Showing posts with label Author Blog Tours. Show all posts

Chance to be King - Sue Brown Blog Tour


Chance to be King - 2nd Edition 
After working nonstop for two years, actor Eric Pawlowski desperately needs a respite from his grueling schedule and the crippling migraines that come with it. Thinking that a few weeks in a secluded cottage is just the thing, his vacation gets off to a rough start when he almost mows down the only other guy who lives on the remote road. Fortunately Thomas is quick to forgive, and soon he, Eric, and Eric's two dogs are palling around like they've known each other for years.

But when Eric witnesses Thomas coldly order a lost stranger off his property, he starts to question how well he knows him. Despite a mutual attraction that has Eric cursing every time a well-meaning member of the nearby small town interrupts their attempts to get intimate, Eric wonders if acting on his desire for Thomas will get him involved in a situation he shouldn't be in. When his rented cabin catches fire in the middle of the night and the firemen call it arson, it confirms Eric’s suspicions.

To keep Eric with him, it's up to Thomas to come clean about who he is... and his involvement in a decade-old web of tragedy and revenge into which Eric has unwittingly walked.

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: DWS Photography
Release Date: 17th December, 2014
Book Link: Dreamspinner Press

Excerpt 


Eric paused for a minute to take in his surroundings. The lake was huge, surrounded by reeds and banked in places by sandy beaches. A short note in the paperwork said it was suitable to swim in, and Eric had brought his trunks hopefully. There seemed to be a narrow path following the shoreline. Eric called to the dogs and set off to follow it. He didn’t necessarily want to explore all of it today, but he did think the dogs would benefit from a long walk after being cooped up in the truck for most of the previous day.

In places the overhanging branches meant Eric needed to duck, one of the disadvantages of being well over six feet tall. The dogs, however, had no such issues, and they plowed ahead eagerly. Their enthusiasm meant he lost sight of them until he reached a clearer spot in the trees. Eric could hear them splashing up ahead and smiled to himself. Millie was a terror for getting in the water, be it puddle or pond. Toby was more of a wimp and would dance around the edges before finally getting up the courage to venture in.

Eric finally reached the shoreline, to see Millie in the water as he expected. However, the man playing with her as she swam around was a surprise. He’d obviously been swimming, because he was bare from the waist up and—oh fuck—he was a vision: lean muscles, firm abs, and dark nipples against tanned skin. Yummy. Not that Eric was looking closely. At all. Okay, maybe it didn’t take much for Eric to react to a gorgeous man dancing half-naked in cold water.

Eric squinted as he looked a bit closer. Wasn’t this his rescuer from last night? Tim… Tony… Thomas… that was it, Thomas.

“Morning,” Eric drawled as he watched them play. “Hope she’s not bothering you too much.”

As Eric spoke, Thomas looked up and stopped horsing around. Millie gave a disappointed bark as she paddled and nudged Thomas’s hand hopefully. Thomas ran his hands though his hair to get the drips out of his face, his muscles rippling in a most distracting way. Eric’s cock was quite appreciative and twitched in his sweats.

“I don’t get too many dogs rushing to join me in my morning swim.” “Sorry, she never can resist getting in the water.”

Eric was trying hard to concentrate on the conversation, but really, most of his attention was taken by the view in front of him. He spent his days surrounded by handsome men and beautiful women, but this man took his breath away. His dark blond hair curled damply around his ears, and his bright blue eyes sparkled in amusement. Damn, could I get more girly?

“Eric?” Eric blinked. “Uh… yes?” He’d been so busy staring at the water droplets running down Thomas’s chest… and—oh, are they freckles? Eric couldn’t tell from this distance.

“Earth to Eric?”

He dragged his gaze away reluctantly from Thomas’s body to his face. Not that it was any less distracting with those eyes…. Fuck, those eyes. “Yes?” Thomas was smirking at him unashamedly.

“Would you mind calling your dog back? I’m getting cold now, and I’d like to get out.”

Eric stared at him stupidly for a minute, and then his brain finally got on board with the conversation. “Yes… I mean, sorry. Millie, come here girl.”

Author Bio

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

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

Sue can be found at her -
Website: http://www.suebrownstories.com/
Blog: http://suebrownsstories.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: http://twitter.com/suebrownstories
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/suebrownstories

Blog Tour Schedule


Dec 15 - Charlie Cochet – Promo Spotlight
Dec 16 - Alicia Nordwell – Book Review
Dec 17 - Elin Gregory – Promo Spotlight , RJ Scott – Guest Post 
Dec 18 - LM Brown – Guest Post 
Dec 19 - Love Bytes Reviews – Author Interview + Spotlight, Diverse Reader – Book Review
Dec 20 - Prism Book Alliance – Guest Post
Dec 22 - Bike Book Reviews – Book Review, Elisa: My Reviews & Ramblings – Promo Spotlight
Dec 23 - GGR-Review – Guest Post, Molly Lolly – Promo Spotlight 
Dec 24 - The Novel Approach – Guest Post, Amanda C. Stone – Author Interview
Dec 25 - 3 Chicks After Dark – Author Spotlight 
Dec 26 - Foxylutely Books – Guest Post + Book Review
Dec 27 - Andrew Q. Gordon – Promo Spotlight, Wicked Faeries Tales & Reviews – Book Review 
Dec 29 - MM Good Book Review – Review + Promo Spotlight, Inked Rainbow Reads – Book Review 
Dec 30 - Two Men Are Better Than One – Promo Spotlight 
Dec 31 - BFD Book Blog – Book Review + Author Interview

Competition


What is the author giving away?

A $20 Gift Card from Amazon/Are (Winner’s choice) & 3 E-copies of “Chance to be King”

a Rafflecopter giveaway


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"Tart With a Heart" - Raising the Rent by JL Merrow


Hi, I’m JL Merrow, and I’m delighted to be here today as part of the Raising the Rent blog tour!

Giveaway: I’m offering a $20 Amazon gift certificate to a randomly chosen commenter on the tour. (See here for a full list of the blogs I’ll be guesting on, in case you’ve missed any)

I’ll be making the draw around teatime on Monday 1st September, GMT. Good luck! :D

Never fall in love with a customer—especially if it’s sex you’re selling – Raising the Rent

As befits the oldest profession, there’s a long history of writing about rent boys.

The earliest stories I’ve read myself come from Sins of the Cities of the Plain, by Jack Saul (the cities in question being, of course, Sodom and Gomorrah). The book, one of the first works of gay pornography to appear in English, purports to be the memoirs of a young Mary-Ann, or rent boy, as he frigs, fucks and gamahuches (fellates) his way through Victorian London.

The extent to which sodomy is carried on in London between gentlemen and young fellows is little dreamed of by the outside public.

- Jack Saul, Sins of the Cities of the Plain
So is it fiction, or fact? Undoubtedly, a mixture of both. Known personages are mentioned, such as Boulton and Park, a couple of Victorian cross-dressers who were put on trial in 1871. They were acquitted when it was discovered that cross-dressing was not, in fact, a crime—which must have led to a few red faces from the prosecution! ;)


Another early(ish) work, Jean Genet’s influential “epic of masturbation” Our Lady of the Flowers, written in prison in 1943, tells of a male prostitute who comes to a tragic end. In fact the tragic end is something of a feature in rent boy tales, particularly those of a more literary, ahem, bent.

But what about a happy ending for our fictional renters that actually turns into a happy ever after?

The idea of a prostitute finding love with a customer is, of course, not new—Verdi’s La Traviata (literally, the fallen woman) is a courtesan who sacrifices herself for the love of a client. Yes, female prostitutes get their fair share of unhappy endings in fiction, too.

Still, there’s always Pretty Woman. That, of course, was at heart a re-telling of the Cinderella tale, with the lowly “working girl” swept off her feet and saved from a life of, shall we say, menial work by the modern version of a handsome prince.

I’d like to think there’s a little more equality between my heroes; Nathan may be young and poor, but he doesn’t plan to stay that way, and his plans don’t rely on any sugar daddies. Stephen, for his part, wouldn’t be half so interested in Nathan in a romantic sense if it weren’t for his determination to make something of himself.

***

Question: do you have a favourite fictional depiction of a prostitute in a book, film, theatre or any other art form? Did the prostitute get their happy ever after?

***

JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy.

She is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.

Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow


***

Never fall in love with a customer—especially if it’s sex you’re selling

 Rent boy Nathan’s determined to get an education and get off the streets for good. But when he turns up for his first day at college he’s horrified to find his English teacher is one of his regular customers: Stephen, the one Nathan dubbed The Voice because of his educated, honeyed tones.

Stephen’s just as shocked to see Nathan sitting in his class, not to mention terrified he’s about to be exposed as having paid for sex with a student. This could mean public humiliation and maybe the loss of his job. But when Nathan shows he’s only interested in getting his A Levels, not in blackmail, Stephen realises there’s more to the nineteen-year-old than meets the eye.

