romance

Kiss Me Again by Garrett Leigh: Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

June 10, 2019 by Denise

Tree surgeon Aidan Drummond is content with his own company. He works alone, and lives alone, and it doesn’t occur to him to want anything else until a life-changing accident lands him in hospital. Then a glimpse of the beautiful boy in the opposite bed changes everything.

Ludo Giordano is trapped on the ward with a bunch of old men. His mind plays tricks on him, keeping him awake. Then late one night, a new face brings a welcome distraction. Their unlikely friendship is addictive. And, like most things in Ludo’s life, temporary.

Back in the real world, Aidan’s monochrome existence is no longer enough. He craves the colour Ludo brought him, and when a chance meeting brings them back together, before long, they’re inseparable again.

But bliss comes with complications. Aidan is on the road to recovery, but Ludo has been unwell his entire life, and that’s not going to change. Aidan can kiss him as much as he likes, but if he can’t help Ludo when he needs him most, they don’t stand a chance.

“Kiss Me Again is a deliciously tender and prickly romance about the intimacy that comes with acceptance. Ludo and Aidan accept and love each other for exactly who they are—complications, injuries, mental health issues, moods—and I loved them for it.” — Roan Parish

Cover Design: Black Jazz Design

Length: 227 pages

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

Amazon UK – Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link

I LOVED this book.

I really enjoy all of Garrett Leigh‘s books. But this one is so different from all of the others. Not only the characters and subject matter, but the writing and pacing were far different as well. And it was so good.

I guess it says something about me when I can connect with characters who have a mental illness. Maybe it is just because I was a psych major in college. Whatever it is, I feel these characters deeply. And Ludo- oh Ludo. Bipolar as his most evident diagnosis, but also anxiety. And Aidan, who calls himself an asshole who doesn’t care actually cares so deeply that it hurts. He isn’t an asshole. He is severely introverted, probably with social anxiety and needs therapy to deal with his parents’ deaths.

That’ll be five cents. 🙂

Ludo and Aidan meet in the hospital where Ludo had surgery on his wrist and Aidan is having many surgeries after a car crashed into the tree he was working on and fell 30 feet. In a place where they had no one, they discovered each other.

It’s like living in the Ludo-Aidan world. They just accept each other. All of their flaws. All of their quirks. All of the scars. There is such a beauty in that.

A lot of the book is fairly platonic. It’s like neither one of them wanted to break the spell by trying something different. Eventually, though, they do take that step. And like everything else in their world, it is completely unique to them.

There is brief mention a few times of Ludo’s couisn Angelo- the dancer. If you have read most of Garrett Leigh’s books, you know Angelo. There was also a hint of more to come because of that Angelo link. I hope it happens.

I devoured this book like my favorite meal. And much like my favorite meal, I wish it wasn’t finished.

4.5 pieces of eye candy

Garrett Leigh is an award-winning British writer and book designer, currently working for Dreamspinner Press, Loose Id, Riptide Publishing, and Fox Love Press.

Garrett’s debut novel, Slide, won Best Bisexual Debut at the 2014 Rainbow Book Awards, and her polyamorous novel, Misfits was a finalist in the 2016 LAMBDA awards.

When not writing, Garrett can generally be found procrastinating on Twitter, cooking up a storm, or sitting on her behind doing as little as possible, all the while shouting at her menagerie of children and animals and attempting to tame her unruly and wonderful FOX.

Garrett is also an award winning cover artist, taking the silver medal at the Benjamin Franklin Book Awards in 2016. She designs for various publishing houses and independent authors at blackjazzdesign.com, and co-owns the specialist stock site moonstockphotography.com with renowned LGBTQA+ photographer Dan Burgess.

Website: http://www.garrettleigh.com/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Garrett_Leigh

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I’ve Got This by Louisa Masters: Exclusive Cover Reveal with Giveaway

June 4, 2019 by Denise

We are welcoming today Louisa Masters with the gorgeous cover of I’ve Got This. The cover by Reese Dante is so cute, and I love the blurb. Can’t wait! Check it out below, along with a chance to win a DSP backlist of Louisa’s books.

