Lander by J. Scott Coatsworth Blog Tour

Lander
J. Scott Coatsworth has a new MM Sci Fi book out:

Sometimes the world needs saving twice.

In the sequel to the Rainbow-Award-winning Skythane, Xander and Jameson thought they’d fulfilled their destiny when they brought the worlds of Oberon and Titania back together, but their short-lived moment of triumph is over.

Reunification has thrown the world into chaos. A great storm ravaged Xander’s kingdom of Gaelan, leaving the winged skythane people struggling to survive. Their old enemy, Obercorp, is biding its time, waiting to strike. And to the north, a dangerous new adversary gathers strength, while an unexpected ally awaits them.

In the midst of it all, Xander’s ex Alix returns, and Xander and Jameson discover that their love for each other may have been drug-induced.

Are they truly destined for each other, or is what they feel concocted? And can they face an even greater challenge when their world needs them most?

The Oberon Cycle: Book Two

About the Oberon Cycle:

Xander is a skythane man whose wings have always been a liability on the lander-dominated half world of Oberon.

Jameson is a lander who has been sent to Oberon to find out why the supply of the psycho-amoratic drug pith has dropped off.

What neither knows is that they have a shared destiny that will change the two of them – and all of Oberon – forever.

Dreamspinner – eBook | Dreamspinner – Paperback
Deep in the Middle

This is my first time writing a series – at least, the first time one has ever been accepted for publication.

To make things a little more crazy, I’m actually writing two.

The first is the Oberon Cycle, a sci fi trilogy with a heavy dose of MM romance that started with “Skythane”. The second, “Liminal Sky”, is a queer sci fi series that doesn’t really have any romance, and is a little more epic-long-term in scale.

“Lander” is book two in the Oberon Cycle, and as I write this, I find myself in a weird place, stretched a bit thin across the whole trilogy.

I am re-reading “Skythane” to make sure I don’t miss anything while writing the third and final book, “Ithani.” I have just finished edits recently for book two, “Lander.” And of course, I am writing “Ithani.” It’s a bit like being trapped in three different times at once. Events that happen over a stretch of time are compressed and mixed together, and I’m having a hard time remembering the proper order.

In short, I am swimming in the depths of Oberon.

It’s actually kind pf fun though, as it’s giving me the opportunity to make connections between books one and three that I might have missed otherwise. Like, why does Alix have long hair in book one and short hair in two and three? And how does he feel about it?

It’s a small example, sure, but it’s indicative of the kind of things that come up when you try to ensure consistency across a number of books. Sometimes it’s too late, so as a writer you have to come up with the reasons why.

Next time I write a series, I’ll probably do things a little differently. Outline a little better? Track character traits more closely? I have gotten better over the course of the three books, but my track record in book one is looking a little dismal LOL.

Anyhow, once it’s done, all the seams should be cleaned up and the holes plugged, so that you the reader won’t notice them. And if I do my job right, some of the errors might even turn into some of the story’s best twists and turns.

A writer can hope, right?

Giveaway

Scott is giving away a $25 Amazon gift certificate and three copies of his queer sci fi eBook “The Stark Divide.”

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Excerpt

Lander banner

Xander stared at the torrent of water pouring over the cavern entrance. Somewhere out there, Quince and the others were lost in the storm.

“What happened to everyone else?” Jameson shouted, putting his hand on Xander’s shoulder.

“I don’t know. Last I saw them was before the lightning strike.” How had things changed so quickly?

Jameson started toward the exit. “We have to look for them!”

Xander pulled him back.

Jameson’s eyes were wild.

He squeezed Jameson’s hands, trying to reassure him. “Hey, calm down. There’s nothing we can do right now.”

“We already lost Morgan.” Jameson’s eyes pleaded with him. “I can’t lose the rest of them.”

Xander shook his head. “It’s no use. We’ll never find them in this tempest. They’re seasoned veterans. They can take care of themselves. We’ll go looking after the storm passes.” The loss of Morgan weighed on him too, though he was less and less certain that Morgan had been a human boy at all.

Jameson looked doubtful.

Xander felt it too, but there really was nothing they could do. “Hey, it’s gonna be all right.” He pulled Jameson to him, enfolding the two of them with his wings. Jameson was soaked, but Xander didn’t care.

Jameson nodded against his chest. “You’re right. Gods, I know you’re right. I’m sorry. I thought we were done with all this.”

Xander held him out at arm’s length. “Gods, huh? We’re doing the plural thing now?”

Jameson gave him a half smile. “Trying it out? When in Rome….”

“How’s your hearing?”

Jameson cocked his head. “It’s better. But everything sounds muffled.”

Xander nodded. “I can tell.”

Jameson blushed. “Am I talking too loud?”

“Just a little.”

Jameson smiled sheepishly. “It’s weird. It feels like my ears are full of water.”

Xander kissed him gently. “It’ll pass.” He looked around the cavern at last, his eyes gradually adjusting to the dim blue light.

The place was a faeryland, filled with rows of golden stalactites and stalagmites, like the bulwarks of an eldritch castle. Each one was a miracle of minute detail, like candle wax dripped from above. The whole cavern was lit by a turquoise-blue glow.

Xander looked around for the source. It came from pools of water on either side of the cavern. The scintillating light shimmered along the walls, creating complex, ever-changing patterns.

“Look, Jameson… it’s beautiful.” They were both a muddy mess. “We’re stuck here until the storm blows itself out. Why don’t we get cleaned up and try to rest? Then we can figure out what to do next. We have a long flight to Gaelan.” He was still shivering from the rain.

“A bath sounds like heaven.” Jameson let Xander lead him to one of the glowing ponds.

“Do you think it’s safe to go in?” Xander asked, pulling off his boots and testing the water with his toes. It was warm.

Jameson looked queasy, but then he smiled. “They called them faery ponds. There’s a microscopic organism that makes the light. It’s harmless, but beautiful.” He grinned. “Romantic, even.”

Ah, that’s how you knew this place. “You’ve been here before, haven’t you?” he said, slowly and clearly, gesturing to indicate Jameson and the cavern. His own generational memories were still fleeting, occasional things.

Jameson’s smile fled. He shrugged. “Not me personally….”

“Shhh. I know.” If he closed his eyes and focused, he could see this place too, but he seemed to be able to block them out when they were inconvenient. “Too many memories.” Xander pointed at his head.

Jameson nodded. He looked relieved. He reached out and pulled Xander close, his hands warm on Xander’s waist.

Xander slipped his arms around Jameson and kissed him once, twice. He wrinkled his nose. “You’re filthy and you stink! So do I.” He held up his shirt as proof. It was covered in mud stains.

Jameson laughed. “We can fix that.”

He helped Jameson unlace the sides of his shirt, pulling it off to reveal the naked skin underneath. Jameson returned the favor, his hands lingering for a moment before withdrawing to pull down his own pants.

They shucked their wet and dirty clothes and descended into the water. It was surprisingly warm, silky and smooth around Xander’s waist.

The pool was about three meters across and sloped down to about a meter deep at the far end. There was a warm, gentle current drifting past Xander’s legs, and the stone beneath his feet had been worn smooth by water and time.

Xander washed the grime off his skin, and it drifted off into the water around him.

Jameson pulled him in deeper and gestured for him to lower his head.

Xander lay in Jameson’s arms, and warm water washed over him, carrying the mud and dirt out of his hair. Jameson massaged his scalp, pulling away the twigs and bits of gunk he’d accumulated on the mad run through the forest in the storm.

Xander’s desire threatened to overwhelm him at Jameson’s gentle touch. He dipped his face into the water and rinsed off. It was so fucking good to get clean.

He shook his head, splashing Jameson, who shot him an aggrieved look.

The look turned into a wicked grin, and Jameson splashed him back. Then they were going after each other and laughing, a fine mist of water flying through the air.

Damn, it’s good to hear you laugh again. Xander grabbed Jameson and kissed him, harder this time, and Jameson’s body responded. They fell back into the water, and Jameson was hard against him, his own need naked before Xander’s desire.

After all that had happened, Xander needed to feel human and alive again. He tugged Jameson back to the shallow part of the pool and pulled his skythane down on top of him, Jameson’s skin warm against his own.

He kissed Jameson’s neck and nibbled on his ear, eliciting a low moan.

Jameson wanted this as much as he did. He could tell.

For a long, slow, ecstatic hour, Xander forgot all about the storm.


Author Bio

ScottScott lives between the here and now and the what could be. Indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine, he devoured her library. But as he grew up, he wondered where the people like him were.

He decided it was time to create the kinds of stories he couldn’t find at Waldenbooks. If there weren’t gay characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.

