BLURB: Police Lieutenants, God and Day are under intense pressure from the chief to take back control of Atlanta’s streets. The last thing their task force needs is a pair of trained killers in town with a personal score to settle.
Take a man and strip him of his ability to feel compassion, empathy, remorse, or any of the emotions that make him human, but leave the ones that ignite rage and aggression and you have the perfect killing machine—now imagine two of them.
Code names Ex and Meridian are synonymous for ‘guaranteed death’ to international terrorists. Two broken men from the same crooked streets, recruited into an unsanctioned government program that few know about. Trained to operate most efficiently—lethally—together.
When Ex returns from an op in Bolivia to learn his little brother has been accidentally killed in a feud between drug gangs, he’s stateside before he can consider the rules he’ll be breaking, and of course Meridian is right beside him. There’s mayhem on the streets of Atlanta and the police are losing control. If Godfrey and his elite team of detectives can’t get the job done then they’d be happy to lighten their caseloads for them. And Ex nor Meridian care about doing it quietly.
“I know who you are.” The man grunted when Ex turned to leave. “You’re the fucking devil.”
Meridian walked past, glaring one final time. “Say that loud enough… maybe God will save you.”
But after their first run-in with the big lieutenant and his protective husband, Day, Ex and Meridian start to reevaluate their own relationship. Wondering if they could be even deadlier if they let loose the feelings for each other that they’ve been forced to suppress for years.
Meridian’s dark eyes stayed locked on his, “A man who can fight beside the one he loves doesn’t make him weaker, Ex—it makes him more dangerous.”
REVIEW: This latest installment of the series continues on with two new characters. Ex and his partner Meridian are two CIA agents who are in the ATL on an unsanctioned, off the books op searching for the drug and gang kingpin who murdered Ex’s baby brother.
The characters from the previous books in the series and their spinoffs make brief appearances throughout the book. God and Day’s team more so than the others as they are the force that moves the story along.
The author introduces two new players in these books. Ex and Meridian are too mysterious and extremely dangerous men. These two are ruthless, unstoppable killing machines. But the author injected quite a bit of humanity into their characters. Reading the story, you could feel Ex’s overwhelming sorrow over his brother’s death. The deep regret and guilt Ex feels for not being there for him and his mother is heartbreaking.
You stepped smack dab in the middle of Ex and Meridian lives fully aware that there’s a backstory that belongs to them only. Yet, you don’t feel disoriented or like there’s something missing in the author not giving the reader their full history’s. The bond these two men share is strong and you can see it clearly. This is such an important element of the story as it illustrates just how perfectly in sync with each these men are.
These men are fierce, battle hardened and confident. Secure and communicating their wants and needs to each other. But there are some part in the story where Ex is a mixture of vulnerable and commanding that gives his character a depth that is much more fascinating and complex.
My favorite thing about this authors writing style is her ability to assert humor in her books at the most unexpected moments. There are moments when the dialogue takes me completely OUT to the point where I am positively wheezing, damn near laughing myself into an asthma attack.
This author’s work is brilliant, her characters’ personalities are so vividly written. These are every day working men that embark on these extraordinary adventures. Her characters are these mature, crazy, bold, dangerous men who work, live, play and love hard.
Just when I think this series can possibly get any more fantastic, this author goes into our kitchen and cooks up yet another even more delicious creation.
And Sis *puts her foot in the pot* every single time she goes into that kitchen aka writer’s room of hers.
*AAVE*
This book includes two fabulous bonus chapters at the end. While this story does not have a HEA ending it has a HFN one that is a perfect fit.
BLURB: Will a photographer be swept off his feet by a duke who’s more disheveled than dashing?
It’s Valentine’s Day and it’s Billy last shift at The Chelsea Bunn. His photography career never took off, so it’s time to leave London, parcel up the leftover heart-shaped cakes and head back home to Hampshire.
Rumpled Charlie and his two mischievous dogs are Billy’s favourite customers, so when Charlie turns up at closing jtime with a mysterious wrapped gift and the offer of a whirlwind trip on the London Eye, Billy can’t say no. But Charlie is keeping a secret that could turn Billy’s world happily upside down.
As the snow falls over London and the big wheel grinds to a halt, Billy discovers that wishes aren’t just for Christmas.
