Guest Post
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Guest Post ~ Posy Roberts and Momo My Everything.
My good friend Posy Roberts has a new book out! And the cover is gorgeous!
Brave the spotlight for the man he loves, or stay alone in the shadows…
William Harris is a reserved man, private and guarded. He has no one to go home to. He’s never found a man worth sticking around for. He’s never been in love. And he’s convinced he’s happy with his lone-wolf life.
Nate Kelly is William’s opposite, social and easy going. He comes into William’s life as the elegant geisha Momo. When William realizes Momo is a man in drag, he’s captivated.
From their first date, William’s world changes. Nate is nothing like his usual type. And William soon finds out being with this carefree man means always being on display and attracting attention, which makes him want to retreat. He tries to keep Nate at arm’s length, but it’s no use. Nate’s transformed his life in a matter of months and keeps drawing him back in.
If they stand a chance, William has to be comfortable standing next to someone so at home in the limelight. Their future together and William’s happiness depend on it. Is Nate the man finally worth giving up William’s solitary existence? Is he worth sticking around for?
Opposites Attract, Fluff, Internal Character Angst, 2+ hour read.Gay Romance, Contemporary, Multicultural Romance27,000 Words, 95 pagesKindle UnlimitedAmazon Universal Link: http://mybook.to/Momo
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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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RJ Jones Interview and Guest Post
As many of you know, I was recently in Melbourne for Queermance. While I was there I was able to catch up with RJ Jones, a fellow Aussie author whose first novel Out of the Blue came out at the end of March. We had a chat over coffee and I asked her a few quick questions.
First things, first. Ebooks or print?
RJ: Umm, I’ve been an ebook girl for a while but I love the smell of a fresh book. It’s like the new car smell. However, last night I was reading a print book and tapped the page to turn it. I was lucky my husband didn’t notice. I felt like a bit of an idiot.
Do you buy a book because of the cover, the blurb or another reason?
RJ: I stopped reading reviews of books because I found that if someone didn’t like it, for whatever reason, their comments would stay with me and influence my thoughts. I’ve dnf’d a couple of books just because of someone else’s opinion that’s stuck in my head, and that’s not fair, to me or the author. Now if I see a great looking cover and the blurb is interesting, I’ll read it.
Any recent reads you could recommend?
RJ: With or Without Him by Barbara Elsborg. It may just become my read of the year and it’s still early. I was sucked into the story from the first chapter. I started it late at night and was only going to read the first chapter, but I just couldn’t put it down. It’s along the lines of Pretty Woman, but it was compelling from the get-go. I need to look at her other works now.
Tell me something about yourself that I can’t find out by reading your bio.
RJ: Two years ago I had spinal surgery. They had to go through my stomach to get access to that part of the spine. The surgeon removed a disc from my lower back and fused the two vertebrae together using a small piece of bovine cartilage. Now when I say I’m a bit of a cow, you know I’m not kidding 🙂
LOL. Okay, final question. Coke or Pepsi?
RJ: Coke. I think Pepsi is an acquired taste. Like brussel sprouts.
Show us your new release, Out of the Blue
BLURB:
When everything happens Out of the Blue…
Lt Cameron Cooper has been with the San Francisco Fire Department for fifteen years. He’s seen and dealt with a lot of horrifying situations. He’s always considered himself mentally tough, but when he attends a multi-vehicle accident and sees a dead boy with features remarkably similar to his long-time boyfriend, his mental health takes a hit.
All Jake Montgomery wants is to propose to his boyfriend on their ten-year anniversary. He’s already bought the perfect rings, but when Cameron struggles to look at him after a tragic accident, he has doubts about their future. Cam is withdrawing, and Jake doesn’t know why.
With heated arguments and cold shoulders, Cam and Jake’s life starts to fall apart. Just when Cam thinks he can overcome his issues and finally talk to Jake, memories from Jake’s past threaten to push them apart forever.
Where can we find Out of the Blue, and where can readers find you?
ARe – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-outoftheblue-1720958-145.html
Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/526585
Goodreads – https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23668630-out-of-the-blue?from_search=true
Author blog – http://rjjonesauthor.com
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/robyn.j.jones.1711
Twitter – @rjjonesauthor
Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/rjjonesauthor/
Email – rjjonesauthor@gmail.com
Your author bio:
I started as a reader and eventually made the progression to reviewing. It wasn’t until two men popped into my thoughts, insisting on telling me their story that I started to write. It started with one scene. A hot and dirty one in the shower.
My initial thought was if I could write their scene then they’d shut up and allow me to concentrate on other aspects of my day. That shower scene was 3000 words long and three hours of work. But they didn’t shut up. They told me their entire story and I didn’t sleep for days. Sometimes I couldn’t keep up with what they were telling me and I had to keep a notebook by my bed.
Whilst I was writing their story a side character decided he needed his story told too. Then other characters followed suit.
You see the problem? If I ever want to sleep again then I need to write.
I’m a wife and a mother to two boys. Even my dog is a boy.
I am surrounded by males.