Nathan still has to earn a living, though—and when a customer turns ugly, he finds himself unable to work and homeless as well. Stephen steps in to help, and Nathan starts to think they could have a future together—but Stephen’s guilt and lack of trust could end this back-to-front romance before it even starts.

Warning: Contains unfashionable haircuts, unreasonably long words and a May-December romance between a not-so-streetwise rent boy and an erudite English teacher.

Samhain | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk



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Diventando: The Vessel Blog Tour - J. C. Wallace

Hi, everyone! Welcome to the Diventando: The Vessel Blog Tour. I want to thank RJ for having me as a guest for another blog tour! Here I give you some interesting facts about Incubi, the form of demon in my current release. In addition, I’ve included an excerpt as well as a link to enter blog tour giveaway!

For Diventando: The Vessel, I chose to write about an Incubus inhabiting a body of a man since birth. When developing the story, I did some research on Incubi lore but added some of my own characteristics and origins. Here are some of the interesting Incubi legends and lore I came across during my research:

An incubus is the male versions of the demon while a succubus is the female version.

Incubi are purported to lie upon sleepers, especially women, to have sexual intercourse with them and at times to spawn other incubi. Victims would report waking dreams or sleep paralysis during the act.

Incubi drain energy from their victims during intercourse in order to sustain themselves. Repeated intercourse with an incubi is said to result in deterioration of health and even death.

Incubi are identifiable by their unnaturally cold penis.

Incubus and succubus legends are said to have sprung from the Medieval preoccupation with sin, especially those of women. In a way, they were created as scapegoats for "immoral" behavior such as nocturnal arousal including orgasms.

Incubi were said to be able to conceive children. The half-human offspring were called Cambion.

Blurb

Owen McIntyre is no stranger to the Grim Reaper. Diagnosed with leukemia at the age of fifteen, he's spent the last ten years slowly dying. With only two weeks until his next checkup, Owen’s body is already warning him that he is no longer in remission. Tired of the countless meds and chemo, not to mention the way his family coddles him, he decides to live and die on his own terms and forgo treatment. When he meets a lively college professor named Turk, conquering the man becomes part of Owen’s bucket list. But as Owen gets to know Turk, he starts to see him as more than a fling, a luxury that a dying man doesn’t have.

But what if, suddenly, everything Owen knew to be true turned out to be a web of lies and deceit—even his diagnosis of cancer? Taken hostage, tied to a bed and subjected to painful experimentation, Owen's nightmare of leukemia is a far cry from the horrors he will face. No longer able to trust anyone in his life, including Turk, Owen is alone and cut off from the world. He has to make the hard decision to trust those who have betrayed him, including Turk (who he cares for deeply), or die a lonely death. With time running out, he’ll not only fight to live, but fight to want to live again, and even that might not be enough to save him from the evil that lurks inside.

Excerpt:

Turk shook his head, drinking from his bottle of water. “I’m on sabbatical for the semester.”

“I have no clue what that means. Is that like a vacation?” Owen asked as a pair of mallard ducks soared in and landed on the water.

“No. Tenured professors who’ve been with the college for more than five years can take time off to conduct research or special projects. You saw Harrison at the restaurant last night. He is the one who asked me to join the team.”

“He seemed really intense when he was talking to you. What’s the research for?”

“Possessions.” A nervous edge had crept into Turk’s voice and his muscles tightened. He looked out at the ducks, and then visibly relaxed. “Like I said, Harrison and I met last year at a conference. We have similar research interests and have talked often about collaborating on a project. Unfortunately, the funders of this project are getting impatient and want results.”

Owen had heard everything Turk said, but his mind was stuck on possessions. “Possessions? Like evil spirits?”

“Demons, actually.”

Owen’s eyes widened, wondering if Turk was yanking his chain. “Seriously? Are you saying they exist?”

Turk gave a stuttered chuckle. “There are claims of demon possessions all over the world. Whether they’re true or not, that’s up to science. We’ll see what we find.”

Owen thought about movies he’d seen with demon possessions. His favorite had been The Omen. For some reason, he’d been a bit obsessed with the movie as a kid.

“Wow. That sounds so interesting. I know nothing about demons or ancient stuff or anything like that. We had to read some mythology in high school, like Dante and Zeus and stuff, but those weren’t my favorite classes so I didn’t pay attention. I’m not sure why because, from what I’ve seen in movies, it’s anything but boring.”

Turk finished his sandwich and closed up the cooler, moving it from the blanket to make room. When Turk sat down, he was closer to Owen, their knees brushing, as they both looked out over the water.

“Wayne said you started living with him about six months ago.”

Owen nodded and swallowed hard. “What else did he tell you?” Did Turk know about Owen’s illness? Were these pity dates? Why did that thought crush Owen’s heart?

Turk shook his head. “That’s it. Except that you’re gay.” Turk grinned and glanced at Owen.

Owen relaxed. “He tells the truth,” Owen said coyly. The conversation had finally circled around to what Owen wanted, but could he still use Turk for sex? Shit, he wasn’t so sure, now.

“Oh. And you’re twenty-five.”

Owen nodded. “Truthfully, Wayne told me absolutely nothing about you.” Owen allowed his knee to rest against Turk’s. Even that small touch heated his core. Gods, he was flirting like a nervous high school student. Owen generally went after what he wanted, without innuendo or flirting. Why was this so different?

“Well, you know that I’m a professor of mythology and I’m addicted to muscle cars and online video games. I’m…um…thirty-one.”

What else did Owen need to know other than top or bottom? Why did Owen want to know so much more?

...Standing, Turk reached down and pulled Owen to his feet with amazing strength. Without dropping Owen’s hand, Turk led them the short way to the water’s edge where several rocks lined the bank. Owen drew in a deep breath and soaked in the positive energy from nature.

He was glad Turk had dragged him out and turned to tell him that, until he heard the rustling in the grass near the water’s edge. Owen’s heart seized as a longer-than-fuck black water snake slithered past his feet.

“Fuck!” Owen screamed and, like the little girl he was, climbed the front of Turk, wrapping his arms and legs tight around the man.

“Whoa.” Turk laughed and wrapped an arm around Owen’s back. “Is that a snake or are you just happy to see me?”

“Oh, my gods, it’s like ten feet long!” Owen’s only fear in life and it had to rear its head when he was with Turk.

Turk chuckled with an embarrassing amusement. “I’d give it three feet tops. I’m guessing you’re afraid of snakes and not just super horny?”

Owen nodded into Turk’s neck. “Ugly, slimy, creepy, beady-eyed little bastards.” As Owen’s heart rate slowed, he peeked over Turk’s shoulder. “Is it gone? I so need to get down and try to salvage what’s left of my manhood.” Another date down the crapper.

Turk hummed low in his chest. “I don’t know, but maybe you should stay put just to make sure he doesn’t have any friends.”

Oh, that thought drew a gasp from Owen’s lips and a shudder.

“Just kidding,” Turk said. “He’s out in the water.” Turk pointed to the slim body sluicing across the surface. “I think they’re pretty territorial so I doubt there are others around.”

Owen surveyed the ground, wondering if that were true. When he pulled back, ready to get off Turk, he paused, noticing the man staring at him intensely.

A heated blush suffused Owen’s face and he fidgeted, wanting to look away, but powerless to break the gaze. Inside, Owen melted into a pile of goo, enamored that someone was looking at him as if he were something more than a fuck, possibly someone special.

“What?” Owen managed to whisper.

Turk slowly allowed Owen to slide down the front of his body until his feet hit the ground. Their close proximity made Owen feel vulnerable, exposed. Damn, he liked Turk, really liked him, and that wasn’t a luxury he could afford.

“You’re amazing,” Turk whispered, and lifted Owen’s hand chivalrously, pressing his warm lips to Owen’s skin. Owen watched each movement as he held his breath. Turk pulled Owen tight against him. “I don’t know what it is about you, but I want to keep you close, learn everything I can about you, take you home and never let you go.”

Oh, hell.

Owen’s heart tripped, skipping a beat. What poured into his soul was new and foreign, warm and bolstering and so fucking right…and just maybe worth fighting for? Could he endure another round of chemo, endure another round of poison, for the chance to have Turk in his life, to have more time?

“You make me want to fight again,” Owen whispered without thought.

##

Buy Link:

Amber Allure

(ARe and Amazon availability coming soon)

****************************

Click here to enter the Diventando: The Vessel Blog Tour Giveaway!

Prizes include:

$25 Amazon Gift Card

3 EBook copies of Diventando: The Vessel

2 $5 Amazon Gift Cards

About JC Wallace

JC Wallace started writing from a young age, but took a break for marriage, kids, and college (in that order). He recently rediscovered his passion and ventured out into the brave new world of publishing with his short, Waiting for Snow, and his first novel, Curiosity Killed Shaney. At night and on the weekends, JC writes about all things men, believing there is nothing hotter than two men finding and loving one another, whether for a night or forever. An avid reader of M/M romance, JC loves a good twist of a plot, HEA, HFN, or tragic ending. He also writes what his bestie calls HUNK (Happy Until the Next Kidnapping)

In his daytime hours, JC works with individuals with autism and behavior problems. He is owned by a beautiful partner, three kids, two grandchildren, two dogs and one cat. He lives in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in Northern NY.