REVIEW: Of all the novellas in this collection, this is got to be one of my favorite. This is such a cute and sweet story. This gives us Billy. Billy is a photographer who moved to London with the hopes of building a successful business but he decides to pack it all and seeing us things haven’t gone quite as he had planned. Then one day in walks Charlie and his two adorable dogs and presents Billy with yet another better plan.
The thing with plan is is that they don’t always go the way we want expects or even wants them to. In this instance Billy’s life takes a happy direction things to Charlie and his two adorable fur babies.
These two characters in the flow of the story is nicely paced. The authors managed to spend quite a tale is such a short length. Even with that, the characters and storylines were well thought out and presented.
As usual, these authors put forth a story that is wonderful is sweet. The characters are delightful and the storyline is lovely. This novella brought a smile to my face reading it.
BLURB: Elaine MacLeod, the most feared and revered Mistress of Rowan House, is frustrated. Overworked, still hurt and angry over the departure of her long-term lover, she refuses to admit Rowan House needs another Mistress to accommodate their guests. Unconvinced anyone will be able to meet her high standards, Elaine grudgingly agrees to audition the sole applicant, Petra Grendhal.
Robin Broadacre would do anything for the woman who rescued her from certain death at the hands of her previous employers. When she volunteers to assist Petra with her audition, Elaine is forced to reckon with her desire for Robin. Drawn to Petra’s fiery strength and icy demeanor as well Robin’s devotion, Elaine finds herself torn between her passion for both women. When Petra disappears on a trip to Oslo, Elaine and Robin’s search leads them to menaces from Robin’s past and a fight for their lives.
REVIEW: This is the 5th book in the Rowan House series and it is excellent! This is a series and I’ve started on this book first. Even though it can be read as a standalone, I feel that they should be read in sequential order as it would be beneficial to give you a better feel of who everyone is when they’re mentioned.
This book was extremely well written. The character development, storyline and flow of this book is top notch. This author has a true talent for writing that should definitely be touted; her ability to make her characters so that you’re able to easily connect with them is just brilliant. The women in her stories are strong, confident, complex and always relatable. What I particularly loved about this story is how it explores dominance and submission; and how that power exchange manifests between women.
Even visual presentation of this book is stunning. The gorgeous cover models, the color pallets, font types, it all blends together to form the perfect vessel for the beautifully written story within.
Brenda Murphy did an exceptional job with this book and reading it has definitely motivated me to purchase the rest in the series.
Ian Banner is loving his hectic life. He’s newly married, ready to start a family, and opening a new restaurant. All his dreams are coming true.
The last thing he needs is a problem with his restaurant.
But when one attack after another comes, he grows convinced he has another enemy.
Ian tries to handle things by himself, but his friends are soon drawn in when the attacks become violent. That’s when Ian realizes the target isn’t Rialto. It’s him.
Rialto is the final installment in the Unbreakable Bonds series and features sexy times, Daciana snuggles, overprotective family, fire, and of course, code names.
REVIEW: This book was bittersweet. This is the last time will read about these wonderful men in their adventurous, chaotic, dangerous and lovely lives. But this finale is the series on the sweetest of high notes
The dynamic duo of Jocelyn Drake and Rinda Elliott brought Lucas, Snow, Rowe and Ian together for one last adventure before they settle down to live out the rest of their days as happily married fathers. That is unless Rowe and Noah a.k.a. the Master of Mayhem find some trouble for them all to get into.
Ian is the sole focus of the final installment in the series. As with the rest of the books in the series featuring him, this centers his past life. Ian’s character—to me—is the toughest. I say this because this man survived a horrific ordeal to become the man that he is today. But of course, even from the grave it seems that the man responsible for his horrific pass is still finding ways to intrude on the happiness and success that he has made for himself.
Ian’s story has always rip my heart apart. I love the story because in this book, Ian is able to confront, not one from, his past. Not only that, but he’s proved to Lucas, Snow and Rowe that he’s much tougher than they—and even he— realized.
He truly came to his own in this book and it may the rest of his family finally sit up and take notice that he’s not someone who needs to be wrapped in cotton, insulated from the evils of the world. He prove to them that he was able to handle himself and to protect them if needed and times of extreme danger and it was a glorious thing to finally witness.
