Two Chicks Obsessed with Books & Eye Candy

Sharing our love of M/M Romance

cover reveal

Posy Roberts: EXCLUSIVE Cover Reveals, Guest Post and Giveaway!

by

I am so excited to have Posy Roberts here today, bringing these three AMAZING covers to her re-released books in the North Star Trilogy. First, I adore Posy, as a person first and foremost, and as an author–despite the fact that she has made me ugly cry…I do not forgive that easily. 😉 I hope you will do as I did and stare at these beautiful covers for a while, after you read the guest post about what she decided to do with her new covers, and enter the giveaway.

 

Hi, I’m Posy Roberts, and I’m so excited TCO is allowing me to share new covers with you today. My North Star Trilogy was originally published in 2013, and I’ve been working like crazy getting these books ready for a rerelease. They’ve been edited, reformatted, and rebranded. They will also be on Kindle Unlimited for the first time, which I’m excited about. This is a USA Today Recommended Read, but I know the price point kept a lot of people from enjoying these books before. But now’s your chance!

“Hugo and Kevin are such deep and layered characters, who by the end of the book were not even just characters anymore, they feel like old friends.”

-Amazon Reviewer

In January 2018, I took on the monumental task of finding stock photos of men to fill the shoes of fictional characters who were real to me. My North Star Trilogy rights were returning to me this summer, and I wanted covers with people on them. The 2013 Dreamspinner Press covers showed the setting more than anything because no stock images fit the men in my head.

For the rerelease, I was determined to find men who would fit. I knew I’d have a harder time finding Hugo because he was so set in my mind; he’s model Miles McMillan until the end of time for me. So I searched for Kevin first. And OMG did I hit the jackpot. The Kevin I found hit every single box on my list of criteria, and I had several shots to choose from. Everything about this image screamed, “Put me on Spark!”

I wanted Hugo on the cover of Fusion because Hugo’s journey through that book must be conveyed. He conquers so many of his past demons as the plot thickens, so it had to be a somber image, one that portrayed the pain and struggle Hugo and Kevin endure in Fusion. I ran across an image I’ve seen on a lot of my searches and have been drawn to. Once I put it in black and white, the man transformed. Funny side note: the model isn’t wearing pants during this photoshoot, just a sweater and underwear.

For Flare, I needed an image with hope to show the growth everyone in the family goes through, but also fierceness. This is a book where Kevin and Hugo fight to stay together. I went back to the model that is now Kevin in my mind and found one I think fits perfectly. The way he looks at the camera, ahhhh.

Overall, I think these images show the North Star Trilogy for what it is. It’s a character-focused story with angst that is focused on these men and their fight to make their second chance at love work this time around. Each book is a story in itself and builds off the previous book, so it’s best enjoyed as a whole.

I’m rereleasing these in close succession, a month apart so you don’t have to wait too long in between.

Add these USA Today “Happily Ever After” Recommended Reads to your Summer TBR List today!

Genre: Contemporary MM Romance, Bisexual, Gay Fiction
first love | second-chance | hurt/comfort | gay romance | trilogy | angst | family saga | fatherhood
Cover Design: Olive Us Designs

 

SPARK – June 26th

A love story with a seventeen-year intermission.

Hugo Thorson fell in love when he was sixteen. He’s maybe been in love since, but probably not. He’s been too busy directing plays to devote much time to men who can’t accept all of him. No one ever made him feel like his first love did.

Kevin Magnus married a woman and has two children, but the marriage wasn’t happy. In the shadow of divorce, he’s striving to be a better father, but he’s still a work in progress.

When Hugo and Kevin bump into each other at the lake, memories of their last kiss incite a new first kiss. Visions of the life they always wanted are vivid, but so much stands in the way of their dreams. Hugo is out and proud but no one knows Kevin’s bisexual. If Kevin comes out, he risks losing custody of his kids. If he doesn’t walk hand in hand with Hugo, he risks losing the love of his life.

The curtain may never rise on their second act.

Amazon
Bookmark on BookBub
Add to Goodreads

 

FUSION – July 24th

A love story comes out of the shadows.

Everyone in Kevin’s life knows him as straight rather than bisexual. There was no need to come out until now, but loving Hugo is worth any prejudice he’ll encounter. Hugo does his best to be patient while Kevin navigates his way toward openness, but he refuses to be put back in a closet for long.

Kevin wants to tell his kids without screwing up their newfound stability, and he worries about telling his ex because Erin might use the truth against him to renegotiate custody. Kevin wants it all finalized, but time isn’t on his side.