Thanks for talking to me today RJ. I hope you can come back again sometime.
RJ: Thanks for having me Nic, it’s been great to catch up again. 🙂
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Guest Post ~ Louise Lyons on One Snowy Night
Originally released within Wayward Ink Publishing’s anthology Stranded, in October 2014, my short story One Snowy Night is now available as an individual short story.
One snowy night, Keith Brambles learns that appearances can be deceptive.
After yet another disastrous date, Keith drives home much to fast for the snowy conditions. When his car skids and crashes, he thinks he’s going to spend the night freezing in his car, until a man in a white van stops to help him. But Keith fears his rescuer may not appreciate his rather obvious preference.
Excerpt
Another half hour went by, and at last Keith heard the sound of an engine. As he looked out of the window, headlights blinded him, and he blinked and squinted. He unfolded his arms and legs, and groaned as he tried to put his feet down on the floor. His limbs had stiffened and everything hurt. He fumbled for the door handle with numb fingers. As he struggled, suddenly the driver’s door jerked open, and a face appeared.
Keith stared at the hulking figure, stooped over to look into the car. He could make out a moustache and goatee, and bright eyes, but the rest was obscured by a beanie and the collar of a heavy winter coat.
“You alright, mate?” a gruff voice asked.
“Y-y-y-yes,” Keith stammered. He was shivering so badly, he doubted he could utter another word.
“No injuries?”
He shook his head in response.
“Can you get out?”
“I…d-d-d-d…” Keith meant to say I don’t know. He shoved the other door open, and extended one leg, until his foot reached the snowy ground outside. He groaned as he tried to move the other leg. His knee was locked and he couldn’t feel his foot at all.
“Fuck. Wait there.” The driver’s door slammed and seconds later, the man appeared at the other side of the car. Large arms reached out and scooped Keith up. He clutched at the thick neck of his rescuer, as he was plucked from the Audi and carried to a waiting white Transit van. White Van Man. Keith cringed, and hoped the man wouldn’t recognize him. His type probably wasn’t very tolerant. Then again, it wouldn’t really matter whether he knew who Keith was or not. Keith was wearing a purple silk shirt, heeled boots, earrings and eye makeup. He thought his preference must be fairly obvious.
“There you go.” White Van Man managed to pull open the passenger side door of the van and hoist Keith up onto the seat without much effort. He slammed the door closed, went around the other side, and climbed behind the wheel.
The heating in the van was blowing at full blast, and Keith leaned forward and placed his frozen hands over one of the vents. The interior of the vehicle was like a furnace, and he knew he would thaw out quickly, but painfully.
“What happened?” White Van Man asked.
“Um…I…um…I came up to the bend too fast and braked. Stupid.”
“Are you sure you’re not hurt?”
“Bruised, maybe, from the seatbelt. The airbag went off. I’m okay, just frozen.”
“How long have you been there?”
“An hour and a half, or thereabouts. Thanks for stopping.” Keith glanced at the man, as he unzipped his coat and pulled the beanie from his head. He had thick, dark hair and dark eyes. Keith could see something on his skin above the neckline of his T-shirt, which could have been a tattoo. Oh, God, White Van Man is probably a biker or a head banger as well.
“Here.”
Keith looked down, and took the plastic cup from the man’s hand. It held strong black coffee. Keith hadn’t noticed him pick up the flask and pour it.
“Thanks.”
“You’re Kent Brambles,” his rescuer said; a statement rather than a question.
Shit. “Uh…yes. Keith, actually. Kent’s just my…um…my…”
“Stage name?” The man grinned, but then grimaced a little.
“Yeah. I’m guessing my…uh…my music isn’t your cup of tea,” Keith said nervously.
“I’m into my rock and roll.” He smiled again and extended a large hand. “Mike Talbot.”
Buy Links
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Jay Northcote Interview – Guest Post
Hi Nic! Thank you so much for having me visit your blog. I appreciate it.
Your new release, Nothing Ventured, is about the Mad Mucker. Can you tell us what that’s about?
The Mad Mucker is actually a fictional race that I made up for the story. But it’s based on events like Tough Guy and the Tough Mudder—the sort of races where there are obstacles as well as running involved, and also mud. Lots of mud.
My main characters meet because they’re training for the race, and get pushed into training together by a mutual acquaintance. One of them is very fit and into running, the other one has a bit of catching up to do.
Where did the inspiration for this story come from? Have you ever competed in one of these races?
It was my husband who gave me the idea. He’s done a couple of similar races, usually with a group of other guys. He suggested it might make a good vehicle for a gay romance story. He was right 😉
And yes—I recently took part in the Monster Race. It’s a little shorter than the one that my guys in the book did. But the obstacles were hardcore. I actually had to crawl through a bog and swim through a lake as part of the course.
If anyone is interested, I’ve written a full account of the experience here, and you can sponsor me on my JustGiving page. I’m raising money for the Albert Kennedy Trust who support homeless LGBT youth.
I love that your stories are based in England (I love the word snog). How you find readers and reviewers respond to this, given the gay romance genre is typically set in America? Are these locations places you know well?
