PhD candidate William Yderis comes to Efeldon University to teach and finish his degree in charmcrafting. For methodical, sedate, and scholarly William, the school defies his expectations—and not in a good way. The biggest surprise comes when William meets his boss, absent-minded Archmage Taliesin Karsus, a man as infuriating as he is sexy.
As William struggles to carve out his place at the university, he is drawn in to Tal’s chaotic experiments… and drawn to Tal despite his logical mind’s protests. And if Tal’s wavering affection isn’t enough to complicate William’s studies, he uncovers a plot involving an ambitious staff member, brainwashed students, sexual assault, and a threat to the lives of everyone on campus. When it comes time to face the danger, William is on his own. For the first time in his life, he’ll have to trust in his heart instead of his head.
POST:
Hi there! I’m Aishlar Snow, author of I Experimented Once in College. Big thank you to The Kimi-chan Experience for giving me the opportunity to guest post here.
So what is I Experimented Once in College? Is it a romantic comedy, a good-versus-evil fantasy, a coming-of-age drama? Why not all three!
William Yderis comes to Efeldon University to earn his PhD and start an assistant professorship in the hopes that someday soon he can conduct his own research on magical objects. Instead of his professorship, though, he finds something entirely different waiting for him when he arrives – a job that’s more secretary than researcher, and a boss whose morals are immediately lacking.
Archmage Taliesin Karsus is not used to being questioned. An esteemed researcher, powerful mage, and head of the university board, Taliesin moves from one project to the next, as capricious as he is talented. Instead of the compliant, easily-cowed assistant he was expecting, though, he gets William – a man with actual research experience and a passion for rules and regulations.
When William and Taliesin clash, it brings more to the surface than two irreconcilable personalities. There is more to the archmage than William could have imagined, and Taliesin finds that his assistant is not so easily won. Add to that a plot against the school and corrupt magic, and William will have a lot more to contend with than Taliesin Karsus, and a lot more to learn than he thinks.
Why does William fall for Taliesin when he has every reason not to? He’s his boss, his opposite in every way, and there are far more important things to worry about than love when dark magic is about. Maybe it’s because Taliesin’s unpredictable, passionate nature awakens something in William that was long suppressed. Maybe it’s because William can sense that his presence changes the archmage in the same way. For all of their heated exchanges and difficulties understanding one another, they can both stand to learn something.
In that way, it really is a coming-of-age story on top of everything else. Universities, magical or non-magical, are places that take us and mold us into something new. William’s experiences at Efeldon University, even as a PhD student, are emblematic of that. The challenges, triumphs, and even the harsh adversities we may face are what develop us as individuals.
William faces more than his fair share of challenges in the fall semester, and it is up to him to overcome them and come out the other side a stronger person. Between assisting the archmage with experiments of dubious safety, dealing with his roommate – who has problems of his own – and battling an insidious plot against the school, it will take everything William has to succeed. Oh, yeah, and start his dissertation.
Aishlar Snow has been writing gay romance since high school, where a trusted teacher read one of her first works and encouraged her to pursue writing. Since then, she has earned a Masters in Library Science and has worked in a number of public libraries while writing. Aishlar presently works in an academic setting, from which she draws inspiration for her works.
The way to Aishlar’s heart is an easy one and includes pastries, coffee, and bad jokes. On her days off she can be found lounging in her royal harem-inspired room, watching Xena: Warrior Princess, or playing video-games. She cosplays casually, draws and paints (badly), and plays both the piano and ocarina.
Most of all, Aishlar enjoys fantasy settings and immersing herself in new worlds and characters. Her favorite worlds include those of Discworld, Wheel of Time, Star Wars, and Warcraft. She is always looking for a new book, show, or podcast to enjoy.See what’s moving forward at aishlarsnow.blogspot.com or contact Aishlar at [email protected]. She is always happy to hear from readers!
1 wedding, 2 best men, one hell of a love story!
Declan Ramsay’s brother Oliver was marrying Annabelle Aiken at a fairytale castle on the banks of Loch Ness in Scotland. The bride and groom decided, so that he didn’t feel left out, that Annabelle’s gay younger brother could share the best man duties with Declan.
Declan had never met the kid who was to be his joint best man. Sam Aiken was abroad, working as an interpreter and finishing his studies. He wouldn’t meet Declan until a few days before the wedding, so the best men communicated and planned their speech by email for more than a year. But on meeting Sam Aiken, Declan is surprised to realise the kid isn’t a kid at all, but a tall, blond and athletic young man. Declan is sure he’s straight, so he’s alarmed by the ferocious attraction he feels for Sam. And as the attraction is reciprocated, the events at Dunloch Castle change everything Declan has ever believed about himself. But, is Samuel Aiken all that he appears to be?
I make my home in central Wisconsin with my husband of two years and two dogs. We have been together nearly 15 years, and the day it became legal to do so in Wisconsin we were married. My husband is my biggest supporter, always telling me, “Your book will not write itself.”
I have many interests. I love the Tarot, and practice Pagan spirituality. I am an avid reader and after taking the risk of writing several articles I decided to write my first novel. Writers have always been my favorite species of people… they have this fascinating ability to see the world through the eyes of all their characters and have found a refuge which offers a place where all the voices in their head can come out and play. That was when I felt that little click in my head and I knew this was going to be the next chapter in my life.
I like to write in several genres, m/m romance, cozy mysteries, and supernatural horror. Mainly I like to tell the stories about people that do not always fit in or represent the perfect idea of beauty, masculinity, or what’s considered attractive. I love imperfect people with rough edges and who dare to color outside of the lines.
