31/01/2020

New Release - Audiobook - Love’s Trials by Janice Jarrell

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR


Book Title: Love’s Trials

Author: Janice Jarrell

Publisher: ACX

Narrator: Walker Williams

Release Date: January 28, 2020

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Hurt/comfort

Themes: Redemption, forgiveness 

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 9 hours and 24 minutes

It can be listened to as a standalone. But listening to Love’s Magic first would be helpful in understanding the characters.




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When the trial is deadly enough, love can lose its way.

Blurb

Colin and Joshua faced the most harrowing ordeal of their lives with strength and courage. Believing they'd survived their trial, they looked forward to a future filled with happiness only to discover that the worst was yet to come. Sometimes surviving is the toughest trial of all.

After half a lifetime spent in short-term liaisons that allowed no intimacy, charismatic Irish police officer, Colin Campbell, found the love of his life. Dark-eyed, steady Joshua Abrams burned through Colin’s emotional barriers and taught him to look at life through new eyes, eyes that made room for the love and closeness he had always denied himself. Deeply in love and completely happy, their life together remains idyllic and their fiery passion for each other seems limitless.

They survive the Charlottesville 'Unite the Right' riots, though not without scars. But later that month Colin’s position with the campus police force places him in charge of an informant program designed to crack a dangerous drug ring. Fully aware of the risks, he swears to Joshua that he will oversee the program without becoming directly involved. But Colin's promise shatters when he becomes the only thing standing between a young Nigerian exchange student and a deadly drug lord.



About the Author 

 

My name is Janice Jarrell. I am a retired grandmother who lives in Seattle, WA. I have two children and three grandsons. I’ve been writing gay romance since I was twelve years old, only back then it wasn’t called ‘gay romance’. In fact, it had no name at all. It was the fifty’s, and it was worth your life to admit to being gay, let alone confess to being a girl who constantly fantasized about relationships between gay men. Hell, I didn’t even know what a homosexual was. I lived on a farm out in the sticks in a tiny Michigan village and I’d never, to my knowledge, even heard the word. I just knew I loved the thought of boy on boy romance. I just knew that there was something hot going on between Tom Corbett and his Space Cadets and all those guys on ‘Combat’.

I wrote slash fanfiction for 30 years, writing over 337 stories, some as short as 100 words (a drabble) some as long as a series which was over 119, 012 words. I enjoy writing my stories. I enjoyed the feedback I received from my readers. It was a creative release I’d been searching for my entire life and I blessed the Internet for leading me to this artistic oasis for my spirit.

Love’s Magic was my very first step into writing my own characters. I will always be grateful the slash fanfiction community for nurturing the budding author until she was ready to blossom into a fully realized novelist, and I am thrilled that it is now available on Audible! It’s been an amazing thing to watch the gay community’s growth over these past twenty years. My own journey has echoed theirs in many ways, and I’m grateful to all those gay activists who fought to give the gay community the rights and privileges they always deserved.

My second contemporary gay romance novel, Love's Trials followed Colin and Joshua on their journey as men and as a couple. The readers who fell in love with them in Love’s Magic were thrilled to see their romance continue to grow and blossom, but were forced to watch our beloved boys go through some pretty traumatic trials in this book, trials which nearly shattered their relationship. But their love proved stronger than any troubles in the end and they now move forward into the happiness they know they deserve.

In Love’s Glory, my newest release, Colin and Joshua bask in the happiness that eluded them in Love’s Trials. If you’re looking for a book filled with anger, fear, and anxiety... look elsewhere. Love’s Glory is about just that... the glory of love and the continued growth of these two extraordinary men and the amazing friends who are a large part of their lives.

I’m also grateful to the gay romance community, readers, authors, publishers and promoters, who are making these, my retirement years, the most creative ones of my life. When I'm not writing, I'm traveling, walking, hiking, knitting, crocheting, and weaving, and enjoying my life here in the heart of the Pacific Northwest.


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29/01/2020

New Release - Say It (Fascination Series Book 1) by Sky McCoy #KindleUnlimited #giveaway

RELEASE BLITZ


Book Title: Say It (Fascination Series Book 1)

Author: Sky McCoy

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Release Date: January 30, 2020

Genre/s: Gay M/M Romance

Trope/s: Help me heal, enemies to lovers, billionaire bad boy, 

straight to gay, friends to lovers, single father 

Themes: Coming out

Heat Rating: 5 flames 

Length: 65 000 words/ 216 pages


 


Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited 


   


Blurb

“If Jeremy thinks I will ever go away and leave him to himself to destroy what I want and need from him, then he will have to—say it.”

“I like who I am. It took years to create this persona, and I’ll be damn if I allow a brash, gorgeous, hot young twink like Dorian make me into someone I’m not.”

When a straight man meets an openly gay man, sparks fly in a good and bad way. Jeremy Westbrook is running from commitment, and Dorian Hart is looking for the love of his life after being ditched by his partner. If their lives aren’t complicated enough, a man shows up at Jeremy’s door and will turn his life upside down.



Excerpt

Chapter 1

Jeremy

“No fucking way?” I murmured into the empty silence, just as I’d planned to pour myself a drink of Scotch on the rocks after I stepped out of the shower and dried off. I needed something strong. I placed the bottle down after pouring a slug. I closed my eyes for a moment, then I collected my thoughts. I wasn’t about to reach for a robe. If whoever had the nerve to show up at my door, they’d get what they were looking for—a naked ass with a hard cock.

