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Bonus Material

Shiftless by TA Moore: Blog Tour, Exclusive Short Story Excerpt, and Giveaway

by

Night Shift is the city’s thin, silver line- and some nights it’s thinner than others.

It isn’t the fact he almost died last night that’s thrown Night Shift officer Kit Marlow. He’s used to that. It’s the fact that instead of a werewolf trying to rip his throat out, it was his friend and colleague who tried to put him in the ground.

Well, ‘friend.’

Now Marlow’s been framed for a murder he didn’t commit by a man who’s committed more than his fair share. Half the cops in San Diego want to see Marlow behind bars for what he’s supposedly done, and the other half want him dead before he can tell his side of the story. The problem is that he can’t tell them apart.

There’s only one person in town that Marlow can trust, even though he knows he shouldn’t drag Cade Deacon into his problems. The sharp-tongued CEO of a private security firm might have gotten close to Marlow over the last few weeks, but taking on the SDPD is a lot to ask.

Marlow doesn’t have much choice, though. If he can’t clear his name before the last full moon of the month sets, he might not see another one. That’d be a shame since Marlow would really like to spend the night with Cade without needing protective gear.

Title: Shiftless

Publisher: Rogue Firebird Press

Release: June 19

Amazon

Book 1: Shift Work

Book 2: Split Shift

First of all, thank you so much for having me! I’m thrilled to be here with my new release, Shiftless by TA Moore, which completes the Night Shift trilogy! I believe it is still technically a novella, although it’s the novella that kicked the other novellas out of the nest and ate all the food!

For the blog tour I’ve written a short story set in the Night Shift world. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter Four

It was a re-run.

Half the programs Marlow had TiVo’d were re-runs. There wasn’t a lot of downtime when you were on the Night Shift or training to get into the academy. Marlow had missed a lot of must-see programming over the years. Some of it was just comfort food, though—old enough that the last time anyone had talked about it around the water-cooler, it had been weekly.

This month it was Quincy. He’d watched it the first time around with his grandmother—probably, he couldn’t remember it, but she’d never missed an episode—and there was something comforting about how simple life was on the show. Murders happened, sure, but if Quincy didn’t solve them with his coroner’s experience, he’d sniff out the killer on the full moon.

Handy trick that.

Marlow sprawled back in the bed and watched the flannel-faced detective scowl intently over a slide before he raced off to save the day. Despite the soporific effect of sentimentality, Marlow’s brain wouldn’t shut off.

He wanted to be wrong.

For a good six months, every time he felt uneasy about a call Piper made or didn’t make, he’d told himself he was wrong. Of course he was. They were Night Shift, the good guys of a hundred stories. Piper was a goddamn legend, a literal poster boy for the department.

Except… he wasn’t.

His phone buzzed next to the bed. He grabbed it in case it was Gil—he might not be scheduled to work, but he was still on call every night until the moon waned—but Bennett’s name was stamped over the text notification.

Marlow flicked it open.

Why were you at the Crate? I told you to let it go. It’s not your problem.

Marlow really wished that was true, too. He set the phone back on the bedside table without answering Bennett and flicked the TV off. It hadn’t been Gil that time, but if she did call him in, he’d rather have gotten some sleep.

By rights, it should have taken him half the night to grab some shut-eye. His head was stuffed with unresolved doubts and questions. His body knew better. His head hit the pillow, and he was out.

His dreams weren’t peaceful, but they didn’t disturb his rest either.

What woke him up was the crack of his door being kicked in.

TA Moore is a Northern Irish writer of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and contemporary romance novels. A childhood in a rural, seaside town fostered in her a suspicious nature, a love of mystery, and a streak of black humour a mile wide. As her grandmother always said, ‘she’d laugh at a bad thing that one’, mind you, that was the pot calling the kettle black. TA Moore studied History, Irish mythology, English at University, mostly because she has always loved a good story. She has worked as a journalist, a finance manager, and in the arts sectors before she finally gave in to a lifelong desire to write.

Coffee, Doc Marten boots, and good friends are the essential things in life. Spiders, mayo, and heels are to be avoided.

Website: www.tamoorewrites.com

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

Twitter: @tamoorewrites

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Secret Simon (A Haven Hart Novel) by Davidson King: Blog Tour, Excerpt and New Release Review

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Simon

Being the nephew of one of the most infamous mob bosses in the world isn’t easy. Our family has enemies everywhere, and no one is safe without protection. Here I am at college with a fresh start, a new last name, and secrets hidden from those around me—life is going according to plan. Then one day on campus, I see him…and I want him to strip me bare…in more ways than one.

