Hi, everyone! Kimber Vale here. First of all, a huge thank you to the lovelies at MM Good Book Reviews for hosting me on this, the release day of my new book Hard Act to Follow. I’m so excited to be here chatting about the ABC’s of romance, because, hey–why not? The alphabet never gets old, and romance is the greatest thing since flushing toilets.
Yeah, I needed a shtick.
So, without further ado, allow me to start at the beginning.
Hard Act to Follow
(Shooting Stars 03)
by
K. Vale
Kyrie is an actor with a physical aversion to telling lies, a one-eyed cat, and horrible taste in men. His ex-brother-in-law and best friend, Greg, harbors a secret crush he can’t shake. After denying his feelings for Kyrie for too long, Greg finally gives in to desire one drunken night. Come the morning, the facts get twisted. Kyrie pretends he doesn’t remember a thing—a lie that eats him alive—and Greg can’t stop thinking about how he screwed up the best thing in his life.
Before they can clear the air, Kyrie follows his dreams to New York City, but could he also be running away?
A mistake from Kyrie’s past detonates their silence, and Greg is forced to confront the man he loves. Is their new truth strong enough to support a relationship, or are they doomed to crumble under old fears? Their friendship could evolve into something a million times stronger, but maybe Kyrie’s act is just too hard for Greg to follow.
Hi peeps, we now have Lisa Henry & Heidi Belleau joining us with their brand new release Bliss, now both me and Tams have written reviews for this so you can see the contrast between them and you can gauge how it might fit to your tastes depending on what type of story you like 😉 There is also a brilliant giveaway so make sure to leave your email in the comments box, now I will leave you to enjoy this little nugget, good luck guys <3 ~Pixie~
Bliss
by
Lisa Henry & Heidi Belleau
They’re always happy.
Rory James has worked hard all his life to become a citizen of the idyllic city-state of Beulah. Like every other kid born in the neighboring country of Tophet, he’s heard the stories: No crime or pollution. A house and food for everyone. It’s perfect, and Rory is finally getting a piece of it.
So is Tate Patterson. He’s from Tophet, too, but he’s not a legal immigrant; he snuck in as a thief. A city without crime seems like an easy score, until he crashes into Rory during a getaway and is arrested for assaulting a citizen. Instead of jail, Tate is enrolled in Beulah’s Rehabilitation through Restitution program. By living with and serving his victim for seven years, Tate will learn the human face of his crimes.
If it seems too good to be true, that’s because it is. Tate is fitted with a behavior-modifying chip that leaves him unable to disobey orders—any orders, no matter how dehumanizing. Worse, the chip prevents him from telling Rory, the one man in all of Beulah who might care about him, the truth: in a country without prisons, Tate is locked inside his own mind.
Hiya guys, we now have Will Parkinson showing us his next hit with this tantalising cover reveal…. we also get to take a peek at Wet Paint with an excerpt and there’s this video thingy because Will’s a show off… *erm* a consummated professional LOL Will also has a great giveaway so guys take a peek at what Will and Wet Paint has to offer 😉 <3 ~Pixie~
Wet Paint
by
Will Parkinson
Although Addy’s heart and body bear the scars from his life before he was adopted by the Deans, he’s ached for something he thought he would never find. Until he met Benny. He isn’t sure how anyone can care for someone as broken as he is, even though he wants it desperately.
High school senior Benny Peters has his whole life planned out for him, until a chaste kiss at summer camp opens a new world of possibilities. Determined to erase Addy’s insecurities, Benny works to take away his boyfriend’s pain and replace it with love.
When Addy’s past intrudes on their future, it’s going to take everything Benny can muster to show that no matter what – or who – they face, they belong together.
Hey guys, we have Silvia Violet showing off her newest release Say Yes, we get to have a peek at the little number and there’s a great giveaway. So guys enjoy the post and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Say Yes
by
Silvia Violet
Rex Aiken recently started his own business, Grass Fed Texas, supplying organic beef to restaurants and catering companies. When he hosts an event for potential clients at a prestigious hotel in Asheville, the event coordinator, J, impresses him with more than his professional expertise. They indulge in a delicious one night stand, but Rex’s taste of J leaves him wanting more. Rex intends to savor J, and he refuses to see the distance between them as an obstacle. He’ll do whatever is necessary to convince J to say yes.
Join authors Gus Li and Tushmore on their virtual boozy blog crawl as they chat about new releases ‘Wine and Roses’ (Gus Li) and ‘Love on the Rocks’ (Tushmore) both available from Dreamspinner Press this August.
Both authors will answer some quick questions about their romance stories, as well as recommend wines and cocktails of the day 🙂
Please read on for excerpts from both new releases, and be sure to leave a comment on ANY of the Tipsy Blog Tour posts to automatically be entered into the grand prize draw! Your chance to win ebook copies of ‘Wine and Roses’, ‘Love on the Rocks’, plus a whole host of other goodies including signed artwork, wine stoppers, and more!
Hey peeps, today we have Jason Lloyd popping in with Queer Dirty Laundry, there’s a great little excerpt, we are given an inside peek at dating peeves and there is a brilliant giveaway where you have a chance to win your own copy of Queer Dirty Laundry… just leave a comment with your dating peeves 🙂 <3 ~Pixie~
Queer Dirty Laundry
by
Jason Lloyd
What would you do if everything changed in the blink of an eye? Life teaches us that everything happens for a reason. Every good or bad experience, every event, shapes us into the adults we become. We are our pasts and they shape our future.
