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The Longest Night by Z. Allora: Exclusive Guest Post, New Release Review and Giveaway

December 23, 2019 by Denise

I’m super happy to have Z. Allora here talking about her latest holiday novella, The Longest Night. She talks below about stereotypes and her dislike of them, but that she is fascinated by those stereotypes. And this novella has stereotypes! Check it out and don’t forget to leave a comment to enter her giveaway!

The holiday season is lonely for construction worker Benjamin Morgan, a big muscular guy who just wants to submit, obey, and serve. But the men he’s attracted to usually don’t have a dominant bone in their bodies. He’s done seeking his BDSM dreams with someone who isn’t interested in putting him in his rightful place—on his knees at their feet.

When a friend sets up a meeting with Foster Ridgeway at the BDSM club, Entiwned, Benjamin has his doubts. Of course he is attracted to bookish Foster, who works for the same construction company, but how will someone so small and delicate-looking master Benjamin? But when Foster–the tiny temple of dominance wielding a crop—heads toward Benjamin, he might get what he’s always wanted, just in time for Solstice.

Title: The Longest Night
Author: Z. Allora
Release Date: December 20, 2019
Category: Contemporary Romance, Erotic Romance, Gay, Holiday Romance
Pages: 73

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Thank you so much for allowing me to visit Two Chicks Obsessed and talk about the locations, stereotypes, and my current release. The Longest Night is a contemporary BDSM with of course a happily ever after. The story is set a few miles from where I grew up. To celebrate I’m doing a giveaway.

The location of the story is crucial to how I write a character because places impact us.

I write stories set in places I’ve visited or lived because location determines so much about people: their attitudes, their use of language, the filters they see the world through, what they’ve had to deal with, how they deal with it, etc.

As with each of my stories, I worship atypical characters that are on the edges because I validate everyone especially though folks on the fringes. I find the uniqueness that emanates from differences intoxicating. Where the person is from determines the details of what they have had to deal with in their past and affect how they view current and future events.

Stereotypes, in general, suck. However, knowing what the “stereotypes” are in an area allows me to acknowledge what the person may have endured (especially if they don’t agree with it or have fought against it). It’s fascinating to me to figure out how a character is affected by the stereotypes they grew up with?

One of the most important things is how do my characters deal with not only what’s thrown at them but how people see them. What do they carry into the world with them because of the baggage the stereotype forces on them? How does this affect their relationships? Their mannerisms….

The Longest Night is set in Upstate NY (Albany). I grew up 10 miles away in Schenectady, NY so I’m very familiar with societal expectations/beliefs from that particular area.

One of the stereotypes I examined through this story is the heavy machismo overtones. My characters came of age with expectation men needed to be manly. (Probably in most parts of the USA, but I’m most familiar with the brand of sexism from this area and how it was translated in day-to-day life.)

So, while my character Benjamin physically meets the criteria of being a man’s man (big and muscular), he’s a sub. In his early 20’s, this stereotype encouraged him to meet the expectations society had about what it meant to be a man, but now in his 30’s he’s no longer willing to compromise who he is or settle for something that doesn’t meet his needs. His struggle happened before the story, so we only see the results and how he deals with them going forward.

Foster, the Dominant, has dealt with the opposite problem. People would see his slender, almost delicate frame as weak and the opposite of control. His struggle was needing to learn how to defend himself and how to dominate people who were much bigger than himself.

Turning these stereotypes upside down pleases both of these men. Benjamin is a sub and countering the manly man stereotype by submitting adds an extra kick for him. Foster gets a boost from dominating larger men. They both acknowledge the fetish-y nature of part of their attraction to each other but it goes much deeper than stereotypes Albany, NY force fed them.

This was a short little holiday novella. Not the traditional holidays, but a little different take than you might normally see in holiday romances. In addition, with both MC’s trying to find their Mr. Right, and having very different stereotypes of what BDSM might look like, it hasn’t been easy for either of them.

I absolutely loved the twist on the stereotypes. Benjamin could not have been a sweeter, more gentle man, with a huge submissive side, who merely wanted someone who was his idea, someone smaller, to Dominate him. He finds that person in his coworker, Foster, but not until good friends put them together.

It’s a match made in heaven, and a sweet, but very sexy story. The joy emanated off Benjamin, and it just made the reader happy to see him be so elated that finally someone saw him for who he really was.

There could be nothing but an HEA here, and the sooner the better. 🙂

4 pieces of eye candy

BIO: Z. Allora believes in happily ever after for everyone. She met her own true love through the personals and has traveled to over thirty countries with him. She’s lived in Singapore, Israel and China. Now back home to the USA she’s an active member of PFLAG and a strong supporter of those on the rainbow in her community. She wants to promote understanding and acceptance through her actions and words. Writing rainbow romance allows her the opportunity to open hearts and change minds.

To contact Z. Allora:

E-mail: Z.AlloraHappyEndings@gmail.com

FACEBOOK: Z Allora Allora

Website: www.zallorabooks.com

Twitter: @ZAllora

Blog: http://zallora.blogspot.com

Dreamspinner: https://bit.ly/2Jv14r1

GIVEAWAY: What stereotypes have you seen in your area? Let me know in the comments to enter to win an e-book one of my other Entwined BDSM stories: Lock and Key or Secured and Free. I’ll contact the winner by Dec 30^th.

Rialto by Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott: RB, Exclusive Guest Post, Release Day Review and Giveaway

December 19, 2019 by Denise

Someone has it out for Rialto.

Ian Banner is loving his hectic life. He’s newly married, ready to start a family, and opening a new restaurant. All his dreams are coming true.

The last thing he needs is a problem with his restaurant.

But when one attack after another comes, he grows convinced he has another enemy.

