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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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Update on Starting Point
As you may or may not know, I’ve really struggled with writing these last few months. Without going into details and the whole woe is me song, for the last seven months I have been trying to write the final installment in my Turning Point Series.
Well, it’s done. The first draft anyway.
I’ve sent it to my editor (who graciously read it when it was half done and I was about ready to quit writing all together) and I’m sure there will be major edits, rewrites and additions to be done. As it is now, it’s 90,600 words exactly. (I deleted the epilogue – but will add it if my editor thinks it’s necessary).
It’s bittersweet to finish this series. I have LOVED these boys more than words can express. I honestly feel like I know them, like they’re real, and they are very much a part of my life. I have loved writing them, and while it’s sad to let them go, I am also relieved to be at the end.
In the first book, Point of No Return, we meet Matt and Kira, Matt’s workmates and Kira’s parents. In the second book, Breaking Point, we meet the guys at the FC.
In Starting Point, along with all our favourite characters from the first two books, we meet some more special people.
I’d like to introduce you to two kids Matt teaches at the FC, Claudia and Reuben.
Claude 
Ruby These two kids, brother and sister, Claude and Ruby, come with a world of problems that Matt and Kira weren’t quite prepared for. Still dealing with ramifications from his stint undercover, along with worries that the FC might be financial trouble, Matt finds the course of his life heading in a new direction. But with Kira by his side, Matt realises it’s not a bad thing. In fact, it could be the beginning of something great, and this is just the starting point.
More news when I have it – but I believe it will be a late May publication. Thanks to all who have read and loved these boys. I hope I have given them a HEA they deserve.
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Morticia Knight Razzle Dazzles
Gin, Jazz & a Devastatingly Handsome 1920’s Screen Idol.
The Gin & Jazz Series is a journey about a sweet but naïve young orphan Jack. It’s the Golden Age of the 1920’s, and Jack travels west with his lover Nick. They are from the streets, and find themselves struggling to survive the tawdry world that makes up the celluloid kingdom. At the beginning of Razzle Dazzle (Gin & Jazz 2), Jack is crushed by the loss of his lover, and isn’t sure how he can go on. It seems as though his fortunes might be about to turn as Global Pictures Studios has expressed an interest in him. And so has their top screen idol – the rakish Roman Pasquale.
This series has been intense and personal for me. I come from a background in the entertainment industry, so I had no problem transferring my bitterness to the pages! But the heart of this series is about romance and finding true love, and Jack deserves to gain real happiness. Especially after all I put the poor kid through in this series. As Razzle Dazzle progresses, Roman’s pursuit of Jack is relentless. Being so much older and more sophisticated than Jack, he has no trouble turning on the charm and seducing his prey.
However, Roman finds himself not being in complete control the way in which he has become accustomed. Jack’s unaffected and genuine nature causes Roman to experience honest emotions for the first time since he can remember.
Jack is on the verge of silent film stardom, but Hollywood glory won’t heal his broken heart. Then the seductive screen idol—Roman Pasquale—sweeps Jack away, and makes him his own. Will Roman’s obsessive love finally bring Jack true happiness?
Juan pulled up to Trixie’s building, and Roman eyed the apartments. If all went well with them that day, perhaps this would be the very last time he would ever have to pick up Jack there. Perhaps Jack would be with him from then on. Roman smiled.
What a lovely thought.
Jack rushed through the apartment doors towards the waiting car, adding to Roman’s satisfaction. Gone was the fearful boy of just a few days before, and in his place was the happy-go-lucky young man with a wide grin on his face. Juan had given up on trying to open the car door for Jack for the most part—it was pointless. Jack was filled with enthusiasm, and never seemed to be interested in any formalities. And he only had eyes for Roman. If only they could be this way forever—combined with passionate couplings—it would be all that Roman would ever need or want.
“Hi Roman!”
Jack pulled on the latch, and scooted in. He had on a soft grey suit, matching waistcoat, with a pale pink silk shirt. He plucked a grey and black herringbone bowler off his head, and set it on the seat next to him. Jack had appeared to specifically set it on his other side, so that it didn’t come between him and Roman. Looking at Jack’s open and smiling face, Roman considered that it might have been a bit rash to spend the whole day with Jack like this. As usual, all he would be thinking about was how his dick would feel buried in Jack’s tight, hot ass. That was torture enough in a short evening, but for several long hours—he wasn’t sure he would survive.