After a quick sip, I placed the much-needed drink on the table, and sauntered over to the intercom to call security. Where the fuck was security and what the fuck were they doing? Giving each other a blowjob? I questioned.

Wasn’t it their job to scrutinize my guests and at least ask if I wanted to be bothered tonight? Or tell them I’m not here. Which wouldn’t be a lie. I glanced over at the clock. I wasn’t supposed to be here. I was supposed to be dressing so I could go over to that fucking country club. This was the third ring.

“I explicitly left orders for security to say that I’m out for the fucking evening,” I huffed, raising my finger to hit the button. Then came a loud knock.

Now I wanted to see just who had the balls to knock on my door.

I enjoyed my privacy. Everyone who knew me knew I didn’t want any company, especially since I’d been home for only a few days. Everyone except Max Gold that was. He didn’t respect my boundaries when he wanted something. I looked down at my watch sitting on a table with my keys, and saw it was later than I thought. “Fucking jet lag has my body all screwed up.”

I didn’t expect anyone today, must be a package, I rationalized. I inadvertently turned the lock, opening the door without looking through the peephole.

“What the fuck do you want?” I barked. I peered at the man in black with wide eyes and open mouth. Now I was shocked. My eyes locked on the six-foot, blue-eyed, black sheep of the Westbrook family. There’s always one in the family, and Jack Westbrook my twin brother was the one who now carried that title. Once it had been me, when my family wondered if I’d ever get married. I’d been postponing that for far too long, and everyone—especially my brothers and their wives —had started gossiping about me behind my back.

I’d been suspect of being gay, and my older brothers with their wives had questioned me at every turn.

“When are you going to marry Annalisa?” They’d corralled me at a family gathering in front of her, just to ask that question, hoping to get me to commit to something.

I did—my freedom.

They’d asked me too many times, and I’d forgotten what my excuses were. I’d finally given them different answers until even I became nauseated at the sound and thought of my voice, and the idea of marriage. The only one who didn’t appear to care had been my youngest brother, Carter, and Jack.

However, Thomas and Jarrett were wearing me down to the point that I was willing to give up my freedom, say, “fuck it,” and do the right thing—whatever that was.

Jack, nevertheless, had the balls to admit that he was gay and owned it. With me I couldn’t. I couldn’t admit that I loved men, wanted to be with one, wanted to spend the rest of my life with a man whom I loved, and turned me on in the worst way. That was my one and only desire—to find a man I could hold in my arms, look him in the eyes and say that I loved him.

I wanted to spend the rest of my life inside his hard body once I found him, go to sleep at night with my cock inside his hole. That was a dream of course, but it would never come true, because I had yet to meet anyone that incredible, who would hold my attention for more than a minute, and would make me want him the way I’d envisioned.

Besides, I was supposed to be straight and I couldn’t see starting over and having to endure what Jack had suffered by our family. A family of five fucking men, all straight and one gay. I’d say that was a good ratio. Out of five boys only one was gay—if you took me out of the equation.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in, big brother? How long do you expect me to stand out here while you gawk at me as if you’ve never seen me before?” Jack questioned as his glance wandered to his right and left, and then over my shoulder. “Don’t tell me you have company because I know you better than that, Jeremy.” Jack uttered with a weak voice. I reached for my robe on the hallstand and shrugged my arms through the sleeves, then tied the belt as I watched Jack, and I wondered what it could be this time.

“Since you know me so well, then why are you invading my privacy?”

Jack’s eyes met mine and then he pushed past me. I turned to see him march over to my glass and bottle on the table, reach for the bottle, then pour Scotch into my glass after emptying the ice into the butler’s sink, then filling the short glass to the brim, he guzzled down my expensive liquor.

“What the fuck is it this time?” I asked, standing behind him. “Who are you running from?” I met his glare as he turned, his brow furrowed making a V. Then his closed mouth curled up to the right into a tight smile.

“No one. Can’t I show up at my brother’s apartment without insinuations about my past?” Jack poured himself another drink, which fed my suspicions about him. There was something he wasn’t telling me. Someone or something had him on the run.

“You know why I asked you, Jack.” I sat and observed his body language. Maybe that would tell me something. “You’re my twin and whatever the fuck you’ve gotten yourself into now, I need to know about it.”

Jack slid down heavily on the sofa across from me as if he’d been up for days, and by the looks of him, dark circles around his eyes, and his soiled clothes with coffee stains, that left only one question in my mind.

“What is it this time? A disgruntled lover or two, the Russian mob, or both?”

   
 


About the Author 

Sky McCoy writes HEA M/M Romance and erotica books of men who enjoy being gay, hot, sexy and in love. Love is the theme of Sky’s M/M books where you find drama, hot men, hot sex where the sex never cools, even if the drama does. 

When Sky isn’t writing, you can check the interstate, because you may discover Sky driving west after living in New York for years. You can reach Sky here skymccoy0@gmail.com anytime you want to chat.


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Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

a $10 gift card from Amazon, 1 signed copy of Boys with Toys book 1 from back list and a signed copy of Say It.


