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Author Guest Post

Teacher’s Pet Anthology: Exclusive Guest Post by Lee Welch and Giveaway

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Congrats to the all the authors on their new anthology, Teacher’s Pet. This looks like quite the forbidden fruit. 😉 Make sure you read author Lee Welch‘s exclusive guest post on sexy consent! And there is a great giveaway at the bottom, so read on, and pick this one up!

 

Featuring Eight Stories of Lessons Outside the Classroom

 

A Spell for Master Vervain by Lee Welch

Finding the Words by Elizabeth Coldwell

The Silent Treatment by Elna Holst

One Small Step by Riza Curtis

Shedding Doubt by Danielle Wayland

Academic Temptations by Karmen Lee

The Sidhe’s Apprentice by Morwen Navarre

Press “Copy” to Begin by Maryn Blackburn

 

 

A Spell for Master Vervain by Lee Welch

Apprentice magicians aren’t supposed to fall for their masters, but after a year of longing, Kit is desperate for Master Vervain. Kit casts a forbidden spell to raise an incubus doppelganger of his master—oh, the things he’ll do with that incubus! But Kit’s invoking forces he can’t control and anything can happen when love and magic are mixed.

Finding the Words by Elizabeth Coldwell

On a simple night out, Brendan’s life changed forever. He gave up college lecturing for the world of private tutoring. He may be a virtual recluse, but at least he’s safe. When student Zack approaches him for help with understanding poetry, he’s reluctant to take him on, afraid any connection to his old life might stir up the memories.

Being around Zack awakens long-buried desires in Brendan. He wants to act on his impulse to get closer, but he needs to find the words to say how he really feels.

The Silent Treatment by Elna Holst

Reverend Jane Sinclair has been preaching nothing but fire and brimstone lately. After being dumped by her long-term partner, her mood has been going from bad to worse, and it deteriorates further when her vicar strong-arms her into going off on a yoga retreat. Once she arrives at Serenity Farms, however, the sultry and playfully dominant yoga instructor soon has her singing quite a different tune. A very, very quiet one.

One Small Step by Riza Curtis

Student mage Ilya regrets not paying more attention in class when he teleports two hundred miles instead of the hundred yards he was supposed to go. Concussed, exhausted, and completely underdressed for the bitter winter weather, Ilya is rescued by the handsome Søren.

Sparks fly between the two mages while Ilya recovers, but Ilya must return home. Unable to use his magic and not skilled enough to attempt teleporting back, even if he could, Søren insists on making the journey with him. But train rides and bandits reveal something more between them.

Shedding Doubt by Danielle Wayland

Twenty-six-year-old Grayson is on a mission to get the most out of his gym membership, but when he goes at it too hard on his first day and slips off the treadmill, embarrassment makes him want to quit. Heath, a gym rat, rushes to his aid and offers to help. Initially suspicious of his motives, Grayson reluctantly accepts his help.

The more time they spend together, the more their friendship grows. They both have internal battles keeping them apart, but a Halloween party might just be the place to have a heart-to-heart.

Academic Temptations by Karmen Lee

Twenty-three-year-old Savannah Archer has kept her sexuality buried for years out of fear of being ostracized by her disapproving community. After getting pregnant in high school and putting off college for five years to raise her son, she is finally attending college—away from the prying eyes.

In her first class of the semester, she meets Anetta Springs, who is not only her professor, but also her academic advisor, and the attraction is immediate. Savannah and Anetta both know that the potential consequences of a teacher-student relationship are life-changing, but a book club and a meddling sister may not give them a choice.

The Sidhe’s Apprentice by Morwen Navarre

For anyone serious about magic, studying with a Sidhe Master is essential. Alistair Brady is very serious, and when he’s chosen at a Calling—a search by the Sidhe for new students—he’s elated. However, his assigned Master, Cianán, doesn’t want a new student and makes it painfully obvious.

Despite Cianán’s disdain, Alistair is determined to learn magic. But Alistair has difficulty finding the place inside where magic lives, and even the simplest spells continue to elude him. He just needs to figure out what’s missing, while trying not to let his growing attraction to the cold and aloof Cianán show. It takes a backfiring spell to show both Alistair and Cianán exactly what’s missing to make Alistair’s magic come alive.

Press “Copy” to Begin by Maryn Blackburn

Dr. Marissa Muniz worked hard to earn her Ph.D., so she is rightfully outraged when she detects plagiarism in the work of wealthy grad student. When Muniz confronts Libby Highsmith, the young woman begs for a second chance.