Perhaps Jack will feel the same way, thus hastening our joining.
“My dear Jack. It is a delight to see you.”
Jack leaned in for their customary welcoming kiss, then stopped himself. Juan was pulling away from the kerb, and Roman followed Jack’s gaze to a couple walking down the street. Roman sighed. He grabbed the back of Jack’s neck, and pulled Jack gently to him.
“Just a taste.”
Roman’s tongue darted through Jack’s parted lips, and he swept the inside of Jack’s mouth. As he pulled out, he sucked Jack’s top lip in briefly before letting him go. Roman settled back in the seat, angled towards Jack.
“There. Much better.”
Jack seemed pleased and concerned at the same time.
“Are we going somewhere where we have to be more careful?”
Roman nodded. “Yes. But if you are very nice to me, I might let you hold my hand on the drive up.”
Jack giggled. “I know how to be nice.”
Roman raised his eyebrows. “I shall be looking forward to that.”
There was an electricity between them that was more palpable than ever. Roman attributed it to them meeting up when they were well rested, as opposed to after long days on the set. Roman reached down to a small paper container he had on the floorboard. He picked it up, and lifted the top flap. From it he pulled a white rosebud—identical to the one he wore in his lapel—and handed it to Jack.
Jack took it from him shyly.
“Oh, thank you, Roman. I feel so sophisticated.”
Jack took the wrapped stem, and pushed it through the lapel hole. He squinted at the flower, trying to adjust it.
“Here. Let me fix it for you.”
Roman moved closer to Jack, and fiddled with the boutonnière, his knuckles scraping across Jack’s chest under the suit’s fabric, and against the silk shirt. Jack inhaled sharply. His breathing sped up, and he held very still.
Roman glanced up, using only his eyes.
“Are you all right, Jack?”
“Y-yes.”
Roman resisted the urge to smile. He would have to tread very carefully. Jack was ready for him, he could sense it. Jack’s need was now a tangible thing.
Roman finished with the rose, and regretfully let go of him. Roman looked out of the window, otherwise he would only be able to leer at Jack. If they were to be together that night the way Roman dreamt of, Jack would need to be the one to come to him. Jack was no longer scared of him, and Roman meant to keep it that way.
“Can I?”
Roman turned to Jack. “Can you what?”
“Can I hold your hand?”
Roman’s heart did something that unsettled him. There was a pull, a warmth towards Jack. It was a different sensation from any he could remember ever experiencing before.
“I would like that very much, Jack Stone.”
****
Where can you buy it?
Razzle Dazzle is available now at
Totally Bound:
https://www.totallybound.com/razzle-dazzle
Amazon:
Amazon UK:
All Romance:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-razzledazzle-1364221-340.html
Thank you N.R. for letting me, Jack and that naughty Roman take over your blog today!
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Five minutes with Annabelle Jacobs!
Tell us about you.
I’m a wife, mother, and if I had my way I’d have a houseful of cats too.
What do you love about writing?
I love the freedom to create my own worlds and my own characters. That’s why I love writing fantasy and paranormal stories. You can choose to write about anything you like and just let your imagination run wild.
Biggest pet peeve about writing?
That I can’t get my ideas out fast enough. I have lots of stories floating around in my head, just waiting to be written, and I really wish I could write faster. I want to be writing all of them at once, and it’s hard to stick to one storyline and get it finished before starting on the next.
Three most played songs on your iPod?
Adele – Skyfall
Muse – Uprising
Cold Play – Lost
Last movie you watched?
World War Z – I do love Brad Pitt, and I’d watch him in anything (or nothing). It was the best film I’ve seen in a while, and I may have hidden behind my hands at some bits!
Biggest regret?
I try not to regret things I’ve done, or not done. There’s no way to change it, and it will only frustrate me no end to think of it and wish I’d done things differently. But yeah, while that’s fine in theory, there are a couple of relationships I wish I’d handled better when I was young and naïve.
Place you’d love to visit?
Ooh, there are lots of places I’d love to visit. I’d love to go to Australia; one of my friends moved out there a few years ago, and the photos he sends me make me incredibly jealous.