The love these men have for each other practically leap off the pages of this book. It is beautifully written; the characters a vivid, bursting with energy that makes each word of each sentence of each paragraph a treat. The action, adventure and romance of these stories are extremely well written; they immediately grab your attention and hold it from the first page read to the very last.
You’ll experience a roller coaster of emotions with this book. You’ll go from having a lump in your throat from heartbreak to having you laughing out loud at their antics to feeling joy at their triumphs.
This book will linger indelibly on the brain long after you finished reading it.
BLURB: At only thirty-two, Bishop Stockley has lived a hard-knock life. His gang was his family, the streets his home. Until the crew he’d always called his brothers betrayed him. After doing five years in a federal prison, Bishop is back at his dad’s trailer and working for his landscaping company, thrust into a legit world where he’s no longer the alpha—a world where a criminal record is the least of his disadvantages, because Bishop can’t read or write. Illiteracy had never been an obstacle for him on the streets, he didn’t need to know how to read Moby Dick to survive, he needed to know how to read people… and that was a hustle he’d learned hard and fast. Now, he had to change his life.
Bishop’s only support system was a young, inexperienced dad who’d insisted he call him Mike all their life—since they looked more like brothers than father and son. And his hot-tempered, childhood, best friend from ’juvie, Trent. Bishop already had the deck stacked against him, but he wasn’t afraid of hard work to change his situation, and he did want to change. Especially after he encountered Edison Scala, a kind-spirited office manager who didn’t hesitate to come to his defense… a man that saw past Bishop’s grass-stained coveralls. A man who wasn’t intimidated by his stern features and his silence.
Edison hadn’t grown up the way most of his peers had. He’d been raised by a single father who’d owned an old-fashioned barber shop where Edison was taught how to not only shave with a straight razor, and shine shoes, but also how to treat others, to not judge, to be a gentleman, to be respectful and speak without profanity. But, the biggest lesson he’d learned, was to always be himself. His lack of friends and a social life wasn’t his fault. No matter how much weight he gained, no matter how many times his staff called him a square, Edison did not need to change.
Bishop knew Edison was off-limits. He’d made personal vows to himself when he was released from prison, ones that he never intended to break. But, when Edison asked him about providing landscaping services at his home, there was no way he could refuse. He hadn’t expected Edison to feed him, praise him, encourage him, and look at him the way he did—as if Bishop was somebody. Mike and Trent warned him not to mix business with pleasure and he didn’t intend to.
No multiple pairings. No cliffhangers. Ends with a very, very HFN. Warning:
This book is a M/M contemporary romance, a hardened man’s struggle to find real love. There are no police chases or doors being kicked in, in this one. But, don’t worry. Bishop is still intense enough to keep you on the edge.
REVIEW: Okay, y’all. Can I tell you how much I loved this book, these characters? Miss Via has done what she always does and spin a story that will make you care for her characters as you’re reading them. Bishop and Edison are two strong men from different backgrounds, yet they seem to find common ground even though they have nothing in common.
Even though Bishop was the main character, it was Edison who spoke to me the most. But I’ll speak on that in a bit.
I particularly loved how the author approached the topic of Bishop’s illiteracy. It was handled with kindness and understanding. The author wrote it in a way that didn’t belittle him. Bishop is a flawed hero. A man who like many of us, have made mistakes, faced the consequences of said mistakes and is looking for a little redemption and forgiveness for it. He wants to live his life—not necessarily a BEST life— but just go along the familiar lines and on the right path of it. He wants to do better and fought hard to BE better. He’s not asking for or expecting the moon and stars, he’s just asking for normalcy and stability with a man who sees him as something other than what he was.
Now, to Edison. His character resonated more with me because his kindness, generosity, sweet nature and integrity reminded me of someone I knew a long time ago. Edison is like many of us, one who struggles with poor self image, body issue and low self esteem but to me, his character was beautiful, more beautiful because he had a beautiful spirit and a big heart. I absolutely loved how the author had a character who didn’t have the perfect body and was still find the type of passionate love still. This story had a great deal of body positivity and I loved it and we need to see more of it in the romance genre.
At first glance, one would think he’s someone whose weak. But I didn’t find that to be the case at all. Edison is gentle and kind. Respectful. Mature. This comes from him being raised around older gentlemen. This made him a target for bullying by some of his colleagues but his insistence on being who he is is what makes him strong. I adored his character and I adored him and Bishop together. Bishop’s gentle toughness combined with Edison’s sweet old world charm is what makes them perfect for each other. Edison’s character was actually like being reunited with my friend. It was amazing.