Ms. Highsmith must propose a new master’s thesis and design a project to serve as punitive measures. Muniz accepts the thesis proposal but balks at the project—a replica of the paddle used in private schools and a contract promising secrecy.

 

Amazon

NineStar Press 

Barnes & Noble 

Kobo

 

TCO Exclusive – a post on sexy consent from Lee Welch

How do I write a sexy love story between a teacher and student that doesn’t come across a bit…icky?

That’s what I asked myself when I saw the call for stories for the new TEACHER’S PET 2 anthology. Because most of us wouldn’t want sexual advances from a teacher or a student. That’s not what the teaching relationship is about. We park that stuff at the door because we have boundaries.

In my story, A Spell for Master Vervain, I play with the very constraints that mean no decent teacher would ever make a move on a student—or vice versa. Those constraints are the meat of the story, as Kit pines for his master and falls deeper and deeper in love, knowing he can never, ever have him because he is the teacher.

(Of course, Kit gets him in the end, but I won’t pretend it’s an easy ride for either of them. Hint: there’s forbidden magic and eye-watering embarrassment.)

As I read this anthology myself, I was struck how all the authors have worked hard to ensure teachers and students never break the sacred bonds of the teacher/pupil relationship. All the students are well above the age of consent. All the teachers want the best for their pupils. So there’s no ick-factor in this book – just eight very different sweet and sexy stories of how students and teachers transform what they have into a new dynamic. Even if sometimes that means waiting until they’re nearly dying of lust and longing…

Thanks for having me and I hope you enjoy my story!

Lee

Lee Welch lives on a hill in the windiest city in the world – Wellington, New Zealand. She mainly writes stories about magicians falling in love; her most recent book was SALT MAGIC, SKIN MAGIC. She likes crumbling mansions, cavernous libraries and most things with tentacles. She studied ancient history at Auckland University and creative writing at Birkbeck, University of London.

Contact information

Email: leewelchwriter@gmail.com

Website + newsletter sign up: www.leewelchwriter.com

Twitter: @leewelchwriter

https://twitter.com/leewelchwriter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leewelchwriter/

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In the Pines by Laura Lascarso: Exclusive Guest Post and Excerpt

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Incredibly excited to have Laura Lascarso (whose When Everything is Blue was fantastic) with an exclusive guest post and excerpt from her new mystery book, In the Pines. I seriously can’t wait to read this one! 

 

When your high school crush is also your number one suspect, what’s a boy to do?

After the disappearance of Eastview High’s homecoming king, seventeen-year-old Charlie Schiffer must put his detective skills to work to help class heartthrob Dare Chalmers find his missing twin brother. From the gator-filled swamps of Paynes Prairie to the truck-stop strip club Café Risqué, there’s no situation too dicey for this amateur sleuth when he’s on the prowl for clues to this mystery.

Meanwhile, Dare is everything Charlie could want in a boyfriend—charismatic, handsome, polite—but as Charlie’s mother always says, the unlikeliest people can turn out to be criminals. When evidence surfaces revealing his suspects’ hidden motives, Charlie must dig deep to suss out who among them is innocent and who is guilty, even if it means betraying the man he cares for most.

Title: In the Pines
Series: Charlie Schiffer Mysteries
Author: Laura Lascarso
Release Date: October 23, 2018
Category: Mystery/Suspense, Bittersweet
Pages: 194

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

What are the key ingredients to a small-town murder mystery?

This is the question I asked myself at the outset of writing In the Pines, my newest M/M romance-slash-mystery novel. For me, I grew up reading Agatha Christie and Nancy Drew novels and watching Twin Peaks as an adolescent. I was obsessed with that show at the time it aired, and it was only in watching it as an adult that I realized how truly weird it was. (Also, my name is Laura and the murder victim’s name was Laura Palmer, which always kind of freaked me out but was also kind of cool.)

Through consuming my fair share of mysteries over the years, and trying my hand at writing one, there are a few elements that I’ve identified as key ingredients to pulling off a small-town murder mystery.

They are setting, senses, sidekick, and suspicion.

Setting is so critical to a small-town mystery, whether it be murder or something else. The author needs to know this town like the back of her hand—where the good restaurants are, who in town knows the gossip, where do the kids go to make-out. If your detective isn’t from your small town, then you’ve got to bring in a local yocal to give your story some character and flair. My story is set in Gainesville, Florida, so naturally I included a swamp, a strip club and a few raving environmentalists (my MC Charlie being one of them). These are all elements which you will most certainly find in and around Gainesville if you’re there for very long, and I tried to make them not just window dressing, but integral pieces to the plot.

