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Falling Snow on Snow by Lou Sylvre: Blog Tour, Interview and Giveaway

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falling-snow-on-snow-cover-400x600synopsisBeck Justice knows holiday sparkle and snappy carols only mask December’s cruel, black heart. He learned that lesson even before he landed on the streets eight years ago, and his recent step up to a tiny apartment and a busker’s permit for Seattle’s Pike Place Market has done nothing to change his mind. But one day in the market, Oleg Abramov joins his ethereal voice to Beck’s guitar, and Beck glimpses light in his bleak, dark winter.

Oleg, lucky to have a large and loving family, believes Beck could be the man to fill the void that nevertheless remains in his life. The two men step out on a path toward love, but it proves as slippery as Seattle’s icy streets. Just when they get close, a misunderstanding shatters their hopes. Light and harmony are still within reach, but only if they choose to believe, risk their hearts, and trust.

Title: Falling Snow on Snow
Author: Lou Sylvre
Release Date: December 23, 2016
Category: Contemporary, Holiday
Pages: TBD (Novella)

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Character Interview

Beck and Oleg Quickie Author Interview

Hi! Lou Sylvre here, appearing for the very first time on Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy. Gotta love the blog name, and thank you much, TCO, for lending me some space. Okay, for my post today, I decided to answer the questions Beck Justice and Oleg Abramov, the (eventually) loving couple from Falling Snow on Snow, have been dying to ask me ever since they made me tell their story.

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First, from Beck: Why on earth did you have me feeding a crow?

Well, Beck, it’s like this. I love crows. And besides that, you are a really goodhearted guy, but I wasn’t sure you knew it. And if you didn’t know, readers might not know either. So when I saw King Coal (that poor old, damaged crow) trying to survive on the roof of your building, I figured if I made you aware, you’d start feeding him (which you did, all by yourself), and if you were feeding an old crow—and also providing a home for Parcheesi, the formerly homeless cat—it would start to clear a path to your heart, by which a yummy, sweet guy like Oleg could make his way into your affections. And it worked.

Oleg asks: Why is my voice a high alto?

Simple, dear Oleg. Because it’s beautiful, and so are you. And also, I heard your song echoing through the halls of the market in a dream. Thanks for that, by the way.

Beck again: I don’t understand John Gillette, my stepdad. Can you help me out, here?

Of course. See, here’s the thing, Beck. Every single person on the planet has the capacity for cruelty. Yes, even children, grandmothers, and dog-lovers. Stepdads are no worse or better than any other. Sometimes, when people endure horror, such as John endured at war, it wounds them in such a way that, when one more bad thing tips the scales, they can’t dredge up the goodness to deny that cruel streak. It’s a terrible thing. People like the boy you were when John put you out on the streets get hurt in awful ways. In one sense it’s unforgiveable. But cruelty is a double-edged blade—cuts both ways. When a person hurts another the way John did you, it drains them of their humanity, and their wounds fester. In John’s case, he became a hopeless alcoholic, and ended up in dire straits. But when you gave yourself permission to be compassionate toward him instead of returning cruelty for cruelty, you helped heal the wound of your own trauma, and you gave John back a little of the soul he’d sacrificed. Good on you. Of course, I hadn’t thought that through when I wrote it. I was just telling your story and John was in it. But it makes sense, don’t you think?

After giving Beck a comforting hug, Oleg asks: What’s your favorite place to get Pelmeni?

Ah, that’s easy. There’s a little shop downtown Olympia, Washington, called Rush In Dumplings. (Get it?) Love their Siberian Classic.

Oleg again: Okay, that was an easy one. How about this: How did you find me? I mean of all the characters out there you could have paired up with Beck, why me, a Russian immigrant with a big, loving family, who couldn’t figure out how to find the right man?

I didn’t! You found me. Or maybe I should say you found Beck. When I had poor, scrooge-like Beck stuck in the Market in Seattle playing Christmas songs he hated for tips, I could only think of two things that would change his perspective. One was snow, the other was a fine man whose music was a match for Beck’s own. You auditioned. Don’t you remember? After that, nobody else would do.

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So, that’s it, no more questions from Beck and Oleg. Readers, remember to enter the giveaway, and also I hope you’ll join me for the other stops on the tour—different kinds of interviews, an epic playlist, a day in Seattle, and more!

Thank you for reading!

