Thursday, March 31, 2011

My Personal Review for A Troubled Range by Andrew Grey

I have to admit I am a shameless groupie of this author and his books. From the first book I read of Mr. Grey's (The Best Revenge), I have fallen further and further under his spell with each subsequent release.

A Troubled Range is the sequel to A Shared Range and one that had me crying and smiling through the entire story. I thank god no one was home when I read this because frankly, they would wondered who died from all the tissues I was using up. *grins*

Meet Haven Jessup, the cowboy who lives next door to Dakota and Wally (you met Dakota, Wally and Phillip in the first book) for all his life and for the life of him, can not figure out why his dad hates the Holden's so much. Meeting Phillip Reardon was an unexpected treat after visiting Dakota and Wally. Haven is a man who has hidden his secret desires from everyone due to his father's opinions. With each page the reader is drawn into Phillip and Haven's sweet romance and man do the sparks fly between them. I was afraid my computer would start smoking from the sexual tension between the two. 
A Troubled Range is a perfect story to heat up your afternoon with especially as it was gray and cold outside my window. A Troubled Range delivers  sexy cowboys, romance and mystery all rolled up within its pages. Andrew Grey has another winner with his follow up Range story and I, for one, want to know when he will be back to the wilds of Wyoming again. If you are looking for a sweet and sexy M/M Story to enjoy then grab A Troubled Range then settle back. It will be a hot and bumpy ride. I am eager to see what else this author has up his sleeve in the future.

WRITER'S WRITE...WRITING PARTNERS FEUD



KILLER DOLL DIP IF YOU MUST, SNAKE DANCE WHEN YOU CAN, WHILE CHASING YESTERDAY ALONG WITH ANGELICA HART AND ZI WHILE HAVING A CHAMPAGNE BOOKS' COCKTAIL

We thought we'd share something a bit different this week. Something that will entertain you in a different way. Hence, this is a gun moll's disarm your gang, take their money, and run dip.

Recipe:
Buy Velveeta Processed Cheese. Big block not little.
Buy premade chili. This could be from anywhere you wish it to be. It could be your own. It could be your grandmother's, it could be from a fast food establishment. Bottom line, have chili.
Buy Salsa. This is key. Spicy is key. Hotter the better is key. But if you are a wimp back off the heat.
Take all things home in an environmentally friendly bag. Place on counter. Fold bag for reuse.
Look at bag and be proud of who you are.
Sing your national anthem. Singing is optional especially if your voice is mal-toned.
Oops!
Run back to the store and get whatever you need to dip into the dip unless you were aware that edible dipping appliances were necessary.
Back home again.
Anticipate when dipping will commence. If this is complicated, use paper, pencil and calculator.
Ten minutes before you are ready for the dippers to consume, start!
Take big bowl. Make certain it is microwave safe.
Put cubed Velveeta in aforementioned bowl. One inch cubes are ideal. Half inch cubes are better but it takes more time so add two minutes to advanced preparation time.
Add chili.
Add salsa.
We're guessing at this point you would like to know how much of each. Good question.
Equal volumes of each.
Microwave and stir periodically.
Once mused as a blend and not quite scalding to the touch it is ready.
Serve.
Eat.
Enjoy.
Lie to your friends that this is an old family recipe and offer them hand-scribed copies.
You're welcome.


We'd love to hear from anyone interested in what we do. Anyone who writes us at angeliahartandzi@yahoo.com and leaves an s-mail address, we will send you a gift and add you to any future mailings.

Angelica Hart and Zi
KILLER DOLLS ~ SNAKE DANCE ~ CHASING YESTERDAY
Champagne Books can be purchased at http://www.champagnebooks.com

THE FABLE OF SIN-SIN-CINDERELLA SERIES
Books can be purchased at angelicahartandzi.com






Wednesday, March 30, 2011

Guest Author Day with SJ Frost

So let’s get this party started. Please tell us about yourself. What got you interested in being an author?
I’ve always had a love for books, and used to tell myself stories even before I knew how to write.  I’d take characters from my favorite books and create all new stories for them in my mind.  As I got older, I started put the pen to the paper and created my own original stories.  So it was really all the authors I read and the worlds they created that got me interested in writing.  But it wasn’t until college when I really took the idea of getting published seriously, and that came about from having written what would eventually be my first novel, CONQUEST.  There was something about the story where I wanted to share it with others and hopefully give readers the same kind of enjoyable experience my favorite authors had given to me.

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?
Sure can!  Back at the end of December, I had a novella released at MLR Press titled FINDING A DREAM.  It’s a spin-off of my Conquest series, and follows a teen who’s getting bullied at school, and seeks help in his idol and favorite stage actor, Brandon Alexander.  This one is a really special work for me because my editor and I are donating all our royalties from it to The Trevor Project, which works to provide life affirming and life saving resources to LQBTQ youth.

Then my newest release will be an m/m vampire erotic romance novel, NATURAL INSTINCTS.  It’s my first foray into writing vampires and I had a blast working on it!  This one is also going to be published at MLR Press, and is do out very soon!

And in a couple months, I should have another m/m erotic romance novel coming out, BLACK HEART DOWN.  I’m jumping back into writing rock stars with this one and it takes place in the Conquest “world.”  It’ll be published at MLR Press, too. 