His friends say Scott’s brain works a little differently – he sees relationships between things that others miss, and gets more done in a day than most folks manage in a week. He seeks to transform traditional sci fi, fantasy, and contemporary worlds into something unexpected.

He runs Queer Sci Fi and QueeRomance Ink with his husband Mark, sites that bring queer people together to promote and celebrate fiction that reflects their own reality.

Author Website: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworthauthor/

Author Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/jscoatsworth

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8392709.J_Scott_Coatsworth

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/

Author Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Scott-Coatsworth/e/B011AFO4OQ

Wild Retaliation (Seaside Shifters #1) Ethan Stone

Reviewed by Kiwi

TITLE: Wild Retaliation

SERIES: Seaside Shifters #1

PUBLISHER: Dreamspinner Press

RELEASE DATE: September 7, 2016

BLURB: Chief of Police John Dakota is in a world of trouble. His peaceful town of Seaside, Oregon, has been rocked by a wave of unsolved murders. The bloody deaths are eerily reminiscent of ones that occurred in Seaside years ago. Back then John worked hard to make sure the truth about the killer was never revealed. Now he’s afraid the past is coming back to haunt him.

Trevor English, the nosy reporter who occasionally shares John’s bed, is demanding information about the crimes. He also wants more of John’s affections. But John can’t afford to give in to either demand without risking the revelation of Seaside’s biggest secret: the town is a haven for shifters, and John is one of them.

To solve the crime—and prevent more victims—John must delve into the past. Many members of Seaside’s shifter community are involved, but it’s becoming harder and harder to tell which residents can be trusted. Even John’s family isn’t above suspicion. The body count is rising, and it looks like John is the killer’s next target.

REVIEW: I’m not a fan of mysteries in general, murder mysteries in particular but every now and then, one will pique my interest. This story just happened to have been one of them. This is due to it having one of my favorite things: shifters.

This is the second book I’ve read from this particular author and I must say that I really enjoy the way he tells his stories.

John is a bear shifter, chief of police in the peacefully little town in Oregon when a series of murders rocks the town.

Trevor is an ambitious and pushy reporter who determined to be the one to get the scoop as to who is exactly behind the murders and why. And because of this, he starts demanding answers.

I love the dynamics between the two men in this story. You have John who’s trying to balance trying to catch whoever’s behind the murders and keep the town’s secret while trying to keep his relationship with Trevor strictly casual. The relationship between John and Trevor intrigued me. Trevor clearly wanted more than just the casual set up they had and you know that John did as well but he was fighting against it so hard. After a while, John realized his feelings for Trevor ran a lot deeper than casual sex. It was just his secrets that held him back from opening himself up to Trevor completely.  I actually like the fact that it wasn’t this Insta – love that you see in many shifter stories. Yes, they were mates however they had to build up to the love, the relationship had to develop between these two men. That to me, made it that much better. that to me felt a lot more realistic than the insta- love trope.

You get a bit of everything with this story: you get the paranormal, a murder mystery with a bit of romance thrown in. I liked that the author stepped outside of the box with this as it could’ve easily been a run of the mill murder mystery and I think Stone made a very wise decision adding the paranormal element to it.  There were also added a wide variety of very interesting peripheral characters added. The dialogue, plot, storyline and editing were fantastic.

I really enjoyed this story. There were no plot holes and the story didn’t lag or or drag along anywhere. The pace was perfect; it grabbed and held my interest from the very beginning. The editing and dialogue was perfect. The author did a lovely job of developing these characters, plot and storyline. There were several times in the story that I thought I had it figured out who the murder was only to find out that I couldn’t have been more wrong. The culprit definitely wasn’t who I suspected! This book will keep you engaged and at the edge of your seat until the last page. This is a definite must read and I look forward to seeing what happens next.

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

BUY LINKS

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

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Blog Tour: Destined Prey by Bailey Bradford

Thank you for joining us! This book was written as a fundraiser for Peyton Hollingsworth, a family friend of Bailey’s who has been diagnosed with cancer.

*All proceeds and royalties from this book will be donated to help pay the medical bills for Peyton Hollingsworth. While he is currently being treated at St. Jude’s for Ewing’s Sarcoma, and treatment there is free, there are accumulated bills from his treatment and diagnosis before being sent to St. Jude’s.

About Peyton:

Peyton is a funny, loving, 11-year old boy who loves playing outside, riding go-carts, and Batman. In April, we found out he had cancer. Peyton has asthma, and often had to have nebulizer treatments, so when he was having trouble breathing, his doctor thought it was asthma. But nothing worked to ease his breathing, and the doctor sent Peyton to the hospital for a suspected collapsed lung.

From one day to the next, it went from us thinking he had a severe bout of asthma to finding out that he had a tumor pressing his lung up until it was almost completely obscured, and he couldn’t get much, if any, air into it.

Peyton was sent to St. Jude’s and diagnosed with Ewing’s Sarcoma. The mass was attached to one rib, and was spreading. He has undergone radiation, surgery, and chemotherapy, several transfusions and MRI’s, numerous tests and received numerous shots. It’s been a rough, rough time for the Hollingsworth family, and we are hoping to help them out.

While St. Jude’s doesn’t charge for treatment, the Hollingsworth family has accumulated medical bills from Peyton’s doctor and hospitalization before he was sent to St. Jude’s. Cherri, his mother, has been unable to work during this time, and the financial constraints are something they could really use help overcoming.

We are currently awaiting another MRI to be scheduled and done to see if all the cancer has been eradicated. We are hopeful and have faith that Peyton will be in remission and the cancer will not have spread or reoccur.

I will keep updating this as we get more information. We should know more within a few days, but I wanted to go ahead and get a jump start on this, so that we can help his family financially, so this will be one less thing that they have to stress about.

If you’d like to help, a Go Fund Me campaign has been set up: https://www.gofundme.com/okwdr0

Thank you for your thoughts and prayers and donations.

Wild Ones 1 - Destined Prey - 400x600

Author Name: Bailey Bradford

Book Name: Destined Prey

Series: Wild Ones

Book: One

Release Date: December 18, 2015 (available for early download on December 14 from Rainbow Ninja Press).

Blurb:

Wild Ones book 1

Destined Prey

All Jack Tucker wanted was to come home for a little while and try to figure out where his life had gone wrong. Moving from Wyoming to New York hadn’t turned out the way he’d thought it would, and a bad breakup leaves him bruised in more than just the emotional sense.

He doesn’t expect to be glad he’s back on the Double T Ranch with his brother, Rhett, and he sure doesn’t expect to find the place crawling with coywolves, wolves, and coyotes. There seems to be some kind of animal-warfare going on, and he and Rhett are caught in the middle of it.

Coywolves—the hybrid of wolves and coyotes, hated by both, and more predatory than either. Add in the fact that all the battling species are shifters, and there’s bound to be trouble.

Ben Akers is part of his brother’s pack. The only coywolf shifters in existence, they find themselves under constant attack from wolf and coyote packs determined to make the Akers pack extinct. But coywolves don’t die out so easy, and when Ben’s life takes a surprising turn in the form of one sexy human named Jack Tucker, they’re both in for surprises, danger, and, if Destiny rules, an abiding love that most people—and shifters—only dream of.

Pages or Words: 43,000 words

Categories: Erotica, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Paranormal, with a dash of Western/Cowboy.

 

Excerpt:

Jack Tucker watched his brother retrieve the rifle from the gun cabinet in the office. “Um. Rhett? What’re you doing?”

Rhett didn’t even glance back at him as he loaded the gun. “What does it look like I’m doing? You been living in the city so long you forgot how a Wyoming rancher lives?” Then he did look over his shoulder at Jack, and Jack kind of wished he hadn’t.

He hated seeing that judgment in his brother’s eyes, and knowing he’d never be good enough for Rhett, never be the man his brother was. “No,” Jack mumbled, “I didn’t forget.”

Rhett sighed and turned until he faced Jack. “Look, that was uncalled for. I’m… I’m sorry, okay?”

Jack was so startled by the apology that he gulped and couldn’t think of a word to say.

Rhett grimaced. “Yeah. Well, okay. Gotta check on some tracks Eddie said he found leading from his property to ours. I’ll be back in a few hours.” He left, striding from the room without seeming to hesitate.

Jack groaned and closed his eyes. Of course Rhett didn’t hesitate—he never had. Rhett always knew what to do, and how to do it, and who he was, and that he was right… Except, he apologized to me, and it screwed my head right up.

“Worse than it already is,” he muttered. Jack couldn’t stop himself from touching his left side, where his bruised ribs throbbed as the pain meds wore off. He was lucky, very lucky, that Rhett hadn’t pushed him on the accident that had sent Jack running home from New York, and possibly into the unemployment line. His boss hadn’t been happy with Jack taking off, even with a medical note as an excuse. Jack hadn’t told Rhett much about any of that. As far as Rhett knew, Jack had fallen down some icy steps, and that was all he was going to ever know about the incident.