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Tour Schedule:

meet the author

Lou Sylvre lives and writes on the rainy side of Washington State, penning mostly suspense/romance novels because she can’t resist giving her characters hard times but good love. Her personal assistant is Boudreau, a large cat who never outgrew his kitten meow, and he makes a point of letting her know when she’s taken a plot tangent too far. Apparently an English major, he helps a lot, but Lou refuses to put his name on the byline. (Boudreau invites readers to give their feedback as well!) When Lou isn’t writing, she’s reading fiction from nearly every genre, romance in all its tints and shades, and the occasional book about history, physics, or police procedure. Not zombies, though—she avoids zombies like the plague unless they have a great sense of humor. She plays guitar (mostly where people can’t hear her) and she loves to sing. She’s most often smiling and laughs too much, some say. Among other things and in no particular order, she loves her family, her friends, the aforementioned Boudreau, his sister George, and their little brother Nibbles, a chihuahua named Joe, a dachshund named Chloe, and a slew of chihuahua/dachshund puppies. She takes pleasure in coffee, chocolate, sunshine, gardens, wild roses, and every beautiful thing in the world.

Blog: http://www.sylvre.rainbow-gate.com

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

Twitter: @sylvre (https://twitter.com/Sylvre)

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E-mail: lou.sylvre@gmail.com

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Catch and Release by BA Tortuga: Blog Tour, Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

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Dakota Landry just got out of prison after twelve years. If anyone can understand how that feels, it’s his new friend, Sage, who is determined to help him get used to life on the outside—and believes Dakota didn’t commit the crime he was in for.
Jayden Wilson is a former prosecutor who agrees to look into the case at the request of Sage’s lover, Adam. He sets out to prove Dakota is just another “innocent” ex-con, but once they meet, Jayden is more and more convinced Dakota just didn’t do what everyone thinks he did.
Trouble follows Dakota, and nothing is easy as he struggles to figure out how to live, now that he has choices. And Jayden isn’t sure how Dakota, or any lover for that matter, fits into his life. Their path from friendship to romance is a slow one, but Dakota begins to believe he deserves a chance at life, and Jayden falls a little more for Dakota every day. Now they just need to tell each other how they feel.

Title: Catch and Release
Series: The Release Series book 3
Author: BA Tortuga
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Release Date: December 19, 2016
Heat Level: 1 – No Sex
Pairing: Male/Male
Length: 75000
Genre: Romance, cowboys, ex-con, lawyer, sweet romance
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excerpt
“One wallet with six dollars and eighty-three cents. One pair of jeans, T-shirt, pair of boots. Belt with buckle. Sign here.” The paper bag was shoved over to him, and Dakota Landry scratched his signature on the paper, his hand shaking harder than he wanted to admit.
One wallet with six dollars and eighty-three cents.
One pair of Wranglers.
Twelve years, three months, and eight days.
Dakota sighed and rolled his shoulders. The Unitarians had donated a gently worn pair of tennis shoes, a button-down from the Walmart, and a pair of new jeans, which hung on his scrawny ass like a bad costume. They were what he had, though. He’d lost seventy pounds since he was twenty, and he read way more bull rider than bulldogger these days.
The rest of the processing flew by, and he walked out of the gate half an hour later, blinking at the late-afternoon sun. He was gonna puke.
He had a suitcase of his shit from his cell and this paper sack and….
A white pickup pulled up, the window rolling down to expose this weathered face peering out from under a straw brim. “You Landry?”
“Yessir.” He braced himself, waiting for a barrel to appear from the window. God hated him, he had no doubt, and it would be just like the evil bastard to have one of the McCarthys come to shoot him as soon as he walked outside as a free man.
It wasn’t a pistol that appeared, though. It was a gnarled cowboy hand. “Sage. Sage Redding. You want a ride, man?”
A lump lodged in his throat. Sage. Okay, he knew this guy from letters and the occasional call. When he knew he was getting out, he’d been assigned… what? Sage was no counselor. He was a godsend, though. “I do, yeah.”
“Cool. Come on. Let’s get the fuck out of here.”
“Please.” He climbed up into the truck, breathing in the smell of horseshit and Old Spice and hay, and suddenly he was thirteen again and had a whole summer in front of him and all these dreams and….
“Hey.” The word was short and sharp, dragging his attention right to Sage’s face.“Stay here. Stay with me, man. You start thinking and the fucking world goes straight to shit.”
“I just….”
“We’ll go to the next town over, and we’ll grab some burgers and a Coke. You ain’t a vegetarian, are you?”
“I’m pretty fucking sure they put all of them in minimum security.”
Sage hooted, the sound natural as breathing. “I bet so.”
“Thanks. I didn’t expect….” He hadn’t known what to expect. He had the numbers for the Salvation Army and a halfway house, neither of which he intended to call.
“No sweat. I been there.”
“Yeah.”
Manslaughter, Sage had said, and the man never once claimed to be innocent. But he was out and living on a ranch, doing his parole and writing prisoners in this exchange deal. Dakota wasn’t sure what the fuck Sage got out of it, but it looked good to the parole board, and to his credit, Sage had written a letter to them.
Sorta like the murderers speaking for the rapists. Whoopdi-fucking-doo.