 



 

27/01/2020

Cover Reveal - The Life Mage Trilogy, Book 1: Twin Mages by G. E. Mayberry

COVER REVEAL


Book Title: The Life Mage Trilogy, Book 1: Twin Mages

Author: G. E. Mayberry

Cover Artist: TrillPockets

Release Date: February 8, 2020

Genre/s: New Adult Fantasy Adventure

Trope/s: Action Girl, After-Action Healing Drama, Carnival of Killers, Mission Briefing, 

Sole Survivor, Taking Over the Town, Everybody’s Dead Dave

Themes: Balance, Sword and Sorcery, War – Pain and Tragedy

Heat Rating: 1 flame 


 

Pre-Order on Amazon




Power destroys without regard

Blurb

When Hyam traveled to Lisedan he was lost and in search of a destiny. Alyson and Lettie thought their lives were over when Mana Hunters enslaved their village. Together, the three of them set forth on a path none of them had ever imagined. War, and a fight for the fate of magic, would lead them across a continent and reveal secrets long hidden.

Set forth on a fantasy adventure in the Noble Mages verse, where magic runs through everything. This exciting introduction to the Life Mage Trilogy will have you on the edge of your seat with each exciting twist. Get to know the diverse cast of characters that make the verse the extraordinary place that it is.



Excerpt

"On three, we begin the assault. One... two... three," I said. The illusion on the alley dropped as I dived out into the street. I spotted two guards standing not twenty feet from where I exited the alley and began my assault by casting a confusion spell. "Spirit Mind Confuse," I incanted, directing my mana at the two guards. The first fell into the confusion easily, but the second had protected his mind behind a layer of spells. Before I could break into his mind, he cast a counterspell and attempted to push back into my mind. I focused my attention on him.

"Attack the guard on the right," I ordered my squad. "I've got the one on the left."

With my orders issued, I left the other guard to my allies and focused on the mind mage. His attacks were weak but unpredictable, so I decided not to counter-attack. Instead, I layered protections on my mind and, hidden beneath the protections, a break spell that grows stronger the more it's attack. "Spirit Mind Strengthen and Break, Spirit Mind Strengthen and close, Spirit Mind Strengthen and Grow, Spirit Mind Close and Renew," I incanted. Several layers of protection went up around my mind.

I walked calmly towards him, letting him know I was not afraid. He broke through fire one layer of protection, then another, and another. I was less than five feet from him now. I could see the moment in his eyes when the final layer of protection broke, and his mind broke with it. the sheer terror as the world around him morphed into something from his worst nightmare. I did not let him suffer for long. I pulled a dagger from my belt and slit his throat in one quick slash.

I took a quick look around. The other guard was dispatched quite easily. A third guard had come up from behind us. He was quickly dispatched as well.

First guards eliminated, moving on* I said telepathically to Alyson and Anisha.

"Keep moving forward," I ordered out loud, leading the charge past Alyson's group, who had already eliminated three guards and only had two left standing. Anisha's group was just engaging and were locking into a battle of five on five, though I could see three more down a side street.

Alyson, once you've dispatched your guards, back up Anisha's squad, I ordered and lead my squad farther onward still.

Confirmed, came Alyson's reply.

"We didn't have far to go before we reached the barricade of soldiers, at least ten, with more on the way. Things were starting to get dangerous, and we were still six blocks away from the tower. a wall of flame burst up between us and the enemy soldiers as they began sending spears made of earth and ice raining down on us.

"Earth Geo Control and Protect," I incanted. I brought up small bits of earth all around us that redirected the spears enough that they hit the ground around us instead of hitting us. Even still, I saw one of my squad fall as an ice spear went through his ankle.

The hail of ice and earth kept coming, as more Enualians joined the barricade. This fight delayed us, and the other two squads caught up. they started throwing their own earth and fire spears back at the Enualians while the water mages attempted to douse the flame barrier. I watched as we gained the advantage. I continued deflecting the enemy's projectiles and, just when it looked like we were going to win and push through, the unimaginable happened.




About the Author 

Guinevere E. Mayberry is a fantasy novelist and the author of the new book, Twin Mages, the first book in the Life Mage Trilogy, and the exciting new storyverse, Noble Mages. The Noble Mages verse started with a simple question: What would the world be like if everybody could use magic? From there it took off, and Guinevere had no idea how tightly this idea would grip her imagination. From what was intended to be a single romance novel, her writing evolved into two fantasy adventure trilogies and 3 supplementary novels.

When growing up, books were a constant companion to Guinevere. From the romance stylings of Nicholas Sparks, to the fantasy that is the Harry Potter series, Guinevere would read anything she could get her hands on. Her classmates were known to comment on how she could always been seen, walking down the hallways with her nose in a book. And even back then, she knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to be the next author that a new generation would look back on and say “Her books helped me through a dark time.” 


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24/01/2020

New Release - Loose Ends by Morgan Brice #giveaway

RELEASE BLITZ


Book Title: Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4)

Author: Morgan Brice

Cover Artist: Natania Barron

Release Date: December 30, 2019 

Genre/s: Urban Fantasy, MM paranormal romance

Trope/s: Spooky supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, dark magic.

Themes: Trust, loyalty, commitment, partnership

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and 

features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels. 

Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

Length: 62 000 words/ 220 pages


 


As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand?
Blurb

Cold cases, old enemies, ex-lovers, and vengeful spirits are making life dangerous for psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his boyfriend, homicide detective Vic D’Amato.