For any readers who may not have read any of your books, can you just give us a little sneak peek into world (i.e. the type of genre you write, type of stories you like to write....etc)?
I write m/m erotic romance, most of it in a contemporary setting.  My Conquest series follows the members in the rock band, Conquest, and others who are connected to them.  My stories can get pretty steamy, but the focus of all of them is always on love.

How much of yourself, if any, do you put into your characters?
They’re so much more interesting than me!  So not too much.  Most of them are more outgoing than I am, and some have interests very different than I do, which leads me to doing a lot of research to learn about the things they like.  A few have really big personalities, like Jesse Alexander, the lead singer in Conquest.  He’s kind of larger than life, but he’s a rock star, so I think that comes with the job.  But I do tend to think of all my characters as unique individuals in of themselves.

Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?
I’d like to write a historical fiction someday.  Of course, my idea for it would still be m/m, so I guess that’s not a wholly different genre.  But I would also like to write a fantasy trilogy, true sword and sorcery stuff.  It’s what I used to write when I was younger, all unpublished.  It might even have a female hero! 

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?
Freddie Mercury – Because he was a music god and my favorite artist of all time.
Gackt – Another music god and a favorite artist of mine.  Probably second favorite after Freddie, actually. 
Alexander the Great – I’ve always had a fascination with Alexander and to be able to sit down and talk with him would be beyond amazing.
Laura Joh Rowland – She’s one of my favorite authors and I’d love to have the chance to talk with her about her books.
Casanova (Giacomo Casanova) – Because a man whose name centuries later is still connected with the art of seduction, who wouldn’t want to talk to him!


What are at least five things you have on your bucket list and have you done any of them?
Most of mine involve places I want to travel to, and I haven’t gone to any, so traveling to Japan, China, England, Ireland, Scotland, and many more are all on the list.  I guess we’ll throw all those under one thing.  I’d also like to:
2.) Do more charity work – have accomplished that somewhat, but I’m not satisfied and would like to do more.
3.) Have ten novels published – not yet, but I’m getting closer.
4.) See some of my favorite musicians perform live, especially Gackt and David Garrett – I’ve seen some, Aerosmith, Bon Jovi, and others, but not Gackt or David Garrett.
5.) Write that fantasy trilogy! – Not even close *sigh*

Is there one series/author you feel is a must read for readers to explore (can be e book authors or print NY house authors)?
It’s really hard to narrow it down to one, but I’d have to go with the Sano Ichiro series by Laura Joh Rowland.  They’re set in Tokugawa Japan and follow a samurai detective.  She has a really lush writing style and the stories are always intriguing.  I actually still have to finish that series myself.  She’s written a couple new ones, and I’ve fallen behind on her writing with trying to stay on top of my own!

For m/m series (yeah, I know, I’m breaking the rules listing a second series.  Sorry!), Jambrea Jo Jones has the Alliance series she’s working on, the first one, RETRIBUTION, is out now,  with the sequel, SALVATION, coming soon, and more are planned.  The first book is m/m, the second will be m/m/f.  I really enjoy sci-fi stories, and she creates a very cool world with super sexy characters and hot intimate scenes.

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?
I prefer silence when I’m writing, but I’ll listen to music for inspiration beforehand or afterward.  Since I’ve written a lot about rock stars, I think almost all my books could have a sound track to go with them, but I also think every reader would probably connect different bands to my guys.  And even going further, each character, Jesse, Evan, Julian, and the other guys would all could have different artists to represent them.  I’m getting complicated, aren’t I?  I should’ve just said “yes” and the soundtrack would be mostly rock and some classical J

What is coming up for you in 2011?
I have my vampires going live here in 2011 with NATURAL INSTINCTS, and hopefully, I’ll be writing at least one other book with them that may also get released this year…depending on how fast I can write it.  There are also going to be more rock stars with BLACK HEART DOWN and maybe, just maybe, a classical violinist and a kilt wearing Scottish rock drummer from a whole new band in an m/m novel tentatively titled, HEARTSTRINGS.


Are any of your characters just like you or have personality quirks/traits of you or someone you know?
I don’t think any are like me, and I don’t write much based off real people in my life.  Well, I take that back.  Some of the “villain” characters have had influence from some not very nice people I’ve known.  It’s a lot harder for me to write characters who have hateful, bigoted attitudes because it’s a mentality I don’t understand or relate to, so then I have to look at real life and the unfortunate times I’ve witnessed people being like that.  But for the most part, my characters are just themselves.

Where can readers find you on the web?


NATURAL INSTINCTS by S.J. Frost

Coming soon to MLR Press

Blurb:
Andreas Nikandros has one focus, to kill the vampire he believes murdered his sister, and he knows with their greater strength, the surest way to kill a vampire is to become one.  As a zoologist, he’s used to looking at the world from a natural standpoint, but when he sets out on a quest to find a vampire to Turn him, what he finds in Titus Antonius Calidus is the last thing he expected.  Titus has lived for over a thousand years, and in that time has only ever given his heart to one man.  As they follow their natural instincts, they discover something truly worth living forever for, each other.

Excerpt:  *In this scene, after attempting to confront the vampire he believes murdered his sister, Andreas Nikandros is under attack by the vampire’s minions, and he meets Titus Antonius Calidus for the first time.*

Andreas stumbled into the alley, reeling to catch his balance. He whirled around. A fist smashed into the side of his mouth. The force knocked him to the side and the ground. He landed hard, his body rigid with shock and pain.