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Guest Post

Hey y’all! I’m BA Tortuga, resident redneck and all around lover of cowboys.

When I started writing Dakota from Catch and Release, we were starting this weird little learning about each other thing.

I guess I ought to confess that, really, I start with an idea and a basic knowledge about before page one. I know all about the plot and I outline the shit out of that, but let’s be honest, that will change because I have to grow right along with the characters. To me, they’re real, living changeable people.

At any rate, Dakota came to me with the book’s opening lines –

“One wallet with six dollars and eighty-three cents. One pair of jeans, T-shirt, pair of boots. Belt with buckle. Sign here.” The paper bag was shoved over to him, and Dakota Landry scratched his signature on the paper, his hand shaking harder than he wanted to admit.

One wallet with six dollars and eighty-three cents.

One pair of Wranglers.

Twelve years, three months, and eight days.

Dakota sighed and rolled his shoulders. The Unitarians had donated a gently worn pair of tennis shoes, a button-down from the Walmart, and a pair of new jeans, which hung on his scrawny ass like a bad costume. They were what he had, though. He’d lost seventy pounds since he was twenty, and he read way more bull rider than bulldogger these days.

The rest of the processing flew by, and he walked out of the gate half an hour later, blinking at the late-afternoon sun. He was gonna puke.

He had a suitcase of his shit from his cell and this paper sack and….

That’s it. That’s what I knew.

When I started out Dakota was angry and cold as ice, he didn’t want to know me and he sure as shit didn’t want me to know him. Learning to write Dakota was like growing to love a shelter dog – you want to pet him, hold him, comfort him, but you know you’re as likely to be bit as not.

I learned to love him. In fact, he’s still with me. Some characters are like that – Sage Redding was one, too. A good man looking for someone to see that inside him. Sage saw it. Jayden saw it. I saw it.

I hope y’all see it too.

Much love, y’all.

BA

meet the author
Texan to the bone and an unrepentant Daddy’s Girl, BA Tortuga spends her days with her basset hounds and her beloved wife, texting her sisters, and eating Mexican food. When she’s not doing that, she’s writing. She spends her days off watching rodeo, knitting and surfing Pinterest in the name of research. BA’s personal saviors include her wife, Julia Talbot, her best friend, Sean Michael, and coffee. Lots of coffee. Really good coffee.catch-and-release-square
Having written everything from fist-fighting rednecks to hard-core cowboys to werewolves, BA does her damnedest to tell the stories of her heart, which was raised in Northeast Texas, but has heard the call of the high desert and lives in the Sandias. With books ranging from hard-hitting GLBT romance, to fiery menages, to the most traditional of love stories, BA refuses to be pigeon-holed by anyone but the voices in her head.

Website | Facebook | Twitter |
eMail | Instagram

 
Tour Schedule
December 19 – Dog-Eared Daydreams
December 19 – Andrew Grey
December 20 – Divine Magazine
December 20 – Happily Ever Chapter

December 20 – Prism Book Alliance
December 21 – Because Two Men Are Better Than One
December 21 – BFD Book Blog
December 22 -Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy
December 22 – Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews
December 22 – Bayou Book Junkie
December 23 – V’s Reads
December 23 – Dean Frech
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12 Days of Kissmas: Kindle Alexander

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TCO has been so excited to bring you 12 Days of Kissmas. We have had 12 of your favorite authors ahead over the last 12 days, bringing you beautiful pictures of men kissing that the authors have chosen themselves, along with exclusive posts, excerpts, and giveaways. The idea sprang from a conversation with an author that just turned into a “what if…”, and when I started asking a few authors, they immediately said they were in. Make sure you enter the giveaways, as there are lots of them! Thanks for stopping by, and a HUGE thank you to all the authors for their generosity, and loving spirit. Happy Holidays to everyone! We have already been asked to bring it back again next year! 🙂

 

Guest Post

For the final day of 12 Days of Kissmas, we have the wonderful Kindle Alexander. I have personally met these sweet (but fierce) Texas ladies, and they are a force to be reckoned with, but are also fiercely loyal. I asked them to stop by and give us a little taste of their upcoming book, Painted On My Heart, and they sent along this exclusive excerpt.

