New Release Spotlight & Giveaway: J. Hali Steele's Egregious

   

Title:  Egregious

Author: J. Hali Steele

Publisher: Changeling Press LLC

Release Date: August 5, 2023

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 89 pages

Genre: Action Adventure, Dark Fantasy, New Releases, Paranormal Women's Fiction, Razor's Edge Erotica, Romance, Suspense

Synopsis

Liam Lamech buried Valerian, the vampire he recognized as his mate, next to Hell’s Gate nearly two thousand years ago. When the vampire king frees the vile creature, Liam determines not to give in to the strongest emotion a vampire can experience -- the pull of an eternal mate. Liam can’t kill Valerian, yet he vows never to love him. Still, he’ll protect the undead man with his own life.

Valerian detests the memory of his days as a Roman emperor, though not nearly as much as he hates Liam, the vampire God chose as his mate. Aware they were meant to spend eternity together, the monster buried Val so close to Satan that a piece of his soul still burns. Even though Liam is one of the vampire king’s most revered warriors, Valerian vows to make the bastard pay!

Excerpt

Egregious (Sanguine Blood Seekers 5)

J. Hali Steele

All rights reserved.

Copyright ©2023 J. Hali Steele

Liam Lamech found himself in an impossible situation. He despised his mate, a malicious fiend who, as a Roman emperor, was responsible for slaying a multitude of Christians.

The vampire who filled Liam’s mind during every waking moment had been created by one whose blood would burn stronger than Liam’s, had he not regularly received blood from Sten Majkovic, the vampire king, and the most supreme undead creature inhabiting God’s world.

Liam had believed Sten truly liked and respected him until the king unearthed the body of Publius Licinius Valerianus, known by the vampire world as Valerian and now as Liam’s mate.

All those centuries ago Liam strongly suspected his connection to Valerian. The pull of the eternal bond was so intense Liam would not even take the vile brute’s blood before he entombed him in a hole deep enough that if he reached out, he could touch Satan’s face. Liam prayed the devil would hold the evil bastard prisoner forever.

Liam only knew of one other vampire who had resisted the phenomenal attraction to his own mate all those eons ago. Kamose, a seventeenth dynasty pharaoh, had somehow managed to live thousands of years with knowledge his mate still lived.

Shit, Kam survived without his mate because, as did Liam, he carried strong blood in his veins. Couple that with the fact that he searched out and screwed the saint every chance he could unless the holy man had gone to ground.

Now all vamps sought the only being they would forgive any sin -- their mate. That one, human or undead, who completed them, who would walk at their side forever.

Valerian was not that vampire. He couldn’t be. “I will never forgive him,” Liam swore. “And I don’t want a mate! God, please tell me, show me, Valerian can’t be the one.” Liam stormed back and forth in such fury, he wore a path in the jewel-toned carpet that stretched the width and length of his living room. Liam didn’t even have the luxury of talking to his king as Sten, claiming back pain, had safeguarded his home from everyone except Joshua. Not even Sten’s favored warrior’s lover could gain entrance to what had now become a fortress.

“Backache my ass.” Vampires didn’t entertain bodily aches unless another, far superior, snatched their heart out. Depending on age and ability, both could die from such an act as no vamp was permitted to destroy another of their kind unless the execution was ordered by Sten -- and still, there were dire consequences. After all that Liam had undertaken for his king, he now viewed Sten as an ungrateful reprobate.

Creeping around his own mind got Liam nowhere. May as well do what he’d done for thousands of years to stave off loneliness and… sorrow. Where the hell had that word sprung from? Liam suffered no woes over the past and what he’d done in God’s name. Saturated with anger, he felt as if his life -- or rather, his undead existence, was falling apart. Underground, the club in King of Prussia, a suburb of Philadelphia, was full of voyeurs willing to take him or watch him be had by someone he prayed would savagely use him tonight. A visit to the exclusive sex venue would settle Liam’s thoughts as well as ease tension that rose each time the sun crested the horizon.

What enraged Liam’s soul most was that God had permitted Valerian, the sacrilegious piece of shit, to live. “Me. I performed that feat.” The thought paraded through Liam’s mind. I allowed Valerian to live. “Why did I supply him with enough of Kenan’s blood to keep him thriving in that hole?”

And where was his king? Liam had been without Sten’s blood for a longer period than usual. That loss infuriated Liam, and although he’d drained blood from a heart laced with Valerian’s blood, he still had trouble tracking the murderous asshole.

Dissolving into nothing, Liam slipped into Underground unnoticed by human eyes. The smell of men and sex relieved his tension briefly, until he heard a voice he recognized all too well.