My focus in life is on building bridges of love and understanding to each other, rather than building walls.
When I finished writing “Tarot Tales Presents DIAMOND DUST BLUES,” I quickly realized this lively ensemble of beautiful characters had more stories they demanded to tell… and I realized that it was meant to be a series.
“Tarot Tales Presents DIAMOND DUST BLUES” begins with aspiring actress, Ruby Perkins and her transgender Aunt Jenna, and tells the tale of how they enter in the Witness Protection Program under the care of two U.S. Marshals. They have to go off the grid to stay alive while being chased by ruthless diamond smugglers. They meet Bessie Mae Turner, who has a very talkative Spirit Guide name Charmaine. Along the way there is humor, action, explosions, love, and what I hope is a good, entertaining story. I wanted to tell a non-sexually graphic, non-threatening story, where people who loved Tarot and Mysteries, and where people who were part of the LGBTQ community, or loved someone who is, could come together, hear a good story in a safe, fun, non-judgmental place, and can get to know each other.
The other books to come in that series will have other supernatural characters and themes, and contain a good representation of people from within the LGBTQ community who are lead characters and not just the stereotypical side-kick characters there for a quick laugh.
At this point, I have three of the “Tarot Tales Presents’ books in various stages of editing, and a M/M romance called Signs of Hope, due out this Summer – this one will be a saucy read.
Tarot Tales Presents DIAMOND DUST BLUES is being re-edited and will be available again in just a few weeks. Part of the reason, and not to give away any spoilers, is this… with all the news of the laws changing in North Carolina I found that for me to leave the book, and the rest of the series, set there I would have to address those issues. As my intent for writing books is not only to entertain but also to bring people together, I could not leave my book series in North Carolina without my books becoming political. Therefore, I relocated my series to Santa Fe, New Mexico. I want everyone who reads my books to feel safe, included, and welcome. Santa Fe, New Mexico is well known for their welcoming attitude to artists, new age people, the LGTBQ community, and writers; as well as offering a beautiful loving people with a rich heritage, cuisine, and culture. It gives the series even more room to grow.
If you would like to reach me, you can contact me via Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008822358112
My website – https://tidalashburnblog.wordpress.com/
My author page on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/tidalstarottales/?fref=ts
Enthusiastic, play-it-safe Kelly Sutton is an American intern at the Photonic Royal Society in New London. He’s been working on Project Mars for over a year, a mission kept so secret by the society even Kelly doesn’t know exactly what it is. What Kelly does know is his contribution to the task will benefit mankind, and that’s enough for him.
Kelly’s world turns upside down when concerns over his mentor’s behavior lead Kelly to investigate and stumble upon a wicked truth. What is supposed to be a project to advance human life turns out to be an endeavor capable of mass destruction. The terrifying reality forces Kelly to choose between looking the other way to keep his job, as he’s always done, or risking his career and even his life to do the right thing by saving the man who’s captured his heart.
Kimi’s thoughts:
This is a short at 73 pages but it packs a lot of story into those few pages. Kelly is living his dream, working for a multi-discipline scientific organization. The project known as Project Mars is a government project, one that is very hush hush. So much so that he nor anyone else seems to know much about it, each section being assigned only a piece of the research and the larger details left to higher ups with a need to know.
The day comes when Kelly’s curiosity leads him to stumble upon the truth and it places his life in very great danger unless he goes along with what has been requested of him. Even worse, it quickly becomes apparent that an ethical line has been crossed and he can either risk his career and life or stand by and see a very great wrong perpetuated. The fact that the wrong being committed centers on a man he has come to love makes the dilemma especially difficult.
Covering subjects such as government corruption, scientific oversight, and bio-engineering, this is a romantic tale that is out of the ordinary. It hits all the right buttons (despite my brain at first trying to figure out what photons had to do with it all, haha) and ends with a HEA that isn’t too saccharine. Definitely, a set of characters I’d love to revisit in a longer work.
Turkish by background, I am both a mother and wife, I work as a nurse during the day and write LGBTQI stories late at night once the family are tucked in bed. I studied in the UK and worked there for a few years before I moved to Australia, settling down for good.
The characters like Ilhan, from “Awkward In Love,” are examples of the characters that I want to write about in my engaging stories—people who are not rich, famous or incredibly handsome with stunning bodies. Rather they are just everyday people who work hard and deal with whatever life throws at them, and then more!
I want to bring the readers’ attention to how gender identities and expressions are influenced by numerous factors including, but not limited to, culture, religion, societal norms, customs and beliefs. These make one’s gender very diverse and fluid. The main focus of my stories are the people who want to express themselves in ways that feel right, and kind to them and others.
I wrote “Stay With Me” so I could bring attention to victims of domestic violence.
In my latest story, “Boundless Love,” I wanted to focus on how experiencing traumatic events can lead to depression or anxiety, thus affecting our lives, and how sometimes people lose all that is dear to them, to the point of becoming homeless.
I support Marriage Equality for all,and stand by same sex parents because I believe that children primarily need loving and protective homes, showered with kindness and a kid friendly diet (I am a big believer in Maslow’s hierarchy of needs).
I love writing interracial stories about people from all backgrounds. The GLBT community is universal,
existing in all countries and cultures. For some cultures, being from a GLBT background is not easy and these are the people whom I want to promote more. I tend to focus on gender fluid characters in my stories, along with alpha males and those who are socially awkward and shy.