Derek Bryer loves his life. His job as an assistant director at Joy Universe, the second-largest theme park complex on the planet, makes him indirectly responsible for bringing joy (pun intended) to millions of people. So what if none of his relationships are that close? Everyone he meets loves him.

Except Trav Jones. For some reason, the visiting Broadway performer would rather Derek just go away. He appreciates Derek’s work ethic, though, and after Trav steps up when Derek desperately needs someone to fill in for his sick staff, Derek seizes the chance to convince Trav he’s not such a bad guy.

Falling in love while distracted by a murder at the park, food poisoning, and colleagues placing bets on their relationship won’t be easy, but between the two of them and with the magic of Joy Universe, they’ve got this.

Title: I’ve Got This

Series: Joy Universe

Author: Louisa Masters

Release Date: September 24, 2019

Category: Contemporary

Pages: 200

Cover Artist: Reese Dante http://www.reesedante.com

Dreamspinner Press eBook

Dreamspinner Press Paperback

Louisa Masters started reading romance much earlier than her mother thought she should. While other teenagers were sneaking out of the house, Louisa was sneaking romance novels in and working out how to read them without being discovered. She’s spent most of her life feeling sorry for people who don’t read, convinced that books are the solution to every problem. As an adult, she feeds her addiction in every spare second, only occasionally tearing herself away to do things like answer the phone and pay bills. She spent years trying to build a “sensible” career, working in bookstores, recruitment, resource management, administration, and as a travel agent, before finally conceding defeat and devoting herself to the world of romance novels. Louisa has a long list of places first discovered in books that she wants to visit, and every so often she overcomes her loathing of jet lag and takes a trip that charges her imagination. She lives in Melbourne, Australia, where she whines about the weather for most of the year while secretly admitting she’ll probably never move.
Website: www.louisamasters.com
Facebook: www.facebook.com/LouisaMastersAuthor
Twitter: @AuthorLouisaM
Instagram: @AuthorLouisaM
Email: louisa@louisamasters.com
Subscribe for a free novella! http://bit.ly/subscribeLouisaM

Leave a comment on this post, and you could win a DSP backlist book from Louisa Masters!

Prescription For Love by Aimee Nicole Walker: Blog Tour, Excerpt, New Release Review and Giveaway

June 3, 2019 by Denise

What should’ve been an ordinary emergency call turned out to be something extraordinary.

Wanting to distance himself from his toxic parents, Trent Love moved to the quaint town of Blissville to begin a new life. What he finds is blazing chemistry with a hunky fireman who breathes new life into him.

Fearing they’re too different, Tucker attempts to extinguish the spark between them before it can ignite. How could a simple man like him compete with Trent’s life of wealth and privilege? Knowing you shouldn’t want something doesn’t make it go away, and Tucker’s desire for Trent continues to smolder.

Unwilling to accept their relationship is dead on arrival, Trent puts his resuscitation skills to good use. All he wants is a chance to prove he values Tucker’s wealth of character over meaningless material things. What do you get when you mix fire and oxygen: a five-alarm fire or a prescription for love?

Trent’s commitment to freeing himself from poisonous ties kindles a chain of events that have devastating consequences for both men. Is a relationship forged in fire strong enough to overcome these obstacles or is their love doomed to be just another bitter pill to swallow?

Prescription for love is a small-town, opposites-attract romance. It is the seventh book in the Road to Blissville series but reads like a standalone book. It contains sexually explicit material intended for adults 18 and older.

Prescription for Love

Road to Blissville Series, Book 7

Aimee Nicole Walker

M/M Romance

Release Date: 05.18.19

Cover Design: Jay Aheer

Photographer: Wander Aguiar

Amazon – Kindle Unlimited

“There’s no way I can watch you squat in those shorts and not get a hard-on.” Trent had been nothing but honest with me, so I gave it right back to him. “We’ll work on our upper body today.”