When Erin gets grim news, it shakes everyone to the core and rips Kevin away from the life he planned with Hugo. The news brings Hugo’s past hurts bubbling to the surface. Yet when Erin turns to Hugo for support, their new connection shows him how essential he is to Kevin and his kids.

Despite the chaos, it’s clear Hugo is very much a part of this unconventional family.

Amazon
Bookmark on BookBub
Add on Goodreads

 

FLARE – August 28th

A love story and a family worth fighting for.

Hugo and Kevin strive to put their lives back together after tragedy, doing everything in their power to create a stable life. Hugo’s acting career is back on track, and Kevin hires a nanny to help with the kids as they discover their new normal. But when Erin’s parents seek full custody of Brooke and Finn, that stability is shattered.

With Hugo working in LA or New York, the distance from his new family gets to him. At home, the nanny’s hands-on approach leaves Hugo feeling pushed out, so he says farewell to his beloved apartment and eclectic neighborhood to move in with Kevin.

Hugo has a hard time fitting in with the suburbanites with Kevin’s passive-aggressive “friends” making Hugo feel anything but welcome. As the custody case heads to mediation, Brooke is bullied about having two dads, and Hugo realizes his mere presence might be doing more harm than good.

Hugo must decide to stay and fight for his family or leave and let them live in peace.

Amazon
Bookmark on BookBub
Add on Goodreads

 

Posy Roberts started reading romance when she was young, sneaking peeks at adult books long before she should’ve. Textbooks eventually replaced the novels, and for years she existed without reading for fun. When she finally picked up a romance two decades later, it was like slipping on a soft hoodie . . . that didn’t quite fit like it used to. She wanted something more.

She wanted to read about men falling in love with each other. She wanted to explore beyond the happily ever after and see characters navigate the unpredictability of life. So Posy sat down at her keyboard to write the books she wanted to read.

Her stories have been USA Today’s Happily Ever After Must-Reads and Rainbow Award finalists. When she’s not writing, she’s spending time with her family and friends and doing anything possible to get out of grocery shopping and cooking.

Follow Posy on BookBub | Subscribe to Posy’s Newsletter | Join Posy’s Reader Group | Website

 

Monthly Guest Post: Victoria Sue: Exclusive Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

by

It is always a joy to welcome Victoria Sue to TCO. I adore this woman, and every time I see her, I give her a big hug, and maybe harass her about how she says words like “coat”. 🙂 I love this series she has put together, so check out her guest post about Charlie’s Rainbow. I have a feeling this book might need a box of tissues next to you as you read it in one sitting. So grab the preorder so you don’t forget, and its ready for you right away on April 10th!

Eventually being diagnosed with reactive attachment disorder as a child, difficult didn’t even begin to describe the nightmare of Charlie’s life. Escaping the drug-induced limbo he existed in and running from his alcoholic mother and despotic grandfather, he finally finds some peace and a home on Rainbow Key.

Noah is also running, even if he doesn’t realize it, and the guilt he feels over his brother’s suicide chases him no matter where he goes. When he meets and falls for Charlie, he finally thinks he might have the chance to make a home and a future with the adorable man, except he doesn’t realize that the secret that Charlie is hiding is the one thing that he fears the most.

And not even a chance of mending their future can heal the scars of Charlie’s past.

Preorder at Amazon

I guess when I set out to write my Rainbow Key series I was thinking cute, possibly funny, and definitely no dead people.

All the things I thought would be cool to have in my first contemporary series.

I should have known better.

No, it’s okay – no one is dead. You may wish a couple of characters are but that isn’t because they have been shot, stabbed, drowned, blown-up, or disintegrated in a cloud of zombie dust… (note to self – write that down as a plot point.)

I was only ever going to write character A falls in love with character B. True love might not run smoothly but there’s no apocalypse.

Or that was the plan.

And Joshua happened. And Daniel. And because I wanted to play about a little I ended up with an ex-rent boy with zero confidence and a heart as big as he is; plus a too-old, too-mean, too-busy, businessman who needs to get off the merry-go-round before he breaks something…possibly himself.

And they have friends. And… because the urge to mess with my readers took over a little more in the second book we have Charlie.

Charlie has tactile sensitivity. He can’t stand being touched to the point it causes him physical pain. Noah has his own problems. Actually, he gets ditched at the altar and as Charlie puts his fiancé had to be blind, because Noah is every one of Charlie’s boyfriend fantasies wrapped up together.