Ian tries to handle things by himself, but his friends are soon drawn in when the attacks become violent. That’s when Ian realizes the target isn’t Rialto. It’s him.

Rialto is the final installment in the Unbreakable Bonds series and features sexy times, Daciana snuggles, overprotective family, fire, and of course, code names.

Title: Rialto

Series: Unbreakable Bonds Series #8

Author: Jocelynn Drake & Rinda Elliott

Publisher: Drake & Elliott LLC

Release Date: December 16, 2019

Heat Level: 4 – Lots of Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 74,000

Genre: Romance, Thriller/Suspense

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4 Cornerstone Locations of the Unbreakable World By Jocelynn Drake

When you’re lucky enough to either be writing a long series around a specific group of friend, or if you’re lucky enough to fall in love with a series like that, you find yourself returning to some of the same locations over and over again. There’s always that one friend’s house where everyone gathers. Or maybe that favorite neighborhood pub where you sit in the same stool every time.

These places start to feel like home as much as your own bed or sofa in your house.

The boys of the Unbreakable Bonds quickly developed four such places that they quickly identified as home and I thought we’d visit those places today.

Shiver

Lucas’s night club Shiver in downtown Cincinnati was one of his favorite and it was the best place to kick off the series. The wild and adventurous night club encapsulated the crazy roller-coaster rides that were ahead of the boys. But Shiver itself was very much described Lucas Vallois – cold, bold, and different from the rest of the crowd. Even in the midst of the all the noise and chaos of the night club, the boys had their own secret hideaway that set them apart.

I think Shiver most closely called to the Lucas and Snow of old. They were cold, unreachable men. Rowe could never be described as cold, so it was a difficult fit for him, but he was always happy to follow his friends wherever they went. Sadly, we never got to see Ian here, but then the chef had his own place in the world.

Rialto

The restaurant created by Ian Pierce and funded by Lucas Vallois, Rialto served as the kitchen and dining room table where this strange little family gathered. Ian’s cooking was to die for, and the boys were always happy to gather here for just another taste. But Rialto was also Ian’s domain. It was the place where Ian started to come into his own, where he found and stretched his self-confidence. It was the one place where he ruled supreme. The Unbreakable Boys had a tendency to bulldoze anyone not speaking loud enough; they tended to overprotect. Standing in Rialto, it was the one place where Ian could be sure that his voice would always be heard. In Rialto, Ian is king.

Rialto has always been a place of family and love. Lucas had his first “date” with Andrei in Rialto. Ian had numerous meetings and important discussions with the boys in Rialto. It was where Ian managed to slowly woo Hollis with his cooking.

Ward Security

If Rialto was the dining room for the family home, then Ward Security was the armory. Of course, if you ask Rowe and Noah, they’d likely tell you it was the toy chest. When you’ve got stubborn, bossy men like Lucas and Snow in your life, it’s hard to claim yourself the undisputed ruler of anything, but Rowe managed to carve out his own territory in Ward Security. The converted warehouse was where Rowe gathered together the very best toys, whether you’re talking about weapons, surveillance, or just random tech. Rowe is a big believer in he who has the best toys wins, and Rowe very much wants to win. But he also wants to be well equipped for any eventuality. He cares a great deal about the people in his employ and he wants them to always be protected against danger.

But more than just toys and gadgets, Ward Security was where the boys came to seek Rowe’s advice. Sometimes they needed his help in uncovering some hidden facts or mounting rescue missions. And sometimes they just needed his expertise on how to proceed. For Rowe, Noah, and Andrei, Ward Security became a second home to meet the other half of their family – the Ward Security family.

The Penthouse

When you received your key to the penthouse, you knew you were a part of something special. Lucas’s penthouse in The Ascent, a condo skyrise in Northern Kentucky, was more than just Lucas’s home. It was a home for all of them. At one time or another, they all slept and ate meals in that penthouse. Ian made breakfast twice a week there. They got drunk so many times in that penthouse. And it was the first home for Daciana Vallois.

Rising above the Ohio River to look down on Cincinnati, the penthouse was a fortress and an escape. When the world threatened, it was the one place they could all run to and be safe for at least a few hours.

For all of the Unbreakable Boys, the penthouse was home.

I hope you’ve enjoyed this quick tour of the four cornerstone places within the Unbreakable Bonds world. If you’ve not read the series yet, we hope that you make a stop in Cincinnati and meet the boys. The series is now complete with eight novels and four short story collections. Jump into the adventure today!

I’m so obsessed with this series that I didn’t even care who it involved, I love them all! However, in this one, we get to see Ian and how amazing his restaurant, Rialto is doing. He’s got an amazing family, a career that he loves and the man of his dreams who he’s taking the steps to become foster parents with. Ian’s life is as close to perfect as he could’ve ever imagined and boy, did he deserve it.

Hollis is working as a PI, which you know is kinda like his work as a cop, but with fewer rules and red tape, so it’s perfect for him. As long as he gets to come home to the love of his life every night, he can’t complain. Everything’s been quiet, the families are getting settled and, well, it was about time for explosions and mayhem, right?

When someone starts attacking Rialto, Ian thinks it’s probably just someone jealous of his restaurant or his success, especially now that he’s opening a second place. It starts off with little things, like a call to ICE, bad reviews online and surprise visits from the health department… but with anything that comes to these guys, it escalates and does it quickly. Only, it’s been years since Ian’s had any trouble with anyone and the person he had trouble with… Is dead… so, who could possibly have it out for him?