“Son of a bitch!”

Purchase at Changeling Press LLC

Meet the Author

Growl and roar -- it's okay to let the beast out. -- J. Hali Steele J. Hali Steele wishes she could grow fur, wings, or fangs, so she can stay warm, fly, or just plain bite the crap out of… Well, she can’t do those things but she wishes she could! J. Hali's a multi-published Amazon bestselling author of Romance in Paranormal, Fantasy, and Contemporary worlds which include ReligErotica and LGBTQ stories where humans, vampyres, shapeshifters and angels collide -- and they collide a lot! When J. Hali’s not writing or reading, she can be found snuggled in front of the TV with a cat in her lap, and a cup of coffee.

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Discover Lane Hayes' The London Change and a Giveaway

Title:  The London Chance

Author: Lane Hayes

Publisher: Lane Hayes

Release Date: July 25, 2023

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 27,500

Genre: Romance, Romantic Comedy, Bisexual Romance, Gay Romance, Humor, Contemporary Romance

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Synopsis

Two strangers, an online dating app, and a chance at forever…
Chance
After months of online correspondence with a sexy businessman, we’re finally meeting in person—in London, no less!
Okay. It’s a casual meet-up. Nothing to get excited about. I fully understand that online connections don’t always translate in person. Roman could be pompous or worse…boring.
Wish me luck!
Roman
Dinner with my online “friend” doesn’t go well. I shouldn’t be disappointed. That’s life.
But just as I’m ready to write our peculiar acquaintanceship off, Chance turns up unexpectedly at a karaoke bar. Don’t ask what I’m doing there. I have no idea. However, I don’t mind at all. It feels like the universe is giving us a cosmic redo. Sure, Chance lives in California and my home is in the UK now, but this feels like the real thing. Something worth taking a chance on.
A forever chance.
The London Chance is an MM, bisexual romance featuring an American, a Canadian, a dating app, and an unexpected HEA.

Excerpt

“What time is it?” I grumbled, rubbing my stubbled jaw.
“Half one,” a deep, rumbly voice replied.
I spun on my heels with my mouth wide open, unsure where to begin. An apology, a thank-you, maybe even a fuck-you.…Words weren’t my friend without caffeine and if it was really one thirty in the afternoon, I was going to have a difficult time navigating this one.
If I was going to unravel in a foreign country, was an audience necessary? And better question…did it have to be this man?
Roman stepped into the room, instantly taking over the space. The combination of his height, broad shoulders, and broody presence made him seem intimidating as fuck even in a navy V-neck sweater, casual jeans, and bare feet. His hair flopped roguishly over his right eye, which should have softened his sharp features, but…it didn’t. He was devilishly handsome and sexy and— I think I puked on his shoes last night. Oh, please let this be a bad dream.
I squeezed my eyes shut, hoping for a scene change and a new cast when I opened them again.
Nope. I was still in Roman’s guest room, standing three feet from the man himself, wearing his T-shirt and—
“Are these your boxers?” I asked, plucking at the silky red fabric.
One corner of his mouth twisted in wry amusement. “They were a gift. You can have them. How are you feeling?”
I wrinkled my nose. “I’ve been better. I’m sorry about—”
“Don’t worry about it.” He waved dismissively and moved to the doorway. “Would you like coffee or tea?”
“Coffee, please.”
He smiled kindly. “You got it. I’ll make toast and bacon too.”
“Thank you. Coffee is fine, but—” I paused to look around the immaculate room. “I need my clothes.”
“Trust me. You don’t want your clothes.”
“Huh?”
“I threw your socks and underwear in the wash, but your suit and shirt needed to be dry-cleaned. They’ll be ready tomorrow. I’ll grab a pair of sweatpants and socks for you. You’re welcome to shower. The toothbrush on the counter is the one you used last night. I’ll leave clothes on the banister for you. Meet me downstairs when you’re ready.”
Roman was gone before I could thank him or protest. I decided I wasn’t ready to deal with the fuzzier parts of last night that had resulted in my clothing immediately needing to be dry-cleaned. I headed for the bathroom instead.
The deliciously hot shower under a wide spray felt so amazing, I never wanted to get out. And the thick towel on the warming rack was a slice of nirvana. I dried myself, then wrapped the towel around my waist and wiped steam off the mirror. I scanned the marble-and-glass haven as I brushed my teeth, sighing at the very unwelcome memory of kneeling on the tiled floor in front of the porcelain god.
How was I going to face this man? I’d been a fucking mess last night. Running into traffic, dancing in the rain…and oh…shit. I’d called him daddy.
More than once.
Heat bloomed across my cheeks as I rinsed and patted my mouth dry, but I couldn’t exactly hide in here. I slipped the boxers and tee on and found a pair of gray sweats and black socks perched on the banister post where Roman said they’d be. I finished dressing, finger-combed my short hair, and took one last cleansing breath before following the scent of coffee downstairs.