Rush

Abernathy is more than just the university I attend. It’s my destiny, my namesake. Singing and entertaining are who I am, but my father wants me to major in something more appropriate for the name I carry. I’ve resigned myself to being who my father wants, doing what he wants. Then Simon comes into my life…and turns everything upside down. Now I have a reason to fight for what I want. 

Who knew our love story would lead to secrets revealed, murderous plots, and finding our forever buried under so many lies? Hopefully we’ll live long enough to see it.

*Trigger: Violence and mention of suicide

Secret Simon

A Haven Hart Novel

Davidson King

M/M Romance

Release Date: 05.24.21

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Figuring out how to begin my story was the hardest part, but I knew when it was over, there was a good chance Rush would walk out that door and never return. I supposed it didn’t matter how I started—the end would be the same, most likely.

“I’m about to tell you a lot of shit, Rush. You’re not going to like most of it, and I understand you may never want to see me again afterward.” He was about to interrupt, but I held up a finger. “Don’t make a promise you don’t know if you can keep by saying ‘nothing I tell you will change how you feel,’ because that’s bullshit. What I will ask is only one thing. Let me tell the story to the end before you walk out of here.” 

“You’re so sure I’ll leave?” 

I nodded. “Yeah.” 

Rush tightly fisted his hands together on his lap, readying himself, no doubt. “Okay, tell me.”

Simon is all grown up. The kid we met when he was 8, also nicknamed Eight by his father, is now in college. Five hours from home and under a fake name so he isn’t connected at all to his uncle (who raised him and they are like father and son) because, yanno, MOB.

Starting his second year of college, he is immediately drawn to a guy singing karaoke in the common area. A little digging shows where he works. And Simon arranges an accidental meeting. Sparks fly.

But Rush is part of the family who created the college. His father works there and expects his son to as well. Rush was pretty much resigned to his fate until Simon came along. For a kid who lived with expectations, Simon sure knows how to throw them out the window as well.

There was a bit of mob stuff, some of it was a little much for me- a bit convoluted- but still entertaining. And with the mob stuff with get Snow in all his glory and an appearance by Christopher Manos, mob boss, dad and husband.

Having Simon grow up and get his happily ever after was very satisfying. I love that it was part of the Haven Hart world, but not part of the big story arc told over many books. It’s a solid stand alone that is a fun read.

3.5 pieces of eye candy

Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

Linktree: https://linktr.ee/davidsonkingauthor

Split Shift by TA Moore: Blog Tour, Exclusive Short Story, and Giveaway

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The hard thing about Night Shift is when you realize werewolves are bad news, but people can be worse.

After Night Shift officer Kit Marlow solved the murder of child star Haley Jenkins, he figured he was due a little down time. Maybe even a dinner date with Cade Deacon, the sarcastic security consultant, very good kisser, and werewolf who’d helped with the investigation.

That was before someone in a Night Shift uniform drove them both off the road. With the full moon up the only dinner date Cade is interested in…has Marlow served up on a plate. And not in a sexy way.

It’s the second time that corrupt Night Shift officers have tried to kill Marlow. If he has his way, it will be the last. Problem is he only has twenty-eight days before the next full moon. If he hasn’t identified who wants him dead by then, he’ll have to take to werewolf filled streets with a team at his back he can’t trust.

First things first, though. Get through the next twelve hours alive and uneaten, and hope that if a second date is still on the cards it’s less eventful.

Title: Split Shift

Publisher: Rogue Firebird Press

Release: April 19

Link: https://books2read.com/splitshiftbook2

Amazon

First of all, thank you so much for having me! I’m thrilled to be here with my new release, Split Shift by TA Moore, the second novella in the Night Shift series.

For the blog tour I’ve written a short story set in the Night Shift world. I hope you enjoy!

Chapter 3

Still no text from Brian.

From the icon positioned next to it he had read it, but that was it. Marlow leaned against the back wall of the briefing room and stared at the screen as he tried to work out where he stood.

He started to type and got as far as the second ‘r’ in sorry when he stopped, deleted it, and started again.

I’ll make it up to you?

Or use a full stop and make it a promise. That projected a lot more confidence than he had right now.

He held his thumb over the send button as he debated whether to hit it or not. The rest of the team’s arrival interrupted the debate. He closed the app down.

“Phones away, Marlow,” Bailey said as she headed to the front of the room. “If you make me take it off you, then you won’t get it back till the end of shift.”

A few chuckles circled around the room as everyone took their seats. Piper gave Marlow a glance as he came in, an eyebrow raised to suggest a question. Presumably about the earlier conversation.

Marlow nodded as he tucked his phone into his back pocket.

