Tag: LGBTQ Book Blog Tour

Jade: First and Last by M.D. Grimm Blog Tour + Excerpt

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book EventsLeave a comment

Good day lovely readers! Thank you for joining me. I am M.D. Grimm and I am here to promote my newest release, “Jade: First and Last.” This is the latest entry in The Stones of Power, and the structure became a quest story, much the same as the first book in the series. I kept making it worse for my guys as they searched for the jade stone of power. And I had a bit too much fun doing so. I only have four books left before I wrap things up for Lord Morgorth and Aishe, and I am both excited and saddened. They’ve been with me for a decade, and it will be an end of an era when I let them go. If you like magic, surly, anti-hero mages (wizards), their loyal, long-suffering mates, and a fun setting with quirky supporting characters, this series might be for you!

Enjoy this exclusive excerpt!

**

I stared in fascination as Morgorth’s skin rippled and the air around him shimmered. He’d confirmed how agonizing the change was, and I gritted my teeth at the sounds of breaking bones and snapping tendons. His proportions shrank, his skin erupted in feathers, and his face grew a beak. His low moan turned into a ruckus caw.

A long moment later a large black bird stood on the floor, ruffling his feathers, and clicking his beak. He flapped his wings and cocked his head, familiarizing himself with his new form.

I knelt in front of him and slipped the small cord over his head. The thumbnail-size crystal lay against his chest. “You are beautiful.”

He let out a soft sound, almost a coo, and flapped his wings hard, gaining lift. I stood and he fluttered over to land on my shoulder.

“Are you ready?”

He nipped at my hair.

I hid him under my cloak as we snuck out. Once outside, I drew up my hood, since Morgorth advised against using the same disguise potion as yesterday. He didn’t want to make me sick. I stepped around the corner once outside, and Morgorth took flight, wheeling a bit unsteadily through the air. I watched for a moment, anxious before following him on foot. The city was far busier in the early afternoon. Everyone moved with a purpose and rarely made eye contact or even greeted each other. I didn’t sense unfriendliness, more unease and a bit of fear.

As I followed Morgorth down a few side streets we’d tried the other night, I noticed the graffiti on the walls and spots of vandalism. I hadn’t spotted them in the dark. The words were in the local dialect, but I could understand the meaning well enough. Calls for revolution or for someone to depose the king.

I got a bit distracted, trying to decipher a few of the words and graphic pictures, and wondering if the current state of the city, and the kingdom as a whole, could have an impact on the thief’s actions. A group of children, none at puberty yet, ran past me, screaming and hollering in manic glee. I flinched at the noise but found myself smiling. Even in this devastated city, the perseverance of children couldn’t be dampened. But their ragged clothing, dirty faces, and bare feet, concerned me. They were far too skinny, and their body odor lingered in their wake.

“What’s all this noise?” an old man bellowed as he stuck his head out of his door. “You get out of here, you little maggots! None of us wants to hear you carrying on.”

The kids jeered and called him names, making the old man red in the face.

I was moving forward before I knew it, hoping to stop an altercation. But then the swooping of wings, and the brush of feathers against my hood brought me back to our mission. Morgorth cawed as he soared higher. I gritted my teeth against the instinctive urge to interfere. But the kids had already run away, and the old man turned his attention to me.

He glared. “What you looking at, you davish?”

I stiffened, the insult burning. “Nothing.”

He snorted. “Get back to your own country and out of our city, tree whore. We don’t want your kind here.”

I gaped as he shut the door.

Did he just…? Was that a derogatory name for dialen? Had to be. And how dare he call me a davish! The nerve of accusing a perfect stranger of rutting with animals. The old man’s vitriol staggered me. He hated me for even existing in his presence. It appeared that generations of war turned some bitter and hateful, and irrationally bigoted.

How had he known I was a dialen, though? My hood was still in place, and the cloak was big enough to cover my clothing. Could it be my bow? Perhaps. It wasn’t the same shape and style as the bows of the city.

I sighed and tried to shake it off as I turned and followed Morgorth again. The encounter shook me despite my best efforts. The despair permeating the city was even worse in the daytime when I could see the faces of the citizens and the resignation in their eyes.

I lifted the crystal to my lips. “We have to do something about this war, Morgorth. After we find the jade, we have to… I don’t know. This place, it… we have to help if we can.”

He gave two clicks.

I sighed.

The afternoon wore on, and I witnessed a half dozen thefts, and it sickened me to turn away. But when I spotted three men harassing a woman, I couldn’t stand by. They had her backed into the end of an alley and were tugging at her arms, her clothes. I didn’t want the attention of the patrols or soldiers, so I kept my arrows and sword sheathed and used my bow as a club instead.

“Hey, you should leave her alone if you know what’s good for you!”

They all turned to me. I kept my hood up, bow at the ready.

“Who are you?” one of them asked, the one gripping her arm.

“And if you know what’s good for you, you won’t interfere,” another said.

The two speakers were rather scrawny, underfed, and their clothes were more patches than fabric. The third was a wide, short stump of a man who scowled and said nothing.

“Please help me!” the woman said, struggling against the first man’s hold.

“I won’t offer another warning,” I said, wondering where in the underworld the patrols were.

“Neither will we. Ander!”

The stump of a man charged me.

I braced and lifted my bow.

**

The Stones of Power 1-9 are available for purchase at Amazon, Smashwords, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble. I have a newsletter that I send out monthly with all the goodies you can expect in the future. That’s the best way to find out about my current and future projects.

I’m currently working on the next Shifter Chronicles book, as well as the first book in a duology concerning two sisters and their love lives with dragons and wolves.

More information on my catalog can be found at my website.

I hope you stay safe and healthy, and may dragons guard your dreams,

M.D. Grimm

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Jade: First and Last - M.D. Grimm

M.D. Grimm has a new MM fantasy book out, Stones of Power book 9 – Jade: First and Last.

Morgorth and Aishe must contend with a deadly threat that could spell disaster for their world.

Payshthas were the first of the Mother’s intelligent children. It is rare for true friendship to form between them and another species—which makes Morgorth’s bond with Enfernlo unique. And it is due to their friendship that Morgorth doesn’t hesitate to answer Enfernlo’s plea for help.

A thief has stolen something vital from Enfernlo’s colony—a stone of power.

Their hunt for the stone leads them to a war torn kingdom, and Aishe can hardly stomach what he sees. The devastation urges him to assist however he can, no matter the risk. Meanwhile, Morgorth is faced with reminders of the monster he used to be, and contemplates how far he’s come, and yet how far he still has to go. And when his estranged mentor joins them on their search, Morgorth is forced to confront his resentment and sense of betrayal, and use Master Ulezander as a tool to save the payshthas.

Forced into a deadly quest where trust is in short supply, and faced with challengers for the stone, Morgorth must put his faith in those he loves and in himself… and become a champion not just of the Mother but for Karishian itself.

Warnings: magic violence, dragon violence, war-torn country

About the Series:

Lord Morgorth is a dark mage on the planet Karishian. His peers consider him a villain, but there is more to him than they choose to understand. Cursed by a dark destiny and tormented by painful memories of the past, Morgorth struggles to find his place in the world. Far from innocent, Morgorth has teetered between embracing his destiny and fighting against it his entire life. A decision that is made easier when Aishe comes into his life.

Aishe is a creature of the forest, a warrior and healer. He has the moral compass that Morgorth needs, and Morgorth gives Aishe the companionship he craves. Together, they forge ahead, weathering the storms and fighting the enemies fate puts into their paths.

However, their greatest enemy is not a living being, but gemstones infused with deadly power. They are addictive, seductive, and completely treacherous. Morgorth hates them and is determined to find and imprison all of them. But he soon realizes they are keys to a greater power. He learns his destiny is not all he thought it was. And an even greater enemy stirs in the darkness.

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Giveaway

M.D. is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour:

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Excerpt

Jade: First and Last meme

Morgorth snarled a word, and his magick speed shot him like an arrow into the tunnels. I followed in his wake, focusing on the eight gVattaren who were running away. The hard sand didn’t hinder us, and I caught up with their shorter strides. I shot two in the neck before those remaining reeled around and attacked. They cursed and squealed as their blades blinded me when the sun broke the horizon. I dropped my bow and grabbed my short sword.

With my own snarl, I barreled into them. My blade sang as I swung at their arms and heads while also dodging and swerving as they tried to stick me with their knives. The six surrounded me, and while a few broke through my defenses and slashed at my legs, their blades glanced off my armored clothing. It didn’t take long for the gVattaren to realize they couldn’t puncture through the cloth to my flesh.

One sneaky fellow sliced the back of my uncovered hand while another threw a blade at my face. I ducked and hissed at the sting on my hand. I cut off their arm while slashing at the one who’d flung the knife.

“What do you hope to accomplish?” I asked, spitting mad. “Do you not see the payshtha over there? He can burn you to a crisp in an instant!”

“Then why hasn’t he?” one of them said, voice raspy and filled with dark amusement.

I turned to the mocker and found an opening to kick them in the head. They dropped like a stone and the other five hissed and snarled.

“I’m not done having fun yet,” I said.

I trusted Morgorth to recover whatever they’d thrown into the tunnel as I gradually moved them farther away from the Jesllan. The small group was vicious and quick, fueled by rage. I would have been bleeding from many shallow wounds if Morgorth hadn’t enchanted my clothing. But then they surged toward me all at once, and one leapt upon my back, trying to stab my face. I gripped their wrist and twisted sharply. With a snap and a scream, they fell off me, dropping the blade. Unfortunately, with their other hand, the stabber grabbed my wrist and used their weight to force me to drop my sword arm. Then they clung and bit my hand, turning the previous slice into torn and mangled flesh that gushed blood.

I screamed, unable to shake them off.

I dropped my sword.

Seizing the opportunity, the other four attempted to saw their way through my clothing. They clung like leeches, and their combined weight made it hard for me to move.

“Get off me!” I punched at their heads with my free hand and struggled to keep my face beyond their reach.

“Close your eyes!” Enfernlo bellowed.

I snapped them shut an instant before hot air slammed into my back and engulfed me. The gVattaren shrieked in agony as the five spasmed against me. Then all the weight vanished, and it was silent except for the roar of the wind. Then that, too, dissipated.

I swayed and fell to one knee, panting. When I opened my eyes, I grimaced. The streaks of ash against the crystallized sand told me it hadn’t been hot wind, but payshtha fire. He’d disintegrated the gVattaren, just as I’d warned them he’d do.

Payshthas, like mages, could control their fire and who it harmed. To some extent, at least. But while mages needed to retain the connection to their fire, payshthas could direct it even when the bond was severed.

I tucked my mangled hand to my chest and grabbed my sword with the other. It was no worse for the wear, much to my relief. I turned and jolted. Enfernlo stood just behind, towering over me, his teeth bared, his eyes glimmering dark with rage. His wings were unfurled to their full span, and his posture reminded me of a striking snake or diving bird.

I was grateful my bowels didn’t betray me.

“Aishe!”

I turned and Morgorth engulfed me in his arms.

“Careful,” I said, grunting.

He jerked back and swept his gaze over me before focusing on my hand. His mouth twisted and his magick flared. “I’m sorry. Right after I retrieved that bomb they threw in, another group leapt out of the sand and attacked.”

I cupped his cheek with my good hand and met his gaze. “I’m all right.”

“Show me your hand,” Enfernlo said.

He no longer looked about to attack, and I breathed easier as I held out my hand. A gentle stream of fire blew out of his mouth and landed on my wound. It seeped into the torn flesh, glowed yellow, and then vanished. The pain stopped, my hand as good as new.

“Thank you.” I touched his snout.

Then I turned to Morgorth and cupped his cheek again. “And thank you for the clothes.”

He grunted. He covered my hand on his cheek and kissed my palm.