Where do you write?
I usually write sitting on my sofa. It’s ridiculously comfortable, and I like to have music on low in the background. Admittedly sometimes I do just want to close my eyes and nap, but isn’t that what sofas are for?
From what/where do you find inspiration?
I think of stories ideas when I’m walking to the shops or exercising mostly. I need something to occupy my mind or make the time go quicker, so that’s when I tend to come up with most of my plots. I get so caught up in them sometimes, that I forget what I’m supposed to be doing though, which can be embarrassing in the middle of my Zumba class.
Favourite book of all time?
Oh, I couldn’t possibly choose just one! It’s probably easier to pick my favourite authors. I love Anne Rice and I’ve read her books many, many times over – particularly ‘The Witching hour’. Also Raymond E. Feist, and George R. R. Martin.
But my favourite books of recent times have got to be the Captive Prince books by S.U. Pacat. I’ve read them both twice now, and when the third ones comes out, I will read them all over again. They are utterly fabulous.
What’s next for you? Any current WIP’s we should know about?
At the minute I’m working on the third book in my fantasy trilogy. It’s about Nykin, a dragon rider in the Torserian army, and his growing relationship with the handsome Prince. There’s also sassy dragons, magic, flirty elves and a lot of leather.
The first book comes out Jan/Feb 2014.
Tell us about your new release?
My first novel came out on Oct 18th. It’s a romantic fantasy, and follows the journey of Jerath, and his best friend Serim, as they struggle to help save their village. They meet a band of hunters on their way, and Jerath strikes up a relationship with their young leader, Meren.
Blurb:
Jerath is facing the biggest problem of his life. When boys in his shapeshifter village Eladir get their fangs, they must endure a coming-of-age rite called the Choosing, so they can take on their animal form. The rite is performed on the full moon, but the trouble is, the Choosing involves having sex with a girl, and Jerath’s only interested in boys. Even if he manages to somehow get through the rite, he doesn’t know if he’ll ever find a mate in his village, where opposite-sex couples are the norm.
Even worse, he may miss the rite altogether after raiders attack his home and take several young men prisoner. Jerath will need the help of warriors if he’s to free the captive shapeshifters, so with his best friend, Serim, he flees south to find aid. Along the way, they meet Meren, a handsome warrior whose attraction to Jerath is instant and very much returned. But with the next full moon approaching and available time for the prisoners to undergo the Choosing running out, Jerath’s love life is far from his only worry.
Where can we find you?
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Annabelle-Jacobs-Fiction/458768424158896
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction
WordPress: http://annabellejacobs.com/
Buy links :
Dreamspinner Press : http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4265
All Romance ebooks : https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thechoosing-1323795-143.html
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Five minutes with Jay Northcote
Five minutes with Jay Northcote
When did you start writing?
I used to like writing stories when I was a kid, but then I lost the habit as a teen and didn’t write any fiction for years. I rediscovered the joy of it when I started writing fanfiction as a hobby a few years ago, then I got hooked.
What do you love about writing?
I think my favourite part of writing is when I get into that kind of writing trance where the words are just falling out of my head onto the page almost faster than my fingers can type, and the story is just flowing. I’m almost not even consciously thinking about it, it just kind of happens and it feels as though the characters are in the driving seat rather than me. It’s an amazing feeling–very satisfying.
Biggest pet peeve about writing?
How hard it can be to get started sometimes. If I’m feeling negative about my words I just think myself into a corner and can’t get out. Being blocked is horrible. I also hate editing. Going through the words with a fine-toothed comb is so much less fun than splurging them all out in the first place, it’s a shame it’s so necessary!
Most hated word in the English language?
Pustule *shudders*
Three most played songs on your iPod?
That would definitely be some of the ones on my gym/workout playlist because I listen to that more than anything. So it’s probably Pink: Slut Like You, Flo Rida: Whistle and Rihanna: Rude Boy, because those are currently my three favourite tracks to get sweaty to.
Last movie you watched?
That was Freaky Friday with my hubs and the kids on a family movie night. They laughed at me because I cried during the wedding speeches scene. Don’t judge me; I’m a ridiculously emotional person.
Biggest regret?