In my recent story, “Awkward In Love,” Ilhan is exactly that…someone with diversity. I am reluctant to
label him because this is something I avoid wherever possible. I believe that labels are for objects and not
individuals. Ilhan is a male who is gentle, awkward, and likes to cook and bake. Why not? His dream is to open his café…. aah, dreams, it’s what keeps us sane! Ilhan is, as he proclaims, “almost virgin” —he had frolicked a bit but never had full-blown sex; whereas John is a white Australian, who is rather masculine and an alpha male. Both are neither perfect nor rich or famous, and both are people who only want to be loved for who they are.
The shortfall for Ilhan is that he has some cultural clashes,which he internalizes because he grew up in Australia while his parents still identified with their own national heritage. I tried to capture some cultural clashes in my story, becauselife is neither smooth nor a total misery. Hence,the things Ilhan uses to try and capture John’s attention are both funny and sad at times. He represents many of our own extremes of awkwardness and humanity, as well as our diversity. John is simply solid and hardworking, the mainstream of society. His life experiences made him more mature, but he is also alone.
I love writing “happily ever after” stories. I imagine readers making theirdrinks (hot or cold, as you like it),then making themselves comfortable enough to settle in and read my stories after a long stressful day at work. I write novelettes with the thought that when someone finishes reading my story, they close their eyes, with a smile and a sigh,sleeping a little better as a result.
I usually come up with storylines after reading GLBT news items,or perhaps seeing an activity in a public situation. What I dream feels real in my head and I want to tell my tales to the world.
Yes, I am more of a storyteller than anything else… maybe even a dreamweaver.
Lane Hayes reveals the beautiful cover art of her next book titled A KIND OF ROMANCE coming out from Dreamspinner Press.
It releases on June 06, 2016.
=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=•=
BLURB
Zeke Gulden is a ruthless Wall Street exec. His hard-edged, no non-sense attitude has served him well in the cutthroat business world, but less so in his personal life. When he finds out his ex-boyfriend cheated on him with a coworker, Zeke can’t let go – not until he finds a way to get even. However, his meddlesome father has other ideas. The new hire at the family-owned bagel store is somewhat colorful, but his dad is sure he’s the perfect man for Zeke.
Benny Ruggieri is a fiercely proud New Yorker who dreams of making it big as a costume designer in the theatre. In the meantime, he’s working two part-time jobs in the food biz. When his new boss sets him up with his successful son, Benny has zero expectations. If nothing else, he figures he can entertain himself by making the uptight businessman squirm. Instead, the two become unlikely friends with an inexplicable attraction they can’t ignore. Benny might be the one to help Zeke set aside his quest for revenge, if he’s willing to let go and forgive what he can’t forget… and give in to an unexpected kind of romance.
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to a well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles both be men! Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her first novel was a finalist in the 2013 Rainbow Awards and her third received an Honorable Mention in the 2014 Rainbow Awards. She loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and the coolest yellow lab ever in an almost empty nest.
In Jan Guillou’s book about the Knight Templar Arn, there’s a really beautiful scene in a church. Arn meets the love of his life while she’s singing in a choir, and he starts singing with her. Their voices twirl and swirl and make love to each other, symbolizing their future union.
I loved this idea so much that I’ve taken it, transformed it and dragged it out into (so far) four books. Jamie and Michael meet through music, and music remains at the heart of their relationship even ten years down the (literal) road. The reason Jamie approaches Michael to begin with – even though he’s a bullied geek – is that he’s heard that Michael plays the guitar.
But the last thing Michael wants is to play in front of people. He doesn’t want the attention, because in his experience, attention is always negative. He feels ugly and awkward, and when Jamie urges him to test out his singing voice during a camping trip, it takes some doing to bring him out of his shell.
***
Jamie went to get his guitar. Twilight was falling, and it was time for music. Seeing him sit down with the instrument in his lap, Michael smiled and fell quiet.
“No, don’t stop. Why don’t you sing a little? For real?”
Michael took a seat beside him. “Because it sounds awful?” He tipped his head back and swallowed a mouthful of beer.
Jamie weighed his words on inner scales, trying and discarding a bouquet of formulations. “I’m… trying to master the verse of Nights in White Satin. Help me?”
Michael turned his head at that. “Help…?”
“I don’t know where I am if I don’t have the, you know, lyrics. Melody.”
It was such a ridiculous lie that Jamie could see it enter Michael’s ears like a stranger and clash with everything he knew for true. But miraculously, it worked.
“O-kay…” Michael’s cheeks reddened a little and Jamie could see him swallow. “So…?” He glanced at the guitar, and Jamie strummed the E minor. Michael began to sing, but after only a few words, he broke off. “No…” He laughed a little and burrowed deeper into his jacket.
“Yes, come on,” Jamie urged, continuing with the E minor. “It doesn’t have to sound good, I just need the guidance.”
Michael cleared his throat and tried again. Jamie barely heard him, but steered his musical vessel by the faint stars of Michael’s flawless articulation – the d’s and the t’s stood out and showed the way. Not until they came to the chorus and Michael had to sing higher did Jamie actually catch snippets of the melody. And when Michael sailed on the notes of the final line, the bird-chirping dusk seemed to fall silent around them. Jamie felt his heart pound a little, but he went on playing, flashing a smile when Michael looked to him for reassurance.
The second verse was a little stronger. Jamie wouldn’t have known the words, but Michael delivered them all without a single mistake. Settling into the alien situation of singing with an audience, Michael’s voice grew steadily louder, but it never lost that initial softness. There was a wistful, yearning quality in there which almost fooled Jamie into believing that Michael had elongated the notes, but it was all done with sound, not rhythm: he subtly stressed the words, using his heart as his instrument, and the song became instantly three-dimensional. Jamie almost messed up the chords for listening so intently.
