh, gay club, remember?”

He frowned. “There’s a new gay club in town? In this dump of a town?”

“God, Frankie, you really are out of it. It opened a couple of weeks ago. It’s near Primark, over the slappers’ shop.”

“I didn’t know. Anyway, why’re you going to a gay club?”

“Ignorance is no excuse, and I’m going to a gay club because most of my mates are dykes and the rest of us are married. It suits us fine not to be hit on by sleazebags. Anyway, the booze is cheaper and the music’s better.”

“How did you end up with lesbians for friends?”

Charlotte grinned at him. “Some of us aren’t narrow-minded little pricks like some people I could mention.”

“You mean….”

“Uh-huh.”

She did a dramatic head roll to their manager who sat not ten feet away, oblivious to their conversation. Ed Winters was a 1950s Tory poster boy. He disliked women, black people, anyone from the Indian subcontinent, curry, the French, the Irish, dogs, and particularly hom-o-sex-uals—he always enunciated the word as if a bad smell was under his nose.

Frankie grinned at her. Taking the piss out of Ed was one of the few joys in his life. “I’m on for the club. You say where and when.”

Maybe he needed a change from the scene with Jonno. Those clubs were hook-up sites, and much as he needed action, he needed fun. God, he really needed some fun.

“Done. Don’t worry. I’ll make sure the straight girls don’t treat you like their pet poodle for the evening.”

He shrugged. “They can be my bitches.”

“They’ll love it. Do you want to bring the leashes?”

“I worry about you sometimes.”

Charlotte tossed her hair. “You love it.”

“Hell yeah!”

“Mr. Mason, Ms. Tiller, is something wrong?” Winters peered over his frameless glasses to stare at them.

They shook their heads and smirked at each other when he scowled and turned away.

Frankie looked at the files on his desk, and the e-mail telling him he had to play nice for a weekend. Charlotte was one bright sparkle in a sea of beige and gray. He pecked disconsolately at the keyboard. “Okay, I’ve confirmed my attendance at the egg womb thing. Now you take me out.”

Charlotte looked up from her phone. “Friday? The girls can’t wait to meet you.”

Frankie nodded. “I’m all yours.”

“Ah baby, if only that were true.” Charlotte blew him a kiss and turned her attention back to her own work.

Hmmm, a new club, potential new meat. Frankie needed something new to wear. He might be short of cash, but he could work that budget. Frankie rocked at the vintage look.

AUTHOR BIO

Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn’t following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot and has gotten expert at ignoring the orders.

Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she’s made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.

AUTHOR LINKS

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SueBrownsStories

Twitter: https://twitter.com/suebrownstories

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+SueBrownstories/

Blog: http://suebrownsstories.blogspot.co.uk/

Website: http://www.suebrownstories.com/

Email ID: suebrown.stories@gmail.com

GIVEAWAY

Winner’s Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card

2 Runners Up get: An e-copy set of – Frankie & Al (Book 1); Ed & Marchant (Book 2)

Click here to enter the Rafflecopter contest

Blog Tour

March 2^nd

Charlie Cochet

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

March 3^rd

My Fiction Nook

Anne Barwell

March 4^th

The Kimi Chan Experience

Prism Book Alliance

March 5^th

Elin Gregory

Rick R. Reed

Literary Nymphs Hotlist

March 6^th

Hearts on Fire Reviews

March 9^th

L.M. Brown

Elisa: My Reviews and Ramblings

March 10^th

Nephy’s World

MM Good Book Reviews

Don’t forget – the newest installment in the story of Frankie’s – Anthony & Leo – will be available soon.

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Book Blitz – Palace Dog by R E Nelson

Posted in contest, New Release, tagged contest, new release on February 27, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Book Name: Palace Dog

Author Name: R. E. Nelson

Categories: Gay Fiction, Historical, M/M Romance

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Pages or Words: 206 pages

Blurb(s):

In April 1975, as the government in Saigon is falling, Michael Andrews prepares to make his way back to Vietnam to find the love he was forced to leave.
But Michael’s journey begins four years earlier. He joins the Air Force to keep out of the Army and out of Vietnam, but his first assignment is teaching English in Saigon to members of the Vietnamese military in an Army program called Palace Dog.

As an artist, and a man, before his time in Vietnam, Michael found life lonely and unsatisfying. In the midst of war, Michael searches for direction and meaning. He ultimately finds love and hope with Thao, a young Vietnamese art student, only to have their already uncertain future wrenched from them when he is pulled out of the country.