The one thing that drives me crazy about these guys, is their all set to suffer alone. Like, you have this family who SPECIALIZES in finding people, eliminating threats and who genuinely take it as an insult when you keep them out of the loop with things that involve your safety…So, why do you insist on keeping everything from them? I understood Ian’s reasonings this time and was glad that that didn’t last long, but still…

It isn’t hard to figure out the type of person behind all the trouble, and let me tell you, you’ll fall more in love with Ian and his big heart when he discovers the who and the why. I don’t want to give anything away, but I’m so flippin’ petty, I might’ve acted as I’m sure, Snow, Rowe, Lucas and Noah would’ve loved too, but Ian, although fierce when he has to be, especially when it comes to his family… I loved his determination in this one. His forgiving heart and his patience and understanding…. I just loved it all, even though it raised my blood pressure and kept me on edge for a good last hour of the story lol

If you love this family, their shenanigans, cute babies, ridiculous code names and lots of steamy love.. don’t skip this one. It was a great ending, though, I’m still hoping for a spin-off or something so it’s not really over… but even if it is… everyone is in such a good place and they’re all so healthy and happy and together. What could be better than that?! Perfect addition <3

5 pieces of eye candy

Jocelynn Drake and Rinda Elliott have teamed up to combine their evil genius to create intense gay romantic suspense stories that have car chases, shoot outs, explosions, scorching hot love scenes, and tender, tear-jerking moments. Their first joint books are in the Unbreakable Bonds series.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | eMail

http://drakeandelliott.com/

https://www.facebook.com/drakeandelliott/

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drakeandelliott@gmail.com

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Fall Through Spring by Amy Lane: Exclusive Guest Post

December 11, 2019 by Denise

Amy Lane is here once again (I love it when she stops by!) to talk about her latest release Fall Through Spring, with an exclusive guest post that is near and dear to my heart…about owning cats. I, myself, am a Crazy Cat Lady, and so anything cat related is right up my alley. Check out her post, and make sure you pick up this new book!

As far as Clay Carpenter is concerned, his abusive relationship with food is the best thing he’s got going. When a good friend starts kicking his ass into gear, Clay is forced to reexamine everything he learned about food and love—and that’s right when he meets troubled graduate student, Dane Hayes.

Dane Hayes doesn’t do the whole monogamy thing, but the minute he meets Clay Carpenter, he’s doing the friend thing in spades. The snarky, scruffy bastard not only gets Dane’s wacky sense of humor, he also accepts the things Dane can’t control—like the bipolar disorder Dane has been trying to manage for the past six years.

Dane is hoping for more than friendship, and Clay is looking at him with longing that isn’t platonic. They’re both positive they’re bad at relationships, but with the help of forbidden desserts and new medication regimens, they prove outstanding at being with each other. But can they turn their friendship into the love neither of them has dared to hope for?

Title: Fall Through Spring
Series: Winter Ball: Book Three
Author: Amy Lane
Release Date: December 3, 2019
Category: Contemporary Romance

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The Importance of Owning a Cat By Amy Lane

It’s not that I believe pet ownership is necessary to being human—but it’s got its perks.

Maintaining a relationship is hard work. You have to be mindful not just of one person’s needs, but of two. If you can’t take care of yourself, you can’t take care of your partner—but if you can’t remember to take care of your partner, you’re not a good bet as a relationship yourself. It’s a delicate balance, and pets have often served as sort of a litmus test to make sure someone is ready to put another creature’s needs ahead of their own.

At the same time, pets are… well, a pain in the ass.

All creatures crap—there’s no getting around it. If you can’t walk your dog or maintain your cat’s litter box, you have just mucked up your home with no way to escape—as well as abused a poor animal who only wants a place to void waste. It is imperative that you not only feed and water a pet, but that you take care of their other needs. Two trips to a vet’s office per year per pet, not counting illness or shots?

That’s a lot of taking care of.

And there’s more to it than that.

Dogs and cats need love. Every day. Every. Day. Cats are fully capable of saying “You can just fuck right off,” and running away—and the odds of them finding another home aren’t great. Dogs just… wither emotionally. They can become mean, or even stop eating.

Opening up to a pet means giving—pets, love, kindness, even your voice—every day. No exceptions.

And this could be the hardest thing. Pet’s don’t live as long as we do. Unless your pet is a parrot or a turtle—and see upkeep, because both of these exotic pets CAN break your house if you’re not careful—your dog or cat, your precious Egyptian Hairless, Pit Bull, Maine Coon or Yorkie—will pass before you’re ready.

Which means in order to own a pet, you need to be strong enough to sustain the worst—and to move on emotionally. That fifteen-year-old thirty-pound diabetic furry tub of lard absolutely cannot be the one thing between a happy you and a you on the edge of a cliff. You need to be able to endure loss and come out on the other side—and do it while loving your pet every day.

When Dane and Carpenter commit to getting cats at the end of Fall Through Spring it’s more than just, “Hey, Dane is not just a veterinary science major, he also owns a pet!” It’s a commitment by the two men to have a stable life. To commit to their pets—and each other—to look at another’s needs before their own. To be responsible enough for themselves to be responsible for another creature. To be prepared to give love every day without fail.

And to be strong enough to sustain loss and failure and come out on the other side.

For any condition—mental illness, drug addiction, or even just the pain of being an imperfect human—this is the ultimate in commitment, and in faith.

For Dane Hayes and Clay Carpenter, having two fat, spoiled diva cats shedding all over Dane’s brother’s nice house means they have hope for the future—and for each other.

For these guys, getting pets isn’t just the nice little bow on the package of romance—it’s a promise to us that their romance is sustainable—and that they will continue to work on themselves so they can be there for each other.

And I think that’s true in most romance books—even if the “pet” is really an herb garden or a tank full of fish.

Having a pet isn’t just bonding with a creature who needs maintenance—it’s a sign of continuously trying to be a better human one who capable of long-term love.

And that’s the core of any romance hero or heroine—it’s the person we all hope we can be.