And then it was over. Michael fell silent after only one repeat of the chorus and looked into the crackling fire, hair obscuring most of his face. Jamie’s strumming trailed away into nothingness and they just sat there, quiet as if the world was coming to an end.
***
Before long, the pair’s music-making is almost indistinguishable from their tentative lovemaking. Even though they’re afraid of their new, confusing feelings, the music lets them get close to each other under the pretext of playing. When they jam together, they’re speaking soul to soul.
But that’s also the problem. Once Michael dares to get up on that stage, others start noticing his and Jamie’s chemistry. In the glare of the spotlights, their attraction is laid bare for the whole world to see, and not everyone is happy about it. Their manager nags them about their effeminate image, and the record company insists that they stop acting so gay with each other.
In book after book, Michael and Jamie try to adapt, to adjust to what people want from them and to what a rock star is supposed to be. But it feels wrong. They’re musicians first. Of course they want a career in music, but at what cost? It seems that to get to where they want, they have to negate everything that makes the band, the songs and even themselves who they are.
So the question becomes: do they obey the powers that be to maybe, maybe hit the charts, or do they do it their own way and almost certainly fail?
Author bio
Ingela Bohm lives in an old cinema, tucked away in a northern Swedish forest where she can wander around all day long and dictate her books. She used to dream of being an actor until an actual actor asked, “Do you really need to do it?” That’s when she realized that the only thing she really needed to do was to write. She has since pretended to be a dietician, a teacher, a receptionist and a cook, but only to conceal her real identity.
Her first imaginary friend was called Grabolina and lived in her closet. Nowadays she has too many imaginary friends to count, but at least some of them are out of the closet. Her men may not be conventionally handsome, but they can charm your pants off, and that’s all that matters.
Ingela’s more useless talents include reading tarot cards, killing pot plants and drawing scandalous pictures that no one gets to see. She can’t walk in heels and she’s stopped trying, but she has cycled 12 000 miles in the UK and knows which campsites to avoid if you don’t like spiders. If you see her on the train you will wonder what age she is.
you don’t like spiders. If you see her on the train you will wonder what age she is.
To get updates on Ingela Bohm’s work, please sign up for her newsletter or connect at her Blog Amazon author page Facebook Twitter Goodreads
Books by Ingela Bohm
The Pax Cymrica series:
Just Playing
The Road Taken
Release
Cutting Edge
Standalone novels:
Rival Poet
Not Safe For Work
Last Communion
All You Can Eat
Short stories:
Seven Thousand Minutes
Strings Attached
The Subjunctive Mood
Beneath The Mask
BLURB: Is there a fated path we follow, or is it simply a series of coincidental events?
Police officer Kellan Howard is rumoured to have spent too much time in sub-zero temperatures, leaving him with a block of ice for a heart and women lining up to help thaw it. Mountain climbing is his only love, leaving no time for a relationship, and although meaningless sex satisfies his physical need, it’s empty. When he attends a fatal traffic accident, he didn’t expect his entire life to change. Along with a final message, Kellan is offered something else from the dying man: the chance to fall in love. Kellan’s never considered being with a man, but when he meets Valentino, he’s instantly drawn to him.
Suffering from crippling agoraphobia, talented Italian artist Valentino has a solitary existence, only experiencing life outside the house through his partner Stuart. When their relationship comes to an abrupt end, Kellan helps ease his suffering. A deep bond binds the two men together, and the sexual tension can’t be denied, but Valentino questions if the distance between their very different lives is too much, and if they can bridge the gap by themselves.
Ballet dancer Blue has a vibrant personality which demands attention, but his humour and courageous attitude are a shield. Blue’s good at making others believe in themselves, but what he needs is someone to believe in him. He could be the bridge both men are looking for, but Blue’s never allowed anyone to get too close, and when Kellan and Valentino enter his life, he desperately tries to protect his heart and his secrets.
When all three meet, the chemistry is undeniable, but each have fears about moving forwards. Together, they learn love comes in many forms. It can’t be restrained or labelled, and it doesn’t always appear in the way you first imagined.
EXCERPT
“Blue!” both Things screeched at the same time and Blue cringed. “You’re a bunny?”
“Yeah.” Blue sighed. He’d explained this to his sisters, like, four times over the past two days what he’d be wearing for their charity event. If he wasn’t related to them and knew both his mum and dad, then he’d so guess inbreeding was the cause of the Things. “You look awesome!”
Both twins smiled that same bright smile and turned around simultaneously. They always dressed the same, ever since they were born, well, ever since they were conceived really, so it was no surprise both Things insisted on wearing Alice’s blue dress. They looked adorable though. With their flaxen hair tied back with a black ribbon and their pale skin seemingly airbrushed over, Blue was sure they’d get tons of donations.
No one could turn down the mentally handicapped, could they?
Okay, they’d never been diagnosed with anything, but Blue was confident it would happen one day soon.
Porsche and Mercedes gave him a kiss on each cheek, then just stood there… waiting, looking right at him. Expressionless. Serene in their obliviousness.
“What?” Blue looked through narrowed eyes at them.
“So—” Porsche…
“What do we—” Mercedes…
“Do?” Both!
They were living proof aliens existed! Seriously, one day some secret government agents would turn up, Area fifty-one-ing the place and taking the twins away for special tests.
Blue turned his nose up. “You’ve worked here, like, almost every day for the past year. What do you mean, what do we do? Work! Do the things you do every day.”
Both Things cocked their heads to the left, and Blue shuddered internally seeing their Children of the Corn vacant look. One of us…
“Okay… so…” Blue stepped back and looked around at all the complicated coffee machines. “You know, do stuff. Coffee shop stuff!” Oh, yes, he was awesome at this managing thingy. “Make coffee!” Yes! He totally knew what he was doing. His one-month experience at Costa was coming back to him.