Even with Trent looking deliciously sweaty, I was able to find my zone and work my shoulders, arms, back, and core abdominal muscles. Lifting weights was my version of yoga. I found my Zen and the endorphins pumping through my body would improve my mood and motivate me to keep moving throughout the day. Only when we returned to the locker room did I realize those mood-lifting hormones also amped up my libido.

“Did you want to shower here before we go to breakfast or wait until I drop you off at home?”

Trent looked over his shoulder at the shower room, which had both an open shower area and private stalls for those preferring privacy. We could so easily fit inside one of those stalls and—

“We better wait,” he said, wiping his body down to remove the sweat glistening on his skin. Damn, I wanted to lick him. A little bit of sweat didn’t turn me off at all, but he might think it was gross.

“Yeah, I want to lick you all over too,” Trent said, correctly reading the expression on my face. “And I will…someday.”

“Tease,” I groused.

Book 7 in the series, but easily a stand alone. We only get brief glimpses of previous characters.

Trent and Tucker had an almost thing in a previous book that ended badly. Badly because Trent tried too hard to impress Tucker and it just made Tucker feel inferior. Then Trent is off to his Doctors without Borders stint leaving everything up in the air.

Then Trent comes back and with a little meddling from Grammie (oh how I love Grammie and aspire to be her), Trent and Tucker get back on the same page.

And honestly, that is about it. There is very little drama- save for Trent’s parents toward the end and one other incident, but really, it was just a sweet romance.

Oh, and it was seriously hot. These two burn the sheets together! Wow. That hotness definitely offset the super cuteness of a lot of this story. Sorry, I will just never ever be a fan of cutesy nicknames for each other. That is a high school first love kind of thing.

But I digress! Grammie and the cats Boris and Natasha add some fun to the story which was a big plus. I definitely wish we could have more Grammie. Maybe Tucker is hiding a brother? I kid, I kid.

Definitely a fun beach/pool read but be ready to fan yourself during some seriously hot scenes.

4 pieces of eye candy

Ever since she was a little girl, Aimee Nicole Walker entertained herself with stories that popped into her head. Now she gets paid to tell those stories to other people. She wears many titles—wife, mom, and animal lover are just a few of them. Her absolute favorite title is champion of the happily ever after. Love inspires everything she does, music keeps her sane, and coffee is the magic elixir that fuels her day. I’d love to hear from you.

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To the Ends of the Earth by Michael Gouda: Exclusive Guest Post and Excerpt, plus a Giveaway

June 3, 2019 by Denise

What do you do when when your lover is out to kill you?

After university, Johnny dated a mysterious and influential man who never disclosed his profession. Now, following a quarrel, Johnny suffers a series of attacks—attempts on his life that his lover has the power and influence to perpetrate.

With nowhere else to turn, he must rely on his childhood best friend. But can Johnny trust him? With time running out and the world against him, Johnny must solve the mystery himself if he wants to survive.

Title: To the Ends of the Earth
Author: Michael Gouda
Release Date: May 31, 2019
Category: Contemporary
Pages: 60

Heat Rating: Medium

Categories: Mystery, romance, some violence, contemporary

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Hi, I’m Michael Gouda and I was born in London, England at the start of WW2.

In my mid thirties after a disgracefully enjoyable time in the gay pubs and clubs of London I decided to take life more seriously, went to University, obtained a respectable degree and took up teaching in the Worcestershire town of Evesham.

I took early retirement to a limestone cottage in the Cotswold hills where It lived with a series of neurotic collie dogs, a domineering cat and a determination to write. Since then I have written over one hundred and fifty short stories and published longer works with Dreamspinner Press and M.L.R. Press.

I like to introduce incidents from my own deplorable past into my stories of crime and misadventure. Being a romantic at heart though I never allow a tragic ending, however downbeat may be the indications in between.

In ‘To the Ends of the Earth’ I wanted to write a story about quite a few subjects, betrayal was actually the one that as it were rose to the surface, though of course it isn’t the real one.