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excerpt

Painted On My Heart

By Kindle Alexander

Coming very soon.

I mean, really soon. 🙂

 

It had been exciting to see the Layne complex come to life. Watch the city name the streets after his father and uncle who had taken the risk and started their own business all those years ago. However, the area had lost some of its luster when the cows in the neighboring pasture next to their construction site had gotten loose, leaving big piles of cow shit decorating the middle of the road right after the dedication ceremony.

Not much had changed since that day.

“So how did it go today? Did you find a place?” Arik asked, sliding the cocktail glass across the bar and then taking Gage’s now empty glass and placing it in a plastic bus-tub nearby.

“Yeah, we put in an offer on a place in McKinney. Trent liked the house. He liked the schools there and the highway access. Hunter’s big into baseball and there’s a select program that fits his ability and age. Em’s starting tumbling, so Rhonny’s been on the lookout. She found a gym—a cheerleading gym that she’s got Emalynn all excited about. It’s Colt Michaels’s husband’s place, I think.”

Arik cut him off, laughing as he leaned back against the workspace counter behind him and swallowed a gulp of the drink he’d poured for himself. “It’s honestly hilarious listening to you talk about your kids like that.”

“Whatever. It’s a million times better than that pretty-boy you brought in here this morning. What the hell were you thinking, A?” Gage’s whole attitude and tone changed, like he remembered he wasn’t talking to a card-carrying member of the relationship brigade. He’d watched that same thing happen over and over with his married friends. Parenthood and marriage were clubs he didn’t fully understand.

“I wasn’t. Met him at a party in NYC. We screwed around a few times.” Arik chuckled at his choice of words as his glass touched his lips.

“And you brought him here?” Gage’s voice lifted in question.

“No! Absolutely not. He surprised me.”

Gage shook his head, swirling the ice inside his glass. “That sucks.”

“You have no idea. Why didn’t you plan to get a place on the back forty with our families? They have to be nuts about you being a father. You finally conformed.” Arik grinned at his cousin, changing the subject off him. Hopefully Gage wouldn’t press him about his surprise visitor any further.

The old Gage would have bit at his dig about conforming. They’d both been a bit rebellious, but they had true Layne blood flowing through their veins. They had a deep-seated desire to make it in the world on their own. Only in the last couple of years had Arik made the decision to move his real-estate conglomerate under the Layne, Incorporated umbrella. He’d placed so many stipulations on the deal, he had no doubt his father’s and uncle’s heads swam, but in the end, they were stronger together, and in such a competitive world market, they each needed the strength the other offered.

“I know the family thinks Trent and the kids will adapt well to country life, but I’m not so sure. Besides, I signed an extended contract with Wilder today. I’ll be closer to the airport Wilder uses.”

Arik’s grin widened. So Gage had proved successful for Wilder. They had considered it a short-term experiment, attempting to put relevant news stories at the fingertips of the tech-savvy consumer. Arik had watched every one of the feature stories and breaking news reports Gage had recorded as a hard-hitting, international photojournalist. His cousin always dug deeper than just headline news. His reputation had scored him huge interviews, and he did what Gage did best, got his hands dirty exploring facts. He had also scored a solid hit in his desire to snap pictures of everything, from behind-the-scenes camera footage all the way to taking pictures during an interview. He’d really done quite well.

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Artist Kellus Hardin let love and loyalty cloud his past decisions, a mistake he definitely won’t make again. Now, lost and alone, he’s left to pick up the shattered pieces of his broken heart while facing the truth of his reality.  

Arik Layne exudes power, confidence, and determination. But when an encounter with the guarded artist shakes him to the core and alters all his future goals, he finds more than just his heart on the line.

For Kellus, opening himself to love isn’t an option.

All Arik wants is to make the artist his.

Can love create a masterpiece when it’s painted on your heart?

meet the author

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

 

 

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12 Days of Kissmas: Charlie Cochet

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TCO is so excited to bring you 12 Days of Kissmas. We have 12 of your favorite authors ahead over the coming days, bringing you beautiful pictures of men kissing that the authors have chosen themselves, along with exclusive posts, excerpts, and giveaways. The idea sprang from a conversation with an author that just turned into a “what if…”, and when I started asking a few authors, they immediately said they were in. Make sure you enter the giveaways, as there are lots of them! Thanks for stopping by, and a HUGE thank you to all the authors for their generosity, and loving spirit. Happy Holidays to everyone!