Andreas struggled to suck in a breath, then lost the little bit of air he gained when a sharp-toed boot slammed into his ribs. He curled his body into a ball. Through his pain, laughter deafened him. Andreas lay still, waiting for the next strike to come. His mind moved far too sluggishly in forming a plan for escape, and it seemed fixated on one thought: he’d failed.

A voice broke through his thoughts and over the laughter.

“Children, children, look what you’ve done.”

The laughter ceased.

The rich baritone spoke again. “Clearly you’re undeserving of such a fine treat.”

Andreas sensed the other vampires moving away from him. He opened his eyes to see them standing in a cluster near the wall of the restaurant, their gazes fixed beyond him. He couldn’t help but think they resembled a pack of hyenas when forced to bow to a lion, unable to do anything but watch as their prey was stolen from them.

Andreas felt a presence standing over him. A hand touched his shoulder and pushed him onto his back. Andreas’s gaze traveled up long legs clad in black pants to a steel-gray silk shirt and over each button to the top where two were open to reveal ivory skin. He looked at the slender jaw, the high cheekbones framed with platinum-blond hair, and met the silver stare of the other. 

Troy took two quick steps forward. “Back off, Calidus! He’s ours!”

The blond vampire snatched Troy by the arm, muttering under his breath. “Troy, no. No one’s allowed to call Lord Titus that.” His voice dipped lower, though Andreas still caught him mumbling the word “ancient.”

Troy shook off the other’s grip. “I know who he is, Isaac, and I don’t give a shit. That piece is ours!”

Titus looked up from Andreas to Troy. With fluid grace, he stood, his gaze locked on Troy. Even without the gaze focused on him, Andreas could feel the lethal threat radiating from Titus.

Troy slunk back toward the door. “Don’t think I won’t tell Lord Renart about this.”

“I’d be grateful for the favor,” Titus said.

Troy backed through the door, Isaac and his companions mimicking his movements.   

Titus kept his gaze on the door until it closed, then brought it back to Andreas. “And now for you.” He bent over him and dipped the fingers of one hand into Andreas’s hair near his temple, drawing them through the curls. “Let’s get a better look at you.”

Titus slipped his hands under Andreas’s arms and, with the ease of lifting a small child, hauled him to his feet. He spun Andreas around, holding him under the light hanging above the backdoor and looked into his eyes, drinking in their blue-gray hue.

“Like the sea before a storm,” Titus said softly.

His strength returning, Andreas got his feet under him and moved to take a step back. Titus dug his fingers into Andreas’s upper ribs, stopping him. Andreas stood eye to eye with him, his heartbeat quickening. “Titus, that’s your name?”

Titus tipped his head closer to him, his lips a fraction from Andreas’s. “Titus Antonius. And yours?”

Andreas took a breath, inhaling Titus’s exhale. “Andreas Nikandros.”

Titus bowed his head, bringing his nose closer to Andreas’s neck. “A Greek name.” He lifted his head, his eyes focused on the rivulet of blood coursing from Andreas’s bottom lip to his chin. “Maybe you carry ancient blood also.”

Titus touched the tip of his tongue to Andreas’s chin and licked up the red line, a deep groan rumbling from his throat as he did. There was a sweetness to Andreas’s blood, just as his natural fragrance had betrayed, and the energy and virility of his essence sent a euphoric rush through Titus.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Contest Announcement from Dedire Knight & Elle Jasper

Island Dreaming Giveaway –
Wouldn't you rather be at the beach than wherever you are right now? Luckily, Deidre Knight and Elle Jasper have the cure for your island dreaming -- a trip to breath-taking Tybee Island, Ga. The island is located near historic Savannah  where both authors based their series. Deidre's next Gods of Midnight book, RED MORTAL, is due in stores on April 4th, and Elle's EVERDARK will be released on June 7th.
 
So, how do you get to Tybee? Just tell Deidre and Elle why you deserve a romantic getaway. The best answer wins 2 nights at the luxurious Lighthouse Inn, including a $500 travel voucher and dinner at Wiley's Championship BBQ. Enter here: www.knightagency.net/romanticgetaway.html

Goddess fish Blog Tour With Jo Ramsey

So let’s get this party started. Please tell us about yourself. What got you interested in being an author?

Hmm… I love talking about myself, but I don’t know where to begin! LOL. My name is Jo Ramsey, and I’ve been writing since I was five years old. Even before that, I made up stories and told them to my stuffed animals. I knew even then that I someday wanted to see my stories in books like the ones I wrote. During middle school, high school, and college I wrote about twenty book-length manuscripts, all longhand in spiral notebooks that now dwell in the bottom drawer of my filing cabinet.
  have a degree in special education, and I taught for several years until I moved to Massachusetts so my two daughters and I could live with my current husband, whom I met in 2008. I stopped teaching then (trouble transferring my certification from one state to another) and now I write mostly full-time and work for my father-in-law part time.

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent/upcoming release?