I intended to write a mystery. Of course the narrator himself is a bit of a mystery for in fact we never know his real name. Not that that hasn’t been done before, notably in Daphne du Maurier’s, ‘Rebecca’.

What I had to do in ‘To the Ends of the Earth’ was to try to head the reader’s attention away from the real killer and I hoped that by maintaining contact and seeing the relationship purely from Johnny, the narrator’s point of view, the actual denouement would be something of a surprise. The fact that he has managed to take a photo of the terrorist which is published with his own name as the byline, means that he may well be on a list, though there are plenty of other suspects.

I admit that Johnny’s actual escape from death at the denouement was a little fortuitous but I thought that, in describing Johnny’s final surroundings, I had made them sufficiently sordid for the accident to be believable, especially as the villain’s madness had resulted in such erratic movements.

Excerpt: The terrorist attack.

Rail to London, Paddington Station, underground to Westminster. I emerged into the Metropolis with its smells of diesel exhaust, a flavor of curry (was it?) and hordes of people going about their business, either politely or pushing past without a ‘Sorry’ or ‘excuse me’. It wouldn’t happen in Bristol I tell you, well. Probably not.

I saw the Thames flowing smoothly if slightly murkily under Westminster Bridge (I wonder what Willy Wordsworth would think!) and was just about to turn into the road which leads past Old Palace Yard and the entry into the Mother of Parliaments, as we rather boastfully call it, when there was a disturbance behind me.

I turned and saw an old looking black taxi though it didn’t have a ‘For Hire’ sign on show careering along the pavement towards me. There were screams as it hit and knocked down several passers by. From the direction it was taking it was going to miss me by a country mile so instinctively I felt for and produced my Smart phone. Suddenly it started swerving on and off the pavement, alternately knocking people down and then missing others. I sent up a private prayer and punched in 999 shouting at the woman who answered, ‘Ambulance and Police, Westminster Bridge, Urgent’. I rang off and then switched to movies, following the taxi on its devastating path but ready to jump into any available refuge if it looked as if it was heading my way – I’m no hero!

I filmed it as a woman was tossed into the air, her pram flattened. The taxi carried along the pavement for perhaps twenty yards, knocking down a young man and a couple of boys. It then returned to the road and tried to speed off but it crashed into a building and stopped, the front left side crushed. I could hear the driver vainly trying to restart the engine. Then he got out, glanced around, shouted something and raced off into the crowds of people who were, either trying to flee or, driven by curiosity, coming to see what had happened.

I watched the scene of carnage with horror, but took a few shots of the scene. I know this sounds insensitive if not disgraceful, but the journalist in me took over and anyway I didn’t know what to do to help.

Then a thin man with gray hair stepped up with what looked like a measure of confidence. “I’m a doctor,” he said, going from one to the other on the pavement.

He looked at me and indicated the young man nearest to me. Blood was gushing from a wound in his leg. “You seem to be fairly compos mentis, hold this guy’s leg just here and press hard, until the blood stops. Then just keep hold. Has anyone phoned for an ambulance?”

“I have and the police.”

“Good man.” He was attending to the first woman who had been hit and was now lying flat on her back. I could see that he was pressing on her chest with both hands, one on top of each other.

Gradually the blood from the guy whose leg I was pressing, right up near the groin, lessened and then stopped. I could feel his penis with the back of my hand.

“Sorry about this,” I said.

He smiled weakly. “No worries. In other circumstances, I’d enjoy it.” He sounded Australian.

“The paramedics will be with you soon.”

“What’s your name?”

I told him. “I’m a reporter on the Bristol Gazette. Do you want your name in print? I’ll write it up as soon as they’ve got you into an ambulance. Front page news.” I had an idea that I had to keep him talking. He was looking pale and drawn.

“Yeah. I’m just over from Sidney for a holiday, Europe and here – and now this!”

“You’ll be out of hospital before you know it. And if ever you’re down in Bristol make sure you look me up.”

More ambulances arrived and a paramedic took over my charge. “Thanks, cobbler,” he said. Do they really say that?