 

Guest Post

ccochetjackrudyHello, all! Hope you’re having a wonderful holiday season! I’m so happy to be here joining in on the 12 Days of Kissmas event! For my picture, I decided to doodle a little something myself. Back for the release of The Heart of Frost, I drew a holiday kiss between Jack and Rudy. I had so much fun with it that I decided this would be a great opportunity to draw another one. This year we have Calder and Donner’s story: Disarming Donner, so I decided to draw their kiss.

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Kisses in the North Pole City Tales series range from innocent and sweet, to explosive and passionate. Hey, even Christmas elves need a little lovin’. There’s nothing I love more than writing that first kiss between characters who’ve been trying so darn hard to stay away from each other, whether they’re enemies to lovers, second chances, or friends to lovers, there’s always some hesitancy, some reason why they shouldn’t, and when they do, ready the fire extinguishers!

In Disarming Donner, Calder is a Dockalfar—dark elf. He’s dangerous, wields dark magic, and is feared. The Dockalfar are not romantic by nature. The males don’t couple with other males, and the majority have no interest in being loved. Calder is not like most Dockalfar. He has no desire to be feared. Ever since he was a tiny elfling, he’s wanted nothing more than to be loved, but who outside his own kind could possibly love a Dockalfar? He’s resigned to living his life without love. And then he meets Donner, a prim and proper Christmas elf with lavender eyes who plays beautiful music and finds Calder absolutely scandalous. What could possibly go right?

 

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As a beloved Rein Dear and Christmas elf for Mayor Kringle, Donner prides himself on his flawless reputation, good sense, and wise decisions. Donner never does anything until he’s thought it through properly. He’s certainly not one to get flustered, infuriated, or fall prey to romantic nonsense. At least not until the most unlikely of elves begins chipping away at Donner’s defenses.

Calder is a Dockalfar—a dark elf. He’s wicked, untrustworthy, and armed with lethal magic. At least that’s what everyone thinks. It’s easy for them to believe the worst and mistrust him before they’ve even spoken to him, but Calder is out to prove that he’s more than his Dockalfar blood, especially to a certain Rein Dear who has caught his eye. But it will take more than sweet words for Donner to admit what’s in his heart.

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denise review

So, I have read most of Charlie Cochet’s work (in some cases, MULTIPLE times) and yet, I realized I haven’t read even one of her holiday novellas, so Disarming Donner was the first. And, as I expected, I thoroughly enjoyed it!

Donner tried so hard to be stand-offish and proper, looking down on Calder, because he was a Dockalfar, and Calder’s brother hurt his good friend. However, as he saw the softer side, the romantic and loving side of Calder, his heart melted (which may or may not be a good thing in North Pole City! J). And when Calder needed help, Donner stepped right up to help him, and found a little more reason to appreciate Calder.

Calder meanwhile, a sweet, romantic Dockalfar immediately found a connection with Donner, and pressed his romantic attention gently and sweetly. He was gentle and loving to Donner, as well as all the reactions he received from the townspeople, showing how much he merely wanted to be accepted and loved.

Another winner by Charlie, and now I can’t wait to go back and read all the others in this series.

4 pieces of eye candy

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meet the author

charlie_cochet_by_madison_parkerCharlie Cochet is an author by day and artist by night. Always quick to succumb to the whispers of her wayward muse, no star is out of reach when following her passion. From adventurous agents and sexy shifters, to society gentlemen and hardboiled detectives, there’s bound to be plenty of mischief for her heroes to find themselves in, and plenty of romance, too!

Currently residing in Central Florida, Charlie is at the beck and call of a rascally Doxiepoo bent on world domination. When she isn’t writing, she can usually be found reading, drawing, or watching movies. She runs on coffee, thrives on music, and loves to hear from readers.

Website | THIRDS HQ | Facebook | Facebook Author Page | Twitter | Pinterest | Tumblr | Instagram | Newsletter | DSP |Amazon |Goodreads

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For a chance to win Hell & High Water, Mending Noel, Beware of Geeks Bearing Gifts, tell us what you think of this amazing artwork by Charlie.

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12 Days of Kissmas: Jessie G

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TCO is so excited to bring you 12 Days of Kissmas. We have 12 of your favorite authors ahead over the coming days, bringing you beautiful pictures of men kissing that the authors have chosen themselves, along with exclusive posts, excerpts, and giveaways. The idea sprang from a conversation with an author that just turned into a “what if…”, and when I started asking a few authors, they immediately said they were in. Make sure you enter the giveaways, as there are lots of them! Thanks for stopping by, and a HUGE thank you to all the authors for their generosity, and loving spirit. Happy Holidays to everyone!