In this nonfiction coming of age mini memoir, Kevin and Jason embark on an adventure to Philadelphia to visit friends and to get into their normal hijinks. Along their journey, they confide in each other the only way best friends can; through laughter, love and pain. They share stories of coming out, first time sexual experiences and dramatic events that changed their lives forever. This hilarious and heartfelt journey through the past can only strengthen their friendship in the present.
Your best friend knows all your little secrets. They know all your dirty laundry. Can you air it all out? How dirty is your laundry?
Whoop! Look who has come for a visit! It’s Lou Sylvre and the wonderful Because of Jade! Not only does Lou bring an incredible Giveaway to you, Lou also slogged away long into the night to bring you an exclusive snippet from Sonny, Luki and Jade’s travels in Further Adventures of the Vasquez-James Family, so guys enjoy Lou’s post and remember to leave a comment so Lou can pick a winner and good luck <3 ~Pixie~ Thank you Lou for visiting us today and I do apologize for the larger nekkid pic…. I just couldn’t get it to post small *cough* 😀
Hello! I’m Lou Sylvre, and before I say anything else, let me say thank you, sincerely, to MM Good Book Reviews for letting me bring my Because of Jade blog tour here. Jade is a Vasquez and James novel, released by Dreamspinner Press on May 23rd. My theme for the blog tour this time is “Further Adventures of the Vasquez-James Family.” If you’d like, you can find the three earlier episodes on Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews, Rhys Ford’s blog, and The Novel Approach. This time, the family goes to the beach near Tokeland, Washington, for some good kite-flying territory.
Hiya guys, today we bring you Susan Mac Nicol with her latest release Double Alchemy: Climax, Susan talks about her music, lets us have a little look at an excerpt and she brings along a fantastic Giveaway. So I will leave you to it and don’t forget to check out both Cat’s & Tam’s reviews and to click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Double Alchemy: Climax
(Double Alchemy Book #2)
by
Susan Mac Nicol
Powerful modern warlock Quinn Fairmont found ecstasy with the silver-eyed and not-quite-human Cade Mairston, but to know true happiness the pair must best both the shadow of a long-ago lover and an ancient enemy who seeks to destroy love, light and all they hold dear.
A BLINDING LIGHT
It begins with a Book of Shadows discovered by a London coven. The grimoire is as dangerous as it is rare, which is why it evokes modern-day warlock Quinn Fairmont’s desire. He collects objects of great power and beauty—like his lover, Cade Mairston.
Against all odds he and Cade found each other, but their perils have just begun. First is the ex-lover who once held Quinn in thrall. And, someone has been killing warlocks. Could it be one of his own kind? There are those too who would challenge Quinn’s power in their quest to overthrow him as Grand Master. Or is the danger something darker, something invoked inadvertently, rising from the shadows, building from the very inside of a man until it brings an end with a quick flash of light? Of the truth, the surface has only been scratched. Now Quinn and Cade must go deeper and find both answers and an end. They must learn what lurks in the hearts of men…and whether it seeks to love or destroy.
Hey peeps, today we bring you Riptide Publishing’s Amelia C. Gormley and her newest release Saugatuck Summer! Amelia talks a little about Saugatuck Summer, she has brought along an excerpt for you to take a peek at and she has a fantastic Giveaway for you to take part in and we also have Thommie’s stunning review. So I will leave you to enjoy the post and remember to follow the Giveaway instructions, I’ve left links to the other posts on the tour so you can fully enjoy the Giveaway, good luck guys! 🙂 <3 ~Pixie~
Saugatuck Summer
by
Amelia C. Gormely
One summer can change everything.
Hi, I’m Topher Carlisle: twenty-one, pretty, and fabulous. At least, that’s what I keep telling myself. But let’s get real. Walking the fake-it-til-you-make-it road to independence and self-respect isn’t easy. Especially since my mom’s a deadbeat alcoholic, and most of my family expects me to turn out just as worthless. Oh, and I’m close to losing my college swimming scholarship, so let’s add “dropout” to the list.
My BFF has invited me to stay at her beach house on the shore of Lake Michigan. That’ll give me one summer to make money and figure out what I want to do with my life. So of course I decide to have an affair with my BFF’s married, closeted dad. Because that always works out.
Now I’m homeless, friendless, jobless. Worthless. Just like my family expects, right? Except there’s this great guy, Jace, who sees it differently. He’s got it all together in ways I can only dream of—he’s hot, creative, insightful, understanding. He seems to think I don’t give myself enough credit. And if I don’t watch out, I may start to believe him.
Yes I just can’t leave you alone today 🙂 but we have a fabulous visit with Con Riley for her newest release Recovery, Con answers our question about the Salvage series, she brings along an incredible Giveaway and I will graciously let you read my review 😉 so enjoy yourself and click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
Recovery
(Salvage 02)
by
Con Riley
San Diego is a city of second chances for Jamie Carlson. His new career as a photographer is taking off, and with the support of a loving surrogate family, he’s finally putting his party years behind him. The Bailey family helped him solve his drinking problem, but there’s no easy solution to staying sober now that Belle Bailey’s dying. Her last wish is a challenge Jamie can’t overcome without help.