Senses—all five of them must be present. One of the best things about reading mystery and suspense is the not knowing what’s just around the corner. To build suspense, the mystery writer has to really dial in on those key details—strange smells, creepy sounds, the curtain fluttering in the breeze. Every good detective is an observer at heart and the reader wants to know what our sleuth is sensing. My guy Charlie may not be the most friendly or outgoing, but he knows how to use all five of his senses to figure out what the heck is going on.

Sidekick. What’s a good mystery without one? In the case of In the Pines, Charlie has two—a sassy cheerleader named Tameka and his best friend of the canine-persuasion, Boots. The sidekick’s role can be adversarial or ally or both. In the case of Tameka, she serves as Charlie’s sounding board and has access to the gossip and rumors he does not. She also has the clarity of mind to remind Charlie when he’s letting his feelings get in the way of their investigation. Doh, Charlie!

Suspicion. Why, in mysteries, is everyone acting so shady all the time? Because people lie, in fiction and in real life. One of the most enjoyable aspects of writing In the Pines, was getting all of the characters to lie about something, even if it was small and seemingly inconsequential. Flawed characters are my favorite, and this story gave me an opportunity to give everyone a dark side.

And that’s what I’ve learned from writing about murder in a small town. I’ve included an excerpt below from In the Pines, where Charlie first meets Tameka. I wanted her to make an impression on both him and the reader. Hopefully she does. If you like it, I encourage you to check out more.

We assembled at the southernmost point of Newnans Lake, where Hawthorne Road met with 2082, just south of Kate’s Fish Camp. It was just before dawn as people shuffled out of their cars and trucks; several others biked there as well on the Hawthorne bike trail. Cups of coffee were distributed as folks mumbled greetings to each other in the violet wash of predawn. We watched the sun rise over the marsh like blood seeping from a wound and woke a flock of red-winged blackbirds that zigzagged away, chattering their complaints at the sky. If it weren’t for the somber mood, you’d almost think we’d gathered there for an early morning hike.

I thought we’d comb the swamps between 441 and I-75—the two most likely routes out of town—but Mom said this was where they’d determined the cell phone last communicated with the tower before the battery was removed or the phone died.

GPD told us we were looking for Mason’s phone; they probably didn’t want to say we were also potentially searching for a body.

Rangers from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission passed out waders and snake boots for members of the search parties, but there were only enough for a fraction of the people who’d come out to help, especially since most of the upperclassmen of Eastview High were there. For those of us who didn’t have protection, FWC suggested we grab a big stick and knock the ground every couple of steps to “scare off the critters.” The word critters made it sound like soft, furry mammals, not venomous snakes or twenty-foot alligators with bone-crushing jaws. Literally half a gator’s length was its mouth.

My mother was with the operations unit, poring over aerial maps on a foldout table, so I joined the nearest group of classmates to form a search party. While we waited for supplies and further instruction from GPD, I overheard two girls talking about Mason’s disappearance.

“Bet he ran off with that stripper from Café Risqué,” one said. I recognized her as Tameka Thomas, a cheerleader from Daniela’s squad.

“Is that what the fight on Friday was about?” said the other girl. My ears perked up at the mention of a fight. According to my mom, Daniela claimed she hadn’t seen Mason since the pep rally, and she certainly didn’t mention an argument between them.

“Mmm-hmm,” Tameka continued. “Mason’s fine as hell, but you know he’s not faithful. Daniela just doesn’t know how to handle him. I’d keep that boy sat-is-fied.” Tameka made a slapping gesture and ground her hips in a motion that made my eyes go wide. The girls at my high school were more sex-crazed than the boys.

“When was the fight?” I asked the girls. They both turned my way and studied me like I was a bug and they were deciding whether to ignore me or squash me.

“Well, if it isn’t old Dick Tracy,” Tameka sneered. My SAT sting had burned a couple of the cheerleaders. They called me Dick for a while whenever they caught me in the halls. Hey, Dick. How’s it going, Dick? Screwed anyone over lately, Dick? One time a whole hive of them swarmed me outside the gymnasium. It was pretty terrifying. “Are you on the case then, Dick?” Tameka asked, hands on her hips, coppery brown eyes studying me acutely.

“If the fight really happened, it could help with the investigation,” I offered as my defense for being nosy. “I just want to help Dare find his brother.”

Tameka pursed her lips and glanced over at her friend, who only shrugged. “Well, not that it’s any of your business, but I saw them fighting outside the wrestling room after cheer practice. I didn’t hear what they were saying because I don’t put my nose where it doesn’t belong, like some people.”

