Lights, Camera, Cupid! Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway!

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Hi guys, we have Lights, Camera, Cupid! and it’s incredible authors stopping by today on the Valentine blog tour. There’s a fabulous Valentine’s giveaway and my review of Lights, Camera, Cupid! for you to check out but no excerpt this time (I couldn’t find one to nick *pout*) but trust me these are great stories 😉 anyway check out the post and leave a comment to enter this great giveaway! <3 ~Pixie~

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 Lights, Camera, Cupid!

 (A Bluewater Bay Valentine’s Day Anthology)
by

L.A. Witt, Z.A. Maxfield, Anne Tenino, S.E. Jakes, Amy Lane

Cupid is visiting Bluewater Bay, and he’s leaving chaos in his wake.

Nothing’s been the same in this sleepy little logging town since Hollywood came to shoot the hit TV show Wolf’s Landing—especially Valentine’s Day.

In L.A. Witt’s Just Another Day, beloved actors Levi Pritchard and Carter Samuels have an announcement for their fans, while in Z.A. Maxfield’s I’ll Be There, actor Spencer Kepler and his boyfriend Nash Holly brave a blizzard and a fan convention to spend their first February the 14th together.

Of course, it’s not just TV stars celebrating the day. In Anne Tenino’s Helping Hand, an aspiring artist eager to escape Bluewater Bay decides he just might have a reason to stay: lust-inspiring logger Gabriel Savage. In S.E. Jakes’s No Easy Way, a local teacher reconnects with an old lover working security on the film set. And in Amy Lane’s Nascha, a Bluewater Bay elder recalls how his own unconventional family used to celebrate the holiday.

Real life may be nothing like TV, but when Cupid comes to town, there’s plenty of romance and drama to go around.

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Thanks for joining us on this tour! Check out the great Valentine’s Day stories from Bluewater Bay and comment to win a Valentine’s gift basket sent to you or a Valentine!

About Bluewater Bay

Welcome to Bluewater Bay! This quiet little logging town on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula has been stagnating for decades, on the verge of ghost town status. Until a television crew moves in to film Wolf’s Landing, a soon-to-be cult hit based on the wildly successful shifter novels penned by local author Hunter Easton.

Wolf’s Landing’s success spawns everything from merchandise to movie talks, and Bluewater Bay explodes into a mecca for fans and tourists alike. The locals still aren’t quite sure what to make of all this—the town is rejuvenated, but at what cost? And the Hollywood-based production crew is out of their element in this small, mossy seaside locale. Needless to say, sparks fly.

This collaborative story world is brought to you by ten award-winning, best-selling LGBTQ romance authors: L.A. Witt, L.B. Gregg, Z.A. Maxfield, Aleksandr Voinov, Heidi Belleau, Rachel Haimowitz, Anne Tenino, Amy Lane, SE Jakes, and G.B. Gordon. Each contemporary novel stands alone, but all are built around the town and the people of Bluewater Bay and the Wolf’s Landing media empire. 

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About the authors

S.E. Jakes

SE Jakes writes m/m romance. She believes in happy endings and fighting for what you want in both fiction and real life. She lives in New York with her family, and most days, she can be found happily writing (in bed). No really…

SE Jakes is the alter ego of New York Times bestselling paranormal and romantic suspense author Stephanie Tyler.

Connect with SE:

Amy Lane

Amy Lane exists happily with her noisy family in a crumbling suburban crapmansion, and equally happily with the surprisingly demanding voices who live in her head.

She loves cats, movies, yarn, pretty colors, pretty men, shiny things, and Twu Wuv, and despises house cleaning, low fat granola bars, and vainglorious prickweenies.

She can be found at her computer, dodging housework, or simultaneously reading, watching television, and knitting, because she likes to freak people out by proving it can be done.

Connect with Amy:

Z.A. Maxfield

Z. A. Maxfield started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back.  Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends.  If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four manages to find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can accomplish if you give up housework.”

Her published books include Crossing Borders, Epic Award finalist St. Nacho’s, Drawn Together, ePistols at Dawn, Notturno, Stirring Up Trouble, and Vigil.

Readers can visit her website at http://www.zamaxfield.com, and contact her at zamaxfield@zamaxfield.com.

Anne Tenino:

Catalyzed by her discovery of LGBTQ romance, Anne Tenino left the lucrative fields of art history, non-profit fundraising, and domestic engineering to follow her dream of become a starving romance author. For good or ill, her snarky, silly, quasi-British sense of humor came along for the ride.

Anne applies her particular blend of romance, comedy and gay protagonists to contemporary, scifi and paranormal tales. Her works have won awards, she’s been featured in RT Book Reviews, and has achieved bestseller status on Amazon’s gay romance list.

Born and raised in Oregon, Anne lives in Portland with her husband and two kids, who have all taken a sacred oath to never read her books. She can usually be found at her computer, procrastinating.

Connect with Anne:

L.A. Witt:

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut . . .

Connect with L.A.:

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Giveaway!

Win a Valentine’s gift basket sent to you or a Valentine!