Solving problems is Daniel Priest’s specialty. More than twenty years older than Jamie, he’s successful and experienced. He makes his living resolving corporate crises—but his personal life has been far from perfect. Now that his marriage is over, Daniel’s determined to make up for lost time. One night with Jamie isn’t nearly enough for him.
Daniel’s honest offer of help is more than Jamie expects from a one-time hookup. Even so, fulfilling Belle’s last wish is a tall order. Repairing her damaged family as she requests proves difficult when Jamie has to face his own past as well.
Jamie could risk his hard-won recovery by admitting why he hit rock bottom in the first place. If he wants a future with Daniel, he’ll have to address those reasons head-on.
Hey guys, I’m back and this time I have Poppy Dennison popping in to show off her latest release Belligerent Beta! Poppy also gives us some insight about Alpha’s Vs Beta’s and Thommie explains in her review why this series has enthralled her. <3 ~Pixie~
Belligerent Beta
(Pack Partners 02)
by
Poppy Dennison
When a human is chosen to lead the pack instead of him, Beta Dan Keller struggles to find his footing in a rapidly changing environment. Committed to his pack and not one to turn away from a challenge, Dan follows his Alpha’s request and works with Nathan Ross, the new pack Omega. Though he is initially concerned that Nathan’s weakness will harm the pack, Dan learns there is more to the shy wolf than meets the eye.
As Dan struggles to balance his growing feelings for the young wolf with his responsibilities to his pack, new threats emerge and Nathan’s loyalty is questioned. Not understanding the basics of being a wolf leaves Nathan vulnerable and the pack at risk. Can Dan embrace the true role of a beta so he can protect the man he has grown to love and save his pack?
Hey guys, today I have the pleasure of welcoming Rick R. Reed onto our blog with his newest release Dinner at Home, he chats a little about Artichokes and has a fantastic giveaway! So guys leave some comments for a chance to win 🙂 oh and don’t forget to check out my review <3 ~Pixie~
Dinner at Home
by
Rick R. Reed
It only takes a few days for Ollie D’Angelo to lose his boyfriend, his job, and his home. Instead of mourning what he doesn’t have, Ollie celebrates what he does: the freedom to pursue his real passion—cooking. He begins Dinner at Home, a home-catering business, and it takes off.
Late one night, Ollie catches Hank Mellinger, a streetwise hood down on his luck, about to rob his car. Ollie soon discovers that appearances aren’t necessarily what they seem. Hank isn’t a criminal caught red-handed, but a hungry young man trying to make a life for himself and the four-year-old niece he’s trying desperately to take care of.
Instead of calling the cops, Ollie offers Hank a job and a way to pull himself up by his bootstraps. Together, they discover they can really cook… and that their shared passion for food just might lead to a passion for each other.
Hey guys, we have Max Vos visiting us today with his hot military vampire story The V-Unit. Max tells us a teeny tiny bit about the creation of The V-Unit, he brings a great giveaway and you can have a peek at my review. So have a gander at what we have to offer, pant over that cover (if the guy in the back had a scar under his eye I would swear it was my brother minus the tats) and then click that Rafflecopter… Good luck guys <3 ~Pixie~
The V-Unit
by
Max Vos
Only a select few in the human world knew of the existence of the V-Unit, a small group of highly trained Marines – who happened to be vampires. And it would have stayed that way. But when events in the vampire world, threatened the stability of the human world, the powers that be called for the unit’s specialized services.
An intrepid war correspondent, Bronson Rudan, who’d seen more than his fair share of fighting, stumbles across the unit by accident, and is drawn into their world. Bronson has no problem with that, given that he gets to spend time with a hunky Marine Lieutenant, Sarge. Although he won’t remember any of this when they’re through.
Hey guys, we have K. Vale blessing our site with her sexy rocker Gio from her latest release Double Takes, Kimber chats a little about Kids in MM Romance, we get a bit of a steamy excerpt, a brilliant giveaway and I bless you with my review *cheeky smile*, so see what we have to offer and click that Rafflecopter link… Good Luck <3 ~Pixie~
Blurb:
Ah, the life of a rock star. Everyone thinks it’s nothing but sex, drugs, and rock and roll.
Not for Giovanni Savale.
For the lead singer of Three Deaf Mice, a band that reached its pinnacle in the late nineties, it’s nothing but an ugly divorce with a custody battle, money trouble, and now the nightmare exposure of starring in a reality television show. When his producer decides to cash in on an infamous interview Gio did years ago, and give the self-confessed bisexual rocker an onscreen boyfriend, things really hit the fan. Gio is certain his sexual experimentation back in his drug-abusing days meant nothing — after all he’s been married for nine years, clean and sober for nearly as long, and he has a son. And Gio is not remotely attracted to Kyrie, the funny, flamboyant actor they choose for his love interest. Of course, Lance Garrett, the mysterious and sexy owner of the local antique shop, Double Takes, is a whole different story. The guy has Gio planning out a future he never imagined. With the threat of losing all custody of his ten-year-old son, ghosts from the past returning for revenge, and the cameras rolling, can Gio keep his head above water and his heart from getting broken?
Hi guys, today we have Sarah Granger with A Minor Inconvenience and a fantastic giveaway, there’s also a guest post and excerpt to enjoy and of course Tams review, so have a look around, enjoy our post and then click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
A Minor Inconvenience
Title: A Minor Inconvenience Author: Sarah Granger Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd. Release Date: 14th January, 2014 Genre: M/M Historical Romance
Duty, honor, propriety…all fall in the face of love.