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Meet the Author

Lane Hayes loves a good romance! An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. She loves wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and her fabulous pup, George.

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Book Spotlight/GIVEAWAY: Ruby's Price

Title: Ruby's Price: An M/M Paranormal Western Romance

Series: Tin Star Witches: Beyond Ruby Gulch

Author: Giovanna Reaves

Publisher: GiaReaves Romance Books

Release Date: September 9th

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 80K+

Genre: Romance, Western, Historical, Paranormal

Synopsis

Top-notch witch taker Sebastian “Bass” Wright is a lawman with a keen sense of justice. Outlaws shudder in fear when they hear his name. Bass is very dedicated to his job which leaves no time for relationships. When a series of murders take place in Fort Creek, Texas, Bass is sent to investigate and capture the killer. During his first day in town, he meets the brothel owner who sparks more than his suspicion.

 

Love has never been Ryota Ostrel’s goal. He lives by a set of rules that help him balance his personal and professional life and sidestep romance. As a bordello owner, Ryota will use his powers to stop anyone from finding out who and what he is. He is taken by surprise when a handsome witch taker walks into his brothel. Ryota is thrown off balance and is captivated by Bass Wright’s powerful aura, but feels the witch taker is hiding secrets behind his charming smile.

With murder cases and mistrust swirling between them, neither man can fight their mutual attraction. Bass and Ryota concoct plans to get the information they need from one another. They soon find out there’s more to the case than meets the eye.

Bass and Ryota’s passion burns instantly, making them question their morals and rules.

Disclaimer: This is a work of fiction and is not historically factual. This book contains scenes of violence, prostitution, deception, death, and sexual content.

Excerpt

Ryota Ostrel gazed at the tall and handsome man in front of him. He shoved his hands back in his pockets and looked at the man in front of him. A few minutes earlier he’d been standing by the one-way window in his office looking down in the ballroom and noticed when the guest walked in. Ryota was instantly drawn to the man’s handsome physique.

Standing next to Baker, he could tell the other man was a witch but wasn’t sure what kind. Not only could he feel a suspicious aura surrounding Baker that intrigued him, making him wonder what Baker was doing in their town and what was his relationship with Malcolm Grover, the town’s deputy mayor.

“So, Mr. Baker, what are you doing in Fort Creek?” Ryota sat down and Baker followed suit.

Ryota ignored Malcolm Grover, letting his annoyance show. Ryota and Grover were business partners as well as contracted lovers, and had a deal that the deputy mayor would never show up at the brothel unannounced. However, Grover knew how busy Ryota was, which was why they always scheduled their meetings.

Why bother getting upset now? I plan on breaking the pleasure contract off with him anyway.

“I’m looking for new investments,” Baker responded.

Ryota nodded. “Investments are always a good thing. And how did you hear about our little town?”

Baker smiled. “From my good buddy Malcolm, of course.”

Ryota smiled, casting a glance in Malcolm’s direction, who lowered his eyes as if he found something interesting on the table. In all the time he knew Malcolm, he’d never mentioned he had a friend named Baker. Other than Ruby, he didn’t think Malcolm had any other friends.

“Ah…so you two know each other?” Ryota asked speculatively.

Baker slung an arm around Grover, who flinched but played it off quickly by readjusting his posture. “We met at university.”

“Oh.” Ryota didn’t question the association any longer. His association with Grover had only started six years ago, the intimate part of their relationship came years later. “Tell me, what do you plan on investing in?”

“I’ve suddenly become interested in brothels.” Baker placed his elbow on the chair handle, rubbing lazily on his chiseled jaw, staring at him flirtatiously.

Ryota ignored the man’s flirtatious manner, waving a hand around. “As you can see, brothels are quite lucrative.”

Ten years ago, when he’d taken over Ruby’s, it was in a terrible state. It was a saloon that looked more like a shack with a few shakers—also known as painted ladies or prostitutes—who were working for pennies on their backs while the madam reaped all the benefits and mistreated the workers. As a high-level nine-tail-fox demon, Ryota had the money and power to make things happen, which included approving or disapproving new business in town.

“I can tell it’s quite lucrative,” Baker said. “Maybe I need to take lessons from you on how to turn a shack into a mansion.”