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a Valentine’s gift basket sent to you or a Valentine! We’ll send anywhere local delivery is available (and offer a $40 store credit in the event that delivery is not available in your country.) The winner will pick the type of basket they want (either fruit, flowers, or candy/snacks) and we’ll send your basket out!

(Just leave a comment on this post with a way to be contacted)
.
(Ends 13th Feb 2015)
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Review

Anthology - Lights, Camera, Cupid 300x450Title: Lights, Camera, Cupid!

Series: A Bluewater Bay Valentine’s Day Anthology

Author: S.E. Jakes, Amy Lane, Z.A. Maxfield, Anne Tenino & L.A. Witt

Genre: Contemporary

Length: 5 Short stories (226pgs)

ISBN: 978-1-62649-261-5

Publisher: Riptide Publishing (9th February 2015)

Heat Level: Moderate

Heart Rating: ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts Overall

Reviewer: Pixie

Blurb: Cupid is visiting Bluewater Bay, and he’s leaving chaos in his wake.

Nothing’s been the same in this sleepy little logging town since Hollywood came to shoot the hit TV show Wolf’s Landing—especially Valentine’s Day.

In L.A. Witt’s Just Another Day, beloved actors Levi Pritchard and Carter Samuels have an announcement for their fans, while in Z.A. Maxfield’s I’ll Be There, actor Spencer Kepler and his boyfriend Nash Holly brave a blizzard and a fan convention to spend their first February the 14th together.

Of course, it’s not just TV stars celebrating the day. In Anne Tenino’s Helping Hand, an aspiring artist eager to escape Bluewater Bay decides he just might have a reason to stay: lust-inspiring logger Gabriel Savage. In SE Jakes’s No Easy Way, a local teacher reconnects with an old lover working security on the film set. And in Amy Lane’s Nascha, a Bluewater Bay elder recalls how his own unconventional family used to celebrate the holiday.

Real life may be nothing like TV, but when Cupid comes to town, there’s plenty of romance and drama to go around.

Purchase Link: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/lights-camera-cupid

Review: Ah boys and girls, we have 5 great stories that add a little more love, romance and a little bit of temperature soaring to Bluewater Bay. With characters we have met before and new characters brought into the fold, meeting in the middle to resolve hurt feelings, moving heaven and Earth to be with the one you love, first crushes, first loves, reminiscing about love long gone these are the stories that will touch your heart and also make you want more.

Just Another Day by L.A. Witt ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts 

Levi hates Valentine’s Day, it’s just a commercialized Hallmark holiday and he can’t stand it, not even to make his lover happy. Carter doesn’t think much of the commercialized side of Valentine’s Day but he adores the romantic side of the day, sharing a special day with the man he loves and he won’t ignore it just to please his lover. It’s the first Valentine’s Day together for Levi and Carter and they discover they have very different views on this day for lovers; can they rescue their evening together when it seems to be heading downhill fast? 

Oh seeing Levi and Carter again and peeking into how their relationship is progressing was wonderful. Carter wants to celebrate Valentine’s Day in a quite relaxed way but Levi frowns on even that, it causes friction between them and Levi has to put aside his dislike of the day to take into count his lovers wishes. It creates a fantastic story as we see them try to come up with a way to make it special but not Valentine’s special. I loved how Cater refused to back down and what Levi came up with was much more romantic than a simple commercialized Hallmark holiday, it was wonderful and very hot and sexy when they found the middle ground to make the day special to them.

This is definitely not a short story to miss if you love a dash of angst, frustration, compromise, hot steamy sex and a truly romantic gesture. 

Nascha by Amy Lane ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts (MMF)

Nascha is 71 and suffers with Alzheimer’s, he lives with his great nephews, Cal and Keir, and as Cal lies ill on the sofa Nascha slips into his memories of the love he lost and the little girl who changed his life.

Oh this is a wonderful story that brings one or two tears to your eyes as you see a desperate Nascha trying to sort out a future for his overworked and overwrought nephew Cal and his brother Keir. We visit with Nascha as he remembers a time long past with his lovers Kitten and Raw and the little girl who changed his life from a carefree gambler with his two lovers to a dotting uncle who has to distance himself from his lovers as the social workers sniffed around.

I loved this story for the simplicity of the situation; there are no roses and rainbows as we relive Nascha’s memories just the self-sacrifice of a man who will do anything for his family. The devastation as his lovers are lost to him and the glimmer of hope after so many years that he can reconnect even as he secures a future for his nephews has you feeling the love he has for both Kitten and Raw and also has you understanding the true sacrifice he made for a little girl who he adored above all others. This is a wonderful story that looks to be the bouncing board for the upcoming Bluewater Bay story The Deep of the Sound, and is one story that shouldn’t be missed if you adore stories of sacrifice and love.

No Easy Way by S.E. Jakes ♥♥♥♥ 4 Hearts 

Dylan is back in Bluewater Bay for his first love Cary, chased away six years ago but now he’s ready to make Cary his. Teacher Cary discovers that his ex-boyfriend Dylan back in town and he is torn between seeing the man he loved again or ignoring the man who broke his heart.