If he had a fantasy.

Or if he had a boyfriend.

Or if Charlie could cope with being touched.

I know, right?

Rainbow Key – held together by love, family, and sticky-tape.

Joshua’s Rainbow is out now on Amazon.  https://goo.gl/d4W1GM

Charlie’s Rainbow will be out in two weeks (April 10). (Noah’s just trying to persuade him to have their first kiss.)

For all updates, free short stories, competitions and excerpts join Victoria’s Secrets https://www.facebook.com/groups/1182647028418709/

Noah dropped his fork next to his half empty plate and peered at his phone. Seven twenty. Another ten minutes or so and Lindsey would be home from work and he could call her. He’d checked flights and had quite a few to choose from. Matt had brought him dinner an hour ago, but he’d picked at it and couldn’t summon the enthusiasm for anything.

He stood restlessly and went to the window. He was lucky enough his room overlooked the beach, and he gazed at all the empty sand.

Except it wasn’t empty.

Noah took a sharp breath as he stared at what he was seeing. Charlie—even as the sun set his blond hair was visible—stood in shorts and a T-shirt with his feet covered by the waves. Charlie took another step into the water, and all the things about his behavior seemed to coalesce. Panic. He had panicked when Noah had gotten close, to the point he hadn’t even liked shaking hands. His warning about going swimming. Charlie took another step, the waves nearly up to his knees.

He was terrified of water.

Everything he’d learned about Charlie came rushing back, and then it wasn’t Charlie he was seeing walking into the ocean, it was Jacob. His brother. The closest thing to a best friend he would ever have, and never would again.

Because he was dead. Because he had killed himself.

Noah didn’t remember wrenching his bedroom door open or clattering down the stairs. He didn’t remember racing past the pool or the sun beds or even his bare feet hitting the sand. The first time he breathed was when his hands closed around Charlie, who had turned in fear as Noah came crashing through the water towards him.

“What the actual fuck?” Noah screamed as he shook Charlie’s arm, hard.

Charlie opened his mouth, and then he was just there. In his arms. So close, he could breathe him in. His lips close enough to touch his own… and for a second they almost were. Noah groaned his surrender, nearly swallowed the tiny protest from Charlie’s throat, and gathered Charlie’s slim body close. He could smell the salt, almost taste the ocean where it touched his skin, and underneath that the taste that must have been all Charlie. Sweet, and oh so tempting. Noah wrapped his arms tighter and pressed Charlie’s slim body into his.

For a second, Jacob was safe. No… Noah shook himself and gulped air. Charlie. Charlie was safe.

“Noah?” The small question forced its way into his consciousness, and Noah blinked awareness back in. He stared into Charlie’s blue eyes.

“What are you doing?” Noah croaked the question out, not sure if he wanted to. Asking the question meant taking responsibility for whatever answer you got, and he wasn’t sure he wanted the responsibility of another human.

Not when he’d failed so spectacularly last time.

“You—let go.”

The whispered plea finally got Noah’s attention, and his grip eased.

“You’re getting wet,” Charlie commented breathlessly. Noah looked down. The waves were hitting the top of his shorts. Noah released one hand and turned, but he didn’t let go of Charlie until they were both on the sand.

He let his arm drop and slowly their eyes met. He swallowed. “Don’t do that. Whatever it is, nothing’s that bad.”

Charlie’s eyes widened, and his lips parted again as utter astonishment crossed his features at the same time as embarrassment blazed through Noah’s body. Fuck. He turned sharply and took three determined strides back to the hotel. He would pack, get Matt to take him to Sanibel. He would fucking swim if he had to.

Leave a comment about the blog post, and you could win an ebook of any backlist title from Victoria Sue.

Exploration by Quinn Ward: Exclusive Cover Reveal, Excerpt and Giveaway

by

**TCO is excited to bring you the exclusive cover reveal of Exploration (Kinky in the City Book One), due out April 24th. I’ve read this one already…whew…HOTNESS!!!! Just like the cover below, so check out the blurb, the cover, excerpt and the giveaway!!!

The reluctant manager of his family’s restaurant, Franke attempts to live up to the legacy of his father and grandfather. Running a business that isn’t his passion and trying to do it without asking for help leaves him turning to less-than-legal means when he wants to surrender control.

Newly divorced, Calvin no longer lives in the closet, leaving him searching for what he most desires- control. So when he finds Frankie on his knees in the back room of a local bar, Calvin sees the sub he’s only ever fantasized about having.