Thanks! I’m glad you like the UK settings. When I first started writing, I was a bit worried that it might alienate some readers, but by and large I’ve had a really positive response to my books from readers all over the world. I’m sure there are a few who might avoid them because of the UK setting, but there are plenty more who actively enjoy them. I often tend to use locations that I know, because it helps to make them vivid and real. But sometimes I will combine two real places to make a fictional one, or will change certain aspects to make something fit with what I need for the story.
And finally, what’s coming up next from Jay Northcote?
I have a Christmas novella that I’m hoping to put out in early December called Cold Feet. It’s a sweet, fluffy friends-to-lovers story about two guys who get snowed in together over Christmas.
Nothing Ventured
When Aiden agrees to run the Mad Mucker—a twelve-mile muddy slog over an obstacle course—he’s expecting it to be a bit of a laugh. The training will be tough, but Aiden could use the motivation to regain some fitness.
Matt is the sexy cousin of one of Aiden’s coworkers and a last-minute addition to the team. When he agrees to train with Aiden, Aiden suddenly finds the prospect of regular workouts a lot more appealing.
Soon attraction flares, and they embark on an intense physical relationship. Matt doesn’t want to fall in love with a man, and Aiden doesn’t want to fall in love at all, but despite their insistence on no strings, they grow closer. As the day of the race approaches, time is running out for them to work out how they feel about each other.
Buy Links:
Excerpt
They moved on to discuss training more specifically. Liv, of course, had already planned out her schedule and suggested the rest of them do the same.
“It helps me focus if I make a plan and stick to it,” she was saying. “I’ll be running four days a week and going to the gym for weight training twice. That gives me one day of complete rest a week.”
“One whole day!” Aiden shook his head as he picked up his now nearly empty pint. “Careful, your muscles might atrophy or something.”
He drained the last dregs and wiped the foam from his lip with the back of his hand. He caught Matt watching him as he did it, and he licked his lips deliberately. He couldn’t resist flirting with the man even though his interest was completely unreciprocated. The bloke looked as though he had a stick up his arse, and Aiden couldn’t imagine he’d like anything more interesting up there. Shame. Aiden wouldn’t have minded trying.
Liv’s voice snapped him out of daydreams about Matt’s arse and back to the here and now. “So how many times a week will you be aiming to run, Aiden?”
“Oh… um, yeah. Three or four, I guess,” he said vaguely. “That sounds about right. And I’ve got some weights at home, so I can use those if I don’t make it to the gym.” They were at the back of a cupboard, gathering dust.
“Matt lives near you. Maybe you could train together?” Liv had a wicked glint in her eye. “It’s always motivating training with someone else. It’s so easy to wimp out on a rainy day if you’re not answering to anyone, isn’t it?”
“I suppose,” Aiden replied warily. “But I don’t think it’s necessary. I wouldn’t want to slow Matt down.”
He expected Matt to agree. Why the hell would Matt want to train with him? Aiden hadn’t exactly made a great first impression. There was no way he’d want Aiden tagging along behind him and cramping his style.
But surprisingly, Matt grinned at him. The evil, slightly too knowing look in his eye was familiar, and for the first time Aiden could see the family resemblance between him and Liv. “I think that’s a great idea.”
Aiden opened his mouth, but for once he was at a loss for words. He closed it again and swallowed.
“Brilliant,” said Liv. “Make sure you swap numbers, then, so you can arrange something.”
Matt got out his phone. “We can start tomorrow after work. What’s your number?”
Aiden knew when he was beaten. It seemed he’d acquired a training partner. An annoying, bossy, sexy but tragically straight training partner. But at least the view of Matt’s arse would be nice while Aiden was trying to keep up with him.
Author Bio
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her husband, two children, and two cats.
She comes from a family of writers, but she always used to believe that the gene for fiction writing had passed her by. She spent years only ever writing emails, articles, or website content. One day, she decided to try and write a short story–just to see if she could–and found it rather addictive. She hasn’t stopped writing since.
Links
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Guest Post ~ L.M. Brown
L.M. Brown Guest Post
What? More Mermen?
With all the mermen stories in the world of male/male fiction these days, readers may wonder why any more are needed.
Well, apart from the whole ‘always room for more sexy naked men’ reason, let me tell you a little about what makes my mermen series different from the rest.
Firstly, let me explain that this series is a mixture of MM and MMM stories. The first in the series is MMM, which I know will put some readers off, but will hopefully entice others.
Secondly, as well as the mermen, there is also the magic to consider. The series is called Mermen & Magic for a reason and other than their ability to take human form, most mermen in my series have no magical powers. The few that do are known as Oracles and they inherit their powers from the Atlantean Goddess of Prophecy.
The Atlantean Pantheon are the ones with the magic and although they can bestow it on anyone, including the mer, they rarely do.
The Oracles are the main exception to the rule. There are three of them and each has the ability to see visions, one sees the past, another the present and the third sees the future. Between them they can see anything and answer almost any question put to them. Of course, when a more powerful god or goddess is involved, their powers are limited, after all, it wouldn’t do to have someone out there knowing everything that’s going to happen. Where would be the fun in that?
