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Guest Post – Ciaran Dwynvil

April 20, 2015 by Elin Gregory

Matchmaking

Have you ever been set up on a blind date? If you were and enjoyed yourself, chances are the matchmaker knew you and your date really well. Finding a new author to your liking is a bit like a blind date. You pick up their book and hold high hopes for an evening spent in a delightful company. Sometimes the hopes come true. Sometimes they don’t.

To avoid the latter in our case, let’s see without more ado, if I can entertain you with stories to your taste. If we find out that we’re a good match, I have two gifts for you, but all in the right time. Let’s do the reader-writer matchmaking part first.

I’m your kind of a writer:
• if you love gay historical fantasy and/ or gay romantic suspense
• if you know that in the name of love, a man can build or destroy, nurture or hurt, live or die, and sometimes all of that in the course of one story.
• if you know that one man can be both cruel and gentle, brutal and kind, fierce and fearful, open and restrained, good and evil, strong and vulnerable, as what face of his he lets you experience depends on his feelings for you and on his circumstances.
• if you love reading about immortals who have passions and fears just like mortal men.
• if you don’t avoid violent scenes in your reading.
• if you love stories full of intense sensual charge and vividly portrayed sizzling passion that goes beyond the boundaries of vanilla lovemaking.
• if you like reading about dominance and submission, and understand that in a historical fantasy setting modern BDSM as we know it today doesn’t exist.
• if you believe that love is stronger than death but rarely walks straight paths. In my stories, the men who are together in the beginning of the tale, may not be together at its end. They may find their true love much later in the course of a story than in a classical romance.
• if you believe in the power of forgiveness in true love, and don’t condemn a man for flaws he has or mistakes he has made.

Sounds good to you? If it does, I’m glad you’ve read your way through to this point. Let’s spend some delightful evenings together. We can start right away with Throne for the Idol, the Compulsion Reads-endorsed prequel to my gay historical fantasy series Guardian Demon. You’ll get it from me as a welcome gift if you sign up for my Circle of VIP Readers at: http://www.ciarandwynvil.com

Here’s the book blurb:

Let the tale carry you to the Lindisfarena Monastery to witness a dark romance between Brother Rikard and High Demon Semiazas, the First of the Fallen.
A chaste virgin and a devoted servant to Maker, Rikard leads a quiet life in the monastery until the days of his sexual awakening. Haunted by desires he can’t name yet, he finds a release for his suppressed longing in music.
The low, dark, tortured tones coaxed forth by his fingers fill Semiazas’ ears with an urgent, irresistible, red call. In different red than blood this call pulses, and Semiazas can’t resist the strange allure of a misalliance with a mortal man.
A single kiss, so unlike anything either of them has expected, sets events in turbulent motion. Rikard’s ultimate surrender to his dark idol is just a question of time. But there is only one punishment his order has for those who leave Maker’s path. Death.
Will Semiazas save Rikard? Find out in this story that interweaves dark fantasy and romance that will make your heart beat faster.

But wait, I’ve promised you two gifts. So, here’s the second one: everyone in my Circle of VIP Readers is going to get a free copy of Unalloyed Love, Part 1. This book is going to be released just a couple of days from now: on the 1st of May. That’s the date when I’ll e-mail my VIP Readers a free download code. If you have an itch for reading a nearly 110-thousand-word-long, super-sexy gay romantic suspense about love, death, and redemption for free, make sure you sign up for my Circle of VIP Readers here: http://www.ciarandwynvil.com/


The book blurb:

In a world where Light and Darkness gave birth to the Skies and the Void, to the Earth and the Waters; in a world where the first betrayal tore them apart and robbed them of their home, Darkness has been waging war on their blood children for four thousand years. When High Demon Belial embarks on the quest to understand an unalloyed power that may give his liege lord Darkness the final victory, Archangel Endingale will do anything to destroy the unknowing mortals who hold the first key to Belial’s enlightenment and true understanding of the powers of Love.
Master Viktor, a tortured murderer who has escaped justice, has built a new, respectable life for himself as the Reformer in a Reformatory for Young Gentlemen.
Wild and stubborn Amedee, Baron Drakeson’s grandson, acquiesces to a stay in Master Viktor’s institution only with reluctance, but his latest betrothal gone awry in a most unfortunate manner doesn’t give him any other option.
Haunted by concealed guilt, Master Viktor recognizes signs of torments that Amedee holds locked deep inside, and sets out to cleanse his new ward’s invisible festered wound.
As he takes control over his ward’s body and carnal urges, Amedee’s heart is touched too. When shy affection is born, Master Viktor at last cuts open the source of Amedee’s pain and guilt.
But can their feelings blossom into true love? Will they and their bond survive the destruction unleashed by Archangel Endingale?