Can Calvin find the confidence to explore his dominant side while showing his younger roommate that submission isn’t only about whips and pain?

 

Check it out on Goodreads

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 

Here you go! (Don’t forget to check out the excerpt and giveaway below.

 

As the movie continued, my nerves settled and I began gently massaging Frankie’s neck. His head dropped forward and he let out a soft moan that went straight to my dick. He rolled his shoulders a few times. “Feels good.”

In a perfect world, we’d have the house to ourselves and I’d lead Frankie to his bedroom, strip him of all his clothes and massage every inch of his body until he was fully relaxed. But this wasn’t a perfect world, so I settled for turning my back to the arm of the couch, sliding one leg behind Frankie. “Come here.”

Frankie looked over to Ryan, whose head was flopped back as if he was missing a few vertebrae. “What if he wakes up?”

“I’ll tell him the truth. You’re tense and I’m helping you out. I’ve always been tactile, even when his mom and I were married. Trust me, it’ll be fine.”

He didn’t seem convinced, but he shifted so his ass was nestled right against my groin. If I didn’t know how tentative he was about this level of closeness when we weren’t alone, I’d have accused him of wriggling around just to get a rise out of me. Frankie leaned forward slightly, giving me better access to his tight shoulders and back.

Glancing over to make sure Ryan was down for the count, I decided this was as good a time as any to chat a bit about how Frankie felt with the small taste I’d given him of how I saw us moving forward. “I know it’s not what you expected when I first told you to do some research, but are you okay with what we’ve done this past week?”

Frankie shrugged. “Yeah, I guess. I still don’t see how you qualify sending me some reminders as kinky, but whatever. And honestly, I felt pretty stupid most of the time, because you were telling me to do stuff a grown man should know to do anyway.”

“Why did that make you feel stupid?” I asked, digging my fingers harder into his shoulders. Eventually, we’d chat about him degrading himself. He wasn’t stupid, he was busy trying to prove himself to a man who was no longer living to judge him.

“It’s common sense shit,” he explained. “I mean, who needs a reminder to eat or to be told when to go to bed?”

“Someone who’s grown accustomed to putting others first.”

 

 

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

EXCLUSIVE Cover Reveal: A Sniper’s Devotion by Christa Tomlinson, with Excerpt and Giveaway

by

**TCO is so excited to have one of my favorite people in the world…seriously, I love Christa Tomlinson so much, and having her stop by to do her cover reveal, show you the delicious Hector (and I have been privileged enough to read this book already, Hector is yummy!), is just so awesome! I hope you love it as much as I do! Be sure to let Christa know! And don’t forget the giveaway at the bottom…

 

Hello Two Chicks Readers! I’m so happy to present to you the final cover in the Cuffs, Collars and Love series. Of course I have to give a shout out to everyone on my Facebook page and Twitter timeline who helped me choose which model to put on the cover. I was torn between three beautiful men. Since I couldn’t decide, I figured, why not let the readers decide who they wanted to see?

I had a good laugh at some of the reasons given and drooling that went on for each of the model choices. Mostly because I was doing the same! I let the majority rule and this gorgeous man is your Hector Castillo. According to multiple comments, it was the lips that won the voters over. We may have dubbed him Mr. Smoochy. He fits in perfectly and it’s so nice to see him lined up with the rest of the CC&L boys.

You’ll get to read all about Mr. Smoochy – I mean errr… Hector and his friend Miguel in A Sniper’s Devotion in just a few weeks. I hope you’ll like the way the cover looks on your e-reader screen, and I especially hope you like the story. Be sure to drop me a line and let me know!

Love,

Christa

Officer Hector Castillo, a sniper on Houston’s elite SWAT team, is content living alone as a perpetual bachelor. But when he opens up his small apartment to a friend in need, their close quarters awaken long suppressed desires Hector can’t help but acknowledge.

Miguel Delgado’s unfortunate detour down a road he never intended to travel ends in a big wake up call, but he vows to get himself back on track. Though he’s always looked up to Hector, Miguel isn’t a kid with hero-worship anymore, and his schoolyard protector has matured into a strong and caring man – who happens to look damn sexy in his SWAT uniform.

Though their physical attraction to each other is undeniable, Hector and Miguel try hard to resist and protect their friendship. Until one night changes everything…

A Sniper’s Devotion is a loving and sexy, friends to lovers erotic romance. Hector and Miguel’s story is part of the Cuffs, Collars and Love series, but it is a stand-alone novel.