For Michael, his return in 1975 is inevitable and without question, though the outcome he hopes for is anything but assured.

Sales Links:

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6099 for paperback.

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6098 for ebook

Excerpt:

The cyclo had bumped across the bridge, following the curve in the road, then moved quickly down the final straight stretch, past houses and shops, past rows of trees and walls and occasional open spaces, past vendors who lined the street’s edge selling gasoline in glass bottles. Motorcycles, Lambretta mini-buses packed with people, cream-and-blue Renault taxis, pedestrians with baskets and boxes—all crowded the street. Noises, smells, and smoke came from everywhere, and as the driver increased his speed, I smiled, gripping the metal frame tighter and pushing slightly with my feet as the moist wind rushed around me.

Speeding through the streets of Saigon, wearing the green Air Force-issued jungle fatigues, my life of a year ago seemed unreal.

Tour Dates: February 27, 2015

Tour Stops:

Parker Williams, Inked Rainbow Reads, MM Good Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Bayou Book Junkie, Molly Lolly, Cate Ashwood, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Charley Descoteaux, My Fiction Nook, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Elin Gregory, The Hat Party, Wicked Wolves and Dreaming Dragons, EE Montgomery, Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Lee Brazil, Rebecca Cohen Writes, Rainbow Gold Reviews, 3 Chicks After Dark, BFD Book Blog, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Andrew Q. Gordon, Velvet Panic, Fallen Angel Reviews, Kimi-Chan, Full Moon Dreaming

Visit as many stops as possible to enter the a Rafflecopter giveaway to win an E-copy of ‘Palace Dog’

I asked RE Nelson two questions:

What is your favorite place to write? Desk in bedroom

What was your first job? Credit Bureau credit reporter.

Author Bio:

R.E. Nelson was born in Texas and raised in Southern California. He has been writing for as long as he can remember. One of his earliest recollections related to writing is winning an essay contest in sixth grade–something patriotic about the American flag. When he travels, his preference is staying in select areas for an extended period of time and learning about that place. He has lived in both Vietnam (twice, actually) and Saudi Arabia, and also spent time in Egypt, South Korea, Shanghai (his only China visit thus far), and Dubai. Now he is happy to call San Francisco home.

Where to find the author:

Twitter: @RENelson13

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New Release – Stolen Dreams by Sue Brown

Posted in contest, New Release, Uncategorized, tagged brit author, contest, new release on February 23, 2015| Leave a Comment »

Stolen Dreams

~SUE BROWN~

TOUR ORGANIZER: CREATIVE MINDS PROMOTIONS

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

COVER ARTIST: Brooke Albrecht

RELEASE DATE: 30^th January 2015

LENGTH: 240 Pages

BLURB: After cheating on and losing the man he loved, Morgan Conway decided to get his life right. Now he owns a coffee shop and is engaged to Jase, an actor and rising star. All is perfect in his world until the man he thought was gone forever walks into his shop. His hidden feelings rush to the surface, unfortunately there for everyone to see, including his fiancé.

Shae Delamere was crushed when Morgan cheated on him five years ago. But he has a reason for seeking Morgan out. As Morgan and Shae get to know each other again, they discover the extent that friends meddled in their lives to keep them apart. Morgan cannot deny he is still in love with Shae, but he is engaged. With some hard decisions to make, Morgan struggles not to hurt the men he cares about—again. Shae has secrets he came to share with Morgan, but revealing them now could keep them apart for good.

BUY LINKS:
Dreamspinner – Amazon UK – Amazon US – Kobo – All Romance

AUTHOR BIO:

AUTHOR LINKS:

Website: http://www.suebrownstories.com/
Blog: http://suebrownsstories.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/suebrownstories
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suebrownstories

GIVEAWAY DETAILS:

Because two of her book tours (for The Next Call and Stolen Dreams) are going to run simultaneously, we have decided we would have a common giveaway for both the tours! It makes for an awesome giveaway as you’ll see 😀

There will be FIVE winners chosen from this contest:

First Winner will get a $20 Amazon Gift Card.
Second Winner will get a paperback copy of Stolen Dreams. (The contest is open for everyone and not limited to a specific region!)
First Runner up will get e-copies of The Next Call and Stolen Dreams
Two Second Runners up will win an e-copy of either The Next Call or Stolen Dreams.

Contest Begins: 26^th January, 2015

Contest Ends: 28^th February, 2015

Rafflecopter Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0f7bf72010/?