“I’m not certain you’d be able to grasp the syllabus, Mr. Baker.”

“Oh, I don’t know, Ry. I’ve been told I’m a fast learner.”

“Madam Ruby,” Ryota corrected. After taking over the brothel, he had made a lot of changes, except for the name of the place and the moniker Madam Ruby.

It was against the rules for demons of his stature to give dominion over others if they were to know his real name.

“Excuse me?” Baker confusedly looked at him.

“Please, call me Madam Ruby.”

Baker stared at him for a second. Ryota didn’t miss the slight smile that hung on the corner of his lips. “Very well, Madam Ruby. I’m sure there’s something you can teach me.”

Ryota moved his gaze up and down the man, looking at his finely tailored clothes and perfectly styled curly hair. He gave off an aura of a rich philanderer who didn’t care about how much money he spent or wasted. Ryota could only imagine how many hearts the man had broken with that sexy smile. However, he could tell there was something mysterious under those hazel eyes.

“Pick something else to invest in,” Ryota said. “Or better yet, a different town.”

Since setting foot in Fort Creek, Ryota had claimed the town as his and did not plan on sharing its wealth with others. Blame his possessiveness on being a demon.

“Why should I find another town?”

“Do I need to answer that question?” Ryota huffed.

Why is this man trying to irritate me? And we just met, how bothersome.

“No, I suppose you don’t,” Baker responded. “But I don’t see anything wrong with a town having two brothels. Or are you afraid of a little competition?”

Ryota chuckled. “If you stick around long enough, Mr. Baker, you’ll find out I’m not afraid of anything.”

With that, Ryota stood and cast an irritated glance at Grover, who was trying to disappear but failing terribly. Without so much as a by your leave, Ryota turned and walked away, not missing Baker’s provocative smile.

How irritating. You made me think you could be interesting.

Ryota tried putting their interaction out of his thoughts as he spoke with other customers. But his irritation grew the longer he stayed in the ballroom.

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Meet the Author

Giovanna (Gia) Reaves is the alter ego for a dreamer. A dreamer who spends her days and nights creating worlds from her imagination. Being an avid reader, allowed Gia's imagination to take hold. With the encouragement of her loved ones, Gia has given into the voices in her head, putting their words and words to paper. Gia is also a mother, wife, and veteran. Gia is also a serious chocoholic and loves to read MM Romance just as much as she loves writing them. The sweeter the better, especially, on a snowy or rainy day is how she likes to fill her days when she is not writing.

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Book Spotlight/Giveaway: The Basilisk's Lover

Title: The Basilisk's Lover

Series: Fairview Chronicles #8

Author: Alexa Piper

Publisher: Changeling Press LLC

Release Date: August 6, 2021

Heat Level: 4 - Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 140

Genre: Romance, Thriller/Suspense, Action Adventure, Dark Fantasy, Paranormal, Romantic Comedy, Urban Fantasy, Alternative Universe, Dark Desire, Elves, Dragons & Magical Creatures, Gay, Magic, Murder Mystery, Shapeshifters, Werewolves & Wolf Shifters

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Synopsis

Leon is a basilisk, a snake-demon. He is also a teacher and used to hiding his true nature, that dark secret that has always kept him apart from others. When he meets Cy, what Leon thought would just be a fling quickly turns into more. Cy and Leon may be from different worlds, but with a dangerous creature feeding on the students at Fairview University where Leon teaches, those worlds soon collide.

Cy finds himself pulled into a world of mages and shapeshifters, of seductive snake-demons. To help find what is murdering students at the university, Cy, along with the St. John Investigations team, decides to go undercover. He ends up a university student once more -- and Leon is his hot teacher.

Cy will need to come to grips with the supernatural and with his feelings for Leon. If opposites truly attract, the cold-blooded basilisk and the warm-blooded human might just find their way to a happily-ever-after, but not before they figure out what haunts Fairview University -- and put a stop to it.

Excerpt

All rights reserved.
Copyright ©2021 Alexa Piper

The train rattled and hummed with that train noise that was so well suited to becoming just background static, a near invisible pressure on every passenger’s eardrums. Yet, it was loud enough to pull Cy from his daze every other five minutes or so which was probably a good thing, considering that Fairview was the next stop. The train was less than a third full, quiet, and Cy was tired.

Cy had meant to take an earlier train out of Morrowvale, but then he’d been fool enough to answer his work phone and had spent half an hour talking to one of his clients about another stained-glass window and what it was supposed to look like, and could Cy get it done very soon, please. He’d told the client it would get done as soon as he could humanly manage it, and he’d absolutely come out to take a few measurements. Which he had done, and then the client had just talked and talked about what she wanted in her new window, and Cy had nodded and smiled as he downed no less than three espressos from her fancy machine.