And an excerpt:

Like strangers who have naught in common, they waited in silence, avoiding even each other’s eyes, until the door soundlessly opened again.
A white-gold-haired boy made a skittish step inside. “Madam?”
She advanced against him, and, from Viktor’s vantage point by the window, it looked as if a vampire was stalking to her victim. “Come in here, Lucien, darling,” she invited the boy.
Lucien took another hesitant step. With his shoulder-long hair still askew from sleep, clad just in a thin, creamy silk robe, the belt of which allowed for a very easy disrobing, and a topaz-crusted choker around his neck, he looked lonely and misplaced in Franziska’s bedchamber. Like a gaunt, stray pup. Silk and precious stones had no power to change the impression, although Viktor had no doubt that they had been forced on the lad for exactly this purpose. To suppress the impression of starving innocence.
“This is Master Viktor,” Franziska told Lucien, her finger pointing at Viktor underlining her words. Quite unnecessarily.
Is he a simpleton? Viktor felt his hands balling in fists. If the lad lacked wits and she had put him in bed with Lord Madoc–
Franziska reached for Lucien’s arm, and the sight broke Viktor’s thoughts. She was half-dragging the boy toward him, with no more than a blunt explanation: “You’ll work as a whipping boy for him.”
“I’ll work in your kitchens?” An incredulous smile lit up Lucien’s face. “I can whip egg whites. Real good.”
“It doesn’t mean what you think it means.” Franziska pulled him closer to Viktor still.
He doesn’t speak like a simpleton. He forms full ideas, and fast. There’s nothing wrong with his wits. He’s just arrived to an unexpected conclusion, is all, Viktor thought, beckoning Lucien to approach him. “A whipping boy is paired with a lordling,” he said. “If the lordling does any wrong, his whipping boy bears the punishment, in full or in part.”
Lucien’s eyes grew large. “Why does he do that if the lordling did the wrong?”
“That’s how the world works, darling.” Franziska shoved Lucien to stand mere two steps from Viktor.
The boy staggered, but caught his balance fast. Not a touch of anger or even hurt ran across his face. Just astonishment. “The world should change,” he said, to nobody in particular.
“Just get him out of my place,” Franziska groaned.
“Fore he says something else that you’ll want to forget,” Viktor muttered. What should he do with Lucien? With a boy mere nineteen winters old, no more. Just the right age for a good whipping boy for a young lordling, but the innocence in Lucien’s honey-colored eyes sent sharp twinges into Viktor’s lungs. Like woodland honey those eyes were, so dark and so sweet.
“Why would she want to forget?” Lucien asked. “I always speak the truth.”
“That’s the problem.” Franziska raised her hand to add a prod to her words.
Viktor caught her by the wrist. Faster than he should have.
She stared at him, taken unawares, but the wheels in her head were already turning. Fast too.
“Now, now,” he mumbled, and out of necessity he brushed his thumb across her palm. “It won’t be such a grave problem, I’m sure.” Only then he let go of her, hoping that his touch had made the fast wheels slow down. It wouldn’t serve him well if she ever learned too much about him. If he ever disrobed before her.

***

I think I’ve usurped Elin’s blog for long enough at this point. I’ll be delighted if you take me up on my offer, but now it’s time for me to handover this place back to her. After all, a guest is only welcome if he doesn’t stay too long.
Thank you, Elin, for having me and my books over today. It’s been a pleasure for me to come for a visit.

You’re welcome, Ciaran. Please feel free to drop by at any time.

Posted in free reads, Guests | Tagged , | Leave a Comment »

Push Back

April 18, 2015 by Elin Gregory

Sometimes even the calmest of people get annoyed and that has happened recently in the LGBTTAQI fiction community. The news that a family run pizza business has received over a million $ from like minded bigots after being criticised for refusing to serve LGBTTAQI customers was so startling, infuriating and ridiculous, that several writers had a chat and decided to put their ire to good use. Invitations were issued, word spread and the initial group were soon joined by writers bloggers, designers, and publishing companies – in all two hundred and twenty four individuals – all of whom agreed that they too were just a little peeved and felt something should be done.

Now obviously there’s nothing to be done directly about the pizza parlour’s spectacular windfall but we can do a charity fund raiser of our own.

Click on the graphic to be taken to the master post where you will find a list of all participants and the instructions about how to win one of the many prizes.

What do you have to do? Donate to the LGBTTAQI charity of your choice then tell us about it in a comment to that blog post. No need to comment here. I’m just a conduit. When you comment, providing links to the charity’s donation page would be a really cool thing to do in case any potential donors would like to donate but haven’t chosen where yet. Not to be pushy but my own personal favourite is the Albert Kennedy Trust that does terrific work here in the UK by providing a safe clean home for LGBTTAQI youths who have nowhere else to go. HOWEVER, if you’ve read this far I’m sure you have your own favourite local charity and it would be really cool if you can show them some love. It doesn’t have to be much. For the price of a couple of days worth of fancy coffee AKT can take a kid off the street and give them a safe place to sleep for the night.

Here’s the link again. Please click it and do what you can.

Posted in Causes, contest | 2 Comments »

New Release – The Luxorian Fugitive by Mann Ramblings

April 17, 2015 by Elin Gregory

The Luxorian Fugitive

Synopsis

Sergeant Liam Jacks is the security chief of transport vessel, The Santa Claus. He travels the planetary cluster with Marc Danverse, his best friend and captain, seeking to escape his tortured past and find some peace of mind.

Having been through a civil war together, Danverse and Liam are close. Maybe too close?.

All that changes when mysterious stranger, Hadrian Jamison, an escaped Adonirati, books passage to Alpha Centauri. Can he be trusted? Can the stories of his past be believed?

The Luxorian Fugitive by Mann Ramblings

As Liam’s fascination with Hadrian grows, jealousy threatens to tear apart his friendship with Danverse.