Author Bio

M.D. Grimm has wanted to write stories since second grade (kind of young to make life decisions, but whatever) and nothing has changed since then (well, plenty of things actually, but not that!). Thankfully, she has indulgent parents who let her dream, but also made sure she understood she’d need a steady job to pay the bills (they never let her forget it!).

After graduating from the University of Oregon and majoring in English, (let’s be honest: useless degree, what else was she going to do with it?) she started on her writing career and couldn’t be happier. Working by day and writing by night (or any spare time she can carve out), she enjoys embarking on romantic quests and daring adventures (living vicariously, you could say) and creating characters that always triumph against the villain, (or else what’s the point?) finding their soul mate in the process.

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

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100001710645622

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4574220.M_D_Grimm

Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/m-d-grimm/

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/m-d-grimm/

Author Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/M.D.-Grimm/e/B00I0KZMY6/

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Blog Tour: Lord Manetu (Blackwood Pack Series Book 12) by Mary Rundle + Exclusive Excerpt

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book EventsLeave a comment

Hi Everyone! So glad to be here and today there’s an exclusive excerpt from Lord Manetu, Book 12 of the Blackwood Pack series. It’s about Theo, Norm, and Smokey who have a rocky path  to their HEA but not to worry because the Blackwood Pack is always ready to step in with a helping hand. Please enjoy! 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After promising Jackson he would not seek out Theo until given permission, Smokey left the study, heading outside. He needed the peace of the forest to help settle his thoughts about what his options were concerning his mate. Opening the front door, he stepped outside, ignoring his bear’s objections. While he could understand and even agree with his animal’s demand for vengeance, he knew they belonged here with their mate. Revenge would have to wait. 

Pausing on the porch, Smokey glanced around, smirking at the enforcers casually scattered around the edge of the forest. There wasn’t a doubt in his mind what their assignment was but that wouldn’t be necessary. He had no intention of doing anything that would cause his mate more anxiety. Nodding briefly to the leader, he stepped off the porch, heading for a path leading into the trees. 

The quietness of Smokey’s footsteps on the thick bed of pine needles had the effect on his bear he hoped for. The anger was gone, stripped from his animal by the stillness of the forest surrounding them. Now he could think without dealing with the wild mood swings of his bear. 

Moving slowly through the trees, Smokey let his senses savor the forest sounds and scents, reminding him of the many times spent with his grandfather learning the ways of the ancient ones. He kept that knowledge locked up, guarded against all who might seek to destroy it or use it for nefarious purposes. It was a part of him that had remained a secret—at least most of it—from even his two best friends.

But somehow Ghost had found out about some of it, which is why he’d insisted Smokey use it to save Harte. Thinking it over as his mind cleared in the peaceful surroundings of the forest, the impact of Ghost’s knowing about his power chilled him to the core. Not only did it expose him to danger, but it also compromised his friend—who couldn’t possibly know how vulnerable he might now be. Dammit! 

Continuing on the path, Smokey headed deeper into the forest, letting the shadows cool his agitation. Ghost’s knowledge would have to be handled soon, but there were other matters he needed to figure out first. Turning his attention to his mate, the image of Theo filled his mind, causing his bear to roar in approval. I agree…our mate is gorgeous…and brave…and smart! Everything he learned from Jackson told him the Fates had found him a mate worthy of sharing the world he was born into; the problem was Theo was already spoken for.

Fucking hell! Slamming his fist into the trunk of the nearest tree, Smokey howled in frustration, cursing the turn his life had taken. Nothing had ever been easy, so why did he expect his mating to be? Rubbing his fist, he resumed walking, concentrating on the questions Jackson asked him, questions he hadn’t been able to answer. 

He decided to start with the easiest one. Can you raise Theo’s cub even though you’re not the father? Smokey carefully examined his feelings and those of his bear and after talking it over with his animal, he knew the answer. Blood alone did not make a father, but the love he already felt for the cub certainly did. And the thought he might never get to show the cub his love caused a deep ache in his heart.

Trying to ignore it, Smokey moved on to the next question. Can you accept the father of the cub and welcome him into your mating? Listening to his bear growl in response, he knew it would be a problem—not for him, but definitely for his animal. That was the reason he couldn’t immediately give Jackson the assurances he was looking for. As far as he was concerned, he owed…what was his name? oh yeah, Norman…Norman for saving Theo’s life. According to Jackson, Norman was the reason his mate made it through the hell of Arald’s prison.

Pausing as the growls of his bear grew louder, Smokey gave his animal the finger, refusing to kowtow to his demands this time. It was rare for Smokey to stand up to his bear, but too much was at stake to give in. Finding a fallen tree trunk, he sat down on it and called to his animal’s spirit, seeking a meeting with him. Once the spirit appeared, Smokey closed his eyes and released control of his human spirit. Falling into a trance, he watched and listened as his spirit explained the issues to his bear’s spirit. Smokey knew the only way to gain his animal’s cooperation was if their spirits were in agreement. 

Lord Manetu - Mary Rundle

Mary Rundle has a new MM paranormal romance out, Blackwood Pack book 12: Lord Manetu. And there’s a giveaway.

This is part of a continuing series by Amazon Bestselling Author, Mary Rundle – reading the previous titles is advised. Readers will enjoy catching up with members of the Blackwood Pack and reading about what is happening to them as the pack does what it does best ̶ caring for one another and helping shifters everywhere.

Barely surviving Arald’s prison, Theo’s luck has finally changed. Discovering an unknown passion for cooking, he’s settled into his new life with his fiancé at the Blackwood Pack. He’s excited about tying the knot with Norm in the company of all their friends. It’s everything Norm promised him during their bleakest days of incarceration and he doesn’t think he can be any happier.

Waking up at Arald’s, Norm’s sole mission in life is to help his Fated Mate, Theo, survive the horrors inflicted on them both. Now free, he sets about to make all of Theo’s dreams come true, including the most important one, the cub his mate so dearly wants.

Smokey heads North to pick up Kevin’s parents and deliver them to the Blackwood Pack before hurrying back to LA. Easy-peasy…right? That’s what Smokey thinks but then, what is supposed to be a simple mission, turns into a race to avoid human hunters who have already shot Kevin’s father. Using his skills honed as a secret agent, Smokey manages to elude the hunters, heal the father’s wound and then successfully transport them to safety only to find the Fates have a surprise waiting for him.

After a series of misunderstandings and then with some help from Jackson, the pack’s Alpha, Theo and Norm finally accept Smokey as their mate and set upon a journey to unite the three of them. Discovering truths about their past lives leads to uncovering long-kept secrets that end up bonding Theo, Norm and Smokey together, giving each more love and happiness than they ever knew existed.

Astounding surprises, rare and unique gifts, an action-packed mission, and many unexpected twists and turns make this passionate love story by Mary Rundle impossible to put down once you’ve read the first page.

Get It On Amazon

Giveaway

Mary is giving away a $50 Amazon gift card with this tour:

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Excerpt

Peering into the underbrush to his left, Smokey found the glowing eyes of Ivan’s mountain lion staring back at him, waiting for the signal to attack. Then swiveling his head to the right, he found a pair of gleaming wolf eyes focused on him. Satisfied, he looked up through the branches of some huge pine trees, searching for Hawkeye, but the sky was empty. Huffing quietly, he turned his attention back to the three men in front of the cave where Kevin’s parents were holed up. Studying his preys’ body language, he deduced that the man on the left was the leader, while the other two were carrying out his orders.

Gesturing with one of his paws to Ivan, Smokey pointed out the man he was going to kill.

Ivan nodded, impressed by the giant paw with razor sharp claws.

Suddenly a hoarse screech broke the silence as a Red-Tail Hawk dive bombed the clearing at the mouth of the cave, causing the men surrounding it to scatter and duck. Before they could recover, a thunderous roar froze them in place.

Smokey’s bear rushed forward, his paw aimed at the leader, his four-inch claws easily piercing the man’s back. Ignoring the ear-splitting scream of pain, he clutched his prize then, pausing for a moment, he tore the man’s heart out. Swinging around, he saw Ivan’s mountain lion momentarily incapacitated by bear spray. Smokey’s eyes glowed red with anger as he aimed a paw at the man with the spray, his claws sinking deep into his stomach, eviscerating him. Scooping out his victim’s guts and scattering them on the ground, he then moved on to the next target.

Though all three men had now been killed, Smokey’s bear was still in a frenzy. Anger pulsed through him, demanding further revenge against those who dared hurt Kevin’s parents. Lifting up his head, Smokey’s bear roared again, silencing the forest as he broadcast his displeasure. Finally, after several more bellows, Smokey forced his bear into a shift and reclaimed his human form, his body still filled with adrenaline. Opening and closing his fists, Smokey slowed his breathing, calming himself. Standing in the clearing, he surveyed the bloody scene before turning to Ivan. “Anyone injured?”

Smirking, Ivan’s eyes lingered on the bodies of the men lying on the ground. “I’m assuming you don’t mean them. In that case, nope, other than a few scratches, everyone’s fine.”

“Smartass!” Before Smokey could say more, he heard Elen calling his name. Whirling around, he ran toward the cave, his gut tightening at the sound of panic in her voice. Once inside, he blinked several times until his eyes adjusted to the darkness, then spying Elen kneeling next to Harte, he rushed over to her. Dropping down beside her, he asked, “What happened?”

“He’s been shot and I can’t stop the bleeding, Gabriel.”

“Lemme see.” After Elen removed her hand from the blood-soaked cloth, Smokey gently lifted it, inhaling sharply at the still-bleeding wound. With the amount of blood Harte was losing, it was impossible for him to be moved. Replacing the bandage quickly, he said, “Here, press down as hard as you can.”

“Gabe, he needs to shift now. His heart has already stopped once.”

“I know…” Lifting his right hand, he extended a claw before cutting open his left wrist. Waiting a second until blood flowed from the wound, he put the open cut tightly against Harte’s mouth. “C’mon Harte…drink,” he muttered.

“Will it work?” asked Elen, trying to hide her fear.

“I don’t know…he’s weak.” Reaching down, with his right hand, he pinched Harte’s nose closed, hoping the lack of air would cause him to open his mouth. Waiting for Harte’s survival instinct to kick in felt like hours for Smokey, who was running through other options in his mind. But suddenly he felt a tugging at the cut as Harte started swallowing his blood. Removing his fingers from the man’s nose, Smokey was relieved to see the rise and fall of Harte’s chest as his breathing became steady.

Harte drank for several minutes before Smokey gently pulled his wrist away, licking his cut to seal it. “That should be enough for it to work,” he murmured, leaving the part ‘if it’s gonna work’ unsaid. There wasn’t any reason to stress out Elen anymore than she already was, especially since she was critical to her husband’s survival.

Glancing at the man she regarded as her second son, Elen softly said, “Thank you for coming, Gabriel.”

“No thanks needed,” Smokey smiled. “Kevin would kick my ass if I hadn’t.”

A shadow passed over Elen’s face at the mention of her son. “You haven’t found him yet.”

Placing his large hand over Elen’s delicate fingers, Smokey squeezed lightly. “No, but I will…promise.”

Author Bio

Mary Rundle logo

A few years ago, I wrote my first book, Dire Warning. Readers loved it and I was on my way to chronicle the Blackwood Pack, seven brothers who are gay wolf shifters in search of their fated mates—stories about love at first sight with twists and turns, angst and humor, romance and adventure and, of course, happy endings. Since then, the pack has expanded, allowing more stories to be told and different paranormals to be included. The series has become, as one reader described it…an “Epic Saga.”

Now, twelve books later, Lord Manetu, has just been published. I love the M/M paranormal genre because it gives my imagination a lot of territory in which to roam. My mind can really run wild and come up with some amazing stuff when it doesn’t have to stay inside the box. My story ideas come to me as if they were being channeled by my characters, all of whom I love (except for a few villains). They are eager to recount their lives, loves and adventures, and are not reluctant to let it all out when it comes to revealing steamy details. My writing style is free-wheeling and uninhibited and my readers tell me they love it that way; that it makes them feel like they’re right in on the action and a member of the Blackwood Pack.

