m/m romance

Wrong Way by Taylor Law: Author Interview and Review

June 21, 2016 by Denise

Leading The Shenandoah pack consumes most of Thomas Collowell’s time. The Alpha’s job is never done. That had never been more true than when a killer targeting shifters strikes too close to home. He doesn’t have time to deal with a mate, especially a human. There is nothing Camdon Williams wouldn’t do for his best friend, which is why he was the best man in Jessie’s joining ceremony. While in Skyline Village, he gets more than he bargained for, including a strange attraction to the Sheriff. When Camdon and Thomas are forced to work together to stop the killer, Camdon’s eyes are opened to a world he wouldn’t have believed existed. They both learn that there is no such thing as perfect timing. Sometimes, it’s about taking a chance… before it’s too late.

Hi Taylor, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book, please.

Thank you so much for having me. The hardest question – a little about you. I grew up in my parent’s restaurant in south Florida. Well, that’s from when I can remember. I waitressed while I studied music and theatre and then, when I realized that chunky people had no hope of being a performer in our society, I studied criminal law. I wanted to be a crime scene investigator, but I wound up with a paralegal degree instead. I worked in family law for a bit before moving to contract law and civil litigation. Music continued to be a big part of my life, along with writing. Now, I am disabled. Before, I worked 40-50 hours a week and wrote novels for fun because I’m that kind of nerd. Now, I still write for fun when I can, when my body allows me to. I will always be a writer. I started when I was a kid and I’ll never stop. It’s part of what makes me who I am.

I’m 100% Sicilian but I’m probably the quietest one in my family. My son is going to be a Senior this year – AHHH! – and then will join the military. That’s what he wants anyway. Makes me feel old. I love paranormal and fantasy. They’ve always been my favorite genres. I came from a generation who played in the woods by my house with homemade forts and stick swords. Our imagination was everything.

Wrong Way is the second book in The Shenandoah Pack series, and it’s release was long awaited. It features Alpha Thomas and Camdon, Jessie’s friend, as the leads. They are both so much fun because neither one of them are submissive types at all. The push and pull is electric, and when I heard that come from a reader, I was so excited it came across on the page. They are both such interesting characters, and I believe they balance each other well.

Honestly, writing this book was like pulling teeth. I knew what needed to happen but I couldn’t find the right path to get there. I had to stop and work on other things. So I think this book took me over two years to finish, and it’s not that lengthy. It was just that I stared at the screen or deleted scenes so much. Also, I wanted to do it justice. I believe I did. I’m proud of how it turned out.

Speaking of Justice – he may be my favorite character. I’ve never picked before because all of my characters are so different, it’s hard to compare them. But Justice is special

Do you pay attention to literary criticism? If so, how do you handle it?

If an author tells you they don’t pay attention, they are probably lying. I read them, especially the bloggers’ reviews. I love constructive criticism, though. That’s how I got better. I reread old stories, and holy cow did they suck. However, I’m looking for something different from the reviews than what the readers look for. My first job is to make the reader feel something – hatred, joy, wistful, happy, love, anger, etc. So when they tell me they wanted to slap my character, I take that as a compliment. Unless I didn’t mean for that to happen, then I did something wrong. If they laughed, cried, or screamed at the Kindle even better. When they say it was too short. It was a full story but it ended too soon. I take that as they wanted more. Readers always want more. As a reader, I want more. But the story directs itself, and I won’t put in filler for a higher word count. It’s not my style. If the review is bad, I look at why. Sometimes it’s just a matter of the reader not liking my voice or style of writing. When people ask how I feel about those, this is my typical response. “I’m not going to be everyone’s favorite flavor of ice cream. Some will like vanilla, and I have nuts.” And I truly believe that. There are different styles for everyone out there. Now, if there is something I can do better, I will work on it. If they just didn’t like me, that’s okay, too. Does it hurt? Sometimes. It feels like rejection, even though it’s not. It feels personal, even though it’s not. After a while, though, it’s a small sting and I grow from them instead of dwelling.

How do you come up with your titles?