Release Date

November 7, 2017

Cover

Melody Simmons of Ebook Indie Covers. EBOOK INDIE COVERS

Price

$3.99

Goodreads

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36392614-a-sniper-s-devotion

A Sniper’s Devotion Page on Author Website

http://www.christatomlinson.com/a-snipers-devotion.html

Tags

Friends to Lovers, Multicultural Romance, Hispanic Main Characters, Spanking, Stand Alone

Warnings

Mentions of Domestic Violence

Amazon US

Amazon UK

Apple iBooks

Kobo

 

 

“Aaaagh!” Miguel squeaked again, ducking his head into Hector’s shoulder as a mass of zombies burst into the shop where the hero and his family were hiding. “How are you not dying at this?” he asked in an agonized voice.

Hector held back a grin at Miguel’s over-the-top reaction. After the things he’d seen on the police force, it would take more than a jump scare to freak him out. “I’m trembling on the inside,” he said.

“You are not,” Miguel answered with a dry laugh. He started to pull away. “Sorry about that.”

Hector stopped him. “You’re just going to jump back on me anyway. Might as well stay here where I can protect you from the zombies.”

Miguel snorted another laugh, but after a moment’s hesitation, he settled back against him. He rested against Hector’s chest, with his bent legs laying half over one of Hector’s. As the movie played on, the hero and his crew making a perilous escape from the zombie horde, Hector brought his hand up from the back of the couch, absently running it through Miguel’s hair. The curls were soft, sliding through his fingers.

Eventually the action on screen slowed, giving both the hero and the viewers a moment to breathe. Hector’s attention wandered from the screen, and he realized it was strange to have his hand in another man’s hair. He and Miguel were so close, and it was such a habit from watching movies with dates that he’d done it without even thinking. He abruptly stopped. Sitting there stiffly, his hand frozen in Miguel’s hair, he wondered if he should apologize. Before he could decide, Miguel turned his head slightly, his lips brushing Hector’s neck as he spoke.

“That felt nice,” he said in a soft whisper. “Keep going.”

His chest suddenly tight, Hector relaxed his fingers and slowly started playing them through Miguel’s hair again. His eyes were on the TV, but he wasn’t really watching the movie. Neither was Miguel. His face stayed turned into Hector’s neck, warm breath softly blowing over his skin. It was a surprise and yet not when Miguel pressed a kiss to his throat.

At that moment, Hector should have moved away from Miguel. Hell, he should have gotten off the couch altogether. But he didn’t. He sat there, letting Miguel brush more kisses up and down the side of his neck. A hand landed on his thigh. Hector swallowed hard, then turned to look down at his friend.

Time for the cover reveal…

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Ready????

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Don’t forget to sign up for the giveaway below!!!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Here you go!!!

Christa Tomlinson is an exciting up and coming author in erotic romance. Her first self-published novel, The Sergeant, was an Amazon Best Seller for Gay and Lesbian Erotica for seven weeks straight.

Christa graduated from The University of Missouri-St. Louis with a degree in History. She loves to create stories that are emotional and lovely with sex that is integral to the characters’ romantic arc. Her books include straight couples, curvy couples, gay, and multicultural couples. Love is love and everyone should have their story told.

Christa lives in Houston, Texas with her two dogs, and is a retired roller derby player.

Author Contact Info

Newsletter: http://www.christatomlinson.com/newsletter-sign-up.html

Website: www.ChristaTomlinson.com

Email: contactchrista@christatomlinson.com

Facebook: Christa Tomlinson, Author – https://www.facebook.com/ChristaTomlinsonAuthor/

Twitter: @ShockZ314 – https://twitter.com/ShockZ314

Amazon: Christa Tomlinson – https://www.amazon.com/Christa-Tomlinson/e/B00JEL9M82/

Goodreads: Christa Tomlinson – https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4063407.Christa_Tomlinson

Prizes to be delivered on November 1st, a week before release day!!!!
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Reservations by Kindle Alexander: Cover Reveal, Excerpt and Giveaway

by

Title: Reservations
Genre: M/M Romance
Release Date: Coming Soon
 

Wildly successful entrepreneur, Thane Walker is stubbornly set in his ways. Adamantly resistant to the shackles of commitment, he’s seen enough unhappy endings to learn the best way to play is by keeping his men on the payroll.

Levi Silva’s dream of graduating from one of the country’s top medical schools is in his grasp, until news from home changes everything. Now, he’s raising his two teenage brothers and trying to keep everyone’s head above water, emotionally and financially.