Jack replayed his brother’s apology in his head and somehow it mingled in with Alex’s. Cold fear trickled down Jack’s spine and his gut cramped hard enough to make him worry about the dinner he’d just eaten.

After several minutes of trying to calm himself down, Jack stood and left. He’d wanted to sit and talk with Rhett about finances and try to decide if he should offer to let Rhett buy him out. Jack wasn’t made to be a rancher. He wasn’t made to be a New Yorker, either.

Jack didn’t know what he was supposed to do in life, and at the age of twenty-seven, he kind of thought he should have an inkling.

His cell phone was ringing when he stepped into his bedroom. Without looking, he knew it was Alex calling. “Who else would it be?” he huffed. It wasn’t like he had any friends left.

Rather than check to see how many times Alex had called and how many texts he’d sent, Jack turned the phone off, then stuck it in the nightstand. He eased himself onto the bed, then took a couple of prescription pain meds and washed them down with the rest of the water he’d brought in earlier.

The glass was old and familiar, and he felt a pang of regret as he looked it over after he set it down. Green glass, nothing special about it, yet he remembered so much as he stared.

He could see his mom in the kitchen, fixing a pitcher of tea, talking to him, and listening as he told her about his day at school or the chores he’d had to do around the ranch. She’d always been so kind and understanding, Jack had to believe she’d have been okay with him being gay. He’d spent many afternoons in the kitchen, helping her prepare meals or just basking in her presence. Losing her had almost broken him.

For a few more minutes, he let his mind go back to happy childhood days. His dad wasn’t in nearly as many of those good memories, but Chauncey Tucker hadn’t been a bad man. His dad had been more like Rhett—stoic, focused on the ranch and less on the people around him.

Jack ran one finger around the rim of the glass. He was surprised, really, that there were any of the old things left.

The sound of gunshot startled him so badly he jerked and nearly sent the glass flying.

“Shit!” He winced as he pushed it back, then stood as quickly as he could manage.

Another shot rang out, then a third, and fear quickly overtook every other sensation he’d felt until then.

Rhett had always been an ace shot. If he’d had to use three bullets, then there was something bad outside—a bear or a whole pack of wolves.

Jack didn’t like guns, but he went and got one from the gun cabinet anyway. He loaded it as he walked to the front door, and hoped like hell Rhett wasn’t hurt.

As soon as he stepped outside, the fine hairs at his nape seemed to stand up and vibrate, like some kind of primitive survival instinct warning alert system. Jack froze, his back to the door as his heart slammed hard against his ribs.

Another shot sounded, and it jolted Jack into action. “Rhett! Rhett!” He rushed down the steps and toward the direction the shots had come from. “Rhett! Are you okay?”

When Rhett didn’t immediately answer, Jack ran, careless with the gun, aware of that but unable to make himself do anything other than find his brother as soon as possible.

“Rhett!” He stumbled over something on the ground and almost fell before he managed to flail enough to keep himself upright.

Pain tore down his injured side, but he ignored it as he called out for his brother yet again. He cursed himself for not thinking to grab a flashlight. The sky was overcast and there was no moonlight to assist him in his search, and once he was past the barns there was no light coming from the house or other structures, either.

Jack realized that the cattle in the closest field were making enough noise to drown out his voice or Rhett’s, making it impossible for them to hear each other.

The sounds of the gunshots must have scared the cattle. Jack worried about a stampede, but he’d never seen any of the critters take out a fence, so he dismissed the idea.

“Rhett!” His throat burned as he hollered again.

Lightning streaked across the sky, blinding Jack for a moment, then thunder followed and he couldn’t contain his startled yelp as his ears rang from the sound.

Or his shriek when six pairs of glowing yellow eyes appeared between him and the fence line.

“Shit!” Jack skidded to a halt and hoped he could steady his hands, and force himself to do what he had to do.

 

Buy the book:

Destined Prey available Monday 14th December:

http://www.rainbowninjapress.com/Destined-Prey

Destined Prey available Friday 18th December:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-destinedprey-1942060-340.html

http://www.amazon.com/Destined-Prey-Wild-Bailey-Bradford-ebook/dp/B019950LR8/

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/599662

 

Meet the author:

A few things about me…

I am a married mom of four who spends most of the day writing, either on stories or at the blog. I love to write as much as I love to read. I am generally quiet and laid back, choosing to let things slide off me rather than stick and irritate me.

And it’s really hard trying to think of descriptives for myself, so I’ll just let y’all e-mail me or comment at the blog if there’s something specific you’d like to know, and spare you from reading a boring bio.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bailey.bradford.9

Twitter: @BaileyBFun4Me

Blog: http://baileysplayroom.blogspot.com

Website: http://baileybradford.com

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3087007.Bailey_Bradford

Publisher: Rainbow Ninja Press

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Bailey Bradford, author of Wild Ones: Destined Prey.
Hi Bailey, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

What are your ambitions for your writing career?
I’m not an ambitious person. I write because I enjoy it. That can be problematic because bills need to be paid, but I’ve just never been able to focus on money or success.

How many published books do you have? Can you tell us something about them?
Over seventy, and I doubt you want something specific about each one. I have loved writing every book, and have met the most incredible, kind-hearted, smart, unique people that I wouldn’t have had I not started writing.

Your main character wants to cook something special for his love interest. What does he make?
If it’s Ben, he’s liable to cook an all-meat dinner, being a shifter as he is. However, he would make certain Jack’s sweet tooth is taken care of, too. He’d have cake, ice cream, and probably an additional sweet, like a pie.
Jack would serve a roast, beef from his ranch, of course. Potatoes and carrots in a rich gravy, rolls, tea, and yes, plenty of dessert.

What are you working on at the moment? What’s it about?
My sanity 😉 I’m about to start a longer-than-usual contemporary novel. It’s about…life, love, success, and what happens when those things don’t go as planned.

Do you aim for a set amount of words/pages per day?
No. I write until I can’t write any longer, then I stop. I don’t do well with too much structure.


Tour Dates & Stops:

14-Dec: Decadent Delights, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Because Two Men Are Better Than One, BFD Book Blog, Hearts on Fire, Mikky’s World of Books, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Unquietly Me

15-Dec

Open Skye Book Reviews, Nephy Hart, MM Good Book Reviews, I Read Selfies, Havan Fellows

16-Dec

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Carly’s Book Reviews, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Love Bytes, Divine Magazine, Wake Up Your Wild Side, A.M. Leibowitz

17-Dec

Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Happily Ever Chapter, 3 Chicks After Dark, QUEERcentric Books, My Fiction Nook, The Hat Party

18-Dec: Jessie G. Books, Bayou Book Junkie, The Novel Approach, Inked Rainbow Reads, Kimi-Chan, Molly Lolly, Book Lovers 4Ever

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Take Your Pick by Missy Welsh Tour with Interview and Giveaway

RC

Today, I’m very lucky to be interviewing Missy Welsh author of Take Your Pick.

Hi, Missy. Thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Hello! Thanks so much for hosting me today. I’m not too complicated, I am addicted to carbs, and I need an app on my phone to yell at me so I work through my to-do list. Sometimes I’m pink and frilly, but mostly I’m denim and bare feet. I’ve worked in membership management, IT, customer service, and marketing, but it’s writing fiction that I truly love.

Take Your Pick is about Peter Kim and his 5 housemates exploring their sexualities in the name of ultimate friendship. See, Pete’s in love with all of them and it’s become a secret he can’t contain any longer. After he’s found out, he’s both thrilled and wary about his housemates’ decision to spend a day with him doing whatever he wants, including sex. Pete’s going to learn a lot about each of them as well as himself by the end of this story.

Give us an interesting fun fact or a few about your book.

It’s about 6 college age guys who live together and, well, all of them end up having sex with Pete throughout the course of the story. Yup, Pete’s a very busy guy! (I’m so laughing at myself right now…) I’ve never written a book with so much sex in it. At the same time, though, it actually turned out to be a love story.

How did you come up with the title of your book?

The inspiration for the book is a photograph of five, bare-chested guys lined up in a row. My first thought was that they looked like they were waiting for someone to take their pick of them. Eventually, I decided that they would’ve asked Pete to do that.

Give us an insight into your main character. What does he do that is so special?

Pete has a lot of love in him for his housemates. I think he could’ve been just fine living the rest of his life without any of his best friends ever knowing he was sexually attracted to them as well. He might’ve gotten to know guys in college and been able to shift his attraction to other men and been very happy. But since I’m in charge of this story world, they do find Pete out and make him a wonderful offer instead. I think Pete is special because he’s able to jump on that offer and live in the moment, come what may.