Typically, so far, they are a play on words of the theme of the book. Wrong Way – Both the leads go about things the wrong way and realize it almost too late. I don’t want to go into too much detail for spoilers sake, but all my book titles are a variation of the same. My Lord’s Judgment – a judgment sends the angel to earth and when things turn out different than he’d thought, he thinks to himself that he should have trusted his lord’s judgment.

What new authors have grasped your interest?

S. Joyce is the only new author I’ve read lately. She writes M/F bear shifter books that make me happy sigh. Everyone else has been my favorites – Mary Calmes, Laurann Dohner, Dianne Duvall, JR Ward, Sara York, B.a. Tortuga. Oh, I’d never read T.c. Blue, although I love her to pieces. I recently read two stories by her and loved them. Her voice is really strong and easy to fall into.

What is the hardest part about a world that you have never been in, that doesn’t (as far as we know) exist?

Ah, most of my books are in our worlds but with slight variations. For example, angels and demons exist. They just hide in society. Or shifters hide in society. I’m not sure what will happen when I write a different world. I have plans. Oh yes, I do. The most difficult I find, with any paranormal or fantasy, is to make the reader believe. To take the little details and reveal them in just the right way that the reader can see them or feel them. I try to not info dump to my readers. I want them to learn things as they go, when it feels right to let them know. And hopefully, I get it right and don’t fall on my face. Heh heh.

What is the favorite character trait or flaw that you put into Wrong Way?

Oh, it’s so funny you asked. I just posted about this on Facebook. Jessie’s game, poke-the-bear, is totally me. I don’t seem like the brat type, but I so am. I have to feel comfortable enough with the person, but ladies and gentlemen, I have horns. I’ll admit it. Example: my friend – I’ll call her Jane – Jane told me she hated clowns. She just didn’t like them. They gave her the willies. A few friends and I were sitting around a table at Day of the Dead at Coastal Magic this past February, and another friend walked up with her face completely painted like Jack from Nightmare Before Christmas. I told her to go say hello to Jane and then I watched with an evil chuckle while she walked up behind Jane and tapped her on the shoulder. *giggle* Now, I knew there would be no trigger or horrible reaction. It wouldn’t be fun if it really hurt someone. I would feel guilty forever. Think of Jessie’s poke-the-bear game. Camdon talks about it and does it a bit in Wrong Way. That’s me – the little shit. 😉

I was really looking forward to the next book in the Shenandoah Pack Series and I wasn’t disappointed. I love the world Taylor has created. I’m such a sucker for paranormal romance and she nails it with this series. I caught myself laughing, gritting my teeth, and I never knew what to expect next.

I loved seeing the relationship grow between Thomas and Camdon. Camdon has a strength to his personality that worked well with Thomas. The chemistry between them from the start is amazing, but like typical guys the lack of communication eventually causes things to go south in a big way. I do wish i could have seen a little more of them together as a couple though. I will be excited to see more of their relationship together in future reads.

The storyline was very realistic and getting to see much of the story from the killers POV was pretty cool. It explained his behavior and made me want to see him taken out even more. The ending sets up the next story nicely and I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book in the series. I’m looking forward to Justice’s story and I hope it’s him we get to see next.

4.5 pieces of eye candy from me.

Amazon

ARe

Contact Taylor Law:

Website or Blog: www.taylorlawbooks.com

Author Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/TaylorLawbooks/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/taylorlawbooks

Blood & Milk by N.R. Walker : Pre-Release Day Review, Excerpt and Giveaway

June 21, 2016 by Denise

Title: Blood & Milk

Author: N.R. Walker

Genre: M/M Romance

Release Date: June 23, 2016

Heath Crowley is an Australian man, born with two different coloured eyes and the gift—or curse—of having premonition dreams. He also has nothing left to live for. Twelve months after having his life upended, his dreams tell him where he needs to be. So with nothing―and no one―to keep him in Sydney, he simply boards a plane for Tanzania. Not caring if he lives or dies, Heath walks into a tribe of Maasai and asks to stay. Granted permission, he leaves behind the name and heartbreak of Heath and starts over with the new Maasai name of Alé.