When Hadrian’s owner shows up, Liam is forced to go against orders in order to launch a rescue mission to save him.

The ensuing conflict may be more than any of them expected.

Buy Links

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Amazon AU
WIP ~ ARe ~ B&N

Book Trailer

Excerpt

Cold sweat rolled off Liam’s body as he sat upright in bed, sheets tangled around his legs. His deafening pulse drowned out the soft whirr of the environmental systems and the mechanical hum of the ship’s movement. There was a hollow quality to the titanium hull of his private quarters that seemed to amplify the resonance of the dream.

?Pull it together, Marine. You’re not a child.? The horror refused to recede even now that he was awake.

Liam looked around his room as his reality began to settle. The windowless room was nearly pitch-black; the only illumination came from the data screen on the wall, its soft cyber-green time code proof that he was not lost in the abyss. Yes, he was aboard the cargo vessel the Santa Claus. Yes, they were en route to Luxorian from Alpha Centauri Prime for a supply delivery and pickup. Yes, he was the security chief of the thirty or so men employed on the ship. Yes, the dream was of a harsh memory, but still just a dream.

“Mrs. Claus. Status report please.” Liam spoke in quiet, shaken tones while his unsteady hands threaded through his hair. A synthetic voice, sounding like a middle-aged woman, hummed back in response.

“It is zero three seventeen, Sergeant Jacks. We will be docking at Luxorian Spaceport Alpha at approximately eleven fifteen. System sync to the Luxorian environment is in progress and will be complete in two hours and twenty-five minutes. Is there anything else I can do for you?”

“No.” His reply was brusque, but Mrs. Claus’ feelings couldn’t be hurt; she was artificial, after all. Normally, Liam found Captain Danverse’s penchant for ancient Earth history – including the ship’s name and the computer’s voice identity – endearing. Marc was his best friend, after all. But tonight there was no comfort in it.

Even without the nightmares, it was hard to sleep well when forced to acclimate to a new planet’s environment and timeline every time you came into port. The ship’s systems were designed to gradually shift the sleep cycles of everyone on board to match up to the active hours for each destination. Add the dreams into the equation, and his rest was as fractured as his self-esteem.

“Lights. Low,” he commanded. Twin light panels on opposite sides of the small room began to glow. The undecorated metal walls were nothing more than panels hiding the storage spaces within. The large bed looked out of place in the three-by-four-meter space, but was required for any chance of a comfortable night’s sleep. Not that he’d seen many of those in a long time. A lone desk sat in the corner with a basic chair on wheels, covered in dirty clothes. Several recessed shelves held stacks of paperwork, but the entire room was devoid of anything personal.

Liam peeled himself from the dampened sheets, the fabric refusing to release from the tackiness of his salty skin. He knew he couldn’t sleep anymore, even if the bed weren’t already cooling and saturated. The ship ran warm, but he couldn’t suppress a slight shiver as the air hit his bare skin. Even the dense pelt of hair that covered his chest, arms, and legs provided little warmth at the moment. He slid into a pair of cargo shorts and sleeveless shirt that were piled in the corner, too shaken to care if they were clean enough to wear. A pair of thick-soled sandals waited for him in front of the room’s exit. Out of habit, he picked up his communicator from the random pile on the desk and put it in his ear.

He placed his hand on the plexiglass palm reader embedded in the hull and the door slid open with a loud hiss. From the outside, he slapped the matching panel to close the door and trudged out into the hallway.

His footsteps gave a soft metal echo as he wandered in no particular direction through the dimly lit tunnel. This was no luxury liner; a subtle vibration could be felt at all times from the tech and mechanicals hidden behind the scuffed and weathered walls. The Santa Claus was sturdy, but not designed for creature comforts. Captain Danverse had purchased the decommissioned cargo ship nearly a decade ago and offered Liam a job when the pair had left the military following the Centauri Prime civil war.

Intelligently, Danverse had populated the Santa Claus with a crew of men who could stand the long distance between stops and could appreciate the company of their fellow men. Ports were few and far between, and it was a small world to live in for an extended span.

MannRamblingspic-225x300About the Author

Like many gay men, when Mann Ramblings grew up, there weren’t any heroes he could relate to. The world held him back while he tried futilely to hide the real person inside. So much has changed since those hollow days. He finally found his voice, the voice that says it’s all right to revel in the so-called inappropriate joys, laughs, and loves that storm inside a man’s head. It took a long time to find that courage and now that it’s here, he plans to use it well.

While spending years more focused on visual arts, he never let go of his innate passion for storytelling?he wanted to write and draw comic books when he grew up. Once he discovered M/M fiction, a whole new world opened with new possibilities. Why couldn’t you have fantastic and dynamic tales with an M/M cast? He started reading the online tales of authors like, Night Tempest, Rob Colton, and Alicia Nordwell, which only fueled within him the need to create. Eventually he found GayAuthors.org, and with a little coercive nudge from Night Tempest, started sharing his tales with an unexpected level of positive response. That experience and support gave him the courage to cross his fingers and aim for the world of M/M publishing.

Born and raised in Michigan, Mann Ramblings continues to type away, wishing it was practical to use a noisy, old fashioned keyboard that clacks with each strike, if only to annoy his loving partner and spoiled miniature dachshund.