The ghosts of Myrtle Beach are restless, trapped by love, secrets, scandals, and spells, keeping Simon busy protecting the living from the unhappy dead. Someone from Vic’s past is out to destroy him and everyone he holds dear, and the high-profile trial of the first case Simon and Vic worked together puts them in the spotlight—and put a target on their backs. As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand?

Loose Ends is an urban fantasy MM paranormal romance with spooky supernatural suspense, hot sex, hurt/comfort, feisty friends, found family, ghosts galore, and dark magic. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels. Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.



Buy Links






Excerpt

“The hauntings are worse than ever. Someone else is going to get killed.” Josh Ryan hunched over his steaming cup of coffee. Out front, Mizzenmast Coffee was packed with java addicts

waiting in line for the best, and only, pirate-themed specialty coffees on the Grand Strand.

That was why Simon Kincaide had ushered his guest to the less- used second seating area, which still had a full-sized pirate statue, a treasure chest, and a motley stuffed parrot from its days as a bucca‐ neer attraction. Tracey Cullen, Le Miz’s owner and Simon’s best friend, had turned a building she couldn’t afford to redecorate into Myrtle Beach gold with her hit café. Only the regulars ever both‐ ered to come into the second room, which meant Simon and Josh might have a chance to talk uninterrupted.

“You guys explore a lot of abandoned places. I’ve never seen you rattled by ghosts before,” Simon observed.

Simon owned Grand Strand Ghost Tours, a logical undertaking for someone with a strong gift as a psychic medium and a Ph.D. in folklore and mythology. His abilities were the real deal, and when he wasn’t leading ghost tours or helping deal with bothersome haunts, he was an official consultant with the Myrtle Beach Police Department on supernaturally-linked crimes, along with his boyfriend, Homicide Detective Vic D’Amato.

“Yeah, well. Usually we run into cold spots, see a few orbs, maybe hear something we can’t explain,” Josh replied. “We’ve never had a ghost push one of my team off a roller coaster platform. If Cam hadn’t been a gymnast, he’d never have been able to catch himself on that beam, and he’d be dead.”

“You’re sure he didn’t slip?”

Josh shook his head. “Not Cam. He’s like a cat. And he said afterward that he felt hands on his back before he was pushed.”

Simon sipped his latte as his mind raced. Josh headed a team of urban explorers and paranormal investigators who prowled around abandoned buildings, old ruins, and the sites people left behind. They documented the beauty of decay with their cameras and video and tried to verify reports of ghost sightings. Josh was also one of Simon’s “Skeleton Crew,” the joking name given to the young, untrained psychics who found their way to Myrtle Beach and strug‐ gled to control or understand their abilities. Simon knew that Josh’s ability to sense ghosts was real. So if he said he’d seen something...

“Cam’s all right?”

Josh nodded, ducking his head to take a gulp of coffee and hide the worry in his eyes. “He pulled some muscles. It was a hell of a dismount. But nothing broken. It could have been way worse.”

“Did you get any idea who the ghost was?”

“No. But we knew there were rumors that the park was haunted —even before it shut down for good.”

Buccaneer Thrill Park had a snakebitten history. A couple of rich out-of-state investors thought a pirate-themed major amuse‐ ment park was the kind of idea that couldn’t fail. Simon vaguely remembered reading about the park opening ten years ago before he’d moved to Myrtle Beach from the state capital in Columbia. The park had promised to offer the tallest and fastest coasters, trendy bars, a star-studded celebrity launch, and all the high-tech hoopla money could buy.

They built it, but no one came. By the end of the second season, Buccaneer closed for good, amid whispers of hushed-up visitor

deaths, paid-off injuries, and financial mismanagement. The front‐ man, Greg Ellington, was found shot to death in his office a day before the press broke the story of embezzled funds and colossal ineptitude. Thad Stevens, the other partner and principal investor, vanished without a trace.

“I’ve been poking around on the Buccaneer story since the place shut down,” Josh said. “My team’s visited probably a dozen times. Plus, I knew people who worked on the construction and disman‐ tling, and who ran the rides when it was open.” He leaned forward, dropping his voice. “They won’t talk on the record, or to the police, but I’ve heard all their stories. And the rumors that got out? They’re just a fraction of how fucked up that place was.”

Simon sat back in his chair, settling his lanky body and long legs as best he could. He warmed his hands on the hot paper cup and tucked a strand of long chestnut hair behind one ear. “Tell me.”

“One of my sources was a crane operator when they were installing the Riptide Roll steel coaster,” Josh confided. “He saw one of the workmen fall from the top of the first hill when they were assembling the ride. Says the guy died on impact. The company paid to hush it up. Same thing happened when another worker was crushed to death. A load of steel pipe shifted, and he ended up underneath it.”

“Jesus.”

“That’s not all of it. The place was only open for barely two seasons, but the ride operators had stories that would curl your hair. Riders got whiplash, one girl lost a couple of fingers, and a kid died from head injuries when his ride car came loose and crashed. Not to mention the operator who got electrocuted when he had to run his ride in the rain.”

“If the owners had to cover all that up, no wonder they went bankrupt,” Simon said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe they didn’t get shut down.”