 

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Last Light on Longs Peak from a Frozen Bear Lake

 

Guest Post

A month or so ago, Denise asked if I wanted to host a spot in her 12 Days of Kissmas event and I agreed. Unbeknownst to both of us, Chris and Owen were tired of waiting to get married and determined that I write them a Christmas wedding. Now I know what you’re thinking! This seems like too important an event for a slice of life scene…and you’d be right! I didn’t write a wedding scene for this final post in the #13Months13Scenes tour, I wrote a book.

Still with me? So…that big epic tease in the group, the one where Christina called me a bad word…yeah, she not only knew, she had the book in her hands! Who didn’t know? Poor Denise. I tortured her endlessly about my big project and held off sending the material as long as possible. It’s a wonder she’s still talking to me L Help me earn my way back in her good graces by commenting on how wonderful she is below.

Without further ado, the first chapter of Deciding on Forever, available NOW on Amazon and all retail outlets.

Happy Holidays!

Jessie G

Last Light on Longs Peak from a Frozen Bear Lake

excerpt

What is it about those two words?

“Oh, wow, would you look at that?” The awe in that statement had Owen looking up from his sketch pad.

When they made their plans to fly to Colorado for a pre-Christmas vacation, Owen happily offered to take the aisle seat. He’d visited many times, during all seasons, and knew that first view of the Rockies was something Chris wouldn’t soon forget. Even though he expected it, seeing the wonder on that strong, handsome face infused Owen with a huge sense of accomplishment.

Making Chris happy and helping him experience all the things he’d missed was a purpose he never could have imagined before. Where he once wallowed in his own misery, holding it close while keeping the rest of the world at bay, Owen no longer allowed those thoughts to surface. After more than a year together, there was too much love and pure enjoyment of life that there just wasn’t room for all that negativity.

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Owen asked as he watched Chris carefully.

Prior to their trip to New York, Chris had never been further north than Orlando. As first trips go, dropping him in the heart of Manhattan might have been a little unfair. The crowds, the noise, and constant sensory input had Chris on edge most of their trip. Short of another family gathering, he couldn’t imagine either of them wanting to relive that experience. Colorado couldn’t be more different and Owen really wanted Chris to love it as much as he did.

“The pictures don’t do it justice,” Chris agreed as he turned to look at him, gaze shining bright. “Thank you.”

That heartfelt gratitude made him duck his head. Two simple words shouldn’t embarrass him, but they did. What had he done to deserve them? Nothing. Not really. They’d planned the trip together, paid for it out of their joint bank account, and were equally responsible for making it happen. All he’d done differently was give up the window seat and he already knew Chris would make sure he got it on the return flight, so it wasn’t all that special.

A finger beneath his chin reminded him that hiding wasn’t an option, especially when Chris asked, “What is it about those two words that bothers you so much?”

Back at the start of their relationship, when they were acknowledging their feelings for one another, they agreed to make all their decisions together. That required communication. Chris was usually the one asking the questions and he had this focused way of listening that made Owen say things he would have normally kept inside. Like now.

With those dark eyes assuring him that he was safe and loved, Owen admitted, “I was just thinking…why are you thanking me? We did this together.”

“Exactly, and that’s why I’m thanking you,” Chris agreed as if it were obvious. “Do you think I ever would have done this for myself?”

Owen knew the answer was a resounding no and that it went deeper than the years lost in his step-father’s abuse or the events that followed. Adult Chris, free of the past and working to support himself, didn’t think about such luxuries as traveling or taking in a ballet. He focused on survival and taking care of others, and there was no room for anything else.

“This was the furthest thing from my mind and I know you believe I was missing out, but I like to think I was just waiting to experience it with you.” Chris leaned in for a tender kiss and whispered, “So, thank you.”

The appropriate response wasn’t any easier to get out the second time, though Owen attributed that to the lump in his throat. “You always say the right things.”

“It’s a gift.” Chris grinned and leaned in for another kiss, this time taking a nibble of his lower lip until he groaned.

Owen pushed him away for his own sanity and attempted a glare. It was hard to look stern when your heart was fluttering and your dick was hard, but he tried. “Let’s not get too full of ourselves, big guy. This plane isn’t equipped to handle your massive ego.”

Chris’s full laugh had several heads turning and that attention made Owen frown. Only a year and a half ago they were celebrating the Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality and now, with the new election, they were facing the possibility of another battle to keep the rights they’d only recently won. In the current climate, they’d all noticed a new hostility in the air whenever they expressed even the slightest bit of public affection.

