Sunday, January 31, 2016

Favorite Toy by Louise Lyons - Release Day Book Blast with Giveaway



Author Name: Louise Lyons
Book Name: Favorite Toy
Publisher: Louise Lyons
Cover Artist: Simon Searle

Release Date: January 31, 2016

Blurb:

Determined to stay single, Dean Simpson and his best friend Ryan have been playing a game, where each man chooses a potential hook-up for the other, usually someone nothing like their usual type. But with Ryan now off the market, Dean agrees to one final round of the game and allows his friend to choose his toy for the evening.
Casper Mancuso is about as far from Dean’s type as he can get. Casper is pretty, flamboyant, and attention-seeking, but sexy with it. Dean decides one night can’t hurt, but when Casper makes it clear his aim is the same as Dean’s – to have one bit of fun and then move on – Dean finds himself surprisingly disappointed.
With both men keen to avoid a relationship at all costs, it seems there can be no chance for anything between them. And yet the pair are drawn to each other and despite some hurtful comments and a very public argument, they just can’t stay away from each other. Eventually Dean is forced to admit that the very antithesis of what he usually likes is exactly what he’s been waiting for.

Pages or Words: 35,600 words

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance

Excerpt:
My heart sank as one of the other trainers from the gym caught up to me. "Wait up, Dean. I'll go with you."
I glanced at Mark and nodded. "Okay."
"Where are you headed?"
"Not sure yet. I just wanted some fresh air. Maybe Subway." It was the first thing that came into my head, although I really didn't fancy a sandwich.
"I could go for that. Meatball marinara. Mmm."
"I like the tuna."
"I always have cheese and slather it in ranch dressing, and get a cookie." Casper's words made me smile and I wondered if he'd be having Subway today. Shit.
"Are we eating in, or taking it back to work?" Mark pushed open the door and walked inside.
"Um, maybe sit outside here?" I followed him to the counter, lining up behind a family ordering an early lunch. Most of the tables both inside and outside were empty and I stared up at the menu board as I waited, even though I knew I'd order tuna. Mark bought a foot-long meatball marinara with cheese and salad and I requested a six inch with cheese, salad, and ranch dressing. As we sat down at a table outside the window, I looked around and caught sight of Casper, just yards away and heading right for us. Automatically I ducked my head and unwrapped my sandwich, hoping he wouldn't see me. My heart thumped wildly and my dry mouth made me wish I'd ordered a drink.
"Are you okay?" Mark raised his eyebrows.
"Yeah."
Casper entered Subway, apparently not having noticed me. I'd kick myself if I didn't speak to him. I might not get another chance. The fact that he'd happened to turn up at this exact moment, when he could have gone anywhere, or not even taken a break at this time, was too much of a coincidence for me to throw away. Hesitating, I debated going into the shop to speak to him, or waiting for him to come out where Mark might hear. While I thought about it, Casper got his sandwich and came out again and then I had no choice. I jumped up quickly, scraping my chair noisily on the pavement, and his eyes immediately met mine. He halted, half in and half out of the door, then shuffled forward to get out of the way of someone trying to enter.
Mark looked up at me and frowned. "Dean?"
"I'll be back in a minute." I moved away from the table toward Casper, aware that only about six feet separated us from Mark. "Can I speak to you for a minute?"
"What about?" His eyes narrowed.
"I wanted to say sorry. I─"
"Don't bother. Like we both said, it was a hook up." His voice was much too clear and I glanced anxiously at Mark, who stared back at me with wide eyes.
"Casper…shh. Can we just…?"
"Don't shush me!" Clutching his wrapped sandwich fiercely in one hand, he planted the other hand on his hip and glared. "I don't know why you even bothered speaking to me! You slept with me for a bet, and we all know what your real type is. Don't think I didn't see you with that blond guy on Friday."
"Fuck." Grabbing his arm, I tugged him a few steps along the street until he wrenched free. "Thanks a fucking bunch. You just outed me to one of my workmates."
"Oh!" His scowl vanished and his cheeks flushed. "Shit. I didn't know. I'm sorry, Dean."
"Forget it. Like you said, I shouldn't have bothered." Mortified, I turned away and went back to the table. Mark's expression said it all. I didn't need to hear anything he might have to say, but I listened anyway. Casper had already disappeared.