From the day of his birth, Damu has always been an outcast. The son of the chief and brother to the great warrior leader, Damu is reminded constantly that he’s not good enough to be considered a man in the eyes of his people. Ordered to take responsibility for Alé, Damu shares with him the ways of the Maasai, just as Alé shares with Damu the world outside the acacia thorn fence. But it’s more than just a cultural exchange. It’s about trust and acceptance, finding themselves, and a true sense of purpose.

Under the African sky on the plains of the Serengeti, Heath finds more than just a reason to live. He finds a man like no other, and a reason to love.

PROLOGUE

It was twelve months on. A full year had passed, yet my world had stopped completely. The men who stole my life were charged and would serve time for their crime. No one called it a hate crime, but that’s what it was. If I was expecting some sort of finality to come with the court findings, I didn’t get it.

I was still hollow. I was still numb to the world, and I was still alone.

I was also awarded damages, civilian victim and medical.

A nice healthy sum that meant I could pay off my debts after not working for twelve months, and more. Though no amount of money would make this right. No amount of money would bring him back.

My mother came along for the final hearing, though I could only guess why. I had barely spoken two words to her in the last year. Maybe she came so she could vie for the sympathy card with her friends. Or maybe she thought she could have one last twist of the knife…

“Now it’s all over,” she said, nodding her head like her words were wise and final. “You can put all this homosexual nonsense behind you.”

I looked at my mother and smiled. I fucking smiled. I raged inside with a fury to burn the world, and maybe she saw something in my eyes―maybe it was a ferocity she’d never seen before, maybe it was madness―and my words were whisper quiet.

“You are a despicable, bitter human being, and you are a disgrace to mothers everywhere. So, when you go to your church group, instead of praying for my soul, you should be praying for yours. You have only hate and judgement in your heart, and you are doomed to an eternity in hell.” I leaned in close and sneered at her. “And I hope you fucking burn.” I stood up and stared down at her. She was pale and shocked, and I did not care. “If you think my words are cold and cruel,” I added, “I want you to know I learned them from you.”

I walked away, for the final time. I knew I’d never see her again, and I had made my peace with that.

I didn’t care for the money. I didn’t care for anything. I longed for sleep, because in my dreams, I saw him. And that night, almost one year to the day since he was gone, in our too-big bed, in our too-quiet flat, in my too-alone life, I dreamed of Jarrod.

He sat on our bed and grinned. I longed to hear his voice, just once. It’d been a year and I craved the sound of his voice, his touch. But when I reached out for him, even in my dream, as in my waking nightmares, he was gone. I sat up in our bed, reaching out for nothing but air. He was gone, really gone.

But in this dream, on the bed were he’d sat, was a plane ticket. Mr Heath Crowley, it said. One way ticket to Tanzania.

NR Walker just blew me away again. She created a stunning place for me to visit for a while. Her characters were incredible. Heath Crowley was such a strong character. After something horrible happens to him he decides to go to a remote part of a country and live with natives, based off a dream. He has courage, heart and compassion and it shows. It shows in his anger about what he perceives as injustice in how Damu is treated by his people. It shows in how he tries to help this village of Maasai people. He starts of so lost and broken, then we get to watch him heal and it is beautiful. We get to see his heart begin to be put back together and watch him fall in love again. Damu was also a brilliantly written character. He is basically relegated to the bottom rung of the group because of something he had absolutely no control off. However, he isn’t angry about it, he just accepts it as the way it is. He still has joy and happiness. He was just what Heath needed. I really like the way he seems to blossom with Heath. I though the book ended exceptionally well, and I really hope that we get another book about these two guys. I would love to get more of their life outside the village.

5 pieces of eye candy

N.R. Walker is an Australian author, who loves her genre of gay romance.

She loves writing and spends far too much time doing it, but wouldn’t have it any other way.

She is many things: a mother, a wife, a sister, a writer. She has pretty, pretty boys who live in her head, who don’t let her sleep at night unless she gives them life with words.

She likes it when they do dirty, dirty things… but likes it even more when they fall in love.

She used to think having people in her head talking to her was weird, until one day she happened across other writers who told her it was normal.

She’s been writing ever since…

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Wolfsong by TJ Klune : Release Day Review DSP

June 20, 2016 by Denise

Ox was twelve when his daddy taught him a very valuable lesson. He said that Ox wasn’t worth anything and people would never understand him. Then he left.