“OK, Last night went well. No-one died while we were around, so I’m calling it a win,” Bailey said. “We did have an accusation of unnecessary force brought by some bleeding heart from St Michael’s–”

Bennett raised her hand and pointed at herself.”

“–against Bennett,” Bailey confirmed. “So IA is all over that, but I’ve reviewed the files and, unless and until new information comes up, they’re happy to let me keep you on duty. Like I said, no-one died.”

Bennett leaned back in her chair, balanced on just the two rear legs, and crossed her arms over her chest.

“Damnit,” she said. “I thought I’d get a night off.”

Everyone laughed. Even Bailey gave an amused snort. “You wish,” she said. “OK. We have a VIP in town, big time lawyer slumming it down here for a client. They can’t get out to the Reserve and make court tomorrow, so dawn hits check the Crate for this guy.”

She held up a photo. The trim, grey-haired man in it didn’t look like someone who’d get tossed in the crate, but the wolf wasn’t the man.

Bailey ran through the rest of the briefing. A wolf in the Gaslamp District with a fixation on someone’s house, drug runners in Encinitas that had used the full moon as a distraction, and pack activity in Mesa Verde that needed broken up. Wolves were mostly solitary, meetings usually lead to fights, but sometimes they weren’t. No one knew why–plenty of people had theories about ‘natural alphas’ or population pressure, but they couldn’t back them up–but everyone agreed it wasn’t something to encourage.

It was supposed to be a pack of wolves that kicked off the French Revolution, when they broke into the Royal Preserve and slaughtered rings around them. Nothing that dramatic had ever happened in San Diego, but even small groups of wolves could be dangerous and destructive. It was best to nip it in the bud.

“Last on the agenda, but not least,” Bailey said as she flipped the folder closed. She waved her hand to the front of the room, where Franklin had taken up residence at one of the desks. “We have a new Night Shift officer on deck. Officer Franklin passed his PFQ with flying colors, and we’re glad to have him here. Keep an eye on him, show him the ropes, and make sure he doesn’t break that other hip.”

Franklin stood up and held his arms out. “I’ve already given one hip to the city,” he said. “I’m here to put the other on the line.”

Someone threw a balled up bit of paper at his head. He caught it before it hit his face and tucked it in his pocket.

“Love notes already,” he said. “I’m touched.”

“Settle down!” Bailey barked. “You are one night in, two nights to go. You’ve held the silver line so far, don’t slip up now. Get out there.”

There was only lime-and-lemon Gatorade left in the cooler stashed under the seat in the back of the Bearcat.

“Sorry,” Franklin said with mock-contrition as he finished his swig on the blue liquid. He wiped his mouth on his sleeve. “I guess I took the last cherry Gatorade. Is that your favorite?”

Marlow grabbed a green bottle and dropped back into his seat. “No, it’s fine,” he said as he twisted the lid off. “I don’t care.”

It was the truth. He didn’t even like cherry flavor. Even if he’d been parched and that was all he was allowed to drink, he’d not have taken Franklin’s bait. If it turned out that they couldn’t work together, Marlow wasn’t going to take the blame for it.

Franklin stared at him and then sniffed to himself as he twisted the lid back on the bottle. Next to him Bennett paused mid-check on her gun to laugh.

“C’mon, Marlow,” she said. “Throw the guy a bone and be pissy about something. It’s his first night.”

Marlow took a drink of the tart, over-sugared energy drink. It cleared the taste of smoke and blood from the back of his throat. There had been a fire in an apartment building. The fire department had handled that, but it had been Night Shift’s job to keep the place clear until it did. “There’s nothing to be pissy about,” he said. “As long as he does his job and I can do mine.”

“Oh yeah?” Bennett jabbed her elbow into Franklin’s ribs, hard enough to make him grunt. “Want to see how it’s done, rookie?”

He gave her a dour look. “You know I’ve been Night Shift before, right?” he said. “Back in Frisco?”

“Didn’t ask and don’t care,” Bennett said. “You want to see how a real San Diego Night Shift officer gets under Marlow’s skin?”

Franklin put the bottle between his knees and crossed his arms. He grinned slowly. “Go on then.”

Great. They’d teamed up. Marlow watched them both grimly as he left the bottle to his lips again.

“That firefighter was checking you out,” Bennett said. She waggled her eyebrows at him. “The hot one.”

“With the hair?” Franklin asked. “The redhead?”

Bennett’s grin widened. “Not his type. No, the Korean guy with the tats.”

“Oh,” Franklin said. He thought about it for a minute and then nodded. “Okay, I can see what you mean. I mean, I think he checked my ass first but who can blame him.

The tips of Marlow’s ears were hot. He tried to pretend they weren’t as he swallowed and put the cap back on his bottle.