“Their rides continued to pass inspections from the state office —or maybe someone got paid off. Still, they closed suddenly before the end of their last season,” Josh said. “Whistleblowers went to the media. The situation was going to be ugly. But then it turned out to be even worse.”



About the Author 

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.

On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.

Series include Witchbane, Badlands, and Treasure Trail. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!




 


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Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

one of three ebook copies of any book in the Badlands series



 


 

New Release - Hathonatum by Taylin Clavelli #giveaway

BLOG TOUR and GUEST POST

Book Title: Hathonatum

Author: Taylin Clavelli

Publisher: MLR Press

Genre/s: Science Fiction, Contemporary M/M, Interracial (Alien/Human), Inter-dimensional, Reincarnation. Multi-Verse, Historical elements.

Heat Rating: 3 – 4 flames

Length: 89 000 words 

The story can be read as a standalone. It is the first book in the Pelethus Series. The next book involves different main characters that are connected to those in Hathonatum.

Add on Goodreads


Buy Links 



 
Hathonatum is a love story that spans time, dimension, universe and death.

Blurb

Have you ever wondered if that little voice inside you is actually your voice?

Egypt captivates Benjamin. As an adult, he immerses himself in his chosen profession, as an archaeologist in the ancient city of Abydos. For Ben, the hieroglyphs, and paintings unlock dreams of a time long lost.

The dig Ben works on is financed by Ashari Hathonatum. For many years, the man has been looking for the one who completes him. He initially saw his heart’s match from a distance. But that was a long time ago and from an alternate universe. When Ashari encounters Ben, he wonders if he is the reincarnation of the man he saw, through another’s eyes, all those years ago. Will the secrets Ashari hides about his heritage stop their love blooming, or will others from his dimension, determined to keep Ashari from his heart’s match, rule the day?

**The story is written with British spelling/grammar. **





Excerpt

Though Ben loved the thought of studying Seti, he was part of a small crew concentrating on Narmer (3180-3120 BC), whose tomb was located to the west of the dig, almost as far away from Seti as a tomb could get. Not much was known about the first pharaoh of the combined kingdoms, and Ben wanted to help discover something new. He wanted to shed light on a life that no one knew about—a new phenomenon to capture the imagination.

Ben had been on-site for a little over a week when he saw an intriguing man talking to Terry, his dig leader. Judging by his skin, Ben suspected the man to be local, but it was difficult to tell. Other than his face, the only other exposed part of him was his hands. The rest of him was covered with clothing designed to keep out the worst of the sand—layered, lightweight, loose, and black.

When the man locked gazes with him, Ben found himself staring into a vibrant blue sea of lapis lazuli, framed with black lashes and dark eyebrows. It wasn’t until a fellow worker walked between them that the connection was broken. When Ben sought to re-establish contact, the other had his back to him. Ben returned to his work, clearing out a trench of sand. The heat and excitement over what his group might find overshadowed any musings concerning the stranger.

At the end of the day, Ben was so tired he clambered onto the city-bound truck with as much grace as a stumbling mummy.

That night, while lounging on his bed, images of dark blue assaulted him. The event was rare for him, considering Egypt was his prime…prime everything.

Every day, the journey to the ruins was like being transported back in time. Ben could close his eyes and almost feel like he was there, in ancient Egypt. Often, he imagined he could see a partial image of the hustle and bustle of the ancient civilization continuing around him. At other times, he was in the quiet solitude of a temple. The images were odd, considering ancient Abydos was a graveyard.

From the drop-off point the next day, Ben made his way to tombs B17 and B18—the tombs attributed to Narmer. He worked there all morning with his small, square trowel and brush, slowly moving away the sands of eons.

As lunchtime approached, he relocated to the edge of the main dig and took his break. From there, he would imagine life in ancient Egypt.

Daydreaming, he chose to walk back to his station.

Suddenly, an alarm sounded. It was the warning for a sandstorm. It was similar to what his grandparents had described as the air raid warning from the war.

There was a flurry of activity while people efficiently covered artefacts and other areas of importance. Ben glanced around, noticing the storm was a lot closer than he’d originally thought. It had come out of nowhere. What crept toward the dig seemed like a moving wall of cloud, dense enough to shield the view and engulf anything below it. If it wasn’t for the cottonlike plumes of wheat colours, Ben could have believed a curtain of rain was heading his way. The screen of rapid shadow was making quick progress toward the dig, swallowing all in its path. Briefly, Ben went rigid, unable to move. When the sound of hissing reached his consciousness, and sand stung his feet and face, he dashed toward shelter. He was running a losing race.

Abruptly, he was grabbed and pulled to the floor behind a shallow wall. In a spell of activity as sleek as the sandstorm, a mask was put over his face, and his body along with that of his saviour rolled together. Over and over, they turned. Coming to a halt, and dizzy, Ben found himself cocooned, head to toe in a thick blanket. From the outside, the two of them probably resembled a fat, discarded mummy.

As Ben regained his senses, he could feel a wall to his back and secure arms around him. The only thing between them was his messenger bag containing the bottles of water he was required to keep on him to prevent dehydration in the desert sun.

Panting, he opened his eyes to a familiar sea of lazuli.