Unfortunately, he’d been fired from that job… Something about blowing up one of the machines or something — Blue wasn’t really listening because he was covered in sugary foam, and that shit was hard to get out of your hair. Luckily, most of the customers and all of the staff were covered in it too, so Blue didn’t stand out as being odd.
It could have been anyone’s fault. Just because he was the one standing next to the machine and pushing all the buttons didn’t mean it was him who caused it to explode.
It totally was his fault, but still…
That machine was like some sort of bomb just waiting to go off. BOOM! No warning or nothing. Well, there’d been some sort of flashing lights and buzzing, but Blue had ignored them and continued playing around with the knobs and switches.
He failed to mention that part to Shayne though.
For no reason at all.
None!
Considering his duties as supervisor done, he decided to set up three big bright yellow buckets and signs for people to leave donations in, then had some cheese on toast and a coffee. It was actually alright, so the twins had learned something in their year there. There was a constant stream of customers and Blue had to leave his coffee to help serve. Before he knew it, the morning rush was over and he set the twins up in the kitchen so they could start preparing the sandwich fillings for the next wave of hungry vultures.
As he quite obviously didn’t know what he was doing with the coffee machine, when it needed refilling, he called Thing One to come sort it out, and he took her place with Thing Two.
It was while Blue was stuffing his face with a chicken tikka toasted pita that he snuck a peek at Porsche to check she was okay. Left alone to her own devices she could do anything, or more likely, nothing!
He leaned against the door, peeking through the gap in the frame, watching her secretly. He found her standing still, vacantly lost in her own little world while she waited for another customer to come in. He was about to throw a slice of cucumber at her face to see if she was still with them, when the ringing of the doorbell chimed and she came back to reality, smiling pleasantly at whoever walked through the door.
Blue stuffed another huge helping of pita in his mouth, then choked on it seeing who had just come into the shop, coughing up chunks of un-chewed chicken tikka, and making Mercedes run to him, slapping his back really hard! Like too hard.
Crazy bitch was trying to kill him!
She must have some sort of hidden strength because she practically knocked Blue through the open fire door and into the yard outside with one hit. He was choking more because of her help. They ended up in the yard, taking part in some sort of teenage girl slapping fight while he struggled to get her off him, and she tried to save him. Blue was acting like some deranged wild blue bunny fighting for his life, and her like some crazed Alice who’d taken too much coke and was off her face, attacking random innocent bunnies.
He could see the headlines of tomorrow’s papers: Alice in Wonderland Charity Event Tragedy. Two dead and more injured. How did it happen!
“For the love of God, stop it. You’re making it worse.” Blue leaned against the wall, rubbing his back and breathing hard. “What the hell is wrong with you? Do you take steroids, have you been working out, what about some sort of alien powers which have appeared as you got older? I knew you were the evil twin. I just knew. Right from birth.”
Mercedes, AKA, Thing Two, stroked his back, cooing at him like some dove. “Feel better now?”
“Feel better? You crazy cow! You just nearly gave me a serious spinal injury. I’m lucky I can still walk. I may need corrective surgery later in life and it will all be your fault, Xena Warrior Princess.” She sagged her shoulders, toying with her hair and looking sheepish. Blue hugged her tightly and gave her a kiss. “Oh, get back inside and finish those fillings before our Shayne gets back. I need to snoop on Porsche.”
His only saving grace was that no one had seen him. So after grabbing a cloth to wipe his face down, he took up his secret position again, spying on his sister and the customer.
REVIEW: This is the third book in this wonderful series and gives us Blue’s story. I absolutely adored Blue’s personality. He and Kellan’s interactions with each other in the beginning had me in tears from laughing so hard.
The beginning of the book was sad; it started off with a heartbreaking tragedy. That tragedy however, is what brings these men together. The connection that these men make was fate and Ms. Colville as usual, tells this story in the most beautiful way.
Kellan is a man whose life is flowing along familiar lines. On the outside, he appears content with his life, but lately, he’s feeling unsettled and unsatisfied with the predicable paths his life is taking. An accident changes his outlook and an odd request from the man involved changes everything for him.
Blue’s character had so many layers to him. His personality takes on these interesting juxtapositions that I found fascinating. He’s flighty, yet grounded, confident and tough, yet self-conscious. He’s intelligent and funny and has a wicked tongue. He’s surrounded by friends and family who loves him yet he’s lonely.
Valentino is an artist who hasn’t been out in the world for quite some time, relying on a friend and his lover to bring the world to him. He’s content with this until his world is shattered.
Three men all on different paths in their lives. We as humans are all connected; it only takes Fate to bring us together.
This author masterfully takes her characters through every emotion: fear, longing, sorrow, grief and happiness. And she takes the reader along for the ride.
This author is absolutely brilliant. I love to read and I can honestly say that there are few masters in this genre and Nicole Colville is definitely one of them.
Take a bow, Ms. Colville. You have as usual, given the readers another masterpiece.
RATING: ??Amazing??
Author Information
NicoleColville
Welcome to the home of bittersweet M/M romances which will leave you craving more
Nicole Colville was born and currently lives in Leeds, England. She is a wife to her very understanding hubby and mother of two young girls who somehow manages to fit in being a full-time author of m/m romance and erotica into her busy home life.
She loves writing complex characters in bittersweet romances which will leave you addicted and craving more from her men
Although best known for her popular series, Hidden and Knights to Remember, she also enjoys writing with friend, and fellow author, E.M Leya. Together they have published two books in their Sinful Temptation Collection with more planned.