I live in the Northeast and love the beautiful change of seasons, my husband, and our quirky calico cat, though not necessarily in that order. I read a lot (good for the mind) and love gardening (good for the soul). And I’m always happy to hear from my readers and can be reached through Facebook, my private Facebook Group, Twitter, Instagram, or my website.

Author Website: http://www.maryrundle.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/maryrundle69

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

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maryrundle69

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14246427.Mary_Rundle

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Better Latte Than Never by CC Bridges Blog Tour + Guest Post

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, Guest PostLeave a comment

When I start writing a book, I always seem to know one character better than the other. That means I have to work a little harder at getting to know the second character. I find that as I write the story, I learn more about the characters, and then I usually have to go back and revise the beginning with what I’ve learned.

It was no different when writing “Better Latte Than Never.” When I started writing this book, I really got Finn. He is, after all, like me, a writer.

But there is more to Finn than that. 

Finn writes incredibly popular books under the pen name Morgan Heart. All of his novels are tragic love stories, where one half of the couple always dies at the end. Originally his first novel had a happy ending, but before he submitted it, he went back and changed it. Why? Because it’s not realistic.

Finn doesn’t believe in happy endings. 

In “Better Latte Than Never”, he confesses to Enzo why. His own parents had the greatest love story he’d ever seen, only for his mother to die young of cancer. His father never recovered from her loss, dying of a heart attack a few years later. This tragedy shaped Finn, made him the person he is today, writing his parents story over and over, although he doesn’t even realize he’s doing it.

Finn has a bubble around his own heart. He expects every relationship he has to fail. He keeps looking for the cracks, knowing an ending must come at some point. Because of this, he never lets himself relax, knowing something tragic is going to happen. He’s so focused on the ending, that sometimes he sees problems where there aren’t any.

When I started writing, I knew I had this poor shattered character, someone walking around with a broken heart but unwilling to do anything about it. Who could heal his heart? 

That’s where Enzo steps in. I knew he had to be completely different, that he had to shine a light on all of Finn’s shadows. But at first, I didn’t know who he was other than he worked in the coffee shop.

It became very clear that Enzo was an artist. And in contrast to Finn, he had absolutely no problems with his own creativity. In fact, his art is how Enzo sees the world. He frequently thinks of things in shades of paint.

Enzo doesn’t immediately heal Finn’s heart. No, first he heals his soul, opening Finn to a new world of creativity, bringing him back to the time before his writer’s block. 

But Enzo isn’t just Finn’s muse. In a now deleted line from my first draft, I have Enzo angrily tell Finn he’s “not his manic pixie dream boy.” Enzo has his own dreams and problems. He’s estranged from his parents. His best friend and roommate is moving out. He’s got to figure out if he wants a real 9 to 5 job or if he wants to keep trying to make it with his art. And that’s when Finn steps into his life and turns everything upside down.

I hope you check out “Better Latte Than Never” to see how these two manage to make it work, and the incredible art they make together.

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CC Bridges has a new MM contemporary romance out: Better Latte Than Never. And there’s a giveaway.

Finn’s love stories always end in death.

He’s made millions writing as author Morgan Heart and his fans can’t get enough of his tragic love stories. But a bad breakup results in a killer case of writer’s block, and Finn needs to try something drastic to fix it, like. . .going to a coffee shop to write. There’s got to be a reason it’s a cliche, and in his world, cliches sell.

He shouldn’t be flirting with the hot, younger barista. He shouldn’t be using said beautiful barista as another character to kill off in his new book. And he sure as hell shouldn’t be getting his heart involved, especially since he’s still keeping his real identity secret.

Working at his aunt’s coffee shop is a temporary thing. . . that’s been going on for eight years now. One day soon Enzo is finally going to make it big with his art and move on. But when Finn walks into the cafe – confident, mature, put together, everything Enzo is not – he can’t help developing a huge crush, even if Finn is a customer.

As their relationship deepens, Finn’s deceptions and Enzo’s insecurities threaten to undermine everything they are starting to build together. If they can each confront their inner demons, then Finn might be writing a happy ending for the first time in his life.

Better Latte Than Never is an m/m age gap, coffee shop romance featuring a slow burn attraction that grows steamier than an espresso machine.

Warnings: Mention of partner betrayal, death of character’s parents in the past

Universal Buy Link

Giveaway

CC is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour:

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Excerpt

Better Latte Than Never meme

Yeah, the cafe was so damn predictable. Except for this new guy.

Enzo downed his cake and tossed the plate into the trash. He should really square up with his aunt before she left for the day. Still. What if the guy left before Enzo could say anything? He’d make his rounds with the regulars after, but right now, Enzo couldn’t contain his curiosity about the stranger.

He threw on his apron and sauntered over to the corner where the stranger sat half-hidden behind a laptop. If this went wrong, Enzo could claim he’d come over to offer a refill. Not to, you know, see if the guy’s smoldering look when Enzo had walked in the door meant anything.

“Hey.” Enzo cleared his throat. “Thanks for coming to my birthday party.”

The guy looked up from his computer, those gorgeous eyes moving slowly upward in a way that made Enzo want to blush. His jaw was straight and covered with a smattering of stubble. Enzo wanted to rub his hands along it and enjoy the feel of the soft roughness against his fingertips…and in other places. There was an adorable sprinkle of freckles across his sloped nose. But his lips—perfect and pink and a bit too full for a man—were what made Enzo’s thoughts move straight into the gutter.

“It was my pleasure. Enzo, right? I’m Finn.” He held out his hand.

Enzo took it, squeezing tightly. Finn had a firm handshake, but his palm was soft and warm against Enzo’s. When he pulled away, Enzo curled his hand into a fist, wanting to savor that feeling.

“Finn? Is that a nickname?”

“It’s short for Finnegan.”

“Ah, a nice Italian name.” Enzo grinned and, happily, Finn laughed at his joke.

“What brings you to our cafe?” He winced at how terrible that sounded. Apparently Enzo completely forgot how to flirt when it was a customer he thought was hot. He could charm the old ladies like nobody’s business, but a cute guy? Nope.

Finn nodded at his laptop. “Came for the Wi-Fi and stayed for the coffee. And then the surprise party.”

He picked up his fork and stabbed the last piece of cake left on his plate. “This cake is amazing.”

“Everything my aunt bakes is amazing.” Enzo watched the bit of chocolate make its way to Finn’s mouth and the sensual way his lips closed around the metal of the fork. That shouldn’t be turning Enzo on right now, but God, if he didn’t want to follow that piece of cake with his own tongue against Finn’s lips.

“So what do you make that’s amazing?” Finn asked with a wink, and that was when Enzo knew they were in business, or at least on the same wavelength.

He could feel the blush creeping up his cheeks. “I don’t bake, but I do brew a mean cup of espresso.” “I’d love to have a taste.”

“You’ve got—” Enzo gestured to his own face. A smear of chocolate had found its way to Finn’s chin.

“Here.” He picked up a napkin from the table and brushed it away.

Finn took the napkin, his fingers tangling with Enzo’s for a moment. His eyes were smoldering. “Thank you.”

Author Bio

CC Bridges spent her childhood visiting other worlds in books, comics, and the starship Enterprise. It’s no surprise that she ended up a librarian, being surrounded by the books she loves so much. She writes about amazing worlds with honorable heroes. Her hobbies include paying money to get locked in a room for an hour so she can solve puzzles to escape, along with the aforementioned reading. She lives with her husband and son on the Jersey Shore. She is currently pursuing an MFA from Southern New Hampshire University

Author Website: https://www.ccbridges.net

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

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/ccbridges10

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ccbridgesauthor/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/2780312.C_C_Bridges

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/cc-bridges/

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Blog Tour: Try the Tofu (Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat Book 4) by Karenna Colcroft Guest Post + Promotional Post

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, Guest PostLeave a comment

My Co-Writers

Some writers have human co-writers with whom they work on books, or at least are friends with other humans who help them with the writing process. I do have human writing friends.

I also have cats. Two of them. Both of whom watch me judgmentally every time I sit down to write anything. Or look at social media. Or watch TV. Actually, they watch me judgmentally anytime I do anything other than feeding them…

In the photo you can see them judging me for wanting to take their picture. The tortoiseshell is Shinobi; the tuxedo cat is Moony. Shinobi is as old as my writing career; we got her as a kitten in May 2009, while my first book was published in March of that year. We’ve had Moony since March 2014. (NOTE to blog host: Insert attached photo here and delete this sentence, please.)

Like many pet owners, I talk to my cats. Including about plot points in my books. They aren’t usually very helpful in figuring things out, though. Their ideas simply aren’t useful.

Writing can be a very solitary profession. One sits at their computer day after day hoping coherent words come out of their fingers and onto the screen. As a writer, I wrangled with plots, with the characters—who can be even more stubborn and judgmental than my cats sometimes—and with the realization that once I finish writing, I have to edit the dang thing. While I do have friends, and know other writers, and have friends who are writers, most of the time I’m on my own doing this.

Except for the cats. While they do occasionally wander off to chase each other, grab a snack, or, in Moony’s case, chirp at the birds congregating outside my window, they’re always here. They aren’t big fans of the fact that I write about werewolves, though they give me disdainful looks when I suggest werecats instead, but nonetheless they stick by me, as long as I remember to feed them.

I wonder if Kyle Slidell, the vegan werewolf in my Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat series, would want a pet cat? Then again, his mate Tobias probably wouldn’t let him have one…

As with all of my books, my revising and re-editing of the just-released updated version of Try the Tofu (Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat 4) was accomplished with the help and encouragement of Moony and Shinobi. I hope their fur didn’t get stuck in the pages.

Try the Tofu - Karenna Colcroft

Karenna Colcroft has a new MM paranormal romance out, Real Werewolves Don’t Eat Meat book 4: Try the Tofu. And there’s a giveaway.

As Alpha Tobias Rogan and his mate Kyle Slidell prepare to travel to the regional Alpha gathering, Tobias receives a threatening phone call. If he brings his mate to the gathering, Kyle will not return to Boston. But stubborn Kyle, believing the threat is actually against Tobias, refuses to stay home.

Tobias’s foreboding is proven correct when a visiting stranger challenges Zane Wolfskin, Arkhon of the Northeast Region, to a fight for rank–and wins. Tobias and his allies learn that the challenge was part of a larger plan to destroy their region, something Tobias will not allow. To prevent disaster, Tobias must challenge the new Arkhon himself. But can he survive the attempt?

Warnings: reference to past sexual abuse and trauma, PTSD, violence

About the Series:

Kyle Slidell didn’t move to Boston expecting to be changed into a werewolf. But that’s what happened. He can’t control whether he shifts at the full moon, but he can damn sure continue being vegan–even in wolf form.

Tobias Rogan, Alpha of Boston North Pack, never expected to fall in love with anyone, let alone a man. A male Alpha is not supposed to have a male partner. But when he meets Kyle, he’s immediately attracted. And after Kyle is changed, Tobias realizes the truth: Kyle is not only his partner, but his mate.

The werewolf world isn’t a simple place, and Kyle and Tobias are thrown into the middle of conflict within and among the packs of the United States–a conflict that extends all the way to the top of the werewolf hierarchy. Can they and their love survive what they face?

Get It On Amazon

Giveaway

Karenna is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour:

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Excerpt

I entered our room and closed the door. Kyle flopped down on the bed again. “Sleep.”

“Food,” I said. “Plus our bags will be here any second, so you wouldn’t be able to get much sleep.” I sat on the bed beside him. “What you said earlier.”