I sincerely doubted that, but instead of arguing with her, I only sighed and waited for her to get in her digs.

“But, then again, a girl’s response to finding out her man’s been cheating is pretty universal, so if I had to take a guess….” Here Tameka paused for effect, curling her upper lip a little and bobbing her head. “I’d guess she was giving him the business for messing around.”

“What does that look like?” I needed more detail.

Tameka smiled at her friend. “Like this.” She stalked up to me and shoved me back by my shoulders so I stumbled a little. Then she stuck her index finger right up in my face and pointed at me accusingly. “You good-for-nothing, lying, cheating dog. You think I’m stupid? Do you think I’m stupid? I saw that text in your phone. I know you were with someone else last night. Who was she? Who the hell was she? Oh no, son, don’t you come at me now acting like you looooove me. You don’t love me. You love yourself, you selfish sonovabitch. I hope you get a disease from that ho Now, get out of my face before I beat you senseless, boy. I can’t even stand to look at you.”

She stuck her flattened palm in my face, spun on her heels, and walked back over to her friend.

“Wow,” I said, reeling from her very visceral performance. My heart was racing and my palms were sweating. “End scene. That was brilliant.” Where had I picked up that expression? Probably the drama department.

“Yeah.” She brushed her manicured nails against her shirt and blew on their tips. They were painted alternating green and white, our school colors, just like Daniela’s. I remembered the jacket Daniela was wearing during the pep rally—Mason’s letterman jacket.

“Was Daniela still wearing Mason’s jacket?” I asked Tameka.

She shook her head. “She took it off and shoved it at him, even though it was cold that day. That’s how I knew she was pissed. She loves that damn jacket.”

It was true. Now that Tameka mentioned it, I rarely saw Daniela without Mason’s jacket, even on warm days. It was like the skin from her kill—proof to all her rivals that Mason Chalmers had been claimed.

At that moment a sheriff’s deputy approached us and gave us all blue nurse’s gloves and several two-gallon Ziploc bags. “If you find anything—and I mean anything—put it in a bag, seal it, and radio in.” He glanced at the lot of us, seemed to have misgivings, and then shoved the walkie-talkie at me. “You’re the group leader,” he said.

I could tell from Tameka’s expression, she didn’t like that. “Because he’s a boy?” she asked, shoulders squared, head tilted like a parrot. I felt the need to correct her that I was a man, not a boy, but I didn’t wish to feed her ire. The deputy looked caught—he wasn’t much older than us. Likely this was his first experience with organizing a search party.

“No, it’s just because—” he started to say.

“You can be leader.” I cut him off and gave Tameka the radio. “You’ve got the biggest mouth anyway.”

Her eyes went wide and her mouth opened a little like she was about to retort. Then she smiled. “All right then, Dick. As team leader, I’m making you the gator getter. You walk ahead with that big stick of yours and scare off the critters.”

I chuckled at her impersonation of the ranger. “My name’s Charlie, by the way.”

She smirked and shoved my shoulder playfully. “Yeah, I know, but you look more like a Dick to me.”

Author Bio: Laura Lascarso wants you to stay up way past your bedtime reading her stories. She aims to inspire more questions than answers in her fiction and believes in the power of storytelling to heal and transform a society. When not writing, Laura can be found screaming “finish” on the soccer fields, rewatching Veronica Mars, and trying to convince politicians that climate change is real. She lives in North Florida with her darling husband and two kids. She loves hearing from readers, and she’d be delighted to hear from you.
Twitter: @lauralascarso

Operation Makeover by DJ Jamison: Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

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At TCO, we love having author’s stop by and bring our readers excerpts and giveaways. Today DJ Jamison has kindly dropped in to give us an advanced look at Operation Makeover which comes out tomorrow, along with a giveaway. So check it out, leave a comment and let us know what you think!

Will a makeover bring his fantasy to life or lead him to a love he never saw coming?As a professional X-ray tech, Ridley has come a long way from the geeky kid Jace took under his wing in high school. Not that his best friend has noticed. Tired of pining, Ridley decides to show Jace what he’s missing. And what better way than with a newer, more sophisticated look?

Cole’s clients at the salon where he works love him dearly. Men? Not so much. He has dated one mistake after the next, and he’s beginning to wonder if a guy exists who can handle his fabulousness. Then Ridley lands in his chair.

Cole agrees to be Ridley’s makeover guru, and they click effortlessly. But when Cole offers to help Ridley with his sexual confidence, passion flares and boundaries blur.