Email: mannramblings@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mannramblings
Twitter: @mannramblings

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New Release – In-Decision by Sue Brown

April 16, 2015 by Elin Gregory

It’s always great to see a new book from Sue Brown and I’ve been anticipating this one – the next in the Little Mowbury series Left at the Crossroads.

Here’s the blurb:

Little Mowbury is a sleepy English village deep in the Cotswolds. The kind of village where you’re only a local if your lineage can be traced back to the dinosaurs. Where you can find everything in the single village shop from morning newspapers to dry-cleaning, and getting your shoes mended. And, of course, where everybody knows everybody else’s business. It’s easy to find… you can’t miss it… just ask anyone and they’ll tell you… “It’s left at the crossroads.”

Eighteen months ago Jason Havers lost the love of his life and it’s time to move on. Applying for the position of chef in a sleepy country pub, a million miles away from his previous life, may well be the fresh start he needs. His new employers immediately take him under their wing and before long he finds himself with a passel of new friends and a job he loves. What he doesn’t expect is Tom, a gorgeous midwife, who stirs up feelings he’s not ready to deal with.

But when someone from his previous life turns up in Little Mowbury, will Jason be able to keep them from revealing the secret he’s been keeping from those he’s come to love?

I really enjoyed the first in the series, Un-Expected by Lisa Worrall, and had been wondering who would be the hero of this story. I hope there are very many more episodes.

You can get your copy here:

Amazon US ~ Amazon UK ~ Kobo ~ ARe

Happy reading.

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New Release – The Eye and the Arm by Andrew Q Gordon

April 15, 2015 by Elin Gregory

Author Name: Andrew Q. Gordon

Book Name: The Eye and The Arm

Series: Champion of the Gods  Book 2

Release Date: April 14, 2015

Pages or Words: 296 pages

Categories: Fantasy, Gay Fiction

Publisher: DSP Publications

Cover Artist: AngstyG

 

 Blurb:

After defeating Meglar at Belsport, Farrell returns to Haven to recover from his injuries, but Khron, the god of war, has other ideas. He gives Farrell a new mission: free the survivors of the ancient dwarf realm of Trellham from their three-thousand-year banishment. To fulfill Khron’s near impossible task, Farrell will need the help of his distance ancestor, the legendary wizard Kel. But Kel has been dead for a thousand years.

Farrell finds information hinting that Kel is alive, so he moves his search to Dumbarten, Kel’s birthplace. To reach Dumbarten unannounced, Farrell and Miceral disguise themselves as mercenaries on board a merchant vessel. Their journey is disrupted when pirates attack their ship. While attempting to subdue the attack, Farrell is struck down by one of Meglar’s minions.

Unconscious and trapped in his own mind, Farrell’s only chance for survival rests with Miceral and the peregrine king Rothdin entering his thoughts and helping him sort fact from illusion. To reach Farrell, they will need to rely on an untested spell from one of Kel’s spellbooks. If they succeed, Miceral can guide Farrell home safely. If not, Farrell will destroy not only himself, but Miceral, Rothdin, and everyone around him.

 

Excerpt:

Miceral grabbed his last javelin and crept toward the starboard rail. The tip of pirate’s prow had just reached their stern. He could see men crouched under the protection of the gunwale. “They’re almost here—be ready.”

Moving faster than the enemy could react, Miceral scaled the short staircase and quickly found a protected spot in the aftcastle. Peering through a narrow opening, he scanned the clusters of men he could see. At the rear of the largest group, Miceral spotted someone who, by clothing at least, appeared to be an officer. With no one else standing out as being the captain, this man became his target.

Springing to his feet, he hurled the spear before anyone could target him. One of the pirates huddled by the rail fired an arrow, which Miceral caught in midflight. Flashing the enemy a wicked grin, he snapped the shaft in half before dropping back behind his cover.

Miceral closed one eye and stared through the space between crates. He watched the men look toward where their officer had been standing, and from the shouts he knew he’d hit his mark. One pirate tried to pull the spear out but failed. When he turned to ask for help, a stream of blood dribbled out of his mouth and over the feathers of the arrow protruding from his neck. Everyone else ducked immediately and remained out of sight.

Miceral traced the shaft’s path back to where Peter knelt, nocking another arrow. He gave his friend a wink and a nod. Before either could enjoy the small victory, a hail of arrows and spears whistled across the deck. Under the cover of this barrage, dozens of grappling hooks landed on the deck of the Rose. Once the barbs dug into whatever purchase they could find, the two vessels inched closer. Miceral heard the faint thud of the two ships colliding and slipped the mace and axe from his belt.

With the ships tethered together, the pirates flipped long wooden planks from their ship onto the Seafoam Rose. Hooks on the ends secured the slim pathway firmly in place. The first wave of invaders ran across the boards, screaming at the top of their lungs. If they expect to scare the crew into surrender, that hope dissipated when four of their number fell dead from a round of arrows.

Miceral used the distraction to leap from his hiding place. Screaming his own battle cry, he rushed the startled pirates. From his right, Emerson and Nathan led the crew in defense of their ship.

The ferocity of the resistance appeared to catch the invaders by surprise. Miceral killed anything in his reach, stalling the attack momentarily. Peter stood next to Miceral and proved the value of all the long hours of practice he’d been put through.