I hope that my combination of mermen and a new take on the legend of Atlantis will be enough to justify another mermen ebook. And if not… remember there is always room for more naked men!
Blurb
To save his clan from ever-increasing shark attacks, merman Kyle seeks sanctuary for his people in the sunken city of Atlantis, even though he knows that as a homosexual merman, he will be sacrificing his own chance for love. Love finds him anyway in the form of Prince Finn, the rebellious young heir to the Atlantean throne.
When their relationship is discovered, Kyle is the one to pay the price. Banished from the oceans, he seeks shelter in England and finds a new love with human, Jake Seabrook.
For Jake, Kyle is the chance to move on from the crush he has on his straight best friend. The strange man he found naked on the beach seems to fit into his life with ease. If only Kyle weren’t keeping secrets from him, Jake could see them having a future together.
Things are not what they seem for either of the men and when Kyle discovers the truth about Finn, he knows he must return to Atlantis.
Three men, a tangled relationship, and one chance for happiness—if they can trust enough to take it.
Excerpt
Kyle was gone for most of the day, during which time Jake worried about him while having visions of him having collapsed with a fever in some remote corner of town where no one would find him for days.
Only when Kyle finally reappeared in the evening did Jake let go of his fear.
Kyle’s face was even more flushed than it had been when he had gone out. Jake wanted to check his temperature again, but was reluctant to make the suggestion.
The lust in Kyle’s eyes as he stalked across the room took Jake’s breath away and his dick gave a twitch. His body recognised the heat in Kyle’s gaze, even if his mind couldn’t quite believe what he saw.
“Do you want me?” Kyle asked.
“Um…”
“Do you?” Kyle repeated. “Do you want to fuck me?”
Jake didn’t know what to say. He opened his mouth to speak, but only managed a feeble croak. The question seemed to have come out of nowhere. Kyle approached him like some kind of predator, yet he was offering to let Jake take charge. Where had this man of contradictions come from? Rendered mute, he couldn’t find the words, but he managed a small nod.
“I need you,” Kyle said right before he pushed Jake down onto the sofa and climbed on top of him.
Jake sat there, stunned as Kyle tugged at the buttons of his shirt, fumbling to undo them. “Um, Kyle. What are you doing?”
“I need you,” Kyle repeated. “Now.”
Jake would have asked what Kyle meant, only it was blindingly obvious what his intentions were.
“I have to feel you inside me,” Kyle said. “Need you to fill me up right now.”
Jake whimpered and even though his brain was asking where this had come from, his cock showed quite a lot of interest in Kyle’s idea.
Buy Link
https://www.totallybound.com/forbidden-waters
By the time this post goes live Forbidden Waters will also be available at Amazon, All Romance Ebooks and many other online stores.
Bio
L.M. Brown lives in England, in a quaint little village time doesn’t seem to have touched. No, wait a minute—that’s the retirement biography. Right now, she is in England in a medium sized town no one has ever heard of, so she won’t bore you with the details. Keeping her company are numerous sexy men. She just wishes they weren’t all inside her head.
L.M. believes there is nothing hotter or sweeter than two men in love with each other… unless it is three.
L.M. Brown loves hearing from readers so don’t be shy.
Links
Where to find L.M. Brown
Website & Blog – http://lmbrownauthor.wordpress.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/groups/LMBrownTreasureTrove/
Twitter – @LMBrownAuthor
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Guest Post ~ Lily G. Blunt
Paint the Sky
by
Lily G. Blunt
Genre: M/M, Contemporary Romance and Erotica
Length: 65,000 Words/230 pages
Release Date: August 30, 2014
ASIN: B00MSYA1JQ
BLURB:
A love of art…
A mutual interest in art draws two shy university students together. Ben admires Vinnie’s painting of the university building, so Vinnie invites him to an exhibition of his artwork. From a wealthy family, Ben purchases some of Vinnie’s art and arranges for the artist to personally hang the paintings in his apartment.
Starry, starry night…
Ben commissions Vinnie to paint his portrait, in order to spend more time with the artist. On the night of the sitting, Vinnie fingerpaints the starry night on Ben’s chest… and they kiss. They begin a relationship beneath the night sky, God’s own canvas.
But every relationship has its ups and downs and so it is with theirs. When Ben thinks Vinnie spends too much time with a fellow artist, his jealousy drives a wedge between them and forces Vinnie into the very thing Ben dreads.
Hold tight to your dreams…
Ben and Vinnie will have to walk through fire before they can find one another again. But if they believe, and if they keep their faith in the night sky and each other, just maybe they can make their dreams of love come true.
EXCERPT:
Vinnie led me across the room, pulling me by the shirt. “Lie back on the sofa for me and I’ll paint you.”
As if in a dream, I settled my head against one arm of the sofa, my legs dangling over the other end, scarcely breathing now. Vinnie knelt on the floor beside me with an open pot of paint in his hand.