This author is a master of her craft. Her writing style is absolutely superb. Miss Via’s work is always top notch, regardless of whatever genre she chooses to write. Her characters are ALWAYS vivid, complex and multifaceted. Her dialogues are ALWAYS beautifully written and her storylines are simply perfect. This book flows smoothly. She doesn’t simply tell a story, she’s giving you a front row seat of their thoughts and heart.
This book doesn’t have a traditional HEA and that’s okay because life doesn’t always work that way. You just know that these men’s life Journey is just getting started so the HFN ending fits perfectly. This story is memorable and the characters and their experiences will linger long after you’ve finished reading this book.
This author and this book is a serious must read. Take a bow, Miss Via. You’ve done an amazing job yet again.
BLURB: Codie “Swan” Kerr lost her family when she came out. But Trigger took her under his wings and helped her get through the ERU program to become the first female on the elite squad. But the secret she carries soon becomes an issue.
To make matters worse, all her family’s lies are about to descend on her head all at once.
Ex-JTF2 soldier Jacob Desjardins has been having come to Jesus moments over the past few months. He has been nothing but a jerk to those around him and karma has finally gotten tired of his crap.
After being rescued by Trigger and his crew, he believes his life can get back on track. But the fates have a sick sense of humor. Not only is his life spiraling out of control, he sees something in Swan that takes his breath away.
But what will Jacob do when he finds out Swan has a little more to her than meets the eyes?
And will he survive the storm heading their way?
REVIEW: This is the 2ndinstallment to the Mercs series and I must say that it turned out quite nice. The first book in the series transitioned seamlessly into this one. Here we have Swan, a beautiful assassin with the elite squad.
Jacob’s character was just as well written and as vivid as Swan’s in the sense of how their personalities are presented to the readers and how well they play off of each other.
As with the previous story, this one has suspense and action with a huge dose of romance and intrigue tossed in for good measure. All elements which the author successfully manages to strike a perfect balance of.
Swan’s character is special in that the author has used her talents and platform to represent everyone within the LGBTQ community. This is just another step towards true representation and they did a great job of bringing diversity to an industry that has consistently centered white cisgender gay men.
I enjoyed reading this story as much as the first one. Swan is—so far—my favorite character.
BLURB: Dawson “Trigger” Kerr walked away from the JTF2 angry and feeling betrayed.
My brother’s keeper, my ass.
Civilian life takes a new kind of strength, but he settles into building his business. He is content with his new life—a successful nightclub, amazing friends and a life away from war-zones.
Everything is coming up roses—that is until Claude Desjardins walks into his life.
Claude doesn’t have a choice. In order to find his brother in Brazil, he needs the best. Word on the street, Dawson is the man for the job.
But Dawson isn’t too keen on helping the Desjardins. There’s a story there and there isn’t time to tell it. As they race against time to find out what happened to the older Desjardins brother, Claude is falling – hard.
But Claude is going to learn, if he’s going to squeeze the trigger, he’d better shoot to kill.
REVIEW: Okay, this book was a very good start to what looks to be a promising series. This story gives us Dawson aka Trigger and Claude. If you like action and suspense mixed with your romance, then this is definitely the book for you. The writing style is clean, crisp and straight to the point. This is what I like. This author doesn’t dally around with their stories; these men are straight forward with their attraction and feelings for each other which is a consistent thread with all of this author’s work. I actually like that. I don’t care for characters who dance around their attractions or feeling for each other. And the action wasn’t over the top or extra. It was the perfect balance of both romance and action which made the book that much more of an enjoyable read.
The ending was perfect and actually lays the groundwork for a smooth transition to the next book in the series.
This author is consistent in offering quality work. Her editing, storyline and character development was excellent and her cover was beautiful.
Vance: He’s angry and bitter over the direction his father has chosen for him in the family business – and in his life. He may have been born into money, but Vance always saw his journey as something less grand. He’s desperate to follow his real passion which is metal sculpture, created with nothing more than scraps he pulls out of junk piles, a blow torch, and a sweat. But he lacks a critical element to make that happen: the spine to stand up to the man who moves him around like a pawn on a chessboard. He needs something – or someone to give him the motivational push to take back control of his life.