Not travelling more overseas before I had kids. I love travelling with them, but it costs twice as much so limits where we can go and how often we can do it.
Craziest thing you’ve ever done?
One that I’m also prepared to share here? Well I guess shaving all my hair off to half an inch long all over and dying it shocking pink was pretty crazy. I had to do it in the summer holidays because I was a teacher at the time and it probably wouldn’t have gone down too well during term time. Then the day after I dyed it I went to Turkey on holiday. I’ve never had so much male attention in my life. It was funny at first, but after a few days it was starting to drive me crazy so I dyed it back to brown!
Place you’d love to visit?
A friend of mine was in Hawaii recently and after seeing her photos on Facebook I really want to go there. It looks so amazingly beautiful.
Three random facts about you that your readers don’t know?
I’m half Welsh, I have three sisters and I’m a morris dancer.
Where do you write? (dining table, office, sofa, coffee shop etc)
Usually at the kitchen table on my laptop. It’s the warmest room in the house in the winter, and in the summer I can open the patio doors onto the garden. Plus it’s close to the kettle—I’m fuelled by tea.
From what/where do you find inspiration?
Most of my stories come from a ‘what if’ – so thinking about characters and a situation and what might come out of that. The idea for Nothing Serious came when I was stuck in traffic behind a removals lorry. I got to thinking about how a removal man could meet a guy who was moving house, and that eventually led to Jamie and Mark’s story.
Favourite book of all time?
I’m very fickle, I couldn’t possible choose just one favourite book. I have loved loads of books at different times and for different reasons. It really depends what mood I’m in too.
I’m a little embarrassed to admit that the one book I might have re-read more than any other is Riders by Jilly Cooper. I loved it as a teen (because it was so smutty obviously) and it became my go to book in my twenties when I was tired/fed up/depressed because trashy novels cheer me up and are cheaper than therapy. I think if I read it now though, I’d be really disappointed by the lack of gay relationships in it. I’d probably end up shipping Rupert and Billy and want to write fic about them.
What’s next for you? Any current WIP’s we should know about?
My second release is following shortly after Nothing Serious. The Little Things is due out on 22nd November and then Not Just Friends is out in the spring.
I’m currently battling with a WIP that’s tentatively titled Connections, but it’s fairly early days for that so I’m not entirely sure whether it’s going to work out yet or not. I hope so, because I love the characters already.
Tell us about your new release?
Mark O’Brien is finally being honest with himself. His relationship with Rachel is over and he’s moving out of the home they’ve shared for six years. They get along, but he can’t fix a relationship when the person he’s with is the wrong gender.
Jamie Robertson, one of the removal men, is huge and ridiculously gorgeous, and Mark is smitten at first sight. When a cardboard box splits, revealing items of a personal nature that Mark never wanted anybody to see, he’s mortified. But it sparks the start of a beautiful friendship with benefits.
As Jamie initiates Mark into the joys of gay sex, the two men get increasingly close and “nothing serious” turns into something rather important to both of them. But communication isn’t their strong point. Will either man ever find the courage to be honest about his feelings?
Nothing Serious is available at Dreamspinner Press <— click on link 🙂
Jay lives just outside Bristol in the West of England, with her amazing, occasionally ridiculous husband, two noisy-but-awesome 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
Website: www.jaynorthcote.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jay_northcote
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jaynorthcotefiction
Jay’s books: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_953
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Breaking Point excerpt and buy links!
Excerpt
(As seen on Totally Bound site HERE <– click on the link)
It was a usual Friday night at the bar. Except it wasn’t.
My partners Mitch, Kurt and Tony were there with me. My boyfriend Kira was there too, along with my boss, Berkman, and most of the guys from my division. There were celebratory drinks, a tab on the bar and congratulations all round.
I should have been happy. And part of me was. But part of me wasn’t. The smile on my face and laughs with the boys didn’t quite sit right, but the more I had to drink, the easier it got.
“Here it is!” someone called out. “Turn it up!”The attention in the bar was drawn to the TV as the barman turned up the volume.
“…in this breaking story, after almost eleven years, Detective Matthew Elliott has announced his resignation from the LAPD…”
There were cheers and applause from around the bar, a few claps on my shoulder. Kira squeezed my thigh under the table. I smiled and lifted my beer in a salute before taking another swig.