When Levi’s new job puts him in Thane’s path, their chemistry explodes, but their fear of being involved in relationships keeps them apart. Unfortunately, despite the intense desire drawing them together, neither man can move forward until they get past their own…Reservations.



His mouth watered thinking about that vinegar coleslaw, and his stomach growled a little louder. Damn, he was starving. He should go out there and fix himself a plate, but he wouldn’t. That would only open a line of personal communication, and this restaurant had too much of that going on. Everyone but the customers were friends.
Instead of doing that, Thane buckled down and opened an email from Arik Layne. The email was to both him and Chef Ferico. The subject line read, “Whole Foods and HSN, Bitches!!!!” That instantly had Thane smiling. Arik had become a force in his life. The guy didn’t seem to understand the value of hesitancy. Arik was a mover and shaker. Their joint venture of infused olive oils had taken off like lightning. Arik had secured sales on thousands of bottles before manufacturing had started. Now that they had production underway, they were blowing and going like wildfire. All Arik had to do was pick up the phone, and he secured another sale.

Thane scanned the message, reading how Whole Foods planned to add them in a test market now, with mass distribution the beginning of October. That was all great news. Arik had also secured a spot on HSN in November, about two weeks before Thanksgiving. Somehow he’d managed to squeeze them into an already set schedule on foods for the holidays. They’d also be given time on the sales floor. The anticipated sales were around twenty-five thousand bottles.

Wow. Okay.

The last lines on the email made Thane squelch the urge to laugh out loud, not wanting to undermine the stern tone he’d taken with his staff, but, man, Arik was hilarious. He listed ten reasons why he’d be a better choice than Thane to go on the HSN broadcast with Chef Ferico. Every single bullet point ended with “because I really want to sample all the foods made that day.”
Literally, a man after his own heart.
Out of nothing more than the need to make Arik squirm, he decided to tease him. Thane quickly typed how glad he was for Arik’s effort, along with a note that they should at least flip a coin for the TV slot. He chose tails. Grinning, he pushed send as his cell phone began to vibrate in his pocket. With a glance at the screen, he saw Julian’s name and swiped to accept the call.
“Hey,” he said, putting the call on speaker before fishing his Bluetooth out of the computer bag and hooking it around his ear. 
“Hey, yourself. You still coming here?”
“I am. It’ll be a few weeks though. Everything okay?”

“Of course, you know I run a tight ship, but I might have to break protocol.”
Thane began shaking his head no as if Julian could see him.

“I can almost hear you shaking your head no.”

“That’s because that’s what I’m doing. Absolutely no rule breakage, Julian. You do it one time and that opens the door…”

“Hang tight, Papi Chulo. Don’t get all bent. I’m telling you before I do it. That should count.”

The happy place he’d found after reading Arik’s hilarious message was on the fast track to crashing and burning as Thane sat back in his chair and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Why?” he asked, instead of giving Julian the same dressing-down he’d just given this management team on the failures of flouting established protocol.

“Remember that kid I told you about months ago. My PT assistant, the one who got me into free counseling?”

Thane had to really think which was kind of funny. Julian’s care had been grossly expensive. He’d have thought he’d remember someone who’d saved him so much money in free counseling. He shrugged, lifting his brows, giving himself a break. He could vaguely recall the key components. “Maybe…”

“He needs a job.”
“We don’t hire our staff like that, Julian. Remember your training. Your guys…”

“Boss, slow your roll. He’s a med student taking care of his family, and he’s hot as hell. His body alone’ll make the customers very happy. Happy customers equal more money.”
“Is he in your previous line of work?” Thane asked, completely confused and trying to catch up.

“No. I want him for waitstaff at the club. I saw him last night, and he’s losing his job. He’s coming to the club tonight to take a look around. I’ll send his info off for a background check, but I’ll probably put him on the floor as early as tomorrow,” Julian stated matter-of-factly.

That was another huge issue he was having with Julian. The guy was a beast at work. He kept sticking his nose in every other manager’s responsibilities, causing all sorts of ill will. Julian was a man on a mission. He governed that club with an iron fist, all to try and repay Thane for the expensive care. “Have you talked with Dave about whether he needs more waitstaff?”

“Dave-the-douchebag quit today. You didn’t hear?” Julian said casually.
“What?” Thane pushed his fingers through his hair. Why was he just now hearing about this?