Website: www.jcwallacebooks.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jcwallacebooks.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jcwallacebooks

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7237038.J_C_Wallace

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jcwallace
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Honor C Anniversary Blog Tour - Carol Zampa

When Honor Castillo convinces himself he isn’t gay, he begins a new life. He ends his affair with his lover, Jorge Villagomez, and marries Rebecca to establish a life with her as a respected San Antonio businessman. They have a son and he tells himself he is happy.

Eleven years later, Jorge returns to San Antonio, and his path crosses with Honor’s once more. The flame of their passion never died, and neither did Jorge’s love for Honor.

When Jorge approaches Honor to design his studio, Honor believes he can walk the line between friendship and lovers. But when a sudden crisis threatens to take Jorge from him forever, Honor must choose between his duty and his heart. Most of all, he’s forced to decide what he’s willing to lose in order to be true to who he really is.

Buy links

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon: | All Romance (Are)

Excerpt

JORGE stirred beside me, dragging me from my reverie of schoolyards, lunches, and bullies and back to the present.

Tonight was our last chance to make love. I had no words, I just wanted to look at him, memorize him. I reached to paint the line of his full bottom lip with my thumb and shivered at the sigh it evoked from him, the tiny whimper as he wriggled to face me.

He twirled a finger in the curls at my nape. “Remember Shirley Setzer?”

I turned on my side to take in the sight of Jorge’s nude body—skinny, girly, driving-me-out-of-my-mind sexy—stretched out beside me.

The limited light transformed his thin form into smooth, elegant planes with a tantalizing thatch of shadow between his legs.

“How weird. I was just thinking about her.” I lifted onto my elbow.

His hand dropped to his chest. “The day we met.”

I snorted. “We didn’t meet that day. You never even spoke to me.”

“Didn’t I?”

“Hell, no.”

“But—”

“Ah, no. You pranced your stuck-up little ass back to the building, never said two words to me.”

Lifting his hand, he pretended to slap me. “I was not stuck up.”

I said nothing, just lifted an eyebrow that I was sure he couldn’t really see in the dark.

“I didn’t mean to be, Honor. I guess I was afraid to talk to you. None of the other kids had anything to do with me. Figured you wouldn’t either.”

“But you charged into Shirley. You sure weren’t shy then.”

“I just reacted.”

“I’ll never forget. You knocked the shit out of ol’ Shirley and never even said anything to me. You just strutted away, all prissy-assed. Do you know what I thought?”

“What?”

“I thought you were irritated at me, that you thought I should have defended myself. That you thought I was weak.”

“Oh, querido,” he murmured and cupped his warm palm to my cheek. “I was the weak one, to give in to her taunts. You were the strong one. And I think I loved you that day. Even that young, I think I loved you.”

“Me? Gordo? Cerdo Castillo?”

With a grunt, Jorge flopped onto his back. “Stop it, damn you.”

“Sorry,” I chuckled. It riled him so for me to put myself down about my size.

He shifted toward me once more, wormed nearer. “Fuck, fuck, fuck. I’d see you smile at somebody in the halls and I’d nearly cry like a baby, wanting so bad to get one of your killer smiles aimed at me. Holy shit, I had the biggest girly crush on you.”

“Could have fooled me.”

“Your smile, Honor.” He pressed a trembling finger to my lips. “Your smile.”

“Once you did speak to me, I don’t think my smile showed itself for anybody but you again.”

“Bullshit.” This time he did slap me. Lightly, but still a slap to my cheek. “She sure as hell sees it.”

“Ay-ay.” I coaxed the head of my cock against his crotch. “We agreed not to bring that up tonight.”

“Please don’t do this.” He whispered the words onto my shoulder. His voice, so husky, a sultry purr—all Lauren Bacall, just put your lips together and blow—hadn’t lost its power to make me grovel at his feet in lust.

“Want me to stop?” I teased and turned him in my arms.

“Make jokes.” Burrowing deeper into my embrace, he growled and circled his palm over the hair on my chest. “Becky,” he spat. “I can’t even say her name without choking on it.”

I held him tighter but said nothing. What more was there to say? We’d been arguing all night, ever since I’d broken the news to him that I’d gotten serious with Rebecca Sanchez, the dazzling woman I’d met a few months back.

We can still fuck, can’t we? Jorge had contended. Why does she have to change anything?

Because once my relationship with Becky seemed to be heading on a serious route, I couldn’t cheat on her. I just couldn’t. The decision hadn’t come easily, but I’d made it, and I knew it was good.

Author links

Blog: http://authorczampa.blogspot.com

Amazon Author page: www.amazon.com/C.-Zampa/e/B004QSDSG0

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/authorczampa

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carol.zampa.3?fref=ts

Competition

The author is giving away a $50 Amazon Gift Card at the end of the tour


Tour Schedule

Details to follow...


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JC Wallace, Release Day Blog Tour

IT”S RELEASE DAY!!!!

Hi, everyone! I want to thank RJ Scott for hosting the Dare To Love Forever Blog Tour release day celebration!

At the end of this post, you will find the buy link, blurb and excerpt, as well as a chance to enter to win some great prizes at the end of the tour!

Check here for links to all of the blogs in the tour.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

Yesterday, on the Wednesday Briefs blog, I talked about why I wrote a vampire story when the market is flooded, and how I tried to do something different in this story. One way was to add supernatural/magical elements to an already varied depiction of vampires and their world.

Carson Locke is a rare Tabula Rosa vampire. Tabula Rosa is Latin and loosely translates into blank slate. When he bites another vampire, their mind is wiped clean, erased, creating a reprogrammable, blank slate, which can take on any personality, including mindless killing machines. That is why Carson has been sheltered his entire life and hidden away. In the past, Carson was forced to bite someone he cared for deeply and is haunted by the terror of that memory.

Commander Lincoln Samuels is a Sanatore vampire. In Latin (I love Latin if you hadn’t noticed), Sanatore means healer. Lincoln’s blood has the ability to heal other vampires. However, there is a possible side effect - Lincoln could bond physically and mentally with that vampire. In the past, Lincoln bonded with another vampire with near disastrous results. Now, he must decide if he will save Carson and risk that happening again.

And, then, there is the Salutem vampire...but to get into that would be a spoiler so you will have read the story to find out about that vampire.

Add in a shaman with supernatural powers and the ability to predict the future, and a destiny put into place hundreds of years before Carson was born, and, I hope, this vampire tale will satisfy the most die-hard fans of the genre.

Buy Link

Amber Allure

Blurb

Carson Locke is a Tabula Rosa vampire—a dangerous rarity in the world of vampires. With one bite, he can wipe clean a vampire’s mind, creating a mindless drone. Because of this, Carson has spent his entire twenty-three years sheltered at home. That changes when his entire family is murdered. Now on the run and near death, Carson meets Commander Lincoln Samuels, a beautiful vampire who tries to heal him. In doing so, Carson is bonded to the vampire and turned into something the vampire world has never seen. When Carson is poisoned, he believes that someone wants him dead as well, however there are greater plans for Carson put into motion hundreds of years before his birth.

Lincoln is a Sanatore vampire with the ability to heal other vampires. He heads a team in the New Vampire Justice police force in Utica, NY. Late one night, he is called to a local Vampire Blood Market where a starving Tabula Rosa vampire is about to be executed by one of his officers. Feeling a strong connection to Carson, Lincoln wants to heal the broken man despite knowing the risk in doing so. Healing Carson could destroy Lincoln and cost him the chance to love again. What Lincoln finds is that there is a greater evil threatening to take Carson from him.

Can two vampires who have loved and painfully lost in the past, learn to trust one another, defeat the evil rising against them, and dare to love forever?

Excerpt

Carson Locke was starving. Thoughts of veins and warm blood flowing through arteries clouded his thinking. His stomach had hollowed. His bones protruded and his muscles shook from weakness. His self-control, held by a fragile thread, stretched to the breaking point. When it snapped, he’d turn into the monster he’d avoided becoming for over twenty-three years.

He needed food. He needed blood. Now.

Despite crouching behind a Dumpster in the dark, the cold wind reached Carson, biting at his thin skin. Ten days. Ten days since he’d last eaten. Ten days too long for a young vampire. Ten days since he’d fled his home. Ten days since his mother and brother and uncle had been slaughtered and he’d run for his life. They were all dead because of what he was. Choking back a sob, he forced himself to focus on the back door of the building he’d been watching.

This was his last chance. If he couldn’t get the blood he needed here, that last thread of self-control would snap and he’d attack someone. The memory of the last time he’d been forced to bite—the screaming, the wide, vacant staring eyes, the nothingness—still haunted him. Carson squeezed his eyes tight and drew in several deep, steadying breaths. This task was too important to mar with past horrors he couldn’t rectify.