Ox was sixteen when he met the boy on the road, the boy who talked and talked and talked. Ox found out later the boy hadn’t spoken in almost two years before that day, and that the boy belonged to a family who had moved into the house at the end of the lane.

Ox was seventeen when he found out the boy’s secret, and it painted the world around him in colors of red and orange and violet, of Alpha and Beta and Omega.

Ox was twenty-three when murder came to town and tore a hole in his head and heart. The boy chased after the monster with revenge in his bloodred eyes, leaving Ox behind to pick up the pieces.

It’s been three years since that fateful day—and the boy is back. Except now he’s a man, and Ox can no longer ignore the song that howls between them.

Title: Wolfsong
Author: TJ Klune
Release Date: June 20, 2016
Category: Paranormal, Werewolves
Pages: 400

OMG, this book. If I could give it more than 5 stars I would. TJ Klune has created amazing characters for us to read. I absolutely ADORE Ox. His personality and heart just grabs your heart and stays there. After every bad thing people have said to him and about him, he is still the sweetest person. For me this book was really about him. His sacrifices and his ability to draw people to him was heartbreaking and heartwarming all at the same time. He has such integrity and protectiveness. Everything that happens to him as he grows and changes just seems necessary. There was so much loss in this book I shed a few tears, but Ox just pushed through and became stronger. I like the storyline between Ox and Joe. I didn’t connect with Joe as much as I did Ox and that’s mainly because I was in Ox’s head and Joe was gone for some of the book. The storytelling and flow of this book was awesome. I really hope we get another book with Ox and Joe.

5 pieces of eye candy

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Dreamspinner Press

Roped In by Marie Sexton and L.A. Witt: Author Interview, Review and Giveaway

June 20, 2016 by Denise

Graham and his roping partner, Jackson, have been friends since they were boys. They’ve ruled the rodeo scene for ten years running, but lately, Graham’s heart isn’t in the game. He’s tired of the bruises, the cowboy mentality, and the animal rights activists who picket every event. He’s also tired of being in love with Jackson, and nothing’s been the same between them since their disastrous drunken encounter the year before.

Then Graham has a run-in with one of the rodeo protesters, and everything changes. Kaz is young, idealistic, and sexy as hell. But he’s also a know-it-all, animal-loving vegan, bent on saving the world one cow at a time. They have next to nothing in common, but Graham can’t stop thinking about what might happen if they can stop butting heads long enough to give it a try. Unfortunately, no matter how attracted Graham is to other men, he always panics and runs when the clothes start to come off. But Kaz has an idea for getting Graham past his nerves and into bed.

All they need is a bit of rope.

(Note: This is a re-edited second edition of a previously published title.)

Two Chicks Obsessed wants to thank Marie Sexton and LA Witt for joining us for our Five-ish Good Questions, to talk about about Roped In, their new book from Riptide Publishing. Thanks so much ladies for taking time away from your busy writing schedule to answer a few “we have to know” questions. 🙂

We would love to know a little more about the co-writing process. It can’t be easy, as there must be so many moving parts.

What made you decide to write this book together? Was this something dreamed up one night over a glass of wine and too much chocolate? Or were more nefarious things involved? 🙂

Marie: Lori had already committed to writing an “opposites attract” story for a bundle. I was between projects and asked if she wanted to try co-writing something for it. She said, “Sure!” So we brainstormed character ideas until we hit on two that sounded fun.

Lori: That’s pretty much what happened. And I really enjoy co-writing with different people, so I definitely jumped at the opportunity to write with Marie.

How did you decide who writes what part of the story?

Lori: We kind of did it as we went. We opened a Google doc, and one of us started writing while the other watched. Then we just switched back and forth whenever it felt like a good spot to switch.

Do you plot before you co-write, or do you see how the story unfolds?

Marie: Well, like Lori said above, we were usually working on the story at the same time. We had a chat window open. We’d occasionally say, “hey, what if [x] happens?” Other than that, we sort of just rolled with it.

Do you edit each other’s parts as you do?

Marie: I think we did a little of that, but mostly just tidying up each other’s typos as the other one worked.