“Don’t worry. I got this. I’ll fill in until you figure out what to do. I, of course, think you just need to let me handle all personnel…”

“Stop, Julian. First, no one’s hired without passing a background check. I’m not watching anyone go through what you did again. And second, you better stop pissing off all my people. Until I talk to Dave and see if I can get him back, you can handle the waitstaff scheduling, but you aren’t…”
“Equipped to handle personnel issues,” Julian said, finishing his sentence. “Are you getting laid regularly? Because I’m pretty sure you’re not. You need to come on over here and bend me over this desk—”

“We have rules. I’m not having sex on that property, and I better not catch you having sex on that property!” Thane shot out, cutting Julian off.

“You’re a very difficult man, Thane Walker,” Julian replied, not missing a beat. “I’d say hard, but I have no way of truly knowing that.”

Best Selling Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer, and a genre-crosser who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica in both the male/male and male/female genres. It’s always a surprise to see what’s coming next!

I live in the suburbs of Dallas where it’s true, the only thing bigger than an over active imagination, may be women’s hair!

Usually, I try for funny. Humor is a major part of my life – I love to laugh, and it seems to be the thing I do in most situations – regardless of the situation, but jokes are a tricky deal… I don’t want to offend anyone and jokes tend to offend. So instead I’m going to tell you about Kindle.

I tragically lost my sixteen year old daughter to a drunk driver. She had just been at home, it was early in the night and I heard the accident happen. I’ll never forget that moment. The sirens were immediate and something inside me just knew. I left my house, drove straight to the accident on nothing more than instinct. I got to be there when my little girl died – weirdly, I consider that a true gift from above. She didn’t have to be alone.

That time in my life was terrible. It’s everything you think it would be times about a billion. I love that kid. I loved being her mother and I loved watching her grow into this incredibly beautiful person, both inside and out. She was such a gift to me. To have it all ripped away so suddenly broke me.

Her name was Kindle. Honest to goodness – it was her name and she died a few weeks before Amazon released their brand new Kindle ereader. She had no idea it was coming out and she would have finally gotten her name on something! Try finding a ruler with the name Kindle on it.. It never happened.

Through the course of that crippling event I was lucky enough to begin to write with a dear friend in the fan fiction world of Facebook. She got me through those dark days with her unwavering support and friendship. There wasn’t a time she wasn’t there for me. Sometimes together and sometimes by myself, we built a world where Kindle lives and stands for peace, love and harmony. It’s its own kind of support group. I know without question I wouldn’t be here today without her.

Find out more by visiting www.kindlealexander.com or email me at kindle@kindlealexander.com

 


HOSTED BY:

I Heart Boston Terriers by Rick R. Reed: Cover Reveal and Excerpt

by

Cover Reveal: I Heart Boston Terriers by Rick R. Reed

I Heart Boston Terriers by Rick R. Reed, published by Dreamspinner Press

Publication date: September 20, 2107 Available for pre-order: August 21, 2017

Cover art design: Reese Dante https://www.reesedante.com/

Cover Model: Lily, the Boston terrier (owned by Rick R. Reed and Bruce Moynagh)

 

When Aaron finds Mavis, an emaciated and shy Boston terrier, at a pet adoption fair, his heart goes out to her—completely.

When Christian, manning the adoption fair for the Humane Society that autumn Saturday, finds Aaron, his heart goes out to him—completely.

This is a story about embracing love, whether it’s for someone who walks on four legs or on two. Mavis’s journey back to wholeness and finding her forever home parallels the story of two men discovering each other at the perfect moment—a moment that defies logic, propriety, and common sense. But when did love ever follow a rational course?

 

Dreamspinner Press

 

 

A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STORY AND AN EXCERPT

With lots of panting and tail wagging, I give you the re-release of my dog-uniting-two-men-in-love story, “I Heart Boston Terriers.” This story is nearer and dearer to my heart than most others because, if you know me, you know I have a Boston terrier (Lily) and she’s our little princess.

It’s only fitting that Lily’s the cover model for the story. I am a proud papa! I took the picture of Lily featured on the cover last fall, just as we were waking up in our cabin at Washington state’s Orcas Island, where we were staying for a long weekend. I’m so glad the phone was nearby that morning!

Thanks to amazing cover artist, Reese Dante, who was able to incorporate Lily into the beautiful face for the story. I’m very blessed to be able to work with her on almost all of my books.