Two women bundled against the cold and a large, dark-haired man exited the back door he’d been staking out. As the women shuffled off to their cars, the man punched numbers into a keypad, securing the door. Carson clenched his fists as the man pulled out a cigarette and patted his pockets, no doubt searching for a lighter.

“Just leave,” Carson said in a pleading whisper.

Cigarette finally lit, the man moved toward the parking lot. Carson held his breath as the man disappeared around the corner. A siren blared in the distance, startling him. He clenched his teeth, drew air in through his nose and blew it out through his mouth. The beating of his heart threatened to fill the night air. He was terrified, but he was more hungry than scared.

Creeping from behind the Dumpster, Carson pulled his parka up over the lower half of his face. Jumping up, he grabbed the bottom rung of the fire escape and struggled to pull himself up.

His arms shook with the effort. Sweat broke out on his skin as he managed to get a foot on the rung. The idea that vampires possessed superhuman strength was a myth, but damn, he was about as strong as an eight year old. He just had to climb to the roof, drop through the small window, and get the blood. Then he could worry about bigger issues.

Carson climbed over the ledge of the old brick building on shaky legs, propelled by his adrenaline. Without that extra push, he would have been flat on his face. The night before he’d been in this same spot on the roof and had jimmied the lock on the old wood-framed window. Before he could enter, the sound of a door slamming somewhere had scared him away. Being caught trying to enter the VMB could bring certain death, but that was better than starving.

Carson sighed in relief as the window slid open easily. His hands were so cold that he would have been unable to jimmy the lock again. Feet first, he shimmied into the dark room. He was on the third floor and unsure what he would find there. During the three days he’d staked out the building, he hadn’t seen any lights on this floor. Pulling out a flashlight, he surveyed the empty room and located the door.

The blood roared in his ears, and his speeding heart felt as if it would explode as he opened the door. Of course, the damn thing would creak. Stepping lightly, Carson walked down a hallway filled with closed doors. Undisturbed dust covering the floor spoke of the vacant nature of this floor of the building. Within the corridor, the noises of the surrounding city were faint, yet still pushed his heart rate faster. In the floor beneath his boots, the constant hum, like an engine running, vibrated up into his legs. At the end of the hall was a steel door with a small dark window that he hoped led to the stairway. The longer he spent wandering, the higher his chances of being found. Clenching his jaw, he pushed open the heavy door, the cold metal chilling the sweat on his palms. His light flashed over the edge of a railing. He found stairs going down to the left. Walking down one flight, he found another door, but what he needed was on the first floor.

Descending farther, the flashlight flickered. Carson froze. Stopping to shake the light, he could hear the beating of his overwrought heart in his ears, feel the knot of dread expand in his gut. Gods, if he had anything in his stomach to throw up, he would. Right now, he needed the blood that the Vampire Blood Market (VBM) provided. Carson’s teeth had only sunk into a vein once and the nightmare of that moment had forever been burned into his memory. Besides, from what he’d heard, the bite hurt the donor like a bitch. That was mainly the sport of pain sluts and adrenaline junkies who visited bars where biting was still legal. In his isolated world of Gifford, NY, blood had always been supplied. Now, he had to feed himself. Without money, that meant stealing what he needed.

At the bottom of the stairs, he peered through the small window into the VBM. Walls of illuminated refrigerated cases held blood in containers similar to milk jugs. Unfortunately, stealing milk didn’t hold the same consequence as stealing blood.

Ignoring the dangerousness of his mission, Carson grasped the door handle. What he feared would be locked opened freely. Inside the VBM, the refrigerated cases hummed. The air was cooler than in the hallway. Carson’s mouth watered and his empty stomach clenched tight. Rushing to the first case, he pulled open the door. He grabbed the closest opaque white container and ripped the top off. Just as he lifted the container with the lifesaving liquid to his lips, the lights came on and a voice shouted, “Freeze!”

Carson dropped the container and gasped. His heart pushed into overdrive, his breaths barely escaped his throat. He gaped at the three men and two women dressed in black uniforms pointing guns at him. Carson tried to remain still but his feet moved backward without thought.

“Freeze or we’ll shoot!” A man with short black hair, who was larger than a truck, leveled a gun at Carson’s head. The man could end all of Carson’s pain. The fear, the hunger, the uncertainty, the agony of losing his family. Just charge at the giant—or slip his hand into his pocket as if he had a gun—and the bullets would do the rest. But as he ran into the wall behind him, his muscles seized. He was going to die no matter what he did.

“Down on your knees and hands on your head!”

Without thought, Carson went down hard on his knees and rested his hands on his head. His head swam from hunger, and his legs shook. It was all he could do to remain upright. Carson closed his eyes and thought of his younger brother, Caden, and his mom. He just wanted this to be over quick.

“Strip him,” he heard the gruff voice say.

Carson’s chest locked up as hands grabbed him. They ripped Carson’s parka over his head and then his sweater and T-shirt were next. The chill on his skin sent a shudder through his emaciated body.

Please, do it quickly.

Hands held him by his shoulders and arms, as if at any minute he might resist. There wasn’t an ounce of resistance left in him, not an ounce of fight. Tears burned his eyes like acid. Gods, his life had sucked so far. This was the perfect ending.

The large man stepped forward. Heavy black boots scraped the floor. NVJ in large white letters crossed his chest. New Vampire Justice. The vampire equivalent of a SWAT team, there because Carson had been trying to steal blood, an act punishable by immediate death.

“You have been caught in the act of stealing blood from a certified Vampire Blood Market, an act punishable by death by the Vampire Justice Act of 2003. Under the jurisdiction of the New Vampire Justice code number 456.5, I, an enforcment officer for the city of Utica, NY, hereby pass the sentence of death. Do you have anything you wish to say before this judgment is carried out?”

##

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Enter the Dare To Love Forever Blog Tour Giveaway!

About JC Wallace

JC Wallace started writing from a young age, but took a break for marriage, kids, and college (in that order). He recently rediscovered his passion and ventured out into the brave new world of publishing with his short, Waiting for Snow, and his first novel, Curiosity Killed Shaney. At night and on the weekends, JC writes about all things men, believing there is nothing hotter than two men finding and loving one another, whether for a night or forever. An avid reader of M/M romance, JC loves a good twist of a plot, HEA, HFN, or tragic ending. He also writes what his bestie calls HUNK (Happy Until the Next Kidnapping).

In his daytime hours, JC works with individuals with autism and behavior problems. He is owned by three kids, one grandchild and one on the way, two dogs and one cat. He lives in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in Northern NY.

Connect with JC



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Glory Lands, Vastine Bondurant - Blog Tour post, Competition & Review 5/5 & Highly Recommended


A Texas Piney Woods Story

Rural East Texas, 1931. Preacher’s son Emory Joe Logan and a fiddler from Shreveport, Glory Lands, meet and form a tender bond. When they are caught and arrested for homosexual acts by Sheriff Elihu Bishop, the lawman’s sanctimonious bigotry threatens to rip the young men from their families.

Emory Joe’s father, Pastor Charles Logan, is brought to his knees in terror, confusion, and anger. He still regrets not standing up against Bishop when the lawman murdered a youth in cold blood nine years ago.

Now there’s no longer a choice for the preacher to stand up to the lawman. Cold-blooded justice, bigotry-disguised-as-religion, and hatred take on a whole new meaning when they’re standing on his doorstep, ready to take the son he loves.






Buy links:

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon (US) | Amazon (UK) | All Romance

Review

Vastine is a new to me author. I read historical fiction and I probably tend to go to authors I know like SA Meade, or Jordan L Hawk. But taking a chance on a new author is something I love to do and when I was asked if I wanted to take part in this blog tour I jumped at the chance! Then I was sent this book to read in exchange for an honest review, something I do on the odd occasion. First off, I was sucked in on page one. Simple as that I was drawn in to an incredibly emotional scene and from there on I couldn't put this book down. This isn't a long book which works well, the story flows from scene to scene and I was choked up on several occasions. This is what I immediately sent to Vastine as soon as I finished. I found her on Facebook and I wrote in a PM :
I just read glory lands
In one sitting
I'm in tears
I think you broke me
Jesus... This is one of the most powerful pieces of writing I have ever read
Perfect

And that is the review I am posting, it is simple and absolutely perfect. I want to add that this is simply a stunning story that is horrific and sad and hopeful and romantic and tragic and a million other things all wrapped in one. There is mention of an awful attack, a rape and beating as punishment, but this happens off page and is referenced in a few sentences. Yes it could be a trigger, but it is not detailed and graphic.

Beautiful. This is a highly recommended book from me.

Excerpt below...

 Competition

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a Rafflecopter giveaway



Excerpt


East Texas, 1922

Emory Joe
Wearing a giant smile—just as clear, bright, and happy as that very October morning—Othello “Ted” Jenkins stepped from Jousan’s Mercantile and out onto the crowded sidewalk. Against his shoulder rested a brand-new Winchester rifle, its shiny black barrel pointing to the sky.