Cutting Cords is the third book in my Reality Shift series, which is young adult urban fantasy. It was released by Jupiter Storm, the new YA imprint of Jupiter Gardens Press, on March 17. Shanna Bailey’s life is turned upside-down when her father moves out, leaving Shanna with her abusive mother. At least Shanna has her best friend Jonah Leighton to help her cope. When Shanna’s friend Tammi comes to her for help with an entity who claims to be Tammi’s spirit guide, Shanna expects Jonah to help out too, but Tammi won’t allow it. On her own, with Jonah’s advice and assistance from two beings of light, Shanna must find a way to send what turns out to be a malevolent dead spirit to the other side.

For any readers who may not have read any of your books, can you just give us a little sneak peak into world (i.e. the type of genre you write, type of stories you like to write....etc)?

I write young adult urban fantasy, primarily, though I do have a YA contemporary novel under contract with Featherweight Publishing. My Reality Shift series is about Shanna Bailey, a fourteen-year-old girl who is bullied at school and at home, and her best friend Jonah Leighton, whom Shanna meets on her first day of high school. Jonah practices energy healing and channeling, and teaches these skills to Shanna. Together, the two of them use the skills to banish demons, send dead spirits to the other side, and prevent our universe from being vaporized.

How much of yourself, if any, do you put into your characters?

Shanna Bailey is very, very much me, and I did that intentionally. Mostly, though, I don’t use myself as a character in my stories, or give my characters any of my personality quirks or flaws. At least not on purpose.


Is there a genre you haven’t done that you would like to explore in the future?

I can’t think of one offhand. I really enjoy writing urban fantasy, and I’ve had fun with the contemporary novels I’ve done, so I don’t think I’d want to write anything else.

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?

Patricia Briggs, because I love her Mercy Thompson series.
Susan Cooper, because she’s the reason I started writing fantasy.
Joseph Smith (founder of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints), because I’d like to hear about his visions.

My late aunt, Alice Pyke, because she was a fascinating person and she passed away before I really had a chance to know her well.
Meat Loaf, because he’s Meat Loaf.

You write young adult stories. What got you interested in writing this category/genre?

I started writing young adult when I was one. I was about twelve when I wrote my first story that I would consider YA. Even though I’ve grown quite a bit older, it’s still my preferred genre.

What are at least five things you have on your bucket list and have you done any of them?

To be honest, I don’t have a bucket list… Not because I don’t have anything I want to do, but I just haven’t taken the time to make a list. So I guess I’ll try to now.

Being published would definitely be at the top of the list, and I’ve done that. Having a movie or TV show made out of my books. Traveling to Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Traveling to Africa. Meeting my soul mate, which I’ve already done. And there are several famous people I’d like to meet.

Is there one series/author you feel is a must read for readers to explore (can be e book authors or print NY house authors)?

I’m actually going to recommend two: For urban fantasy, I’d say Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson books and her Alpha and Omega series; and for YA fantasy, Susan Cooper’s The Dark Is Rising series.

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

I don’t usually listen to music while I’m writing, because I’m too easily distracted and I’ll start singing instead of writing. Sometimes I just need background noise, though, so I do put on some music. I don’t have a particular playlist or soundtrack, though, and I haven’t had any of my YA stuff inspired by songs.
  
What is coming up for you in 2011?

Quite a bit! In May, Black Bridge, book one in my new series The Dark Lines will be released by Jupiter Storm. In July, they’ll release Reality Shift 4 (we still need a title for that!). I recently sent them When Darkness Falls, which is The Dark Lines book 2, and Reality Shift 5, both of which are tentatively planned for release in the fall of 2011. Also planned for sometime this year is Cluing In, the YA contemporary from Featherweight Publishing.

Are any of your characters just like you or have personality quirks/traits of you or someone you know?

As I mentioned, Shanna Bailey pretty much is me. Jonah Leighton is based on a friend I had four or five years ago, who practiced energy healing, channeling, and yoga and taught me about those things.

Where can readers find you on the web? (Please list all your links plus your publisher link(s) as well)

My website is http://www.joramsey.com. I’m on Facebook and Twitter, and I have links to those from the home page of my website. I’m also on Goodreads, http://www.goodreads.com/jo_ramsey, and I have an Amazon Author Central page, http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B0034HD29M.

My Reality Shift and The Dark Lines series are/will be available from Jupiter Storm, http://www.jupiterstorm.com (also at http://jupitergardens.com), and my YA contemporary novel Cluing In will be available from Featherweight Publishing, http://wwwfeatherweightpublishing.com


Sneak Peek into Cutting Cords
Young Adult Fantasy
 Jupiter Gardens/Jupiter Storm Publishing
Buy HERE

When Shanna’s father moves out, leaving Shanna alone with her mother, her home life goes from bad to worse. At least she has Jonah to remind her that she deserves a good life, even if she doesn’t always believe him.

Stressed about her parents’ separation and worried about what it will mean for her, Shanna is glad for the distraction of her friend Tammi’s request for information about guides. Although Shanna is still learning, she knows how to answer Tammi’s questions. The problem is, the entity Tammi is asking about isn’t really a guide. It’s a dead spirit who wants to take over Tammi’s life. And Shanna discovers that another entity, one with the power to destroy our universe, wants to use Tammi as well.

Guided by Jonah and Tethys, and helped by another being of light, Shanna must send the dead spirit to the afterlife before it’s too late—for Tammi and for the entire Universe.