Unfortunately, Miceral couldn’t defend all points of entry onto the vessel. The pirates quickly learned to avoid the armed warrior who moved with the speed of lightning.

The initial advantage of the Rose’s crew quickly evaporated as the pirates brought superior numbers onto the trading ship. To avoiding being surrounded, the defenders fell back to a predetermined, more defensible position. This allowed the rest of the pirates to cross unimpeded.

“Now would be a good time to arrive, Farrell.” Miceral didn’t know if Farrell could hear him, but if he didn’t arrive soon, there’d be no one left to rescue.

“I’m almost there, Ral.” Farrell’s voice distracted Miceral enough that he cut off an opponent’s arm instead of slicing through the man’s neck. “Hang on!”

 

Sales Links: http://www.dsppublications.com/books/the-eye-and-the-arm-by-andrew-q-gordon-95-b

About the author:

Andrew Q. Gordon wrote his first story back when yellow legal pads, ball point pens were common and a Smith Corona correctable typewriter was considered high tech. Adapting with technology, he now takes his MacBook somewhere quiet when he wants to write.

He currently lives in the Washington, D.C. area with his partner of twenty years, their daughter and dog.  In addition to dodging some very self-important D.C. ‘insiders’, Andrew uses his commute to catch up on his reading. When not working or writing, he enjoys soccer, high fantasy, baseball and seeing how much coffee he can drink in a day.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dominic.andrews.7568

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/andrewqugordon

Twitter: @andrewqgordon

Website: www.andrewqgordon.com

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+AndrewQGordon/posts

email: andrewqgordon@gmail.com


Tour Dates & Stops: April 15, 2015

Parker Williams, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bayou Book Junkie, Cate Ashwood, Charley Descoteaux, BFD Book Blog, Full Moon Dreaming, Divine Magazine, Butterfly-O-Meter, Molly Lolly, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Rainbow Gold Reviews, The Hat Party, Love Bytes, Inked Rainbow Reads, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, The Novel Approach, My Fiction Nook, Velvet Panic, Prism Book Alliance, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Fallen Angel Reviews, Amanda C. Stone, Elin Gregory, Nephylim

In order to have a chance to win aRafflecopter Prize – one of 3 e-copies of the Last Grand Master with the new cover art – please CLICK HERE

Posted in New Release | Tagged | 2 Comments »

New Release – Baked Fresh Annabeth Albert

April 14, 2015 by Elin Gregory

Title: Baked Fresh

Author: Annabeth Albert

Release Date: April 13, 2015

Pages or Words: 45,000 words

Categories: Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Publisher: Kensington

Cover Artist: Fiona Jayde

 

Blurb(s):

From its famous coffee to the mouthwatering fare at its cafés, restaurants, and bakeries, Portland, Oregon, has a lot to whet the appetite, including the hard-working men who serve it all up—hot, fresh, and ready to go—with no reservations…

Vic Degrassi is a baker on the rise, and it’s all thanks to his rare ability to make—and keep—his New Year’s resolutions. Whether it’s losing weight, giving up smoking, or graduating from culinary school, Vic goes after what he wants—and gets it. This year? He wants Robin Dawson, the sweet-hearted hottie who volunteers with him at the local homeless shelter. When he learns that Robin is suddenly single after being unceremoniously dumped, Vic is more than happy to offer a shoulder to cry on—or at least a fresh-baked pastry to bite into. But it’s been a long time since Vic’s gone on a date, and he’s nervous about risking his friendship with Robin. So when their flirtation turns into a steamy night together, Vic and Robin have to figure out if they’re friends with benefits or lovers in the making, and if Robin is ready for something more than just a rebound. There’s only one way to find out: turn up the heat…

 

Excerpt:

“So, what’s your plan this year?” Cliff asked as we unloaded pallets of food for Victory Mission. The stinging December wind whipped through the loading dock, howling against the concrete walls. I had to strain to hear Cliff’s booming voice. “Sky diving? Marathon? How you gonna top last year, Vic?”

“Dunno.” I hefted a box of tomato sauce cans. That’s what everyone wanted to know—how I was going to top last year’s resolution to lose a hundred pounds. Truth was, I was pretty good at resolutions. Four years ago, I’d resolved to go to culinary school. Three years ago, I gave up smoking. And last year I lost 111 pounds. But this year I had a smaller, simpler goal in mind.

“Thought I might try dating.”

“Dating? As in a boyfriend?” Cliff snorted, a dry sound that echoed off the metal loading bay doors. “I’d go with a marathon.”

My stomach churned as I grabbed another box of rolls. I had my own doubts. I was hardly a prize catch. I hadn’t dated anyone in the four years I’d been working for Cliff. Never had a boyfriend beyond the rare three-peat hookup. ’Course, Cliff didn’t know about my hookups, but I hadn’t even had one of those in eight long months. Up until a few months ago, I hadn’t realized what I was missing. Ever since then, this weird, restless longing had plagued me. New Year’s was the perfect excuse to do something about it. Get out there.

“You guys done out here? Whole stack of boxes waiting inside. We don’t have all day.” Robin bustled out onto the dock, bringing a shit-ton of bad mood with him. A far cry from the sunny, talkative guy who made me think crazy thoughts, like that maybe dating wasn’t a terrible idea. He was gone before either Cliff or I could reply.