During this final week of the tour you can find Sue at the following sites:

Feb 23^rd – Elin Gregory – Promo Spotlight

Feb 24^th – Diverse Reader – Book Review

Feb 25^th – Charley Descoteaux – Guest Post

Feb 26^th – Inked Rainbow Reads – Book Review

Feb 27^th – Elisa: My Reviews and Ramblings – Promo Spotlight

Fallen Angel Reviews – Book Review

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A Whole Lotta Love – A Valentine’s Day Blog Hop

Posted in contest, History, tagged blog hop, contest on February 9, 2015| 17 Comments »

Many many thanks to D P Denman for organising this blog hop to celebrate love in all its forms and fashions. Below you will find links to all the terrific authors who are taking part and also a link to a major Rafflecopter giveaway – enter it and you can win not only a Kindle but a whole load of ebooks to put on it.

Now I could just cut to the chase and provide the links to save the readers who are just here for the giveaways from having to scroll but nope! If you want to win a Kindle you can use that scroll bar, and for the people who stick around and read my post I’ve got a smaller private giveaway just for the fun of it.

First of all, a picture.

Not very impressive, is it? Until you consider that this is the oldest known depiction of two humans making love [or the oldest known piece of pornography if you have the kind of mind that insists on looking at everything that way]. This pebble has been painstakingly chipped to show the entwined limbs of lovers. It is thought to be over 13,000 years old, dating from the Ice Age, and was found in a cave in a desert area of Judea. Click the picture to go to the BBC website for more information on the carving and what it may represent.

What it represents to me is that the meeting of hearts, minds and sometimes of bodies, too, has been a major preoccupation for human beings since there WERE human beings. Lovers of all types, shapes, sizes and sexes have pledged to each other, sometimes fleetingly, for the heck of it, just for an hour, and sometimes with deep and abiding commitment.

This image dates to 500BC and shows part of a ceremony of union described by Herodotus at about that time, by Lucian in 50AD and, astonishingly, by Gerald of Wales writing of Ireland in the 12th century AD. Here is Lucian’s account of the ceremony in the words of a participant:

We consider appropriate to [these relationships] what you do in regard to marriage – wooing for a long time and doing everything similar so that we might not fail to obtain the friend, or be rejected. And when a friend has been preferred to all others, there are contracts for this and the most solemn oath, both to live together and to die, if necessary, for each other, which we do. From the point at which we have both cut our fingers and let the blood run into a chalice, dipped the tips of our swords in it, and both drunk it together, there is nothing that could dissolve what is between us.

Gerald’s account is, naturally, scathing because he was a devout churchman and anything involving the letting and consuming of blood was considered to be a pagan mockery of communion. But even in Catholic France during the 16th century it was possible for lovers to make a life together through the legal act of affrèrement – ‘brothering’. Originally designed so that two brothers or other close relations could share a house and property equally, it was also applied to men who were not related to each other but who wished to become legal and equal partners. The new “brothers” pledged to live together sharing ‘un pain, un vin, et une bourse’ — one bread, one wine, and one purse. There are many historians who pooh-pooh any suggestion that some of the people who signed contracts might have been lovers but honestly! If there was a way to make your lover your heir, to live with him as a partner, both in business as well of the heart, wouldn’t you take it?

Buccaneers certainly did, changing the name of affrèrement to matelotage and settling areas of the Caribbean and Spanish Main in colonies of same sex couples with locally recognised and approved rights of inheritance and fidelity. Until death do us part was as important to them as to the men of Scythia or the people today who choose to marry.

There have been good times, bad times, times of acceptance and times of persecution but I believe things are getting better and I hope that they continue to do so.

Okay you’ve been very patient so here’s the link to the Rafflecopter and for those of you who’d like to enter the private giveaway please comment below with the name of the century in which affrèrement was practised in France for a chance to win an ebook from my backlist, and a unique sheep related product!!

Happy Valentines and don’t forget to follow the links below.