GUEST POST

Taylin’s Hathonatum Random Stuff

1. Things I learned while writing Hathonatum.

a. Other than looking stunning, semi-precious stones have some impressive characteristics. E.g. Amber is good for warmth and wellbeing. Jasper’s, in general, have a grounding and stabilizing effect, connecting the wearer with the earth. Lapis lazuli is multi-talented. Among them, the stone can activate psychic abilities.

b. There are many levels of alternate dimensions. The first is where there is you, and me, doing exactly the same, in multiple dimensions. Further down is the dimension where you and I exist but are doing completely different activities. Then, much lower again is the area that Hathonatum is based on. This dimension is effectively a different universe with entirely different characters.

c. Birthmarks can be a sign that a person has been reincarnated. It is said that they are marks left over from that life.

d. Scene stealing characters can come out of nowhere. I always planned for Ben to have a family, but their personalities didn’t develop until it came time to use them. One turned out to have a more prominent role than expected.



2. Random facts about Hathonatum and the Pelethus series.

a. Abydos is more than a place in a TV series. It exists and is used in Hathonatum.

b. Egyptian history has been a hobby of mine since childhood. But to ensure accuracy, I downloaded many maps of Egypt.

c. I have been to Egypt, visited the pyramids, the Cairo museum and taken a trip down the Nile. So, scenes written about these areas come from personal experience.

d. Initially, I intended for Hathonatum to be one-off. Indeed, it can be read as a standalone. However, Ben’s brother Jared turned out to be so popular with my pre-readers that they insisted he has an adventure of his own. Thus, the Pelethus series was born. I am in the process of writing book two, Conversion.

e. Because Ben was born in the UK, the novel is written with British spelling.

Considering the random information above, I believe it is accurate to say that the most challenging part about writing this story was getting it all in there in a believable manner. When getting started, I wrote several versions of the opening chapters. I was unsure of whether to begin with the sci-fi, historical or modern elements. There was also the option of writing aspects in parallel with each other, first or third person and tense to consider. Those first attempts didn’t feel right, so I started from scratch and put myself in Ben’s position. That’s when writing in the third person from the viewpoint of a modern-day Ben seemed most appropriate. Other views come into the story, but they sneak in gradually.

Looking back, being a planner might have helped. In Hathonatum, it is only the opening chapters that were planned. I’m more of a pantser writer. I have about four or five pivotal events that I develop the story around, but I don’t plan on where they’ll be or the connecting events. Anything else appears as the story is written. Using this method, I feel that my writing is more natural.

It is difficult though to turn the thought process off and while writing one chapter, I usually have an idea that may fit in somewhere else. I develop a list of one-liner ideas or lines of dialogue that I think are good. That doesn’t mean everything in the list is used. Sometimes I’ll have a better idea or find that there wasn’t an opportunity to use a concept. I don’t like to force a scene into chapter because, when I do that it always reads as though it’s not a natural fit. As a result, the only scenes that are edited out of the book are repeated ones – others are simply not included. I’d list what they were, but once I’ve discounted something, I delete it from my list and forget about it.




About the Author 

 


I am proud to be British and proud to be an author of gay romance stories from varying genres. I write under the pseudonym Taylin Clavelli, not because I don’t want my real name out there, but because I think my real name is unmemorable for an author. The name came about from a night of Skype and a lot of wine.

My first published work - a comedy called Boys Toys and Carpet Fitters - came out in 2012. It was part of a Dreamspinners anthology called Don't Do This At Home. Since then, I have produced a further two novels and five short stories, not including Hathonatum. 

As well as being married for close to thirty years, and have a grown-up family, who I adore - I work part-time at a Manor Hotel, where I am also the resident historian. I am a book reviewer, too for a well-known site.

Not being a spring chicken anymore, I have a few hobbies that over the years have come, gone and resurfaced again. I am an experienced horse rider, and 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwondo. I help my husband with DIY projects, upcycle as much as possible and love my garden. As for those simple things that make me stop in my tracks. The dawn chorus, baking bread, lasagne, and the scene where Shadowfax makes his screen entrance.



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Giveaway 

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win: 

A choice of paperback + swag from Dakota Skies, Secret Of The Manor or 5 shorts from Taylin - 3 winners

A choice of 1 ecopy from Dakota Skies, Secret Of The Manor or 5 shorts from Taylin - 5 winners



 





 

23/01/2020

New Release - Ted of the d’Urbervilles by Rob Rosen

RELEASE BLITZ


Book Title: Ted of the d’Urbervilles

Author: Rob Rosen

Publisher: JMS Books

Release Date: January 18, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, Comedy/Humour, Erotic Romance, Dark Comedy, Gay/Straight romance

Themes: e.g. Personal growth, poor to rich

Heat Rating: 4 flames 

Length: 63 600 / 195 pages

It is a standalone story.




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Love is Love—though who they will find it with remains a mystery until the very end!

Blurb

Ted is an orphan, a young gay man living on the streets following the death of both his parents. Hope seems futile, though hope is exactly what he finds when a surprising email informs him that an unknown wealthy relative has died, that a reading of a will is soon to occur clear across the country. Ted will inherit something, but what that something is remains to be seen.

Benny is a young, homeless drug addict, straight except for when cash is involved. Benny has never had a reason to be hopeful about anything until a chance encounter with Ted.