“What’s up with him?” I asked Cliff once I heard the pantry door shut inside.

“Melissa said Paul broke up with him.” Cliff always found the gossip. The food bank volunteers were like bored high schoolers, passing rumors around their shifts like joints at a party.

“Finally.” I didn’t realize I’d said the word aloud until Cliff laughed.

“Aha! On second thought, I highly approve of your resolution. I’m gonna have to get a bet going with Trish about whether or not you can land your man. Talk about aiming high though, kid.”

“Didn’t say anything about dating Robin,” I mumbled into a sack of rice. The last time Robin was single, I had spent months thinking about him. Wondering if he was out of my league. Knowing he was out of my league but trying to work up the courage to ask him out anyway. Coming to volunteer more often just to be around him. Then Paul swooped in like a star pitcher and sent me back to the minor leagues, where I belonged.

I readjusted my grip on the sack so I wouldn’t accidentally tear the darn thing in two. No, I wasn’t stupid enough to make a resolution to date Robin. I just wanted to get out there. Give myself a chance to maybe meet a nice guy who wouldn’t care about my food issues and my loose skin and my bald-by-choice look.

But now that Cliff had planted the dating-Robin idea in my brain, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Which irked the hell out of me. I’d worked hard to deep-six my crush on him. Finding out he was single was a stupid reason to unearth it. Robin was the nice guy of my fantasies. And fucking gorgeous. He was sex walking around in KEENs and hipster T-shirts. He was everything I wanted and everything I wasn’t ever going to have.

*****

Once Vic resolves to be Robin’s rebound guy, can he convince Robin that they’re meant to be? Find out in BAKED FRESH!

Sales Links:

B&N ~ Amazon US ~ Amazon UK

About the Author:

 

Annabeth Albert grew up sneaking romance novels under the bed covers. Now, she devours all subgenres of romance out in the open—no flashlights required! When she’s not adding to her keeper shelf, she’s a multi-published Pacific Northwest romance writer.

Emotionally complex, sexy, and funny stories are her favorites both to read and to write. Annabeth loves finding happy endings for a variety of pairings and is a passionate gay rights supporter.  In between searching out dark heroes to redeem, she works a rewarding day job and wrangles two toddlers.

Represented by Saritza Hernandez of the Corvisiero Literary Agency

 

Where to find the author:

Website: www.annabethalbert.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/AnnabethAlbert

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

Tumblr: www.annabethalbert.tumblr.com

Fan group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/annabethsangels/

 

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23450161-baked-fresh


Tour Dates & Stops: April 14, 2015

Parker Williams, MM Good Book Reviews, Divine Magazine, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, BFD Book Blog, Tara Lain, Hearts on Fire, Bayou Book Junkie, My Fiction Nook, Inked Rainbow Reads, LeAnn’s Book Reviews, Love Bytes, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Bike Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews,Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Cathy Brockman Romances, Cate Ashwood, Three Chicks After Dark, The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat, Because Two Men Are Better, Than One, Charley Descoteaux, Foxylutely Book Reviews, Elin Gregory, Andrew Q. Gordon

There is, as ever, a prize allocated via Rafflecopter.

Click here for a chance to win a $10 gift card + a book from Annabeth’s backlist

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Saturday Recommendation

April 11, 2015 by Elin Gregory

I hope you were all able to take advantage of this weird and wonderful weather. Being able to stroll around outside in a tee shirt in April has been a real treat but today the lazy wind is blowing and we’re all glad we haven’t put our winter woolies away.

So if you’re chilly and have decided to stay inside it might be a good idea to have something to read, yes? And so it might be an idea if I posted a recommendation.

Right then. This is a book I bought some time ago but managed to lose in the depths of my Kindle. It took me a while to realise that if I don’t tag and add books straight away they disappear into the largely inaccessible files and never appear again. So it was a pity that I couldn’t read it and appreciate it straight away but it gave me a heck of a treat this week.

The Bridge on the River Wye by Adam Fitzroy

I get a real kick out of reading books set in places I recognise, even more of a kick when I know from the start that I’m unlikely to find those weird assumptions – like every tiny English village having its own tea shoppe – that can jolt one out of a narrative. I knew I was in safe hands with this author so just settled down to bask.

Bridge tells the sometimes sad, sometimes edgy, but generally good humoured tale of sous-chef Rupert who has returned from Australia leaving his fraudulent partner in jail, his dog in kennels and his money lord knows where. Luckily for him, charismatic TV chef Ren is glad to employ him again and Rupert looks about him for old friends. One person he particularly wanted to see again was market trader Jake, whose organic fruit and veg is beyond par and the rest of him was pretty juicy too.

What has happened to Jake, why he left the market and what Rupert can do to help him and his beleaguered family make up the rest of the story.

This is such a British story, but I suppose there are parallels to be seen in every agricultural district. Small time operators who wish to sell ethically produced high quality wares are bound to be pushed around by the agri-giants. Town dwellers often under-estimate the isolation of country dwellers and in this case Jake etc are made even more isolated by the presence of the Bridge in the title, the scene of a personal tragedy.

If you like the more cosy sort of mystery and heroes more at home with kitchen tools or a trowel than a Glock and nicely drawn portraits of kids and dogs that aren’t the least bit cutesy-poo, then I think you’ll enjoy this book as much as I did.

