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 Toppy with 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).

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Poster Boy buy link.

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.

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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 12^th, 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.

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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.com and 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 4^th, 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. 😉

(Link to enter Rafflecopter giveaway)

Anne Tenino Rafflecopter giveaway!

(Ends 29th April 2014)

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About Anne

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.

Check out what Anne’s up to now by visiting her site. http://annetenino.com

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Review:

Title: Poster Boy

Series: Theta Alpha Gamma #5

Author: Anne Tenino

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Humor / Frat-Boys

Length: Novel

ISNB: 978-1-62649-130-4

Publisher: Riptide Publishing (April 21st 2014)

Heat: Explicit

Heart:  3.5 Hearts

Reviewer: Thommie

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.

Purchase Link: http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/poster-boy

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!