Excerpt:
Jonah confirmed my instinct by saying, “Yeah, Shanna and I have some important stuff to do. She’ll call you later and let you know what we can do to help you.”
Tammi glared at him. “Why do you have the right to decide what Shanna’s going to do?”
“He isn’t deciding,” I corrected. “He’s agreeing with me. Tammi, I’m sorry. I have plans with Jonah.”
“Yeah, I can just imagine what those plans are,” she said snottily.
I bit my tongue. Literally. I refused to give in and run off like I usually did when someone implied something like that. I didn’t think the words had actually come from Tammi, even though they’d exited her mouth. Tarina wanted to try to shake me. “You have a better imagination than I do, then,” I replied, keeping my voice calm. “Like I said, we’re going to talk about how to help you.”
“I don’t need any help from freaks like you,” she snapped.
I started to answer. Jonah put his hand on my arm and said to Tammi, “I’m sure you feel that way now. However, you’ve already asked for our help. We don’t give up that easily.” He let go of me. “Come on, Shanna.”
I didn’t even bother taking my books out of my locker. I only had two assignments due the next day, and if I didn’t finish them, I’d take the consequences. Hurrying away from Tammi/Tarina was more important, before the ache in my gut became real pain. The ache in my third energy center, to be precise. Where I always felt something when a negative entity or even a negative person hung around me. Somehow I knew Tarina’s presence caused the feeling. “See you tomorrow, Tammi,” I said sweetly.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

My Personal Review for As You Are by Ethan Day

I love Ethan Day and his book. There I said it and there is no twelve step program to get involved in either to cure me of this addiction. Not because I find this author’s books charming, out loud funny and romantic in the least but because I don’t consider myself as having a problem at all.*grins* 


AS YOU ARE has two people finding out they are just right for one another but first they need to confront themselves and their perceptions of what love really is. Is it just like those old Hollywood glamor movies where the hero sweeps the heroine (or hero in this case) off their feet or is it more complex than that?


Julian Hallowell is a man who knows that "THE ONE" will swoop down and give him the full "I Love you, Man" speech and sweep him off his feet. Well he hopes anyways. Julian has been in love with his roommate, Danny, for over a year and though the path to true love is never smooth says it all. Through the course of the story, we find Julian finally seeing that hey Danny isn't really into you at all and finds himself dating Andy, a nice young man who turns Julian on like no tomorrow and tries to forget his feelings for Danny. I just love the fact Julian was as complicated and had insecurities like everyone else. He wasn't perfect which had me liking him even more.Perfect characters annoy me and Julian was far from perfect. He had the perfect love in his head and nothing and no one was going to deny him that-even as the reader & Julian found out, love is messy and doesn't always go according to plan.  


AS YOU ARE is one of those stories where you, the reader, find you want these people to be your friend in real life. The characters are multi-dimensional, delightful and absolutely enjoyable-warts and all. The writing is tight and story moves along at a nice pace. The author knows his characters and keeps the reader glued till the very end when the reader will find out if Julian gets his happily ever after with Andy or not.

Mr. Day delivers funny, romantic, real story that will leave you giggling at times and sighing at other times. A talented author, Ethan Day delivers another winner in AS YOU ARE and I, for one, can not wait to see what else this author has in store for his readers in the future. I am sure it will include snarky and wonderful heroes who find that love is not that smooth path they thought all along.Want to read a story that leaves a smile on your face? Grab AS YOU ARE and settle in for an afternoon of reading pleasure. I would hope Ethan comes back to Julian in the future. I would love to see what he has been up to along with all his family and friends.

Sitting down with author Scarlet Hyacinth

Can you tell me a bit about your most recent release?
Guardians 1: The Plot Bunny is a fantasy paranormal menage GLBT. The entire Guardians series rotates around the concept of artistic creation and the essence of love. In The Plot Bunny, the main character, Luc, is an author who struggles with writer’s block – something that only worsens when his lover, Simon, dumps him. He suffers a lot when Simon leaves him, without knowing that Simon suffers as well. But then Dury appears, claiming to be Luc’s plot bunny, and doing his best to bring the two back together.
This story is very special to me because Luc is a lot like I would be if I’d been a gay man who smoked Marlboro. I put a lot of my own emotions in words here, moreso than I usually do. For that reason, I think the love story between the three characters ended up beautiful too. And beyond the hot menage, the book carries a message. But I’ll leave that for the readers to discover when they read it. The Plot Bunny will be out today (26th of March), from Silver Publishing.

For any readers who may not have read any of your books, can you just give us a little sneak peak into world (i.e. the type of genre you write, type of stories you like to write....etc)?
I write m/m, mostly fantasy, paranormal although I have written some sci-fi. I love to world-build and my love for mythology appears in a lot of my books – in most of it, actually. I have demons, shapeshifters of all sorts, vampires, angels, and so on and so forth. I like to write stories that are engaging for the reader, that have something exciting and new, that keep the reader turning every page to see what will happen next – stories I myself would enjoy, with a balance between the erotic romance and the plot thread.

How much of yourself, if any, do you put into your characters?
Each of my characters has a bit of me, but some – like Luc – more than others. In Luc, I put my love for writing. In other characters, my affection for animals and my desire to break convention may appear. Most of all, I believe that every person has the right to love whomever they wish, and many times, this motif appears in my books.