Kyle: He’s drifted through life with a massive chip on his shoulder. He doesn’t mind being a city bike messenger, but he knows his body won’t allow him to do that forever, and riding for a living isn’t his calling in life. But with no clear plan B in place, he needs to keep his day job – for now. The other problem? He loathes the privileged people he delivers to, despises what they stand for, and how they look down at him as if he was worthless. The only thing more prominent than the grudge he holds against them is his pride. Everything changes when a company owner’s son hits him with his car, which puts both rider and driver on entirely different paths in their lives.
But is this a path they can both take together, or will egos and societal privilege create too many obstacles to overcome?
Moved By You is a 67,000 word MM novel with an enemies to lovers theme, and an HEA.
So this is book two in this series and in order to truly understand this story and the relationships you really need to read book one. Just saying! This book picks up right where Wolf, book one left off. When I began reading this story I kept thinking, how much is this strong, beautiful man supposed to take? How much more pain is he going to have to endure before he gets his HEA? I really enjoyed our MC’s, Wolf and Gage, relationship and how supportive Wolf was during all the family drama. He really stood by Gage no matter what. Wolf has totally redeemed himself by lots of groveling, lots of loving and just being there for Gage. That part will make you smile.
Then comes the part that will make you angry and sad… his family. Family, you can’t choose them so some of us get stuck with trash. I wanted to throttle his family in the first book for how they treated Gage but was certain they were in the past. Then out of nowhere BAM, here they come like the plague. But Ms. Harper pulls a rabbit out of her creative mind and turns lemons into lemonade. Especially Claudia, his sister. This book made me spit flames, and made me laugh. At times my heart soared with joy and cry real tears for Gage. I love this series so far and can’t wait for more.
E.T. Malinowski has a new queer paranormal book out: Night Kiss.
Bam Kiseu Interview
Since returning home to Seoul from their world tour, Bam Kiseu has been very busy with filming a new video, fan meets, individual appearances and spokesmodel engagements. Despite such a hectic schedule, they put together something special for their hometown fans; a spring concert. I was able to sit down with Bam Kiseu today in the hopes of giving you a bit more insight into the men who make up the group, Cheongul, HanYin, and Ki-tae, and maybe even a sneak peek at what’s in store for tonight’s performance.
Bam Kiseu is huge in the pop genre, did you ever expect to be one of the biggest bands in Korea?
Cheongul: No, not in the least.
HanYin: We hoped to be successful, sure, but this was more than what we expected.
Ki-tae: Maybe for you two.
Cheongul and HanYin glare at Ki-tae but there doesn’t seem to be any heat in it. He just smirks back. There is a camaraderie between the three of them, a closeness that is stronger than I’ve seen with other groups, even those who have reached the ten-year mark. It’s as if these three have been together so much longer than they have.
Are you dating anyone?
Of the three of them, I certainly didn’t expect Cheongul to blush and duck his head. HanYin’s smile is bright and happy. Even Ki-tae’s expression is more genuine and less professional idol. It seems they each have someone in their lives.
Cheongul: Yes
HanYin: I am.
Ki-tae: We all are.
To say I wasn’t curious would be a lie.
Anyone we know?
Cheongul is the only one to respond.
Cheongul: No.
I can tell I’m not going to get any more out of them. We’ll just have to keep a close eye on them to see who is by their side the most, dear readers. It seems three lucky individuals have captured the hearts of Bam Kiseu.
What do you enjoy most about the industry?
They look at each other for a few moments, almost as if in silent communication. Then they nod and turnback to me.
Cheongul: Being able to share our music with our fans.
HanYin: Being able to perform it for our fans around the world.
Ki-tae: Helping to inspire the next generation of idols, to encourage them to keep reaching for their dreams and never stop.
Do they truly mean these words? I like to think so. Bam Kiseu’s music touches a lot of people. If it didn’t, they wouldn’t have so many fans.
When, if ever, do you regret being famous?
This question earns some wry chuckles. We all know there are aspects of being an idol that aren’t so great. I have to wonder what parts of being idols bother them.
Cheongul: When I go shopping, especially if it’s for my home studio. I love our fans, but it can be a pain if I’m trying to replace a piece of equipment and keep having to stop to take photos or give autographs.