I hated press conferences. I had a healthy distaste for the media and the paparazzi and I hated having to put my life on display for the public. Yet there I stood in front of a dozen cameras and even more reporters about to give the biggest announcement of my career.
It was ironic that the biggest would be my last.
I was on screen announcing to the good people, and the not-so good people, of LA that I was no longer a detective. I was no longer a part of the Fab Four. I was no longer a cop.
The questions started and I heard myself reel off the well-rehearsed answers on the TV. I’d given dozens of press conferences over my time with the LAPD narcotics division, and I’d never dreamed I’d be standing there announcing to the world that I was walking away from all I’d ever known.
Yet there I was, doing exactly that.
The questions on screen continued.
“Can you tell us why? Why are you retiring, Detective Elliott?” one reporter asked.
“Does this have anything to do with being outed as a gay cop last year?”
“Where does this leave the Fab Four? Do you have a replacement?”
“Are you planning a career in politics?”
I laughed at that, on screen and at the table in the bar. Mitch, who was sitting across from me, laughed as well. “No plans for running for Governor? Come on,” Mitch joked. “You’d make a good politician.”
I finished the last mouthful of my beer and pointed my empty bottle at him. Instead of telling him to get fucked, I said, “My turn to buy. ’Nother beer?”
“Hell yes, if you’re payin’,” he slurred.
I turned to Kira and leaned in towards him and asked, “Drink, baby?” He shook his head at me. I must be drunk if I’d called him ‘baby’ in front of the boys. Fuck.
“Nah, I’m fine,” he said. “Someone has to make sure you lot get home okay.”
“’M sorry,” I said, trying to apologise. “S’been a big day.”
Kira smiled sadly. “I know it has.”
I nodded, and stood up off my stool. I swayed as I made my way to the bar. I was drunk. It had been an emotional day, after an emotionally charged few weeks since I’d announced that I was leaving.
It hadn’t been easy. It had been one of the hardest decisions I’d ever made, but it was the right decision. My partners at work, Mitch, Kurt and Tony, were surprisingly okay with it. My boss had warned me against it, but ultimately agreed it was the right thing, but Kira…Kira didn’t like the idea at all.
He didn’t understand why I was leaving the department. No matter what reason I gave him, he didn’t believe me. He knew I loved my job, it was a part of who I was, he’d said.
And it had been a bone of contention between us since.
It wasn’t that he wasn’t being supportive. He just didn’t understand. I told him it was a decision I’d toyed with over the last twelve months, since he was abducted and tortured, beaten, held hostage because of me. And that wasn’t a lie. It just wasn’t the whole truth.
The whole truth was something I couldn’t tell him.
Kira knew there was something else to it. Of course he did. We’d been living together for almost twelve months, he knew me. And I’d never lied to him before. I’d never had to. And he knew I wasn’t telling him something.
He’d get quiet whenever I talked about leaving, waiting for me to explain the truth, but I never did. The night I told him I’d handed in my resignation was our first real fight. He yelled, and I yelled back, and he threw a glass into the sink and I slammed some doors.
We hadn’t spoken for two days afterwards.
It had damn near killed me.
A hard thump on my arm and a large hand on my shoulder snapped me out of my memories. My boss, my ex-boss, Berkman stood beside me and threw some twenties on the bar. “Whatever this man wants,” he told the barman.
I ordered some shots of bourbon under the watchful eye of the man who’d been like a father to me. I looked at him and gave him the best confident smile I could fake.
“You sure about this?” he asked quietly.
I nodded. “Yeah…”
The older man’s jaw bulged and he exhaled through his nose. “But?”
I looked back to where Kira was sitting with Mitch and the others. “I’ve never lied to him,” I said, suddenly feeling every drink I’d had.
Berkman nodded. “It won’t be easy.”
“Mmm,” I agreed, swaying where I stood. I didn’t want to talk about it. Not here, anyway. Not that Berkman would have said anything. “Need another drink,” I mumbled, picking up a fresh shot of liquor. I threw back the bourbon and when I put the glass back down, the bar wasn’t as close as I thought. Berkman put his hands on me, I realised, to steady me. Fuck, I was drunk.