Captain Hugh Fanshawe returned from the Peninsular War with a leg that no longer works properly, thanks to a French musket ball. Now his fight against Napoleon is reduced to quiet, lonely days compiling paperwork at Horse Guards headquarters.
His evenings are spent dutifully escorting his mother and sister to stifling social engagements, where his lameness renders him an object of pity and distaste. But his orderly, restricted life is thrown into sudden disarray with the arrival of Colonel Theo Lindsay.
Theo is everything Hugh is not-a man of physical perfection and easy yet distinguished address. Surprisingly to Hugh, Theo appears to be interested in making his acquaintance. Lindsay turns out to be a most convivial companion, and Hugh finds great pleasure in his company. Their friendship deepens when they become lovers.
In spite of himself, Hugh falls desperately in love. But when a French spy is suspected at Horse Guards, Hugh discovers nothing is as it seems.and the paper he shuffles from day to day could be the instrument of his lover’s death.
Warning: Contains gallant English officers in love, dastardly French spies, skintight pantaloons (sometimes on the floor) and gleaming tasselled Hessians.
Hey guys… look! Cardeno C. is having a one day sale tomorrow over at Dreamspinner Press for three of her books from three different series! I’ve got the inside scoop so you can all shoot over there first thing tomorrow and snap up these books at the bargain price of just $.99!!!! that’s 58p in real money *cough* I mean in the UK *flutters eyelashes*. And the best thing about these books is that you don’t have to read the entire series for any of them because they can be stand-alones…. although personally why you wouldn’t have all of C.C.’s books I don’t know *wink* So peeps set that alarm clock and get your buying fingers ready because this is one sale not to miss! <3 ~Pixie~
Cardeno C
As a writer of a few series, I often get asked which book in my series should be read first. Because I write each book as a standalone (really, I promise!), I always answer the same way: “Whichever one sounds most interesting to you.” But on May 8th, there’s a new answer to the question because that day – from midnight EST until midnight EST – Dreamspinner is putting one book in each of my series on sale for $.99! So which of my books should you read first? On May 8th the answers are:
If you’ve been hesitant to try my books because you’re not a fan of series or you don’t know where to start, now’s the time to give it a go. And if you’ve already read my books, please let other readers know so they can try them too. Thank you!
When twenty-two-year-old Emilio Sanchez sees handsome Spencer Derdinger walking by his construction site, Emilio makes it his goal to seduce the shy professor. Getting Spencer into bed isn’t difficult, but Emilio soon learns that earning the trust of a man deeply hurt will take time and patience. With a prize like brilliant, sweet Spencer on the line, Emilio decides he is strong enough to face the challenge.
Spencer is surprised when he’s approached by the gorgeous construction worker he’s admired from the safety of his office window. Acting spontaneously for the first time in his thirty-eight years, Spencer takes Emilio home. When the casual hookup turns into the potential for love, Spencer realizes that if he wants to build a life with Emilio, he’ll need to be strong enough to slay his personal demons and learn to trust again.
Zev Hassick is surprised and confused when he finds himself attracted to his best friend. His very human, very male best friend. Zev is the son of the pack Alpha, regarded as the strongest wolf in generations, born to lead. And everyone knows a male shifter has to mate with a female of his own kind to keep his humanity. So shifters can’t be gay, right?
Jonah Marvel wants a relationship with Zev, his best friend, the man he has loved since childhood. It wasn’t easy to maintain that relationship over years spent living apart while Jonah studied to become a doctor. And then things grow more difficult when Jonah becomes his own patient. Before he can make a life with Zev, he has to understand his past and cure the unexplained ailments that plague him.
Zev and Jonah know they’re destined for each other, but they’re facing traditions ingrained over generations and long-buried secrets that may threaten any future together.
Not even his mother’s funeral can convince self-proclaimed party boy Zach Johnson to put aside his flamboyant ways or even think about settling down. He is who he is, and no one can make him change. But when he meets Aaron Paulson, his brother’s best friend, Zach has to step back and re-evaluate his perceptions of love and family.
Aaron insists he’s falling for Zach, but Zach is certain Aaron sees him as just another project—one more lost soul for the idealistic Aaron to save. Zach isn’t broken; he doesn’t need to be fixed. Aaron’s insistent, though, and Zach finds himself tempted. Zach wants to believe in happily-ever-after, but can he let go of his pride long enough to see Aaron’s heart?
Hey guys, look what we have today! Yes, Jess Buffett and her Hunter Clan series, Jess tells us a little of how she came up with the series and she has a great giveaway as well. So what are you guys waiting for? Check out this fabulous series and my reviews are linked so you can check them out as well… oh and then click that Rafflecopter link <3 ~Pixie~
The Kayan’s Mage
Sawyer McLeod lost his family and his entire Guild, except his twin, seven years ago. Now almost twenty-one, he is coming to the age to receive his abilities as a Mage. Unfortunately there are others who will stop at nothing to see the brothers don’t survive that long.
When Jake Hunter, Kayan for a Clan of Wolf Shifters living in Australia, finally finds his true-mate, he doesn’t expect it to be in the midst of a brutal attack. Through omissions of truth, misunderstandings, and fear, Jake struggles to prove to Sawyer that he can trust him.