Buy the book:







Meet the author:

Louise Lyons comes from a family of writers. Her mother has a number of poems published in poetry anthologies, her aunt wrote poems for the church, and her grandmother sparked her inspiration with tales of fantasy. Louise first ventured into writing short stories at the grand old age of 8, mostly about little girls and ponies. She branched into romance in her teens, and MM romance a few years later, but none of her work saw the light of day until she discovered FanFiction in her late 20s.

Posting stories based on some of her favorite movies, provoked a surprisingly positive response from readers. This gave Louise the confidence to submit some of her work to publishers, and made her take her writing “hobby” more seriously.

Louise lives in the UK, about an hour north of London, with a mad Dobermann, and a collection of tropical fish and tarantulas. She works in the insurance industry by day, and spends every spare minute writing. She is a keen horse-rider, and loves to run long-distance. Some of her best writing inspiration comes to her, when her feet are pounding the open road. She often races into the house afterward, and grabs pen and paper to make notes.

Louise has always been a bit of a tomboy, and one of her other great loves is cars and motorcycles. Her car and bike are her pride and joy, and she loves to exhibit the car at shows, and take off for long days out on the bike, with no one for company but herself.


Where to find the author:





Tour Dates & Stops:


Rafflecopter Prize: An e-book from Louise’s backlist



Friday, January 29, 2016

Second To None by Felice Stevens - Release Day Blitz with Giveaway

SecondToNoneRDB Banner

Second to None
The Breakfast Club, Book 3
Felice Stevens
M/M Romance

Second to None


Cover Designer: Reese Dante
Cover Photo: Stock Photo
Release Date: January 28, 2016


  BLURB:

 Nightclub owner Marcus Feldman never met a man he didn’t love, at least for the night. Although his best friends have all found love, Marcus shuns their advice to commit to one man and settle down. His past has taught him monogamy and marriage is for fools, and Marcus is anything but a fool.

Tyler Reiss’s dream of dancing professionally is unexpectedly cut short and replaced by a different kind of love. He trades in his ballet slippers for go go boots, and spends his nights dancing at the hottest gay club in the city. Flirting with the customers for tips is easy, but resisting the dark and sexy Marcus is becoming harder to do with each passing day.

Unforeseen circumstances bring Marcus and Tyler closer and though they give in to their mutual passion, both still struggle to guard their hearts. When crises threaten, Tyler and Marcus find their strength in each other rather than falling apart. Tyler must choose to either run, or stay and fight for the life he wants, while Marcus realizes that love doesn’t mean losing himself and opens his heart, making him a better man in the end.


Sales Links





  TEASERS

STNTeasFinal 

EXCERPT

“Marcus?”

His eyelids fluttered open to the sight of a hospital room instead of his bedroom. His neck hurt and his legs were contorted in a pretzel-like position. He untangled himself from the chair he’d fallen asleep in after they moved Tyler to a room last night around three a.m., and walked over to the hospital bed where Tyler lay wide-awake.

Tyler stared up at him, confusion apparent in his furrowed brow, but Marcus noticed his bright, pain-free eyes.

“Hey, how’re you feeling?”

“Like someone punched my guts in.” He licked his lips. “Is there any water? I’m really thirsty.”

Marcus took the plastic cup from the swing table next to the bed and poured Tyler a small glass. “Let me raise the bed for you so you don’t spill it.” Tyler nodded and Marcus pressed the button and watched the head of the bed raise up a few inches before stopping. “Here. Drink it slow.”

Tyler gave him a searching look but said nothing and drank his water. His head fell back on the pillow, and he closed his eyes.

“What are you doing here?”

“That’s not very nice. How about: ‘Thanks Marcus for staying the night. I appreciate it.’”
He grinned at Tyler who rolled his eyes. “Thanks Marcus for staying the night. I appreciate it.” He sighed. “But why are you here? And what time is it anyway?”

Marcus consulted his watch. “It’s seven a.m. The doctor said last night when they brought you into the room here that if you didn’t show any signs of a concussion, they’d spring you out sometime this morning.”