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New Release – Craving Stains by Alina Popescu

April 10, 2015 by Elin Gregory

Craving Stains Release Day

Synopsis

Wynn Brenwood has been trapped by his mother since birth, shut away in a sterile, hospital-like apartment.

Is it her desire to keep him safe that sees him locked up in his pristine cage? Or are her motives less innocent and well-intentioned?

Wynn longs to break free to experience the world he sees beyond his window.

Desperate to escape, he meets Doyle, a handsome, leather-clad, and enigmatic stranger.

But is Doyle real, or is he just a figment of Wynn’s imagination?

cravingstains-waywardinkpublishing-JayAheer2015--samllpreview

Buy Links

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00UUE58SU/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00UUE58SU/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00UUE58SU/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B00UUE58SU/
WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/craving-stains-by-alina-popescu/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-cravingstains-1766728-145.html

Excerpt

A nervous giggle escaped him and he rolled his eyes. It was hard to keep his emotions under control. Twenty years made for one long wait to finally breach the confines of his apartment. He looked around, taking in the large, pure white room with its scarce, minimalist furniture. The wall made of nothing but floor to ceiling windows was his favorite part. Sure, it threw away anything from the sun that was not pure light—UV filters, air cleansing devices, and CDC grade measures all made sure no microbes or bacteria ever penetrated this cage—but it was still his only direct connection with the outside world.

Wynn snorted, thinking of how unnecessary it would all become the moment he stepped outside and returned home alive. Only then would these absurd measures his mother had taken be forgotten. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He had to prove to her he could stay healthy and walk outside. He was tired of the Maid Bot 2000, his computer, his TV, and the books he kept buying. He supposed he should be thankful for the ‘Rise of the eBook’, yet he could not love them, not really, not like a normal reader. The TV programs, the news and stories on the Internet, the photos and videos of faraway places, the gripping stories in the books he read, they were all cruel reminders of the life he’d been denied. A normal human being, even if they never did go to that exotic beach on the other side of the world, still knew they could. They weren’t stranded, abandoned in their own home, with the somber doctor that came to inspect every inch of Wynn’s body as their sole contact with the outside world, other than his mother of course.

He perked up when he heard the click of the outside door opening. It unlocked when a certain code was pressed into the keypad on its right side. Wynn had seen the process through the security system; he’d never been on that side of the apartment. His mother’s high heels clicked on the floor, the hiss of dry showers cleansing her followed. Ten meters of different heads pushing air and heuristic nanobots, mixed into the traditional bacteria- and virus-killing formulae. It was all the rage in disease control: microscopic machines programmed to guess what would make a potentially deadly intruder, and isolate the tiny killers before they could be spread. Wynn imagined it cost a lot, but there was nothing his mother wouldn’t do to keep him alive. To what end, he could not guess. Maybe she just enjoyed having him a prisoner.

A bright smile curved his mouth, this time reaching his eyes. Wynn did not have to fake his pleasure at seeing his mother; it was as natural as it could be this time around. She was taking him outside. He supposed it made sense to even think he might love her one day. If he got to enjoy a normal life, experiencing the outside world, Wynn was ready to forget everything about how she’d kept him locked up and alone for as long as he could remember.

She walked to the armchair he was sitting on, taking step after stiff step. Wynn had always thought he hated the sound of her heels hitting the marble floor, but today it heralded amazing new adventures, so he smiled and stood up. She took his hands in hers, giving them a little squeeze and gracing him with a tight smile.

Moira Brenwood was a beautiful woman, he knew. She was tall and slim, always full of grace, perfect in every detail, from the way her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, to the impeccable line of her eyebrows, and the flawless makeup.

“Good morning, darling. How are you today?” Her voice echoed in the large room, coming back to him with the same rehearsed warm notes.

“I’m great, Mother. Let’s go!” he urged, shaking her hands and chuckling.

“Wynn! Where are your manners?” she hissed through clenched teeth. He saw the disapproval in her look and the way her lips were pressed together. Moira didn’t take too kindly to rude people.

He cringed and gave her an apologetic smile. Damn it, don’t screw this up! Don’t give her any reason to take back her promise of allowing you outside!

Alina PopescuAbout the author

Writer, traveler, and coffee addict, Alina Popescu has been in love with books all her life. She started writing when she was ten and she has always been drawn to sci-fi, fantasy, and the supernatural realm. Born and raised in Romania, she finds her inspiration in books of all genres, in movies, and the occasional manga comic book. She is a proud geek who needs her fast Internet and gadgets more than she needs air.

Social Links

Site & Blog: http://alina-popescu.com
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/authoralinapopescu
Twitter: http://twitter.com/alina_popescu
Instagram: http://instagram.com/alinapopescuwriter
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/alina-popescu
Google+:  https://www.google.com/+AlinaPopescu
Amazon:  http://amazon.com/author/alinapopescu

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New Release – The Island Keepers by Kris Quentin

April 2, 2015 by Elin Gregory

Book Name: The Island Keepers

Author Name: Kristopher Quentin

Release Date: January 4, 2015

Pages or Words: 108,000 words

Categories: Gay fiction, M/M Romance, New Adult, Romance

Publisher: Cool Dudes Publishing

Cover Artist: Louis C. Harris with photography of lighthouse supplied by author

 

Blurb:

They could hardly have been less alike.