“Yeah.” He sat up and took my hand. “I love you. Things have been rough as hell on both of us the past few months, and sometimes it’s hard not to think that they’ve been rough because of us. But we didn’t make bad things happen, and I wouldn’t have gotten through everything if it hadn’t been for you. I don’t want to lose you.”

“I love you too.” My heart melted. No matter how much I wanted to shut him out, I didn’t know whether I would ever actually be able to do it. We had been through hell, no question, with all the times I’d almost lost him, not to mention my own brush with death. But we’d faced it together. He’d brought back a part of me I hadn’t even realized existed, let alone missed, until he made me aware of how long I’d lived without it.

That didn’t mean I was ready to let go of the idea that we might be better off apart. A lot would depend on what happened over the next several days. I couldn’t stand the prospect of him being in danger, and if things went as badly as they had the last time we’d come to Zane’s, I would have some serious decisions to make.

“Tobias, don’t,” he said softly. “Please don’t think about the bad things. We’re here together in our honeymoon suite.” He chuckled. “Zane put us here for a reason, you know. I don’t know if you’ve talked to him about us or if he just figured something out the way he seems to do, but he had an ulterior motive for giving us this room.”

“Yeah, he probably did.” I had to smile at that. Zane was not only tolerant of one of his alphas having a male mate, he wholeheartedly supported the idea. In September, he’d treated Kyle and me the same as any other mated pair, and that meant more than I could express. Just as some werewolves were stuck in the past when it came to the idea of a woman being in charge, some were mired in prejudice and hatred of those who were “different.” Pretty ironic considering that werewolves were different by definition.

But for Zane, Kyle and I weren’t different. He wouldn’t accept any hatred toward us from any other attendees of the gathering, and if he suspected Kyle and I were having problems, it wouldn’t be surprising for him to try to fix them.

“There’s going to be a lot going on.” Kyle moved closer against me. “I know you’ll be busy with all the meetings and things, and I know you have a lot on your mind. But please, Tobias, while we’re here, let’s try to spend some time on us. I want things to be good again.”

“Yeah, me too.”

I put my arm around him and held him tightly. My mate. My lover. The man who had changed my life for the better, bringing me so many good things I’d been missing without even realizing it. I loved him, even if things weren’t great between us right then. He was right to have insisted on coming with me. We could spend time together and try to make things better.

Back in Boston, I had to attend to the pack’s needs. Here, even though I would have to sit in meetings that dealt with anything from changes in protocol to sorting out which pack had the right to hunt deer near the Kancamagus Highway in New Hampshire, I didn’t have to be in charge, and that meant I might have time to actually talk to Kyle. And to listen.

We both turned at the same time and our mouths were together before we had time to think. His tongue touched my lips, and I opened to let him in. The kiss was both tender and rough and sent heat and arousal through to my core.

Author Bio

Karenna Colcroft

Karenna Colcroft lives just north of Boston, Massachusetts, and has been in love with the city since childhood, though she has yet to encounter any werewolves, vampires, or other paranormal beings in her travels. At least none that she knows of. Though since in her non-writing life, under another name, she offers services as a channel and energy healing practitioner, it could be said that she herself is a paranormal being. The jury’s still out on that.

Karenna is a polyamorous, nonbinary human who splits time between the home she shares with her husband and the one she shares with her committed partner. She also has two adult children and a bonus son, three grandchildren, and two and a half cats. (Half in terms of time the cat lives with her, not in terms of the cat itself…)

Find out more about Karenna online at http://www.karennacolcroft.com or https://www.facebook.com/KarennaColcroft. You can also sign up to receive a free short story, and be added to Karenna’s mailing list, at https://karennacolcroft.com/get-your-free-short-story/.

Author Website: https://karennacolcroft.com

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

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

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/karenna-colcroft/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Karenna-Colcroft/author/B0031HAOUK

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Blog Tour: Head over Feels by Bix Barrow + Excerpt

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book EventsLeave a comment
Head Over Feels - Bix Barrow

Bix Barrow has a new MM contemporary romance out (gay, pan): Head Over Feels. And there’s a giveaway.

A luscious pet massage therapist, a gorgeous but grumpy ex-FBI agent, and glitter bombs gone deadly…

Malcolm:

I shouldn’t be jealous of my cat. I am, though. Her pet massage therapist (who knew that was even a thing?) is exactly my type. Smart, funny, and adorable with just the right amount of meat on his bones.

But a guy like that deserves more than a grouchy forty-something ex-FBI agent with a broken body and a screwed-up brain. I’m shocked when he offers a no-strings night together, though I don’t think twice before I’m all in.

I should’ve known better, because one night will never be enough. But before I can ask Felix for more, our awkward morning after turns explosive. And not in a good way

Now I just have to keep Felix alive long enough to catch the bomber. And to capture Felix’s heart.

Felix:

What would happen if everyone you’d ever dated got together and plotted against you?

For me, it’s glitter bombs. Lots and lots of glitter bombs.

Okay, maybe I deserved the first one or two. Or three. But I’ve learned from my mistakes and I’m a better person now. I definitely don’t deserve the latest bomb—this one isn’t made of glitter. Now I’m in hiding with Malcolm, the smokin’ hot older client I just had a sizzling one-night stand with.

Malcolm might be grumpy and prickly, but to me he’s also warm, caring, and romantic. My exes can’t hold a candle to him. But all that glitters is not gold. The bomber still wants me dead, and I’m pretty sure the police arrested the wrong guy.

If Malcolm and I want our HEA, we have to identify the real culprit. I just hope it all doesn’t blow up in our faces.

Head Over Feels is a low-angst MM contemporary romance. Come for the grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity (but there are two beds, sorry), hurt/comfort, and found family. Stay for the bombs (glitter and real), the 1985 Buick Riviera convertible, dreams coming true, atoning for past mistakes, game nights, a dead body, and an online date gone very, very, wrong. HEA guaranteed!

Warnings: PTSD symptoms, bomb explosion, off-page murder, recount of dog euthanasia

Amazon | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

Giveaway

Bix is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card with this tour:

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Excerpt

Head Over Feels meme

(from Felix’s POV)

I was still furious at Jaime’s holier-than-thou attitude about pet massage therapy. Where did he get off thinking he could judge me? At least I’d be helping animals and their owners. He built skyscrapers for rich jerks.

If I winced a little thinking my ex-dates would have a very similar opinion about me if they found out I’d held them up for the world to laugh at, well, that was no one’s business but my own.

Crap.

Anger and guilt were fighting in my gut as I clomped up the stairs and down the hall, turning the corner to reach my apartment. A small box sat in front of my door. Usually the apartment complex sent an email when I had a package delivered, but maybe one of my neighbors had picked it up by mistake.

I checked, and it was addressed to me. Someone is thinking about you was plastered across the outside of the box on colorful tape.

Could it be from my grandma? Sometimes she sent cookies. I’d been planning to spend the rest of the night on the couch with a bottle of cheap vodka, but cookies would be a welcome addition to help drown my feelings. The night was looking up at last.

After dumping my wallet and keys on the kitchen counter, I rooted around in my junk drawer for a pair of shears to open the package with. Inside the outer box was another box tied with curly multicolored ribbon. Thinking of you, said the sticker on the lid.

Smiling, I lifted out the smaller box and tugged on the ribbon.

The box burst open. I flinched back and yelled as a shower of glitter exploded all over the kitchen. And me.

“Ugh!” I spat into the sink to get the glitter out of my mouth. I tried to wipe my face on my sleeve, but my shirt was covered in it too. Luckily I hadn’t gotten any in my eyes, but it was crusted on my eyelids and in my beard.

I swiped at my head to get it out of my hair. The glitter rained down on the counter. Silver glitter. Gold glitter. Red, blue, green glitter.

It covered the counter and the kitchen floor. I didn’t have to look to know it had spread over the opposite side of the counter onto the living room carpet.

Freaking fantastic.

I brushed my hands together to get the worst of it off, then I studied the remains of the box. A spring had powered the little explosion. I found a notecard underneath the glitter and pulled it out. One side of the card showed a drawing of a tree and proclaimed, Our glitter is non-toxic and biodegradable! On the other side someone had handwritten, This is the least you deserve.

It wasn’t signed.

I flashed to my ex-dates. Surely not. I mean, what were the odds they would’ve seen Felicia in the City, much less recognized themselves.

Shaking my head, I set about washing the glitter off my hands, cleaning as much as I could from the counter and the floor, then running my ancient vacuum cleaner over the living room carpet.

I couldn’t think of anyone I’d aggravated recently. Except Jaime, of course. Not to mention his boyfriend. But the timing wasn’t right. I snorted to myself. If anyone deserved a glitter bomb, it was Jaime.

The kitchen was as clean as it was going to get, at least tonight. I went into the bathroom and stood in the tub to take my clothes off. Biodegradable meant it could go down the drain, right? Showering was a relief. The glitter had been starting to itch.

After putting on a t-shirt and pajama pants, I flopped down on the couch. I was exhausted but too wired to sleep yet. Groaning, I heaved myself up again and trudged to the kitchen. After pouring myself a generous vodka with a hint of tonic, I shuffled back to the couch and sank into the cushions.

With the kitchen light on, the carpet sparkled from embedded glitter. The vacuum hadn’t done much to get it out.

I slugged back about a third of my vodka tonic, then I picked up my phone to text Cal.

Me: My date was cheating on his boyfriend. And when I got home someone had sent me a glitter bomb.

Little dots appeared almost immediately, so I sipped my drink somewhat more sedately while I waited.

Cal: WTF, man? I hope u gave ur friend Cole shit about it. Do u know who sent the glitter bomb?

Me: I did and no, no idea. The note said “This is the least you deserve”

Cal: I hate to bring this up again, but how about those guys u dated who ended up on Felicia in the City?

Me: Marcie changed their names, and the show’s set in a different town

Cal: Well, I didn’t have anything to do last night, so I binged the first season. How many guys have model train tracks throughout their entire house and can’t sleep without it running? And how many guys show photos of their ex to their date and cry about him?

Well, fuck. Trent, the train guy, would definitely recognize himself. Or his friends would. And if you saw the episode with the guy crying over photos of his ex—who was very much alive, mind you—you might remember the appetizer in question was calamari. Something Marcie had kept consistent with my real date, since she liked how I’d described it as crying in the calamari. I hadn’t considered it might be a clue for Xavier to recognize himself on the show.

And none of the guys would have a hard time figuring out it was me who told their stories.

Me: Crap, you might be right

Cal: Well whichever of those guys did it, hopefully sending the glitter bomb got it out of their system

Me: I hope so

I rubbed my chest, frowning. Maybe letting Marcie pay me to use the stories from my dates hadn’t been the nicest thing I could’ve done.

Crap.

Author Bio

When Bix Barrow got an idea for her first book, it ended up turning into her second — and thus the first two stories in the Bent Oak, Texas series emerged. An aspiring author for most of her life, it took a foray into the MM romance genre to spark the steamy scenes and blazing banter Bix now weaves into her novels. Accompanying her on her writing exploits are her two dogs and multitude of cats (seven at last count). An avid traveler, Bix has started to view her expeditions as interviews for her future home. Born and raised in Texas, she is eager to move somewhere with fewer politicians, hurricanes and flooding. Connect with Bix at http://www.bixbarrow.com

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

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

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

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bixbarrow/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21740152.Bix_Barrow

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/bix-barrow/

Author Amazon: https://amazon.com/author/bixbarrow

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Book Excerpt

Head Over Feels

by Bix Barrow

Unique Excerpt

(Felix’s POV)

My alarm went off too early for my taste. The insistent buzzing broke me out of a deep sleep, and I woke confused about where I was for a moment. I’d been sleeping with my face pressed into a pillow, and I blinked as I sat up and glanced around. Malcolm wasn’t in the bed, and the sheets next to me were cold. 