When Sawyer is finally willing to give Jake a chance, a ghost from the past returns to destroy everything they have built together. Will they be able to overcome the foe long thought gone, or will it be the end for the Kayan’s Mage?
Riley McLeod has never gotten over the loss of his family to murderous Vampires, and often hides behind his sarcasm and carefree attitude. So imagine his shock when he discovers he is not only mated to one, but his mate is the Prince of the Vaucluse Coven.
When Caleb Vaucluse arrived at the Hunter Clan, he never expected to meet his mate. His joy soon turns to devastation when he learns that Riley fears him. Caleb struggles to get past Riley’s defenses and prove that they are meant to be. Unfortunately just as they come together, pride and old wounds prove hard to overcome for the pair, and threaten to tear them apart for good.
As an enemy is revealed and more questions are raised, Caleb and Riley have a choice to make. Do they keep their pride and stand alone, or stand together and embrace the love fate gave to them?
Hiya peeps look who we have with us today… Riptide Publishing’s Anne Tenino with her newest release Poster Boy from her Theta Alpha Gamma series, she has a fantastic giveaway and a guest post about Beer Terrorists!!!! So I leave you Anne’s hands while you join in the fun and then check out Thommie’s review <3 ~Pixie~
Welcome to the Poster Boy Blog Tour! *confetti*
As you may or may not know, Poster Boy is the fifth in the Theta Alpha Gamma series, and (at least as far as I’m able to be sure about such things) the last TAG book. No, no, don’t be sad, be happy—we’re gonna go out in style!
Let’s discuss the nitty-gritty: the Blog Tour Giveaway. The prize package this time includes: one lovely “Theta Alpha Gamma Beer Terrorist Response Team” sweatshirt (I believe I have sizes M-XXL available, choice of two styles); one paperback copy of Frat Boy and Toppywith the new cover art, signed and inscribed to the winner; a bar of soap I bought in Les Baux (was going to send olives from Sainte-Remy, but we ate them . . . sorry about that) and; of course, one penis crocheted by moi.
How does one win, you ask? By following the tour, collecting all the official “prize” words (posts will have them clearly marked), and using them as directed at the end of this post (it’s complicated).
Happy word hunting, and enjoy the tour (psssssst, this one is heavy on the cut scenes).
It’s all fun and games until someone puts his heart out.
When Jock meets sexy grad student Toby at a frat party, things finally start looking up. After having been outed to his hockey team and then changing schools, he figures he’s due something good—like the sex he missed out on in the closet. Toby seems like a great place to start, and their night together is an awesome introduction to the fine art of hooking up.
Toby’s heart takes a bruising after the near-perfect experience with Jock leads to . . . nothing. He’s been left on the outside as his friends pair up into blissful coupledom, and he’s in danger of never completing (or starting) his thesis. Can’t something go right?
Then Toby’s coerced into chaperoning a Theta Alpha Gamma trip to France. Not that he’s complaining. What better place to finish his thesis and get over that frat boy? Except Jock’s outing is leaked to the press, making him an unwilling gay rights martyr, and he decides France is a great escape, too. It’s a break from reality for both guys, but they soon find their connection is as real as it gets.
* * *
Nominally, the Theta Alpha Gamma books are contemporary romantic comedy. There’re no shifter, no aliens, no vampires, no magical realms, no Byronic men in breeches, none of that stuff. Just fratbros, grad students and the necessary supporting characters to make things go.
Yep, nothing paranormal here. But fantasy? Now, I can make an argument for that . . .
Beer terrorists. There are, among the TAG bros, those who believe ardently in the existence of a shadowy, nefarious, tea-totaling militia that is a clear and present threat to the world’s beer supply. Do you see where the fantasy element comes in, now?
Occasionally, someone will tell me that “real” frat boys wouldn’t buy into this sort of fantasy. Probably not, but I’m not in the business of pedaling reality. I’m in the business of telling a story, and in my storyland, guys who still remember playing “siege” and “dragon slayer” as kids can go ahead and let loose. Go ahead and believe that forming a Beer Terrorist Response Team and implementing a training program in Provence is perfectly reasonable and sane. Have some fun. Play beer terrorist.
Readers of the series may know the concept of a beer terrorist was born in a previous book,Sweet Young Thang, when the TAG Alumni Association (kinda, sorta) try to cut off the brothers’ beer money unless they voted to rescind a membership policy welcoming gay and bi members. I could have left it at that, and come up with some new bizarre thing for the TAG guys to do in Poster Boy, but the idea of refined, complacent Provence overrun by crazy, fantasy-addled college boys? Yeah, it would take a stronger author than me to resist.
I remember the very day that I decided to have a select few of the (weirder) fratbros go to Provence and start some kind of Beer Terrorist Response Team training camp. The idea came to me in the car (as they like to do—ideas are sneaky little things, and prefer to reveal themselves when there’s no writing utensil around and they can’t be captured), and when that happens, I make a voice memo on my phone. I always put the date and time on these memos, and when I transcribe them later I make a note of that date and time.
On September 12th, 2013 (at 8:27 a.m.), I made a note to myself to have the fratbros “see this trip as a training camp for anti-beer terrorist response team. Gets ridiculous. Keep it secret from Toby.”
I offer you this voice memo snippet out of guilt, because I know there was an inciting incident. Something that made me think of sending them, too. I just can’t remember what it was, in spite of trying to etch it into my memory. Yes, it’s true; as I age, my memories are mostly made up of remembering I thought of something I wanted to remember, and even that something in particular made me think of it. But can I remember the actual thing or the thing that made me think of the thing? No.