“Okay. But that doesn’t answer my question about what you’re doing here.”

“I stayed to make sure you were okay, plus I’m taking you home when you’re discharged.”
“I can call a cab.” Tyler winced as he sat up. “I’m fine, and it doesn’t hurt nearly as bad as it did yesterday.” His fingers touched his side. “They have me taped up pretty well.”

“Let me see.” Before Tyler responded, Marcus placed his hand over Tyler’s rib cage and felt the bulky bandage through the thin fabric of the hospital gown. He slid his hand around Tyler’s waist.

“Marcus, stop,” Tyler warned.

“Stop what?” He might be far from innocent, but he could play the part.

“Oh, am I interrupting?” A nurse walked in with a tray and a thermometer. “I’m sorry, but I have to give him his meds and take his BP and temperature.”

“I hope you’re taking it rectally. I was always told it gave the most accurate reading. Is that true?” He stepped away from the bed and winked at the nurse, who broke out in laughter.
“Marcus, shut up,” said Tyler, not even trying to hide the exasperation in his voice.

“Oh Marcus, you’re silly.” She bit her lips to stop her amusement. “Don’t worry, Mr. Reiss. Your boyfriend is right, but we take it by the eardrum method. It’s very accurate as well.” She busied herself, unaware of Tyler’s glare. “Just relax now.”

After finishing, she pulled away the blood pressure machine and smiled. “Very good. All your vitals are excellent. How’s your head?”

“Hard as a rock,” Marcus spoke before Tyler could answer.

“Oh, you’re a kidder.” She patted him on his arm. “I think it’s sweet the way you stayed here all night to make sure everything was okay. And now you get to take him home and baby him.”

Watching Tyler grow angrier by the minute was a better show than anything he’d ever watched on television. “I’m looking forward to it. I may have to borrow a nurse outfit.”

The nurse’s laughter followed her out the door, but Tyler was having none of it. Seeing the hostility in his blue-gray eyes, Marcus girded himself.



“What the hell are you talking about? I’m not going home with you.”


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Felice Stevens has always been a romantic at heart. While life is tough, she believes there is a happy ending for everyone. She started reading traditional historical romances as a teenager, then life and law school got in the way. It wasn't until she picked up a copy of Bertrice Small and became swept away to Queen Elizabeth's court that her interest in romance novels was renewed.

But somewhere along the way, her reading shifted to stories of men falling in love. Once she picked up her first gay romance, she became so enamored of the character-driven stories and the overwhelming emotion there was no turning back.

Felice lives in New York City with her husband and two children. Her day begins with a lot of caffeine and ends with a glass or two of red wine. Although she practices law, she daydreams of a time when she can sit by a beach and write beautiful stories of men falling in love. Although there is bound to be some angst along the way, a Happily Ever After is always guaranteed.


SOCIAL MEDIA LINKS



GIVEAWAY

Enzo by Shyla Colt - Release Day Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway


 Title: Enzo
Series: Jinx Tattoos Book 1
Author: Shyla Colt
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 29, 2016


Neglected, abandoned by a heroin-addicted mother, and placed in foster care at ten, Enzo Jordan has learned one thing…love hurts. At thirty-five, he has a successful tattoo shop and his choice of women. The one-night stands are getting old, and the love he holds for his best friend, Aibhlinn is impossible to hide. When the attraction between them reaches a boiling point, he's forced to choose between facing his fears and walking away. 

Aibhlinn Leahy has been in love with her best friend for years. The Irish-born comic book artist has poured time, energy, and love into the wounded man. His choice to walk away breaks her heart but frees her to explore a new future.

Life is a cruel and amazing thing. An abandoned baby brings the two back together, and they’re forced to examine the love that has long existed between them. This is a story of pain, scars, and fear. We all have demons to battle. The real decision is who's in control…us or them?