One of the boys was crying, his leg bent at an unnatural angle. ‘Broken,’ I thought but unless some other injury, would be okay, though in pain.

I shuddered at the thought of the pram and its crushed contents.

As I did so, I heard sirens, Police cars arrived, blue lights flashing.

I didn’t seem to be able to do anything more constructive so I took some more shots and then phoned a not very coherent account back to the paper, mentioning the doctor, the Australian guy, how many wounded I could see, the crushed pram. They would sort it out.

A Sergeant had a few words with the doctor who pointed in my direction.

He came over, “ I understand you called the ambulance?” He took details and I told him that I was actually a reporter and had taken a movie of practically the whole incident, including the picture of the driver who had fled the scene. “There’s actually a shot of him turning back to look. I think I’ve got his face.”

He seemed pleased and asked if he could have my phone. Now I guard that with my life, so I said, “Better than that, I’ll phone the whole lot to your station,” and when he looked a bit doubtful, I added, “It’ll be much quicker. They’ll have everything immediately.”

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String Boys by Amy Lane: Exclusive Guest Post and Excerpt, and Release Day Review

May 30, 2019 by Denise

Seth Arnold learned at an early age that two things in life could make his soul soar—his violin and Kelly Cruz. In Seth’s uncertain childhood, the kindness of the Cruz family, especially Kelly and his brother, Matty, gave Seth the stability to make his violin sing with the purest sound and opened a world of possibility beyond his home in Sacramento.

Kelly Cruz has loved Seth forever, but he knows Seth’s talents shouldn’t be hidden, not when the world is waiting. Encouraging Seth to follow his music might break Kelly’s heart, but he is determined to see the violin set Seth’s soul free. When their world is devastated by a violent sexual assault and Matty’s prejudices turn him from a brother to an enemy, Seth and Kelly’s future becomes uncertain.

Seth can’t come home and Kelly can’t leave, but they are held together by a love that they clutch with both hands.

Seth and Kelly are young and the world is wide—the only thing they know for certain is they’ll follow their heartstrings to each other’s arms whenever time and fate allow. And pray that one day they can follow that string to forever… before it slices their hearts in two.

Title: String Boys
Author: Amy Lane
Release Date: May 28, 2019
Category: Contemporary, New Adult
Pages: 341

Amazon

Dreamspinner Press

Perfectly Imperfect By Amy Lane

It’s no secret that much of my work revolves around family—and they say to write what you know.

One of the things I know—for absolutely positive—is that family is not perfect. Not even the best family can lay claim to perfection. Family is a mixed bag of dicks.

And I love capturing that moment, in which family is both the best and the worst thing to happen to us. Given that, I was particularly proud of this moment between a young Kelly on the verge of running away from home (although everyone knows where he’s going!) and his father, who’s only doing his best.

The next morning Kelly left a note—Going to see him. K. He wanted to say when he’d be back, but he couldn’t. He couldn’t help it. He just didn’t ever want to come back.

But the plan was to go spend the rest of his formative years on Seth’s floor, and it didn’t have a contingency plan for his father pulling up next to him in the family minivan, window rolled down.

“Get in.”

Kelly didn’t look up. “No habla English.” Of course the irony was, he didn’t habla Espanol either, because his father didn’t speak it in the house, and he’d taken French in school. All he knew was mijo.

His dad sputtered. “Look, you little dickhead, I’ll pay for your ticket there and back, just get in the damned car!”

Well, shit. On the one hand, it meant he had to come back. On the other, it meant he’d have more money for food if he went with the living-in-Seth’s-dorm option.

“Coffee on the way?” he bargained, and his dad laughed.

“Sure.”

He got in the car, and Dad threw him a hat—something his grandma had knit for… well, anyone in the family who would wear it. It was made with big chunky yarn and had flecks of something pink in it.

“Really?” Kelly asked, eyeing the hat.

“Did you bring one of your own?” Dad asked pointedly.

“No.”

“It’s cold outside. You forget your own hat, I provide. Also, are you insane?”