Ridley’s had his heart set on Jace a long time, but when he’s with Cole it feels too real to deny. Now he has a choice to make: the friend he’s always wanted or the man who’s given him a whole new lease on life.

Operation Makeover is part of the Hearts and Health series, but it can be read as a standalone.

Amazon

Universal

Ridley, dressed in blue jeans and a loose T-shirt, looked terrified when he saw the contents of Cole’s closet. Bright colors, sequins, slinky silks, and even some lacy things crowded the rack, and underneath was a jumble of shoes, everything from Chucks to knee-high boots.

Cole grabbed a pair of maroon jeans off the hanger. Well, they looked like jeans but were made of a stretchy, clingy material that made them a cross between jeans and tights. Holding them up against Ridley’s waist, he eyed him.

Hmm, not bad, but he wasn’t sure if Ridley was ready for maroon. Maybe a dark green …

“Uh, those will never fit me,” Riley said. “Also, they’re very red.”

Cole flicked up his eyes, hands still pressing the pants against Ridley’s waist. “I’m just visualizing, sweetie. We’ll buy you clothes in your own size. And hello? They’re maroon, and I own them, so they’re fabulous!”

“Sorry,” Ridley mumbled, shifting uncomfortably.

Cole drew back. “Take off your shirt.”

To his amusement, Ridley jerked his arms up across his chest like a shy virgin. “Why?”
“I want to see what I’m working with. Pants too, down to your undies.”

“No way,” Ridley said quickly, backing up a step and hitting the bed. He promptly fell onto his butt, bouncing once. “I can’t.”

Cole wasn’t sure if he should be offended by Ridley’s modesty. “Is it me? I know I’m flirty, but this is strictly business.” He drew an X over his heart with one finger. “I solemnly swear not to molest you.”

With my hands. My eyes are another matter.

Ridley chewed his bottom lip. “It’s just, I’m probably not what you usually see. You’re so… you probably date really hot men. And, um, I don’t manscape or anything.”

Aw, he was so precious. Ridley needed a major self-esteem overhaul. In some ways, Cole and Ridley weren’t so different. Anita gave Cole hell for undervaluing his self-worth, too, although in his case it was less about his physical appearance and more about the way he let people treat him.

He should work on himself, but it was a heck of a lot easier to focus on Ridley. He was determined to show Ridley the gem waiting to be polished under those clothes.

“You overestimate my fabulousness,” he said. “And besides, this is a makeover. If you want to wax, we can add it to the list. But between you and me, a hairy man is sexy! A little grooming is nice, yes, but—”

“Okay,” Ridley blurted. “Just don’t talk about it. No comments on my body.”

“Consider me your makeover doctor. I’m here to help, not judge.”

DJ Jamison is the author of more than a dozen m/m romances, including the Ashe Sentinel series and the Hearts and Health series. She writes a variety of queer characters, from gay to bisexual to asexual, with a focus on telling love stories that are more about common ground than lust at first sight.

DJ grew up in the Midwest in a working-class family, and those influences can be found in her writing through characters coping with real-life problems: money troubles, workplace drama, family conflicts and, of course, falling in love.

DJ spent more than a decade in the newspaper industry before chasing her first dream to write fiction. She spent a lifetime reading before that, and continues to avidly devour her fellow authors’ books each night. She lives in Kansas with her husband, two sons, two fish. one snake, and a sadistic cat named Birdie.

SOCIAL LINKS Newsletter: www.tinyurl.com/DJandCompany Website: ReadingDJ.com Facebook group: www.facebook.com/groups/DJandCompany Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/dj-jamison

Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14205328.D_J_Jamison

Twitter: @dj_jamison_

Leave a comment for DJ and you could win your choice of any of the first six Hearts and Health books.

 

Calculated Magic by SJD Peterson: Exclusive Guest Post and New Release Review

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Never too late for love.

Three-hundred-and-fifty-year-old warlock Tikron must find his true love or forfeit his immortality. But if he hasn’t found his ideal mate in all these centuries, the prospects don’t look too bright.

That is, until he sees mathematician Richard Beaumont. It’s love at first sight and Tikron’s future just got a whole lot brighter.

Except Richard doesn’t believe in love at first sight. He doesn’t believe in love at all. He certainly doesn’t believe in magic. His life is ruled by statistics and logic, and they tell him a relationship with Tikron has only a 10 percent chance of success. That’s unacceptable—even if the attraction between them is off the charts.

With his powers waning and the clock ticking down, Tikron’s last hope is showing Richard the true meaning of magic.