HanYin: Being chased through the airports. I don’t like flying to begin with and when we land, I just want to get home, but the fans seem to know our flight schedules better than we do and it gets really crowded. It’s hard to keep smiling when you’
Ki-tae: I guess it depends on where we are. There are some places where we’re not instantly recognized and so some everyday activities are easier to do. I mean when we were in America, I could run out for something small and I think I was recognized a handful of times. When I’m home, I can’t step outside my door without a crowd. We love our fans. We just need some space to breathe every now and then.
HanYin-ssi, you’re known for bringing food to the set when shooting a video or commercial, how did that start and why?
HanYin: All of our production teams work really hard. Some of them even skip meals to continue working. When we were shooting our first music video, one of our technicians collapsed and had to be taken to the hospital. I didn’t like that, so I started bringing food to the set to make sure everyone had something to eat. People can’t do their best if their hungry or tired, so I make sure they are neither.
Ki-tae: He’s a bit of a mother hen.
HanYin pokes Ki-tae in the side for that comment causing him to laugh and squirm away Cheongul just shakes his head as he watches them, a disapproving older brother.
Many idols have lyricists during the beginning and sometimes through most of their careers, yet, you seem to write all your own music. Why is that?
Cheongul: BLE has always believed in encouraging the creativity of its idols. As trainees we were taught the fundamentals of songwriting as part of our lessons. Sometimes, it’s a matter of skill and sometimes, it’s a matter of getting pleasure from writing a song. Not everyone enjoys it, we do.
HanYin: I agree. I’m always bringing new songs into the studio and making these two listen to them, but I’m not nearly as bad as Ki-tae-ya. I’ve gotten calls at 4 a.m. demanding that I listen to a melody or beat, or even an entire verse and give feedback.
Ki-tae: I’m not that bad.
His pout is absolutely adorable but it doesn’t seem to work on HanYin and Cheongul at all.
Cheongul, HanYin: You are, too.
Cheongul: He writes all the time and when he gets in that mode, he doesn’t pay attention to the time before calling us to listen to what he’s done.
HanYin: He also has a tendency to not sleep or eat.
Ki-tae: I can’t argue, really. I do write a lot. I’ve been known to bring twenty new songs into the studio after a single day off.
I can’t help but stare at Ki-tae so, of course, I catch the blush on his face. He’s embarrassed by this fact about himself. I, on the other hand, am very impressed. 20 songs… in a day?
How do you determine which songs to put on an album?
Cheongul: Usually by a common theme.
HanYin: Sometimes, there’s a shared element in the beat or the melody.
Ki-tae: Occasionally, it’s all three. We’ll go through all of the songs and see which ones just sort of fit together. Other times, we’ll plan the songs out to mesh together, like we did with Call the Dragon, Phoenix Rising, and Tiger’s Pride. There’s a fourth one to that set, but we haven’t gotten beyond the title, yet; Turtle’s Patience. We’re planning on writing that one for the next album.
HanYin: We’ll listen to the songs individually, tweak them, play around with the beats, that sort of thing, until we all agree it works and then we record it.
Cheongul: It’s always a group effort.
Would you want to do this again?
Ki-tae: This interview? Sure.
He’s such a smart aleck.
Cheongul: She means be an idol, baka.
Ki-tae: I knew that, just teasing. Cheongul-a is too serious sometimes. We have to keep him on his toes.
HanYin: Ignore them. They do this all the time. I don’t think any of us would say no to being idols again. I mean we are who we are. For all the things that make us crazy, there are more that make us happy.
While HanYin is speaking, Ki-tae sticks his tongue out at Cheongul. I’ve never seen retribution promised in a look until now. I have no doubt Ki-tae is due for some payback when Cheongul gets him alone. Ki-tae went from serious idol to mischievous boy and back in the blink of an eye, but Cheongul stayed professional. Yet, I’ve seen clips and videos of him being just as silly as the other two. I wonder what gets him to loosen up?
What do you feel is the best song you’ve recorded?
They do that silent communication again. It’s almost eerie.
Cheongul: Collectively, we like Crossing Time.
HanYin: It’s about love lasting an eternity.
Ki-tae: It’s about continuing to search for that love until you find it no matter how long it takes. Everyone searches for love, right? Some people give up. Others don’t. Crossing Time is about not giving up.
What genre of music would you like to explore together as a group?
