Rooftops Blog Tour, Excerpt, Book Review and Giveaway

Title: Rooftops
Author: John Wiley
Genre: Contemporary, Gay Romance, New Adult
Length: Novel
Publisher: Wayward ink Publishing

Synopsis

Its summer and three friends from Ohio graduate college, ready to start making their way in the real world.

Rhys; the eternal optimist who wants to be an actor and moves to Los Angeles.

Erick; the career man, seeking money and position who moves with him.

And Joey; the aspiring artist, who for the love of his girlfriend, Cheryl, stays behind in Ohio.

While attempting to follow their dreams each must face their share of personal and professional obstacles. Each is tested. Will they lose sight of themselves?

Will old friendships fall apart and new friendships form?

 

Excerpt

ERICK CLIMBS into the truck and shuts the door. "So you don't like them then?"

"I can't help it!" yells Rhys. "It's chemical or something. Gays and lesbians just don't get along. It's like... vampires and sunlight... cats and dogs... penises and vaginas. They just don't fit!"

"Um, actually you’ll find they do fit together quite—"

"Okay. Eww, enough. I saw that porn about the girl with all the moles in Paris you eye-raped me into watching." He buckles his seatbelt. "I still have nightmares.”

They drive down the road in silence. A few minutes later Rhys sighs.

"What?" asks Erick.

"How are we going to get home?"

"Your car," says Erick.

"You mean the one that vanished at the casino?"

"So we’re talking about it now?"

“No!” Rhys leans his head back. "We aren't off to a good start. But at least we had some adventures on the drive out."

"I know." Erick turns into the Mover and Groover parking lot. "But let's just get this dropped off so we don't have to pay for it."

They get out of the truck and walk to the door to the office. Erick tugs on it, but it's locked. "Dammit! We're gonna have to pay an extra day now."

"Maybe not," says Rhys, pointing at the sign on the door. “It looks like they’ve gone out of business.”

“Do places really go out of business within three days and have no idea it’s going to happen?” Erick turns to Rhys, who is standing over by the truck, on his phone, nodding.

Rhys hangs up. "I just called the office and the company really has shut down. We can keep the truck! It’s really convenient actually, like in a TV show."

"Sweet! That means if we run out of money and can't afford rent we can live in the back of the truck. It’ll be like The Boxcar Children... only in a moving truck... and we’re not children. We can be the Moving Truck Men!"

Rhys shrugs. "Or we can drive home now instead of hitchhiking."

"That too." Erick climbs in. "Let's rock and roll."

Book Review

Once I sat down to begin reading Rooftops, I couldn’t pull myself away. It was just the right length for curling up mid-afternoon under a warm afghan and getting lost in. Each of the characters was so distinct and quirky, that despite how many of them there were, it was very easy to keep them all separate in my mind. The accuracy with which the author described the transition Erick, Rhys and Joey face after college reminded me of my own transition from college life into the ‘adult world’ and how difficult it was to maintain some of the friendships that had seemed, until then, unbreakable.

Erick was so easy to like, and to sympathize with, out of all of the characters, he was the one who seemed to stumble the most, but learned the most as well. It was also easy to see how Rhys got caught up in the newness of his job, the people that he met, the lifestyle changes and the difficulties that can also go along with trying to fit into an unfamiliar situation while still trying to hold on to the past. While it might be easy, at times, to paint him as the villain, I really did not see him that way. I saw him as someone who was determined and focused, sometimes too much so, on what he was trying to become and lost himself and his friendship with Erick in the process.

Joey was loveable. He seemed the most easily adapted to moving forward, and yet there was still so much left of the college kid in him that it created a rather interesting mix. His loyalty, despite the distance, as well as his genuine love for Cheryl made him wonderful. When his brother reveals his own secret to him, again, joey shows his love and loyalty for those who are important to him, by being the big brother his little brother needed, reassuring him and sticking by him, the same way he helps Erick, even from a distance.

These characters are real, and that’s what really makes the story interesting and engaging to me.

Buy Now

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/rooftops-by-john-wiley-2/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017WTSERW/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017WTSERW/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B017WTSERW/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B017WTSERW/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-rooftops-1925759-149.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rooftops-john-wiley/1116239529?ean=9781925222715

Video Trailer

Giveaway

Prize: $6.99 WIP Gift Card

About the author

JOHN WILEY is currently a barista that hates coffee, but is really good at making it. When not writing, he likes to expose his cat to as many Christmas movies as possible. Just like his life, his biography is a work in progress.

Website: https://heckyesitsjohn.wordpress.com/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HeckYesItsJohn
Tumblr: http://heckyesitsjohn.tumblr.com/

New Release! A Cook's Tale by Mann Ramblings! Promo! Excerpt! Giveaway! Book Trailer!