What do you think makes a good story?

Emotionally involving the reader. I’m hoping Take Your Pick will not only, uh, stimulate readers, but maybe make some hearts clench, a few eyes tear up, and get a giggle or three going. That makes a book a success.

What does your family think of your writing?

I was honestly worried about telling any of them what I wrote when I was first published, but only because LGBT anything had never been something we’d discussed. They laughed at Jack from Will and Grace, muttered about how Ellen didn’t have to come out, and swore they didn’t know anyone gay. Nowadays, they still laugh at Jack, they respect Ellen, and they know and like a lot of gay people. I think I’ll go so far as to say that, by writing these books and being honest with my family about what I’m doing, I’ve opened their minds and hearts to being more understanding and compassionate toward LGBT people and equality for everyone.

Excerpt:
I watched them pile into the behemoth Devon’s mom had loaned for tonight’s trip up to Cleveland. They all looked good in their club clothes. Nothing flashy or too tight, but I’d spread some fashion sense around and they’d believed me every time. Not a single girl would be able to resist my boys.
Of course, there would be plenty of boys who’d be unable to resist them either.
Just like me.
I waved as they drove off, equal parts relieved and lonely. I didn’t want to let them go without me, but I had been wound way too tight lately. I had on one other piece of clothing—the tightest pair of briefs I owned—just to help mask the boner I kept springing every time I’d been near them for the past three days.
Something had to give, and it was going to happen in a gush of orgasmic heat all over my fist.

Buy the book:
Amazon—http://amzn.to/1Jup0Tg
All Romance eBooks—http://bit.ly/1JupqJv

400x600
Meet Missy Welsh:
Missy Welsh stares into space a lot, has conversations with cats, takes notes while people-watching, records conversations (not the ones with cats), named her laptop Norbert and her phone Pushkin, has backups of her backups’ backups, faints at the sight of a misused semi-colon, and will often ask socially unacceptable questions of strangers.
Basically, she’s a writer.

Where to find Missy Welsh:
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/175mi7V
Twitter: http://bit.ly/1EiCGVk
Missy Welsh Book News (email list), http://bit.ly/1coHgOY
All Romance eBooks Author Page, http://bit.ly/1VanTjS
Amazon Author Page, http://amzn.to/P6ilxR

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/175mtjK
Publisher: Missy Welsh
Cover Artist: Thorny Sterling
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Running with the Wind by Shira Anthony Tour with Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway

RunningWithTheWind-colorsREVSequel to Into the Wind

With the final confrontation between the island and mainland Ea factions looming, Taren and Ian sail with Odhrán to investigate a lost colony of merfolk in the Eastern Lands. Upon their arrival, the King of Astenya welcomes them as friends. Odhrán, however, isn’t so quick to trust the descendent of the man who held him prisoner for nearly a decade, especially now that he has someone to cherish and protect—the mysterious winged boy he rescued from the depths.

Armed with the knowledge he believes will save the Ea, Taren returns to the mainland. With Ian at his side, Taren convinces Vurin that their people must unite with their island brethren before it’s too late. When Seria and his men attack, Taren must call upon the ancient power of the rune stone to protect his comrades. But using stone’s immeasurable power commands a hefty price—and Ian fears that price is Taren’s life.
Pages or Words: 67,000 words

unknown

Excerpt:

DEAFENING CANNON fire rang out from the port side of the ship. Ian braced himself against the stair railing to keep from falling backward as the ship leaned deep and heeled hard to starboard. He heaved himself upward and crested the stairwell to the deck as the ship pitched again, forcing him to grab one of the barrels lashed to the deck to remain upright. Cannon shot landed off the bow, sending water over the forecastle and cascading down the already sodden deck. The acrid smell of gunpowder stung his nostrils and burned his eyes, and the familiar scent caused his adrenaline to skyrocket and set his mind racing.
“Renda! What the hell is happening?”
“She’s fired on us with no warning shot, Captain!” Renda, the ship’s quartermaster, barely looked at him as he struggled to steer the Phantom out of the line of fire.
“What colors does she fly?” Ian shouted as he ran toward the helm and lifted a spyglass to one eye.
“None, Captain! Her crew’s human! Navy ship!” Renda shouted above the cannon fire.
Ian felt it too. There were no Ea aboard the attacking ship. An entirely human crew? Only the Derryth navy sailed brigantines. But if he and the crew of the Phantom were fair game for the king and his navy, why didn’t they fly Derryth’s colors? They’d appeared out of nowhere. Had the mist been so thick that the men on watch had missed her?
Renda ceded the helm before Ian could think much more about it. For now, he needed to focus on their attackers and on gaining the upper hand. It had been more than twenty years since Ian had taken his ship into battle, but his crew was well seasoned. He prayed silently to his goddess that the winds would favor them.
“Derryth?” he asked Renda as he steered to avoid another blast from the enemy’s cannons. “Aligned with the Council? Or is this just a coincidence?” He’d expected to face the island Ea in battle eventually, but never had he expected them to use humans to chase them down.
Renda scowled. “No coincidence. Magic, seeing as the fog cleared just in time for them to attack. They had help tracking us down. A mage, no doubt.”
Humans did not possess magic. When had the island Ea recruited the humans to their cause? The thought made Ian’s blood boil. Humans had nearly wiped out their kind hundreds of years before, looking for the fabled rune stone, a weapon more powerful than the Derryth Kingdom’s largest cannons. Had someone told the humans they were heading to the Gateway Islands to find the reclusive pirate, Odhrán, and recover the very weapon that had nearly been the cause of their destruction?
No. He mustn’t think about that now. He needed his wits about him to keep his ship safe. Then he could think more about the implications. He focused once again on the ship and her crew. The feel of the wood beneath his hands and the stiff wind against his cheek always warmed Ian’s soul, even in the midst of battle. The bright, crisp scent of the salt spray awakened his senses and mind. He’d been born for this command, although he’d paid a stiff price for it. His father before him had been a sailor, although he’d long given up the seafaring life by the time Ian had learned to sail in the Derryth navy. Sailing was in his bones and his blood. The only thing he loved more than sailing on the water was swimming in it.
Renda shouted more commands to the men manning the ropes, then turned back to Ian and scowled. “Their ship is fast. She’s shooting the sun and she has the weather beam.”
Stealing our wind! Ian cursed beneath his breath. With the enemy positioned between them and the wind, the Phantom could do little to maneuver. If he hadn’t been forced to stay within the Council’s reach, tied to the island, he’d have long before found the best clockmaker in Derryth and purchased a sextant. He was tired of others sighting guns upon the Phantom so easily. Their ancient astrolabe might have sufficed twenty years ago, during the civil war that cleaved his people in two, but it was useless against a better-equipped navy. As things stood, Ian could only guess at the angle of the enemy’s guns and what direction he might be able to steer the Phantom to avoid them.
He glanced skyward and was momentarily blinded by the sun’s brilliant reflection in the lookout’s spyglass. He moved his gaze to the mainsail and the seagulls that rode thermals alongside it. It had been a calm day until the enemy appeared. Now the wind raced the heavens. The telltales on the sails fluttered frantically with each powerful gust of the wind, making it difficult for Ian to determine the wind’s direction. He fought the helm in an effort to maintain their course as the sea swelled and the ship bucked. Worse yet, the Phantom was poorly situated in the wind on a close reach that placed the ship at a crucial disadvantage.
The enemy’s guns belched again and cannonballs spun past, spitting fiery tar and narrowly missing the main mast. The flames that licked from the metal nearly set the mainsail afire.
“They’re using pitch!” Renda shouted as the pungent smell of burning pine reached Ian’s nostrils.
Ian heard his father’s words echo in his mind. “There is nothing as deadly as fire at sea.” If one of those cannon blasts hit the Phantom, she’d go up in flames.
Heeling starboard as the Phantom was, her portside guns aimed high above the waterline. Each cannon shot fired was nothing more than wasted ammunition. They were outmanned, outgunned, and out-positioned in the wind. Damn. Ian considered his options quickly, mulling their position relative to the enemy and eyeing the wind in the sails. He had no choice but to bring the ship about and take aim with the starboard cannons. Yet if he turned and lost the wind, they’d end up in irons and stalled in the water.
“Are the starboard gun ports open?” Ian shouted.
Another blast from the enemy ship’s cannons landed within a yard of the Phantom. The ship shook with the impact, and several crewmembers scrambled to better tie down some of the supplies on deck.
“Aye, Captain! Ports open, guns loaded!”
A quick glance around the deck told Ian that his beloved Taren was not there. He reached out first with his innate senses and was relieved to feel Taren’s strong heartbeat as if it beat within his own chest. Their connection had continued to grow stronger over the past few months. Among Ea, a bond like theirs—what their people called soulbound—was rare. Where most Ea could only sense that one of their brethren was near, Ian and Taren could sense each other’s presence in particular. Sometimes Taren’s fear became Ian’s, and although Taren had not spoken of it, Ian guessed his own anger and frustration sometimes became Taren’s.
Ian looked up, searching the mastheads and rigging with his eyes, and found Taren atop the main mast. He worked furiously, tying Turk’s heads in the rigging as fast as he could and adjusting the sails to compensate for the heeling Phantom.
“Trim the sails! Man the starboard cannons and tell the gunners to fire when I come about!” Ian knew it would do little good. If they headed farther into the wind, they’d lose speed and stall. “Tell the gunners to fire when they can!”
“Aye, sir!” Renda barked commands and the boatswains flew into action with whistles and hand signals. When Ian saw that Taren had acknowledged his orders, he brought the Phantom hard about. She bucked the squall and swell as Ian fought the wheel to turn her, and she listed her worst yet, her masts lying but thirty degrees off the water.
Damn.
At midturn, a volley of cannon fire caught the Phantom’s bow, causing her to shudder angrily as wood splintered and flew, mortally wounding one of the crew in the chest. Bright red blood splashed the deck to mingle with salt water and run past the smoldering pitch.
Crian! Renda ran to help the injured sailor. Perhaps he could help the man long enough that he might transform and heal his wounds. But Renda’s slight shake of his head and icy expression told Ian there was nothing to be done. Crian was dead.
Ian’s gut clenched when he thought of Crian’s family. Why was he so surprised that he’d lost a man? Had he really believed this voyage would be anything but risky? He’d naively hoped their mission would be a simple one: find Odhrán, retrieve the rune stone, and return it to Vurin, the leader of Ea’s mainland colony, so he might better protect their people.
He searched the rigging for Taren again and couldn’t find him. He’d felt Taren’s steady presence only moments ago, but he’d been too preoccupied with the battle to keep track of him. At least he could still feel the steady beat of Taren’s heart. He finally spotted Taren aft, now atop the mizzenmast, clinging to guy ropes and swinging wildly with each turn of the helm.
Taren had left their cabin at dawn to work on the sails with the intention of increasing the ship’s speed. He loved to toil on the rigging, and Ian knew how his spirits soared with the feel of the wind on his face. Taren’s acrobatics never ceased to amaze Ian, but they nonetheless left him cold with fear. Taren was nothing short of a long-tailed monkey in the rigging.
“Taren! Taren!”
Ian’s shouts went unheeded—Taren couldn’t hear him over the chaos of the battle. Ian only hoped Taren had guessed what his next maneuver might be, and had good purchase on the ropes to keep him from falling.
The navy ship tacked in tandem with the Phantom and now aimed its sights at her stern. Ian couldn’t risk a blow to the most vulnerable part of the ship and had no choice but to adjust course again to avoid a hit. He spun the wheel the hardest yet to starboard.
Hold on, Taren!
The ship protested the quick maneuver, her teak wood groaning and creaking under the strain as she stalled in irons. In his quick decision to turn hard, he’d been reckless. They were headed directly into the wind now and were dead in the water.
Ian looked up and found Taren as he kicked out like lightning and baffled the aft sail to back the ship. An eerie silence descended, and they waited to see if the Phantom would catch her wind speed. Not a whisper of wind touched the sail. Taren reached for the rigging and swung out hard, kicking angrily at the sail once again. The sail billowed once, twice, and Ian’s breath stuttered, his warning shout lodged in his throat. He knew precisely what the aft sail would do. With a whoosh and an earsplitting snap, she filled and the Phantom regained her air once again, leaping to top speed.
Ian watched in admiration as Taren swung down on the ropes just in time to avoid the snap of the sail. He landed gracefully on the deck a dozen feet away.
“Ian!” Taren shouted as he ran over to the wheel. Another shot from their attackers landed close to the Phantom, causing Taren to grab a hold of one of the nearby rails.
“Excellent work,” Ian said as he adjusted the ship’s heading. “Now if we can only make some headway—”
“Why don’t you send a few men down?” Taren panted hard, clearly winded. Ian sensed his excitement and his fear. No. Sensing wasn’t quite right. Ian felt Taren’s emotions as if they were his own.
“Down?”
“Send them down with axes. Crowbars. Something. Anything. Have them transform and attack from below.”
Ian frowned. “It won’t work.”
“Why not?” Taren demanded. “If we could—”
Taren’s words were cut short by a volley that landed even closer to the ship. Ian fought to maintain his course. “It doesn’t work that way,” he shouted over the din of the waves crashing over the bow. “It’s far more—”
But Taren was already halfway toward the bow before Ian could finish. “No! Taren! You don’t understand! You can’t just—” Ian had no one to blame but himself for Taren’s lack of knowledge of Ea battle tactics. He glanced around, hoping to find someone to take the wheel. He needed to stop Taren before he did something dangerous, but before he could call out to Barra, the Phantom’s guns fired and missed. The navy ship returned fire, and a loud crack sounded from overhead as the shot hit the mizzenmast and the aft sail caught fire. The mast shattered, sending beam and splinter out at light speed. The sound of the mast breaking into smithereens was the last thing Ian remembered before his world grayed, then faded to black.

TAREN TRANSFORMED as he entered the warm tropical water with a splash. He’d grabbed an ax as he’d run, ignoring Ian’s shouts. He didn’t need Ian to lecture him about the danger of attacking the brigantine from below. But if this worked…. He’d barely caught his breath when he had to dive deep to avoid a deadly blow to the head from the enemy ship’s keel as she passed over him. Pumping his powerful tail, he swam after the Phantom’s challenger. He knew Ian would be angry with him for taking such a risk—he could almost feel that anger burn hot within his own heart. He’d face Ian’s wrath later. Had the Ea become so complacent in their human forms that they’d forgotten what they were?
The enemy brigantine was sleek and faster than the Phantom. They’d been nearing the Gateways, the chain of islands just west of Ea’nu, looking for Odhrán, the pirate rumored to possess the rune stone, when they’d been set upon. Taren surmised the brigantine’s captain knew the Phantom would be in the vicinity, and had waited in the mist until she could gain the weather beam over them. Strange. Stranger yet, he’d sensed that the ship held humans when it passed over him. Why would humans pursue them? Had they learned of the existence of merfolk, or did they believe them to be pirates?
No. It’s more than that. This all felt so familiar, as if he’d dreamed it. Expected it. Sensed something he hadn’t understood until just now.
Several more cannon blasts narrowly missed the Phantom and landed in the water nearby, bringing Taren back to himself. He fought the rising swells and powerful current as the wind picked up speed, echoing his own growing apprehension and worry for Ian and the Phantom’s crew. He dove, pumping and flexing the powerful flukes of his tail to propel him toward the enemy ship.
He reached her rudder a minute later. As fast as she was, he fought to keep up with her as he swung the ax at the place where the pintles and gudgeons met to hold the rudder in place. He’d expected resistance when the axe struck the metal of the hinges. He didn’t expect the force that threw him backward and knocked the ax from his hand.
Magic? Vurin had taught him to sense it, but he’d been too distracted by his work on the sails to feel it before. But how would a human ship use magic? What a fool he’d been to assume Ian and the other Ea wouldn’t have sensed it as well.
Taren heard another explosion right before it reverberated through the sea, and he watched beneath the water as the Phantom’s keel turned sharply and she suddenly lost speed. Even with her crew’s skill, without the wind, the Phantom would have no chance of outrunning the enemy. Would Ian surrender to the humans? Could he? If the humans knew what they were….
Of course they know! They’re using magic. He needed to get back to the ship. Help them fight the humans. On the ropes, he could do something. Here in the water, he was helpless.
He broke the surface of the water and glided easily over a swell using his tail to keep his head above the waves. He couldn’t remain above the surface long. His Ea lungs protested the air, created as they were to breathe oxygen through water. But he needed to see the plight of the Phantom for himself.
He watched as half a dozen men climbed the brigantine’s masts. They were readying to raft alongside the Phantom and board her. In a minute, perhaps two, they’d swing from the masts and land on the Phantom’s deck. Taren’s heart grew cold with fear, and the air whipped around him as he prayed the wind would change direction. If the Phantom could gain even a modicum of speed, her crew might outmaneuver the humans.
The reverberation of multiple volleys of cannon fire radiated through the water and sent fear through Taren. The first missed its mark, but the second shattered the mizzenmast. Pain seared Taren’s heart and he knew Ian had been hit. Panic shot up his spine as he felt Ian lose consciousness. No! Goddess, no! Please, you can’t take him! Not when I’ve just found him again!
Taren prayed once more that the winds would shift. If the Phantom could gain some speed, he had faith their ship could outmaneuver the humans even with the damage to the mizzen—Barra, their navigator, knew these waters well, knew the reefs well enough to navigate between them, whereas the humans might not. If he isn’t too badly hurt.
The surface of the water rippled, although this time it was not on account of the battling ships. The wind. Had the goddess heard his prayer? He closed his eyes and imagined the goddess’s hand coaxing the wind to shift to favor Ian and his crew. He felt the wind stroke his cheeks, felt its fingers stir the water. Imagined the Phantom’s sails filling and the feel of the helm as it pulled against the rudder.
Taren felt the zing of magic caress his skin—a familiar sensation he tried to place—but his attention was drawn upward by the sound of an explosion. He looked up in time to see something dark speed toward him: another volley of cannon fire. He flexed his tail and swam down. The cannonball missed him by inches. As he sank beneath the water with a heavy heart, a flash of movement filled his peripheral vision, the outline of a tail. Before he could turn to get a better look, something hit him hard in the back of the head.
He valiantly fought the urge to surrender to the darkness, but his eyes fluttered closed.
Rest now, a voice in his mind commanded, and he knew no more.