Amy Lane lives in a crumbling crapmansion with a couple of growing children, a passel of furbabies, and a bemused spouse. Two of her books have received a RITA nomination, she’s won honorable mention for an Indiefab, and has a couple of Rainbow Awards to her name. She also has too damned much yarn, a penchant for action-adventure movies, and a need to know that somewhere in all the pain is a story of Wuv, Twu Wuv, which she continues to believe in to this day! She writes fantasy, urban fantasy, and gay romance–and if you accidentally make eye contact, she’ll bore you to tears with why those three genres go together. She’ll also tell you that sacrifices, large and small, are worth the urge to write.

We Still Live by Sara Dobie Bauer: Blog Tour with Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt

December 10, 2019 by Denise

Today we have the author of We Still Live, a book so relevant to today’s society. We asked Sara Dobie Bauer to tell us a little about Writing Realistic Characters with Mental Illness, and she has a very personal take on the situation. Take a peek, and then read the excerpt. You will want to grab this book!

To escape the past, accept it.

Running from a scandal that ruined his life, Isaac Twain accepts a teaching position at Hambden University where, three months prior, Professor John Conlon stopped a campus nightmare by stepping in front of an active shooter.

When John and Isaac become faculty advisors for the school’s literary magazine, their professional relationship evolves. Despite the strict code of conduct forbidding faculty fraternization, they delve into a secret affair—until Simon arrives.

Isaac’s violent ex threatens not only their careers, but also John’s life. His PTSD triggered, John must come to terms with that bloody day on College Green while Isaac must accept the heartbreak his secrets have wrought.

***WE STILL LIVE is a standalone M/M friends-to-lovers romance featuring detailed adult content, graphic violence, hurt/comfort, and mental illness.***

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: We Still Live

Author: Sara Dobie Bauer

Publisher: NineStar Press

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Release Date: December 9, 2019

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Friends to lovers, hurt/comfort

Themes: Coming out, depression, anxiety, PTSD/post-traumatic stress, mental illness

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 62 000 words

It is a standalone book.

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Writing Realistic Characters with Mental Illness By Sara Dobie Bauer

My new novel We Still Live deals with some heavy stuff. Not only are the characters haunted by a college shooting, but they also must now survive the ramifications of that shooting—most notably, their destroyed mental health.

At the forefront of the story is romantic interest John Conlon, the hero professor who stepped in front of an active shooter. John is passionate and kind and gorgeous (of course), loved by his students and friends alike. However, since the shooting, John is different. He now suffers from depression, extreme anxiety, PTSD, and night terrors.

Who could blame him? He saw students and friends murdered. He felt their blood on his hands, and he survived—but has yet to heal. Newly hired professor Isaac Twain falls for John, considering it’s difficult to not be charmed by this charismatic, beautiful man who seems so strong when he’s absolutely shattered inside.

So where did John come from? How did I develop this complicated character whose mental illness is as much a part of him as his fabulous hair?

I admit, I did some research. I read up on college shootings (which is not fun, let me tell you). I live in a small Ohio town that was shaken by a high school shooting a few years before I moved there. I’ve watched the news and seen the horrors of Paris, Atlanta, insert yet another tragedy here. But the honest to God truth?

John’s mental illness is realistic because I live it every day.

I’m thirty-seven now, but I’ve been suffering from depression and nightmares since puberty. The anxiety and PTSD showed up due to a high pressure hell job that threw my life off-balance. I’m now medicated to deal with all these issues. I revisit therapy when things get really bad. I stopped watching the news, and a lot of that had to do with the myriad shootings that seem to occur daily.

I wrote We Still Live for selfish reasons. It is an exorcism. I took all my fear, pain, and rage and channeled it into John and the other survivors of the fictional Hambden University shooting. Writer, heal thyself, within the safe cocoon of your imagination.

You’ve heard the adage, “Write what you know.” I don’t agree with that in most cases, but I agree with that statement here. Writing fiction has always been a comfort to me. It’s an escape from reality when reality becomes too hard. It’s a hell of a lot healthier than drinking and drugs.

Maybe you suffer from mental illness, too. Maybe there’s an issue that scares you or gets your heart pumping. Maybe you start writing. Iadmit, penning We Still Live wasn’t easy. Putting John and Isaac through the wringer wasn’t fun, and I had days when I would type through my tears. But I kept going, because their story is important to me and hopefully will be to other people, too.

How did I write a realistic character with mental illness? I looked inside myself. What ghouls are in your closet begging to be set free? You never know who you might help by being open about your issues. You might help some troubled reader out there realize they aren’t alone. Like John, you might even save a life.

Close as they were to the foyer, Isaac was the first to notice the front door opening. A student walked inside. The kid dragged a heavy-looking suitcase behind him. Dressed as he was in a slim-fitting button-down, Isaac immediately assumed preppy, although that assumption altered and changed when taking into account the tight black jeans, Converse sneakers, and shaggy hair the color of caramel and chocolate—a mass of waves and curls that fell down the back of his neck but not quite to his shoulders.

The kid pushed his hair out of the way and looked up, eyes finding Isaac and flashing a moment of panicked nonrecognition before seeing Tommy.

“Um.” Isaac pointed toward the new arrival.

Tommy turned and shouted, “John! My man!”

Not a student, then.

Tommy wrapped John in a hug that actually lifted his feet off the ground. Isaac imagined it wouldn’t be difficult. The new guy might have been average height, but he was gangly, skin and bones.

Tommy ruffled his hair. “Have you lost weight?”

John grumbled and scratched his face with his middle finger. “What are you freeloaders doing in my house?” His voice was surprisingly resonant for someone Isaac considered “pretty.” At John’s pronouncement, crows of approval rang from every direction.

“Come meet Isaac,” Tommy said.

John wiped his palms on his jeans before reaching out to shake, and Isaac’s large hand dwarfed his.

“Isaac Twain is the newest addition to our special corner of Hambden hell. Isaac, this is John Conlon.”