Her new ménage collection based in the popular city of Manchester, England is her first solo full length novel outside of The Hidden Series and has three books planned for release in 2015 & 2016.
I’m Lynn Michaels and I live in Tampa. I’ve been writing MM Romance for about two years now and I have three full novels and three novellas published. When I write, I try to tell my characters’ stories in a way that is true to them. They don’t always do or say what I expect. They have many imperfections and issues, but that shouldn’t surprise me. My writing has always tended to be a little twisted. So, don’t expect the ordinary.
My latest book, Wanton, is about Corey and Jack and the hot mess they have to figure out if they want their BDSM relationship to work. Here’s the blurb folks:
TITLE: Wanton
AUTHOR: Lynn Michael
PUBLISHER: Rubicon Fiction
COVER ARTIST: Jay Aheer
LENGTH: 190 Pages
RELEASE DATE: April 15, 2016
BLURB: Corey has graduated from college and is trying to find his way, but when his Dom/boyfriend, Jack, demands that he move in with him, Corey loses himself in emotion, fighting Jack every step of the way.
Jack is a rich owner of a real estate investment firm and he’s determined to keep his submissive/boyfriend in line, even though Corey refuses to use his safe words.
Will their play become all consuming, or will they learn to trust each other enough to find love?
Praise for Wanton:
From Inked Rainbow Review:
“I have to say Lynn Michaels truly has a hit with this book…I love how this book showed the bad as far as a DOM/SUB relationship when all factors in the relationship are not met but I also love that the author took those factors and helped the DOM/SUB grow into something better…” -Tosha
“Wanton tells the story of Corey and Jack as they try to understand both themselves and each other in the context of a BDSM relationship…There was so much of this book I absolutely loved…” -Alyson
From Diverse Blog:
“This BDSM love story was quite different than some I’ve read…Now, though it follows BDSM rules it often doesn’t…So it’s interesting to see two tortured characters unable to help each other. It’s an entertaining story and creative. I adored Corey to pieces and wanted to hug him all the time!”
~extra something~
While preparing for this special blog event, I thought I needed something fresh and fun. This is Corey and Jack from Wanton on vacation in Tampa when they run into Campbell and Stone from my next book, Evasive Maneuvers, coming this summer. Enjoy!
Tampa was glorious. Corey loved seeing the city. Jack had taken him to the beach earlier in the day and now he topped that off with a trip through Tampa and on to Ybor city, where they had their own Dragon Club. Corey bounced up and down on the balls of his feet, eager to check it out, as they stood in line to get in. The humid air smelled faintly of tobacco, coconut, and melted cheese, and the people around them chatted quietly, creating a low hum that surrounded them. “This is going to be fun!”
Jack chuckled under his breath. His dark eyes traveled up and down the old buildings of the historic district, and Corey could feel Jack’s excitement vibrating off of him. Then, he turned those deep blue pools on Corey and grinned wickedly. “I can’t wait to watch you on the dance floor, you sexy thing.” He nudged his hip against Corey’s and wiggled his dark eyebrows.
Corey swatted him on the shoulder and settled in for the wait, just as some guy barreled into them, knocking them back into people standing behind them.
Jack came up swinging, ready to take someone’s head off. “What the fuck?”
“Oh, sorry. Sorry, man. Damn, Campbell. I told you to stop.” The guy was as tall as Jack and his shoulders were wide like a guy who played a lot of sports. He had gorgeous coppery skin and dark hair, cut short around his ears. Corey bit his lip, hoping this wouldn’t get physical, but Jack could be overprotective, so he expected the worst.
“It’s okay, just watch what you’re doing, guys.” Jack slipped his arm around Corey, and Corey breathed a sigh of relief that Jack had relaxed.
“Really, I’m so sorry.” The other guy he’d been playing around with stuck his hand out and Jack shook it. This guy was skinny – skinnier than Corey, but taller. He wore a shirt made out of some kind of silky netting that showed off his lean muscle and the belly-ring that sparkled in the streetlights. His handsome face had mischief written all over it. “I’m Campbell Fain, friends call me Camp, and this is my boyfriend, Stone.” He shoved his golden brown hair out of his face.
“Stone? That’s really your name?” Jack raised his eyebrows.
Stone shrugged. “Yeah. Mom was really into soap operas.”
“Stone? More like a mountain.” The words slipped out of Corey’s mouth before he could check them.
Campbell and Stone just laughed, but Jack didn’t. “Corey!” Jack’s tone screamed DOM, instantly throwing Corey into his submissive role. His head dropped, eyes down, and his hands clasped themselves behind his back as if they had a mind of their own.
The laughter around him stopped as quickly as his submission appeared, and Corey’s skin tingled, knowing their eyes were on him. A lump caught in his throat and for a second, he didn’t know what to do. Then, Jack nudged his shoulder.
“Well, I’m Jack and this is Corey, obviously. We’re here on vacation, down from New Cabel.”
Corey lifted his head and stared at Campbell. He might have been smaller than Stone, but his facial expressions and demeanor were large; when he smiled – larger than life. His brown eyes sparkled. “Nice to meet ya’ll. Hope we’ll see you inside.”
“Sure.” Jack smiled. “I’ll buy you guys a drink.”
“Sounds great.” Stone waved and turned to walk away and then stopped. He turned back around with a puzzled look on his face. “Don’t I know you?” He pointed at Jack.
“I don’t think so. I’d remember meeting someone as striking as you.”
Corey nudge Jack’s shoulder, but he secretly liked it when Jack flirted. He knew it was harmless.
Campbell touched Stone’s arm, turning him. As they walked away, Corey heard Campbell say, “That was weird.”