Title: Calculated Magic
Author: SJD Peterson
Release Date: October 16, 2018
Category: Paranormal, Dreamspun Beyond
Pages: 225

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

 

The Magic of Autumn

The brightly painted trees, cool crisp mornings, big bulky sweaters, and mugs of streaming hot coco makes fall one of my favourite seasons here in Michigan. The family of my daughter’s good friend owns a pumpkin farm and I absolutely love going there, picking out the perfect pumpkins and using them to decorate my home. It’s also a great time of year to visit the apple orchard and indulge in apple cider and fresh cinnamon doughnuts.

Autumn is also when many of my favourite shows start the new season. I love summer and never want to rush it; still, I can’t wait for the premier of the Walking Dead and Halloween Wars. Friday night lights and the first puck dropped at the Joe Louis Arena (yes I know it’s now Little Caesars but refuse to call it that.) Haunted Houses, hay rides and back to school. Air conditioners going silent, window open to let in the fresh air and thick comforters donning the bed.

There is little I don’t love about fall, well except the fact that as we dip into fall, the closer winter creeps up. (Ugh how I hate winter) If I could choose one season, it would be autumn all year round. Wave my wand and *poof* no more winter hehehe. How about you? What is your favourite time of year?

~Be good to each other~

Jo

 

Although paranormal stories aren’t normally my cup of tea, something about this one intrigued me as soon as I saw the blurb. And I was sucked into the story right away, but not because of the relationship with the two MC’s! (Although that happened later).

Tikron, a 350 year old warlock, and his best friend, Ry, less than 300 years old, started this book off with a bang. Their relationship and deep friendship was so fantastic, that the book didn’t need angst in order to carry the book. Tikron and Ry were sometimes lovers, but primarily seemed to have a brotherly relationship. They teased each other mercilessly, yet could count on each other without question. Even Tikron’s mother clearly loved Ry almost as much as her own son. Above all, though, these two men supported each other, and went out of their way to do whatever they could to make sure the other was happy, even if they harassed the other along the way.

Richard, Tikron’s love interest, was set in his ways, with each day scheduled out precisely. Then along comes this man who bursts into his life bringing magic (which Richard didn’t believe in), fun and laughter (which Richard had to learn that he wanted), and love (which Richard didn’t know if he believed in, or even knew what it was). **Side note…the moment that causes Richard to “believe” in magic was slightly devastating, and I recommend not reading this on a city bus, in the event you end up crying. Not that I know what that would be like at all…**

The relationship between Tikron and Richard progressed quickly, and with little angst. The one piece of angst I was somewhat expecting never materialized other than a “we will talk about this”, but that really didn’t matter. This book was about relationships, plain and simple. The relationship between Tikron and Richard which moved from “no I don’t want to date you” to “I still don’t want to date you” to “I trust you and believe in you”. The relationship between Tikron and Ry, which made me laugh more times than I could count. And even the relationship between Tikron and his mother, who clearly adored her son, and was willing to do what she could to make sure he lived.

There were some incomplete pieces that I would have liked wrapped up, but I have a feeling that a second book will be coming (PLEASE!!!!!) about Ry, and we will definitely get some of those things answered.

All in all, a fun read. Recommend.

4 pieces of eye candy

SJD Peterson, better known as Jo, hails from Michigan. Not the best place to live for someone who hates the cold and snow. When not reading or writing, Jo can be found close to the heater checking out NHL stats and watching the Red Wings kick a little butt. Can’t cook, misses the clothes hamper nine out of ten tries, but is handy with power tools.

Visit Jo on

Twitter: @SJDPeterson

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SJD.Peterson

Blog: www.sjdpeterson.com

Email: sjdpeterson@gmail.com

 

Handle with Care by Cari Z.: Exclusive Author Guest Post and Release Day Review

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A fragile heart needs extra care.

Burned-out social worker Aaron McCoy is on vacation for the first time in years—boss’s orders. Road-tripping to his brother’s wedding with his best friend, Tyler, seems a fun way to spend the mandatory two-week leave, and they set out for Kansas—and a difficult homecoming.

Aaron’s mother was a drug addict, and his adorable younger brother was quickly adopted, while Aaron spent his childhood in foster care. As Aaron mends fences, Tyler hopes to show him that this time, he won’t be left behind to face his problems alone.

Aaron’s opening up to how right it feels to be with Tyler and to the possibility of taking the leap from friends to lovers. But along with the wedding celebration comes a painful reminder of the past. Aaron’s heart is still breakable. Can he put it in Tyler’s hands?