Aibhlinn nodded, and they walked outside to the back. Enzo softly closed the door behind them and she spun, instantly on the attack.
“That’s how you see us? That’s our end game? You walking away? I’m so easy to leave behind?”
“No,” he held out his hands, palms up. “That’s not what the painting says.”
“Then please explain.”
“It’s what has to happen to keep me from hurting you.”
“Am I not hurting now, Enzo?” She seethed.
“Not like you could be,” he whispered.
“You fucking coward,” She said stalking forward to stand inches from his face. “If you don’t want me, can’t love me, tell me that.”
“It’s never been a question of love. God, Aibhlinn you must know I’m in love with you.”
His words stole the breath from her lungs. She blinked and swayed.
“Whoa,” he wrapped his arms around her, and she leaned against his chest.
“What did you just say?” She croaked.
“I love you. I’m in love with you. I have been for years. I tried so hard to keep it to myself, so I didn’t ruin what we have.”
She couldn’t stop the tears that fell from her eyes. “Why wouldn’t’ you say something before now?”
“Because it doesn’t matter, Aibhlinn,” he whispered.
“What?” She pulled away. “It’s everything.”
“No.” He ran his fingers through her hair, bringing his fingers to her scalp where he began a massage. She shivered. “I wish it did. You’re beautiful. I always wanted to touch you like this.”
“Then touch me,” She whispered.
“Just this once, Aib,” he whispered moving in to brush her lips with his. Tendrils of pleasure burst through her body like fireworks. They both moaned as their mouths were fused. They’d given in to hunger long denied. Teeth knocked, tongues clashed. She savored every moment. He cupped her ass, and she moaned, pressing closer against him. “So sweet,” he whispered.
She slow-blinked as the world changed its perspective. He lifted her up and out of instinct, she wrapped her limbs around him. He pressed her against the wall, and they continued to eat at each other’s mouths. It was heaven. Everything she’d dreamed of and more. The boy who’d kissed her had become a man and skilled with his tongue. He rolled his hips, and she whimpered. He’s good with other things too. The friction of his jeans against her soaked underwear had her moving with him. Heat flooded her face and collar bones. Her head spun.
“That’s it let it go for me, baby,” he whispered. His words thrust her over the edge, she arched her back and cried out. He swallowed her noises, keeping the passionate exchange a secret between them. Shaking she clung to him as he eased her legs to the ground and buried his face into her neck. “Never doubt I love you, Aibhlinn. I just don’t know how to be in a relationship. They scare the hell out of me. What we have is the closest I’ve ever come to commitment. The thought of fucking up and breaking your heart has haunted me for years.” He placed a kiss to her temple.
“Then let me teach you. We’ve helped each other through everything. Why is this any different?”
“I’ve battled this demon for so long its hooks are embedded into my soul. Not even you can loose those chains.”
“Don’t you see we’re doing everything but having sex and putting a title to us? I love you Enzo. I’d do anything for you. Hell, I have been your ride or die so long I got a list of infractions to prove it. I want to help you. I know we could be good together. I want it so bad I can fucking taste it. But I can’t continue with the dysfunction. If we can’t go all in we, need to place boundaries and keep to them, ‘cause this thing between us is killing me, and making it damn hard to find anyone else.”
He closed his eyes and rested his forehead against hers. Deja vu struck. Her heart broke. It was so much worse knowing he felt the same why.
“You son of a bitch. Why even tell me how you felt if you knew you were going to do this?”
“What do you want me to do, Aib,” he cried out brokenly.
“Stop fighting it,” she said through her gritted teeth. Her hand reached down to cup the bulge in his pants. “Feel with me. Don’t manipulate my body, open up your soul and let me in. I’m already there Enzo. I’m under your skin. I’m in your brain. I know you better than you know yourself.”
His muscles tensed, and his breathing increased. “For once, trust in us.”
“I-
She massaged him, and he rocked into her hands. “Let me take the wheel.” Leaning in she nipped at his neck, emboldened by the cover of darkness and privacy of the small parking lot. His body shook. She slipped her hand into his pants, and they both moaned. He was hot, thick, and long in her hands. She gripped him tightly and pumped.
“Aibhlinn.”
“You gave this to me, now. I’m returning the favor. Tonight after the show where they may. But right now is our time.” She captured his lips, taking what she wanted for so long. He tasted crisp and clean like mint. His lips were soft and pliable. His moaned vibrated through her body. He sucked her tongue, and she whimpered, picking up speed as she brought him over. She swallowed his cries as he spilled onto her hand. The hot liquid felt like a cleansing rain. She removed her hand and brought it to her lips lapping off his salty flavor.
“Jesus, baby. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dreamed of you like this,” he panted.
She was afraid to hope for more, but for now,, at least, she knew the taste and feel of him. The way his eyes turned into a stormy gray when he came. She leaned in, nipped his bottom lip hard and drug her tongue across it to soothe the abused area. “Hope you don’t mind going commando.”
“Worth it,” he croaked. His eyes grew serious. “Aibhlinn.” 