Stone huffed. “But, I know him. I think he’s that real-estate dude. You know? The one St. James was going on about. Wolfe.” He snapped his fingers. “Jack Wolfe.”
Corey growled under his breath. “I can’t take you anywhere, can I?”
Jack leaned over and nuzzled his nose in the curls on the top of Corey’s head. “Don’t worry about them. This will still be fun for us. Dancing, a few drinks, then back to the hotel.”
Corey tilted his head back, begging for a kiss and his Dom did not disappoint him. His lips stoked gently across Corey’s, teasing at first, and then pressed harder, his tongue slipping between them. Jack moaned just a little when their tongues rubbed together, the saliva making the kiss juicy and hot. When he pulled back, Corey stared into his deep blue eyes, sensing the love and understanding that had kept them connected hovering there, near the surface like it wanted to explode. Corey sighed, knowing what that explosion would feel like. “Thanks, Jack. Let’s have some fun tonight.”
“Always, baby.” Jack wrapped his arm around Corey’s shoulder and kissed the top of his head. He pushed Corey forward with a gentle tug, as the line started moving.
Buy LINKS for Wanton
Amazon US Amazon UK All Romance eBooks Barnes & Noble Smashwords Author BIO
Lynn Michaels lives and writes in Tampa, Florida where the sun is hot and the Sangria is cold. Lynn is the newest addition to Rubicon Fiction, and she loves reading and writing about hot men in love. She writes paranormal and contemporary MM Romance
:: Website :: Facebook Page :: Amazon Page ::
Norse mythology, actually most kind of mythology, has been a subject that have been close to my heart for most of my life. I am by far the least religious person you can find but the myths and lore about the vikings and Norse Gods, bloody as it may be has always put a thrill in me. And in a way I guess it is just the fact that it is more lore and folktales than religion that suits me. Because lore and folktales are more commonly known as tales, unlike religion that is taken as a fact and truth even though there’s nothing that proves that it is anything else but 95% lore too.The idea of turning Norse mythology and Native American lore into one well-oiled series was never really the plan, Haven was at the start, a Native American were
The idea of turning Norse mythology and Native American lore into one well-oiled series was never really the plan, Haven was at the start, a Native American were hunter who was going to have no other passion than traveling the roads like a nomad. His only mission in life that of killing off the entire shifter race because of what one crazed shifter did to his family and tribe. He was never meant to have a lover, a group of men and women who he considered his family, no his story was at the early stages of my brain’s development of this story a very solitude and dark life.
It wasn’t until I started plotting out his story that the idea of Norse Mythology and the Fenrir Ulv, being the ultimate father of all shifters, started to creep into my mind. First, the Fenrir Ulv was going to be the Ultimate shifter, as he still is, the father of all creation when it came to were shifters. He was meant to have been Haven’s ultimate challenge, who Haven, in the end, was meant to die from trying to kill, and who know’s he might just still do that, but all in all no matter what happens the path Haven went down was nothing like I first anticipated or planned.
Native American lore and history have is another subject that has always been something that has fascinated me. Native Americans being the only real natives of the continent of North America, it’s always surprised me how little we see of that history there. They were there, living the earth, making homes and a living long before Columbus discovered the Americas and were and are a huge part, the essential part of North American history and still “the white” man’s minute long presence is what dominates our history books. With Haven’s Revenge, I wanted to change that, I wanted to make Native American history and lore a main part of the story.
Those who have read my books, and I guess especially those that have read my books and knows me, know’s I favor the underdog, the oddball, the grumpy goodhearted bastards of society who everyone else has lost faith in, those are the men and women I prefer since following the stream of political correctness has never really been my cup of tea. I can honestly say I despise political correctness for the sake of it because way too many people hide behind it and are allowed to act like cowards because of it.
Planning Haven’s Revenge, at the beginning, was fairly easy because his cause his reason was just going to be that of revenging his past with his acts of devotion to killing of every shifter till all of them were dead. It wasn’t until I reacquainted myself with the Fenrir Ulv and Norse Mythology, and my love for it came back to live that I started playing with the idea of making it part of the heart of my story. I mean killing the Fenrir off when he was such a cool myth and when it would be so much more fun and interesting to have him stay alive and for once being one of the good guys!
It is funny when it comes to Norse Mythology and Vikings, most people get it wrong, Thor and Odin, and even Loki always somehow become heroes like Superman or Batman. Bad boys with good guys heart when in reality all of them were if you read the Edda or other sources of Norse Mythology information, they were all evil and selfish bastards. And as for the Viking, there was nothing gentle or loving about them, they were all brutes. Barbarians.
Being pretty familiar with Norse mythology researching it I knew what I was looking for and really just needed to look up details such as how the Fenrir Ulv was captured by the Asa Gods, where exactly he was held and how they drove that sword through his giant jaws. The point was to keep as much of the original lore as possible, to keep the realness of what most people know or what is known as the “truth” so that you would get that familiar feeling as you read the story. Besides the most complicated story keeps to the facts, when you start swaying out too much and you need to explain in too much great detail that is when the story is lost. At least in my eyes it is.
So, what happened between Haven being a pissed of forever lost were hunter with nothing else on his mind than prowling the land of the United States killing shifters and ending up as ranch hand training horses, being the candy of a farm boy’s eye and becoming the key to that farm boy’s future as the King of Wolves?
It is fairly stupid to call me romantic, because in reality I am not, I am way too cynical to be called romantic but I guess there’s a part of me, even if that part is fairly small, that still likes the idea of love like no other kind of love. The kind of love that will make you break all the rules, even your own, the kind of love that will get you through that long and dark tunnel and out into the light, the kind of love that makes you a possessive son of a gun and makes you wait forever and a lifetime just to be with that person for no other reason than that you have no room for anyone else. I guess a small part of me that exists out there at least for some people.
