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Good Morning Monday! ~ 3 Weeks til Spencer 2
It’s Monday again! You’d think after so many weeks, months and years of encountering this one day out of every seven, we’d be used to it by now… 😉
Last week was another busy one. There were physio appointments and other real life stuff, and I spent a lovely two days in the Hunter Valley with Nic Starr and RJ Jones. We got some writing done, mostly chatted and laughed, and ate a lot of fabulous food. And, after the last couple of weeks, it was just what the doctor ordered. <3
This week it’s back to work! Though I’m not sure how productive I’ll be when my husband has time off work and will be home for two weeks, given that I work from home. I’m sure
he’ll drive me insaneit’ll be great to have him around, though I may need to lock my office door and tape a note at head height, something like:- No, I haven’t seen your keys.
- No, I don’t know where they are.
- Same goes for the TV remote control.
- Are you bringing me coffee and/or chocolate?
- Is the house on fire?
- Does your question really need asking?
- On the “My Wife’s Angry Scale of 1 to Oh-Crap”, how important is your question?
In writerly news, my WiP (tentatively titled Blood & Milk) is at 16K words (which is way behind where I wanted to be by now, but whatever) and it’s just three weeks until Spencer Cohen Book 2 comes out!
I’m sooo excited for the continuation of Spencer and Andrew. So, in case you missed it, I’ll post the blurb and cover 🙂
BLURB:
Finally going from fake-boyfriends to the real thing, Spencer Cohen and Andrew Landon are trying to take things slow. They know what they have could be something special and despite the flammable sexual tension, they don’t want to crash and burn.
Spencer is learning to open up, sharing the secrets of his past with Andrew. Afraid to put his heart on the line, yet seemingly unable to stop it, Spencer knows he’s falling in love with him. Andrew is petrified of leaping in blindly, yet it seems the slower they go, the faster they fall.
As they navigate their new relationship, Spencer worries Andrew will freak out when he takes on a new client. But it’s not a normal case and Spencer soon realises things are not what they seem. When things take a downward turn and they work together to help the client, Spencer and Andrew need to decide if they’re ready for the next step.
<3
Again, it will be exclusive to Amazon, and I will post the pre-order link when I have one!
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Good Morning Monday ~ Spencer 2 & 3 Cover Reveals!!
Spencer One release week has come and gone, and what a release week it’s been! The reviews have been fabulous and I’ve had many people contact me to tell me just how much they loved Spencer and Andrew.
I can’t tell you how much these means to me. I’m truly so very humbled by the love. Seriously, I really do have the very best readers in the world. <3 <3 <3
I’ve also had a LOT of people asking me about Spencer Two and Spencer Three. So, because everyone has been so amazingly wonderful, I’m not going to hold off with the reveal any longer. I know some people have already seen these, and if you’re in my Facebook readers’ group, you will have seen these before, but for the rest of the world, here is a collage of the trilogy…
Are the colours significant? Yes. Are the leaves significant? Yes. Though we only find out their meaning in the end of Spencer Three. (Sorry for the secret squirrel stuff, but I can’t give away all of Spencer and Andrew’s secrets) 😉
So if anyone was sick of seeing a whole lotta red on their social media feeds, you’ll be sick of blue next, and sick of green after that. *snort* Though I’ve had some incredible compliments on the red cover, so here’s to hoping everyone loves the blue and green covers just as much.
I suppose you want a blurb as well? Okay then, since you’re twisting my arm 😉 I can give you the blurb to Spencer Two, but you’ll have to wait for the blurb to Spencer Three.
SPENCER COHEN, BOOK TWO BLURB:
Finally going from fake-boyfriends to the real thing, Spencer Cohen and Andrew Landon are trying to take things slow. They know what they have could be something special and despite the flammable sexual tension, they don’t want to crash and burn.
Spencer is learning to open up, sharing the secrets of his past with Andrew. Afraid to put his heart on the line, yet seemingly unable to stop it, Spencer knows he’s falling in love with him. Andrew is petrified of leaping in blindly, yet it seems the slower they go, the faster they fall.
As they navigate their new relationship, Spencer worries Andrew will freak out when he takes on a new client. But it’s not a normal case and Spencer soon realises things are not what they seem. When things take a downward turn and they work together to help the client, Spencer and Andrew need to decide if they’re ready for the next step.
<3
Spencer Two is 52K words long. Release date is March 17th, and I will post the presale links asap.
So, enough excitement for one post. 😀 And back to my usual Good Morning Monday drivel. It’s been a busy week in my house, which is nothing unusual because we’re always busy. But this week has been busier than usual. I’ve not managed much writing with the release of Spencer One but my WiP is almost at 10K. I’m guessing it will be 50K-60K words all said and done.