IAN LAY flat on his back, looking up at the mizzenmast—what was left of it. The mast itself was cleaved in two, the upper topsail was missing, and the lower hung from the ropes over the mizzen sail. With the help of a strong arm, he pulled himself up to a sitting position.
“Damn him! I should chain him to the ship.”
Renda frowned at him with concern. “Are you all right?”
“Of course,” Ian growled as he ignored the pounding in his head and the warmth of the blood that trickled from his scalp. “It’s Taren I’m worried about.”
“You’re not all right.”
“And what would you have me do about it?” Ian stood, swayed, then steadied himself on Renda’s shoulder.
“At least let me stop the bleeding.”
Ian ignored Renda and stumbled back to the wheel. He’d expected to see Barra there, since he’d been shouting commands to the other men while Ian steered, but instead saw Keral, one of the other hands. At least he’d the sense to take over the helm while Renda fussed over Ian like a mother hen. The ship bucked and shuddered as Keral turned sharply to avoid another cannon blast. Ian gritted his teeth and grabbed Renda’s arm, thankful that he was nearby.
They were out of options. Even with the mizzen sails intact, they’d been outpaced by the smaller ship. With the mizzenmast destroyed, they would be far slower and the Phantom would be more difficult to steer. Ian was just about to tell Keral to give the order for all but his officers to abandon ship when a gust of air brushed his cheek. For a split second, he sensed something familiar about the wind, as if it had stirred a memory buried deep in his soul. Then the feeling fled and he realized the wind had shifted to the northeast. A moment later, he felt the Phantom’s remaining sails catch the wind. The ship began to pick up speed, moving away from the enemy ship, which had slowed so its crew might board.
“Hard to starboard,” Ian ordered. “Now!”
Keral spun the wheel and the ship heeled dangerously close to the waves. “Fire!” Ian shouted to the men manning the guns.
The pain in Ian’s head, which had until then been just a dull ache, lanced with reverberations from the cannon blast. At nearly the same time, he felt another pain at the back of his head
Taren!
Ian dropped to his knees and clutched his head as his heart beat so hard against his ribs that it hurt. Goddess! Taren!
“Let me help you.” There was none of the usual chiding in Renda’s voice as he gently pulled Ian’s hand from his left temple. Ian felt the warmth of Renda’s healing against his skull. With the touch, Ian’s pain abated.
“Taren,” he moaned when he came back to himself. He reached out with his mind and felt the beat of Taren’s heart. Slower than before, but steady. Knocked out, perhaps, by the last volley?
“You felt his pain?” Renda asked, clearly surprised.
Ian nodded. “He’s alive. But he’s unconscious. Injured. I must find—” “A hit, sir!” one of the men shouted over the howling wind.
With Renda’s help, Ian got back to his feet. He saw it now—the smoking wound in the enemy ship’s stern. She floundered, her rudder damaged and no longer able to control her course. Even if she used her sails to steer, the Phantom would be long gone. Ian murmured a prayer of thanksgiving to the goddess. Now, if he could find Taren, he’d rest easy.

Sales Links:

eBook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6455
Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6456

Interview:

Today I’m interviewing Shira Anthony author of Running with the Wind, the final installment in the Mermen of Ea Series from Dreamspinner Press. Hi Shira, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

Thanks so much for hosting me! I’m so excited about the release of the last Mermen of Ea book. For those who may not already know, I’m a former opera singer (you can hear a live recording of me singing here, if you’re interested) turned lawyer and author. I work as public sector attorney doing child advocacy, and not only do I work full-time, when I’m not working I pretty much spend every waking hour writing.

Into the Wind is the final installment in the Mermen of Ea Series. The series is high fantasy with pirates and mermen shifters in the tradition of the Lord of the Rings trilogy. Romance and adventure on the high seas with magic, eternal love, and the future of an entire civilization at stake.
How do you develop your plots and characters?

When I write fantasy like the Mermen of Ea Series, I usually start with the plot. I like to focus in on one or two characters in my books and “grow” them from point A to point B by the end of the story. In the case of the mermen books, it was the opposite. I started out writing a pirate captor/captive story, but a few chapters in, my main character announced that he wasn’t human! After I listened to him, the entire plot suddenly became clear.
Who doesn’t love a good hero? Tell us about your protagonist. Was there a real life inspiration behind them?

I’m often inspired by real people when I write my stories, but my characters tend to be a mixture of several people. Taren, the protagonist in the Mermen of Ea books, is the kind of person who has grown up without much love, and grown up believing his parents sold him into slavery. Over the course of the three books, Taren must come into his own and become the leader he was meant to be. It’s a difficult road for him, and he does it with the help of his soul mate, Ian, and friends who believe in him. My favorite kind of hero!

What real-life inspirations do you use when world building?

If you think about it, worlds all have things in common. The five senses, for example. If it’s an earthlike world, which the Ea universe is, then it has water and land and people who share things in common us. So when I created the Ea world, I thought about all these things. I’d constantly ask myself, “What does this smell like? Sound like?” Or “How would someone react to this?” Add to that the myths and stories that you need to create a history of the people in the new universe, and you pretty much have your basic worldbuilding.

Once you have the basics, then you write your story. As you move along, you realize you need to build up certain parts of the world to support the story. You also layer sounds, smells, visuals, etc. on top of the basic story. All of these things create a three-dimensional universe your readers can step into.

Lastly, and possibly most importantly, you have to reveal the world to your readers in a way that they can digest it. In the Ea universe, I do this through Taren, who grew up human and must learn about his world himself. The reader then learns through him. It’s a great device that’s been used in a lot of fantasy writing, most recently in the Harry Potter stories.

Did you learn anything from this book and what was it?

I learned a lot writing the entire series. I learned about pacing a three-story arc, about writing fantasy, and about letting some of the plot points work themselves out. I learned that sometimes you need to trust your instincts and allow your characters to lead you in your writing. It’s fine to map out a plotline, but sometimes it’s good to take detours along the way.
It’s your last meal on earth. What do you choose?

Shellfish! Lobster, crab, scallops, and shrimp. Steamed with butter and lemons. Simple and delicious. Chocolate mousse for dessert! Okay, so now I’m hungry….

About the author:

In her last incarnation, Shira was a professional opera singer, performing roles in such operas as “Tosca,” “i Pagliacci,” and “La Traviata,” among others. She’s given up TV for evenings spent with her laptop, and she never goes anywhere without a pile of unread M/M romance on her Kindle.
Shira is married with two children and two insane dogs, and when she’s not writing she is usually in a courtroom trying to make the world safer for children. When she’s not working, she can be found aboard a 36’ catamaran at the Carolina coast with her favorite sexy captain at the wheel.
Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shira.anthony
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Shira-Anthony/177484618974406
Twitter: https://twitter.com/WriterShira
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/anthony0564/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4641776.Shira_Anthony
Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/+ShiraAnthony/posts

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24027250-running-with-the-wind

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The Altered by Annabelle Jacobs Blog Tour

TheAltered-fMy new book, The Altered,  was released yesterday. Its a paranormal romance, set twenty years after a laboratory pathogen contaminated the UK water supply.

The two main characters, Daniel and Jordan, both moved to London for the anonymity of a big city, but their lives are very different.