The room was a little stark, but it could’ve been due to Malcolm not having lived in the house very long. The bed had a black metal headboard with two crossbars. The comforter was white with a black swirling pattern and a significant swath of dark brown cat hair. There was no rug on the hardwood floor, and a tall black chest of drawers was the only other piece of furniture in the room. I guessed Malcolm didn’t spend much time in here.

I picked up my phone and thumbed off the alarm. I had a couple of hours before I needed to be at the rescue ranch.

Malcolm appeared in the doorway, wearing some ancient-looking sweatpants and no shirt. His hair was damp. I spared a brief regret for missing an opportunity to suggest sharing the shower. 

“Hey,” he said. His face was almost expressionless. Fuck, was he going to be awkward again? I would’ve liked to take a moment to appreciate his furry chest, but not if he wasn’t into it, so I kept my eyes trained on his face. I was acutely conscious of my nakedness under the sheet, and not in a sexy way. 

“When do you need to leave?” Malcolm asked. “I can make breakfast.”

Breakfast? Would that be weird? But he was offering, and I didn’t want to make it weird if he wasn’t weirded out. I wished I could tell what he was thinking. 

“Um, sure. I don’t have a set appointment, but I need to go home and change before I drive out to… a ranch outside of town this morning sometime.” Jason had asked me to come over and look at an elderly alpaca they’d taken in. She had a limp, and Doc Pinkerton said it was a muscle strain.

Malcolm gave a sharp nod. “I should head to the office early as well. Feel free to use the shower. Come to the kitchen when you’re done.” He pivoted on his cane and then vanished down the hallway.

Well, okay. Were we supposed to pretend we hadn’t seen each other naked? I mean, I didn’t expect any boyfriend-y behavior like kissing me awake or bringing me coffee in bed. But after a night of hot sex, a guy likes to at least be ogled a little the next morning, you know?

My clothes had been folded neatly and placed on the chest of drawers. I showered as quickly as I could, then got dressed. Maybe it’d be better to skip breakfast and take off. 

But when I found Malcolm in the kitchen, he’d already plated our food. Eggs, bacon and toast. Coffee was already poured, milk and sugar displayed prominently to the side. 

“Come eat,” he ordered, shoving one of the chairs back for me. 

Well, I was hungry. Internally shrugging, I sat. “Thanks.” I’d eat as quickly as possible and then bolt.

Mariposa sauntered in. After winding herself around my ankles a couple of times, she jumped up into the chair to my left. I raised my eyebrows and glanced at Malcolm, but he ignored me. He forked up a bit of egg from his plate and held it out to Mariposa. She daintily accepted the offering, and Malcolm withdrew his fork and began eating again. 

“Um, you know cats lick themselves everywhere, don’t you?”

Malcolm shrugged and sipped his coffee. One eyebrow went up as if in challenge. “You know some men lick their lovers everywhere, don’t you?” 

He’d barely spoken to me all morning, and now he was making sex jokes? Screw that noise. I glared at him. “There’s no reason last night has to make things awkward, Malcolm.”

He sighed and looked down at his plate, then back up at me. “Yeah, I know. Sorry.” He cleared his throat. “It’s just… been a while for me. I’m out of practice or something.” 

“We’re good,” I reassured him. “It was only casual. Nobody’s expecting any commitments.”

He nodded, and we both focused on finishing our breakfasts. At least the tension in the air had eased a little.

After we’d eaten, Malcolm rinsed the plates and put them in the dishwasher before grabbing his car keys. “Let’s go out the side door here.”

“Sure.” I picked up my messenger bag from the living room, checked my phone was in my pocket, and followed him out to the carport.

We stepped out into the humid morning air. Mockingbirds called to each other, drowning out every other bird who might have wanted to greet the day. I wandered over to look Malcolm’s giant convertible while he shut the door and locked it. 

“Felix,” he said. I turned to look back at him. “I wanted to—” 

I caught sight of my sedan at the end of the driveway. “Fucking hell!” I shouted. “Are you kidding me!” I ran toward the car. 

Sitting on the roof, right over the driver’s door, was a small brown cardboard box.

Blog Tour: West on Grainger by KC Burn + Book Excerpt

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book EventsLeave a comment
COVER - West on Grainger

KC Burn has a new MM Paranormal book out (gay, bi): West on Grainger. And there’s a giveaway.

Is Sandy Bottom Bay truly full of ghosts?

Wendell Weston is in a slump. Paranormal stories are his life. His income. His sole focus for as long as he can remember, not that he actually believes any of it is real. His obsession has complicated his love life, but for the most part, he hasn’t minded. But now his muse has gone quiet. In search of inspiration, he flies across the country to the purportedly haunted bed and breakfast, just before Haunt Fest. Soured on romance by the cynicism and superficiality of the Hollywood actors he works with, he’s not expecting a chance encounter with an attractive man to go anywhere.

But Kyle Grainger isn’t just a pretty face. He also hosts local ghost walks. The closest thing to an expert Wendell has encountered, and with any luck, Kyle will lead him to a spectral encounter. Before long, Wendell realizes he wants to follow Kyle anywhere, ghost or not. As a true skeptic, Wendell doesn’t believe he’ll see a ghost for real, but he’s going to have fun trying. Especially with Kyle. One of the many local legends will surely trigger his muse, but in the meantime, getting to know a sweet, mesmerizing man would make the trip worthwhile.

Wouldn’t it be amazing to encounter a ghost?

That’s what Kyle thinks every time he hosts another ghost walk in Sandy Bottom Bay. Not once in hundreds of tours has he seen one, but he remains hopeful. Kyle hasn’t had a lot of amazing in his life. After an injury in college, he had to pivot on his life’s dream. He’s content, more or less, professionally. His romantic dry spell, on the other hand, could turn the Everglades into the Sahara. Wendell is an unexpected pleasure, one Kyle hopes is more than a Haunt Fest hookup.

What if the ghost isn’t harmless?

After one of the other guests at the local bed and breakfast dies suddenly, Wendell and Kyle experience a number of odd occurrences that suggest Kyle might be more sensitive to spirits than either of them imagined. If Wendell can’t shake his skepticism about the paranormal, Kyle’s sanity and even his life could be the price they pay.

Warnings: self harm (appears off page), references to murder

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Giveaway

KC is giving away a $20 Amazon gift card with this tour:

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Excerpt

West on Grainger Meme

A crash broke the silence, shattering the sense that they were alone in the world together.

In unison, they both stood up, Wendell’s heart pounding as he strained to listen.

“Did someone fall? Should I call the police or an ambulance?” He couldn’t hear any cries of pain or pleas for help.

Kyle darted his gaze around. “It sounded more like something fell? Not heavy enough for a person, I don’t think.”

True. And maybe not thump-y enough to be a body hitting the ground. But better safe than sorry.

“I need to check this out”.

“I’ll come with you.”

Wendell smiled gratefully at Kyle. He’d much rather not be alone if there was an emergency. He snatched up his phone and keyring, then led Kyle into the lobby.

“Where do you think it came from? Upstairs?”

Kyle shrugged. “Maybe. But it sounded closer than that. I think.”

He hoped he wouldn’t have to start knocking on doors. Like Kyle said, it didn’t sound loud enough to be a human body, but if someone was hurt in their suite, well, he had a responsibility for that, didn’t he?

They peeked into the tea room and the main dining room, both of which were dim and obviously empty. Wendell flicked on lights but that only confirmed that the rooms were empty and undisturbed, ready to serve guests tomorrow first thing.

“Library’s next.” Then the game room. Then opening unoccupied rooms. Not long before he’d have to figure out if he had to start knocking on doors. Pretty much the last thing he wanted to do.

Kyle nodded, and gestured for Wendell to proceed.

Wendell flicked a switch by the door and various tabletop lamps flickered to life, filling the room with a serene yellow glow. This particular room had no windows—the one existing window had been blocked up at some point to accommodate the later addition of a fireplace—and as such, always required lighting.

Wendell strode into the room, almost at the far wall, when he spotted it.

“This must be it.” He turned back to Kyle, who hovered in the doorway. “Is something wrong?”

An indecipherable expression crossed Kyle’s face, before he sucked in a breath and walked into the room.

“Nothing’s wrong.”

“Uh. Okay.” Something definitely was, but Wendell wasn’t about to poke his new friend about something sensitive. “Anyone else here?” Wendell called out.

“Don’t say that,” Kyle said from just inside the doorway.

“Why not?”

Kyle rolled his eyes. “This town is full of ghosts. You don’t want to accidentally invite one in.”

Wendell’s eyes widened. “For real?”

“Eh. I don’t know. I’ve never seen a ghost, but Eddie—he’s a medium—and he says stuff like that all the time.”

Wendell made a mental note to seek him out at some point during his stay. Interviewing a ‘real’ medium would be excellent research.

Then Kyle approached close enough to see what Wendell had found. “What the hell happened here?”

It looked like someone had swept an arm across an entire shelf of books, sweeping them to the floor, along with some sort of ceramic sculpture, which lay in shards on the floor amongst the haphazard pile of hardcover books. This had to be the source of the crashing sound they’d heard.

Wendell frowned. “If we were back home, I’d assume we’d had an earthquake, and these books hadn’t been shelved securely or something. But you don’t get quakes out here, do you?”

Kyle shrugged. “Not that I’ve ever heard of. I guess there’s a first time for everything, but wouldn’t we have felt an earthquake strong enough to dump books off their shelves? I’ve never been in an earthquake.”

“Yeah, we definitely would have noticed that.”

“Kids, then? A stupid prank?”

Wendell chewed at his bottom lip. “Think there’s any way outsiders, like kids from the town, could easily get in here and do this? Although I have no idea why they would.”

“The Lady isn’t exactly Fort Knox, but I also don’t see any reason why anyone, kids or not, would sneak in here to do this. And it’s not like there aren’t any security measures.”

“Yeah, I know. So weird.” But it wasn’t a prison. Any number of employees, past and present, could have either gotten around the current security. Maybe it had been a localized weather phenomenon?

And just like that, Wendell could believe it was a freak weather thing as a gust of chilly air swept across his neck.

Kyle also rubbed his arms. “It’s cold in here.”

One of the table lamps nearby flickered, then the bulb blew with a sharp pop.

Kyle yelled, and clutched at his chest. Wendell flinched, then curled a lip at the shards of lightbulb glass that had been added to the mess on the floor.

“Can you grab me a broom or something to clean this up? I’ll start putting the books back.”

Within minutes, the mess had been cleared up but the vibe between him and Kyle was still weird.

“You sure you’re okay?” Wendell asked as they returned to the lobby.

The question got him a big sigh. “It’s stupid but I’ve never liked that room. I don’t know why.”

“Haunted? The Orange Lady?” Wendell could not be that lucky. But Kyle snorted and rolled his eyes.

“Not hardly. I don’t think there have ever been any sightings of her in the library. Besides, I’m sure I’m not sensitive to ghosts, or I would have seen one at least once during the many, many ghost tours I’ve done.”

“And you don’t think hating a room for no good reason might be a haunting?”

Kyle smirked, and Wendell smiled back, relieved to see Kyle’s good mood returning.

“Nope. It’s probably something wonky in the proportion of the rooms and it’s messing with my equilibrium or something. Maybe asbestos.”

“Asbestos?” That was the sort of horror story Wendell was not interested in living. Not a tiny bit. “Wouldn’t there have been inspections or something to correct that?”

“I’m just kidding. But I wasn’t kidding when I said that room hadn’t been changed since the house was built.”

“Original? That’s pretty cool, actually. What about the rest of the place?”

“The guest rooms upstairs are mostly original too.”

“I suppose so.” Nevertheless, the mental gears that Wendell had feared were rusted over for good had, well, they hadn’t started moving. Nothing as solid as a faint idea. But this simple discussion tweaked something in his mind. Like it was lubing his gears, or scrubbing away the rust. Preparing for work. Too soon for hope yet, but if he relaxed and let it happen, he might be able to coax his muse back.