I’m hoping to get away for a few days with some writer friends later this week, but as my son has just injured himself I may have doctor and physio appointments instead. As you may or may not know, my kids are avid tennis players and it seems my son has done some significant damage to his Achilles tendon. We will find out more tomorrow hopefully when see the right people. And as a result, my writers weekend away may not happen, but these things can’t be helped.
Writing wise, this next week will be me with my head down, tail up. I’m reengaging my internet blocker to get some wordage done (I disabled it during release week for obv reasons) but it’s back to business this week. I have deadlines to meet, and I’m also expecting edits on Spencer 3 to hit this week as well.
Though seriously, even when I have deadlines, and editing, and word count goals to make, and I’m so busy I don’t have time to think, I still have the best job in the world.
Much love, and stay safe. Until next week…
<3
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Spencer Cohen: #1 in 6 Countries on Release Day
OMG guys.
No seriously, OMG.
So this post is basically shameless gloating, but I am so excited, I had to blog about it! Spencer Cohen, Book One has landed at #1 in six countries on release day!
By anyone’s standard, that’s pretty f**cking cool! 😀
Here are some pretty little screenshots <3
USA 
US 
Australia 
Canada 
Canada 
Germany 
Germany 
France 
France 
UK 
UK They’re all so pretty, huh? 🙂
These rankings are fleeting and will probably be gone in a day (or an hour LOL) and I never EVER take for granted that people will buy and read my books. I am grateful for every person who does, and so incredibly humbled. <3
I’m also soooo happy that everyone seems to love Spencer as much as I do.
And for those who are dying to get your hands on Book 2… only four weeks to go!
<3
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Spencer Cohen Book One Blog Tour and Giveaways!!!
For your chance to win a $25 Amazon Gift Card or some of my backlist titles, check out my blog tour!! Visit ENTICING JOURNEY for the rafflecopter to enter <3
BUYLINKS
Exclusive to Amazon, and available now!
Universal link http://getbook.at/SpencerBookOne
US store http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BOB6L56
UK store http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B01BOB6L56
Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28436109-spencer-cohen
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Cronin’s Key ~ Best of 2015 Top Read on Prism Book Alliance!
I am so very honoured to say that Cronin’s Key made it to the BEST OF 2015 TOP READ LIST on Prism Book Alliance!!
I’d like to thank everyone who nominated and voted, and a huge thank you to Brandilyn at Prism for running such an amazing giveaway and poll.
You can check out the other winners HERE
For anyone unfamiliar with Cronin’s Key…
BLURB:
NYPD Detective Alec MacAidan has always been good with weird. After all, his life has been a string of the unexplainable. But when an injured man gives him cryptic clues, then turns to dust in front of him, Alec’s view on weird is changed forever.
Cronin, a vampire Elder, has spent the last thousand years waiting for Alec. He’d been told his fated one would be a man wielding a shield, but he didn’t expect him to be human, and he certainly didn’t expect that shield to be a police badge.
Both men, strong-willed and stubborn, are still learning how to cope with the push and pull of being fated, when fate throws them another curveball.
Rumors have spread quickly of turmoil in Egypt. Covens are fleeing with news of a vampire who has a talent like no other, hell-bent on unleashing the wrath of Death.
Alec and Cronin are thrown into a world of weird Alec cannot imagine. What he learned in school of ancient pharaohs and Egyptian gods was far from the truth. Instead, he finds out firsthand that history isn’t always what it seems.
Cronin’s Key is 83,000 words long and just 99c
BUY LINKS:
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Good Morning Monday! Spencer Cohen Book One Edition
Are you ready to meet Spencer Cohen?
It’s release week!! I won’t lie – I’m super nervous about this one. But I can’t wait for the world to meet him (and Andrew, of course). The pre-release reviews have been fabulous, and it’s such a relief to know other people love these characters as much as I do. <3
The Spencer Cohen Series is being added to KU (Kindle Unlimited) which means it’s exclusive to Amazon.
The pre-order/buy links is
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01BOB6L56
EXCERPT:
“Come on,” Andrew said, standing up. “Let’s go.”
I slowly closed my laptop. “Uh, where exactly are we going?”
“You’re going to buy me my first Jeff Buckley album.”
I grinned at him. “Oh, am I?”
“Yes, you are. Unless you want to give me that one.” He pointed to my record player.
“Like hell. That’s my favourite.”
“That’s what I thought,” he said, walking to the door. He turned back to look at me—where I hadn’t moved from—and clapped his hands together. “Look alive, Spencer.”