Daniel lives with his best mate, Matt, who he’s known since childhood, and Ash. He’s suspicious by nature as a result of the change, and his treatment by other altereds has left him bitter.
When I started writing this story I had a vague image of what I wanted him to look like. He has silver-blond hair as a result of being altered, sort of like Spike from Buffy, but taller and with less pronounced cheekbones. Although I love Spike, I pictured Daniel as more of a young-ish Leonardo Dicaprio.

Jordan’s whole being was affected by the change. The pathogen not only increased his strength, but his senses as well. He’s fiercely loyal, but possessive–although he tries hard not to come across as overbearing and controlling.
Jordan is dangerous if crossed, but is also someone who can be trusted without question if you were on his side. The guy on the cover for this book is pretty much what I was going for, and Natasha Snow did a great job with it 🙂

Buy links

Amazon US

http://www.amazon.com/Altered-Annabelle-Jacobs-ebook/dp/B00VGAAY2C/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon UK

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Altered-Annabelle-Jacobs-ebook/dp/B00VGAAY2C/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

All Romance ebooks

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thealtered-1773324-145.html

Barnes and Noble 

http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-altered-annabelle-jacobs/1121657605?ean=2940151843713

Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/531563

Excerpt:

He laughed at the joke Matt was in the middle of telling, chipping in for a bit and teasing him, and then he felt it again, creeping up the back of his spine like icy fingers. Daniel stayed perfectly still, suppressing his body’s natural reaction, and carefully turned to place his empty pint glass on the bar.
He let his gaze wander along to the end of the bar, past the couple he’d spotted earlier, and—
Bloody Hell.
He sucked in a sharp breath before he could stop himself. Usually he got a flash of images, depending on how much they’d been altered—claws, teeth, and fur if they changed fully, but never anything like this. One minute Daniel was looking at a tall dark-haired, really hot man, and in the blink of an eye he’d changed into a huge black wolf, fangs bared in a snarl—clearer than anything he’d seen before.
The image vanished almost as soon as it appeared, and the noise from the bar suddenly jarred Daniel back to his senses.
Fuck.

Blurb:

Twenty years ago the UK’s water supply was contaminated with an experimental pathogen, Lycanaeris, causing widespread panic across the nation. Terrorism was suspected but never proven, and when nothing happened–no epidemic, no unexplained illnesses–the whole episode was written off as an elaborate hoax. But Lycanaeris was selective. Only those of a certain age, and with a specific gene in their DNA were infected. Time would reveal the pathogen’s true nature, when those susceptible grew up Altered.

Daniel is one of thousands forced to hide his altered status by living a quiet life. He’s not like the others, though. Daniel can’t help looking so distinctive or being able to see every altered for what they really are. To those abducting altereds, that skill makes him valuable.

For Jordan, shifting from human to wolf means living under the radar to avoid unwanted attention. Meeting Daniel complicates matters. Daniel’s existence is a threat to Jordan and his friends, but Jordan can’t seem to shake the strange connection between them. When danger threatens, there’s little time for Daniel and Jordan to work out their feelings before lives are at stake.

Annabelle_Jacobs_logoAuthor Bio

Annabelle Jacobs lives in the South West of England with her husband, three rowdy children, and two cats.

An avid reader of fantasy herself for many years, Annabelle now spends her days writing her own stories. They’re usually either fantasy or paranormal fiction, because she loves building worlds filled with magical creatures, and creating stories full of action and adventure. Her characters may have a tough time of it—fighting enemies and adversity—but they always find love in the end.

Author Links

Twitter – https://twitter.com/AJacobs_fiction

Website – http://www.annabellejacobs.com

Email – [email protected]

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/ajacobsfiction

Giveaway:

Leave a comment on this blog post for a chance to win an ebook from Annabelle’s backlist!

Slaying Isidore’s Dragons by Cody Kennedy Tour with Guest Post

slaying-isidores-dragonsHow Slaying Isidore’s Dragons is Different from Omorphi 

Thank you, Kimi-chan, for the honor and privilege of sharing my new book with you! It’s great to be here!

Welcome to the book tour for Slaying Isidore’s Dragons and the countdown to release! Beginning tonight at 7 p.m. Pacific Standard Time* on my Facebook wall we’re going to party down to the release of Slaying Isidore’s Dragons at 9 p.m.! Come join us!

For those of you who are unfamiliar with my books, I write books about hope, triumph, and building life beyond abuse. While many of the tenets in my books are about learning to live after abuse, they apply to everyone in everyday life. Above all is hope. Without hope, we lose the will to live life to the fullest and Slaying Isidore’s Dragons and Omorphi are about exactly that. But the stories are vastly different in subtle ways. In fact, you may often find that the most valuable principles and adages in my books are understated.

Every story has an end but life is a new beginning2

In Omorphi, we meet Christy briefly three months after he has been rescued from abuse, but the story doesn’t begin until the following March, one year after his freedom begins.

Christy continues to endure post-traumatic stress, but is learning how to manage triggers, and building a self-image and a sense of self-worth. In Slaying Isidore’s Dragons, we meet Isidore as he endures heinous abuse and leaves his abusive environment. Though Isidore knows what upsets him, he doesn’t know what his triggers are, let alone identify and manage them. He has no sense of self or self-image, and his only sense of self-worth is based in the opinions of his abusers. Meeting Declan gives him the first whisper of what it might be like to be something other than a victim.

In Omorphi, we meet Michael, an utterly normal guy living a charmed life with two great parents. In Slaying Isidore’s Dragons, we meet Declan, also an utterly normal guy, but whose life has come to an emotional halt upon the assassination of his beloved father. Though he loves his mother dearly, a part of him is lost and meeting Isidore gives him a renewed sense of purpose.

In Omorphi, Christy’s abusers are in a faraway land. In Slaying Isidore’s Dragons, Isidore’s abusers are in his face every day at school—and want him back and are willing to go to great lengths to get him back. The terror Isidore lives with is debilitating and he loses his emotional grip when he is away from Declan.

In Omorphi, Christy and Michael deal with everyday issues at school and an abuser who wants Christy back. In Slaying Isidore’s Dragons, Isidore and Declan deal with extraordinary issues engendered by being children of diplomats including security, media presence, and very real life-threatening dangers.

In Omorphi, Christy is learning how to live independently and struggles to learn how to be “normal.” In Slaying Isidore’s Dragons, Isidore merely wants to keep the vestiges of his sanity and has no idea what it is like to live his own life. He clings to Declan in a way

that appears abnormal but, in fact, is very normal for a person first out of an abusive environment. We are all products of our environments and when removed from them, no matter how heinous they might be, we lose our basis for security and become terrified. With Declan’s help, Isidore learns to breathe in safety and courage, breathe out the past, and learn to live again.

What are the similarities between the books? Hope, triumph, and a new beginning. That’s why both books end with: ~The Beginning~

The Beginning

Enjoy reading Slaying Isidore’s Dragons and may Isidore’s newfound courage give you a breath of fresh air!

Now available in print and ebook at these retail outlets: Dreamspinner/Harmony Ink Press

Amazon   GooglePlay   Barnes & Noble   OmniLit/ARe   Beam-eBooks in Europe

Ingram Books for Libraries and Schools

* 7 p.m. PST is:
8 p.m. CST
10 p.m. EST
3 a.m. in London
4 a.m. in Paris & Milan
12 p.m. in Sydney

Hope to see you at the party!

Cody~

codyFiction for Gay Young Adults
Twitter @CodyKAuthor
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/CodyKennedyAuthor?ref=hl

Goodreads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5816900.C_Kennedy

Blog http://www.CKennedyAuthor.blogspot.com

 

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Soulmate for Sin by Izzy van Swelm Blog Tour with Character Interview and a Giveaway

SoulmateForSinblog-badge

The effects of an attack on SIN, a twenty-nine year old University lecturer, reach out further into his future than SIN could ever imagine. In a story, which seems doomed to start with an end, SIN learns about the forever kind of love, and how family is not just biological. ‘Soul-Mate for SIN’ shows how twists of fate can take a loving, but ordinary family, from a small market town in Lincolnshire, England and turn them into something extraordinary.