“And I guess you haven’t seen the Orange Lady, have you?”

“Nope. But I haven’t been here overnight, either. She doesn’t show herself during the day, or so I’m told.”

Kyle’s phone buzzed and he pulled it out of a tight pocket.

“I have to get ready or I’m going to be late for my tour.” Kyle grabbed his bag and swanned into the employee bathroom.

Shortly after, Kyle emerged wearing the same pirate-esque outfit he’d worn the previous night, except this time his eyeliner was thicker and more dramatic.

Butterflies swooped and soared in Wendell’s belly. Kyle was just so beautiful. Too beautiful for a writer nerd like him.

That didn’t stop those damned butterflies.

Author Bio

KC Burn

KC Burn is a Canadian transplanted to Florida who writes happy-ever-afters about men loving men, whether they’re psychics, space travelers, aliens, professors, construction workers, cops, amateur sleuths… you name it, she’ll probably write it. She’s got a pair of black cats, aka muses/nuisances, and a supportive, understanding hubby.

Author Website: https://kcburn.com

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

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Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/kcburn

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Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/K.C.-Burn/author/B0051QXRCQ

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Book Excerpt

Kyle stood under the shade of an old oak tree and watched Wendell peer at the engravings on various gravestones. One of his teachers had brought his class on a field trip here to do rubbings of gravestones and something else historical related, but he didn’t recall anything of significance, historical or otherwise, in the gravestones they looked at. But he’d rather hang out in this cemetery than the library at the Lady. Perhaps he was just allergic to books that weren’t on his Kindle. 

Wendell would occasionally pause and take a picture of various stones, rub away some of the moss, or pull back creeping ivy. 

He could hardly believe Wendell had blurted out that he wanted to start dating. Amazed and thrilled, but so surprised. Sure, Wendell was only in town for a short amount of time, but that could be a good thing. A test run. Or, if things went well… no, he wasn’t going to leap ahead like he often did. He was going to be chill. Take things as they came. Be a normal person. The complete opposite of what he’d been when Wendell had asked about Eddie. 

A breeze from the ocean ruffled Wendell’s hair and he brushed it out of his face in a distracted manner. Definitely more intense than the average tourist, but maybe not as intense as some of the hardcore paranormalists?

“What made you come to Sandy Bottom Bay?” Kyle wandered over to the tombstone Wendell was crouched over. He wasn’t going to stay out in the sun long. It might be edging into autumn but the sun was still strong and Kyle had not applied his heavy-duty sunscreen this morning, since he’d anticipated hanging out at the store most of the day. 

“Oh, well, I saw an episode of this show, Phantoms?”

Kyle’s earlier anger came boiling back. “Oh really?”

Wendell rocked back on his heels and stared up at Kyle, who had been unable to hide his ire about the host and the damage that man had nearly done to people he cared about. 

“You don’t like Phantoms?”

“The host is a total jerk and I refuse to even speak his name.”

“Agreed, he’s a total jerk. Did you meet him when he was filming here?”

“Yes, and I hope to never repeat the experience. He needs to drop off the face of the earth.”  

Wendell laughed. “I could get behind that.” 

“How do you know he’s an jerk? I mean, he seems so charming on the show. It was a real disappointment to find out how self-centered he is in person.”

Wendell stared at him for a moment before standing. “We’re going to try dating, right? We agreed to that? I mean, I’m only here for a few months, but I don’t really like casual, and I’d like to see how it goes.”

“Yes…” Although Kyle had no idea how those two ideas were connected. “I’m interested in that too. If it’s a vacation fling, that’s fine. If it gets more serious than that, we can talk long distance stuff later.”

Wendell nodded and blew out a breath. “And no one told you what I’m doing here?”

“You’re helping out at the inn. That’s all I’ve heard.” And somehow, it had never come up in their recent text conversations.

This time, Wendell’s laugh was rueful. “I honestly thought the small town gossip network functioned better than this.”

“Well, I heard that you were coming long before you got here.” Kyle frowned. “But it sounds like you’ve… got a secret?”

“It’s not really a secret. But I guess it could change things. I probably should have told you earlier.”

Oh great. Just what he needed. “Let me guess. You’re married?” Kyle wasn’t going down that road again. No way, no how.

Wendell’s eyes widened. “Oh, no. It’s nothing like that.”

“It’s getting hot out here. Let’s go by the Dairy Devil, and find a quiet place to talk.”

“Dairy Devil?” 

“Yup. Soft serve ice cream. It gets mobbed in the summer, but it shouldn’t be too busy right now.”

“Maybe some lunch afterward?” Wendell was hopeful.

“Yeah, maybe.” Although it would depend entirely on what this ‘secret’ was. Because if it was Wendell was married or had an open marriage or whatever crap guys tried to pull when they wanted their cake and to eat it too, Kyle wasn’t going to stick around for a meal.

Ice cream was more carbs than he needed, but he had a bad feeling he was going to need the ice cream therapy after this discussion. 

“Lead the way.”

They left the cemetery, and Kyle only hoped this fledgling relationship wasn’t as dead as the cholera victims whose graves they walked over on the way out. 

OWI Blog Tour: When a Man Loves an Alien by (Tentacular Tales Book 3) by Chloe Archer Interview and Blog Tour

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, InterviewsLeave a comment

Interview

What was your first published work? Tell me a little about it.My first published book was It’s Not Unusual To Be Loved by an Alien. It’s the first in my ongoing M/M sci-fi rom com series, Tentacular Tales. Think Men in Black meets The Princess Bride–but hella gay, and with tentacles! A sunshiny sci-fi nerd discovers aliens are real and living incognito here on Earth. Where might you ask? Las Vegas, baby! What better place to hide in plain sight! It’s a wild, zany ride full of all kinds of sci-fi nerdy goodness, pop culture references galore, hilarious shenanigans, and spicy fun! What is the most heartfelt thing a reader has said to you?I’m still fairly new at all this (my first year publiversary isn’t until September) but I’ve already received many heartfelt messages and comments from readers. The ones that are really touching are from folks who tell me my series is their go-to comfort read when they’re feeling down or sad. When I decided to write the series, I really hoped the book would speak to other readers and give them all the warm, happy, and laughter-filled feels possible! What was one of the most surprising things you’ve learned in writing your books?I learned that I largely have to dictate my first draft. Writing on a blank page doesn’t go well for me. My internal editor/critic wants to come out and nitpick every word I write so it becomes a two steps forward, one step back kind of situation. Not fun! When I heard about dictation, I thought I’d give it a try because I was quite stuck in making forward progress on my first book. I was a natural from the first attempt! I dictated a solid 20-minutes that day. Dictation has made my writing goals possible. In general, I will dictate for 30-40 minutes at a time and then I will edit the transcription before moving on. It has sped up my whole process and I can easily get my word count goals each day when I do this.What were your goals and intentions in this book, and how well do you feel you achieved them?When a Man Loves an Alien is the third book in the series and it continues to follow the main couple, River and Kai. I knew this was the penultimate book in their main story arc, so there were a lot of things that needed to happen to expand on story lines from the first two books and new ones leading into the epic finale of the next book. I knew it was going to be a fairly action packed ride, but as I’ve told some people, imagine it more as a Mr. Bean-style of adventure. I’m all about the humor, after all! I also wanted to continue to show growth in my main characters and deepen their relationship. Then there’s all the side characters—there are so many and more keep clamoring in my brain to join the story world! It’s a lot to juggle but I try my best. On the whole, I think I achieved my goals based on what readers have been telling me. Phew! Fingers crossed I can do it again with Book 4…gulp!Who did your cover, and what was the design process like?The fabulous and super talented Natasha Snow did my cover. She’s done all my covers so far. I always wished I was artistically inclined, but alas, I don’t have the gift. I’d been drawn to a number of Natasha’s covers for other authors in the past and I knew going into it that she was the person I wanted to work with. Her process is very streamlined. She has a form you fill out with details about the book and thoughts, images, or inspirations for the cover. I gave her a couple of suggestions, but mostly let her do her thing since I trust her judgment. What secondary character would you like to explore more? Tell me about him or her.I’m excited to explore River’s stoner Gen X uncle, Benji, some more. He’s kind of a cross between The Dude in The Big Lebowski and Keanu Reeves. He’s an interesting guy with a complicated backstory. I’ve already seeded plenty of hints in the series that he is going to end up having a romance with River’s boyfriend’s brother, Mal. Their story is going to be Book 5 in the series!As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?An author! I knew in about fourth grade. Books were my safe space and my passion. At the same time, when I read them I would get all sorts of ideas for my own stories and wanted to be able to share them with others. But I grew up at a time when traditional publishing was the only option available and most of the adults in my life didn’t consider it a viable career path and steered me toward pursuing other things. It’s taken me a long time to get here but I’m glad to have finally started achieving my dreams!We know what you like to write, but what do you like to read in your free time, and why?I read loads of LGBTQ+ romance when I have free time. I like to keep up with favorite authors but also discover new ones. In general, I’m not a fan of anything super dark when it comes to romance. I lean more toward stuff that is lighter and funnier. I love a good paranormal (as long as it isn’t super angsty or dark), fantasy, urban fantasy, sci-fi, and mystery. While I do read a lot of M/M, I also enjoy F/F and other LGBTQ+ configurations of couples. The rainbow spectrum is beautiful, and as a queer person myself, I enjoy reading widely across the spectrum.

When a Man Loves an Alien - Chloe Archer/

Chloe Archer has a new MM sci-fi romance book out, Tentacular Tales book 3: When a Man Lies an Alien. And there’s a giveaway.

A grumpy-sexy alien and his (mostly) human mate are just trying to get married for goodness sake! But the road to matrimony is riddled with obstacles that could prove deadly…

RIVER

Being engaged to my adorable alien boo is a dream come true. Too bad there’s a target painted on my back. Come on universe, quit messing with true love! For reals. Kai and I need to plan our wedding—which is going to be hella quirky and fun, because I say so.

Cue Shilgar the Deadly, who’s screwing up everything—what with trying to kill me and all. My life is becoming even more unbelievable than my fictional characters, Lord Vardox and Captain Starblade.

There’s no way I’m not walking down the aisle with Kai, so help me! I fully intend to ‘get me to the church’—I mean Vegas wedding chapel—on time. This fool of an assassin thinks he can mess with my dreams of wedded bliss? I don’t think so. He’s about to learn he’s met his match in River Sullivan!

KAI

My relationship with River is solid and wedding bells are in the air. Unfortunately, other parts of my life are…less stable. Between juggling a highly inconvenient Mating Fever that can strike at any time, and dealing with an investigator from Intergalactic Alliance Headquarters, I’m finding it hard to hold onto my usual equilibrium.

When Shilgar the Deadly finally shows up on Earth, gunning for River, the control I cling to is stretched razor thin. I’m desperate to do whatever I can to keep my mate safe—but I’m not sure if I can.

Yet things aren’t all that they seem. New secrets come to light and we’re all left reeling. Apparently, that famous Earthling playwright was correct when he wrote, “the course of true love never did run smooth….”

When a Man Loves an Alien (Tentacular Tales #3) is a (96k words) M/M sci-fi rom com and the third book in the series. It should be read in chronological order. This installment features an assassin who just won’t quit, little old ladies at slot machines who should NOT be messed with, a zipline action-hero moment, shocking secrets and revelations, a death-defying climax, and just maybe…a zany Vegas wedding? This book has an HFN ending and no cheating. Never fear—there is a guaranteed HEA by the end of the series!

Warnings: sex involving tentacles, some violence

Series Blurb

Tentacular Tales is an M/M sci-fi rom com series that follows the adventures of humans falling in love with aliens who are living incognito on Earth–in the wild and fabulous, Las Vegas. Of course that’s where aliens would be hiding right under our noses! Enter a world full of plenty of geeky humor, zany shenanigans, sexy aliens, and tentacles galore! Think Men in Black meets The Princess Bride–but hella gay! Note: This series should be read in chronological order.