And now it was late, the world outside the train car was ink black apart from the occasional glow in the distance that marked out a lone house or a road. The artificial light that lit the inside of the car was grating on the eyes. Cy looked out, though the windows were more like dull mirrors, showing him his reflection, washed-out and pale. He was beginning to feel another wave of tiredness come over him.

“Long day?”

At first, Cy wasn’t sure he’d been spoken to. He turned his face away from the window and immediately found the speaker’s gaze meeting his, bronze eyes inquisitive, face curious, and a smile playing at the corners of the man’s lips. He sat diagonally across from Cy, a book open on his lap. One long finger was teasing the pages.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you,” the man said. His voice was smooth and reminded Cy of the warm hues of the reds he loved to use, never mind how expensive they were because it took gold to give the glass that special shade of red.

“No, it’s fine,” Cy said. “And it was a long day.”

The man’s smile stretched a bit at that, which drew Cy’s eyes to the lips, rosy pink with coral undertones. The man’s lips looked very soft.

“Hm, those are the worst,” he said. “Are you going back home?”

A part of Cy’s mind tried alerting him to the fact that a complete stranger was striking up a conversation with him on a near-empty night train. Even if that stranger was the kind of pretty that easily drew Cy’s attention, the man could still be a perfect weirdo. Heavens knew Cy had hooked up with some weirdos over the years. Except this guy was reading, and a glance to the book in his lap told Cy the man was reading Homer in the original Greek, which struck Cy as even odder than the pretty stranger’s interest in him.

“No,” Cy said. “I’m visiting my sister.” At least that way, if the stranger was the murderous kind of weirdo, he’d know Cy was expected, even if he wasn’t. This was a surprise visit, and Cy had the generalized, uncertain feeling in the pit of his stomach that he would end up just as surprised as his sister by the end of it. That was a whole different can of wiggly worms that he didn’t want to dwell on just now.

The stranger nodded and closed his book after running one of those long fingers down the center where the signatures were glued to the spine. He didn’t even use a bookmark. “That’s nice. Family is so precious,” the stranger said.

“Clearly you don’t have any siblings,” Cy commented. His voice sounded a bit drier than he liked. He told himself that was because he was tired.

The stranger tilted his head. He had perfect, tawny skin and ink-black hair which he kept long enough for a loose ponytail at the nape of his neck. He had no accent that Cy could detect, spoke instead cleanly and clearly like someone who’d been moved around too much as a child or someone parked in some exclusive boarding school for most of their adolescent life. He didn’t look exactly Asian either. Even the coarse hair had a bit of a wave to it, and the eyes, while almond-shaped, lacked the monolid Cy would have associated with someone of Asian descent. The closer Cy looked, the odder the stranger seemed.

“You’re right, I don’t,” the man said. “But I imagine it would be nice. Do you not like your sister?” One of his eyebrows rose, and he turned his upper body toward Cy to show interest.

Cy rolled his shoulders. “Sure, I do.” Except I don’t trust she always makes the smartest decisions. “But younger sisters are just born knowing how to get on your nerves.” By being plain stupid or pretending to be. “You read Greek?” Cy asked, indicating the Odyssey with his chin.

The man looked at the book and back to Cy. “I do. I also speak it. Miláte epísis Elliniká?”

“Uhm, sorry? I know the letters, but that’s it,” Cy said. “Classics professor mom, you see.”

The stranger smiled. “I apologize for presuming,” he said. “I just asked if you spoke Greek, which you answered all the same.”

Cy cleared his throat. He could feel himself blush at the sight of that smile, sharp and soft as a line drawn onto a sheet of pale glass. And those pretty bronze eyes and that voice like red glass warmed by sunlight didn’t hurt either.

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Meet the Author

Alexa Piper writes steamy romance that ranges from light to dark, from straight to queer. She’s also a coffee addict. Alexa loves writing stories that make her readers laugh and fall in love with the characters in them. Connect with Alexa on Facebook or Instagram, follow her on Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter!