Cheongul: I’d like to do more with the rock/pop combination, maybe incorporate more rap elements.
HanYin: I like that idea. I’d like us try more in the folk genre, give it a pop twist, maybe. I like some of the ballads and traditional folk music.
Ki-tae: I think even as a tenor you did well with the growl in Call the Dragon. We all had that vocal training and with more practice and maybe working with someone who sings in that style frequently, we could put something together. I like the idea of working in more rock elements. The beat drops can blend with a tight guitar riff. As far as the folk music, I think we could take some traditional music and include some EDM elements, perhaps take some myths and legends, and turn them into songs, tell traditional stories through music. That’d be cool. It’s not so much a musical genre, but it would be interesting to play with.
And just like that, I see them become immersed in the creative process, playing ideas off each other in these few brief moments. It gives me just a glimpse of what it must be like when they’re in the studio together. They seem to mesh so well together.
We’ve heard how the Bam Kiseu sound has changed, has the band dynamic changed? If so, how?
Cheongul: I don’t think it has, not really. We still make decisions as a group and we’re still happy with how things are working.
Ki-tae: It’s a case of why change what works?
HanYin: Me neither. I think we still function the same now as we did in the beginning. I mean Cheongul-a is still the leader and we let him because he’s, honestly, the most responsible one of us.
That earns a smile from Cheongul and there’s no denying he is the most… sober of the three of them. It’s not hard to picture him as the most responsible one of the group.
There have never been any rumors about contention between you three, do you guys ever argue?
Cheongul: Yeah, we have arguments, especially when Ki-tae-ya is being a pain in the… studio, making us sing the same segment over and over, and over a million times.
Ki-tae: Or when Cheongul-a is being stubborn and won’t sing like I know he can.
HanYin: And then I have to throw them both out to cool off before I lock them in separate closets and finish the tracks myself. Once we’ve all calmed down, we come back into the studio and everyone gets a chance to talk. Once we’re done talking, we try again. Eventually, we get over it because, in the end, this is our job and we love it.
Again, I see the camaraderie between them. They may fight, but it doesn’t change the closeness between them.
How different are your stage personas from who you are as individuals?
HanYin: Cheongul-a is more talkative onstage! And he smiles more.
Cheongul: That’s because I have to worry about you two more offstage than on!
Ki-tae: No, you just really love being onstage as much as we do. Sometimes, he’s just really intense no matter where he is. HanYin-a is more… boyish offstage, more playful. Onstage, he’s all serious and sexy. The fangirls and boys eat it up.
HanYin: Ki-tae-ya doesn’t change much from one to the other. He’s like this most of the time! He’s a big flirt on or off the stage!
Ki-tae: You’re a monk!
HanYin: I am not, I’m selective!
Ki-tae: Monk!
HanYin pounces on Ki-tae, putting him in a headlock. The two of them are known for their wrestling around. Cheongul just heaves a sigh.
Cheongul: See what I have to put up with? They’re always like this before a concert.
Fortunately, it doesn’t take long for HanYin and Ki-tae to settle down. Our time is almost up so I just have one more question to ask.
What’s next for Bam Kiseu?
Cheongul: We have tonight’s spring concert. It’s going to be a lot of fun.
HanYin: We plan on mixing it up a bit with some old stuff and some new tracks.
Ki-tae: And some new takes on some old tracks.
Cheongul: We also plan on releasing an album soon which will probably be a compilation of the songs performed tonight.
Ki-tae: Tonight’s show should prove to be unforgettable.
I have to say it was fun talking with Bam Kiseu and seeing the way they interact with each other in person. They’re always playful when I see them onstage and very professional when being interviewed on TV. I thought I would get the same when I sat down with them, but they seemed very laid back and relaxed. I look forward to tonight’s concert. See you there!
Blurb:
What could be frightening enough to freeze the blood of a centuries-old Vampire turned K-pop idol?
Being bound to someone.
University student Cheong Jin-woo dreams of working in the arts, especially for BL Entertainment and his favorite band, Bam Kiseu. After seeing the band perform, Jin-woo separates from his friends to explore. What he discovers backstage will change his life.
Does he embrace it or run?