Kelly grunted. “Seth does it sometimes.”

“Yes. This is true. But Seth didn’t walk out the door one night and almost not come back!”

“He did too,” Kelly said. “He did too, and you know it. And this time, I needed to be somewhere with him where we can walk outside for a change. I….” He let out a little grunt. “It’s not fair.”

“I know.”

“I’ve been looking at JC’s, you know, near Northridge or San Francisco. So we can….” This sounded so grown-up. “So we can live together and go to school.”

“We’d miss you,” his dad said, sighing. “I’m not ready yet. Definitely not ready for Matty to be grown-up. Seriously not ready for you to grow up either. You’re only sixteen.”

“Well….” Kelly looked out the window into the foggy streets. “I’ll be seventeen when I graduate. If we were rich and shit, you’d be sending me away to a college, never to see me again.”

“Screw that,” his dad muttered. “There’s, like, no way!”

Kelly laughed then, with all his heart, because his dad sounded about sixteen himself.

So that was an epic love story. I wasn’t totally prepared for the length of the book and the length of time it covered, but it was worth it. Spanning close to 20 years, we follow Seth and Kelly from the third (Kelly) and fourth (Seth) grades when they were picked to learn violin in school. For Seth, that violin changed his life.

Kelly realizes way before Seth that he is gay and in love with Seth. So once they reach the teen years, Kelly kisses Seth- and they never look back. But Kelly’s older brother- Seth’s former best friend- turns on them with homophobic vitriol he learned at his new girlfriend’s church.

I love how the romantic relationship between Seth and Kelly started out bumbling and a bit awkward, because they were just kids, to knowing what they wanted from each other and asking for it

There is A LOT in this book. Seth’s dad, Kelly’s whole family of parents, several sisters and the brother who now hates him. But through it all is Kelly and Seth and Seth’s violin.

It seems as if everything in the universe is trying to keep them apart, but they muddle through. Basically having a long distance relationship for years and years, getting by with short, hidden visits, text, email and Skype.

There is quite a bit of tragedy in the book. Which just add to the forces keeping them apart. But what starts out as naivete of two teens determined to stay together turns into two men understanding their responsibilities but refusing to give up.

There were a few time line hiccups for me and a couple “but why?” moments, but I really enjoyed following this love story over such a long period of time.

If you are an Amy Lane fan or a fan of epic love stories, this one is for you.

4 pieces of eye candy

Amy Lane lives in a crumbling crapmansion with a couple of growing children, a passel of furbabies, and a bemused spouse. She’s been nominated for a RITA, has 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.

Third Time’s The Charm by K. Evan Coles: Exclusive Guest Post, Blog Tour, Release Day Review and Giveaway

May 29, 2019 by Denise

Sometimes you have to start over to get love right.

Luke Ryan’s life is too chaotic for romance, what with running his business and being the legal guardian to his ten-year-old niece, but he’s hopeful he’ll find the right man.

Trauma surgeon Finn Thomason recently relocated from Chicago to Boston, where his focus on medicine leaves him little space for a personal life. Making a commitment to find a better work-life balance, Finn hopes he’ll also find a relationship.

Caught in an evening rainstorm, Luke shelters under a sidewalk awning…and encounters a handsome stranger. The two strike up a conversation and Finn offers to walk Luke under his oversized umbrella. Charmed, Luke accepts and asks Finn out for coffee in thanks.

Luke and Finn quickly grow close, but, as the summer draws to an end, Luke struggles to keep his connection with Finn while Finn tries to come to terms with caring for a man whose attention is pulled in many directions. Both men are scrambling to get it right, but only time will tell if they’ll learn there is more than enough room in their hearts to go around.

Reader Advisory: This book contains references to child abandonment.

Book Title: Third Time’s The Charm (Boston Seasons, Book 1)

Author: K. Evan Coles

Publisher: Pride Publishing/Totally Entwined Group

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, Erotic Romance

Trope/s: Hurt/Comfort, KidFic, True Love, Meet Cute

Themes: Family/Parenting. Friendship, Child Abandonment

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 68,000 words

Release Date: May 28, 2019

This is book number one in a series. It can also stand as its own story.