John brushed more hair out of his face. “Nice to—”

“John Conlon?”

John and Tommy froze.

Isaac jerked his thumb over his shoulder. “The books on the shelf. Those are yours?”

John’s face, immobile in what looked like dread a moment before, melted into relief, tinged with a bit of blush. “Oh, yeah. You’ve read?”

“No, but I should. You’ve published a lot of books. You must be good.”

John’s nose wrinkled, and he looked away.

Tommy shook him by the shoulders. “John is an amazing writer. He had a story published in The New Yorker when he was, like, five. Are you working on anything right now?”

John glanced at the bookshelf. “Not lately.”

“You need a drink,” Tommy said.

John’s eyes widened on a big breath. “God, yes, I do.”

“Nice to meet you,” Isaac said, but John just nodded quickly, smile thin, before allowing himself to be herded farther into the house toward the sound of quiet laughter and clinking bottles.

Isaac felt it then—an outsider’s emptiness. He became a nervous-looking coat rack in the corner, a terrified tree waiting for the ax. As the party doubled in auditory volume, he bemoaned his spilled wine. Was it okay for him to leave? It wasn’t like he was supposed to make a speech. He was only there because he figured it was the easiest way to meet everyone before the first official faculty meeting, but he’d been standing around too long. He wanted to run.

Out of curiosity, he reopened John’s book from earlier and read the front flap. It was a coming-of-age story about a gay kid in the Midwest. He flipped to the back, and a picture of John stared back at him. He’d assumed the guy was tired when they first met, but no; apparently, John had perpetual bedroom eyes, and his hair was always an artful mess. He skimmed…creative writing professor at Hambden University…gay rights activist…Converse-wearer and “old-people music” enthusiast.

All arrows pointed to John’s probable sexual preference for men. A spark of interest flickered but quickly went out. True, John Conlon was what most people would consider beautiful, but he wasn’t Isaac’s type. John was the kind of man butch guys fought over in gay clubs, but he was too small for Isaac, too fragile-looking, girly. After all he’d been through, the last thing Isaac wanted was someone feminine.

A thin figure ducked into the library and literally hid against the doorframe. He took a long drink of something brown and leaned his head back. “It’s not good when you want to hide in your own house.”

“Library is the best place for it,” Isaac said.

John kicked away from the wall. “Tommy mentioned you just moved here? I’ve been in Lothos forever, so if you need anything…” He examined Isaac from his brown boat shoes to the top of his blond head. John’s large eyes, dark green, seemed bottomless—drowning pools of intellect and soul—only slightly overshadowed by his thick eyebrows.

Sara Dobie Bauer is a bestselling author, model, and mental health / LGBTQ advocate with a creative writing degree from Ohio University. She lives with her hottie husband and two precious pups in Northeast Ohio, although she’d really like to live in a Tim Burton film. She is author of the paranormal rom-com Bite Somebody series and Escape Trilogy.

Photo credit: Bill Thornhill

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The Captain & the Best Man by Eleanor Harkstead & Catherine Curzon (Captivating Captains Book 4): Exclusive Guest Post, New Release Review

December 4, 2019 by Denise

When Josh meets handsome airline pilot Captain Guy Collingwood on a sun-kissed island, he finds out what flying first class really means!

When Josh leaves the rainy shore of England for the sun-drenched tropical island of St Sebastian, his biggest worry is remembering his best man’s speech. But a chance meeting with handsome airline pilot Captain Guy Collingwood leads to a hot and raunchy holiday romance.

Guy’s everything Josh is looking for in his ideal man. Mature, dashing and confident, he’s also single and more than happy to show Josh the pleasures of St Sebastian. Yet Guy’s unruffled demeanor hides a past regret. Is the wedding of Josh’s best friend about to reopen a painful chapter that has never fully closed?

As a fearsome tropical storm threatens the island paradise and a broken family threatens Josh and Guy’s happiness, the stakes have never been higher. Can St Sebastian work its magic to heal past wounds and will Josh and Guy’s holiday fling take flight?

General Release Date: 3rd December 2019

Genre:

CONTEMPORARY
EROTIC ROMANCE
GAY
GLBTQ

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The pros and cons of co-writing

We’ve been writing together for nearly three years and in that time we’ve been writing our Captivating Captains m/m romances, as well as the de Chastelaine Chronicles paranormal romances. Our latest Captivating Captains novel, The Captain and the Best Man, is out on 3^rd December. Readers and other writers are often curious about how we do it, so here’s an insight into what we get up to!

Pros

Different co-writing authors approach co-writing differently. Some write alternate chapters to accommodate different points-of-view, others divide up the work so one writes plot and the other writes the narrative, and others have one writer produce the first draft while the second comes in and adds embellishments. Because we write in the same document (thank you, Google Docs!) we divide up characters and write together that way. One of the pros to this approach is that our dialogue really does sound like different characters talking because in reality, it really is the voices of two different people! And bear in mind, writing together isn’t at all unusual in the world of television, but it is when it comes to fiction.
Brainstorming ideas works really well when writing as a team because you can bounce ideas of each other and can look at suggestions from different angles. I might put forward an idea and Catherine will go, “I like that. And what about…?” And it’s those “and what about” questions that help to develop and shape the plot and the characters.
We have two people’s experiences to inspire our stories. For instance, there’s a woman I see on the way to work each morning who puts her make-up on on the bus, and I sent Catherine a message from the bus saying “She’s like the heroine of a romcom. Imagine if a man – who turns out to be the hero – sits next to her and she manages to tip blusher into his lap!” And Catherine replied, saying,“Yes! And what if she’s going to a job interview, and she walks into the room and it’s the man from the bus on the interview panel!” The ideas kept on coming and like rolling a snowball across the garden that eventually grows big enough to turn into a snowman, we came up with a novel.
We share out the jobs. So while the writing is shared down the middle anyway, there’s other tasks that writers have to do, such as going through edits from the editor, talking to the publisher about cover art, doing promo, etc. This way, we share the load.
It’s fun! The best way to explain what co-writing is like – at least, the way we do it – is that it’s like when you were little and your friend came round after school to play with Sindy dolls or Sylvanians. Writing can be a lonely process so it’s good to write with someone else. Also, it’s frustrating when a story comes to a stop as you’re writing, so when this happens, we at least have each other to talk about in order to find a solution. And commiserate if we realise we need to either do major unpicking or abandon ship. Luckily we have a lot of ideas knocking about, so if something does prove unworkable, we have other projects we can move onto. And eventually, one of us will have an idea that’ll fix the stalled project and bring it back to life.