Teasingly, he dipped his index finger into the dark blue paint as if it were cream he would lick off. His finger connected with my skin and he made short strokes across my chest, the coldness of the paint making me shiver.
Mesmerised by the closeness of his beautiful face, the view of the night sky through the window, and the picture forming upon my chest, I watched as dab after dab and stroke after stroke he built up a mix of shades, until a dark night sky with the moon and stars were there to be seen—a masterpiece, drying on the warmth of my blazing skin, a transient thing of beauty. His fingers skimmed my skin causing gooseflesh to ripple in waves down my arms and thighs. My nipples pebbled in response to his touch.
And when he was done, his lips met mine in a languid kiss; how our first kiss should have been—sweet, innocent, and full of promise. He pulled away, smiling down at me.
This was the beginning of something special.
BUY/PRE-ORDER LINKS:
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MSYA1JQ
LILY G. BLUNT’S BIO:
Lily G. Blunt writes contemporary gay romance and erotica. She loves to explore the relationship between two men and the intensity of their physical and emotional attraction. Angst often features in her stories as she feels this demonstrates the depth of the men’s feelings for each other. Lily is forever writing imaginary scenes and plots in her head, but only a few ever make it to the page—there never seems to be enough hours in the day despite having left the teaching profession to concentrate on her writing!
Lily discovered the wonderful world of m/m romance novels four years ago via fan fiction and went on to write stories in her spare time. With the encouragement of her friends and readers she decided to publish some of her work.
Lily has several self-published stories available on Amazon. She is also published with Torquere Press and Wayward Ink Publishing.
Easily distracted from her writing, Lily makes videos using clips from gay-themed movies and posts gorgeous pictures of men kissing or making out on her tumblr and Facebook pages. Lily is also an avid supporter of GLBTQ rights and advocates equality for all.
Lily lives in central England with her rather bemused husband, two twenty-something children, and a ‘mad as a bag of frogs’ Shetland Sheepdog.
LILY G. BLUNT’S SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS:
WordPress: http://lilygblunt.wordpress.com
Blog: http://lilygblunt.blogspot.co.uk/
FB Page: http://www.facebook.com/LilyGBlunt
FB Profile: http://www.facebook.com/lily.blunt.75
Tumblr: http://bobloving.tumblr.com/
Tumblr: http://lilygblunt.tumblr.com
YouTube: http://www.youtube.com/user/BoyonBoyLoving?feature=mhee
Twitter: https://twitter.com/BoyonBoyLoving
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6586037.Lily_G_Blunt
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Annabelle Jacobs and Capture!
Welcome Annabelle Jacobs!
Annabelle’s my guest post author today, talking about her new release Capture, and the men and dragon pic inspirations…
Eye of the beholder…
When I read a book, I have an image in my head of how I want the characters to look. It’s the same for when I write. Except when I plan a story, I like to have actual pictures of how I see my characters, or as close I can find anyway. I find it easier to get into their heads that way.
I know that people who read my books might not necessarily picture them the way I do, and that’s part of the fun. Here’s how I see the characters for Capture, my latest release:
Ryneq – King of Torsere
He’s the ruler of his people, so I wanted him to be strong, and commanding. But he was also thrust into leadership unexpectedly and is still young, so needs to have a slight air of vulnerability underneath it all. I imagined him tall, with dark hair and eyes, and this was the almost the perfect picture to encompass everything.
Nykin – dragon rider in the King’s army
Nykin, is young and doesn’t always think about the consequences of his actions. I picture him as being strong, but not heavily built. Lithe. He’s outside all the time, so I wanted him to have a healthy colour, and as dragon riders have long hair by tradition, I thought this photo was ideal. Just imagine him in black leather and boots instead of jeans.
Nykin’s dragon, Fimor, is almost like a main character, since he features heavily throughout the whole series. He is opinionated, but funny, and would do anything to keep Nykin safe. When I think of him, I imagine a huge red dragon, fearsome to look at but also beautiful. Kind of like this…
But the dragon on the cover of my book is just perfect. Paul Richmond did a fantastic job, and I was beyond thrilled when I saw it.
Capture, is the first book in the Torsere trilogy. Book two should be released in April, and book three hopefully later in the year.
Blurb
Over two hundred years ago, when dragons were hunted for their blood, the King of Torsere offered them sanctuary. In return, the dragons bestowed a magical gift on the King’s people, allowing those born with the mark to become dragon riders and forge a mental connection between dragon and rider.
King Ryneq of Torsere is undeniably attracted to Nykin, a young dragon rider. Ryneq’s sister, Cerylea, encourages him to pursue the relationship. But with the stresses of ruling Torsere, a romantic attachment is low on Ryneq’s list of priorities. Nykin admires the king from afar, but wants more than to warm his bed for a night or two.
Torsere remains under threat from the lowland armies of Rodeth and Athisi. To protect their kingdom, Ryneq and Cerylea intend to form an alliance with the elves through Cerylea’s marriage to elf prince Morkryn. On the road to the wedding, the lowland army attacks the party. Cerylea escapes, but Ryneq is captured and taken to the impenetrable Risvery Castle. In the aftermath, Nykin volunteers for a perilous mission, endangering the lives of him and his dragon. The odds are against him, but Nykin will risk everything for his duty and his king.