Being conscious of it didn’t mean they were willing to be swept back under the rug. If he wanted to hold Chris’s hand, kiss him on an airplane, or make him laugh like a loon, he damn well had that right. Anyone who had a problem with it could look the other way. If they didn’t, well, he didn’t want to be a fighter, but he would defend his right to love Chris.

“Ah, baby.” Chris sighed, reading his shift in moods easily. “The only one who’s given us a second glance is the brunette across the aisle that’s been making googly eyes at you.”

“Googly eyes?” Owen snorted out a laugh and tried to look, but Chris held him firm. “What the heck are those?”

“You know, batting her lashes and sighing. Can’t you hear the sighing?” Chris cocked his head as if he were listening hard. “There, she just did it again.”

“I don’t hear anything.” Of course, Owen was too busy laughing at Chris to hear beyond their little huddle. “Is she cute?”

Chris made a show of looking past him and shrugged. “Sure, I guess, if I wasn’t gay and engaged to this really hot guy.”

“Oh my god, are you guys here to get married?” The stewardess nearly skidded to a halt beside their row and beamed. “I’ve heard Colorado has some of the most beautiful spots for destination weddings. My fiancé and I were just talking about eloping someplace amazing like the Rocky Mountains. We have a ton of family and every time we try to whittle the guest list down to something we can afford, someone gets insulted.”

Without waiting for a response, she leaned on the seat in front of them, nearly knocking the guy’s hat off in the process, and shared, “We’re paying for the wedding ourselves and when we crunch the numbers, it just makes me sick inside. If you think about it, the money you’d spend on a big wedding could be the down payment on a house. My fiancé is worried I’ll regret it if I don’t get the frilly dress and all the trimmings, but you guys understand, don’t you? It’d be nice, but setting ourselves up right from the start would be nicer.”

“Sounds like you know what you want,” Chris said with an indulgent smile. “If you tell it to him just like that, I bet he’ll understand.”

“You’re sweet.” Again, she beamed that megawatt smile and when she sighed, it was all Owen could do not to laugh aloud. “So are you staying in Denver? Personally, we’d want to drive out to one of the little mountain towns, if we were going to do it.  Something quaint and historic, with great views.”

“We’re driving up to Estes Park,” Owen said and could see she never heard of it. “It’s near Rocky Mountain National Park. There’s a quaint little town, an historic hotel, and unparalleled views—just like you wanted.” This produced another sigh and Owen almost felt bad for bursting her bubble. “But we’re not here to get marr…”

Chris took his hand and tugged, cutting off his denial and reminding him, “Someone once told me that Colorado was the perfect place to get married.”

Before Owen could respond, the tone to indicate the captain was about to speak sounded overhead and the stewardess pointed at them. “Get yourselves buckled in. We should be landing soon and I would hate for anything to happen to you before you said your vows.”

With that, she was gone, leaving Owen gaping at Chris. “Why did you let her think we were getting married here?”

“Because we are.” Chris made a point of checking his seat belt and nudged Owen to do the same before he said, “You told me that you always dreamt of getting married in Colorado.”

“Well, yes, but not like…I mean our whole family’s back in…Liam and Maddie would be furious…” Owen knew he was babbling like an idiot and every half-formed idea added another knot in his stomach. Even that wasn’t strong enough to quell the rush of excitement. “You don’t mean this trip, right? Just something to think about for the future. Right?”

Owen wasn’t sure if he wanted Chris to agree or not. Yeah, that was a lie. Now that the thought was in his head, he could absolutely see them eloping. They weren’t big on crowds, on being the center of attention, and neither of them needed the frilly dress or the trimmings. All they needed was each other, a Justice of the Peace, and maybe a snow-capped mountain in the background for it to be perfect.

“I know it’s not fall and we’re not going to your family’s house in Breckenridge, but—” Chris looked at him with so much love and longing that Owen felt his heart flutter all over again. “If the opportunity presented itself tomorrow, would that be far enough in the future?”

“Did you plan this?” Owen had to ask because he certainly wouldn’t put it past Chris to do something this amazingly romantic.

“I planned to convince you,” Chris admitted as he entwined their hands again. A little tug brought them together and Owen just knew whatever Chris said next was going to level him. “It’s been more than a year since we decided on forever, Owen, and I can’t think of a better Christmas gift than to make you my husband.”

The plane was just starting its descent when the first tear fell. As Chris reached up to gently brush them away, Owen grabbed his wrist and said, “Maddie and Liam will get over it.”