“I was too busy doing my job to notice,” he lied. Senior Firefighter West was not someone who went unnoticed, even by someone who had a boyfriend. At least, they did until said boyfriend got around to dumping them. “And I’m sure he was too.”

Bennett rocked back in her seat and slapped her knee. “Please!” she said. “He was ‘thank you for your service’ and bedroom eyes at you. You could have absolutely closed that deal if you’d made a move, Kitty.”

The back of Marlow’s neck stung and he glared at Bennett. “If I–”

He was interrupted by the static of the radio and the clipped urgency of Dispatch’s voice.

“–we have  a 19-03c at Bishop and 9th,” Dispatch conveyed. “Can you respond, David-10?”

“On it,” Piper told them. He glanced over his shoulder into the back. “Hold on.”

The Bear-cat took a hard left and peeled through the intersection. There was, for once, no one else on the roads. A stray wolf shot over the tarmac after something and went under the wheels. Marlow felt the bump of it as it rolled under them. Years of injunctions to be a good driver made him feel guilty, even though the wolf would be back on its feet in a minute.

“19-03,” Franklin said. “That’s a wolf-fight, yeah?”

Marlow drew his gun.

“Just a question,” Franklin said with a smirk.

“19-03c,” Marlow corrected him as he checked the action of the gun and holstered it again. “Wolf-fight with children in the area.”

Bennett pulled her helmet on and tightened the strap under her chin. She ran her finger under it to uncrease her ears.

“Or as they like to call them,” she joked grimly. “Hors d’oeuvres.’

TA Moore is a Northern Irish writer of romantic suspense, urban fantasy, and contemporary romance novels. A childhood in a rural, seaside town fostered in her a suspicious nature, a love of mystery, and a streak of black humour a mile wide. As her grandmother always said, ‘she’d laugh at a bad thing that one’, mind you, that was the pot calling the kettle black. TA Moore studied History, Irish mythology, English at University, mostly because she has always loved a good story. She has worked as a journalist, a finance manager, and in the arts sectors before she finally gave in to a lifelong desire to write.

Coffee, Doc Marten boots, and good friends are the essential things in life. Spiders, mayo, and heels are to be avoided.

Website: www.tamoorewrites.com

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

Twitter: @tamoorewrites

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An Echo in the Sorrow (Soulbound #6) by Hailey Turner: Blog Tour, Exclusive Author Interview and Excerpt

by

Forgiveness is a hollow prayer you only hear in your dreams.

Patrick Collins has spent years handling cases as a special agent for the Supernatural Operations Agency, even as his secret standing in the preternatural world has changed. He should have confessed to his role as co-leader of the New York City god pack when he and Jonothon de Vere took up the mantle months ago, but he didn’t. Now that split loyalty will cost him at a time when he can least afford it.

Outmaneuvered, framed for murder, and targeted by the Dominion Sect, Patrick has to face a past full of lies to regain his freedom. Revealing the truth means he’ll need to give up the life that has defined him. Everything he’s fought to build with his pack is at stake, and losing them isn’t a price Patrick is willing to pay, but some choices aren’t his to make.

Jono knows they can’t cede any more territory if they want to win the god pack civil war spilling into the streets of New York City. But the souls of werecreatures are free for the taking when demons come to town and angels sing a warning no one can ignore. When Jono’s worst fear comes to life, and he loses the one person he can’t live without, the only option left is to fight.

Facing down the demons of their past and the ones in their present, Patrick and Jono will learn the hard way that some sins never wash away clean.

An Echo in the Sorrow is a 118k word m/m urban fantasy with a gay romantic subplot. It is a direct sequel to On the Wings of War. Reading the first book in the series would be helpful in enjoying this one.

Title and cover: An Echo in the Sorrow

Series: Soulbound 6

Publisher: Self-published

Release Date (Print & Ebook/Audio): March 1, 2021

Length (Print & Ebook/Audio):  117,943 words

Subgenre: LGBTQ Urban Fantasy

Warnings: None

Cover artist: AngstyG LLC

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Mini-interview with Hailey Turner:

Author Hailey Turner is back with book 6 in the Soulbound series, An Echo in the Sorrow! To celebrate the release, she’s joining Two Chicks Obsessed to talk: writing a series, her favorite book she’s written, and the future of the series. Welcome, Hailey!

Do you find it more challenging to write the first book in a series or to write the subsequent novels?

For me, the later books are the hardest to write. Trying to keep the momentum going without repeating myself or making things boring can be tough in a long series.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

I’ve written 15 books so far. A Ferry of Bones & Gold is my favorite, because it was the start of my Soulbound adventure.