Title: Handle with Care
Author: Cari Z.
Release Date: October 16, 2018
Category: Contemporary, Dreamspun Desires
Pages: 190

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Barnes and Noble

Is it kind of weird that I don’t want to let this book go?

I mean, ha, I’ve already let it go in the big ways. It’s been written, edited, published. It’s out there for people to read and enjoy. It’s done. That part’s over. But there’s more to writing a book than just setting it free in the world. I think writers have to let it go with their minds and hearts too, so they can move on to the next thing. And that part, well…that’s not coming so easily this time around.

Normally I’m good at multitasking, good at the act of releasing one thing and reconnecting with something else. When I wrote Handle With Care, I was working on two or three other novels all while being pregnant. I was working full time. I was busy. I finished the rough draft, polished it up, submitted it and went on my merry way. Since then, though…

I thought I was busy before. HA! Now I have a baby. Now I have to earn money in other ways, mostly by writing and editing during the hours when said baby sleeps. Very little of that writing is on my own, original work. In fact, the last book I finished on my own, for myself, is…

*crickets*

Yeah, Handle With Care. No wonder I don’t want to let it go. If I do, I face the fact that I’ve got nothing new in the hopper. The next big thing isn’t done yet—I don’t know when it will be done. I kind of feel like Aaron, one of the main characters in Handle With Care, as he contemplates the fact that with his job, he’s never “done.” I kind of feel the same way. I really enjoyed writing this book, and despite the fact that it was produced during what I thought of as a chaotic time, right now I’d love to have those kinds of uninterrupted hours to devote to writing. I wouldn’t trade what I’ve got now for anything, but dang. I was spoiled.

I’m still learning how to adapt to my new status, and my options are a little different than Aaron’s. But I have no doubt that like him, and with a little help, I’ll figure it out.

PS—his way involves the St. Louis Arch, uncharted emotional territory, and a strip club. Could be fun 😉

Cari Z. moved far away from her normal, gritty, work to write Handle With Care, and I loved it as much as some of that gritty work! This Dreamspun Desires category romance was friends to lovers, with a road trip, and a small appetizer of angst all rolled into one. Just the right amount of “I’m gonna need a tissue right here” along with two MC’s who clearly have supported and adored each other most of their adult lives.

What I loved about Aaron was seeing his growth in just the short time that he and Tyler were on this road trip. He didn’t just grow in his relationship with the man he’d loved his entire life, but he grew into a more well rounded man, by allowing himself to enjoy his vacation, letting go of the stress of his job, and what he was leaving behind for others to care for. He was able to enjoy his time with Tyler, but also able to learn to re-engage with family that he had felt disconnected from (for very good reasons).

The reader was able to connect with Tyler, through Aaron, and through small glimpses into his past. However, the strongest connection was in how he clearly felt about Aaron. He made it his goal to ensure Aaron was safe and happy, had fun, and lived. And not just during the book, but even in those moments we glimpsed from their past. To bring this man into his family home, when they were both teenagers, connect him with his own family, and not let him go after it was only the two of them in the area, showed his commitment to Aaron on a day to day basis. It was heart warming, because the reader knew that this was about his deep love for Aaron, as a friend, as a brother, but definitely as the man he wanted to love the rest of his life.

These books are all about the HEA, and Tyler and Aaron definitely got their HEA, but also found a joy with their newly found family, which was so much what Aaron’s journey through this book was about. I enjoyed the road trip, the fun they found along the way to the wedding. But even more so, I loved that they found more than that, they found love in many forms, and embraced it.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Cari Z. is a Colorado girl who loves snow and sunshine. She has a wonderful relationship with her husband, a complex relationship with the characters in her head and a sadomasochistic relationship with her exercise routine. She hopes that you enjoy reading what she’s put out there as much as she enjoyed writing it in the first place.

Social media: Twitter: @author_cariz

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008212125132

Devil Take Me Anthology: Exclusive Author Guest Post – Rhys Ford, Blog Tour

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Devil Take Me Blurb:

Temptation lurks around every corner in worlds sometimes dark, sometimes lurid. Giving in is both dangerous and satisfying, though never in the ways one expects. While these enticements offer a vast range of benefits and boons, the cost is a soul and the devil expects his due. Sometimes suave and charming or calculating and cruel, these devils have schemes and desires of their own. They can be creatures to run away from… or toward.

Join the most unique and celebrated authors of LGBT urban fantasy and paranormal fiction for a fast-paced and unpredictable ride, from a city on the other side of reality, to a world suspended in dusk, to a twisted version of the 1960s and 70s.