“Alright,” I said, collecting my wallet and keys. I quickly grabbed two bottled waters out of my fridge and handed one to him as we walked out the door. “Are you always so pushy?”
He laughed, and those little lines crinkled the corners of his eyes, and the sun gave a warmth to his skin. He went down the stairs first and waited for me to get to the bottom. I guessed he was unsure of which direction to go. I pointed my thumb to the tattoo shop’s dead bolted door. “Can’t access the shop from the outside, so we’ll have to go around,” I nodded toward the end of the building, and we settled into a comfortable stride next to each other.
“I assume there’s a music store around here somewhere,” he said as we neared the street.
“There’s a few,” I told him. “Did you want CD or LP? I could have just downloaded it for you if that would have been easier.”
“I want LP.”
“Do you have a record player?”
“Well, no. But I think I’ll have to get one. I would imagine jazz and blues from vinyl would be incredible.”
I grinned at him. “I’ve created a monster!”
“You can’t just play classic vinyl albums to a music lover and not expect him to want it.”
I grinned. “True.”
We walked the two blocks, the banter between us never stopping. He talked with his hands when he explained things, which I found to be rather endearing, and I’m pretty sure I hadn’t stopped smiling since we left my place. I led him down a side alley off the boulevard and stood in front of the door to the music shop. “Before we go in, you must promise me something.”
He was suddenly serious. “What?”
“This place is special, and thus, must remain a secret.”
“Thus?”
“It’s a word.”
“That no one has used in two hundred years.”
“Not true. I just used it now.”
He laughed. “Okay, so I’m not supposed to tell anyone I came here?”
“Nope. It’s like Vegas.”
“As in ‘What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas’? Really?”
“Yes, really.” I nodded. “It’s too awesome to be popular.”
“Isn’t that redundant to their business profitability?”
“Possibly. But it’s completely old-school indie. I think the owner was a pot-smoking surfer from the sixties and has principles against corporations, though I’ve never asked him. Anyway, if too many people know about it, then it becomes mainstream. And that would ruin it.”
He frowned at me. “Then it’s not like Vegas. It’s more like Fight Club.”
I laughed and bowed my head. “Ah, Grasshopper. You have passed the test. You may enter.” He beamed, and I opened the door with a laugh.
He stepped inside. “Okay, wow.”
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Guest Post: A charity book for dogs.
When E.A. Kelly and B. Price asked me if I could do a blog post for their new book, where profits are sent to a charity for dogs, I was more than happy to oblige…
Blurb:
“In a few seconds, I made one of those instant decisions that shakes your whole world and changes your life forever. I didn’t actually say “yes”, but neither did I say “no” to fostering another dog with physical and severe emotional health needs. And so, along came Beth . . .”
In many ways, Beth embodies the true and pure ethos of K9 Crusaders. They never give up on a dog. They didn’t then, and they don’t now. They believe that each and every dog is precious and is worth fighting for, worth going many extra miles for, whatever it takes. Beth’s wonderful life as seen in this book bears witness to that.
**ALL PROFITS FROM SALES OF THIS BOOK WILL GO TO THE CHARITY MENTIONED WITHIN**
EXCERPT:
I decided a while ago that the next time a small dog started barking at Beth, and its human picked it up and glared at me for daring to have a big dog, I would do the same. Today was that day. A small dog barks and lunges at Beth, who wasn’t responding, and it’s picked up by its owner who glares at Beth as if it’s her fault. I gently lifted her up, no mean feat, so she was the same height as the tiny yapper. Priceless; the small dog shut up and the woman asked what I was doing. I replied that I thought it was a new dog training technique that I hadn’t come across before, and I wanted to try it. Her face was a picture. Beth played the game very well and hugged me like a baby koala, and I laughed all the way home. Maybe senility has started.
About the Charity:
K9 Crusaders deal with all kinds of issues relating to dogs, from rescue and rehoming via their Welfare Centre in Bissoe, Cornwall, UK to behavioural support and advice on many aspects of dog husbandry. They are independent and have no other income stream, relying solely on donations to keep going, and on volunteers to try to keep up with the ever increasing demand for help.
ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE SALE OF THIS BOOK WILL BE DONATED TO K9 CRUSADERS DOG WELFARE TO HELP MANY OTHERS LIKE BETH IN NEED OF A HOME.
http://www.caninecrusaders.org.uk
K9 Crusaders Dog Welfare Charitable Trust
No: 1138278
Links:
Amazon: www.amazon.com/dp/B01BCQROY0
Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/book/show/28867428-her-royal-furriness
Twitter: https://twitter.com/E_A_Kelly9
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Good Morning Monday!