Shyla Colt grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, but has lived a variety of different places thanks to her wanderlust, interesting careers, and marriage to a United States Marine. She's always loved books and wrote her very first novel at the age of fifteen. She keeps a copy of her first submission letter on her desk for inspiration.  After a lifetime of traveling, she settled down and knew her time had come to write. Diving into her new career like she does everything else, with enthusiasm, research and a lot of prayers, she had her first book published in June of 2011. As a full-time writer, stay at home mother, and wife, there's never a dull moment in her household. She weaves her tales in spare moments and the evenings with a cup of coffee or tea at her side and the characters in her head for company. A self-professed rebel with a pen. Her goal is to diversify romance as she continues to genre hop, and offer up strong female characters.








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The Autumn Lands by J. Scott Coatsworth - Blog Tour with Author Guest Post


Publisher: Mischief Corner Books
Author: J. Scott Coatsworth
Cover Artist: Freddy MacKay
Length: 35k
Format: eBook, Paperback
Release Date: 1/27/16
Pairing: MM
Price: 3.99

Blurb

Jerrith is running. Kissed by an elf, he can't remain in his hometown of Althos any more. Not that he wanted to stay.

Caspian still hasn't figured out why he kissed Jerrith, but he's running too. Since he was exiled from the Autumn Lands, his past has been hazy, and his future uncertain.

But when a stray memory brings things into focus, the two decide to run toward something together. What they uncover will change how they see the world, and themselves, forever.

Excerpt

Jerrith Ladner ran down Dyer's Alley in Althos, winded but not daring to stop. He swung left down Chaplain's Lane where the lanterns cast a crazy patchwork of light across cobbles, uneven enough to give even the Night Guard pause. His lungs hurt, but he didn't slow down and didn't dare glance back.

The occasional passerby stared at him as he flashed past, but he ignored them. Several times he stumbled and fell, and blood dripped down his bare leg from a skinned knee. The outskirts of town were silent, with almost everyone already indoors for the night.

His recent past was a blur, with snatches of it flitting by in his head like birds, flapping and confusing him with their unsteady rhythm:

The kiss.

The unexpected shock of it.

The glimpse of the Autumn Lands through the Nevris man's golden eyes.

At last, exhausted, Jerrith ducked behind a low wall that ran along the fields just outside of town and looked back.

It was quiet. There was nothing but blackness crisscrossed by lamplight at even intervals.

Almost sobbing, he sat down with his back to the wall and curled up into himself, scarcely noticing the pain that traced the lines of his rib cage or even the bright line of red on his leg.

Ever so slowly, his heavy breathing eased and his jumbled mind began to sort things out.

He had been walking to the Smithy in the early morning when the Nevris caravan had passed him by, six wagons of merchandise from the Autumn Lands covered with heavy tarps, crossing through town on its way to the stables on the far side of the village. A stranger had drawn his attention—an outrider for the caravan.

Tall and slender where Jerrith was stocky and muscled, he was a young man, more or less Jerrith's own age. His blond hair had been pulled back behind his pointed ears, the mark of the Nevris. He moved with a quiet and restrained grace.

His eyes were wide and golden, and they'd met his as Jerrith crossed the town square on the way to 'prentice to the blacksmith. The man's gaze had filled Jerrith with something hot and impulsive, a sense of anticipation. Something that he had no name for.

Then he'd been gone.