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Book Spotlight~ LV48

Title: LV48

Series: The Cassie Tam Files, Book Three

Author: Matt Doyle

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: December 10, 2018

Heat Level: 1 - No Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 66400

Genre: Science Fiction, futuristic, lesbian, private detective, Sci-fi

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Synopsis

New Hopeland City may be the birthplace of Tech Shifter gear, but it isn’t the only place that likes to blend technology with folklore. Now, a new nightmare is stalking the streets… When PI Cassie Tam is attacked on the way home one night, she expects the police to get involved. What she doesn’t expect is to be forced into acting as bait to lure out a lunatic in a tech-suit that’s literally out for blood. But past actions have consequences, and doing so may be the only way she can get a clean slate from the city’s law makers. If only that didn’t mean having to face down a wannabe vampire.

Excerpt

LV48 Matt Doyle © 2018 All Rights Reserved “Nei hou gaau siu.” When Lori smiles like that, her eyes take on a slight twinkle, making their pale blue tone feel warm and welcoming. That being the case, it takes me a moment to realise I didn’t understand a word she just said. Am I so drunk already? “Uh, sorry. What?” Lori giggles and repeats, “Nei hou gaau siu.” When I stare blankly, she frowns and asks, “Is my pronunciation off? I was sure that was right.” “What were you trying to say?” “I was trying to tell you that you’re funny in Cantonese.” And at that, the laughter spills out of me, uncontrolled to the point I have to bury my face in the table to muffle the sound. If we’d been in our usual haunt, Northern Main Street’s late-night café-cum-alternative hangout Tourniquet, I’d have let loose uninhibited. The people there look like an odd bunch when you’re viewing things from the outside, but if you spend enough time there, you soon realise they’re all really nice people with tastes and hobbies that fall outside the mainstream. Seeing as we’ve opted for Cartwright’s on Dunstone Avenue, though, I’m trying to hold back. Honestly, I am. I’m just not doing a good job of it. The staff in Cartwright’s are lovely, but the clientele is a little less raucous than those at Tourniquet, and so I’m already drawing some confused looks by the time I wipe the tears from my eyes. “I’m sorry,” I say, “I’m sorry.” “I’ve never been much good at languages. Oh God,” Lori sighs and shoots me a now far more nervous smile. “Put me out of my misery. What did I say?” I shrug. “You probably told me I was funny in Cantonese.” Lori tilts her head and says, “Okay, now I’m confused.” “I don’t speak Cantonese.” “Yes, you do.” “I really don’t.” “You really do. I mean, you can’t seriously be telling me you’ve been using diu in the Taiwanese sense?” “No, no…,” I reply, waving my hands in frantic motions. “Wait. What does it mean in Taiwan?” “It was old slang for cool.” “Oh, right. No, I’m definitely using it the way you think.” “So you do speak Cantonese then.” “No, I swear in Cantonese. I couldn’t hold a conversation in it. My dad had a thing about me swearing. He hated it, even when I was an adult. It was the one thing that always made him roll his eyes at Mom. Anyway, he spoke Mandarin, English, and a little French, so my options for big kid words were kinda limited. I went to school with a guy named Tom Huang; he spoke Cantonese, so I got him to teach me the cool words. Dad probably got the gist of what I was saying, but I think he appreciated the ingenuity of it.” And now, Lori laughs and buries her face in her hands. She shakes her head and says, “I am such an idiot.” “Nah, it’s not like I’ve ever spoken Mandarin around you, so how would you know? Honestly, I know enough Mandarin to get by, but we always spoke English at home, so I just picked that up easier. Let’s see, though…you would have meant nǐ hěn gǎoxiào. Or if you wanted to be really over the top with it, nǐ jiӑng shénme dōu néng bӑ wŏ lè huài le. That’s ‘everything you say cracks me up.’” Lori shakes her head. “I think I’ll stick to English.” “I am sorry for laughing,” I say, taking her hand. “It was really sweet of you to try learning something in another language for me. Why that phrase, though?” Lori lets out a short, gentle laugh, and replies, “Every time we’re together, you either do or say something to make me laugh, so I figured it was something I could guarantee I’d get to use.” “I’ll get us another drink,” I blurt, and whip myself to my feet and away towards the counter. It was just a compliment, but still… Did I move quick enough to stop her seeing how red my cheeks are? “Nǐ hěn gǎoxiào,” Lori giggles in broken Mandarin. I guess I was too slow. Diu.

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Meet the Author

Matt Doyle is a speculative fiction author from the UK and identifies as pansexual and genderfluid. Matt has spent a great deal of time chasing dreams, a habit which has led to success in a great number of fields. To date, this has included spending ten years as a professional wrestler, completing a range of cosplay projects, and publishing multiple works of fiction. These days, Matt can be found working on multiple novels and stories, blogging about pop culture, and plotting and planning far too many projects.