Jung Ki-tae has kept his secret for centuries—until a young fan interrupts his feeding. Even more disturbing is the instant bond Ki-tae feels with Jin-woo—a complication he refuses to allow. Yet resisting becomes increasingly difficult as Jin-woo and a group of students win the chance to make a video for the band, working closely with them for weeks. The obsession Ki-tae felt toward Jin-woo—even before tasting his blood—deepens into genuine feelings, feelings that terrify Ki-tae. But when he finds a way to break the bond, he’s torn between severing the connection and protecting Jin-woo….
Especially with a mysterious killer getting closer.
Jin-woo was late and Min-su was going to kill him, but if he hadn’t gone back to the studio, they wouldn’t have their visuals, and then she would have killed him slowly. He’d had to scramble to find someone with the keys, too, forcing him to miss all the other presentations. He never realized how hard it was to find maintenance personnel on a campus this size. When he finally reached Min-su, she looked scared as hell.
“What?” he asked. “What is it? What’s wrong?”
“Um, I… I can’t breathe. I really… can’t.” Min-su puffed out her cheeks and fanned her face. “I didn’t…. If I had known, I would have chosen a different outfit. I would have done my hair, and my makeup is just…. Dammit. Why didn’t anyone tell me they were going to be here?”
“What the heck is she talking about, Jong-in-a?” Jin-woo demanded.
“We’re not just presenting to Park Soon-joon hyung,” Jong-in said quietly.
“Of course we aren’t. Seonsaengnim is there as well,” Jin-woo said. “This isn’t new.”
“It’s…. We’re…. Jin-woo-ya, Bam Kiseu is in that room!” Min-su said, grabbing him by his vest and shaking him back and forth. “HanYin oppa is in that room! Ki-tae oppa is in that room! Cheongul oppa is in that room!”
Jin-woo did the only thing he could think of. He slapped her.
Min-su stumbled back a few steps and just stared at him. Then she narrowed her eyes and came at him.
Jin-woo threw up his hands in defense of the punch coming his way.
“I’m sorry!” But it never landed. He peeked with one eye. Min-su looked completely calm.
“Thank you,” she said with a sigh. “I was losing my shit, and that’s not acceptable.”
“You’re good?” Jin-woo said.
“I’m good.”
“Good,” Jin-woo said as he began to shake. “I’m going to pass out now.”
And he did just that.
Jin-woo didn’t remember hitting the floor, but he figured that must have happened, as he was staring up at the ceiling with Min-su slapping his face and Jong-in looking terribly concerned. He caught Min-su’s wrist and held her hand to his face for a few moments, closing his eyes once more.
“No, you cannot pass out on us again. We’re up next, Jin-woo-ya!” Min-su said, an edge of desperation in her voice.
“I’m not going to pass out again. I just wanted you to stop slapping me and calm down,” he said. Then he slowly sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He looked at Jong-in and teased, “You couldn’t have caught me?”
“Nope, Min-su-ya was in the way.”
“Hey, this is not my fault,” she said, putting her hands on her hips.
“Well, you were shaking Jin-woo-ya pretty hard,” Jong-in pointed out. “There’s no need to panic. They’re people, just like us.”
No, not just like us, Jin-woo thought but wisely kept the words to himself.
Author Bio
An avid reader, E.T. finds inspiration in all her favorite genres, from mainstream romance by her favorite authors to Japanese manga and anime. To her, even the classic fairytales hold that spark of motivation and if there is one thing she has learned from her many years of writing solely for herself, it’s this: never deny the Muse, she gets cranky and pulls out the bullwhip. E.T. Malinowski is the youngest of seven girls. It was her love of reading that eventually led her to attempt writing. From there, a passion was born.
She began writing romance in her early teens and, at that time, never dreamed of sharing her work with anyone. With the help of several dear friends, not to mention her ex-husband, she found the courage to take that last step towards publication. As the single mother of three rambunctious boys, finding time to write is a bit difficult. Yet E.T. manages to do it, even if it’s on break or lunch at a regular day job.
She has found her place in homoerotic romance. To her, love doesn’t recognize gender rel=”noopener”boundaries and is always special. An avid reader, E.T. finds inspiration in all her favorite genres, from mainstream romance by her favorite authors to Japanese manga and anime. To her, even the classic fairytales hold that spark of motivation and if there is one thing she has learned from her many years of writing solely for herself, it’s this: never deny the Muse, she gets cranky and pulls out the bullwhip.