As a point of interest, my husband Bruce and I got Lily from a breeder when was eight weeks old. She’s now fourteen years old and has slowed down some, but is still the same sweet-tempered girl we brought home from the airport that September day lo these many years ago. She’s been part and parcel of our marriage, so it’s kind of appropriate that I would write a love story revolving around a Boston terrier.

I hope you’ll read “I Heart Boston Terriers” even if you read it in its original Amber Quill Press edition (there are significant changes to the story which, I think, improves it a lot). If you like the story, please drop a line to Lily in care of rickrreedbooks@gmail.com

 

***

NEG UB2. For those of you not familiar, this shorthand, meaning ‘negative; you be too’ has shown up in online personals for years…and it can be kind of hurtful. In the excerpt below, our underdog romantic hero, Ethan Schwartz, comes across the phrase for the first time.

Christian returned to Mavis. “I want to see you make this your forever home, Mavis. It’s a place where you can feel safer and safer with every passing day.”

Aaron loved what he was telling the dog, whether she understood or not. Aaron believed any creature could pick up on the caring in Christian’s voice; he certainly could. But he worried about Becca. He wasn’t sure she had really left the door open for second chances or a “forever home,” and Aaron was doubtful this one visit from Christian could change things so much that she would allow Mavis to stay after all, especially if she became a dreaded “repeat offender.”

One of the last things she had said, before leaving for her internet date, was, “I was going to wear those Jimmy Choos today too. Damn it. Those shoes were mantraps, I tell you.” She had laughed, but Aaron could hear the regret and longing in her voice. He would never understand how someone—his sister, especially—could allow a pair of shoes to take precedence over a living thing.

Christian held Mavis up and out to Aaron. “Here. You try.”

Awkwardly, as if he were taking a newborn from Christian, he took Mavis into his arms, cradling her and letting one arm support her along her soft and warm belly.

“Just talk to her,” Christian said. “Just like I did—let her know you care, but make sure she understands you’re in charge.”

Aaron met Christian’s expectant gaze.

“Go on,” Christian encouraged.

Aaron didn’t know if he was doing the right thing, continuing to build a bond with a dog his sister had first insisted go back to the pound. But Mavis was appealing to his kindness with huge brown eyes, as if she too were waiting for him to make his move. Aaron doubted anyone could resist those eyes; they were perfectly round, a rich deep brown, and stared out of a face that was all at once wise, soulful, and a little melancholy.

He kind of let himself drift into the dog’s deep gaze and almost forgot Christian was there. He certainly forgot about Becca’s wishes as he began to speak, gently stroking Mavis’s head all the while.

“You and me, kid. We’re two of a kind. Alone. A bit unwanted, yes.” He massaged her neck. “But the two of us, we have a lot to offer, don’t we? So we’re not gonna feel sorry for ourselves, are we? We’re both survivors too, and we’re not gonna let this temporary setback get us down permanently. We’re going to remember that life is a series of sunshine and rainy days—and no one escapes either. That’s the thing we have to bear in mind—that the rain does stop falling, the sun does come out again. It happens for all of us.

“It’s happening for you, little stinker. Right now. You’ve found someone who’s decided to give you a home, someone who’s made the most important decision a person can make—to love.” He let himself feel the solidity of Mavis’s compact body against his own and knew, right then, that come hell or high water, sisters or high heels, nothing was going to come between this man and his dog.

“And while you may not love me yet, I think you will. If you get no other sense from my words than this, remember—I am not going to let anything bad happen to you, ever. Not if I can help it.”

He released Mavis, setting her gently down at his feet, where she promptly curled up, calmer than he had ever seen her.

Gradually he came back to reality and realized he’d probably just made an ass of himself in front of Christian. What he had said to the dog was heartfelt, but what if Christian had seen his words as nothing more than Hallmark platitudes? He was lifting his head to give Christian one of his patented sheepish grins, when he noticed Christian already looking at him.

If Aaron didn’t know better, he would say Christian was touched. And not “touched in the head,” either, although he might be that as well, but touched as in something really got through to him.

Christian slowly shook his head. He didn’t say anything for a long while, and then what he said next wasn’t at all what Aaron expected.

“Can I kiss you?”

 

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. He’s the award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction and is forever at work on yet another book. Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” You can find him at www.rickrreed.com or www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA with his beloved husband and their Boston terrier.

FIND RICK ONLINE

Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/rickrreedbooks

Twitter: www.twitter.com/rickrreed

Blog: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/

Website: www.rickrreed.com

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rick-r-reed

Email: rickrreedbooks@gmail.com