Cons

Compromise is essential. Imagine if, when I suggested the “woman doing her make-up on the bus” idea, Catherine had said, “I’m not seeing it. What about a woman who eats toast and drinks tea on the bus for breakfast instead?” Then we’d have to have a chat about what’s more compelling, what’s more realistic, and in a romcom, what’s funniest. It can be difficult if you’re wedded to an idea, but the point of thrashing the ideas out is to make sure the stories are as good as can be. You might have to compromise on a detail, but if it means the story works better overall, then that’s the main thing. Authors writing solo will have experienced something similar when their editor returns a manuscript querying what the characters are up to! So at least we will have spotted anomalies or things that might work better with a tweak before our editor reads the story.
It’s the old chestnut that crops up in job interviews when you get a question about teamwork, but really, communication is incredibly important when co-writing. And sometimes communicating ideas can be difficult – we live about two and half hours apart so can’t meet up very often and we rely on communicating online which isn’t always easy. Messenger is okay most of the time, but there’s some things you just can’t discuss that way so we use Skype.
Leading on from communication – you can’t see inside someone else’s head so you need to be clear about how you’re seeing the world you’re creating. Sometimes this is resolved easily by sending each other photos of what we see – this is the character’s house, and he looks a bit like this guy, and he wears these shoes and drives this car. Sometimes you might need to check – so when they walk out of that door you see them in a corridor? I thought they were in another room! But obviously for consistency you’ve got to see the same room layout!
Plot required! I’ve put this under cons because there’s certain stories where a plot is essential, like when you’ve got a mystery for your characters to unravel (although some authors write stories with a mystery element without one!). And if you don’t want to go the whole hog with a tightly laid out, chapter-by-chapter plot, you need at least a roadmap or an outline of ideas when co-writing so you both know where you’re going. If you think of it as a convoy, it’s sensible that you both know where the destination is and what the main routes are on the way there so everyone knows the route to drive. But saying that, as important as the plot is, it can feel quite tyrannous! I don’t think either of us are natural “pantsers” ie writers who plunge into a story without knowing where it’s going and with no plot in mind, but still, a plot can feel like a yoke sometimes, so we try even to avoid referring to the “plotting document” and call it “the ideas page” instead!
We’re different people. It’s a con in that it would be much easier if we were exactly the same and agreed all the time with the same ideas, the same perception of the characters and their world, etc. But then again, if we were the same, then there would be no point in co-writing. Being two different people means we bring different, although sometimes similar, things to the table. And that’s why co-writing works.

Oh my gosh, I enjoyed this book so much! It was fun and flirty. It had just the right dash of island fun, great characters and some definite sexiness.

These characters started as a holiday romance, for sure, with even a few bumblings to begin with…the soaked napkin was awesome to me. I felt Josh’s disappointment, and then his joy when he was given a second chance. The two MC’s were a great match, with Guy teaching Josh a little about being adventurous, and Josh willing to jump head-first into the fun.

I’m not sure if the island of St. Sebastian is real (and I refuse to look it up, because I don’t want to be disappointed), but I definitely want to head there for a little fun in the sun, and basking in the glow of all the characters.

4 pieces of eye candy

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Claiming Marcus (Lords of Discord Book 1) by Jocelynn Drake: Exclusive Guest Post, Excerpt, New Release Reviews and Giveaway

November 4, 2019 by Denise

Vampires slaughtered my family.

No one believed me until I met some new friends, who promised to help me get justice.

But nothing prepared me for Marcus Varik.

Tall, dark, and mind-numbingly sexy.

But he’s also shy, protective, and adorably eccentric.

Oh God, I should have never agreed to betray him.

Hopefully, it’s not too late to fix my mistake before I lose more people I love.

Claiming Marcus is the first book in an MM paranormal romance series that has vampires, betrayal, annoying brothers, music, heartbreak, hope, sexy times, and a raven named Ozzie.

Title: Claiming Marcus

Series: Lords of Discord #1

Author: Jocelynn Drake

Publisher: Indie

Release Date: 10/31/2019

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 100,000

Genre: Romance, paranormal romance

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The Playlist for CLAIMING MARCUS

Like many authors, I prefer to write to music. Sometimes I will create a specific playlist that I’m listening to and sometimes I will to specific albums over and over again to keep me in a specific mindset.

When I was working on Shiver, book 1 of the Unbreakable Bonds series, most of my writing was done to the Counting Crows’ album “August and Everything After.” After I finished that book, I really haven’t listened to that album much.

I’ve written at least three books to video game scores created by Jesper Kyd. I particularly love the score for Assassin’s Creed II. I still use it a lot to this day. There were also a couple of books that were written to the score for Constantine. That’s some good, creepy music.

For Claiming Marcus, book 1 of the Lords of Discord, I bounced around a lot. This is my first time writing vampires in more than five years so it was interesting trying to find the right mood music and mindset to match the book.