“Eventually,” Chris agreed with an unrepentant grin, and just like that, they were getting married.

© 2016 Jessie G Books, Inc. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from the author is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jessie G and Jessie G Books, Inc. with the appropriate and specific direction to the original content here at Two Chicks Obsessed with Books.

Author’s Note
I hope you enjoyed the last installment of my #13months13scenes tour. I can’t believe it’s over. Or is it? Starting in January, I’ll be posting scenes based on reader prompts. If there’s something you’ve been wanting to know about my characters or see them do, email your prompt (with picture inspiration) to jessieg@jessiegbooks.com with the subject “Reader Prompt.”

Did you miss a previous installment in the 13Months13Scenes tour?

December 20th KathyMac Reviews Merry Christmas from Ric & Davin
January 20th Book Lovers 4Ever A Sizzling WTF Moment with Saul, Javier & Kyle
February 20th Carly’s Book Reviews Chocolate Hearts & Cuban Sandwiches w/Chris & Owen
March 21st 3 Chicks After Dark Thinking Mushy Thoughts with Ty & Chase
April 20th Sassy Girl Books There Are No Losers in Love with Billy & Liam
May 20th Two Chicks Obsessed Memorial Day with Garrison & Micah
June 21st Foxylutely Books !!Jessie & Greg’s Birthday Surprise!!
July 20th BFD Book Blog Bull & Red’s 1 Year Anniversary
August 20th Molly Lolly Clay & his boys celebrate Romance Awareness Month
September 20th Bike Book Reviews Kyle’s Birthday – Preview of Saving Saul
November 11th Divine Magazine Happy Belated Halloween with Colin & Arnaud
November 21st Joyfully Jay Snake & Greg’s first family Thanksgiving
December 15th Making it Happen BONUS Scene: A Devils Pride Christmas

 

 

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12 Days of Kissmas: Avon Gale

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TCO is so excited to bring you 12 Days of Kissmas. We have 12 of your favorite authors ahead over the coming days, bringing you beautiful pictures of men kissing that the authors have chosen themselves, along with exclusive posts, excerpts, and giveaways. The idea sprang from a conversation with an author that just turned into a “what if…”, and when I started asking a few authors, they immediately said they were in. Make sure you enter the giveaways, as there are lots of them! Thanks for stopping by, and a HUGE thank you to all the authors for their generosity, and loving spirit. Happy Holidays to everyone!

 

Guest Post

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Hi! I’m Avon Gale, and I’m here sharing a delightful picture of two boys kissing – er, almost kissing. I like this picture because I love that moment of tension right before the kiss. Also this one cutie is wearing a bowtie! Adorable, right?

My most recent novella, Whiskey Business, is out December 28th from Dreamspinner Press and is a part of their States of Love line. It’s about a bourbon distillery in a small Kentucky town, and it features an opposites-attract love story and a lot of really bad puns.

whiskeybusinessfs_v1I’m from Kentucky, so writing this was super fun for me. Also, I love bourbon (and pie), which is why I decided to share this recipe with you! Ignore that “or water” part of the directions, because trust me, you want the bourbon 😉 And make sure it’s good Kentucky bourbon, too – none of that Jack Daniels nonsense (sorry, Tennessee!) for this pie.

(Kidding, you can use whatever you want, but in my humble estimation, Kentucky bourbon is the best and that’s all I have to say about that.)

 

Kentucky Bourbon Pecan Pie

1/2 (14.1-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts

1 1/2 cups chopped toasted pecans

1 cup (6 ounces) semisweet chocolate morsels

1 cup dark corn syrup

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

1/4 cup bourbon or water

4 large eggs

1/4 cup butter, melted

2 teaspoons plain white cornmeal

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1/2 teaspoon table salt

 

Preparation

Hands-on: 15 Minutes

Total: 2 Hours, 10 Minutes

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Fit piecrust into a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate according to package directions; fold edges under, and crimp. Sprinkle pecans and chocolate evenly onto bottom of piecrust.

Stir together corn syrup and next 3 ingredients in a large saucepan, and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, 3 minutes. Remove from heat.

Whisk together eggs and next 4 ingredients. Gradually whisk one-fourth of hot corn syrup mixture into egg mixture; add to remaining hot corn syrup mixture, whisking constantly. Pour filling into prepared piecrust.

Bake at 325° for 55 minutes or until set; cool pie completely on a wire rack (about one hour).

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Avon Gale is giving away an ebook of winners choice. Give us your favorite traditional recipe. (Any tradition you like).

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