What is your work schedule like when you are writing?

I give myself a set number of words to meet each day. On weekdays I write in the morning and evening around my day job. On Weekends, I write until I hit that number and then take the rest of the day off.

What is the future for the characters? Will there be a sequel?

An Echo in the Sorrow is the sixth book in the Soulbound series, and there’s one more book left. I’m both looking forward and dreading writing the end.

“The only way to win is to take them out completely. That’s going to be a costly fight in terms of blood and territory,” Jono said.

“What about our alliances?” Wade asked.

Jono shook his head. “Their assistance in maintaining our borders is helpful, but we need to be the ones to push Estelle and Youssef out. This is our fight.”

“What about going the direct route and meeting them in the challenge ring?” Marek asked.

“I wouldn’t trust any fight that happens in that place,” Amelia said flatly.

Other people in the crowd echoed her statement. Patrick had never been to the challenge ring located beneath the god pack home in Hamilton Heights. The underground space was familiar to everyone else from the times all the alphas had been summoned to meetings. He’d seen the aftermath of fights held in other challenge rings to know they were bloody spaces. He agreed with Amelia though—no fight held in a space controlled by Estelle and Youssef could be handled fairly.

“I’m not sure how much help the fae will be able to provide right now. Tiarnán was summoned to Tír na nÓg today on an emergency basis. He’s been our liaison for the fae, and I don’t know when he’ll return,” Sage said.

Patrick shrugged. “His absence shouldn’t affect the alliance. We—”

A loud explosion in the bar above cut him off, magic crashing against the wards embedded in Tempest’s walls. They flashed fire bright for a split second, nearly blinding Patrick. Before the glow faded, Patrick was on his feet and racing for the stairs, Jono right on his heels. The crowd of alphas peeled away from his headlong rush forward, giving them both space.

Hailey Turner is a big city girl who spoils her cats rotten and has a demanding day job that she loves, but not as much as she loves writing. She’s been writing since she was a young child and enjoys reading almost as much as creating a new story. 

Connect with Hailey Turner:

Newsletter:  You can keep up with Hailey’s future projects by joining her newsletter, where you can instantly download several free short stories:  http://bit.ly/HaileyTurnerNews

Facebook Group:  https://www.facebook.com/groups/haileyshellions/

Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/haileyturnerwrites/

Facebook Profile:  https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100014824811406

Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/hailey-turner

Author Page:  https://www.facebook.com/AuthorHaileyTurner/

Pinterest:  https://www.pinterest.com/haileyturnerwriter/

Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16473068.Hailey_Turner

Website:  www.haileyturner.com

Nice Catching You: A Holiday Love Story by Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood: Blog Tour, Exclusive Author Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

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What happens when the No. 1 college hockey star in the country falls in love—with a man? Nick Johnson, a top prospect for a pro hockey team, has a secret: he’s gay. Tired of living in the closet for the sport he loves, he sees no way out.

Jacob Meyer’s string of bad boyfriends left him cynical about love. Instead, he focuses on his studies as a third-year law student. With a new job waiting for him, he’s eager to graduate and move on.

On a school-sponsored trip, Nick and Jacob meet in a most unexpected way. When Nick tells Jacob his secret, they decide to hang out, just as friends. But their attraction is too strong to ignore, and they soon begin dating.

Since Nick is a big man on campus, it doesn’t take long for people to notice his attachment to Jacob. All hell breaks loose when the relationship gets out. As the national media descends, university officials try to figure out how to solve their “problem.” Their efforts divide Nick’s team, inflame fans, and put Nick and Jacob’s futures in jeopardy. Will the men be able to survive a plot to destroy them without derailing both their careers?

Nice Catching You is an out-for-you romance featuring a lot of love, exciting hockey, and a beautiful holiday. There’s also plenty of steam and a very happy ending.

Title:  Nice Catching You: A Holiday Love Story

Author: Ryan Taylor & Joshua Harwood

Publisher:  Wainscott Press

Release Date: 10/30/2020

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 84,000 words

Genre: Romance, Gay Holiday Romance, Contemporary Gay Romance, Holiday Romance

Goodreads

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

We Ran a Survey by Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood

Our new book, Nice Catching You: A Holiday Love Story, is a sweet romance about a Nick Johnson, a college hockey star who is gay but closeted. Since he is the top-ranked college hockey player in the country, professional hockey teams are eager to sign him to play. Nick is desperate to come out and find a genuine relationship with a man, but he doesn’t see how that can happen.