Which brings us full circle (I’m serious, bear with me) to why I write these sort of fantasy/pretend threads into my work—because I’m no longer young. I’ve seen too much of the world to believe that (should beer terrorists even be a real thing) I have any hope of slaying that dragon. I’ve heard “that’s ridiculous,” or “that’s impossible” too many times in this life. But there’s one thing I can still do, and that’s create a world where those kinds of “pretend” things can survive, and even flourish.
For anyone who’s confused, let me make it clear—yes, Poster Boy is foremost a love story. It’s just a love story with an interesting (and possibly deluded) set of secondary characters.
It’s a contemporary romantic comedy fantasy.
* * *
Giveaway!
For those of you playing to win the blog tour prize cache, here’s the word: shenanigans.
The word game—the rules are that I provide a bunch of words, and you have to create an ode to testicles. Hey, it’s fair—I gave you an ode to testicles in the book (well, part of one), you should give me one in return, using all the words from the tour. You may add any other words you need to, but it must include every word I gave out on the tour.
Of course, creative cheating might receive a pass from me . . .
At the end of the tour, send your ode to me at anne @ annetenino.comand I will choose one lucky winner from all the entries I receive by paying one of my children some exorbitant amount to draw an ode out of a hat (or other handy receptacle). All masterpieces must be to me by May 4th, 2014 at midnight Pacific Daylight Time (GMT -7:00). For a schedule of all tour stops, you can go here.
Oh, and:
*If the winner will be at GRL, GayRomance Northwest or the RT Booklover’s Convention, I’m also offering a lunch with me. And yes, I’ll pay. 😉
Raised on a steady diet of Monty Python, classical music and the visual arts, Anne Tenino was—famously—the first patient diagnosed with Compulsive Romantic Disorder. Since that day, Anne has taken on conquering the M/M world through therapeutic writing. Finding out who those guys having sex in her head are and what to do with them has been extremely liberating.
Anne’s husband finds it liberating as well, although in a somewhat different way. Her two daughters are mildly confused by Anne’s need to twist Ken dolls into odd positions. However, other than occasionally stealing Ken1’s strap-on, they let Mom do her thing without interference.
Wondering what Anne does in her spare time? Mostly she lies on the couch, eats bonbons and shirks housework.
Blurb:It’s all fun and games until someone puts his heart out.
After being outed to his hockey team and then changing schools, Jock figures he’s due for something good—like the sex he missed out on in the closet. Toby, the hot grad student he meets at a frat party, seems like a great place to start, and their night together is an awesome introduction to the fine art of hooking up.
Toby’s heart takes a bruising after the near-perfect experience with Jock leads to . . . nothing. He’s been left on the outside as his friends pair up into blissful coupledom, and he’s in danger of never completing (or starting) his thesis. Can’t something go right?
Then Toby’s coerced into chaperoning a Theta Alpha Gamma trip to France. Not that he’s complaining. What better place to finish his thesis and get over that frat boy? Except Jock’s outing is leaked to the press, turning him into an unwilling gay rights martyr, and he decides France would be a great escape, too. It’s a break from reality for both guys, but they soon find their connection is as real as it gets.
Review: And the TAG boys are back this time around with Jock and Toby’s story. Honestly it was about time for Toby to find his mate and I was so glad to see who Jock really was, as in the previous book all I got of him was Tank’s little brother, and boy did Tank smothered Jock down.
But here we are, our guys in full display and I must admit I was surprised by both main characters and their personalities. Truth be told I was surprised by the whole book as it was a bit different from the rest of the series while still retaining the humor and fun we are used to.
Jock is a character made of many layers and they slowly get out. There were times I loved him and God, there were times I thought what a complete jerk. But even as I was totally wanting to rip him to shreds at times he managed with one line to melt my heart, not in a sappy way though. I must commend the author’s ability to make sappy lines not feel sappy at all. She created a personality for Jock that was a blend of smart, sexy, naïve, and endearingly “slow” all at once. And she gave him the ability to work his “flaws” on his own, with an honesty that made you swoon and actually love the kid.
As for Toby, oh dear, where did that cynical, guy with that overconfident smirk go? Who was this new Toby we got to witness reshaping in this book? I loved every single part of his transformation. I loved every moment of his sentimentality. Most of all I loved Toby, the frat-boy secret General. He was a glorious character and the link that connected everything and everyone in this book. He was also an incredible lover. I think he surpasses many characters when it comes to being a considerate lover/partner. Both our guys together though were pretty brilliant. The scenes between them were not only sensual and erotic, they were interesting, intriguing, and downright gripping in the way they made you want to know what was coming next, and how the relationship would eventually evolve. I loved this couple not just because they were hot, but for all this relationship represented.
As for the “Boys” and their adventures in France, I don’t think there are words. Oh my God, one must read this book if only for Danny’s sake, I can’t say how much he made me laugh. Noah *groans* was also a star in his own way here and dear author, give the poor guy a break already. We already saw how “disturbed” Turbo was by his bisexuality. Enlighten the guy and make poor Noah smile aye?
Action-wise though I think the series has a penchant for overreaction and surrealism. Yet again the “fratbro’s” antics managed to cause a scene, this in international territory.