For Marcus, I found myself drifting to Beethoven a lot. He’s got some great, moody pieces that can be melancholy or excited or angry. I could easily see Marcus coming back to Beethoven over and over again to pull some of the angst and venom from his soul.

After he became a vampire, Marcus had more to worry about than just his mother and brothers. He had to deal with being a new creature in a new society. He had to deal with other vampires, which seemed to naturally bring me to Marilyn Manson and Trent Reznor from the Nine Inch Nails.

When it came to the human Ethan, I found myself drifting in a totally different direction. Ethan has a great love of Tori Amos. An accomplished pianist, Tori offers some great songs that match Ethan’s moods. The hardest part was picking just the right ones that matched him. Naturally, his love of a pianist made Ethan a natural admirer of Marcus.

And then, of course, I needed a few more songs that spoke to the love they were trying to nurture in the midst of the chaos.

If you would like to listen to the playlist that I’ve pulled together for CLAIMING MARCUS, you can find it here on Spotify.

Ethan wanted to feel panic and fear when he stared at Marcus. There really was no doubt in his mind that Marcus and his brothers were vampires. A sane person would have taken his brother to a hospital. Ethan hadn’t seen the actual wounds, but just the amount of blood he cleaned up meant that Bel had been seriously injured. No one could heal from that without medical assistance.

And yet, just an hour later, Bel’s color was starting to improve. He was resting on the couch, his breathing falling in a steady rhythm.

Looking at the aristocratic creature seated on the piano bench, streaked with his brother’s blood, Ethan couldn’t see anything but a man exhausted and hurting in ways that he couldn’t fully understand. He trusted Marcus to not harm him. He’d already gone out of his way to protect him from Meryl and Cain.

Ethan wanted to take care of Marcus. It was clear that he was the family protector. He was the one who made the hard decisions and directed the others in order to get things done and keep them safe. But who was there to take care of Marcus?

Taking Marcus’s bloody hand in his, Ethan pulled him to his feet and led him out of the music room. He paused in the hallway. The third floor held four rooms with locked doors. One of them was Marcus’s private bedroom, but he didn’t know which one.

“Here,” Marcus said, pointing to a pair of double doors farther down the hall.

Ethan nodded and led the way, pulling the keys Marcus had given him out of his pocket. He unlocked the doors and pushed them open. There was only one small lamp on the nightstand burning, but it was enough to illuminate the large room with an enormous four-poster bed and a long bureau made of a dark wood. The walls were a dark blue with white trim. The carpet under their feet was so thick it was almost like walking on a cloud.

“Thank you, Ethan,” Marcus murmured. He squeezed Ethan’s hand before releasing it. “You can sleep in the green room if you’re too tired to return home. And you don’t have to come in to work tomorrow…or rather today. You need your rest.”

Ethan turned and smirked up at Marcus. “Work, huh? I thought I was fired.”

Marcus gave him a tired little smile. “I don’t think I technically fired you. Just threatened to do it.”

Taking a step closer, Ethan slowly reached up and touch the top button on his stained shirt. “Well, I think I’m technically here as a friend, because if your employee did this…” Ethan paused and slipped the first button through the hole. “We’d have to deal with a whole lot of HR shit, and we don’t want to do that.”

Marcus swallowed hard, staring at Ethan. He licked his lips as his breathing picked up, but he didn’t say anything to stop Ethan. Yeah, Marcus was attracted to him. Ethan thought he’d picked up a few little tells over the past couple of weeks, but Marcus was overall very careful. The guy was stuck so far in the closet, there was little hope of him ever seeing daylight.

But this wasn’t about Marcus exploring his sexuality. There was still the issue of him being a vampire and holding knowledge of his mother’s killer. This was about Ethan seeing that Marcus got some well-deserved rest.

Still moving slowly, Ethan lowered his hands and unbuttoned the next three buttons before Marcus finally moved, capturing both of his hands in his.

“Ethan?”

“It’s okay,” he said, giving him a reassuring smile. “I’m just helping you. I’m going to turn on the shower and get the water to warm up. Do you want me to help you finish getting undressed?”

Marcus’s mouth dropped open and sort of soundlessly bobbed for a second like he couldn’t get the words out.

Ethan chuckled. He was so damn attracted to this man, to this vulnerable side that he was sure his brothers didn’t get to see. Ethan pulled his hands free and resumed unbuttoning his shirt. He pulled the shirt free of Marcus’s pants to get the last couple of buttons. Hours ago, Marcus had rolled his sleeves up his forearms so that all Ethan had to do was run his palms up Marcus’s strong chest, reveling in the feel of hard muscle. A low groan rumbled in Marcus’s throat and that sound sent blood rushing to Ethan’s cock. Fuck, that was an amazing sound. He smoothed his hands across Marcus’s shoulders, pushing the shirt down his arms and to the floor.

“Ethan…I…”

“Shhh,” Ethan murmured. “Nothing is going to happen. You’re safe.” He leaned up on the tips of his toes and pressed a light kiss to Marcus’s throat. Strong hands immediately clamped down on his hips, holding him in place. Fingers dug into his ass and Ethan nearly moaned. He’d die to feel those hands all over his body. Just the thought had his cock stiffening.

“Not sure if the promise of nothing has me relieved or disappointed,” Marcus admitted in a shaky voice. He looked down and Ethan could feel the slight tremor creeping through Marcus’s muscles. “I’ve…I’ve never—”

“I know,” Ethan interrupted. “That’s why nothing is going to happen.” Well, one of the reasons, at least. “You need someone to take care of you tonight. Shower and then bed. Once you’re tucked in, I’m going to head home, but I’ll return later today.”

Sadness crept into Marcus’s blue eyes, but there was also relief there. He nodded and released Ethan.

“Finish getting undressed, my sexy friend,” Ethan said and sauntered toward the open door across from the bed. He was guessing it was a private bathroom.