“I’ll carry these to the table,” Berkman said, indicating to the drinks on the bar. Then he faced me in the direction of where Kira and Mitch were sitting. “You go that way.”
The bar was loud and busy and as I crossed the floor, I bumped into familiar faces with pats on the back and rounds of good luck and best wishes. Berkman beat me back to the table with my drinks, and when I finally got there, everyone was smiling at me.
I slid my arm around Kira’s shoulder and he manoeuvred me onto my stool and handed me a drink. I held up the single shot, and Mitch, Kurt, Tony and Berkman all raised theirs. Kira held up his soda and they all bumped their glasses against mine.
“To Matt,” Berkman declared. “To the future and wherever it may take you. We wish you well.”
“Cheers!”
You can buy BREAKING POINT from Totally Bound from October 25th, and from Amazon and ARe from November 22nd.
The link to pre-purchase is https://www.totallybound.com/breaking-point and you can check out Totally Bound’s new site!!
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Breaking Point, expectations and the opposite of fluff
Are you ready?
In less than two weeks, Breaking Point will be available for pre-release purchase from the TEB site. Which means you can buy it there, to read immediately, four weeks before it becomes available on other sites like Amazon.
Yes, I’ve had a few releases. The nerves and anxiety do get a little easier with each one, but I doubt the trepidation of putting myself out there will ever fade completely. To be honest, I don’t want it to.
But this one is different.
I’ve NEVER been this nervous about a release.
Will it be good enough? Will I do Point of No Return justice by continuing the story? Will people forgive me for the direction I take it?
In my opinion, Breaking Point is the angstiest (like my new word?) thing I’ve written to date. It’s also the most violent and grittiest, and not like my usual fluff and sunshine. At all.
Breaking Point is based on the sport of Mixed Martial Arts (MMA, or cage fighting) so yes, it’s violent.
The violence of MMA 
Adding that Matt, the main character, has masochist tendencies and is in a dark place, it’s not a particularly easy read.
Matt Elliott I know that most readers expect a certain style from me, and that’s fine. It’s great, even. A reader knows, more often than not when they read something of mine, it’ll be romance (sickly sweet sometimes lol) and there’s a comfort in that, for a reader, knowing there will be fluff and rainbows. That’s why I’m a little nervous, or a lot nervous, that people might not like Breaking Point because it’s so removed from my usual thing. I guess I just want to warn people before release day that if you want warm and fluffy, this isn’t it.
That being said, I also think it’s one of the best things I’ve written.
It’s also possible this nervousness is completely unwarranted and people think my idea of angst is crap. LOL Granted, I don’t read a lot of angst, so I have little to gauge by, but it’s one of the toughest things I’ve written.
Anyway, the book has gone through it’s final editing stages, so even if I wanted to change something, I couldn’t. And I wouldn’t. I love this book, and am extremely proud of it.
I guess I’ll leave it to the general public to read, review and judge accordingly. I’ll just leave some story inspiration pictures and hope for the best.
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Elements General Release Day!
Elements of Retrofit, the first of the Thomas Elkin Series, hits the shelves at Amazon and ARe today!! I’ll post the links when they go live 🙂
All Romance eBooks buy link: HERE
Amazon buy link: HERE
To kick off the release of one of my favourite couples, I’m doing a blog tour!! With the amazing help of Literary Nook, my tour dates and locations are:
TOUR SCHEDULE:
October 7 – Battery Operated Book Blog
October 8 – Lis les Livres
October 9 – Tana Rae Reads
October 10 – The Phantom Paragrapher
October 11 – Literary Nook
The link to the fabulous Literary Nook Book Promotions is http://bookpromotions.literarynook.com/theelementsofretrofit/
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Clarity of Lines cover!
Isn’t it BEAUTIFUL??
I only just got the final okay to share, and couldn’t wait for everyone to see what an amazing job the TEB team has done AGAIN!
Here’s the (unedited, not final) blurb:
Sometimes it’s not the two people in a relationship who fight falling in love, sometimes it’s those who love us that fight against it the most.
Finally together, forty-four year old Tom and twenty-two year old Cooper, are ready to show the world they’re together. They’ve established their relationship is worth it, and want to share it with their families.
Both men thought accepting the age difference between them was their adversity to overcome, and theirs alone.