Both men are soon traveling together from state to state, making ends meet however they can, rushing to the reading of the will that may or may not change both their lives forever. An unexpected friendship quickly forms, and then just as unexpectedly blossoms into something more as their adventure ultimately leads them to their fates.

At turns darkly funny and tragic, deeply erotic and poignant, Ted of the d’Urbervilles uniquely shines a light on the phrase Love is Love—though who they will find it with remains a mystery until the very end.


Excerpt

I found myself in a tangle of trains. Not passenger trains, but the kind that carries stuff. Coal, lumber, crates. No train cars. Nothing I could hop into so much as on. I wasn’t counting on this. I thought I’d slide open a door and bum a ride. But a ride to where? Even if I could hop on, where would I wind up? I clearly hadn’t given it enough thought. To be fair, my head was full of Chuck at the time, a peg missing its hole. It was, as analogies went, a fine one.

I needed to travel east. East I could figure out. East was away from the Rockies. But all the trains were parked. Which way were they headed once they left? And what if I hopped on and the train never stopped until its destination? What if we started east and then headed south?

I sat on the track. My salvation was somewhere in front of me. Eeny, meeny, miny, which one would the mo choose?

“Where you headed?”

I jumped. I fell backward. I stared up, shielding my face with my hand. A guy stood there staring down at me. He was on the dirty side, young, like me, gaunt, shorter by a foot. I’d seen men like this around San Francisco. I avoided men like this. You wound up homeless for a lot of reasons. You also stayed homeless for a lot of reasons. This guy either started or wound up that way because of drugs. His hand twitched. His right eye did the same. Manic would’ve been a good word for it. Or a bad one.

“Just looking,” I said as I righted my butt back on the tracks. “I like trains.”

I turned away from him. I hoped he’d take the hint. Sadly, he sat down next to me instead.

“You can’t hop them,” he said. “They check. They’re watching you right now even.” He pointed up to a lamppost. I could see the camera. It didn’t matter; there was nothing to hop into. And even if I could make it on top of a car, it would be crazy dangerous. And windy. And cold. Not an adventure so much as an ordeal. “Benny,” he said, holding out a hand. He had long nails. Dirty nails. His current state had always been a possible future for me. I seemed to always be running from it. But in which direction, away or towards?

I didn’t shake his hand. I nodded his way instead. “Ted.”

He put his hand by his side. He frowned. I felt bad. I was homeless. He was homeless. It wasn’t a bond so much as a prison sentence we shared. “Where you headed?” he repeated.

“New York.”

“That’s where I started.”

My heart pulsed. If he started from there, he knew which way to head. I pointed in front of me. “Which one goes that way?”

His grin returned. His teeth were in need of a brushing. He looked like a scrawny, shorter, pimplier Justin Bieber—if Justin Bieber hadn’t showered in a week or had a haircut or shave in ten. I felt bad for Benny. I felt scared of Benny. Were people scared of me when they saw me? I was judging a book by its cover, but covers are a pretty good indication of what’s inside. I sensed Benny was rotting from the inside out, that all he had left was a tattered cover. I didn’t want to be a part of Benny’s story, but our plotlines had intersected just the same.

In any case, he shrugged. “Been in Denver a month. My train has long come and gone.” Again, he pointed. “That one goes east.”

“How do you know?”

The shrug hadn’t moved. “That terminal is a dead end. Trains enter that way and go back the way they came. That train came from the east. Do you have any drugs on you?”

It was an unsettling segue. Benny was unsettling. You could turn a bend and wind up like Benny. Benny had no hope. You could see it in his eyes. That is to say, you couldn’t see it. “I don’t do drugs.”

“Smart.”

“You shouldn’t do drugs.”

He rested his head on his knee. “Yep.”

“It’s not that easy though, right?”

He turned his face my way. He’d been cute once. You could see it if you tried. How many people still tried? “Nope. Any money for drugs? I could trade you.”

I knew what he had to trade. I had the same thing to trade. “I have less than six dollars on me.”

He sighed. He turned his face back to the starting position. “Figures.” We sat there in silence. The trains didn’t budge. Maybe this was a graveyard of sorts. Maybe trains came here to die. Maybe Benny came here to die. Me, I had other plans.



 
About the Author 



Multi-award-winning and best-selling author/editor/anthologist Rob Rosen is the author of Sparkle: The Queerest Book You'll Ever Love, Divas Las Vegas, Hot Lava, Southern Fried, Queerwolf, Vamp, Queens of the Apocalypse, Creature Comfort, Fate, Midlife Crisis, Fierce, And God Belched, Mary, Queen of Scotch, and Ted of the d'Urbervilles. His short stories have appeared in more than 200 anthologies. You can find 20 of them in his erotic romance anthology Good & Hot. He is also the editor of Lust in Time: Erotic Romance Through the Ages, Men of the Manor, Best Gay Erotica 2015 and Best Gay Erotica of the Year, Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4.

20/01/2020

Cover Reveal - Loose Ends by Gail Martin

COVER REVEAL


Book Title: Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4)

Author: Morgan Brice

Cover Artist: Natania Barron

Release Date: December 30, 2019 

Genre/s: Urban Fantasy, MM paranormal romance

Trope/s: Spooky supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, dark magic.

Themes: Trust, loyalty, commitment, partnership

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and features an evolving, 

established romantic relationship with all the feels. 

Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

Length: 62 000 words/ 220 pages

 
 
As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat,
or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand? 