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Amazon UK

Pride Publishing

When did you first realize that you wanted to be a writer?

I started writing when I was in middle school and did on and off over the years, purely for own enjoyment. Around ten years ago, I started writing steadily and putting words out there through writing contests and fanfic. I started co-writing with Brigham Vaughn and we decided we’d team up on a novel-length work and get it published for real. By the time the publishing happened, one novel had become two and I was fully immersed in the world we’d built.

How many books have you written?

As of this post, I’ve written six novels and published five, and published one novella and three short stories.

How long does it usually take you to write a book?

A novel is usually six to twelve months in the making, depending on its length and whether I’m writing alone or collaborating. Shorter works take less time, typically a month or so.

How did you come up with the idea for your book?

I enjoy imagining how characters meet because there’s a lot of romance in the way the stars align to enable such connections. I decided to write a story where the two mains literally bump into each other on a city sidewalk and went from there.

Who are your favorite authors?

Outside of the MM genre, my favorites include Margaret Atwood and William Gibson. Within the MM genre, my favorites include RJ Scott, Annabeth Albert, and Marie Sexton, but I read a lot and I’m always adding to that list.

Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?

Finding time is my biggest challenge—I work a demanding day job and that leaves writing time for evenings and weekends.

Where is your favorite place to write?

Anywhere I can set up shop undisturbed is my favorite place—I bring a tablet with me almost everywhere and I’ve been known to throw down words in the car or at a café over lunch. That said, I get a lot done at my kitchen table.

When you develop characters do you already know who they are before you begin writing or do you let them develop as you go?

Usually, I have a pretty good idea of who the characters are by the time I start writing. There’s a long time where they’re still very fluid, however, and that means they can change as I go. This is especially true when I make a deep connection with a character.

Do you aim for a set number of words/pages per day?

I don’t set word counts by day but instead by chapter. Typically, I try for 3-4K words per chapter (but usually fail and go over).

What is the hardest thing about writing?

Writing can be lonely because so much of it is happening inside your own head. As an extrovert, I like to direct my energies outward and that’s hard to do when the characters are literally in your brain.

What is the easiest thing about writing?

World building is something that comes very naturally to me. Once I’ve got an idea, my brain starts running on its own, even when I’m not writing.

Do you use images to develop your character’s looks?

Yes. I find face casts helpful for giving me a general method of describing facial features but often the characters are amalgams of multiple people.

Are your characters based on people you know?

Some characters have things in common with people I know or even myself—their sense of humor, or family/relationship drama—but none of them are strictly based on a real-life person.

Do you use your experiences in your books?

I have used some real-life experiences in my books, yes. As a person of mixed race, I sometimes draw on my background when writing characters who are persons of color.

Do you ever get writer’s block?

Not typically, no. But if I feel “stuck” on a story, I try to switch to a different project and that often straightens out the tangles in my head. Reading is also a restorative exercise for me.

What do you think makes a good story?

I want to really care about the characters and their happiness. I like for them to connect and, at some point, for that connection to be threatened. A little uncertainty about whether the relationship work or not makes the eventual outcome of the story satisfying.

Does writing energize or exhaust you?

Generally, I find writing energizing—it gets my creative juices flowing and my brain hums along. The exceptions are when scenes wring me out emotionally and leave me physically tired, too.

What has been one of your most rewarding experiences as an author?

Connecting with people—readers, writers, bloggers—through a shared passion for words and more has been a truly wonderful experience.

What do your friends and family think about you being a writer?

My family are supportive as are the friends who’ve watched me write over the years.

What do you do when you’re not writing?

Outside of the day job, I like to read, honestly. I’m also fond of baking and photography, and I like to do needlework. And go outside! Fresh air is my friend.

Do you like music or silence when your write?

I can do either but if I’m listening to music it needs to be mostly lyric-less … otherwise, I start singing and no one wants that.