HTML Code

Title: A Cook’s Tale
Series: Ship Logs of the Santa Claus (Book 2)
Length: Novel
Genre: gay romance, science fiction, M/M romance
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

The trials and tribulations of the crew and passengers of interplanetary transport vessel, The Santa Claus continues in A Cook’s Tale.

After a horrific breakup, Erron Murfin is bitter, homeless, and friendless. When the cook’s position on the Santa Claus presents itself, Erron decides to escape his current circumstances and join the crew. On board he reconnects with family friend Gamin Wells, whose own secrets and issues begin to surface upon Erron’s arrival. The least of which is the reason the pair haven’t laid eyes on one another in over twelve years.

As Erron settles into his new duties, the men on board take an interest in their newest crew member. Among those intrigued by Erron are polyamorous couple, Barrus and James. Despite Erron’s cautious nature, he’s drawn into a triad relationship with the pair.

But there’s something about Gamin…

Is Erron too damaged to confront his own feelings?

Will his past prevent him from finding what he needs?

Buy Links

Don’t miss the Black Friday/Cyber Monday sales on the WIP site! 40% off on November 27^th and 35% off on November 30^th for all titles!

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/a-cooks-tale-by-mann-ramblings/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017I26RXG/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B017I26RXG/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B017I26RXG/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B017I26RXG/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-acook039stale-1925761-153.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-cooks-tale-mann-ramblings/1122908859

Book Trailer

Excerpt

Unconsciously, Erron crossed his arms over his chest, but not for warmth. Danverse looked increasingly unhappy as he heard more about Erron’s state of affairs. The more he said the worse the expression became and Erron was convinced the job opportunity was fading faster and faster.

“So what made you apply for our cook’s position?”

“Needed a job and came across the Subspace Link ad. I did a little research on the SantaClaus. It looked like a good fit for me and when I found out Gamin was part of the crew, I had to take a shot.”

“You know our head chef?”

“Yeah. He was my mom’s best friend when I was a kid. I never knew my dad and he was the next thing to a father figure back then. They had some major falling out back when I was nineteen and he stopped coming around. Mom wouldn’t say what. Then the Civil War broke out and in all the craziness, we lost touch. I didn’t even know he was alive until now. I figured I needed a fresh start, and touching base with him would be something I should have done ages ago.”

Danverse paused for an uncomfortably long moment as his stare intensified. Erron began to fidget in his seat as he watched his employment hunt begin again.

“Assuming I take you on, the job is every day, three meals a day. You’ll have down time, but not days off except when we’re in port. Gamin would be your direct superior, but there is still a chain of command. Living onboard isn’t a pleasure cruise, but it’s not a bad life. The crew is like a small town. We’re all in each other’s business, and we always look out for each other. I don’t have a tolerance for people who can’t play well with others.”

Erron’s eyes began to widen. Why was he telling him this? Surely the captain wasn’t saying yes?

“It sounds perfect. I’m not afraid of hard work and Gamin’s the reason I became a cook in the first place. Cooking makes me happy. I’m still waiting for you to tell me the down side.”

Danverse’s frown shifted into a sly grin. “Right now, I don’t think I’m seeing one.”

“Are you saying I can have the job?” Erron’s voice peaked as he fought to control the excitement rising in his chest. There was no doubt he seriously wanted the job, but he didn’t want it to be so horrifically obvious.

“Can you be at Landing Bay Gamma Seven One tomorrow by 09:00 hours? We’ll be in port for about a week, but I can have my security chief get you settled in before we ship out.”

The smile on Erron’s face made his cheeks ache, it was so strong. He was so elated, if he wasn’t careful he was going to be on the verge of tears. “You’re Goddamn right I can be there.”

Danverse lifted his glass in salute. “Well then, Mr. Murfin. Welcome to the crew.”

Start with Book  One of Ship Logs of the Santa Claus!

The Luxorian Fugitive

Sergeant Liam Jacks is the security chief of transport vessel, The Santa Claus. He travels the planetary cluster with Marc Danverse, his best friend and captain, seeking to escape his tortured past and find some peace of mind.

Having been through a civil war together, Danverse and Liam are close. Maybe too close….

All that changes when mysterious stranger, Hadrian Jamison, an escaped Adonirati, books passage to Alpha Centauri. Can he be trusted? Can the stories of his past be believed?

As Liam’s fascination with Hadrian grows, jealousy threatens to tear apart his friendship with Danverse.

When Hadrian’s owner shows up, Liam is forced to go against orders in order to launch a rescue mission to save him.