Personal interpretation is the beauty of art.
Another Good Morning Monday post! Go me!
In this week’s post, I wanted to talk about sex in books and, more directly, the lack of sex in books.
I quite often have reviews where readers mention in a negative light that my books often have a considerable lack of on-page sex. This is true, and something I could never deny: my books (not including the A. Voyeur ones) would never fall into the erotica category.
That being said, I also have quite a few reviews stating there is too much sex in my books. So clearly it’s a battle I will never win. Quite frankly, it’s not a battle I’m willing to fight. I write the stories the characters tell me to write and it would feel wrong for me to sway them either way. I would also never change a book to what I *think* my readers might want. I write the stories the characters tell me to write. I owe them truth in the delivery, not anyone else. Not even me.
I will read reviews sometimes so I can learn from them. I like hearing what people loved and didn’t love about my work. I am a firm believer in the adage “to each their own”, and I have no qualms with the opinions of others. In fact, I welcome them. After all, I’ve read books where there’s been, in my opinion, too much or too little on-page sex. We all like different things, and personal interpretation is the beauty of art.
So, why am I bringing this up now?
Spencer Cohen, Book One has no sex. None. Zip. Nada. Zilch. There is UST and a smoking hot kiss, but no sex.
Will some people hate that? Sure. Will some people love that? Sure. Will some people not notice or care? Probably. Again, with the battles I will never win.
I can say, without giving spoilers, that Books 2 & 3 make up for it. Which is fine, wonderful even, for those books. It fits the plot/characters/emotional need of those two books for the intimacy levels to be cranked up a notch or three. There’s nothing gratuitous about the physical development of this couple. They’re expressing their feelings in a physical way, exploring and learning what the other likes. It’s a natural progression of all budding relationships, if they’re inclined to be physical.
But in Book One, Spencer and Andrew are not there yet.
I’ve had one early ARC reviewer tell me she didn’t even realise there was no sex in the book until someone asked her. This is what she said,
“It’s unique, and sweet and damn hot even though there isn’t really anything steamy. It just works, the chemistry they have, the sexy innuendos and blushing moments …. *swoon* perfection!”
As a reader, I look for a well-balanced blend of characterisation, interaction, growth and development. If that includes sex, then bring it on. If it’s gratuitous and repetitive, I will skim. And if the characters have more sex than conversations, then chances are it will end up being a DNF for me.
So, what is, in your opinion, too much or too little sex in a book? Is it important? Is no sex a deal breaker? Is too much sex a deal breaker? Is it even an issue these days? Should it be explicit, implied, or completely off-page? Should it be there at all?
Comments, opinions and thoughts? Hit me with them. And remember, no one is right or wrong.
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Good Morning Monday!
It’s that time again – Good Morning Monday! This is my third in a row. It’s like a record or something!!
My kids are back at school after six weeks off (it’s been our summer break here in Australia) and this will be their first full week of the year. It’s my son’s first year in high school, so there’s been some adjusting, but he’s handled it really well so far. My kids going back to school is a double edged sword for me… yes, I get my days back of heavenly peace and quiet, but it’s also back to doing after school sport five days a week where we don’t get home until after dinner some nights. The weekends of sport will also start to kick in from now. Ah, the joys of having active kids 😉
On the writing front, this week has been hellabusy as well. Let’s see, what else happened…
I have completed the very rough first draft of Spencer Cohen Book 3! At just 100 words shy of 50K, I wrote those two little magic words. THE END. (Those words are the author’s equivalent of a post-coital cigarette LOL.) So, next week the fixing/adding/deleting/WTFwasithinking part begins.
This week also saw the grand opening of a new group on Facebook, which I’m stoked to be a part of. Titled The M/M Daily Grind, there are seven authors (Riley Hart, Felice Stevens, Cardeno C, Lane Hayes, Christina Lee, the lovely Ella Frank, and myself) and it’s a fun, safe place, where we talk about our books, writing, ideas, inspiration… well, just about everything and anything really. You can find the group HERE so come join the fun. We grew to have over 600 members in just one day, so there are a lot of posts, a lot of laughs and many great and wonderful people there.
I also sent out ARC Requests, for all the reviewers/sites who would like to read/review Spencer Cohen Book One. You can join here at Enticing Journey’s Release Blitz
or you can join my own little book tour in THIS GOOGLE DOCEnticing Journey Book Promotions are a fabulous site that I’m working with for my Spencer Cohen Trilogy. I’m excited to be with them 🙂
On a personal note, I’ve been dieting. And while the weight loss is great, I WANT TO EAT ALL OF THE FOOD. All. Of. It.
Until next week… <3
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