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Giveaway

Chloe is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour:

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Excerpt

When a Man Loves an Alien meme

RIVER

“Step right up and get your Tentacular Tales merch! We’ve got T-shirts in all sizes, made to accommodate folks of various shapes and appendages.” My old neighbor—and incognito alien—Tom Jones holds up one of the aforementioned shirts. “For those die-hard fans of our favorite villain out there, we have our brand spanking—no pun intended—new Team Vardox FTW tees!”

There’s an enthusiastic murmur among the crowd. Tom drapes the shirt over his shoulder like a bar towel and plucks up another. “For the more daring among you, we have I got tentacled by Lord Vardox…and I liked it or Villain in the streets, Tentacled-Lover in the sheets.”

There’s some enthusiastic whistling at that one. He tosses it aside and grabs a different one. “And let’s not forget about our Starblade stans in the crowd.” There are answering whistles and cheers. “Of course we have Team Starblade FTW. We can’t let Team Vardox have all the fun! We also have I’m too sexy for this shirt, and so is Captain Starbladeor Tentacle Lover on the DL. Get your favorites before we run out!”

Aliens of all shapes and sizes begin surging forward, cash in hands and other appendages, as they surround the folding table where Tom is selling his wares.

I shake my head in awe, turning to my super-sexy alien boo, and now fiancé, Kai. “Did you know about this?”

He shakes his head. “Nope. Looks like Tom took a cue out of your book and went the route of T-shirt design.”

I glance down at the black cotton tee I’m wearing. On the front, in multicolored sequins, it reads Team ANAL,and on the back it says in shiny metallic gold font, Kicking butt from here to Uranus. My design is a work of art and classy as fuck—it also promotes team spirit, thank you very much. I’ve had quite a few orders from folks at work already. “Just so you know, I’m going to keep wearing this until it grows on you.” I beam. “I’ve got a different colored one for each day of the week!”

Kai rolls his eyes but favors me with a teasing smile. “Save me now.”

I give his arm a light and playful smack. “You know you love it.”

His mouth twitches and he arches an eyebrow. “I wouldn’t go that far, darling. But I’ll put up with it for you.”

I clutch my hands to my heart. “OMG, honeybuns. You’re getting to be sooo romantic! You just called me darling. It’s like we’re an old married couple already.”

Kai flushes adorably pink and sputters. I love getting a rise out of him at moments like this. He can be a bit too tightly wound, so I have to help him let go of his iron grip on duty, responsibility, and propriety.

I’m like Yoda, teaching him the ways of the Fun-Loving Force.

A microphone crackles to life and my new friend Nirblob addresses the crowd from atop the small impromptu stage against the wall at the far end of the bar. “Good evening, friends, and welcome to Vardox’s Cantina. Tonight, it is my supreme pleasure to usher in our very first Open Mic night!”

There’s an enthusiastic round of applause and some loud whistles.

Nirblob grins, which admittedly is a little freaky since he has no lips. I still haven’t quite gotten used to that. “This evening, we are most fortunate to have a very special guest. Here to kick things off with a sneak peek from the next chapter in the Tentacular Tales of Captain Starblade, please join me in welcoming the one, the only, River Sullivan, a.k.a. KirklovesSpock4eva!”

The crowd goes wild, which in a super-secret alien bar can be a bit surreal. After all, this bar is mainly for extraterrestrials who don’t pass easily in human society, or ones who do but want the opportunity to be their true selves in a safe space. Some folks here make even Nirblob look somewhat ordinary. It’s a bit like being a real-life version of the Mos Eisley Cantina in Star Wars—only less violent!

“Looks like you’re up,” Kai murmurs, giving my arm a squeeze.

I grin. “Give me a kiss for luck, boo.”

He sighs at the endearment, but his eyes darken as he leans down and takes my lips in a way that makes me want to ditch this event and go get our freak on.

When Kai pulls back, I’m tingly all over and more than a little hot and bothered. But I’m pleased to notice, as he adjusts himself discreetly, he isn’t exactly unaffected either.

“Knock ‘em dead.”

I give him a jaunty little salute. “Aye, aye, captain!”

He can’t keep the fondness from his eyes when he tries to glare at me, which turns my grin into that of a lovesick fool. And I basically am. I have no qualms about owning it.

I make my way over to the stage, offering variants of high fives along the way—to a tail here, a hand with eight fingers there, a furry paw every now and then. Two months ago, I never could have imagined this would be my life. A longtime Roswell alien conspiracy believer and total X-phile, I—by some remarkable twist of fate—actually foundaliens here on Earth, living incognito among humanity.

What are the odds?

Author Bio

Author Chloe Archer

Chloe Archer writes M/M sci-fi and paranormal rom coms with laugh out loud humor because she’s all about bringing the funny-sexy back. Oh, yeah!

She currently calls Minnesota home, but has lived abroad in places like Montreal, Edinburgh, and Tokyo. She’s hoping to relocate to Scotland permanently one day if the stars align.

Chloe is a fur mama to two adorable Yorkies, Jasper and Teddy, and she loves them in a crazy dog mama kind of way. When she isn’t busy writing, she enjoys visiting friends and family, traveling, reading, binge watching movies and TV shows, and practicing her karaoke skills. She does a mean cover of Pat Benatar and Cher, or so she’s been told.

Author Website: https://chloearcher.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071621497295

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

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/chloearcher_author/

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22694415.Chloe_Archer

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Chloe-Archer/author/B0BB1CCYM9

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Blog Tour + Character Interview: A Priest, a Plague, and a Prophecy by M.D. Grimm

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book Events, InterviewsLeave a comment

Good day lovely readers! Thank you for joining me. I am M.D. Grimm and I am here to promote my newest release, “A Priest, a Plague, and a Prophecy.” This is a single title involving a sweet man who enjoys food, plants, and books, and the manly (secretly sweet) orc warrior who falls in love with him. I am thrilled to finally publish this story. I finished it as the dreaded virus ramped up and decided to shelve it since it involves a plague. But the plague is an off-page impetus to certain events later in the book. Rest assured this is a sweet, low(er)-angst, no-sexy-times-but-lots-of-snuggles, sort of story. Elias is ace but wants romance, and Gurrkk is just the orc to give that to him!

Let’s meet the man—or orc—of the hour, Gurrkk.

ME: Welcome back lovely readers! Thanks for joining me for another interview. This time with Gurrkk, the orc in the relationship. We’ve fed him and strapped him down so he can’t leave.

GURRKK: I bet I can break ropes.

ME: Please don’t. Now—

GURRKK: (wiggles and yanks at ropes) I can do it.

ME: But we don’t want you to. Please stop. Now, when you first met Elias, what did you think? Was it love at first sight?

GURRKK: (still straining against ropes, growling) Nah. He smell nice and no run me through with sword. And he feed me. And get me out of trap. He save my life.

ME: When did you realize you were in love with him? (whispers) Stop trying to break the ropes!

GURRKK: When we hide in his room with bed. Slept on bed. And bathed together.

ME: Oh, uh, right. Let’s move on—

GURRKK: He was shy. No touch. (grins) He not shy now.

ME: Right. About your clan—

(Gurrkk snaps the rope off one arm and bends to use his teeth and claws on the other)

ME: Seriously, Gurrkk, please stop. I only have a few more questions. All these people came to see you and—

GURRKK (muffled by rope) I almost ‘ave it! I will win contest.

ME: There is no contest! I just needed you to sit still for—

(Gurrkk tears free of rope and jumps to his feet, waving his hands in the air.)

GURRKK: Did it! I WIN.

ME: Good lord.

GURRKK: Where is prize?

ME: There is no prize. There’s no contest!

GURRKK: (sounding sad) No prize? But I win.

ELIAS: (off screen) Just give him something please! Or he’ll pout for the rest of the day.

ME: For the love of… here, take my last chocolate bar.

GURRKK: (cruelly snatches bar) Chocolate.

ELIAS: (off screen) What do we say, Gurrkk?

GURRKK: (mumbles) T’ank ‘ou.

ME: (sighs) You’re welcome. Can we get back to the questions now?

GURRKK: (looking puzzled) Questions?

ME: Yes. The reason we’re here.

GURRKK: I thought it was for contest.

ELIAS: (off screen) Stop playing with her, Gurrkk!

GURRKK: (smirks)

ME: Get out. Just get out. Smart ass.

GURRKK: Chocolate good. (exits)

ME: Now I really need alcohol.

I am currently working hard on the final draft of the next The Shifter Chronicles. This will be book 16 (!), and will revisit the couple from book two, Love is a Whirlwind. This one is Blood of the Whirlwind, and I hope to have it ready for a January 2024 release.

As for this year, I have book 9 of The Stones of Power, Jade: First and Last available for preorder, due out in July 2023, and the first book in my Sisters of Song duology, titled Song of Flames will hopefully be ready by October. Flames will be a mmf involving two dragon mates and the woman thief who steals their hearts (instead of their treasure).

More information on my catalog can be found at my website. (Make sure to sign up for my newsletter!)

I hope you stay safe and healthy, and may dragons guard your dreams,

M.D. Grimm

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A Priest, a Plague and a Prophecy - M.D. Grimm

M.D. Grimm has a new MM fantasy romance out (ace, bi, demi): A Priest, a Plague, and a Prophecy. And there’s a giveaway.

“Orcs are the answer but what is the question?”

Elias is a priest at the Temple of the Divine Sibyl. When he becomes lost in the woods after his brother’s hunting party abandons him, it’s just his luck that he’d stumble upon an angry orc caught in a trap. Unable to stomach the suffering of others, Elias throws self-preservation to the wind and frees the orc. Then Gurrkk—that’s a name?—ends up leading him to safety.

Gurrkk finds himself rather smitten by the sweet, awkward human. He’s always been fascinated with his people’s sworn enemy, and now he has a life debt to fulfill to maintain his honor.

Hiding an orc among the temple’s crypts wouldn’t have been Elias’s first choice but Gurrkk is stubborn about leaving. As they learn each other’s languages and spend more time together, Elias realizes they’ve become friends… and maybe more. And when the dying sibyl gives her last prophecy, Elias knows it wasn’t chance that brought them together, it was the gods.

But why?

This is a sweet, ace romance, so no sexy times, but plenty of snuggles and cuddles!

Universal Buy Links | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Smashwords

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Excerpt

A Priest, a Plague and a Prophecy meme - M.D. Grimm

Elias closed his eyes and clasped his hands under his chin, sending a fervent prayer to the gods, asking for a sign. Any sign that would lead him home. Seconds passed. Minutes. He cracked open one eye to look around. Seeing nothing, he glared and set his fists on his hips.

So much for divine intervention.

“I’m one of your priests, and you don’t give me the time of day,” he mumbled as he set off down the left-hand path.

He was hungry again.

Even as he was contemplating the pros and cons of eating one of his last apples, he stumbled around a thick tree before halting in shock.

An orc sat on the ground, his greenish-gold skin glistening with sweat and his coal-black eyes glaring with menace. He was almost bald, except for a spiky strip of green hair running from his forehead to the back of his skull. The lack of hair accentuated his large ears that moved independently of each other. Two pronounced fangs jutted up from his lower jaw, which was square and blunt, and more sharp teeth showed when he growled.

Elias stayed frozen, taking in the long black tunic cinched at the waist by a gold cord. The short sleeves were trimmed with gold thread, baring muscled arms. The stately garb struck Elias, making him wonder as to the status of the orc. Did they have hierarchy as humans did? The tunic ended around his knees, leaving the rest of his muscled legs bare. Also, this orc wasn’t of monstrous size, so he couldn’t be of the mountain variety. He was certainly taller and broader than Elias, but also leaner, corded with muscle, like that big cat Elias had spotted earlier. And his face was… not horrible. Brutish and sharp but not hideous or even ugly. Those illustrators of tomes really set out to depict orcs as the most horrific creatures ever to grace the earth.