Do you outline or do you just write?

I get a rough timeline down with a general story arc before I start. This can be a full spreadsheet with notes for every chapter or just a quick paragraph. Then, I adjust as I go because the story changes as I go along.

Do you prefer pen and paper or computer?

I’m a computer/tablet person. Typing is faster for me and my handwriting is a nightmare.

Do you write as routine or do you write when you feel like it?

I try to stick to a routine when I can, both the keep on track and because the amount of time I have to write time is influenced by my day job. I take advantage of hours when I can!

What do you love best about your current book?

I’m a not-so-secret total sap and I really enjoyed indulging that side of myself and turning on the romance in “Third Time’s the Charm.” Also, there are a lot of dark things happening in the world right now—writing “Third Time’s the Charm” made me feel light and I hope some of that comes across in the story to readers, too.

What is your next project?

Currently, I’m working on two collab projects with Brigham Vaughn – we’re releasing Book #3 of The Speakeasy series this summer and writing Book #4 right now. My current solo works include Boston Season’s #2, the follow-up to “Third Time’s the Charm,” and a novella-length work I’m hoping to release in the fall.

This is my first read by this author, but any time I see a hot dad, or in this case, a hot uncle, I can’t help but get suckered in.

In this one, we have Luke, who is taking care of his niece, Ella while her daddy (Luke’s brother) is deployed, or stationed in a different state. Its been a few years and the routine is working for them, even if it does put a damper on Luke’s social life. I mean, not many single men want a ready-made family. Dating is hard when you’re a single parent… I remember!
And Luke’s life revolves around her, she’s his first priority….. as she should be.

Finn is a trauma surgeon and doesn’t have a whole lot of time for much. What with crazy work hours and really pushy friends to boss him around. I do have to mention that I didn’t like any of the friends in this entire story… Maybe, Mick, or Mack, I don’t even remember his name, but he’s one of the friends’ husbands…. He seemed alright, but everyone else was so bossy and pushy and seemed jealous or possessive. I just didn’t like any of them.

When Luke and Finn catch each other’s eyes at Starbucks, a phone call interrupts either man from saying hi. Luckily, they run into each other a few days later and that starts the “courting.”…. This goes on for a really long time. I felt like there was so much dialogue and explaining things, I found myself skimming a good half of the book. I’m sorry, I know that’s rude….but nothing important happened as far as I could tell. I didn’t feel like I missed anything and it was sooooo much of the same thing.

I liked how they took their time getting to know one another before introducing Finn to Ella. Finn wasn’t sure he was ready for such a big step and Luke wanted to be sure that Finn was going to be around before he started introducing him to family.

Ella, I was confused about. She seemed older for her age, and the cussing was kind of something that put me off. I mean, she’s 10, but swears in front of adults?? Not in my neck of the woods, her behind woulda been eating a bar of soap. And hey, I’m no prude… I live with 4 guys… I’ve heard it all, seen it all and have likely seen it all and said it all, myself…. But let one of my kids be that disrespectful and swear in front of anyone….. Wouldn’t happen more than once, I’ll say that.

Eventually, though, we get to the good stuff and these two fall for each other. There is somewhat of a misunderstanding… poor communication and again, the friends, or one in particular, gets in the way… but other than that, once the two talk about what they want with each other, the last third of the book is cute and doesn’t drag on so much.

It had a cute ending, so I can’t be too disappointed, but it’s not one I’d revisit or probably even recommend.

3 Pieces of Eye Candy

K. Evan Coles is a mother and tech pirate by day and a writer by night. She is a dreamer who, with a little hard work and a lot of good coffee, coaxes words out of her head and onto paper.

K. lives in the northeast United States, where she complains bitterly about the winters, but truly loves the region and its diverse, tenacious and deceptively compassionate people. You’ll usually find K. nerding out over books, movies and television with friends and family. She’s especially proud to be raising her son as part of a new generation of unabashed geeks.

K.’s books explore LGBTQ+ romance in contemporary settings.

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