Their loved ones, however, will prove them wrong.
For their families, lines are drawn and some lines start to blur. Through a series of events, life shakes Tom’s foundations, the the lines for him have never been clearer.Release dates are:
Pre-order: 29 November 2013
Pre-release: 13 December 2013
General release: 10 January 2014
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HC Brown Guest Interview!
Five minutes with HC Brown
Tell us about you.
H.C. Brown is a multi published, best selling, award winning, author of Historical, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Fantasy, BDSM, Time Travel, Action Adventure, and Contemporary Romance. In 2011 she was delighted to received nomination in three categories in the 2011 CAPA Awards: Favorite Author, Best GLBT Romance and Best Science Fiction Romance. H.C writes about strong alpha males in complex settings and all her stories have happy endings.
When did you start writing?
At about five years old, I wrote my first story and illustrated it too. I was first published in 2004.
What do you love about writing?
The freedom to go wherever I like, and stay for as long as I want.
Biggest pet peeve about writing?
Submissions. I hate the wait it drives me crazy.
Most hated word in the English language?
No!
Best advice you’ve ever been told?
Never give up.
Biggest regret?
Eating chocolate 🙂
Craziest thing you’ve ever done?
Go to a gay BDSM club 😉 Not easy for a straight grandmother LOL.
Place you’d love to visit?
New York Museum.
Most famous person you’ve ever met?
One of them, I’ve met a lot but the one I enjoyed meeting most was Alice Cooper and I still have the photographs.
Three random facts about you that your readers don’t know?
I’m an International All Breeds Cat Judge.
I write in three different pen names.
I hate people swearing around me, I find it disrespectful.
From what/where do you find inspiration?
Life, music and people.
Favourite book of all time?
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon
What’s next for you? Any current WIP’s we should know about?
I’m currently writing a historical( Georgian) romance and a new M/M BDSM series called Club Whips….a spin off from my Club Floggers Series.
Tell us about your new release?
A Tryst in Time by H.C. Brown
buy link: http://steamereads.com.au/product/a-tryst-in-time/
Blurb:
After inheriting a Georgian house in London, Zack Daniels, millionaire art dealer, becomes obsessed with a portrait of the home’s former owner, Lord Alexander Swift. One evening, Zack decides to explore the old house and on entering, the once bricked up cellar finds himself hurled back in time to 1775 and comes face to face with the sweet man of his dreams. The attraction is immediate, and they fall quickly into a whirlwind of erotic delights. Nothing runs smoothly for the tall, muscular, tanned American. Out of place in Alexander’s delicate, refined world, he needs to find his way back to the future – and convince Alexander to go with him. Mistaken for a debtor, beaten, and kidnapped, he must escape and return to Alexander before time runs out. –
Excerpt:
Bewildered, Zack followed the ‘ghost’ up the steps and into the hallway. He glanced around. 1775? Oh my God. This place did not resemble the house he had painstakingly restored. He gazed at the walls, sooty from candles, and noticed the carpet under his feet showed signs of wear. He followed Alexander through the dark house and up two flights of stairs to the main bedchamber, the room he had chosen for his bedroom. A four-poster bed sat in the middle of the room with heavy blue velvet curtains all around. A delightful writing desk and chair, definitely one of Chippendale’s finest, sat against one wall, and a single armchair stood beside the hearth. Fighting the temptation to examine the interesting objects on the desk, Zack pushed his hands into the back pockets of his jeans. Soft yellow light fell from a silver candelabrum on the mantel and reflected in a pair of magnificently crafted, glossy side tables. “In my time this is my room, although my bed is Victorian.”
“Victorian?” Alexander removed his coat and waistcoat and then unbuttoned his shirt. “I do not know a craftsman of that name. Is he English?” He smiled. “Come now, David, do stop this foolery. It is a fine jest, but the night is short.”
Zack shook his head, exasperated. “I’m not Fitzhugh. Look at the initials on my ring. ZD. Zack Daniels.” He thrust his signet ring under Alexander’s nose. “This ring has been in my family for generations.” He rolled up the sleeve of his black, cashmere turtleneck and pointed to his Rolex. “Will this convince you?” With a smile, he pulled out his lighter and clicked it until a flame burst into life. “Or this?” Zack slid his zipper down and then up. “Have you ever seen a zipper before?” He caught Alexander’s panicky gaze. “It’s true, I’m from the future, and I’m guessing your cellar is some type of time portal.”