A cluster of townsfolk, my Daddy and me included, who’d been milling in front of the store window stepped up to Ted to see his purchase, and he beamed like a proud mother with a new baby while they admired it.

Elihu Bishop moved slowly through the flock of people.

Even if Bishop hadn’t sported a stiff white Stetson or toted two—not one, but two—Colt .45s on his hips, his stride, with its perfect mix of statue-straightness and catlike grace, shouted City Marshal’s Deputy.

Just the sight of Bishop—silk and ice, all six-foot-four of him—scattered folks like kids, who, although they hadn’t done anything wrong, reckoned they’d best make themselves scarce just in case.

Nobody strayed far, though; they just sort of spilled away from Ted like a bunch of leaves flittering across the road on the breath of a soft wind.

Which left Ted alone in his own little spotlight as Bishop sauntered nearer.

Daddy grabbed my wrist, his fingers awful tight. I resented like hell his taking hold of me, right there in front of everyone, as though I was a squirmy toddler.

But right then, riled as I was, I sensed it. Something dark slithered through the crowd and settled tight as a fist of ice in my own chest—fear. Oh, at the time, I was too young to really grasp why this silent, invisible angel of darkness terrified me so. Maybe nothing more than me channeling my father’s tension.

Once he reached Ted’s side. Bishop blew a quiet, admiring whistle. “What you got here, Ted?”

Poor Ted’s Adam’s apple bobbed in his long skinny neck. His dark fingers toyed nervously on the butt of the rifle. “It’s a rifle.”

Bishop shot up an eyebrow and took his good time pulling a cigarette from his lips.

Ted gulped and amended his reply. “It’s a rifle, Deputy Bishop.”

“Isn’t that a beaut, Ted, isn’t that just a beaut.” A sneer pretending to be an interested smile turned up the corners of Bishop’s thin lips. He squinted and tossed the cigarette onto the pavement. Tucking his chin, he stretched out a khaki-sleeved arm to now-trembling Ted. “Mind if I take a look, boy?”

An acquiescent grin tried to reach Ted’s mouth, and he nodded, the rifle wobbling in his grip when he handed the firearm to the lawman. “Sure, sir. Sure.”

“Now would you just look at this nice piece of weaponry.” Nodding, his lips pursed, Bishop studied the Winchester. It didn’t shake in his hands as it had in Ted’s. “What’re you aiming to do with this fine thing, boy?” The deputy’s steely blue gaze shot to Ted from under the shade of the Stetson’s brim.

“I figured to do some huntin’, sir.” Ted shifted from one scuffed-booted foot to the other, and his glance danced around the crowd.

I recognized that familiar frenzy in his brown eyes. A desperate search for a place to run. I figured I’d donned that same expression many times in the classroom when I was about to be on the receiving end of the teacher’s yardstick.

“I see.” Bishop’s severe gaze narrowed. “Hunting what, boy?”

Ted shrugged. “Squirrels and rabbits, I reckon, sir.”

While being pinned under that stony scrutiny, Ted’s body went rigid, except for his shaking hands.

“Squirrels and rabbits,” Bishop murmured.

“Yes, sir.”

There went Daddy’s fingers again, squeezing me even harder.

Through the years, even when I’d grown old enough to recognize the face of hatred and its always-hovering dark cold cloud, I still wondered how I didn’t sense what was going to happen next.

With no warning, just offering a gentle “I see,” Bishop grasped the barrel of the Winchester and, with one fast-as-lightning movement, brought the butt of the piece down on the back of Ted’s neck.

The impact split the air and echoed off the buildings like a clap of thunder.

I cringed, the sickening thud jarring my innards.

Ted crumpled to the pavement, boneless as an empty potato sack.

With a deep sigh and a slow stare around the circle of spectators, Bishop stood for a moment, the rifle in his big fist

Then, like throwing a bit of stick into the garbage, he tossed the gun onto Ted’s still frame.

The Winchester bounced off Ted and clattered to the sidewalk.

The deputy shot one last glance at the stunned audience, sauntered to the wrought-iron bench at the end of the sidewalk, and commenced lighting a cigarette.

Daddy shuddered to life. Murmuring “Jesus, sweet Jesus” over and over under his breath, he started down the sidewalk, dragging me toward our truck.

Over my shoulder, I kept my gaze on Bishop while being hauled away from the scene by Daddy. I’d been mesmerized, terrifyingly so, by the image of the deputy lounging on that bench as though nothing had happened.

At one point, Bishop’s eyes met mine. He must have enjoyed the terror in my own eyes because, after a long drag on the cigarette, he exhaled and winked at me through the spiral of smoke.




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Autism Blog Hop day #6

Live Your Life, buy The Book 3 $10 vouchers from an ebook retailer of the winners choice 

Mischief Corner Books 4 anthologies to a single reader
T. A. Chase free ebook from my backlist or a new release closing date will be April 13th

The Novel Approach $25 Gift Certificate to All Romance eBooks 

* * * * *

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Relief Valve blog tour - JL Merrow


Hi, I’m JL Merrow. Thanks to RJ for welcoming me here today as part of the Relief Valve blog tour. :D

Giveaway
I’m offering a free signed paperback copy of 2013 Rainbow Award winning romantic comedy Slam! (I’m happy to ship internationally) to a randomly chosen commenter on the tour, plus a $10 Amazon gift certificate!

I’ll be making the draw around teatime on Monday 7th April, GMT. Good luck! :D

The Blog Post

Today I’m pondering the following question:

Why do fictional characters have pets?

For some animal characters, of course, the question might more properly be phrased, “Why do fictional pets have humans?” Think of Lassie—does anyone even remember who her nominal owner was? Or what about Flipper the crime-fighting dolphin, Willy the freedom-loving whale, or Skippy the Bush Kangaroo?

Here, the animals were the stars of the shows, and indeed their whole raison d’être. But what about shows, or stories, where the animals play only bit parts? Why include them at all?

Well, for one thing, it makes the human characters seem more real, more sympathetic and relatable. Although not always—the image of James Bond villain Ernst Blofeld stroking a fluffy white cat springs to mind. Here, the bad guy is rendered more grotesque by juxtaposition with a cute little furball. But generally speaking, a character seen stroking his ferret, tickling his pet trout or playing fetch with his dog is rendered more likeable.

Many famous fictional characters have pets. Harry Potter has Hedwig the owl, although she is a working pet, being the wizarding equivalent of a Muggle teenager’s mobile phone. The Earl of Grantham, master of Downton Abbey, has his yellow Labrador retriever, Isis. And, of course, Sherlock Holmes’ companion Dr Watson famously kept a bull pup.*

Pets add colour. They give the human characters something to do with their hands. And, of course, they can be a sly way of illustrating character.

You can judge the character of a man by how he treats his fellow animals – Paul McCartney

In Oliver Twist, we know Bill Sikes is a wrong’un when we see him beating his dog, Bull’s Eye. But it need not be so blatant: in Mansfield Park, the indolent Lady Bertram dotes on her lapdog, known only as “pug” – an overbred, highly strung, unattractive animal of no practical use whatsoever. Well, they do say pets and owners grow to resemble one another!

I’ve always liked giving my characters pets. In Slam! my main character and narrator Jude has a little dog, Bubbles, who is, shall we say, not the most intelligent of animals, but incredibly affectionate and loyal.

In Pressure Head and Relief Valve, of course, Tom has his two cats, Arthur and Merlin. I’ll leave it up to the reader to discover just what they illustrate about Tom and Phil! ;)

Question: Do you have a favourite fictional animal?

* But nobody knows what Doyle actually meant by this. It probably wasn’t, in fact, a dog!

JL Merrow

JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea. She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance, and is frequently accused of humour. Her novel Slam! won the 2013 Rainbow Award for Best LGBT Romantic Comedy.

She is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.

Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com, on Twitter as @jlmerrow, and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/jl.merrow

Relief Valve

If you dig up the past, be prepared to get dirty

It hasn’t been all smooth sailing since plumber Tom Paretski and P.I. Phil Morrison became connected at the heart, if not always at Tom’s dodgy hip. Neither of their families has been shy about voicing their disapproval, which hasn’t helped Tom’s uneasy relationship with his prickly older sister, Cherry.

But when Cherry is poisoned at her own engagement party, the horror of her near death has Tom’s head spinning with possible culprits. Is it her fiancé Gregory, a cathedral canon with an unfortunate manner and an alarming taste for taxidermy? Someone from her old writers’ circle, which she left after a row? Or could the attack be connected to her work as a barrister?

Phil is just as desperate to solve the case before someone ends up dead—and he fears it could be Tom. At least one of their suspects has a dark secret to hide, which makes Tom’s sixth sense for finding things like a target painted on his back…

Warning: Contains a strong, silent, macho PI; a cheeky, chirpy, cat-owning plumber; and a gag gift from beyond the grave that’ll put the cat firmly among the pigeons.

 Now available in ebook: Samhain Publishing | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk


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JC Wallace - Curiosity Killed Shaney blog tour



Hi, everyone! I want to thank RJ for inviting me to the blog. Curiosity Killed Shaney is my first published novel and I am thrilled to share this story with all of you.