One day, Nick meets Jacob, a law student at the same university Nick attends. They connect immediately, and it doesn’t take long for word to get out about their relationship. As the media descends on their school, university officials panic, and chaos ensues. Some people claim Nick’s potential as a professional player has been destroyed, while others say his coming out has nothing to do with playing hockey. Both Nick and Jacob’s careers seem to be in jeopardy as they make their way through the developing drama.

We’re both big hockey fans, and while we were writing Nice Catching You, we got curious about how people might really feel about such a situation. We created a survey and invited thirty people we know in various ways to participate. None of them knew the survey was connected to a book we were writing.

Twenty-four people took the survey, which was set up online. The survey was not scientific, but we did our best to cover the topic. The responses were anonymous, so we have no idea who took part or what any of them said.

Here are the results from some of the questions.

1. For baseline purposes, are you LGBTQ+?
a. Yes: 7/24
b. No: 16/24
c. Prefer not to say: 1/24

2. Do you have the general impression that homophobia is a significant problem in college sports?
Yes: 18/24
No: 2/24
Not Sure: 4/24

3. Do you have the general impression that homophobia is a significant problem in professional sports?
Yes: 21/24
No: 1/24
Not Sure: 2/24

4. How many openly gay hockey players do you think currently play at the top professional level?

10 or more: 3/24
5—9: 4/24
1—4: 9/24
None: 8/24
[Authors’ note: there are, in fact, none]

5. Do you think there would be much media attention if a national collegiate sports star came out?
a. Yes: 9/24
b. No: 5/24
c. Not Sure: 10/24

6. Do you think there would be much media attention if a professional sports star came out?
a. Yes: 20/24
b. No: 1/24
c. Not Sure: 3/24

7. If a top prospect for professional sports came out, do you think he or she would possibly be putting a sports career at risk?
a. Yes: 16/24
b. No: 3/24
c. Not Sure: 5/24

8. What do you think the general public opinion would be of a top collegiate or pro sports player came out?
a. Favorable: 9/24
b. Unfavorable: 12/24
c. Not Sure: 3/24

What do the results tell us? This isn’t a professional survey, and we are not professional pollsters, so we can’t say much. Certainly, most people believe homophobia is a problem in college and pro sports and that a top prospect for a professional team could be putting their potential career at risk by coming out. A high number of those responding agree that either a nationally known college athlete or pro athlete coming out would get a lot of media attention. There is less agreement on what general public opinion would be if a player came out.

One thing is sure—the kind of plot we have in our book would be believable based on the poll results. We hope you’ll read Nice Catching You and let us know what you think about Nick and Jacob’s story.

JACOB

Sunday, December 4

I haven’t been on many buses, but I was starting to think I might die on this one. The snow began falling before we left Whiteface Mountain early in the afternoon, not unusual for one of the top ski resorts in the Northeast. We were due in Syracuse before six, and I hoped the weather didn’t delay us much. The last week of classes would start the next day, and I had work to do.

The snow was coming down hard, and by the time we reached I-87, I could see very little out the window. Many of the cars had pulled over to the side, and others were creeping along with their hazards flashing. Our bus joined the traffic and immediately began slipping all over the road.

With fifty-odd college students on the trip, there had been a lot of noise when we left the resort, but nerves had soon taken over, and people were mostly quiet now. I sat alone, three rows from the back of the bus, trying to read a case for Federal Courts. With only one more semester of law school to go, I needed to do well. A big firm in Boston offered me a job right before Thanksgiving, contingent on my maintaining a 3.8 GPA. Pulling a C in Fed Courts would bringme slightly under the requirement. Although I had high hopes for a job in DC, I couldn’t risk losing the Boston offer.

Between the bus sliding in the snow and the constant chatter from the guys in the seat behind me, I couldn’t concentrate at all. They were hockey players, and they kept up a conversation about the game, other players, cars, and whatever else dumb undergrad jocks talk about. They were the only people behind me except for their friend, who was passed out on a seat in the back.

Whoa! The rear end of the bus lurched violently into the left lane. I tried to grab something to hold onto, but I was already airborne by the time I dropped the heavy casebook. Hands grabbed my shoulders but didn’t slow my momentum. Dreading the impact with the seat across the aisle, I screwed my eyes shut and held my breath. All at once, something stopped, rather, someone stopped me, and that someone had brawny arms and a hard body. He’d caught me in midair.

“You all right?”

“What?” On my back in the man’s arms, facing the top of the bus, I couldn’t see much. I turned my head, trying to find out who had hold of me.

“Everything okay?”

I craned my neck in the other direction just as he leaned over, and it was—shit!—one of the hockey guys who’d been sitting behind me. I’d seen him over the weekend with his buddies, at least one of whom had laughed at me the whole time. Now they’d laugh even harder, and I’d be known as the skinny little runt who couldn’t even stay in his seat—the twit who had to be rescued by a real man.