Jerrith had spent the long, dizzying hours of work in the Smithy, hammering out heated metal into a new plowshare for Farmer Angus, the hot breath of the bellows tempered only by the cool springtime air from outside. Trying to forget those eyes.

The heat of the oven only served to fuel the heat he felt inside, until he thought he might explode.

Sent home at last well after nightfall, he'd heard a whispered voice from the dark alleyway between the Alchemist's shop and the Rutting Crow. Jerrith had looked around to see if anyone was watching, then slipped into the alley, his heart beating faster and the bulge in his pants stiffening.

The man had kissed him hard and rough, and he'd returned the kiss passionately as the Nevris man pulled him close.


Buy Links

Mischief Corner Books (info only): http://www.bookstrand.com/the-autumn-lands







Thanks to Chris for welcoming me to Wicked Faerie's Tales. Chris asked me how I come up with my characters and storylines.

I had to stop and think about that. I'd like to say that they just come to me whole-cloth, but that's only happened a couple times, and both of those stories were very short.

As far as creating characters goes, it tends to be really organic for me. I usually start into the story, and the character details build up as I go. It's like being in a dark room, and bit by bit, the light starts to illuminate different aspects of the characters around me. By the time I finish the story, I have a much better idea of who they are and where they came from, and I strengthen this in second draft.

For instance, at the start of my new novella "The Autumn Lands", all I knew about Jerrith at the start was that he was young and gay and running from a kiss. But by the time I finished the first draft, I knew he was brave and sheltered, that he had brown eyes and hair and cute little ears, that he had reservations embracing his sexuality because of his father and his small-town upbringing, and that, once he made up his mind about someone, he was fiercely loyal.

Storylines are another matter. The inspirations for these vary widely for me. Sometimes I just dive in and see where a story goes. Other times they start with an iconic image, like the half-world in the novel I'm currently working on called "Oberon".

Sometimes they come from an anthology call. "The Autumn Lands" grew out of a call from Mischief Corner Books for a story with a fall theme. And sometimes I take an older story or start of a story and giving it a new direction.

I've learned I do need some structure when I write, or my stories will go awry or stall. But I don't like to have too much or it can kill my creativity.

No matter how I stumble across my storyline, I iron out my plot issues in second and third drafts, so that when I submit the story, it will make sense and hold together well.

Writing is an adventure for me—I love to convey to my readers that same sense of wonder and discovery that I feel when I write.

I hope you'll come along with me for the ride!


Author Bio

Scott has been writing since elementary school, when he and won a University of Arizona writing contest in 4th grade for his first sci fi story (with illustrations!). He finished his first novel in his mid twenties, but after seeing it rejected by ten publishers, he gave up on writing for a while.

Over the ensuing years, he came back to it periodically, but it never stuck. Then one day, he was complaining to Mark, his husband, early last year about how he had been derailed yet again by the death of a family member, and Mark said to him “the only one stopping you from writing is you.”

Since then, Scott has gone back to writing in a big way, finishing more than a dozen short stories – some new, some that he had started years before – and seeing his first sale. He’s embarking on a new trilogy, and also runs the Queer Sci Fi (http://www.queerscifi.com) site, a support group for writers of gay sci fi, fantasy, and supernatural fiction.



Songbird Caged by Lisa Edward - Cover Re-reveal

Lisa Edward has re-done the cover for her book, Songbird Caged, and it's amazing!!!! Could there be a hotter cover model?


Title: Songbird Caged
Author: Lisa Edward
Series: Songbird Trilogy #2
Cover Model: Dez K

Blurb

Tara has made a promise. 

A promise to wait six months for Riley to come home from his tour of duty, so they can be together. 

But as secrets and lies are uncovered, it leads Tara to question their commitment, and she is finding it difficult to keep that promise.

The distance between them is growing, and only one person can fill the void, Tara’s best friend Cole.

As Cole tries to support Tara, he is struggling with demons of his own, that threaten to tear him away from the life he has built for himself.

After devastating news is received, who will be there to pick up the pieces?

*On Sale for $.99 January 29th - January 31st*

Buy now




Other Books in the Series

Songbird: Book #1





Songbird Freed: Book #3






Amazon Author Page: http://amzn.to/1PiFk0A