This blog tour got huge fast! There are awesome prizes to that will be given away at the end of the tour. At the end of this post, you will find a link to enter! Check in at www.jcwallacebooks.com for links to all of the blogs in the tour and you can enter as much as you like!

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Shaney and Hudson Joint Interview

 Shaney and Hudson are the MCs of Curiosity Killed Shaney. I previously attempted to interview each of these guys separately (click here for the past Shaney interview, past Hudson interview) and those didn’t go so well. Hopefully, having them here together, the process will go better.

JC: So I’ve tried to interview you both, but those were unexpectedly cut short (eyes Shaney who looks chagrined), so I’ve decided to interview you both together.

Shaney: Thanks for having us here again today, JC. Sorry about the last two times.

JC: No problem, Shaney. Just sit there, don’t move and try to focus. (Shaney nods enthusiastically)

Hudson: Yeah, thanks for your patience with us (gives Shaney a sideways glance).

JC: So I’m going to ask you each the same questions however, there’s a catch. You must answer the questions for each other. (That raised some eyebrows). First question, how old are you, where do you live and what do you currently do?

 Shaney: Hudson is twenty-six. He lives in Tupper Lake, NY on Gull Pond and he’s the best carpenter, ever! But he’s shy so he would only tell you he’s an okay carpenter but really he’s awesome. Also, he does work for people who can’t pay so he’s a generous carpenter as well.

Hudson: (smiles at Shaney) Shaney just turned twenty. He also lives in Tupper Lake. He’s currently finishing up his community service hours, which is going surprisingly better than in the past. I’m hoping he’ll start some college classes soon after we clear up some lingering “issues.” (Shaney smirks)

JC: Here’s an easy one. Boxers, briefs, or commando?

Shaney: Hudson is a briefs man. And boy, do they make his package hu—

Hudson: Shaney! (shakes his head) Let’s keep my size of my package between us, okay? (Shaney nods reluctantly) Shaney is all about the boxers and the wackier the better. I think my favorite pair is the one with the elephant on the front and the trunk where you put your...um...

Shaney: Package? (snickers)

JC: (now I’m shaking my head) Tell me about your personalities. Are you the life of the party or more of a wallflower?

Shaney: Hudson is a total wallflower, but I’m slowly hammering that out of him. He tends to be shy and reserved and totally stoic at times, but I’ve seen behind all of that. When he laughs, his eyes lights up, and his smile gets big and he just doesn’t know how gorgeous he is. (Yup, Hudson’s blushing). He is kind and generous and honest and hardworking. One of the best people I’ve ever met.

Hudson: Shaney is not just the life of the party, he is the party. At times that can be overwhelming, but he’s shown me how to have more fun. He has a spark that’s always lit, and he wants to know what’s happening and why it’s happening. That tends to get him into some trouble at times and scares years off of my life, but I wouldn’t change him for the world. He’s got a heart the size of a mountain and he cares about people. And he’s brave. Braver than anyone I know. (Hudson turns a soft gaze on Shaney who smiles back warmly)

Shaney: Thanks, big guy.

JC: Wow, so that leads me to my next question. Did you each of you expect to fall in love with some like the other?

Shaney: Hudson so didn’t expect to fall with someone like me, I think. I mean he’s big and burly and I’m short and scrawny. Plus, I can be more trouble than I’m worth, and I sometimes wonder if he would be happier with someone more mature.

Hudson: (shakes his head vehemently) Stop, baby. You’re perfect just the way you are. We fit. Did Shaney think he would fall in love with someone like me? He’s so open and out there in the world. He doesn’t hide who he is or how he acts. Like he said, I’m closed off, tend to be a loner. He needs someone who’s alive and will live life with him. I’m not too sure I can be that person for him.

Shaney: (jumps up, stands before Hudson and cups his cheeks) You’re my everything and exactly what I need. Don’t ever doubt that. (Hudson smirks, nods and then they’re kissing...and kissing...and groping and...)

JC: Um...guys?....Shoot, I’m never going to get them through an entire interview. See ya later and get a room!

Thanks for stopping by! Tomorrow, the blog tour will visit the blog of Elyzabeth M. VaLey. Hope to see you there!


Available at

R&P Publishing Amazon Barnes and Noble

ARe BookStrand

Blurb: Shaney's curiosity is always getting him into trouble, including stumbling into a ritualistic circle and being imbued with an energy that will eventually tear him apart. He soon finds out that Hudson, a man he cares for deeply, might be responsible for his misfortune. Add in the betrayal by his best friend Todd and the desire of a demented occultist named Silas to control the energy inside of him and there seems to be no way out. Can Shaney find a way to rid his body of the nefarious energy before he dies a horrible death?

Excerpt

The cabin was dark. Still, the uneasiness plaguing Shaney’s gut crept through his veins. Todd shifted restlessly beside him.

"Any chanting or pressure to run away?" Todd asked in a hushed voice.

Shaney peered out into the unnerving darkness. "No chanting. Running has crossed my mind, but that chicken shit is all on me.”

“Since when does anything remotely interesting scare you off?” Todd asked.

“Since yesterday,” Shaney replied and waved Todd to follow him to the stairs leading to the front door.

The dried, crusty remnants of mud crunched beneath Shaney’s sneakers as he crept up the stairs. Shaney froze on the last step. Shit. The front door was ajar again. Hudson must have locked it when they’d been there earlier, right? Why would he have left it open? Shaney’s apprehension kicked into a heart-pounding panic, but they’d come this far, they couldn’t run now. Using the end of his flashlight, Shaney warily pushed the door open. He scanned the interior and his eyes widened as he stepped in cautiously.

“What the fuck?” he managed to get out.

Pushing in behind him, Todd let out a loud gasp, and then took a step back. “No.”

What little furniture there had been was piled into the corners. Complex symbols and shapes drawn in black covered the walls and the ceiling. Rendered on the old wood floor were more symbols and shapes in what looked like white chalk.

“I’ve seen these before,” Todd whispered, gesturing to the cryptic graffiti covering every surface.

“And?” Shaney asked, waiting for the punch line.

“And, fuck, this is bad.”

“Define ‘bad,’” Shaney croaked out.

“Like oh-shit-you-don’t-mess-with-anything-this-powerful bad.” Todd sounded a bit awestruck.

Shaney continued to run the beam of the flashlight over the symbols, which looked like a cross between something occult, Egyptian, and tenth grade geometry class. The symbols ranged from small, about a foot wide, to massive, like the one on the floor that spanned at least eight feet. Taken as a whole, each symbol was a dizzying array of angles and intersecting lines. But looking closely, Shaney could discern repeating patterns such as triangles, squares, and circles. Other odd shapes and numbers rounded out the symbols. It was as if he’d jumped straight into an episode of Supernatural. Maybe last year’s attempted exorcism of Shaney’s alleged demon hadn’t been so far-fetched.

“How fucking long would it take draw something like this?” The angles were too precise, the lines too straight. Someone had taken painstaking care in executing these images.

“So not the part to be focusing on,” Todd said dryly.

“So what’s all of this for? Some kind of magic spell? Some occult shit? Exorcism? Voodoo?” Shaney was trying for sarcasm, but with the hair standing up on his neck and tremors rippling his skin, he couldn’t pull it off. He stared at the massive circular symbol that consumed the floor and swore the lines were vibrating. He opened and closed his eyes to try and stop the visual disturbance.

“Yes and no to all of the above,” Todd stated matter-of-factly while pulling out his phone.

“What’re you doing?”

“Taking pictures.” The blinding white flash lit the room as Todd methodically documented the symbols without moving closer into the room.

“Change places with me,” Todd said, scooting past Shaney to capture the symbols on the wall behind him. “Whatever you do don’t step on any symbols,” Todd said just as Shaney was about to lay his shoe on one.

Shaney twisted mid-step to avoid the small S-shaped symbol beneath his foot, but his center of balance shifted when he knocked his shoulder against the open door. The momentum slammed the door shut and Shaney stumbled back into the room. Flailing his arms, he managed to remain upright.

Todd turned to Shaney. His face paled in the illumination from their flashlights. His eyes widened in what Shaney could only describe as unadulterated horror.

Shaney chuckled nervously. “Umm, Todd, I stepped on a symbol,” Shaney said, standing almost dead center of the largest one on the floor. No answer. When Shaney tried to move, his lower body wouldn’t respond. Oh, shit. “Todd, I stepped on a fucking symbol and I can’t move!” Panic flooded his system with adrenaline as he repeatedly tried unsuccessfully to move. That seemed to snap Todd out of his trance.

Todd glanced around the room, and Shaney hoped he was looking for a solution to his dilemma. Todd’s eyes stopped on the closed door. A partial symbol covering the door lined up with a symbol that was its mirror image on the wall adjacent to it. Closing the door had made the two halves a whole.

“Damn it!” Todd sprinted to the door, leaping over symbols on the floor. He grabbed the handle and yanked hard on the door, but it didn’t budge.