The urge to run made his palms grow damp and his breath to quicken. Not that he could run for more than a few steps before wheezing because he was so damn out of shape, and why the hell didn’t he train with his brother? I’m going to die, I’m going to die….

Then his gaze traveled down to the reason the orc was sitting on the ground and not eating his face. Vicious steel jaws had the orc by the ankle, piercing deeply into his flesh. The jaws were attached to a chain that was buried into to the earth. The fact the orc hadn’t freed himself meant this was one of the trick jaws. One specifically made for capturing orcs. The scoured earth around the chain proved that the orc had tried to dig himself free but clearly hadn’t succeeded. His ankle was a mess of torn flesh and caked blood, and only then did Elias notice the buzz of flies.

How long had he been sitting there, in pain? In fear?

Sympathy rose with anger not far behind. Elias and the orc stared at each other, and Elias found himself stepping closer without consciously deciding his actions. The orc growled deeper, eyes narrowed in warning. Elias stopped again, wondering what he was doing. This was an orc! The enemy! The beasts that kept trying to take their lands. Attius’s tirades whirled through his mind even as the battle songs about marauding orcs jangled in his memory.

He’d never joined in. He’d never had anything personal against orcs. He never thought one way or another about them. Fighting them wasn’t a part of his world. Most of his life had been spent ensconced in the Temple of the Divine Sibyl, which was safely behind fortified stone walls and separated from the general populace of the city.

He was sheltered and he knew it. To see such ugly pain in another living creature struck him to the core. That was one of the reasons he didn’t eat meat. He couldn’t reconcile killing just to feed himself when there were plenty of other things to consume if he simply looked.

At that moment, this orc was no different than any other wild animal caught in a trap. And would he let such a creature die so horribly? No, he would not.

Taking a deep breath, and with more courage than he would profess to have, Elias crouched before slowly pushing off his pack. He kept his eyes on the orc and opened the top flap before tilting it to show the orc that it only held medicines, plant samples, parchment, and ink.

“I don’t want to hurt you,” he said gently. “Can you understand me?”

The orc made no indication either way. He continued to growl and glare.

“I want to help you.” Elias took the one weapon he had, a long dagger, and showed the orc the blade before tossing it away. The orc stopped growling and blinked in apparent surprise. Elias shuffled closer on his knees, keeping his demeanor as non-threatening as possible. He almost snorted—as if a soft priest like him could be threatening. He kept speaking in low tones as he would to a frightened animal. He kept his pack held out in front of him, hoping the harmless items would convince the orc he wasn’t a hunter.

The orc’s large nostrils flared, and he squinted into the bag. He must have smelled the remaining apples, the plant samples, and the few healing ointments Elias carried with him everywhere. Elias set the bag within easy reach of the orc just in case he wanted to investigate. Then he took a good look at the steel jaws and winced.

The orc didn’t wear shoes, his sturdy, rough feet tough enough not to need them. His nails were more like claws, almost identical to those on his fingers. The trap would have been covered, and he’d stepped directly onto the triggering mechanism. The blades had barely missed his foot to cut into his ankle, probably scraping against the bones and tendons.

Elias took a moment to fight nausea.

“Damn. Once I free your leg it’s going to bleed profusely. I have to wrap it fast and tight.” He glanced up and met the orc’s eyes. Grim determination stared back at him and Elias blinked. “You do understand me.”

Author Bio

M.D. Grimm logo

M.D. Grimm has wanted to write stories since second grade (kind of young to make life decisions, but whatever) and nothing has changed since then (well, plenty of things actually, but not that!).

Thankfully, she has indulgent parents who let her dream, but also made sure she understood she’d need a steady job to pay the bills (they never let her forget it!). After graduating from the University of Oregon and majoring in English, (let’s be honest: useless degree, what else was she going to do with it?) she started on her writing career and couldn’t be happier.

Working by day and writing by night (or any spare time she can carve out), she enjoys embarking on romantic quests and daring adventures (living vicariously, you could say) and creating characters that always triumph against the villain, (or else what’s the point?) finding their soul mate in the process.

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

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Blog Tour: Everything’s Better with You by R.L. Merrill

On By authoranthonyavinablogIn Blog Tours, Book EventsLeave a comment
Everything's Better With You - R.L. Merrill

R.L. Merrill has a new TED LASSO-inspired MM sports romance out: Everything’s Better With You.

Everything’s Better With You is a TED LASSO-inspired sports-themed funny romance featuring two guys who’ve pined for each other for 15 years while their careers soared and their bodies fell apart.

Retired quarterback and “nicest guy in the NFL” Leslie Payton met former college cheerleader-turned-reality-show darling Joe Judd fifteen years ago. They spent one magical night…talking. They’ve been pining for each other via text and phone calls ever since while their careers kept them geographically apart. When their alma mater recruits them to reinvigorate a flagging athletic program, Leslie sees his opportunity to finally have Joe close enough to see if their “what if” can become a reality. And the sooner the better before Leslie’s history of Traumatic Brain Injury catches up to him and he’s unable to be a true partner.

Joe has spent their years apart dancing in every gig offered to him, knowing full well the clock is ticking on his body’s ability to continue taking the abuse. Leslie wants forever to start now, and Joe doesn’t have that luxury, though Leslie makes him want things he’s never allowed himself to dream of with anyone else. But a lifetime of only feeling worthwhile for his performance ability makes him doubt whether he could ever be a good coach or enough of a partner for the best man he’s ever known.

As football and cheer coaches, they’re forced to be rivals in public, but behind closed doors, their chemistry is unstoppable. A wager triggers their competitive sides, but the secrets they keep come to light and present them with a seemingly insurmountable obstacle. Can they finally meet on the relationship 50-yard line and move forward as a team?

Warnings: discussion of past domestic violence that happens off page, not graphic

Get it On Amazon | Universal Buy Link

Giveaway

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Excerpt

Everything's Better With You meme - R.L. Merrill

Joe Judd pulled his cigarette-smoke infested rental minivan into a spot in front of the imposing brick building that represented an important slice of his formative years. His ties to the place ran deep; his liberal arts education, his adult education, his physical education, all happened in this very place, and the building before him was a symbol of the chapter in his life that paved the way for where he was now.

Where am I?

Right. Spring Fling weekend. Greenvale College. Go Jackets!

This was the first year he’d returned to his alma mater for this momentous occasion since graduating in 2005. Joe left Ayre Valley, Iowa in his rear view mirror fifteen years ago and his life had been all glitz and glamour ever since. Okay, the minivan he was currently sitting in wasn’t glamorous. He couldn’t even pretend to be an old Hollywood starlet whose leading man lit his cigarettes for him. He’d quit smoking a long time ago, and the way this car reeked, it was a damn good thing he had. Everything else in Joe’s life was glitz and glamour, though.

And pain.

Ugh, the pain.

He turned off the ignition of the Chrysler and listened for the clunk clunk of the engine shutting down. The airport car rental place had given him their last available vehicle and charged him a premium since he’d wrongly assumed Kansas City, Missouri wouldn’t be so packed that he couldn’t land a nice Mustang for the two-hour drive up to Ayre Valley. The woman working the register let him know in no uncertain terms that his thinking was wrong.

The engine clunked once more and a grinding sound emanated from the other side of the dash as if the thing had given up the ghost.

He could relate. His body felt like that when he stopped moving these days.

At 36 years old, Joe had the appearance of a fit man in his twenties. He liked to think he resembled his beloved Porsche at home in West Hollywood rather than this current hunk of junk. Gleaming chrome and a flashy paint job on the outside gave people the impression that he was all power and sleek lines, when in reality, his engine needed an overhaul under the hood, and his shocks and struts had seen better days. He pushed his Porsche to the same limits he pushed his body and both protested loudly. Just like the minivan.

“Time to move before you freeze up like this piece of shit.”

He gritted his teeth and opened the door, feeling his lower back protest. He had to get his feet planted under him just right and push himself to standing, putting the least amount of pressure on his knees. Once he was upright, he arched his back and felt the L5 bulging disc, the torn tendon in his hip, and the stubborn rib that would not stay in place no matter how hard his chiropractor back in Hollywood pounded on it.

He let out a harsh exhale as everything settled into place and then he swung the door closed. It was a chilly April morning and he was glad he’d brought his wool coat and worn his fleece-lined jeans. He was just about to head up the walkway when he heard the rumble of tailpipes and the screeching of…heavy metal?

A ginormous four-by-four truck complete with a rack of lights and a winch mounted on the front grill kicked up gravel as it pulled into the spot next to Joe’s rental. The windows were tinted but he had a feeling he knew exactly who the monstrosity belonged to.

“Well, if it isn’t fancy-pants, twinkle-toes, Dance Machine’s own Joe Judd! I’ll be damned.”

The six-foot-five, long and not-quite-as-lean these days, blond-mulleted, monster-truck madman currently lowering himself gingerly out of the gas-guzzling giant was none other than Leslie Payton. Three-time Super Bowl-winning—now retired—NFL quarterback, championship university football coach, and fellow alum of Greenvale College.

The tremors running through Joe’s body had nothing to do with the temperature. No, this was a reunion long in the making, and now that he was here, he struggled to keep his snarky demeanor front and center.

“You always did know how to make an entrance,” Joe said, shaking his head. He strolled toward the back of his car to greet Les, who already had his hand out, seemingly just as eager.

“And you’re a sight for sore eyes,” Les said, taking Joe’s hand and pulling him in for a back-pounding bro-hug that made Joe’s teeth smack together. “I can’t believe you’re really here.”

Joe couldn’t either, honestly. He’d told himself he’d never come back here after graduation. The fact that he’d returned to the site of the best and most difficult years of his life was due entirely to the sheer amount of respect he held for Barry Payton—Leslie’s older brother and the new president of Greenvale College—and the complicated feelings he had for the man standing before him.

“I’m glad you could make it out. Barry was thrilled when you agreed to arrive early and meet with him.”

Joe raised an eyebrow. “I agreed to come for Spring Fling and the recognition of the cheer squad…am I missing something? Was there another part to the invitation?”

Les stepped back but didn’t let go of Joe’s hand, nor did he remove his other hand from Joe’s shoulder.

“I’ll let him explain it all to you. I’m just glad you’re here. Man, you look good.”

Joe did not miss the fact that Les’s gaze traveled hungrily over Joe’s body. Joe stood a little taller under the appraisal, glad he wasn’t the only one struggling with propriety.

“You just off a show?”

“Uh, yeah. Just finished choreography for the next season of Dance Machine and I’m headed from here to New York for a limited run of West Side Story.”

“When you’re a jet…doo doo doo doo doo,” Les sang, snapping his fingers. He laughed and pounded on Joe’s shoulder again, hard enough to make him stagger. “Oh, sorry, man. That’s great. I loved watching you on that live broadcast. You’ve still got those moves.”

Les’s smile held more wattage than all the lights in Levi Stadium, and Joe felt a blast of heat being the recipient of one of those smiles.

He had a flash of the first time he’d been the recipient of a Leslie Payton smile and how that night changed his life.

He watched my show. Joe fought to hide a triumphant smile.

Author Bio

R.L. Merrill

Whether she’s writing contemporary romance featuring quirky, queer, and relatable characters or diving deep into the supernatural to give readers a shiver, R.L. Merrill loves creating compelling stories that will stay with readers long after closing the book.

Ro writes inclusive romance for the Happily Ever After collective, contributes paranormal hilarity to Robyn Peterman’s Magic and Mayhem Universe, and pens horror-inspired tales and music reviews for HorrorAddicts.net.

A mom, wife, daughter, and former educator, you can find her rocking out in her Bronco with Great Dane pup Velma, being terrorized by feline twins Dracula and Frankenstein, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more…

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

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