How do you keep sex scenes fresh and exciting so they don't become stale or repetitive?
It is an ongoing battle J. I’ve found that in m/m, it is somewhat easier than it would be in m/f. I often add the occasional kink, like bondage or wax play. Recently, I’ve been trying my hand at menage. The dynamics in a three-way relationship allows for more room to move around for the writer, both from an emotional point of view, and where hot sex is concerned.

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?
Only five? LOL. For the first three, my best friend, Orlando Bloom, Manna Francis. Why? Orlando Bloom is my forever crush since seeing him in Lord of the Rings and I’d love to discuss m/m with Manna Francis. As for my best friend, I’d pick her because I’d want to share this amazing experience with her, of course.  For the fourth person, I’m oscilating between Jules Verne, Karl May and Tolkien. They are the mainstream authors I love most. Finally, for the fifth person, I’m undecided between Vlad the Impaler and Yamane Ayano. I’m fascinated with history of all types. I’m curious to see what Vlad would say if he found out he is now considered a vampire. And Yamane Ayano is my favorite mangaka and an amazing artist. I’d love to meet her.

What are at least five things you have on your bucket list and have you done any of them?  Learn how to swim, learn Japanese, see all my country, travel through the world as much as I can and my dream, to get published with a major publishing house and see my books on the shelf in Romanian libraries. Currently, the swimming is on hold, I’m discovering my country bit by bit and catching a phrase here and there from Japanese. I think that with every book I write, I am becoming a better writer, so I might one day achieve my dream too. Hopefully, if that happens, I’ll be able to see the world too.

Is there one series/author you feel is a must read for readers to explore (can be e book authors or print NY house authors)?
In my genre, the Administration Series by Manna Francis. It’s an amazing series, not exactly a light read, as it has a lot of bdsm content. But the brilliance of the characters makes it incredible and I recommend it for any fan of GLBT fiction. In general, my vote goes to Tolkien. Also not a light read, but it’s worth it. The world-building is breathtaking.

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?
Yes. Music is one of my favorite sources of inspiration. I love rock music and I often come up with ideas for my stories when I listen to my favorite bands. Sometimes, I simply can’t write without it. Lyrics are distracting, but I’ve found that Jrock bands particularly help. Currently, my favorite Japanese band is Versailles. I also love Thirty Seconds to Mars, Nightwish, Epica, Within Temptation, Bullet for My Valentine, and of course, Adam Lambert.

What is coming up for you in 2011?
In 2011, I have several more works lined up for release with Silver Publishing. The first one is Awakenings, a fantasy mmmm that is my first (and only, so far) forray into the taboo topic of twincest. It contains an older passion of mine, mermen. Next up is Artie, the Good Witch, also fantasy, but m/m, and my first comedy ever. After that, there’s the first book in my Bloodkin series, Bed and Breakfast, a fantasy m/m containing BDSM elements. My next release is from Siren Bookstrand, a fantasy m/m/m/m/m called Fire of the Four Seasons. It is a twisted fairytale inspired from Russian folklore.

Are any of your characters just like you or have personality quirks/traits of you or someone you know?
Definetely. I often pour my frustration with the people that annoy me into my villains or steal a trait or two from other people I know. I think this makes my characters more realistic than they’d be otherwise. This is exactly why I like The Plot Bunny so much – because Luc has all my quirks and obsessions.

Where can readers find you on the web?
I am all over the place on the web.
-         Siren Bookstrand: http://www.sirenpublishing.com/scarlethyacinth/


GUARDIANS 1: THE PLOT BUNNY

Blurb

Lucas Black, a famous author, finds himself struggling with writer's block. As he falls further and further into his obsession, his lover Simon breaks up with him. Depressed, Luc prays for a muse and is surprised when his prayers are actually answered in the person of a young man named Dury, who claims to be Luc's plot bunny. Dury is everything Luc shouldn't like, eccentric, mysterious, and far too beautiful. But in spite of his doubts, Luc cannot help but feel an increasing affection for Dury.
After his painful separation from Luc, Simon Roth is unable to continue sculpting. Seeing his ex on the street with someone else only serves to reopen old wounds. To his shock, that someone -- a mysterious man named Dury -- begins to stalk him, pushing Simon to contact Luc once again. Simon realizes with dismay that Dury's gentle coaxing reaches out to a deep part of him, one he'd thought reserved for his lost love, Luc.
Even as the two artists acknowledge their feelings for each other, they understand they have both fallen for Dury as well. Dury, however, hasn't told them everything. His secrets may well be the death of them all.