He flicked a switch and sucked in a harsh breath as buttery light cascaded over warm marbled and gold fixtures. The bathroom was almost as big as his old apartment. There was a large garden tub that could easily fit three full-grown men, a double sink vanity with a long mirror, and a shower stall that had enough space and heads to cover the same three men who just climbed out of the tub.

There was muffled thump on the floor and Ethan guessed that Marcus had dropped a shoe. “Are you so touchy-feely with all your friends?”

Ethan laughed as he walked over to the shower. “Would you be jealous if I was?”

“Yes,” Marcus hissed, and that single word wrapped in a possessive tone warmed Ethan like nothing else could. He’d had more than a few sexual partners in his life, but no one he’d call a boyfriend and no one who ever felt possessive. He was just a warm body, a tight hole, a great mouth to fuck.

But with Marcus, he felt like more.

Opening the door, Ethan turned the handle, starting the shower. He stuck his hand in the spray, checking the temperature. Still cold. He started to turn to make sure that Marcus had a clean towel, but he jumped when he found Marcus standing directly behind him. The man had moved so silently and so fucking quickly. How had he not noticed him?

Because he’s a vampire.

Oh, yeah. Ethan’s brain kept conveniently forgetting that little fact.

It was even easier to forget when Marcus was standing just a couple of inches away, wearing only a pair of black boxer briefs. He was pale, but it didn’t detract from his beautiful body. Every inch of him was hard. Every. Fucking. Inch.

Wow….

So, I’m not a fan of paranormal. Not even a little bit, but, I haven’t read a story by Ms. Drake that I haven’t been so enamored with and this one was no different. I might have to take a dive into vampire romance, I fear I’ve been missin out!

So, in this one, we see Ethan as a child, when we witness his family being murdered by something he thought was only folklore and urban legends. Seeing his family torn to bits as well as his neighbors in the the apartment complex, hearing it as well as witnessing the aftermath, it’s no surprise that when we meet him again, he’s working with Legion to exterminate known vampires so he can get revenge from the killing of his family that left him all alone.

Getting a job with Marcus Valrik wasn’t easy, but he needed to find out if he was a vampire and if he or his family were the ones he needed to get even with. Turns out, he isn’t, and he’s not even sure he’s a vampire at all, though he’s pretty sure. Marcus and his brothers aren’t anything like you see in the movies and what this legion of vampire hunters expect him to be…they’re almost normal even.

I adored Marcus and even more, I loved his corky and eccentric brothers. I loved the bond they all had and their loyalty to each other and their mother. Being vampires didn’t do anything to change any of that, if anything, the 176 years they’d been vampires together had only made them closer… though they were very different from one another and it showed in the way they lived their lives.

I don’t want to give too much away, but I will say that I loved it from beginning to end and I cannot wait to see who’s next… Hopefully Rafe, though I hope all the brothers get their own story!!!

5 well deserved pieces of eye candy from me!

SO GOOD!

Books with vampires can get really cheesy (uh, sparkly?) or really dark (thank you Anne Rice) or just really dumb (too many to name). But this was really, really well done.

Ethan, seeking revenge for the murders of his family when he was a child, gets hired by Marcus as a PA under false pretenses. Marcus needs help coordinating a move from South Carolina to Connecticut, Ethan is to provide intel to a vampire hate group.

But Ethan slowly gets to know Marcus. Who seems like a nice guy- not a vampire.

And Marcus. The oldest of four brothers- all vampires- who try to take care of their mother (also a vampire) while she teeters on the edge of sanity.

Ethan and Marcus start falling for each other- while we fall for them. Being that they grew up oh, almost 200 years apart, Ethan is out and proud but Marcus is in the closet still and scared. Ugh, my heart. Marcus is so sheltered even though he is nearly 200 years old. He just broke my heart.

Surrounding Marcus are his brothers. Definitely a recurring theme in Ms Drake’s books are the strong band of brothers- by blood or by circumstance. And you end up loving them all for different reasons.

The plot was interesting as well. Trying to figure out who the bad guys were, who killed Ethan’s family and why were ranking vampire government members being killed. It was woven together nicely, while still giving us a good romance between Marcus and Ethan.

So yep, I really loved it. I can’t wait for the next book with the next brother (who I picture as Eric Northman from True Blood). Points off from 5 POEC just because once their sexual relationship began, Marcus seemed way too experienced for someone with literally no experience.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

It started with a battered notebook. Jocelynn Drake wrote her first story when she was 12 years old. It was a retelling of Robin Hood that now included a kick-ass female who could keep up with all the boys and be more than just a sad little love interest. From there, she explored space, talked to dragons, and fell in love again and again and again.

This former Kentucky girl has moved up, down, and across the U.S. with her patient husband. They’ve settled near the Rockies…for now. She spends the majority of her time lost in the strong embrace of a good book.

When she’s not hammering away at her keyboard or curled up with a book, she can usually be found cuddling with her cat Demona, walking her dog Ace, or flinging curses at the TV while playing a video game. Outside of books, furry babies, and video games, she is completely enamored of Bruce Wayne, Ezio Auditore, travel, tattoos, explosions, and fast cars.

She is the New York Times Bestselling author of the urban fantasy series: The Dark Days series and the Asylum Tales. She has just completed a gay romantic suspense series called The Exit Strategy about two assassins falling in love and trying to create a life together. Her newest project returns to her vampire roots with a new MM paranormal romance series. She is also the co-author of the Unbreakable Bonds, Ward Security, and Pineapple Grove series with Rinda Elliott.

https://jocelynndrake.com/

https://www.facebook.com/jocelynn.drake/

https://twitter.com/JocelynnDrake

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/1080585.Jocelynn_Drake

jocelynn@jocelynndrake.com

https://www.instagram.com/jocelynn.drake/

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