A low vibration beneath Shaney’s feet pulled his attention away from Todd’s struggle. He frowned. The vibrations reminded him of an approaching train on the railroad tracks—and his foot was caught in the proverbial rails.

“Todd?” Shaney swallowed hard as the vibrating intensified and filled his legs.

Todd stilled his attempts to open the door and turned back to Shaney.

“Todd, something’s happening. Get me off of here!” Shaney pleaded as all of the hairs on his body stood on end. A shot of tingling energy pulsed up through the soles of his cross trainers, and flashed through his entire body.

* * * * *

Curiosity Killed Shaney Blog Tour Giveaway!!

Shaney is so excited about his story being told that he is giving away some great prizes!

P.S. He’s really excited to give them away!

Prizes:

1- $25 Amazon Gift Card

2 Curiosity Killed Shaney Ebooks

2 of Maximus’ “Duct Tape” T-shirts

3 “Freeze Warlock” Coffee Mugs

2 $5 Amazon Gift Cards

Click here for pictures of Prizes

You can enter daily along the blog tour, as often as you like!

Enter Shaney’s Giveaway!

About JC Wallace

I have been writing all of my life, however it was just this year that I ventured out to be published. In my day job, I am a behavior analyst. At night and on the weekends, I write about all things men. I believe there is nothing hotter than two men finding and loving one another, whether for a night or forever. An avid reader of M/M romance, I love a good twist of a plot, HEA, HFN, or tragic ending.

I am owned by three kids, one grandchild and one on the way, two dogs and one cat. I live in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in Northern NY

Website: www.jcwallacebooks.com

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The Nightmares Series by Sage Marlowe


The Nightmares Series

Welcome to Sage today! Here to talk about the wonderful Nightmare series... over to you Sage...

What if the old, folkloristic tales are true and nightmares exist? What if a nightmare isn’t just the vivid and frightening scenario our tormented subconscious presents to us as we sleep, but a paranormal being that is as substantial and real as you and I—an incubus, a demon that feeds on human emotions? Could a man fall in love with such a demon, and could the demon love him in return?

Colin Meighan, co-owner of the small but successful gay porn production company Centre Studs is also the company’s biggest star. He sports a pretty exterior, but there’s more to him than meets the eye. Too young to know the full extent of what he is, he has to learn that the world he lives in isn’t what it seems. There are powers at work that exceed everything he’s ever believed in and the lines between nightmare and reality become blurred as he discovers the truth about himself and his gruesome heritage.

This, in short, is what the Nightmares – Series is about, but there’s more to it. A lot more. A cast of intriguing, likeable and mysterious characters takes you on a ride with more twists and turns than the average rollercoaster. Hot sex is more than just fun for these guys—it’s vital. And yet, while one man alone can never be enough for demon Colin, romance and love are far from dead.

Try the Nightmares but be warned: they’re addictive and will possibly—probably—leave you sweating, tossing and turning in your bed…or wherever you choose to read them.

Here’s the beginning of A Nightmare Come True, Book One in the Nightmares Series, to whet your appetite (Copyright Sage Marlowe, 2013):
When the day I was supposed to meet Colin Meighan finally arrived, I still couldn’t believe my luck. I was dying to meet the man in person, so, unsurprisingly, I arrived early at the address Uncle Tony had given me. It was a somewhat run-down former warehouse and far from the sexy and glamorous location I’d been expecting to find.

My uncle Tony, who always knew someone who knew someone, had set me up for a job. "It’s cash in hand," he’d told me, shielding me from my mother’s suspicious glances. "A fairly good rate, too, as long as you’re willing to keep your eyes shut for some of the time."

It had been our monthly family gathering and I, true to form, had arrived with the news of having been sacked once again. Just what did it say about me that my mother hadn’t even seemed surprised and my father, who once upon a time would have considered this a perfect reason to warm my hide, had just shrugged and continued to pick at his food?

"What exactly does this job involve?" I’d asked under my breath, watching my parents’ wordless argument.

"A bit of everything," Tony had replied. "It’s a low-budget film production and they just need a capable pair of hands to help move around equipment, put up lights and screens and stuff like that. I’ve done it a few times myself, but I’m busy that day."

Young and naïve as I was, the words 'film production' had blocked out the adjective 'low-budget' by far, but it hadn’t been until I’d cornered Tony on the doorstep, when he’d been about to leave, that I had managed to extract further information on the film production in question.

"Gay porn," he’d said, smirking. "But don’t worry, the guys keep their hands to themselves—or each other, anyway. You won’t need to watch the action either. Just turn around when you’re done with your part of the job."

I hadn’t pointed out the double-entendre in his last sentence. He certainly hadn’t suggested I turn around and show my butt to some of the hottest guys in Britain. Pursuing the topic of gay porn or even gay sex any further wouldn’t have been wise at the best of times, but on the doorstep of my father’s house, jobless and on the wrong page of my father’s books, it could have rendered me homeless within minutes.

Of course, my sexual orientation had always been a well kept secret at our home. My parents knew but the rest of the family remained in the dark, so dear Uncle Tony probably thought nothing of sending me to the set of a porn film. Little did he know that it was like asking an eight-year old to help guard a candy store. When he’d mentioned the name of the production company, Centre Studs, I’d barely been able to stop myself punching the air in victory. Centre Studs was a small company and a lightweight compared to the big overseas porn industry, but they made high quality films using the nation’s finest gay porn stars. And for me, when it came to gay porn stars, there was no one better or hotter than Colin Meighan.

The inside of the building kept the promise its outside had given. Bare stone walls, naked, chipped and paint-stained concrete floors and cheap, too bright overhead lights. I was a guy and it didn’t take much to get me in the mood, but somehow I’d imagined the location for a porn film shoot to have just a tad more of a sexy atmosphere.

I was one of the first to arrive. There was another guy with a ponytail who was busy glaring at his smartphone, two cameramen and one man who was busy taping a large microphone to a rod.

"Hi there," I greeted no one in particular and no one in particular responded. The only replies I got from the four men were muffled grunts and a mumbled "Hello."

I went to the man with the ponytail. "Hi, I’m Mike. Mike Fawkes."

Tapping away on his phone, he barely looked up. "Peter Evans. Call me Pete. I’m the producer-slash-director-slash-casting agent. Any questions, talk to me."

"Yeah, all right." I let my gaze travel across the run-down film set. A super king-size bed was tucked into a corner, which was probably for the best as it didn’t look inviting. Its stripped mattress wore a multitude of stains in different shades—fading scars that had been earned in countless battles. An old-fashioned but large sofa sat in the middle of the room, its faded green corduroy covering threadbare in places. No, they didn’t put much effort into an appealing location. "So, this is where the action’s gonna happen, huh?" I observed, mainly just to say something.

Pete glanced at me. The corners of his eyes were wrinkled in a half-smile. "Yeah. You’re early."

"Well, yes. I figured it might be better if I came early."

A soft chuckle right behind me made my back tingle. "Sweetheart, in this business it’s never good to come early."

Pete looked past me and grinned. "You took the words right out of my mouth. Hi, Colin. You’re a bit early yourself."

"Yeah, I know," Colin drawled. He moved past me and leaned in to Pete who tilted his head. For a moment I thought he’d kiss him full on the mouth, then Colin turned the motion into a quick peck on the cheek, but it was too late.

A scene from the film I’d watched last night in anticipation of the meeting interfered with reality and a dirty fantasy began to unwind in my mind. I imagined Colin greeting me with a kiss, only that ours would be open mouths and tongue-touching and all. Blood shot into my dick, fast enough to make me dizzy. Fool that I was, I’d come prepared to meet the star of my dreams, but nothing had prepared me for Colin’s enormous sex appeal. On camera he was sexy as sin, off camera he was Viagra on legs. He wore tight-fitting, ripped blue jeans and a pale grey, long-sleeved T-shirt. The fabric of the latter was so soft that it not only hugged the curves of his pectoral muscles—I could also easily make out the shape of the nipple piercing underneath.

* * * * *

For the full series listing, please visit the publisher’s website at: https://www.totallybound.com/index.php?route=product/series&series_id=388


The first four books are also already available from

Amazon  |   ARe (the links take you to the first book in the series)

Or visit Sage’s world on www.sage-marlowe.com

About the author

Sage is a multi-published author of MM erotic romance novels and novellas and loves exploring the flavours of gay erotic fiction.

A willing slave to all the fascinating guys who keep queuing up and want their stories told, Sage can almost always be found cooking up the next hot story or daydreaming about new ways of rubbing sexy male bodies together to make the sparks fly.