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Book Spotlight- The Escort's Tale

Title: The Escort's Tale: an MMF Bisexual Romance

Author: M.J. Edwards (pen name for Robert Winter)

Publisher: Snow King Books

Release Date: September 21, 2018

Heat Level: 5 - Erotica

Pairing: Male/Male/Female (Male/Male interaction)

Length: 199 pages

Genre: Romance, Erotica, bi for you

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Synopsis

Do you want to spice up your marriage? Or perhaps you have a cuckold fantasy? Whatever your desire or kink, call JD Pierce.

Under his working name, Jasper has built a solid clientele and reputation. As JD Pierce, high-priced escort, he specializes in bringing bisexual fantasies to life. Sometimes a husband needs to be humiliated. Maybe a couple wants to be naughty and roleplay the seduction of an impressionable boy. Jasper, aka JD, is the man for the job.

When a young woman with a unique problem contacts Jasper, though, he fears he's out of his depth. Alethia's husband Nick suffered a spinal cord injury. He has paraplegia. The couple can no longer have conventional sex, and it's driving a wedge between them. Nick is straight, but Alethia hires Jasper to help them fix things.

Despite his doubts, Jasper throws himself into the challenge. He wants to help sexy Nick reconnect with his beautiful wife. Using imagination and honesty, he unearths hidden fantasies in both of them. What he isn't prepared for is his attraction to these new clients. The feeling grows quickly from desire to friendship and maybe something more. Will Jasper help Nick and Alethia and then move on? Or will they be the couple to bring to life this escort's own fantasy?

The Escort's Tale is a standalone bisexual erotic romance featuring a well-endowed lover-for-hire, a troubled man in a wheelchair, and the determined woman who brings them all together.

Excerpt

Excerpt from The Escort’s Tale, Chapter Two:

“Would you like to tell me how my name came up?” I ask, gauging that Alethia’s ready to discuss it.

She sets down her glass and darts glances left and right. Satisfied no one will overhear, she leans closer and speaks in a quiet, private voice. “Meredith is aware that my husband and I are facing some difficulties in our marriage. I mentioned to her recently over lunch that we’ve been struggling for a solution. She was very, um, detailed about her experiences with you.” Alethia blushes prettily. “And complimentary, as well.”

I smile at the circumspection. “Meredith has been a good client. I’m happy to hear she says nice things, since I don’t exactly ask for Yelp reviews.”

She snorts a little laugh, which I find charmingly awkward on such a chic woman. She puts a hand over her mouth to cover a grin. “I understand why, though that makes it tricky for, um…”

“Yes?” I prompt. “For someone in need of my services to find me?” I wink to show I take it lightly.

Alethia bobs her head in agreement. “I’d think in the internet age there’d be some sort of specialized rating service or booking site.”

There are a few actually, but I choose to avoid those. I don’t like the risk of zealous law enforcement having information about my working name or clientele. Word of mouth has always generated enough business for me anyway.

Since she seems more comfortable now, I dive in. “Why don’t you give me a general idea of what you’re looking for? We can discuss whether I’d be a good fit.”

Alethia inhales sharply and grabs her tea for a quick distraction. I wait her out again as she sips. Eventually, she places the glass back down with a sharp click and takes another glance around. She clasps her hands on the table top, as in prayer. I lean in, close enough to scent a trace of her delicate perfume. The essence of orange blossoms fills the air around her.

“My husband and I have been together for five years, nearly six,” she begins. “Nick has always been an avid rock climber. He played rugby, skied, competed in triathlons. Everything active like that you can think of. Eighteen months ago, he—”

She breaks off for a long moment to look at her entwined hands. Her knuckles gleam white, and I find myself reaching out to cover them with one of my own. She gives a shuddering breath at the touch, but doesn’t pull away.

“During a climb one afternoon on some cliffs, Nick had a bad fall when a handhold crumbled. The accident left him with a spinal cord injury. My husband uses a wheelchair now. He has paraplegia.”

I hear a sympathetic noise come out of me, entirely unplanned. She glances up to meet me eyes so I explain. “I’m sorry. I have a buddy from the Army who suffered an SCI. Rehab helped some, but it’s been a hard road for him.”

Alethia bites her lip and nods slowly. “It’s been…a learning process. Nick is strong-willed, though, and for the most part he’s adapted. We have home health aides to address his needs where he won’t accept my help. Also, we live in an apartment on a single floor that’s been made ready to accommodate his wheelchair.” She looks to where my hand still covers hers. “The problem is our sex life,” she whispers.