Kendall McKenna	Anne Barwell	Elin Gregory
Jennifer Wright	Morticia Knight	Ethan Stone
N.J. Nielsen	Tara Lain	Tali Spencer
Stephen del Mar	Cecil Wilde	H.B. Pattskyn
C. J. Anthony	Catherine Lievens	Karen Stivali
Lisabet Sarai	TM Smith	Lily G Blunt
Christopher Koehler	Tracey Michael	Sibley Jackson
Alexa Milne	L M Somerton	Megan Linden
Draven St. James	Charlie Cochrane	Eva Lefoy
Thianna Durston	Aidee Ladnier	M.A. Church
Brandon Shire	Sue Brown	Jessie G
David Connor	Hayley B James	J.M. Dabney
Julie Lynn Hayes	April Kelley	Elizabeth Noble
Amanda Young	DP Denman	Bronwyn Heeley
Annabeth Albert	Neil Plakcy	Shiloh Saddler
A.J. Marcus	Kazy Reed

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Z A Maxfield’s New Years Progressive Dinner

Posted in contest on December 31, 2014| 40 Comments »

Welcome to the first annual New Year’s Eve M/M Authors’ Progressive Dinner! (Maybe the last too, haha!)

You can “choose your own dining adventure” from appetizers to soup, salad, main dish, and dessert, but those of you who visit and comment at each and every blog will be entered into a drawing for one of three (3) $35.00 gift cards to the venue of your choice: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, or All Romance Ebooks.

Dinner starts on 12/31/14 at 12:00 p.m. (noon) Eastern. Winners will be chosen randomly Jan 6, 2015. Only those who comment on EVERY blog will be chosen for the drawing. If I mistyped a link, please let me know, ASAP!

You are cordially invited to click on the author’s name below to link directly to their blog!

Appetizers:

Soups:

Salads:

Main Dishes:

Desserts:

Welcome to my little part of Z. A Maxfield’s New Year’s Progressive Dinner!! A progressive dinner is one where one goes from place to place finding good food, both for the belly and for thought. In this event, you’ll find links to follow to many blogs and websites where authors of all genres are offering recipes to gladden the stomach and presents to gladden the heart and stimulate the mind. Comment to every single blog post and your name sill go into the pot for a chance to win the BIG prize.

Me? Well, I’m offering a recipe that is one of my favourites at this time of year. Once the party is over, the guests have departed and you look around at the debris and think “I can’t bear to throw all this away. What can I do with it?” And as an individual I’m offering a suitably medieval prize – a copy of my book A Taste of Copper. Here’s the recipe:

Leftover Soup

Cooking is a big adventure for me at the moment because I’ve been without a kitchen since August – the old one had water running through the roof and the electrics were iffy – and I only got into the new one to start making proper meals on 23rd December. Coming to terms with a new hob and oven is always edgy but to my delight this one will actually simmer instead of boiling everything to a crisp. Simmering is what you need for soup!

I made my version of this on St Stephen’s Day and used leftover veg saved from Christmas lunch – potato, brussells sprouts, peas, carrots and parsnips – the turkey carcass, leftover stuffing, a handful of chestnuts and the skin of the piece of gammon I was baking that day. In addition to this I got some sticks of celery, a leek and a large onion and chopped them up roughly. I have a huge old stock pot and melted butter in the base of it to fry up the raw veg.

I deliberately let it get a bit too hot so the onions and leeks would singe – it’s reassuring to be able to taste the fire a little, plus if my other half can smell an onion frying he’ll assume all is right with the world and leave me to it! Once there was a bit of brown on the bottom of the pan I added the turkey carcass, broken roughly into pieces, the cooked veg, gammon skin, a couple of bunches of fresh herbs tied up with thread, two smashed garlic cloves and three pints of water. Then I remembered I had a jug of gravy in the fridge and slung that in too.

Lid on, temperature down to a sprightly simmer, and I settled down with a cup of tea, my cat on my knee and a gay lit novel to beta [very interesting, I hope it’ll be out next year some time]. I checked the pot about every twenty minutes to make sure it wasn’t sticking at the bottom, gave it a good stir and left it to bubble.

About three hours later, it had reduced and smelled gorgeous. I fished out the bones and this would be the time I’d have used one of those little hand held whizzy blender things, if I have been able to find it. I couldn’t so I used the spud masher, which works just as well if a bit chunkier. Then, because it was Christmas and I wanted to be decadent, I added a few tablespoons of left over cream and a large glass of tawny port wine.

This isn’t my soup but it looked a bit like that. I do like a soup that you can eat in heaped spoonfuls. We had it with freshly baked bread and butter.

Comment below for a chance to win one of the very generous main prizes offered by Z.A Maxfield, and you also have a chance to win a copy of my book, A Taste of Copper, a medieval tale of mud blood and lard in funny places. You have until 6th January to get around all the blogs so get hopping.