Lori: Pretty much what Marie said. We both did some tweaking and adjusting here and there. That, and when you write real-time, you tend to lose track of who wrote what, so I would be editing a paragraph and have zero recollection of who actually wrote it.

The last question is always the fun one…hopefully. One of you have been arrested, the other is responsible for bailing you out. Who did what to land in jail, and what three things would the arrested lady want brought for her release?

Marie: I’m quite sure it would be Lori in jail! Lori, what did you do, and what should I bring?

Lori: Why the hell am I the one in jail? Jeeeez. I’m pretty sure it would be some kind of public disturbance or something. Likely with my husband, since we’re mutual bad influences. So, bring bail money, a getaway car, and probably a pair of pants.

Marie: I won’t even ask why one of you is pantless. 😉

This was not at all what I expected! I think I was expecting a cowboy getting himself hooked up with someone, then meeting at a club, learning about ropes, etc. This was so much more!

Graham was as far in the closet as he could be, never even having gone very far with anyone, because he was so anxiety-ridden. That was an interesting dynamic. It really allowed you to see how Graham needed to come to terms with his feelings, so he could move forward. Kaz’s idea to use the rope to calm Graham down was inspired.

I loved how Kaz was a contradiction of so many things. A protester, yet a skateboard type young man, a Dominant to a man that would normally be seen as the dominant type.

Finding their HFN/HEA was a bit of learning, into a journey that took them both outside the boxes they had known, and put them into places that would bring them together. They could work it out, because they both were able to find a compromise, and a way to change what they needed from their lives.

4 pieces of eye candy

Amazon

ARe

Riptide Publishing

About Marie Sexton

Marie Sexton lives in Colorado. She’s a fan of just about anything that involves muscular young men piling on top of each other. In particular, she loves the Denver Broncos and enjoys going to the games with her husband. Her imaginary friends often tag along.

Marie has one daughter, two cats, and one dog, all of whom seem bent on destroying what remains of her sanity. She loves them anyway.

Connect with Marie:

Website: net
Twitter: @MarieSexton
Facebook: com/MarieSexton.author
Goodreads: com/MarieSexton

About L. A. Witt

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didn’t lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but don’t tell Lauren. And definitely don’t tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shut . . .

Connect with L.A.:

Website: com
Author Blog: blogspot.com
Personal Blog: blogspot.
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Facebook: com//L-A-Witt-MM-Fiction
Goodreads: com/GallagherWitt

To celebrate the release of Roped In, Marie and L.A. are giving away $20 in Riptide Publishing credit plus one ebook from each of their backlists. Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on June 25, 2016. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

A Bouquet for Adam by A.J. Marcus & K.T. Spence: Release Day Review and Guest Post

June 17, 2016 by Denise

Adam Stephens’s simple life working in Denver as a computer programmer is turned upside down when his mother suddenly dies. His crazy relatives in Virginia want him to move in with them because they believe his autism makes it impossible for him to care for himself. But life improves, at least for a time. One day while wandering through the botanical gardens, he runs into struggling wildlife photographer Trent Osborn.

As a hesitant love blossoms between the two, Adam’s aunt and uncle push for him to live with them. Adam again refuses. The struggles between his desires and what everyone else wants collide. Adam disappears, and Trent is unsure if he’s run off to escape life’s pressures made worse by his autism, or if something far more sinister has happened. Trent embarks on a cross-country journey in search of Adam. What he discovers changes the course of his and Adam’s lives and the lives of everyone connected to them.

Title: A Bouquet for Adam
Author: A.J. Marcus and K.T. Spence
Release Date: June 17, 2016
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 200

The Power of Words
by A.J. Marcus

First let me say thanks to the gals here at Two Chicks Obsessed for the opportunity to be on their blog during the blog tour K.T. Spence and I are doing to promote our new book “A Bouquet for Adam”, out on June 17th from Dreamspinner Press. Originally I’d planned a few posts on the joys, heartaches and other emotions of dealing with coauthors(trust me, there’s a lot of emotions when being creative with other people), but after everything that happened this weekend, I decided to change things up a bit and talk about the how writers use words and ideas to help shape our books and often indirectly our world.