Meet devils in top hats and waistcoats, a defrocked motorcycle-riding priest, and a genderfluid antihero—among many more. Full of humor, romance, horror, action, intrigue, and magic, these stories have one common element….

They’re one hell of a good time.

Wonderland City Blurb

Author: Rhys Ford

When Xander Spade went through the Looking Glass, he wasn’t looking for salvation. He’d been running from the devil who took his soul, only to fall prey to the greatest monster in Wonderland City, the Queen of Hearts. Years later, the Queen is dead and Xander has a chance to go through the Looking Glass and back home where he belongs.

Xander’s devil wants him to find a little girl who escaped into Wonderland City, before her presence brings down an apocalypse of uncontrollable chaos to the already mad world. Along with Jean Michel, the former Knave of Hearts, Xander now is in a race against time to find the missing child before all Hell breaks loose and he loses his chance to go home.

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I love Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Through the Looking-Glass, and What Alice Found There. I found these books when I was younger and devoured them. I can’t even tell you how many times I bought them because they didn’t survive me or were lost in one of my many moves. I currently own four copies, including the Kindle version because why not.

So when we started to talk about doing the Devil Take Me anthology, I knew I wanted to dive into that world but not during the timeline of the books. Especially since I wanted to explore what would happen to Wonderland after the Queen of Hearts fell and how a little girl — a very human little girl — would affect the chaotic carousel of Wonderland’s infrastructure.

Because nothing can mess up chaos more than a little girl.

But I didn’t want to write one.

Instead, I wanted to introduce a new take on the Queen’s deck of cards. A sort of Battle Royale situation where she pitted people against one another to become her favourite and right before she was taken down, that position was held by Xander Spade, a human who’d traded his soul to the devil in order to escape the life he was living on Earth.

This change up allowed me to expand on Wonderland, evolving it from the place Carroll left it to a post-industrial revolution sprawl where magic might be king and any inventions have to be cobbled together by whatever technology is brought through the Looking Glass. So in essence, I had a sort of Victorian-influenced society with bits of modern touches populated by Wonderland’s creatures as well as a couple of humans I tossed in for good measure.

I wanted to keep this in a more noir vein, a bit of that language and tone because I felt that smoky, metal taste in the words would enhance Wonderland’s current state.

And well, there’s always the fun and dabs of violence and horrific to play with.

I had a lot of fun writing this somewhat familiar world with a different twist to it. I loved figuring out the machinery and tech brought into the world, extrapolating how Wonderland City would adapt things like cars and landlines to the reality and also what was the realm’s normal.

Telling the story from the POV of a human who’d been there a while was a great challenge because he was rooted in the familiar of an Earthen perspective yet still be able to function in the Looking Glass world without being overwhelmed by the fantastical.

Because we had a lot of room to play with word wise, I was able to introduce Xander as a character and establish a bit of the world before plunging directly into the main part of the story. Since I always view the environment as its own character in the story, it gave me some time to play with the surroundings and at the same time, embed Xander into the space.

Also, I could have a really great time playing with the Looking Glass characters and explore how Xander would fit into it. And since he really just wants to go home, explore how he could get out of the crazy realm he’d been thrust into after signing his name on that dotted line.

I hope you all have as great of a time reading Wonderland City as I had in writing it. I am beyond honoured to be included in this cast of great writers and the anthology was a fantastic project for us to let loose and stretch our wings, letting us take our imaginations to places for a brief jaunt and delve into storylines we hadn’t yet explored.

Thank you for having me along for the ride and I hope you enjoy your trip through the Looking Glass.

Rhys Ford

 

Tour:

10/10/18 – My Fiction Nook: Jordan L. Hawk

10/11/18 – It’s About the Book: TA Moore

10/12/18 – Love Bytes Reviews: Ginn Hale

10/13/18 – Joyfully Jay Reviews: C.S. Poe

10/15/18 – Two Chicks Obsessed: Rhys Ford

10/16/18 – The Novel Approach Reviews: Jordan Castillo Price

 

Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and is a two-time LAMBDA finalist with her Murder and Mayhem novels. She is also a 2017 Gold and Silver Medal winner in the Florida Authors and Publishers President’s Book Awards for her novels Ink and Shadows and Hanging the Stars. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.

She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal and really, who doesn’t mention their cats, dog and cars in a bio? She shares the house with Harley, a grey tuxedo with a flower on her face, Badger, a disgruntled alley cat who isn’t sure living inside is a step up the social ladder as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people.

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