Author Bio:
Izzy van Swelm is English, but took her Mother in Law’s maiden name as a pen name. Izzy dreams of a world where all sentient species have rights and respect. A world where LGBTQ lovers and friends, old and young, can walk holding hands meeting nothing more than the occasional affectionate eye roll. A world where intelligence, gentleness and compassion are the overwhelming attributes of politicians, and religion is practiced by those who believe, but never forced on those who do not.
Izzy is a romantic, a dreamer, a vegetarian and just a little eccentric. Izzy writes because she loves to tell stories, and she hopes that her stories will bring happiness, enjoyment and maybe to some…a little hope.

https://www.facebook.com/IzzyvanSwelm – Author Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007247866404 – Facebook

Character Interview:

Hello, please tell us your name and who you are?
Hello. I’m Julie and I’m an Intensive Care nurse in a hospital in Nottingham, England.
Oh I see Gabriel is a nurse there too. Is that how you became involved with this book?
Yes, Gabriel is one of my best friends, we’ve known each other for donkey’s years, and we work together. I can’t really say how I became involved…Izzy would be upset…but I’m pretty close to Gabriel, SIN and SIN’s family and friends. They are pretty lovely people to know and be around.
Do you have a partner?
As a matter of fact I do at the moment and it’s going quite well. His name is Rob, he gets on very well with Snowy…that’s SIN’s dad. I think they stopped each other running out when we all went to The Rainbow Lounge? (Laughs)
Oh you’ve been there?  I’ve heard it’s very good?
Oh it is… it’s a gay bar and drag club but it’s pretty inclusive, although quite expensive. I don’t always go when SIN, Gabriel and the boys do, but I go when I’m free, with or without Rob …lol. I have a genuinely good night out whenever I go.
So what can you tell us about the book Soul Mate for SIN?
This is the bit I was dreading, as I really can’t tell you too much without giving away details that Izzy wants kept secret. I will say, I think it’s a lovely story …it contains several different examples of ‘love’ including romantic love of course. I will admit some of it made me laugh out loud while other bits…well I remember how we all felt at the time, so I was quite emotional. There are sexy bits, but of course I skimmed over those, well you don’t want to read about your friends’ sex lives do you? Okay, I read them and they were really hot… just don’t tell Gabriel and the others, right.
Thank you for your time Julie.
Oh, thank you. Is that it? Don’t I have to tell you my favourite colour, or boy band, or something?
Um…not really… do you want to?
Well that’s what they do in interviews for books isn’t it? Or is that music? Anyway, my favourite colour is purple, and my favourite boy band… well of course it’s One Direction! I’m totally a ‘Larry shipper’ and I’m not too old whatever, anyone says. (Glares) Shall I stop now…?
Please…
Oh okay then…Bye.

Buy links:

Wilde City: http://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-romance/soulmate-for-sin/

 

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Jess Buffett Always Been You Tour with Interview, Excerpt and Giveaway

AlwaysBeenYouSM1 – Something unusual about Jess Buffett that most people don’t know.
I have an addiction to fanfiction. Specifically Sterek fanfiction. LOL

2 – Of all your characters, who is your favorite?
It’ always been Riley from Hunter Clan I think, but I have created a new character in the Second Chances series named Skye and I am really loving him right now.

3 – If you could collaborate with any author – past or present – who would it be and why?
Stormy Glenn. She really frigging rocks. J I love everything she has every written, and on top of being an awesome author she is a pretty amazing person.

4 – Something from your childhood you wish you could play with today.
I’m actually pretty lucky because my mum kept all my good stuff and I now have a daughter…which equals a reasonable excuse to play with them again. J

5 – How does it feel to be a literary rock star?
LOL I don’t know if you could call me that, but it is pretty mind blowing when people contact me just to say, hey I loved that book. I had a woman approach my table at a convention last year and she not only knew who I was but was excited to meet me. I felt like I had to ask her if she had the right person. LOL

JB600x600Banner

 

Excerpt:

Straightening his back, he met Jared’s gaze.
“Fine. Let’s take a seat and get this over with, shall we?”
“Is that the way you talk to all of your clients? Cause I have to say, I’m surprised you get much business then,” drawled Jared.
Ignoring the comment, Seth led them to one of the booths. He cast a glance towards the kitchen, but Sal seemed to be preoccupied. Maybe telling the man to just ‘go for it’ hadn’t been a smart move. Something told him things were going to cost more than he thought.
Taking a seat opposite one another on the old scuffed booth with weathered red leather seating, that he absently noted to himself had to be added to the ever growing list of things that needed replacing, Seth launched straight into professional mode. He needed details to come up with something that the future bride wanted and that’s all he was focused on. At no time did he notice how good Jared looked, or how muscular he had gotten. Seth hadn’t even taken note of Jared’s soft pink lips or his large firm hands.
Really.
Not at all.
Dammit.

Pages or Words: 45,680 words, 206 pages
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-alwaysbeenyou-1739

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T76WJOI


Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00T76WJOI 

Amazon CA: http://www.amazon.ca/dp/B00T76WJOI

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B00T76WJOI
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Izzy Van Swelm Soulmate for Sin Blog Tour with Character Interview and Giveaway

SoulmateForSinblog-badgeThe effects of an attack on SIN, a twenty-nine year old University lecturer, reach out further into his future than SIN could ever imagine. In a story, which seems doomed to start with an end, SIN learns about the forever kind of love, and how family is not just biological. ‘Soul-Mate for SIN’ shows how twists of fate can take a loving, but ordinary family, from a small market town in Lincolnshire, England and turn them into something extraordinary.

Buy from Wilde City

Character Interview with Julie:

Hello, please tell us your name and who you are?
Hello. I’m Julie and I’m an Intensive Care nurse in a hospital in Nottingham, England.
Oh I see Gabriel is a nurse there too. Is that how you became involved with this book?
Yes, Gabriel is one of my best friends, we’ve known each other for donkey’s years, and we work together. I can’t really say how I became involved…Izzy would be upset…but I’m pretty close to Gabriel, SIN and SIN’s family and friends. They are pretty lovely people to know and be around.
Do you have a partner?
As a matter of fact I do at the moment and it’s going quite well. His name is Rob, he gets on very well with Snowy…that’s SIN’s dad. I think they stopped each other running out when we all went to The Rainbow Lounge? (Laughs)
Oh you’ve been there I’ve heard it’s very good?
Oh it is… it’s a gay bar and drag club but it’s pretty inclusive, although quite expensive. I don’t always go when SIN, Gabriel and the boys do, but I go when I’m free, with or without Rob …lol. I have a genuinely good night out whenever I go.
So what can you tell us about the book Soul Mate for SIN?
This is the bit I was dreading, as I really can’t tell you too much without giving away details that Izzy wants kept secret. I will say, I think it’s a lovely story …it contains several different examples of ‘love’ including romantic love of course. I will admit some of it made me laugh out loud while other bits…well I remember how we all felt at the time, so I was quite emotional. There are sexy bits, but of course I skimmed over those, well you don’t want to read about your friends’ sex lives do you? Okay, I read them and they were really hot… just don’t tell Gabriel and the others, right.
Thank you for your time Julie.
Oh, thank you. Is that it? Don’t I have to tell you my favourite colour, or boy band, or something?
Um…not really… do you want to?
Well that’s what they do in interviews for books isn’t it? Or is that music? Anyway, my favourite colour is purple, and my favourite boy band… well of course it’s One Direction! I’m totally a ‘Larry shipper’ and I’m not too old whatever, anyone says. (Glares) Shall I stop now…?
Please…
Oh okay then…Bye.

Meet more of the cast: 

SIN …………………………….Prism Book Alliance…………………………………..Tuesday 27th January 2015
Gabe…………………………..Diverse Reader…………………………………………Wednesday 28th Release Day
Snowy …………………………RJ Scott……………………………………………………Thursday 29th January 2015
Charlie …………………………Sinfully Sexy Books…………………………………..Friday 30th January 2015
Sally………………………………The Novel Approach…………………………………Saturday 31st January 2015
Prof McRae …………………..Rainbow Gold Reviews………………………………Sunday 1st February 2015
INTERVIEW WITH IZZY ….The Hat Party…………………………………………….Monday 2nd February 2015
WIN ……………………………….Hearts on Fire Reviews………………………………Tuesday 3rd February 2015
Miss Clitty Sparkles………..J.P. Barnaby………………………………………….Wednesday 4th February 2015
Danny…………………………….Love Bytes………………………………………………..Thursday 5th February 2015
Lady Charlotte……………….GGR………………………………………………………………Friday 6th February 2015

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Bio:

Izzy van Swelm is English, but took her Mother in Law’s maiden name as a pen name. Izzy dreams of a world where all sentient species have rights and respect. A world where LGBTQ lovers and friends, old and young, can walk holding hands meeting nothing more than the occasional affectionate eye roll. A world where intelligence, gentleness and compassion are the overwhelming attributes of politicians, and religion is practiced by those who believe, but never forced on those who do not.

 

Izzy is a romantic, a dreamer, a vegetarian and just a little eccentric. Izzy writes because she loves to tell stories, and she hopes that her stories will bring happiness, enjoyment and maybe to some…a little hope.

https://www.facebook.com/IzzyvanSwelm – Author Page
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100007247866404 – Facebook