There’s a lot going on in our world right now. I think all of it illicits a variety of emotions from everyone. Sometimes we simply roll our eyes and wonder how a supposedly intelligent, educated person could possibly say the things that just came out of some public official’s mouth. Sometimes we see violence and catastrophes so horrendous the only thing we can do is stop and mourn in our own personal way. As a society we should be tired of mourning. I know I am.

As a writer, I am very aware of how my words can affect the people who read them. I can make people laugh, I can make them cry. (I know I’m doing my job right when one of my hardcore editors tells me I made them cry.) I hope I give readers hope for better lives, or open their eyes to new ideas. In our world that is so full of darkness, I think we all need as much hope as we can get, on a regular basis. That’s one of the big reasons most romance books have a happy-ever-after ending. It’s one of the universal hopes everyone craves, whether they admit it or not. Everyone wants their Happily Ever After. I think we all deserve it in whatever form ours should take.

By crafting my stories I show people that even workaholics can find love. Even someone who thought they’d given up can stumble upon that one someone who’s going to start their heart beating again. We can’t let despair get its hooks in us, we have to stand up and reach for the light. As a writer, my words show people they can be happy, they will have hope.

For generations people have carefully chosen their words to accomplish many things. Words can convey hate as easily as hope. Those of us who dedicate our lives to words have a responsibility to the people impacted by our words to do our best to make sure our words are used to their best power. More than a few times I’ve wondered what our forefathers would say at how the words they put in our legal codes have been twisted from what they’d originally meant. And don’t even get me started on how religious texts of various forms have been twisted to get the responses the people who twist them want. Words are very powerful things, particularly when the brains of the readers or listeners aren’t fully engaged.

One of the big subjects that K.T. Spence and I tackle in “A Bouquet for Adam” is autism, which impacts a growing percentage of our population. A couple of generations ago, we rarely heard of it, now most of us know at least one person affected by the condition. We’re hoping our book and the careful way we portray Adam, help shed some light on others and help people have a better idea of who and what they’re dealing with when they meet someone with autism. Through our words, we’re hoping we can give people more understanding and maybe open a few minds and make people’s lives better, because words have power.

Right before they reached the narrow pull-off that served as parking for the area, a cow elk with two calves in tow crossed the road. He was driving slowly enough that he didn’t throw a lot of dirt around when he slammed on the brakes, but he and Adam were tossed against their seatbelts.

“Wow. An elk mama,” Adam whispered.

Trent automatically grabbed his camera from the bag that sat in the rear floorboard between the seats. If Adam hadn’t been there, it would’ve been in the passenger seat. At that moment, he didn’t care if was supposed to be photographing flowers. He wasn’t passing up an elk with twins.

The mother elk stared at the Jeep as he rolled down the window to get an unobstructed view. She stayed between the Jeep and her calves as they walked sedately across the dirt road toward a meadow full of wildflowers to the west. Trent started clicking away, catching every movement he could as the three large animals sauntered away from him. The view of the meadow was slightly obscured by the trees, and then they cleared the forest and stepped into the bright light. Trent scrambled to get the right exposure, and the pictures unfolded before him. It wasn’t the big bulls he was famous for photographing during the rut, but the shots would be breathtaking nonetheless.

A cloud passed over the sun, changing the light. Trent blinked and realized he wasn’t in the Jeep anymore, but standing against a large lodgepole pine at the edge of the meadow. He didn’t remember getting out of the Jeep or even turning it off. The elk were far enough away now that the pictures wouldn’t be as good as he needed them to be, and beyond the flower-filled meadow, the background wasn’t that great, just lots of trees.

“You really zone out when you’re taking pictures.” Adam’s soft voice behind him made him jump slightly. “When I do that, people get upset and think I’m having a fit or something.”

“Did I turn off the Jeep?” Trent patted his pocket and didn’t feel his keys.

Adam held up Trent’s key ring. “No, but I did. I rolled up the windows and locked it too before I followed you. That was awesome. Does that happen to you very often?”

“Spacing out while I’m shooting? Once in a while. Shots like that? Not as often as I’d like.” Taking his keys from Adam, he started back toward the Jeep. “Thanks for taking care of me. One of these days, I’m going to get lost in the moment like that and get into a lot of trouble.”