The ensuing conflict may be more than any of them expected.

Buy Links

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Luxorian-Fugitive-Ship-Santa-Claus-ebook/dp/B00V6KO1CG/
Amazon UK:  http://www.amazon.co.uk/Luxorian-Fugitive-Ship-Santa-Claus-ebook/dp/B00V6KO1CG/
Amazon AU:  http://www.amazon.com.au/Luxorian-Fugitive-Ship-Santa-Claus-ebook/dp/B00V6KO1CG/
WIP:  http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/the-luxorian-fugitive-by-mann-ramblings/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-theluxorianfugitive-1768560-145.html
B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-luxorian-fugitive-mann-ramblings/1121637747?ean=9781925222388

About the Author

Like many gay men, when Mann Ramblings grew up, there weren’t any heroes he could relate to. The world held him back while he tried futilely to hide the real person inside. So much has changed since those hollow days. He finally found his voice, the voice that says it’s all right to revel in the so-called inappropriate joys, laughs, and loves that storm inside a man’s head. It took a long time to find that courage and now that it’s here, he plans to use it well.

While spending years more focused on visual arts, he never let go of his innate passion for storytelling—he wanted to write and draw comic books when he grew up. Once he discovered M/M fiction, a whole new world opened with new possibilities. Why couldn’t you have fantastic and dynamic tales with an M/M cast? He started reading the online tales of authors like, Night Tempest, Rob Colton, and Alicia Nordwell, which only fueled within him the need to create. Eventually he found GayAuthors.org, and with a little coercive nudge from Night Tempest, started sharing his tales with an unexpected level of positive response. That experience and support gave him the courage to cross his fingers and aim for the world of M/M publishing.

Born and raised in Michigan, Mann Ramblings continues to type away, wishing it was practical to use a noisy, old fashioned keyboard that clacks with each strike, if only to annoy his loving partner and spoiled miniature dachshund.

Email: mannramblings@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mannramblings
Twitter: @mannramblings

Cover Reveal of Indigo Road by RJ Jones

Synopsis

Two best friends take a year off to find themselves… and end up finding each other.

Joshua Simpson has just finished four years at Purdue University, but that’s not why he’s buzzing with excitement. Once they’ve said goodbye to their families, Josh and his best friend Alex are taking off to discover America in an old but reliable VW van, planning on not seeing snow for an entire year.

Josh has always considered himself straight—except for that one time in college—so when he and Alex are living in such close proximity on the road, he’s unsure what these new feelings mean. Is it because they’re spending 24/7 together, or is it something deeper? And does it really matter since Josh has only ever seen Alex with women?

While in Oregon, Josh meets Johnno, a sexy but confusing Aussie surfer. While having an impromptu surfing lesson, Johnno helps Josh realize who he is and what he wants—but Alex’s reaction leaves Josh confused.

From a Montana ranch to the bright lights and dangerous streets of Los Angeles to a dark and lonely deserted highway in Alabama, join Josh and Alex as they drive around the US, discovering not only who they are, but who they can be together.

 

Pre-order Now

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B01867I9M4/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01867I9M4/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B01867I9M4/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/594892
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-indigoroad-1926713-149.html

About the author

R.J. Jones started as a reader and eventually made the progression to reviewing. It wasn’t until two men popped into her thoughts, insisting on telling her their story that she started to write.

It started with one scene. A hot and dirty one in the shower…

R.J.’s initial thought was if she could write their scene then they’d shut up and allow her to concentrate on other aspects of her day. Not so. That shower scene ended up being 3000 words long and three hours of work.  And still, they didn’t shut up.  They told her their entire story and she didn’t sleep for days. Sometimes she couldn’t keep up with what they were telling her and she had to keep a notebook by her bed.

Whilst she was writing their story a side character decided he needed his story told too. Then other characters followed suit.

You see the problem? If she ever wants to sleep again then she needs to write.

R.J. is a wife and a mother to two boys. She is surrounded by males. Even her dog is a boy.

R.J. Jones can be found at:

Website: http://rjjonesauthor.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/robyn.j.jones.1711
Twitter: https://twitter.com/rjjonesauthor
Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/rjjones-author
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/rjjonesauthor/

Blog Tour Post: Secrets of the Manor by Taylin Clavelli

Good afternoon, I'd like to give a bright and cheery congratulations to Taylin Clavelli on the release of Secrets of the Manor. I hope you will all enjoy looking at the blurb and trailer below, as well as checking out an excerpt from this wonderful new book.

Title: Secret of the Manor
Author: Taylin Clavelli
Genre: Gay romance, mystery, paranormal, adventure
Length: Novel
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

Warren Blake is an accountant at the pinnacle of his career. After accepting a new position he decides to settle in the scenic Cotswold village of Walmsley Hackett.  A village with a colourful history of myth, old wives tales and mystery.