Author Links
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction
FB: https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction
webpage: http://annabellejacobs.com/
Buy Link
http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4641
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HK Carlton guest post!
When I set out to write my first ménage story, Streetlight People it was a challenge that I issued to myself. I wanted to know if I could. I was a fairly new writer, I still am really but at the time, I was just fumbling around trying to find my way. But I love being an author and telling stories and I’ve found I like to test myself. I think it’s the only thing that I’ve ever been adventurous about. I want to try everything. And now I find I’m just a big-time genre hopper.
I tried my hand at historical romance, which I love as a reader and thought it was the genre that I was destined to write. But inspiration, my muse, fate, whatever you want to call it, had other plans and erotic romance tales just waiting to be told. However, I had to adopt a whole new way of thinking and a drastic new vocabulary. My kids are mortified by some of the things that come out of my mouth nowadays. But once I started learning; a plethora of sub-genres opened up to me. So far, I’ve penned and published (erotic) contemporary, time-travel, m/m, a couple of mild bondage stories and the aforementioned ménage. Which brought me to something else that I hadn’t attempted before and that’s a sequel. Streetlight People was a stand alone novel, until a friend of mine and fellow Totally Bound author Donna Gallagher The League of Love Series, suggested—after reading SLP—that there needed to be another book. The minute she put that idea out there, I knew that she was right. Toni required her own story. But could I do it?
The excitement of starting a new story is always thrilling; but I wasn’t sure where to start this one or to continue it, as it were? The best place, I assumed was to begin at the end—of the last story, that is.
After participating in a threesome with her boyfriend, and a female schoolmate, Antoinette Oakes finds herself alone…
But what brought her to that point? Where did she come from? Hmmm, and a back-story began to form.
Toni; from small town intolerant nowhere, back when everyone called her Annie.
Long before the memorable ménage à trios with Street and Andi (from the first book Streetlight People), there was Griffin and Avery.
And a new story began to take shape…
Blurb:
Single white female seeks perfect couple…
After participating in a threesome with her boyfriend and a female schoolmate, Antoinette Oakes finds herself alone. But Toni is less upset by the loss of her boyfriend than she is by the realisation that her idea of the perfect relationship requires two people. A man and a woman.
The week before graduation, in the midst of setting up job interviews and apartment hunting in New York, Toni is summoned back home to Manchester, Georgia—a place she swore she’d never return to—and to a father she has no desire to see. The last thing Toni expects is to rekindle old feelings for her high school beau, Griffin, let alone reawaken a past infatuation with her former best girlfriend, Avery, with whom she once shared a passionate kiss and a little bit more.
But keeping her eye on the ultimate prize, Toni is determined to move to New York, where the impossible dream of finding that perfect couple just might be possible. Something the small town intolerant community she grew up in would never understand. Toni wants the best of both worlds and will settle for nothing less, even if that means leaving Griffin and Avery behind, for a second time.
Reader Advisory: This book contains references to f/f intimacy.
Excerpt:
All of a sudden, Avery pulled away, her gaze darting wildly. “We have to stop this!”
“Why?” I asked, remembering Griff saying the same thing.
“Why? Because it’s wrong.”
“How is it wrong, Avery? If I can make you feel good and you can do the same for me, how can that be wrong? You have to know how much I care about you and I think maybe you feel somewhat the same. It’s not bad, what we feel.
But I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to. And there are things I want to do to you. I think you should go home.”
Her expression fell, but she nodded slowly in agreement and reached for the car door handle. Her hand shook, and after a slight hesitation, she grabbed it with authority, got in then slammed the door. Without even another glance in my direction, she started the engine and backed down the pathway.
“Fuck!” I kicked at a pebble in the dirt.
What I truly wanted was for Avery to admit the truth, to herself and to me. That deep down, no matter how reprehensible she’d been brainwashed into believing same sex relationships were, it was exactly what she needed. At the very least she deserved the chance to explore it. I knew what it was like to want something so desperately, something that you presumed you could never have. But I suppose in a way, it was also easier for me, because I didn’t believe these kinds of relationship were wrong to begin with. It was finding one that was holding me up.
Not ready to go back inside to spend the rest of my night alone in that big old house, I was about to enter the tackle shed when the car came charging back up the laneway.
It jerked to a stop and Avery stepped out and stalked me with purpose, a determined look on her pretty face. She pushed me into the dimly lit shack and up against the inside wall Then she kissed me. It wasn’t some puny little peck either—she went at me with intent. Our tongues tangled and my pussy twinged with need.
Breathing hard in between kisses she said, “Your father called my parents the last time. They made me stay away from you. They made me feel dirty. And coming to see you at school? Well, they never would have agreed to it.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I quizzed her, coming up for air.
She shrugged. “I was embarrassed by the whole thing.”
“What are you feeling now?”
“Everything!”