Ryan Taylor and Joshua Harwood met in law school and were married in 2017. They live in a suburb of Washington, DC, and share their home with a big, cuddly German shepherd. Ryan and Josh enjoy travel, friends, and advocating for causes dear to their hearts. Ryan also loves to swim, and Josh likes to putter in the garden whenever he can. The romance they were so lucky to find with each other inspires their stories about love between out and proud men.

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Barely Regal (Rosavia Royals Book 5) by E. Davies: Exclusive Author Interview, Blog Tour, New Release Review and Giveaway

by

A bratty boy prince needs: a firm but fair Daddy.

Prince Renford is a royal brat. Nineteen and last in line for the throne, Wren hates his made-up job: Commander of Roses. Good thing his long-time valet has a firm hand—if only Wren could tempt him to break all palace protocol and use it.

Thom Pierce is sixteen years older. Old enough to know he should ignore his prince’s less-than-subtle flirtation. He’s been burned by a higher-ranked boy before. His job and reputation are at stake if the palace catches a scandal unfolding under their noses.

Wren needs the part of Thom that he’s kept locked away for years. If the young prince wants to be taken as seriously as his older brothers, he has to grow up fast. Thom’s rules could help Wren become the man Thom knows he can be in time for the Royal Ball… or they could attract the very attention that forces them apart forever.

Welcome to the tiny European country of Rosavia, where roses ramble over alpine slopes and princes fall for the men of their dreams. Every Rosavia Royals book happens simultaneously, so books can be read on their own, or in any order… but keep an eye out for familiar faces around the palace!

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How did you become a part of this project/world?

Funny story, actually! The covers came first—they started out as premade covers from our wonderful cover designer, AngstyG. The time zones happened to work out perfectly: I was on vacation and Helen (HJ Welch) was awake late, so we saw them straight away. Helen said, “We HAVE to do an MM royalty shared universe!” and that was it!

We’d already learned how to build a shared world while working together to run Men of Hidden Creek (I herd the cats and set up and Helen cheerleads). So we quickly set about recruiting our shared beta reader, editor, etc, and reaching out to authors as we started collaboratively building the world of Rosavia. This time, we’ve really focused on getting all the authors to beta-read for each other as we wrote so that we could nail as many crossovers as possible. And I’ve also been the main series organizer post-draft-completion, so I feel like I’ve been living in Rosavia since late February! It’s very weird but incredibly exciting to finally share it with the rest of the world.

Where did your story’s inspiration come from?

The title of Barely Regal came to me first; I knew I wanted to write the story of the youngest prince, and as a youngest child myself, I knew that he was going to be a feisty little rebel who hadn’t yet learned the importance of his own duties. Muddy little Renford (or Wren, for short) came to life in a flash. I also knew from the very start that I wanted to write his valet, Thom Pierce, experiencing a conflict of interest between his palace duties and the pull he feels to fulfil Wren’s needs.

Also, on the cover, Wren has mud streaked across his neck. I decided that he’s learning to garden, and that the roses in Rosavia represent each family. Each royal family member has their own rose created for them at birth, so when they marry, another rose is created by crossing the couple’s varieties. Of course, when you’re marrying someone you were never expected to end up with, this creates complications…

How did you create your Prince?

Once I realized that Wren had to be the youngest prince, his bratty, flirtatious nature was obvious. And every brat needs a Daddy! The obvious man for the job was Thom, the quiet valet who has guided and steered him for the last decade. These two just came to life at the same moment, because they’re so made-for-each-other.

I really wanted to tell the story of Wren growing into his duties. Through the course of the story, Wren starts off feeling like he’s not taken seriously. I think last-born kids can relate to that feeling of being babied for too long, and it’s not helped by his own bratty nature! But luckily someone’s there to see what’s immaturity and what’s Wren’s need for a strong guiding hand. Over the story, Wren comes to realize that he’s actually playing an important role in telling the royal family’s story, and his unique talents matter.

Five books by five authors about five different brothers who are part of a monarchy in the fictional country of Rosavia. You’ll see this is book 5, but all 5 books occur simultaneously, culminating with the Royal Ball that is celebrating 500th birthday of the country. So they can be read in any order because they are all happily ever afters and those HEAs are revealed at the end of each book. So book 1 reveals the that yes, prince 5 did in fact end up with his valet.