Blurb

Cold cases, old enemies, ex-lovers, and vengeful spirits are making life dangerous for psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his boyfriend, homicide detective Vic D’Amato.

The ghosts of Myrtle Beach are restless, trapped by love, secrets, scandals, and spells, keeping Simon busy protecting the living from the unhappy dead. Someone from Vic’s past is out to destroy him and everyone he holds dear, and the high-profile trial of the first case Simon and Vic worked together puts them in the spotlight—and put a target on their backs. As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand?

Loose Ends is an urban fantasy MM paranormal romance with spooky supernatural suspense, hot sex, hurt/comfort, feisty friends, found family, ghosts galore, and dark magic. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels. Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.



Buy Links


 
 
   
About the Author 

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.

On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.

Series include Witchbane, Badlands, and Treasure Trail. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!



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Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

one of three ebook copies of any book in the Badlands series








 

17/01/2020

Cover Reveal - A Summer of Smoke and Sin by TJ Nichols

COVER REVEAL


Book Title: A Summer of Smoke and Sin

Author: TJ Nichols

Cover Artist: Tiferet Designs

Release Date: February 28, 2020

Genre/s: M/M historical urban fantasy/paranormal romance

Trope/s: British detective, serial killer, Victorian London

Themes: Found family

Heat Rating: 3 flames 

 
   

To stop a serial killer a detective will need to explore his own vices…

Blurb

Nathanial Bayard wants nothing more than to find the nobleman creating snuff pornography. If he fails, his career in the recently formed nobility task force will be over and as the youngest son he’ll be forced to obey his father and join the church. But a life of celibacy doesn’t appeal. Nathanial has never even kissed another man, fearing for his soul and his reputation.

Jericho Fulbright has never lived a wholesome life. After behavior unbecoming he was discharged from the army and sent home in disgrace. His inventor and nouveau riche father refused to have anything to do with him, so Jericho turned to what he knew best: opium, gambling and sex.

As the owner of the Jericho Rose, a club for gentlemen who like men, he enjoys a certain notoriety. Some would say he has a golden tongue, but the truth is a succubus lives within him feeding on souls. Once he needed her help, now she is a burden that keeps him from getting close to anyone.

After the unfortunate death of a young nobleman in Jericho’s bed, Nathanial is sent to investigate. He is scandalized and intrigued by Jericho, but soon realizes that Jericho could be exactly who he needs to help break the snuff case. Together they are drawn into a web of lies that will result in Jericho facing prison unless Nathanial can unmask the real creator of the snuff, a man with rank and privileges that reaches almost to the King.

 


Pre-Order Links



Excerpt

Nathanial scanned the room. Everywhere he looked there was artwork or statues of naked men. On the small tables were smoking implements, and opium residue stained the glass. He’d never been in such a place before, but it was obvious what happened here.

The owner, Jericho Fulbright, stood in the middle of the room in his garish blue floral robe. The robe didn’t hide his yellow pajamas. He was as extravagant and lacking in morals as the scandal sheets declared. Who wore yellow pajamas? Sensible men wore night robes. “Would you like to dress appropriately before I interview you?”

Jericho smiled. “Would you prefer me to dress?”

Nathanial glanced at his notebook. Yes, he would. Because all he could think about was the two thin layers of fabric that covered Jericho’s body. He’d heard of Jericho Fulbright—who hadn’t?—but the sketches had done him no justice and the cartoon of his flamboyant dress had made him appear to be quite devilish in appearance. He was no devil, though. Just a man.

“I do not care either way.” He was sure he could see the word liar on Jericho’s lips, as though he knew exactly what Nathanial kept hidden.

“Very well then, let’s sit. I’ll call for tea.” Before Nathanial could agree or disagree Jericho rang a small bell, then sat on one of the chaises.

Nathanial perched on the edge of an armchair. “What exactly is this place?”

“Is this part of the interview?”

Nathanial considered Jericho for a moment. His dark hair hadn’t been combed and he hadn’t been shaved. His moustache was unkempt, and he had the general appearance of someone who’d just gotten out of bed. What kind of gentleman went wandering through the house in such a state? “Yes.”

“It is a gentleman’s club.”

Nathanial pointed to a painting of two naked men wrestling, and then a statue of a naked man on his own in what seemed to be either the final throws of death or pleasure; his back was arched, and his mouth was open. “With very specific art.”

Most clubs were much more subdued with art depicting scenes of hunting.

“For gentlemen who appreciate the male form.” Jericho’s voice was as smooth as silk and in that moment, he seemed impossibly pretty and extraordinarily predatory. “Are you suggesting something illegal happens here?”



About the Author


Urban Fantasy where the hero always gets his man

TJ Nichols is an avid runner and martial arts enthusiast who first started writing as a child. Many years later while working as a civil designer, TJ decided to pick up a pen and start writing again. Having grown up reading thrillers and fantasy novels, it’s no surprise that mixing danger and magic comes so easily. Writing urban fantasy allows TJ to bring magic to the everyday. TJ is the author of the Studies in Demonology series and the Mytho urban fantasy series.

With one cat acting as a supervisor, TJ has gone from designing roads to building worlds and wouldn’t have it any other way. After traveling all over the world TJ now lives in Perth, Western Australia.
 


Author Links