Overall this was yet another sweet and charming story in the TAG universe, one that can’t stand alone albeit with caution as there are many elements mentioned on the prequels that could cause a bit of confusion here. However in my opinion you could read this book and enjoy it even without the missing intel. Best though you pick out the books in the series, they are guaranteed to give you fits of laughter, steaming relationships and a great deal of fun with character written with a lovely humoristic pen. Enjoy!
Hey minions, today we have a treat for those of you who have waited for soooooo loonnggg for the sequel to Dark Sun yep that’s right today we bring you Rising Sun from the lovely M.J. O’Shea, M.J. introduces us to her playlist that inspired her New Seattle series, she has a fantastic giveaway where you can win both Dark Sun and Rising Sun and I have decided that you can read my review 😉 So have a good snoop about, click that Rafflecopter link and enjoy that inspired playlist (it really does suit the stories) and good luck! <3 ~Pixie~
New Seattle 2199
Castor Kovalenko, socialite and high ranking member of the Dragon Triad, is worried about his cousin, Lynx. He’s been missing for weeks and there have been rumors circling the city, rumors that he’s been taken hostage by the hacker thief Yoru Katana. Castor needs to find his cousin before it’s too late. He’s willing to do nearly anything to bring Lynx to safety.
Jaffa Sharp is trying to stay alive. It’s not easy when the only thing you’ve ever learned to do is steal. Even harder when he keeps running into one annoying Dragon prince who keeps trying to get him arrested.
When Castor uses Jaffa to get to his cousin and the thief Katana, they both learn that nothing is as it seemed, including Lynx and Katana himself. Castor and Jaffa soon become involved in a plot to take the city back from the villainous triads. They find themselves fighting the people they thought were their leaders — and fighting an attraction stronger than either of them have felt before. Nothing is certain in the precarious new world they find themselves in: Life, death, friend, enemy, and the most uncertain thing of all…love
A little something from M.J. O’Shea
Hi, this is M.J. O’Shea:) I thought I’d give you a mini version of the soundtrack I made for Dark Sun and Rising Sun. I do this with every book. I can’t write with music on, but I usually listen to the playlist in my car and get into the “mood” of the story and setting. This will be a combo of Dark Sun and the music I added for Rising Sun.
It wouldn’t be right to start with any other songs. The world itself came from a combination of Muse’s Assassin and Glorious. If you read Dark Sun and then come back and listen to these two songs, I think you’ll understand how it happened:)
I’m Mj O’Shea, author of erotic romance–well all sorts of romance actually, that’s just what’s been published so far!
I grew up, and still live, in sunny Washington state and while I love to visit other places, I can’t imagine calling anywhere else home.
I spent my childhood writing stories. Sometime in my early teens, the stories turned to romance. Most of those were about me, my friends, and our favorite tv stars. Hopefully, I’ve come a long way since then…
Right now, I have four books published through Republica Press (click on the link to visit their site), but I’m constantly working on new projects.
When I’m not writing, I love to play the piano and cook and paint pictures…and of course read. It’s nearly impossible to work on my own writing when I’ve gotten myself hooked into a great new book:) I like sparkly girly girl things, own at least twenty different colored headbands, and I have a little white dog with a ginger eye spot who sits with me when I write. Sometimes she comes up with ideas for me too…when she’s not napping.
Blurb: Castor Kovalenko, socialite and high ranking member of the Dragon Triad, is worried about his cousin, Lynx. He’s been missing for weeks and there have been rumors circling the city, rumors that he’s been taken hostage by the hacker thief Yoru Katana. Castor needs to find his cousin before it’s too late. He’s willing to do nearly anything to bring Lynx to safety.
Jaffa Sharp is trying to stay alive. It’s not easy when the only thing you’ve ever learned to do is steal. Even harder when he keeps running into one annoying Dragon prince who keeps trying to get him arrested.
When Castor uses Jaffa to get to his cousin and the thief Katana, they both learn that nothing is as it seemed, including Lynx and Katana himself. Castor and Jaffa soon become involved in a plot to take the city back from the villainous triads. They find themselves fighting the people they thought were their leaders — and fighting an attraction stronger than either of them have felt before. Nothing is certain in their precarious new world: Life, death, friend, enemy, and the most uncertain thing of all…love.
Review:This story is part of a series and must be read in order. Castor is worried when his cousin Lynx goes missing and his family cover it up, with his brother Pollux Castor sets out to find out what has really happened to Lynx and to see if there is any truth to the rumors that Lynx is with the thief Katana. Jaffa lives in Midtown, he steals to feed his two friends but a jaunt to Metrolevel Market finds him crossing paths with a member of the Dragon Triad who seems determined to turn him over to the police. Both Castor and Jaffa learn the truth of the Triad’s when Castor uses Jaffa to get to Katana… and now it is a fight for their life and their freedom.
This is a great story that has the corrupt Triad’s ruling a city with a small gang trying to free the city from the Triad’s grip. Castor and Jaffa come from completely different walks of life, Castor is a member of the ruling Dragon Triad and is used to the comforts in life, whereas Jaffa lives in a derelict building struggling to steal enough to eat. When these two men meet their attraction is slow building and very much in the background, they become friends and become close working together on the larger plot line. Their developing feelings for each other happen over the course of the book and yes it is very sweet, but the real progress comes late in the book.