Adam grinned as he fell into step with Trent. “Lost in the moment… I know that feeling, and I like the sound of that. Is it something I can use? I don’t want to steal your phrase.”

Trent laughed. “I wouldn’t call it my phrase. Sure, use it all you like.”

“Thanks.”

With an odd clarity, Trent suddenly realized that he and Adam were more alike than he realized. They could both get lost in the excitement of the moment.

This review is actually going to be difficult for me to write! Because I just don’t even know if I can put into words how much I loved this book, the feels, and how beautiful a story it was for me. Please note, that I didn’t say it was perfect, because of course, there is no perfect book. But everything I took from this book was a perfect storm of what I needed to read, when I needed to read it, and how immensely the story touched me.

Adam was such an amazing character, written so well. Just as A.J. discusses, at this point in society, most everyone knows someone who is on the autism spectrum. I have a brother that at 20 was diagnosed with autism, and I can see so many of the social cues in this character that have been there all along the way with my brother. Adam is literal, which is what makes him the fantastic programmer he is, and socially awkward. He is high functioning, and yet, when change occurs that he is not ready for, he deteriorates and has tantrums (words used in the book, not my phrase). When his mother dies, his world upends, and at the perfect time, he finds Trent, who needs someone just as much as Adam does.

Trent is so patient with Adam, so loving and caring. He knows that Adam is different, yet he revels in those differences, in knowing exactly where he stands with the man. They are separated too quickly after starting to make a connection, but Trent goes all out to find Adam. Obstacles that likely would have set back many men from actually taking a chance, and not giving up on Adam, are pushed aside, so that he can find the man he quickly fell in love with.

Is this book perfect? Just as I said above, it isn’t. Some people will take issue that they fell in love too quickly, yet I saw it as those kinds of circumstances making you realize that you either want to move forward, or you want to leave it in the past. In addition, people may think Adam was being taken advantage of (and he was, but not by Trent), but despite his limitations, Adam was clear what he wanted. He couldn’t always verbalize it, but he knew.

Adam’s strength grew in this book. Yes, he was a bit of a mess at the climax of the book, but considering the circumstances and stress he was under, I challenge anyone, with or without autism, not to be. Yet, you could see his growth and maturity as he dealt with the outcome, and consequences of his family’s actions. It gave you hope for his future, as well as his future with Trent.

There are not many times when I would necessarily like to see a follow up book, a follow up short story, yes, but a book? Not usually. This book, I feel like could easily have an entire other book to tell how Adam is able to move forward, find his niche, and work through a new relationship, even as he continues to grieve for his beloved mother.

There is so much I love about this book, that I could talk about it for days (I already have, recommending it two days in a row, even buying it for someone). My heart was so full after I finished reading it, that I had a book hangover, and I wanted to jump right back in and read it again.

I would give this 10 pieces of eye candy if I allowed more than 5. Wait, it’s my blog…so 10 it is!!!!

Amazon

ARe

Dreamspinner Press

A.J. Marcus
A.J. has been writing to pass the time since high school. The stories he wrote helped him deal with life. A few years ago, he started sharing those stories with friends who enjoyed them and he has started sending his works out into the world to share with other people. He lives in the mountains with his extremely supportive husband. They have a lot of critters, including dogs, cats, birds, horses, and rabbits. When not writing, A.J. spends a lot of time hiking, trail riding, or just driving in the mountains. Nature provides a lot of inspiration for his work and keeps him writing. He is also an avid photographer and falconer. Don’t get him started talking about his birds, because he won’t stop for a while.

Web Contact Info:
Website: www.ajmarcus.com
Email: andy@ajmarcus.com
Twitter: twitter.com/#!/aj_marcus
Facebook: http:// www.facebook.com/authorajmarcus

K.T. Spence
K.T. Spence is a Colorado author owned by a one-eyed cat named Jacq and has a daughter who is on the autism spectrum. Both want all of her attention, albeit in different ways, and she manages to scratch out stories in her spare time. K.T. Spence is a Colorado author owned by a one-eyed cat named Jacq and has a daughter who is on the autism spectrum. Both want all of her attention, albeit in different ways, but she manages to scratch out stories in her spare time. K.T. is an avid reader. Having learned on her own to read when she was three, she has never not had a book in her hand. In the winter while her mate and daughter are skiing, you’ll most likely find her with a book in one hand, a hot toddy in the other, escaping into whatever world she’s come across. Or she’ll have her fingers on her laptop keyboard, pounding out the next story or thoughts that come to mind. Her dreams include self-sufficiency from writing and riding and owning her own horses. If not writing and/or taking care of her daughter, you’ll find her down at the barn, grooming and learning as much as she can.