Mind you now I say love, not being in love, because even if the idea of being in love and the idea of that one perfect mate/lover/partner/second half (call it what you want) is something a lot of people hope is true, love can be any type of love it doesn’t have to be boy meets girl or boy meets boy. It can be the love between a parent and child, grandson, and grandfather and so on and so forth, and I think that you see all those kinds of loves all through Haven’s Revenge, that love is what love is and come in all different shapes and colors and none is better than the other just different.
As soon as I started to toy with the idea of making Thor and foremost Odin into the bad guys of my story and the Fenrir Ulv (and his siblings the Midgard Snake and Sleipnir) together into the good guys everything just sorts of fell into place all on its own. Coleman and Vojin they were the first characters to take form in my head, Vojin immediately being the key to the Native American lore of things.
To me, Native American culture and lore is a lot about self-discovery, about finding you inner strength, personal spirituality, and sacrifice. That you are willing to give up a lot of your own things to bring pleasure, happiness and safety for your people/family/tribe and at times that ultimate sacrifice is death itself but it is not feared because you are always protected by the spirit you made part of you. In Haven’s Revenge all of the Caddo community are a proof of this Zacharias, Haven’s father, death, Vojin being the link between the Caddo community, the Fenrir Ulv, and the Shifter council with the original eleven (twenty) cubs that were the children of the Caddo man who was the first man to ever be possessed by the Fenrir spirit and who managed to not go crazy.
The Caddo Norse story is the lack of a better word, a complex story, and I think that show’s in the criticism the book get both from people who love it and hate it, because the most common criticism it, or I have gotten, from readers and reviewers is that there’s “things” that doesn’t make sense like who the hell is Viktor and Hawk, the pop up and disappears and we don’t really great a grip on them, Vojin is essential to the story but we don’t see him enough, and this was supposed to be Haven’s and Alex’s story but it is stolen away because of all those other characters or their story was rushed (which I personally don’t get because it was dragged out to the point of almost becoming too much) but all these criticisms and others have answers.
The M/M Romance community is very used to, or spoiled (winks) with HEA’s with stories that start and ends with boy meets boy and then they live happily ever after. They are used to series where the MC are the main focus and there’s a new couple in each book and the couples from the past book or books only, if at all, makes small guest appearances. Not in mine, they don’t.
I don’t, only, write traditional romance stories, I obviously don’t mind them, but all my stories (with one exception of Finding Home) the main plot of the story isn’t love and getting the two MC’s together as a couple, they are a sidekick to the bigger picture, the red thread, the moral of the story which as in the Caddo Norse Novels is the war between the Asa Gods and the Fenrir Ulv/ Paranormal and human world. It is the war between good and evil, look and you shall find a lot of my own personal views on things all the good and all the evil represents real situations or people. What is the moral of the story? Characters pop up in Haven’s Revenge and disappears for a reason, we are shifted back and forth in time to show the reader historic events that have a purpose for the future.
And as for Haven and Alexander, whatever possessed you to think that their story was over to begin with? (Grins) There are load of things still going on with those two and their fate, their story, together as well as apart has only just begun (and that goes for Vojin too.)
Luca is a first year med student at the University of Gothenburg. He is following in his father’s footsteps, something he’d been programmed to do all his life. He lives a sheltered and still life, with no real friends. Luca would love to change that but doesn’t know how, since he always feels so odd around other people, like he doesn’t quite fit in. There’s so much inside him that wants out, like wanting to become a veterinarian more than a doctor. And the fact that he likes boys and not girls. But he doesn’t tell anyone about that—not even himself.
In comes Kai, an American cowboy in Gothenburg. He’s doing his thesis overseas to broadens his horizons before he does what he has always wanted to do, which is to go back home and run the family ranch. He just happens to see Luca one day leaving class and can’t stop watching the shy guy as he waded his way through the crowd with quick, silent steps, and his head down to avoid eye contact with anyone. For weeks Kai watches him from a distance, trying to figure out how to approach him.
Had he known that spilled coffee and slippery, awkward book bags would have gotten him close to the guy, he might have physically bumped into him a long time ago.
Finding Home is a book with star-crossed lovers meeting and the evil mind of the wicked witch in the west threatening to crush young love’s every dream!
Phetra often refers to herself as the odd man out, the dorky book nerd who rather spend her time with a good book or making up fantastic stories with even more fantastic characters, than live in the real world dealing with real people. The real world is strange, in a very non humorous way, and people in it complicates it to the point of wearing you out. In the world of the written word, no matter if it is in someone else’s words or that of her own things might get busy, complicated, and sometime even plain painful, but somewhere along the line there is always a hero on the horizon. He might not be prime or proper, a church going pretty boy since the author prefer rebellious men and women who don’t follow the protocols of society. One of her favorite saying are that only dead fish follow the stream and well she ain’t no dead fish. Phetra live together with her family, two children, a domestic partner and their two cats in Gothenburg, Sweden and when reading her books you will notice that she always finds a way of bringing her on culture into her books. The joy of writing and reading comes from her childhood and is something she has always loved, something she is passionate to share with others. Phetra loves hearing from her readers even with ideas of what they want to come next. If you are looking for her, the best place to start looking is at home in the quietest corner of the house, where she’ll be curled up with either her Kindle reading or with her laptop typing away.
![KindofRomance[A]FS](https://creativemindpromotions.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/kindofromanceafs.jpg?w=683&resize=500%2C750)