Alexander’s Adam’s apple moved up and down, and the vein in the side of his neck throbbed. He gripped the back of the chair; his face had drained of color, and he swayed unsteadily.
Oh, hell. Zack cleared his throat. He hadn’t meant to frighten His Lordship into having a stroke or something. Here’s the man I’ve fantasized over for the past year, and I’ve scared him out of his wits. He softened his tone, holding his hands out to the side, palms up. “Hey, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to come on so strong. Look, sit down, and we’ll talk.” He smiled. “This is a bit of a shock for me too.”
“You look so … so like David. Have you come to murder me?” Alexander dropped into the chair and gazed at Zack. “Or do you want money? I do not come into my fortune until Wednesday, but I have a few crowns in the house. Or do you plan to throw me to the mercy of the anti-sodomites?”
Zack took in the man before him. Alexander stood about five feet eight, with narrow shoulders and hips. Blond, wavy hair framed effeminate features and a soft, sweet, vulnerable expression. The young lord looked so damn sexy in his tight breeches and stockings. “Hell no, man. If you knew how much I’ve thought about you this past year. We have a connection—” Zack touched his chest, “—in here—as if we were meant to be together. I bought a portrait of you today. I’m gonna hang it at the top of the stairs.”
“My painting? West has yet to finish it. How could you purchase an unfinished portrait without my permission?”
Zack smiled. “What I’ve said is true … I’m from the future. I inherited this house almost a year ago and have restored it. Your painting, in my time, is over two hundred years old.” He rubbed his chin. “To be honest, the thought of being in your time scares the hell out of me. I could easily be stuck here and not able to return home.”
“Although you act like a madman, I admit I have never laid eyes on any of the devices you’ve shown me … nor have I heard your unusual speech, and your attire is most strange.” Alexander met Zack’s gaze. “If what you say is true, there is only one way to proceed. We must take this one step at a time.” Alexander gripped the arms of the chair. “Let me begin. Why did you purchase my painting? What significance does my portrait have to you?”
Zack leaned against the mantle and gazed into Alexander’s deep blue eyes. Before him sat the living, breathing man whose sweet face he had come to know in intimate detail. Those same delicate features and that heart-tearing gaze intensified in the reality before him. “The moment you stared out at me from a catalog of a private art collection, I couldn’t get you out of my mind. You looked so lost, so troubled. I wanted to return you home. It took me almost a year to persuade the owners of your portrait to put the painting up for auction.” He sighed. “I know about the letters between you and Fitzhugh. In fact, I feel as if I’ve known you forever.” He raked a hand through his hair. “Look, for some reason, I think I’ve been sent back in time to help you. Don’t ask me why or how. Hell, I thought you were a ghost.”
“The letters—you know about the letters? That was months ago. I haven’t written since David told me he planned to go to the Americas.” Alexander rubbed his temple in slow circles. “Then I am undone.” He reached for a crystal-cut decanter and with trembling fingers, poured a glass of amber liquid. “Your words may be filled with ambrosia, but the subtle poison is there. I did not know the anti-sodomites would go to such lengths to achieve their ends.” He lifted his chin and glared at Zack. “Do you intend to help me to the gallows, Mr. Daniels? Or perhaps you would offer me the decency of taking my own life?”
Zack crouched before Alexander. “You have it all wrong. I’m not here to hurt you. Damn it, man, just meeting you in the flesh—hell, don’t you understand? I fell in love with a damn painting of a man who has been dead for over two hundred years! Sounds crazy, doesn’t it? Well, it does to me too. This kind of thing doesn’t happen to sane people and neither does traveling back in time. To be honest, I’m starting to question my own sanity right now.”
“Sane or not, you know I am a sodomite. So what is your purpose, Mr. Daniels— blackmail?”
Where can we find you?
Web site: http://www.hcbrown-author.com
Blog: http://www.hcbrownauthoroferoticromance.blogspot.com.au/
Twitter: @HCBrownauthor,
Join her fan group: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/hcbrownfangroup/join.
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