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R J Scott’s Christmas Tour

Posted in contest on December 10, 2014| 13 Comments »

I’m delighted to be taking part in the Christmas Story tour, organised by R J Scott! There’s a terrific line up of names – all offering free fiction to read on their blogs and prizes. Click on the picture to go to RJ’s blog where there are links to all the participants stories, and their competitions.

If you haven’t already been to RJ’s blog and entered her prize draw there here’s the link, if you have then simply read the story below and leave me a comment telling me what song Colin was singing in the kitchen for a chance to win a sheep related prize and your choice of ebook from my backlist. Don’t forget to leave me means of getting in touch!

Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas – or maybe I should say Nadolig Llawen?

Now for the story:
(more…)

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On tour

Posted in contest, tagged a taste of copper, contest on September 29, 2014| 1 Comment »

Being ‘on tour’ sounds very grand and slightly dangerous. It conjures up mental images of luxurious buses filled with groupies and awash with alcohol, or clapped out transits filled with second hand instruments, scrumpy and anxious musicians shouting at the GPS. But in a writerly context it means that a variety of bloggers, reviewers and other writers have graciously agreed to post something about you or one of your books on their sites.

I am ‘on tour’ at the moment to promote A Taste of Copper and would like to take a moment to thank the people who agreed to play host. A few posts have already gone up and they are definitely worth a look because there a terrific Rafflecopter giveaway with a superb prize organised by my publisher, Love Lane Books.

Future posts I’ll – um – post about as and when they go live but for the moment here are some links:

On Friday 26th Melanie at Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words was my host.

On Saturday 27th I was with Lisa at The Novel Approach

On Sunday, 28th Nic Starr did the honours.

On Tuesday, 30 September, I was at Rainbow Gold Reviews.

Bless you all.

Go and check out the posts and have a click on the Rafflecopter thing. You could win a $15 voucher for Amazon or ARe! Just think of the books you could buy with that!

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New Release – A Taste of Copper by me!

Posted in contest, Excerpt, History, New Release, tagged action/adventure, brit author, gay romance, historical romance, love lane books, new release on September 26, 2014| 7 Comments »

A Taste of Copper by Elin Gregory

Your master has the field for today, but his name, whatever it might be, is without honour.

Olivier the squire worships the Black Knight and takes a fierce joy in his prowess as he defends a bridge against all comers. Olivier only wishes that his master loved him as much in return instead of treating him as a servant and occasional plaything.

Then word comes that the King desires to cross the bridge. With an army approaching, a bright eyed archer enticing Olivier to desert and the first cracks beginning to show in the Black Knight’s gruff demeanour, Olivier is left wondering if his honour is worth more than a chance for happiness.

Word count: 25,900
Cover Art: Meredith Russell
Editor: Erika Orrick
Copyright: Elin Gregory

Excerpt:

Laden with a steaming bucket in one hand and a platter bearing bread, sausage and a jug of wine in the other, Olivier shouldered aside the entrance flap to enter the pavilion. Sir Maheris was still armoured but had removed his helmet and pushed back his coif. His short cap of black hair had spiked up with sweat, and deep lines bracketed his full lips. Maheris had fierce black eyes beneath frowning brows, but Olivier had seen his scowl ease into a gentle smile when he slept. Olivier wondered what dream could put that soft vulnerability on Maheris’s face and prayed one day to see such a smile turned towards him.

But now Sir Maheris was glowering. “You were delayed? Perhaps the horses ran off? Undo these buckles.”

“Sir?” Olivier put his burdens down and hurried to his side. “Did I fasten them too tightly? Your pardon, sir, I…”

Maheris grunted and raised his left hand, ungauntleted now, to show it bright with blood. “A lucky stroke,” he said. “Reihershof’s point caught a chink in my brassard.”

Olivier’s heart thumped fast as he assisted Maheris. Blood was still dripping, the sharp scent of it mingling with the stench of iron and old sweat from the padded doublet. He set the pieces of armour aside to clean later and eased the doublet over Maheris’s head. The left sleeve of it weighed heavy with blood, and the shirt beneath was sodden. Olivier bit his lip as he eased the clotted fabric away and saw the bright trickle that followed.

“That will do,” Maheris said once he was bare to the waist. His heavy shoulders and chest gleamed with sweat, his skin goosefleshing in the chill air, but he waved Olivier away when he brought Maheris a towel. “Time for that when the wound is sealed,” he said as he took a seat. “You know what to do.”

The wound in his bicep gaped like a hot, wet mouth.

“Is it clean?” Maheris demanded. “Get on with it, boy.”

Read the whole of the first chapter here.

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