Purchase at Amazon

From the Author, M.J. Edwards:

My novel The Escort’s Tale is a bisexual romance, told from the perspective of the sex worker Jasper Dylan, who sees clients under the working name of JD Pierce. One day Alethia Ballantine contacts Jasper; her husband Nick has suffered a spinal cord injury, is in a wheelchair, and can no longer walk or make love to her. Alethia and Nick have decided to hire a professional escort in an attempt to deal with the issues in their sex life.

Chapter Three describes Jasper’s first meeting with Nick when the escort arrives at their apartment, from Jasper’s perspective. The thoughts, fears and hopes of Nick Ballantine in that first meeting seemed like a story worth telling, though. Each stop on my blog tour for The Escort’s Tale contains a section of Nick’s story, in something I had to call…

THE HUSBAND’S TALE

By M.J. Edwards

Part 1

I roll my wheelchair nervously toward the wall of windows, hands aching from how tightly I clench the rims of the narrow tires.

The Boston apartment I share with my wife Alethia is easy to navigate, even in my chair. The designer she hired adapted it for me before we moved in, so there’s plenty of room to move around. We placed furniture so I can join people in the living room or at the dining table. The halls are extra-wide to let me turn without having to back up into a room first. The bathroom has all kinds of accommodations so I can shower without an aide.

But what I love most of all is the view of downtown splayed out before my eyes. When I come to a stop at the window wall, I don’t bother setting the brake. Shifting in my chair to avoid sores, I lean on one elbow and admire the city of my birth. Boston has always felt more manageable to me than, say, New York or Tokyo. The tall buildings gleam in the night, modern and exciting, yet enough historic architecture remains to honor the past. Cars wind their way along the busy streets, and the sidewalks teem with people walking home or to a club.

What I wouldn’t give to be able to walk with them.

I glance at my wristwatch and mentally start the count down. Fifteen minutes until the end of the world. Well, the end of my world at least. Or, will it be the beginning of the end…?

No, I suppose the true beginning was eighteen months ago, when I took a fall while rock climbing. Can you believe I threw everything away across the country, in California’s Joshua Tree National Park?

It shouldn’t have even been a major challenge. I’d stood at the top of climbs in Acadia, Yosemite, the Cascades. Been up Mont Blanc in the Alps, for fuck’s sake. Hung on the side of mountains, so cold I wasn’t sure how to keep going, and yet found the strength to do it. I learned I had the drive to plan and accomplish incredible feats, overcome obstacles, and push past my own limits when I needed to inspire my climbing buddies who were ready to give up and turn back.

And then Joshua Tree happened. That climb was supposed to be a minor distraction during a vacation with friends, nothing that required months of training like the Alps. I was confident and strong as we worked our way up the split face of the rock we’d chosen. The alien shapes of Joshua trees stretched across the desert floor under a cloudless sky, looking like something out of a Doctor Seuss book. Distracted and already anticipating the view from the top, I remember storing memories to share with my wife when we all got back to the resort in La Quinta that evening.

I didn’t see the raptor’s nest until the bird I had disturbed screeched. It flew out of a crack in the rock, right into my face, talons coming for my eyes. Like a noob I panicked and jerked, turning wrong. The rope went slack as it pulled free of the cliff. I knew a moment of weightlessness, then heart-stopping terror when gravity took me.

 

Don’t miss part 2 of Nick’s story. You can follow the rest by dropping in for each stop of my blog tour:

Part 1	12/10/2018	Dawn's Reading Nook
Part 2	12/10/2018	Mainely Stories
Part 3	12/11/2018	Bayou Book Junkie
Part 4	12/11/2018	Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author
Part 5	12/12/2018	Love Bytes Reviews
Part 6	12/13/2018	J. Scott Coatsworth
Part 7	12/14/2018	The Blogger Girls

If you’re intrigued and want to know more about my sexy couple and the man they’ve hired, follow the buy link or check out The Escort’s Tale at my website.

Meet the Author

M.J. Edwards is the pen name for Robert Winter. As Robert, I write primarily gay contemporary romance. M.J. is the alter ego under which I get to explore a more erotic side of romance, with combinations of characters along the LGBTQ spectrum. The stories are light on angst, heavy on sex, and a happy ending for all is my goal. I love hearing from readers so please feel free to ask questions or make comments. You can email me at mjedwardsauthor@gmail.com or find me on Goodreads.

Website | Goodreads | eMail

 

Tour Schedule

12/10 Dawn's Reading Nook 

12/10 MainelyStories  

12/11 Bayou Book Junkie 

12/11 Valerie Ullmer | Romance Author 

12/12 Love Bytes 

12/13 J. Scott Coatsworth 

12/14 The Blogger Girls

   
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