This is a great story about two men reconnecting and putting the past to rest, rekindling the love they once had but only if the past really can be forgiven. Dylan and Cary both had hard childhoods but in different ways, their relationship was a blessing to both of them but Dylan is driven away by his father’s fists and Cary’s parents’ blackmail. Cary doesn’t know why Dylan left but he never forgot the pain of the desertion and he doesn’t think that anything Dylan has to say could change that.

I really enjoyed this story of first love, Dylan doesn’t make excuses for what happened he just tells the truth, Cary finds that he does have room in his heart for forgiveness but he needs the truth first to put the past behind him. These two make a great couple and they are very hot together, because no matter what tore them apart their attraction to each other never died. This is a great story if you love reconnecting first loves, forgiveness and hot sexy characters. 

Helping Hand by Anne Tenino ♥♥♥ 3 Hearts

Lucas has many things on his mind as graduation fast approaches, he’s been accepted to Art College which his dad will not approve of, he’s gay which his dad will certainly not approve of and he has the biggest crush on his brother’s best friend, Gabriel… which no one will approve of.

When Lucas works up the courage to tell his family about college the confrontation has him blurting out that he is gay, in the fall out Lucas finds comfort from Gabriel but it doesn’t turn out like he wanted. Lucas dad has a surprise for him when he finally processes what Lucas told him, and Lucas finds a bit of comfort in a drawing from many years before.

I liked this story but it isn’t a love story, more like a beginning of a story that still has much to tell. Lucas gets his first taste of man on man loving but as the man of his crush is deeply in the closet and also a manly logger there can be no happy ever after. But you get the feeling that Gabriel isn’t as callous as he comes across to Lucas, so maybe there’s another story in their future. This is a great story of first crushes tasting paradise before it’s snatched away, family that surprises and a young man looking towards the future.   

I’ll Be There by Z.A. Maxfield ♥♥♥♥♥ 5 Hearts 

Spencer is at a fan convention missing his lover Nash and wishing he was with him, Spencer has to face the fans all by himself and the special fan who made a wish to meet him. Nash knows that Spencer is reaching breaking point just by the sound of his voice, and as he makes the journey to be by his lovers’ side he finds himself grounded by a blizzard. Roping in his genius brother and his friends to help him cross the distance Nash sets off to get to Spencer’s side by Valentine’s Day, nothing is going to stop him not even Mother Nature.

This is a beautiful story that has a dash of humor and is wonderfully written. We met Nash and Spencer in Hell on Wheels and we now revisit them as Valentine’s Day is fast approaching but they are separated as Spencer attends a convention. Nash is a fantastic loving boyfriend as he dashes to his lover’s side; he wants to be with him not just for Valentine’s Day but also to support him as he faces fans. Spencer is forced to face some aspects of his past as he gets ready to meet a terminally ill lady but with Nash’s advice and support he accepts his mistakes.

I really loved this story; Nash and Spencer are just so fantastic that I didn’t want this short story to end. Nash is fantastic as he travels across states to get to Spencer, his brother and his friends are incredible as they try to direct him and get him help during the blizzard and there are moments where you grin at their antics or at Spencer being mistaken for other Brit actors. This story shows the depth of love that Nash and Spencer have for each other and it is beautiful to see.

Overall: This anthology has a great array of Valentine Day stories, from repairing the day so it’s a huge success, to glimpses of the past and a remembered love, to reconnecting with an old love, to a brief encounter that will never be forgotten, to that desperate dash through a blizzard to be with a lover when they need you most. Every story will draw you in and elicit different feelings from you, each one a different kind of love story that you won’t want to miss.  

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Check out the other blogs on the

February 9, 2015 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
February 9, 2015 – All I Want and More Books
February 9, 2015 – Love Bytes
February 10, 2015 – Nautical Star Books
February 10, 2015 – My Fiction Nook
February 10, 2015 – 3 Chicks After Dark
February 10, 2015 – The Jeep Diva
February 11, 2015 – Creative Deeds
February 11, 2015 – TTC Books and More
February 12, 2015 – MM Good Book Reviews
February 12, 2015 – Smoocher’s Voice
February 13, 2015 – The Novel Approach
February 13, 2015 – Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews
February 13, 2015 – Prism Book Alliance
February 13, 2015 – Cup O’ Porn
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15 thoughts on “Lights, Camera, Cupid! Blog Tour, Review & Giveaway!

  1. Thanks for the review! The anthology sounds good and love the V-Day contest.

    jen.f {at} mac {dot} com

  2. This is a great post. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks for the chance with a contest.
    debby236 at hotmail dot com

  3. The book sounds like fun especially with the V Day theme.
    strive4bst(AT) yahoo(Dot) com

  4. Thanks for another great post and the reviews. I really want to read this anthology now.
    jczlapin(at)gmail(dot)com

  5. Love the review! All of the stories sound great.

    Waxapplelover (at) gmail (dot) com

  6. What a promising anthology! Some of my favourite writers together. Already added to my TBR list

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