To my delight and surprise she circled my nipple just as I’d done to her the past night, on the porch. Leaning into her touch, I encouraged her to continue to experiment and explore. I would gladly be her test subject. She was timid at first but her touch grew steadier as her confidence grew.
At that moment, I heard footsteps in the gravel outside. Even in the dimly lit shed, it would be obvious what we were doing. I tensed at first then remembered it couldn’t be my father—he was still on crutches. I’d lay money that it was Griff. The shadow moved and I saw the unmistakable brim of his ever-present beat-up old John Deere Tractor hat. I’d hoped he’d drop by tonight looking for seconds. If it were him, could Avery and I tempt him into joining us? I wondered, perhaps deviously. If he watched us together, would he be so overwhelmed by lust that he’d fulfill my fantasy of having a threesome with my two teenage loves? On the other hand, Avery might run at being caught like this. She was timid enough just being with me—adding another, Griff of all people, might just unhinge her.
“Touch me,” Avery demanded, breathless, taking my attention back.
I cupped her nice round behind and pulled her against me, grinding my mound against hers. The hard pressure there felt unbelievable.
I released her and turned her ever so slightly so that the light would shine between us and give Griff a good view of everything we were about to do to each other.
Buy Link: The Best of Both Worlds at Totally Bound
More vendor links will be added HERE as they become available
Author Bio:
H K Carlton is a multi-published Canadian author of historical romance and contemporary erotic romance.
Up next for H K, in yet another genre, a contemporary family saga series entitled Always Cambridge coming in May from EXtasy Books
H K Carlton’s Blog – Pick a Genre Already
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Five Minutes with LM Brown
I’d like to welcome LM Brown to my blog today!
When did you start writing?
I started writing back when I was in school, but stopped for a long time when I started work and did evening classes. My free time was non-existent for a number of years. Then I started writing again when I found myself in the realms of the Harry Potter fandom. After that it was just a small step to find myself going back to my original fiction stories.
What do you love about writing?
I like telling my characters’ stories and getting the crazy voices in my head down on paper. I would go crackers if I didn’t write. Typing “The End” on a story, especially a long one, is the best feeling ever.
Biggest pet peeve about writing?
My memory is probably my worst pet peeve, if you could call it that. I have a dreadful memory and the constantly having to go back and check something earlier on in a story is a total pain the neck.
Most hated word in the English language?
Anything I can’t spell without looking up. There are certain words that no matter how often I have to type them I just cannot spell them right the first time. Manoeuvre is definitely one of those and the one that is most likely to be used in a story. So it is really high on my list of hated words.
Three most played song on your iPod?
Well, I had to go and check that and was actually quite surprised by the results which are:-
Katy Perry – The One that Got Away
Christina Perry – A Thousand Years
Elton John and Leanne Rimes – Written in the Stars
Since I generally have it on shuffle, the latter two could change by the time I’m actually on the blog. Most of the tracks on it are pretty evenly matched as to number of plays, with the exception of the Katy Perry one which I had on repeat for ages while I was working on a story with that theme.
Last movie you watched?
Bride Wars. Oddly I was reading at the same time and the story I was reading ended with a wedding at The Plaza, which was featured in the movie. Kind of nice since I had a visual on the TV in front of me at the perfect moment.
You’re hosting a dinner party. Name the five people, alive or dead, you’d love to have at your table.
Firstly, since my cooking is diabolical at best, let’s hope those five people each have a strong stomach.
I think I would go with some people who are no longer with us this time…
Aphra Behn – A seventeenth century novelist and allegedly the first woman to make her living by writing and who led a fascinating life herself too.
Alexander the Great – hopefully language isn’t a barrier at this party.
Prince Rupert of the Rhine – another seventeenth century character, this one who had an aversion to writing, but was still an intriguing person. Since he also spoke a dozen or more languages, he could hopefully translate too. 😉
Douglas Adams – that unfinished book needs finishing so badly.
And to make the numbers even for male and female, the final female would be Jane Austen. One of my favourite authors from that period and I am sure it would be interesting to see how three different women from different centuries, all of whom write for publication, get along.
Best advice you’ve ever been told?
Don’t give up and don’t compare yourself to others when it comes to writing. Now if only I could take that advice.
Biggest regret?
Stopping writing for so many years. With about ten years of writing time lost to other stuff I can only imagine how many stories I might have written in that time, and how much I might have improved my story telling.
Craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Sending my first story into a publisher without anything resembling thought is probably one of my craziest things. It was really spur of the moment and although I can’t regret it, it probably ranks quite high on my crazy scale. Or maybe I am just that boring. 😉
Place you’d love to visit?
Egypt, though I am not entirely sure I could handle the heat. Would love to see the Pyramids and the Sphinx though.
Most famous person you’ve ever met?
Tony Hadley, at which point younger readers go ‘who?’ He was in Spandau Ballet a big group back in the 80s, though it was much later when I met him at a 80s Christmas Party concert where he was kind enough to sign autographs for those members of the audience who spotted him in the wings and were close enough to approach him.
Three random facts about you that your readers don’t know?