     Excerpt
As Dury offered him the spoon, their gazes met and held. Luc could swear Dury blushed. The beautiful light in Dury's green eyes drew him like a moth to the flame. As the spoon nudged his lips, he opened his mouth, still lost in Dury's green gaze.
      Unfortunately, the spell of Dury's eyes rendered Luc unable to think about anything else - which translated in him drinking in the mouthful of stew with no caution whatsoever. He only realized it when the hot spicy food hit his taste buds, scorching everything in its path.
      Instantly, Luc recoiled and started coughing as his mouth protested the assault. “Fuck. Water. Water.”
      He leaned against the counter, trying to regain his breath. A glass of liquid appeared in front of him and Luc gladly snatched it. As he gulped down the heavenly manna, the burn started to soothe, leaving behind only the pleasant taste of the delicious stew. Damn it. Why did Dury have to cook such spicy stuff?
      Fury and frustration swept through Luc. He hadn't come to the kitchen to be a cooking aid. “That's it,” he growled at Dury. “You're out of here.”
      Dury's beautiful eyes widened. “But I haven't helped you with your book yet.”
      “Exactly,” Luc shot back. “So far the only things you've done are cook food with too much pepper and fill my drawers with your own clothes.” And give me a hard-on that won't go away, he mentally added. “If anything,” he continued to rant out loud, “you're making it worse. You're not casting away my writer's block.”
      “That's because you don't believe,” Dury shot back. “You spend your time trying to come up with ideas to get me out of here instead of appreciating my help.”
      Luc crossed his arms over his chest and snorted. “And what do you expect me to do? Some random guy pops up into my life, claims he's my muse--”
      “Plot bunny,” Dury interrupted.
      “-- and makes himself at home in my apartment,” Luc continued undeterred. “Excuse me if I'm not exactly thrilled.”
      Dury's eyes filled with tears. “So you think I'm a liar just trying to mooch off you?”
      Luc opened his mouth to say yes. He tried to harden his heart, but the sight of Dury's tears simply tore him apart. God, he couldn't allow himself to be manipulated by a pretty boy who could cry on command, even if said pretty boy had incredible eyes, luscious lips and a body to die for. Instead of keeping to his resolve, though, Luc found himself something else entirely. “Fine. If you prove to me that you really are a plot bunny, I'll let you stay.”
      Dury wiped his tears. Feeling like a jerk, Luc retrieved a napkin and offered it to the young man. Dury nodded in silent thanks and took it. After he blew his nose, Dury gave Luc a critical look. “For a fantasy writer, you're awfully skeptical.”

Tuesday, March 22, 2011

My Personal Review for Anything For You by Ethan Day

You know you found the perfect author to read when you start smiling within the first five pages of one of their books. Ethan Day is  one of my favorite GBLT authors and nope I am not stalking him *shakes head as I click through his website seeing what else I can read*, I claim to be a very devoted fan. * hides the pink silly string*

Anything For You is his latest release and one I fell off my chair laughing while reading. I can attest my butt and hip don't like Ethan right now but I don't count them too much in the whole "stalking the author" plan. *snickers*

Ethan Day has another winner with Jason Miller finding that staying in the closet is about as hard as falling in love...with your polar opposite in fact. Chad Wellington is out and proud to be a gay man. Falling for Jason was easy.....getting Jason to admit to himself that it was ok to be gay and out was a little bit tougher. The snarky comments from Jason had me giggling, the acceptance from Chad was a delight and the holy moly, melt the panties sex scenes had me wishing I could call DH home for an afternoon "lunch break". *fans face*

Two opposites attract yet somehow managed to be just perfect for one another is what ANYTHING FOR YOU is about. Mr. Day is a talented author who definitely has the feel for his characters and lets them have their fun while telling a highly entertaining story. If you are looking for a sweet, romantic story that will leave you with a smile on your face then grab ANYTHING FOR YOU. I am hoping Mr. Day comes back to Jason, Chad and their friends in the future. I would love to see what they are doing next. 

Want your Ethan Day fix? Stalk...err check him out...oh hell with it.....run over to his website and see what lovely books he has out and coming soon. If you see me there....walk away...slowly....like you don't see me. *grins*

Monday, March 21, 2011

Guest Author Day with Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy


Can you tell me a bit about your most recent release?

LOVE TATTOO is a fun, sweet, sexy fast paced book.   I got the idea one late night on the highway when I noticed that most of the other traffic consisted of big trucks.  I thought that trucking would be a great occupation for a vampire and then little Texas girl Cara Riley got into my head.  The combined result became LOVE TATTOO.

For any readers who may not have read any of your books, can you just give us a little sneak peak into world (i.e. the type of genre you write, type of stories you like to write....etc)?

I write romance.  The first two novels are both paranormal but I have others upcoming that are romantic suspense, time travel, and contemporary romance.   In short fiction, I write a lot of speculative stories, some that have appeared or will later this year in anthologies.

How much of yourself, if any, do you put into your characters?

I put a lot of myself into my characters but they’re all composites so none of them are completely based on me – or anyone else.  Those closest to me can often pick out a memory or trait.

How do you keep sex scenes fresh and exciting so they don't become stale or repetitive?
 It can be challenging at times.  I often worry about having the characters do the same things too often and I watch very close that I don’t repeat the same words or phrases.  Writing my sex scenes probably take me the longest because I write slow with very careful consideration and thought.

If you could throw a party with any five people (living or dead) who would you pick and why?

I would love to meet Will Shakespeare so he would be on the list.  So would country rockabilly singer Johnny Horton because I love his music.   I would also include Elvis Presley,  Tommy Makem (another favorite singer) and Padraic Pearse.   The common denominator is that I love all their creative work and that they’re men.  I really love men and most of my friends are men.

What are at least five things you have on your bucket list and have you done any of them?

Going to Ireland (which I have not yet done) is at the top of that list.
Standing on the stage of the Louisiana Hayride (which I have done!) in Shreveport, LA
Visit my cousin who now lives in Thailand
I would like to spend a week in some lovely remote spot with an ocean view – alone
I would like to own a restaurant and work in it hands on

Do you listen to music when writing? Do you feel like some stories write themselves a soundtrack with specific music? If so, what book and what kind of music influenced it?