All the Wrong Places by Ann Gallagher : Guest Post, Book Blast and Giveaway

June 17, 2016 by Denise

Three cheating girlfriends in a row have given skateboarder Brennan Cross the same excuse: he wasn’t meeting their needs. Desperate and humiliated, he goes to the professionals at the local sex shop for advice.

Zafir Hamady, a sales clerk at Red Hot Bluewater, has an unusual theory: he doesn’t think Brennan is a bad lover. In fact, he doesn’t think Brennan is heterosexual. Or sexual at all, for that matter. He also can’t stop thinking about Brennan. But even if he’s right and Brennan really is asexual, that doesn’t mean Zafir has a chance. Brennan’s never dated a man, and Zafir’s never met anyone who’s game for a Muslim single father with a smart mouth and a GED.

Brennan’s always thought of himself as straight. But when sex is explicitly out of the mix, he finds himself drawn to Zafir for the qualities and interests they share. And Zafir can’t help enjoying Brennan’s company and the growing bond between Brennan and his son. They work well together, but with so many issues between them, doubts creep in, and Brennan’s struggle with his identity could push away the one person he didn’t know he could love.

Welcome to the Riptide Publishing/Ann Gallagher blog tour for All The Wrong Places!

Every comment on this blog tour enters you in a drawing for a choice of two eBooks off my backlist (excluding All The Wrong Places, but including books written as L.A. Witt or Lauren Gallagher) and a $10 Riptide Publishing store credit. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on June 20^th, and winners will be announced on June 21^st. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries.

Learning About & Writing About Asexuality

All The Wrong Places was very much my first foray into writing asexual characters. Well, as the main characters anyway – Richie in Running With Scissors is asexual, but has only been a secondary character so far (his book is coming!). I really wanted to do it right, so I spent a lot of time reading about asexuality. In particular, I looked for as many stories as I could get my hands on about people realizing they were asexual and how it affected their lives.

Once I had a handle on that, I approached the book the same way I approached my very first M/M book, Rules of Engagement. The main character in that book was, like in All The Wrong Places, figuring out that maybe he wasn’t so sure about his sexuality after all. Dustin in Rules of Engagement is realizing he’s bisexual. Brennan in All The Wrong Places is realizing he’s asexual. I’ve been in Dustin’s shoes before, realizing I was bi in my early twenties, so it didn’t take much to empathize with his thought processes, his internal struggles, etc.

When it came time to write All The Wrong Places, I applied that same empathy to Brennan. How does it feel to rethink your sexuality? How much pressure does it add or remove to suddenly have this newfound understanding of yourself? What if people find out? What if you need to come out to people who might not understand, or have always thought you were straight? What if they react negatively?

I also think, in a way, I wrote both Dustin and Brennan out of a smidgen of envy. They both had something I would have sold my soul for – someone who shared their sexuality, had already been through the process, and could help them work through things until they figured out which way was up. In my case I didn’t need/want a partner like that – I was and still am perfectly happily married – but having someone to ask questions, commiserate, etc., while figuring things out would have been a lifesaver. So, I gave someone like that to Dustin and to Brennan. And then stomped on their hearts because I’m an author and I’m mean.

Ann Gallagher is the slightly more civilized alter ego of L.A. Witt, Lauren Gallagher, and Lori A. Witt. So she tells herself, anyway. When she isn’t wreaking havoc on Spain with her husband and trusty two-headed Brahma bull, she writes romances just like her wilder counterparts, but without all the heat. She is also far too mature to get involved in the petty battle between L.A. and Lauren, but she’s seriously going to get even with Lori for a certain incident that shall not be discussed publicly.