The main storyline is of Castor, Jaffa, Pollux, Lynx, Orion, Cassiopeia (Orion’s sister) and various others work together to change life for all of New Seattle and to show the Triad’s in their true light. Now this part of the story is brilliant as we follow all the moves and risks that the gang take, it is beautifully woven as decisions are made and a revolution takes place. My only complaint was that Castor and Jaffa were pushed to the sideline as Orion, Lynx and Cassiopeia seemed to take over and pulled the focus away from Castor and Jaffa… it was still seen from their eyes but was focused on the revolution and what others were doing.
So a great story but it does lack in the developing of the relationship, yes we see the sideways glances and the small touches but a lot of it is lost as the focus moves outwards to everything else that is happening. I do admit that the gearing up of the revolution is very interesting and exciting and is pulled together brilliantly, it definitely steals the show. Now I warned at the beginning that you have to read Dark Sun first and the reason is that what happened in Dark Sun is essential to Rising Sun’s plot and storyline, if you don’t read the first book then you wander around in the dark trying to figure out what is going on and while some of it is explained it only clears the fog a bit.
I recommend this to those who love futuristic stories, MC’s with character, finding love in unexpected places, a great storyline, a fight for freedom and a wonderful ending.
Don’t forget to visit the other blogs on the tour!
OH MY GOD, oh my god!! Hey guys! Look, look we have Megan Derr… I know MEGAN DERR *fans self* Megan has blessed our site with her incredible, new release With Pride which is from her brilliant series Princes of the Blood *squee* (okay let me just calm down *deep breath*). Megan tells us not only how Princes of the Blood began but also how they went from ficbit to an epic high fantasy and she has a incredible giveaway where one of you lucky readers will win a copy of With Pride. So I will let you have a look at what Megan has to say, have a look at my review and don’t you dare forget to leave a comment for a chance to win this brilliant book! 😉 ~Pixie~
Megan Derr:
Expanding a Story.
As previously stated, Princes of the Bloodactually began as a couple of really short ficbits I posted to my LJ and later moved to my website (one of them, anyway. Dalibor’s never got moved; I no longer remember why). So how does a 3700 word ficbit turn into a trilogy totaling 188,000 words?
Lots of caffeine and alcohol to start.
But the first part is figuring out if there’s more story to tell. Luckily for me that question already had a firm yes.
From there, it’s time to cannibalize the original 3700 words to figure out what can be kept and transformed and what will have to go because it worked in short form but will not hold together in long form.
Kristof and Håkon not getting along? Kept. That was the easiest part in the end.
Other bits had to go: Kristof not understanding how the Princes work mostly had to go, though a small element was retained. Elements of the marriage and why Kristof was marrying him had to change. Hackle got changed to Håkon because Hackle didn’t quit fit anymore.
Pieces retained and fleshed out: the concept of Håkon needing special blood, that he’s at least in part a demon. There were other things discarded or kept, but that would be spoilery.
So, roughly decided upon what is getting kept, it’s time to move on to expanding those bits.
Most obviously were Kristof and Håkon’s roles. One a paladin, the other royalty. That was changed. Princes of the Blood aren’t royalty, merely the most powerful figures in the Legion. The Legion was the next thing to come, built out from the way I designed the Princes, the way they need pure blood, etc.
A lot of world building elements are thought of all at once. Laying it out makes it look all 1,2,3,4 but really it’s more like 1T56WX3AB9CDG2.
As all of that got sorted out, I had to build the rest of the world: religion, magic system, other bits of the culture. Given they live in the fallout of an ugly war, and everything is shaped very sharply around surviving all the nightmares that plague them, this made for a lot of fun. People are slaughtered by the hundreds, even thousands, often, so keeping the population up is extremely important. You don’t see a lot of women and children (sadly) because they’re kept locked away and safe. Polyamorous marriages are fairly standard (in the beginning of OLR, Raffé is engaged to a man who already has two wives and is hoping that he’ll get along with all of them; Korin is married to Telmé, but they’re good friends with the woman with whom Korin had a daughter; the kings always have 2-3 wives).
Little things matter too. This world tells time in minutes and hours, but they mark the hours with names. Only a few of them are mentioned in the books, but I have the full list. I know the crest and colors of every force within the Legion, and all the Houses.
And all the demons etc. that come into play aren’t entirely made up, either. I spent a lot of time picking out the demons upon which to base various Princes. I drew a map, I worked out the Reaches, I figured out how they survive when pure blood is so hard to come by and people die frequently and often.
After all the little pieces were fleshed out, and I had a rough outline, laying the story out was easy. The original ficbit for Håkon and Kristof was really only the end of their story. So going back to the start, figuring out how they met and what happened from there … expanding the story really wasn’t hard.
If anything, the hardest part of doing something like this is realizing that no story is set in stone. Be it editing, rewriting, or expanding, a story is not a static thing, set down once and never allowed to change. Some of my stories I’m content to leave as they are, but I have no doubt that somebody read it and went ‘I could do this better’ or ‘yeah, but what if I did it this way’.
And they definitely should.
Other stories are like The Lost Prince. Fun as it is, once I said ‘let’s see what else you got,’ it turned into Princes of the Blood and gave me 188,000 words.
As ever, writing is less doing and more doing as one is told.
Much love to everyone for reading my ramblings.
With Pride comes out April 16th from Less Than Three Press (third party vendors will follow after about 24 hours).
Of Last Resort can be found all over. In Despair comes out July 9th.