Contact and buy links

Sage’s website & blog: www.sage-marlowe.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/sage.marlowe0

e-mail: marlowe.sage@yahoo.co.uk

Twitter: @SageMarlowe

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/SageMarlowe

Amazon: www.amazon.com/author/sagemarlowe

For all books published with Totally Bound, go to: http://www.totallybound.com/sage-marlowe

For all books published with Siren-BookStrand, go to: www.bookstrand.com/sage-marlowe


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Sid Love Blog Tour

The Book

Bradley Parker has waited twenty years for Mr. Right, and on Valentine’s Day, he finally finds him. It’s love at first sight, and Brad even loses his virginity to the man of his dreams. But when he wakes up the next morning unable to remember anything—even what the man looked like—his best friend, Leslie, is convinced he imagined the whole thing. Brad knows he didn’t make up the best night of his life, but he has no idea of the danger he’s putting himself in as he struggles to recall the details of his perfect man. His search may lead him to parts of New York City he never dreamed existed and a war being waged in the shadows.

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About the author

Sid Love grew up in one of busiest cities in the world, Mumbai, listening to the excerpts of Indian epics from his father every night. While it served as an inspiration back in time, he has always had an ambitious mind. In 2007, when he had just turned sixteen, he decided that he would make his lifelong dream come true—to become a well-known, respected author some day.

Ask him and he would refuse to accept that he is obsessed with books. Or movies. Or TV shows. Addicted may even be the right word. He is a die-hard fan of Jane Austen’s romance novels and loves to reread them time and again.

You can find him on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sid.love.16?ref=tn_tnmn or tweet him anytime: https://twitter.com/FatefulMercy, or simply e-mail him at sidlovethewriter@live.in.


Excerpt

“Okay, remember how I said it is huge?” Brad finally spoke, and Leslie nodded her head to let him know she was all ears. “Well, it is. Last night, something happened, something unimaginable… beyond any of my wildest dreams. I never thought….”

“Brad.” Leslie yawned. “To the point, please. I don’t have all day.”

“Okay, all right! What happened is….” He paused, plastering a big grin on his face. She tried very hard not to roll her eyes, letting him tell her at his own pace. “Last night, my dear, I finally got laid!”

When he broke the news to her, Leslie’s subsequent yawn was cut short by the initial shock she went through. Her body jerked forward, now fully awakened. There wasn’t any amount of caffeine that would have made her feel as lively as she felt at that moment.

This was definitely huge, and not just for Brad. Over the years, Leslie had constantly tried and consequently failed in hooking him up with several guys. Bradley Joseph Parker had the arrogance of a drag queen, she thought. He was too picky when it came to dating and relationships; never wishing to settle for anything less. He dreamt of a guy whose mere presence would take his breath away, who would be so handsome that every girl and every gay guy in the world would yearn to have him in their lives. “Such a guy would only belong to me, holding my hand in a roomful of envious people,” he would say with a smirk. “I would look around and say to them ‘Suck it up, bitches! He is mine!’”

Brad had wasted years with these stupid fantasies, and he had remained a virgin. So Leslie never thought the day would come when Brad’s whining would ever end.

But it had. And Leslie thought she would faint, even with the adrenaline rushing through her veins.

“Wha—?” She became aware of the fact that she had left her mouth hanging open for too long and shut it immediately. A smile crept across her lips, getting bigger by the second, and it turned into a cheek-hurting grin. “Oh my God! Shut up. Seriously?” She quickly sat up, hopping on the bed to cross her legs.

“Very seriously, Les.” Brad’s cute face beamed with wonder and excitement. Leslie couldn’t blame him. She remembered the day she had had sex for the first time, and even though it was a while back, she couldn’t forget the bliss she’d felt after finally losing her virginity or the hunger she felt for getting some more. Leslie was ready to bet that Brad was experiencing similar whirls of emotions in him.

“Last night, on Valentine’s Day…?” she asked.

Brad gave a nod. “On Valentine’s Day.”

“That’s so funny.” Leslie laughed out loud. Even though Valentine’s Day never meant anything to her, something this huge happening to her best friend did force her to consider it a special day. “Okay, you have to tell me everything, dude! Don’t leave out a single detail. I don’t care if it’s too much information. I just have to know. How long has this been going on between you two?”

Brad laughed. “Not too long. I just met him yesterday.”

“And you slept with him already?” Leslie’s mind was drawing up the picture of the perfect guy in her imagination, a guy who had managed to entice someone like Brad in such a short time. She was sure he would be down-to-earth, with an impeccably charming personality. “Way to go! I won’t deny it; I like the spontaneous Brad. Who is this guy, by the way? Do I know him?”

“No, you don’t.” His smile wavered a bit.

“Well, what’s his name?”

Leslie watched him hesitate for a moment. “I… don’t know.”

It took her by surprise.

“I think my devilish side just had a mind-blowing orgasm. You not only have sex with a guy for the first time, but you are also telling me it was simply a one-night stand?” She put her hand over her heart and mockingly said, “Mama Les is so proud of her boy!”

“But Les,” he knitted his eyebrows together as he stood up and came over to sit by her side. He took hold of Leslie’s hand, and she felt his grip tightening when he said, “It wasn’t a one-night stand. Definitely not, uh-uh.” He shook his head, and she immediately wondered if he was trying to convince her or himself. “It was special to me, and I could tell it was special for him too. Why else would he go to extremes to make that night an unforgettable memory? He lit up hundreds of scented candles in the room for me, and there were rose petals all over the bed where we did it.” Leslie didn’t miss the blush forming on his face again as he spoke. “There was champagne, sweet music, and he was a perfect gentleman. He kept asking me if I was sure about this.”

“WOW! Sounds utterly cheesy to me….” Leslie said, although she was quite impressed by all of it and maybe a bit jealous too.

Brad let go of her hand and sighed. “It was damn romantic.”

Leslie moved her gaze around the dorm room, scrutinizing it. “I am guessing it wasn’t here you did it then?” She inquired, turning to face him and watched him slowly crossing his legs like she had.

“No, he took me to his place.” Brad had his mouth open to probably add something more, but he stopped abruptly, scrunched his nose up, and glanced at her with some doubt. “I think it was his place… I don’t know. Where else would he take me?”

Leslie noticed uncertainty, even when he shrugged. What Brad was saying didn’t make any sense to her. “The champagne! Did you have too much of it?”

He frowned. “God, no! Why would I want to give him the impression I’m an idiotic drunkard on our first meeting?”

Of course she didn’t believe him. “Right, says the one who’d put Britney Spears to shame with his underage drinking. Seriously, dude, I’ve had to pick you up in a drunken state from God knows how many parties by now. So don’t shit me by saying you didn’t have any amount of alcohol in you last night.”

Brad reddened and carefully said, “I may have had a little bit of alcohol.”

Typical. Leslie rolled her eyes. “Weren’t you at Ian’s party last night?” She tried to keep her face straight as she asked. The party he had gone to was for all the single men and ladies from their college. Leslie knew exactly how that turned out every year by the end of the night.

He gave a nod in reply.

“Well, maybe you did it at his place?”

“No, it can’t be because we were partying at a nightclub last night.”

“Since when do nightclubs allow in a bunch of twenty year-olds?” she asked, certain they must have been stopped at the door for IDs. She couldn’t say about the others, but Brad’s cute baby face did give away his age.

“They don’t, but Ian somehow knew a few guys working at this nightclub that we went to, so we were able to sneak in.” He grinned.

Leslie suddenly wished she could have joined them. “Lucky you!” Now she couldn’t wait for May to arrive; that was when she turned twenty-one. She had been planning it in her mind forever. “So you met this mysterious guy in that club?”

“Yes, I think so.” Brad chewed on his lower lip.

“Well, what did he say to you? What did he look like?”

Brad turned sorrowful. “If I only knew….” He hung his head down and began to pull on his hair. “Fuck, Les!” He yelled, then looked up, scowling at her. “I can’t seem to remember any of it. The only thing that has managed to stay stuck in my memory is the mind-blowing sex that I had with him. I even remember all the positions we did it in, and God, that guy has the stamina of a wild lion, I tell you.”

Buy Links

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4633

See more on this Blog Tour

10th - The Blog of Sid Love - Spotlight
- Andrew Q. Gordon - Author Interview

11th - MM Good Book Reviews (Pixie) - Promo Spotlight + Review
- Sue Brown - Guest Post

12th - Joyfully Jay - Guest Post
- Rhys Ford - Promo Spotlight

13th - Live Your Life, Buy the Books - Promo Spotlight + Review
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14th - The Novel Approach (Lisa Horan) - Review
- RJ Scott - Promo Spotlight

17th - Mrs. Condit & Friends - Promo Spotlight + Review
- Madison Parker - Guest Post "Valentine's Day"

18th - Prism Book Alliance - Author Interview
- Alicia Nordwell - Promo Spotlight

19th - Pants off Reviews - Review
- JP Barnaby - Guest Post

20th - Elisa Rolle - Guest Post
- Cate Ashwood - Author Q&A

21st - Kimi-chan - Review
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24th - My Fiction Nook - Promo Spotlight + Review
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25th - Book Reviews & More by Kathy - Interview
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26th - Sinfully Sexy – Monique – Guest Post
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27th - The Blogger Girls – Promo Spotlight
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28th - Fallen Angel Reviews – Spotlight + Review


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