I am terrified of spiders and all types of insects.
I am addicted to virtual pet sites.
I love visiting historic buildings.
Where do you write?
I generally write on the sofa while on the laptop. Though I get lots of ‘help’ from my cats so should probably find somewhere else to write. 😉
From what/where do you find inspiration?
My inspiration comes from all over. Some of my earlier stories were sparked by open calls from publishers. Either the call speaks to me or it doesn’t. If it does, I write the story, if it doesn’t I work on something else.
Other times stories simply take on a life of their own. Between Heaven & Hell started off as a short story about a demon and an angel fighting over the same mortal man. It was sparked by a Halloween open call. Unfortunately it got way too long and turned into a ménage somewhere along the way.
More recently the characters just pop into my head without my even realising they are there, until they are demanding their story be told.
Favourite book of all time?
Banishment by Dinah Lampitt. I absolutely adore this book. It got me interested in so many different subjects and is probably the most re-read book on my shelf ever.
What’s next for you? Any current WIP’s we should know about?
Well, the last Heavenly Sins book is the one I am actively writing at the moment. I am hoping to finish Tristan, Mac and Alastor’s story before the end of the year. I am probably being optimistic about that timescale, but I have a break over the holidays this year so it might be doable.
I also have my NaNoWriMo story to polish up which is a mermen ménage story and the first in a series of stories set around the sunken city of Atlantis. The series will have mermen, magic, ancient gods, shape-shifting dragons and a whole host of other things. Some of the stories will be m/m and others, like the first one, Forbidden Waters, will be m/m/m. I have the pre-sub polishing to do on that one so again hope to get that sorted out pretty soon.
If Between Life & Death and Forbidden Waters are submitted to the publishers by Easter then I’ll be happy.
Tell us about your new release?
My new release is available from Totally Bound on the 27th December 2013 and is my second sci-fi novel with them. Unlike my first which was set in the distant future, this one is set in present day and the sci-fi element comes from aliens who live amongst us.
My Boyfriend’s an Alien by L.M. Brown
Blurb
Can an alien with no knowledge of humans or concept of sex find lasting love with a human man?
Zak, an alien from the planet Trimmeron, is a member of a race of beings who transform into other species during their years of puberty. It’s customary for the youngsters to be fostered to the worlds native to their new forms, to study and learn about the races who will play an important part in their lives.
When Zak turns into a human, it comes as a surprise to everyone, for only one other before him has ever done so. Nevertheless he is sent to Earth, a world he views as primitive and barbaric. He arrives with a chip on his shoulder and attitude to spare. He does not believe that anyone on Earth could have anything to teach him.
When Zak meets college student Sam he soon discovers he has a lot to learn, not only about humans, but also about himself.
Trapped on an unfamiliar world and in a strange body that seems to have a mind of its own, Zak has no idea what is happening to him—only that Sam seems to be the key to the strange afflictions he is suffering from.
But can an alien find love with a human being?
Excerpt“I can’t believe you took one of the natives as your partner!”
“She’s what humans call my soulmate.” Darren said the words as though they explained everything. “We joined our life forces on Trimmeron. We’re also what humans call married, which makes her my wife and me her husband. You won’t know the terms, but they mean virtually the same thing as partner on our planet, just without the ritual of life sharing.”
“You share your life with one of the natives?” Zak couldn’t keep the shock from his voice. Everything from the knowledge implant indicated that humans were one of the most primitive races in the universe. How could Darren even consider spending his life with one of them?
“That’s right.”
“But why?”
“Because I didn’t want to lose her. Human lives are far shorter than our own. Humans are lucky to live one hundred of their years.”
“How long is a human year?”
“Three hundred and sixty-five revolutions of the Earth on its axis. Each revolution is called a day and takes twenty four hours to complete. Earth’s days are shorter than ours by a few hours.”
Zak nodded. “Three hundred and sixty-five days, got it.”
“Well, except every four years when there’s an extra day because it’s a leap year,” Darren amended.
“Huh?”
“Don’t ask. I never really understood the calendar myself.”
Zak sat quietly and did the calculations in his head. “Are you saying you joined with a native, knowing it would take thousands of years off of your own life?”
“That’s right.”
“Why?”
Darren smiled as he faced the road ahead. “Simple really. I’d rather live five thousand years with my Eleanor than ten thousand years alone.”
Zak shook his head. He’d never heard of anything so foolish.
Buy Link:
https://www.totallybound.com/my-boyfriends-an-alien
Author Bio
L.M. Brown lives in England, in a quaint little village that time doesn’t seem to have touched. No, wait a minute- that’s the retirement biography. Right now she is in England in a medium sized town that no one has ever heard of, so shewon’t bore you with the details. Keeping her company are numerous sexy men. She just wishes that they weren’t all inside her head.
L.M. Brown loves hearing from readers so don’t be shy.
Where to find L.M. Brown
Website – http://lmbrownauthor.wordpress.com/
Blog – http://lmbrownauthor.blogspot.com/
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/L.M.Brown.author
Twitter – @LMBrownAuthor
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