I love music so yes, I listen when I write.  What I listen to is often geared to what I am working on at that time.   I have a release out in May 2012 from Champagne that involves Elvis and so I listened to him all the time I wrote it so yeah, definite influence on that one.

What is coming up for you in 2011?
So far, I have three more releases lined up – romantic suspense title KINFOLK  coming in July from Champagne Books, LOVE NEVER FAILS, a contemporary romance in September from Rebel Ink Press, and A TIME TO LOVE (time travel) from Champagne in November.
I hope to have some more titles out from Evernight Publishing this year too.

Are any of your characters just like you or have personality quirks/traits of you or someone you know?
None are just like me but they all have a little bit of me somewhere.   I draw on my own personal experience to create characters but they are all composites.

Where can readers find you on the web?

I’m on Facebook (Lee Ann Sontheimer Murphy), on Twitter as “leeannwriter”, I have a website:




And a blog:


Sneak peek into LOVE TATTOO

One kiss, once chance encounter detours Cara Riley from her last shot at a Nashville career when she meets sexy truck driver, Shakespeare quoting Will Brennan.




Shakespeare, quoted at a God-forsaken rest area along Interstate 40 somewhere in Arkansas  before daybreak, had an immediate effect on my heart.   Any man that could quote the Bard without cheating or peeking at a book impressed me and in this unexpected setting, he had  me.   Romeo’s words, his aside as he watched Juliet dither around up on her balcony, had a heady and intoxicating quality but I was no Juliet, no thirteen year old virgin pining for love.
I had my big girl pants on so that I could get to Nashville and sing for my supper.  I had been before and did nothing but turn around for home, beaten and defeated.  This time should be different.  I planned it, I saved up money from my nothing job, and I had studio demos.   I had contacts in the business and even a room to rent in my best friend Sheena’s grandmother’s duplex.   Everything was set for me to make one more run at stardom before I gave up, got married and fat, had three or four kids, and sang karaoke on my nights out on the town.
 All my ambitions shifted in that moment and dissolved like a pair of discount store shoes in a flash flood.
I tried to think of something to say, some quote of Juliet’s that might fit, or just something, that would sound sophisticated or at least cool.
What came out of my mouth was, “Who are you?”
He pulled hard at the cigarillo one more time and tossed it. His laughter sounded like church bells ringing or a steel guitar played by someone who knew how to make the thing sing.
“I am either your worst nightmare or your salvation.” That voice purred like a happy cat on a comfortable lap.  “My name is Will Brennan and it is a pleasure to meet you.”
He told his name so it seemed like I had to give him mine.
 “I’m Cara Riley.”  I stuck my hand out to him to shake but instead he took it in his then bent down over it to kiss it.  Both his fingers and his lips felt cold to me but I figured it was just that hot summer morning.  No one ever kissed my hand before, ever, and I liked it.   Will did it with graceful, suave moves more suitable to a nobleman at a royal court and not the truck driver I guessed he must be.
 “So, Cara Riley, we have met,” Will said, “That’s the first step in getting acquainted.  We should move onward to the second.”
“Which is?”
 That question sounded dumb coming out of my mouth and I knew it when I said it.
“This.” Will Brennan told me in that lush voice that made me feel the same way that the best hot chocolate laden with real cream did down deep inside just before he kissed me.

Saturday, March 19, 2011

My Personal Review for Crunch Time by Andrew Grey

I love Andrew Grey and I am not afraid to say it. *grins* I guess you can say I am one of his many fans and love the fact he creates some amazing character driven stories that completely captivate the reader from the first page.

Now my review of his latest book in the Gym series, CRUNCH TIME.

George Higgins never anticipates finding a forever love with anyone. He is content to teach his fourth grade students, work out with friends and have quiet nights. When he is asked to help out a soon to be former football player named Darren White, he thinks nothing will happen from it. To his surprise, Darren White is eager for his help and quite sexy to boot. Now in the midst of helping Darren, George is falling for one man who he thinks is out of his league.
Darren White needs help finding his way again in life. After a career ending injury leaves him adrift, he finds himself hoping that the television job is something he can do. With the help of George, Darren finds that he can have a new career if he can just trust himself-and George-to succeed. Falling in love with George never felt so good or so right.

CRUNCH TIME is one story that will leave you smiling in the end. It's a sweet, romantic story of two people who start out as teacher and student and falling for one another. Andrew Grey is one talented author who is a master at creating character driven stories that resonate with the readers. I love this author's writing. It's like coming home from a long time away to find you never really left. The writing is tight, storyline is fast paced and the characters are so realistic, you feel like you could meet them for coffee on any given day. There are some returning characters from prior Gym stories (Spot Me, Pump Me Up and Core Training) and had a few humorous moments that had me laughing out loud.

If you enjoy stories where the characters drive the story, then grab any of Andrew Grey's books. I can highly recommend any of them for an afternoon of reading pleasure. I can not wait to see what else this author has up his sleeve for his readers next in the future.

4 out of 5
Find out more about Andrew Grey's books at his website or at Dreamspinner Press

Book Blast and Giveaway: Fox Hounds by Lia Connor

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