David is striking, tanned, smooth, charismatic, blond with an ice melting smile,
and possesses an unmistakable gift as a fiction writer, even at twenty-one.
Wyatt looks as plain as paper, short by comparison, white as a ghost, graceless,
a celebrated oil painter. He is single and he is out. David, raised a strict
evangelical fundamentalist, is embarrassed by his own virginity. Both men
are sent to Puffin Island and, within days of their arrival a young woman washes
ashore, frozen and unresponsive after her kayak crashes against the rocks.
David and Wyatt save her life. Days later, Wyatt is charged with rape. While
the authorities investigate, the woman’s nineteen year old identical twin
brothers paddle their way to Puffin to teach Wyatt a lesson. Their goal, to
avenge their sister.
The bond between David and Wyatt increases during island duty, and his heart
struggles with the imbedded childhood dogma and lethally homophobic
parents, propelling him to bond with Wyatt, but, when the inthinkable happens,
Wyatt is once more left alone. Wyatt has no option but to move on because
there is a lot at stake and he turns to the unlikeliest of characters to fill the
void, a person who will teach him an important lesson; that love is all about
choice. By making a decision, Wyatt must sacrifice a need that had been
created by his past with David.

 

Sales Links: http://www.cooldudespublishing.com

 

Excerpt:

“Wyatt?”

“Yes?”

“ I need to ask you a point blank question.”

“You can always ask, David. You know that.”

“I…I want to…I want to know if…fuck this is so hard. Just a sec.  I need to breathe.”

I waited a few moments, listening to him breathe deeply.

‘Okay, I’m ready.  You still there?”

“Still here. What’s bothering you David?”

“I…I’ve never done this before so please forgive me for botching it up.”

“Talk to me, David.”

“Okay. Okay.” He whispered, and then taking a deep breath, said, “I want to know if you love me. I mean, are you in love with me?”

 

* * *

 

Knock me over with a feather.

I’d been staring out the window watching a couple of kittens chasing each other up and down a pair of maples in our yard.

Somehow, I suddenly identified with the chaser.

“I’ll answer that if you promise to answer the same question. Deal?”

I heard a gulp in my ear piece. “Perfect. I’ll answer it first since I asked it,” he said. “You need to know that I love you. I am in love with you. And I’m fucking miserable not having you by my side. I’m even more forlorn knowing you’re dating someone else.” He paused and took a deep breath. “Okay? There, I said it.”

“Do you feel better?”

“That depends on your answer.”

 

About the author:

 

Kristopher Quentin has been writing for decades. He is a businessman
and broadcast journalist by trade, a man up at 3:45 every weekday
morning for a stint on the news desk; a little earlier on weekends to
write fiction in his man cave. An upstate New Yorker by birth, he now
lives in the most rural area of far northern Maine, USA, on 54-acres
of land: wooded, lawns, driveways, and a few buildings including his
four thousand square foot home which he calls the white house; because
it is. His property is home to moose, deer, rabbits, raccoons,
porcupines, fox, weasels, black bears, and one Bard owl.
He loves reading gay romances among other forms of fiction;
non-fiction; and memoirs most of which he considers to be fictional.
Travelling, dining out, boat riding are among his passions; that and
flying his own single engine airplane when he was younger.

Tour Dates & Stops: April 2, 2015

Parker Williams ~ Cate Ashwood ~ Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents ~ Inked Rainbow Reads ~ Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words ~ Molly Lolly ~ BFD Book Blog ~ It’s Raining Men ~ Michael Mandrake ~ Andrew Q. Gordon ~ Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews ~ Bayou Book Junkie ~ Divine Magazine ~ MM Good Book Reviews ~ Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings ~ Hearts on Fire ~ Elin Gregory

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Autism Awareness blog

April 2, 2015 by Elin Gregory

Welcome to my little bit of R J Scott’s Autism Awareness blog hop. Clicking that link will take you to her master post with a full list of all particpants, of which there are loads, all offering prizes.

I’m offering a prize too – a $10 Amazon gift certificate – to a commenter to this post so please don’t forget to leave a means by which I can get in touch.

Now – down to business, this is my autism fact: Autism doesn’t just affect children. Children with autism grow up to be adults with autism.

As understanding grows and health services put more resources in place, opportunities will be better, but at the moment resources are concentrated on the children. My son has recently transferred to day care unit for adults from a unit that cared for children. While working with the kids he helped to set up a system that provided IT resources for those of the kids who were happier interacting via email and IM. Each child who wished to use one was provided with a small tablet and some of them loved them. When my son moved to the adult unit he was shocked to find a previous patient, now 18, very subdued and withdrawn. When the boy had moved to the adult unit he was no longer entitled to use the tablet and had been deprived of it. Obviously this is not acceptable. With some prompting the local authority has agreed to invest in expanding the IT programme to help adults as well but this is by no means a country wide effort.

Click on the logo to go to the National Autistic Society webpage to learn more about the charity and how you might get involved.

Comment to this post and I’ll make a donation to the charity on your behalf. If that isn’t incentive enough I’ll pick a commenter name out of the hat and set them an Amazon gift card. Don’t forget to visit RJ Scott’s blog to visit the rest of the participants.

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