I’ve read three of the books so far, and this one remains my favorite. I think partly because the characters get into a specific type of relationship, congruent with their romantic relationship, and I think it was well done without being too serious. And really, Wren is just kind of funny. He is 19 and acts 19. Which I think is awesome, even with the monarchy. He is kind of awkward trying to flirt and be sexy with his valet who is not only 16 years older than him, but has also been his valet for a long time. He has seen Wren from a child at his worse to a burgeoning man. And while he tries to stay away, he just can’t.

Add in some crazy cats, blueberry lube, a serious rose garden and very accepting parents, this was a fun book to read. I suspended all belief for this sweet, romantic, sexy fairy tale of a series. You should too.

4 pieces of eye candy

Book 1: Up for Heir By Stella Starling

A playboy heir needs a man to marry, right now.

After spending half his life dodging his duty to the crown, the rebel heir to the Rosavian throne has been told in no uncertain terms that it’s time to settle down. Crown Prince Leopold has one month and a vetted list of suitable princesses, and he will announce his engagement during Rosavia’s Royal Ball. But Leo’s got his own ideas about what really suits him…

Royal Librarian Edvin Blom is good at not attracting attention. Shy and self-conscious of his stutter, he’s used to being overlooked and more than happy to stay in the background. At least, until the crown prince with a wild reputation shows up at the library’s new opening and decides to flirt with Edvin’s sister…

Edvin isn’t at all what Leo thought he wanted, but turns out to be everything he can’t stay away from. Edvin’s been burned by falling for someone out of his league before, though. And believing that Leo has really fallen for him? While Edvin’s drowning in his own doubts and insecurities, that might prove impossible… unless love gives them both a reason to come up for air.

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
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Book 2: Reign or Shine By HJ Welch

A secret prince needs a lost tourist to save.

Prince Cassander is on vacation from his overdeveloped sense of duty. While hiding out as simply ‘Cas’ in the Rosavian capital, he rescues a gorgeous, distressed American tourist. Matty has no idea that Cas is second in line to the throne. And with only two weeks together to explore the sparks between them, he doesn’t need to ever find out.

New Yorker Matty Doyle is a fish out of water, taking care of his niece and mending his broken heart. When Cas rescues him, the handsome stranger coaxes Matty out of his shell and he throws caution to the wind. Nobody knows him here. Would it hurt to live a little for once?

But a prince can’t stay secret in his own country for long. Cas would give anything to protect Matty from reality, but how can this fantasy together continue when they belong in different worlds?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
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Book 3: Throne Together By Zoe Dawn

A pining prince needs: a second chance at love.

Prince Julius has only ever wanted one man. Raised alongside Prince Dante of Thedes, the two were inseparable until their unspoken mutual attraction ignited into a single passionate encounter. Convinced that it ruined their friendship, Julius retreated to his duties in Rosavia, where he daydreams of another chance to win Dante’s heart.

After four years apart, fate brings Prince Julius back to Thedes. He offers Dante a coveted invitation: return to the Rosavian palace for ten days, and be his plus-one to the Royal Ball of the century. Before long, they realize one night of passion wasn’t enough, and they can’t imagine losing each other again.

As the clock ticks down to the ball, Julius catches wind of Dante’s family meddling, and he must decide if their feelings are real or if they’ve both been played. Were they always meant for each other, or is it all an illusion that will melt away at midnight?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
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Book 4: In His Court by Max Rowan

A spy prince needs a man who sees through his disguise.

Prince Benedict is not what he seems. His image as a lazy playboy is carefully constructed to hide the truth. Trained since childhood to become Rosavia’s top spy, he spends his life in disguise—and danger—to protect his country. Nobody sees the loneliness in his heart.

Felix Wright is a genius with four degrees, no real-world experience, and a top-secret job… and he’s never even been kissed. A lifetime of being alienated for his most valuable assets has left him reluctant to trust the charming prince who thrusts him into fieldwork for the very first time.

When the Crown Jewels are stolen two weeks before the royal ball, it’s their job to save the country’s reputation. Benedict helps Felix believe in himself, while Felix slowly coaxes the real prince out of hiding. But can they find the jewels and rescue the most priceless treasures of all: each other?

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited
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Rosavia Royals Out Now!

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E. Davies grew up moving constantly, which taught him what people have in common, the ways relationships are formed, and the dangers of “miscellaneous” boxes. As a young gay author, Ed prefers to tell feel-good stories that are brimming with hope.

He writes full-time, goes on long nature walks, tries to fill his passport, drinks piña coladas on the beach, flees from cute guys, coos over fuzzy animals (especially bees), and is liable to tilt his head and click his tongue if you don’t use your turn signal.

E. Davies Links:

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Stella Starling Links:
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HJ Welch/Helen Juliet Links:
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Zoe Dawn Links:
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Max Rowan (formerly Max Hawthorn) Links:
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