One morning during his train ride into work, Warren notices a small quaint church which he becomes enchanted with. Curiousity compels him to find the church and when he finally does, he discovers an unmarked grave in the corner. Feeling sorry for its occupant, Warren becomes a frequent visitor.

Little does he know that the young man inside the coffin needs a champion and Warren is chosen.

What follows involves a ghostly medieval joust, witchcraft, love, and Warren risking his life.

Excerpt

Secret Of The Manor – Excerpt – The Garden Party

Miles, CEO of A-Genet, was a good man and a fine leader. Warren got on well with him. But, while Miles played host, Warren looked upon the party with a more cynical eye. It was an occasion where the title CEO took on a whole new meaning. At such times, CEO meant Cock-Enlarging Officer. The epithet worked for Warren on so many levels. Warren was sure Miles knew what happened every time he spoke to an ambitious employee, especially the males. The man’s winning words had an immediate effect, and the person he was talking to always changed his stance, and seemed to have more down his trousers than when he walked in.

The annual garden party was also a time many took advantage of to network, in various guises. One or two carried virtual knives. Warren knew the game rules. It was a necessary evil in a place where, if you didn’t watch your back, others took advantage. It wasn’t pretty, but it was better than the game some played. He’d been bitten by the latter before; it was one reason for his degrees of separation.

Warren had settled into his comfortable cane chair and relaxed with a glass of wine. He completed the “Hello, darling; wonderful dress, are those new shoes?” social niceties expected of him with the wives, and the “This quarter is going well, any news on that contract?” dialogue with his colleagues in high management. He chinked glasses, ate well, smiled, and conversed with the willing. He stayed with his crowd, and was wary of others who approached him—climbers who decided he was one of those worth sucking up to. Maybe he was unfair to some, but he’d seen too many cases of backbiting to embrace an idealistic approach to office shenanigans.

Buy Links

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/secret-of-the-manor-by-taylin-clavelli/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-secretofthemanor-1914001-149.html

Book Trailer

Giveaway

3 x Mega Swag Packs (Europe only) – Bullet USB, Keyring hip flask, Memo set, Mints, 3-in-1 Stylus pen keyring

2 x $10 WIP Gift Cards

3 x Swag Packs – Memo set, Mints, 3-in-1 Stylus pen keyring

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

Taylin Clavelli lives in the United Kingdom, about 15 miles south of Birmingham, and a short journey from the world famous Cadbury’s Chocolate factory. She’s married with children and loves her family with all her heart.

Her love of books has been a long standing affair, with Taylin liking nothing better than to lose herself in an imaginary world.

Until she met Lily Velden, she never considered trying her hand at writing. However, after talking ideas, Lily encouraged her to put pen to paper—or rather, fingers to keyboard. Since, with a few virtual kicks in the right place, she hasn’t stopped. Her confidence eventually led to her writing an original work for submission.

Her first published work was Boys, Toys, and Carpet Fitters, developed for the Dreamspinner Press Anthology – Don’t Try This At Home.

Now she absolutely adores immersing herself into the characters she creates, and transferring the pictures in her brain to paper, finding it liberating, therapeutic, and wonderful.

Outside of writing, her interests include; martial arts (she’s a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwon-do), horse-riding, all of which facilitates her love of a wide variety of movies. Her action heroes include Jet Li and Tony Jaa—finding the dedication these men have for their art combined with their skill both amazing and a privilege to watch. If pressed, she’ll admit to thinking that the screen entrance of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean – Curse of the Black Pearl, and Shadowfax in LOTR, to be the greatest screen entrances ever. Her all-time favorite movies are Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

The simple things in life that make her day, putting a smile on her face are:

Laughter – especially that of her children.

The smell of lasagna cooking – it makes her mouth salivate.

The dawn chorus – no symphony ever written can beat the waking greetings of the birds.

Social links:

Website: http://www.taylinclavelli.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005234535413
Twitter: https://twitter.com/taylinclavelli

Freebie Friday: ...And All Shall Fade To Black (Part 12)

“Thanks, today was pretty awesome,” Jax told Danny as they reached the top of the stairs and the door to Danny’s apartment.

“Yeah, it was, though I still think one of the best parts was you snarfing diet soda. Was a huge plus that it was green too.”

“Shut up you!” Jax couldn’t help but laugh though, it had been kinda funny. “At least I wasn’t the one talking about having a recipe for moccasins.”

Danny nearly choked he started laughing so hard, and by the time he stopped he was wiping tears from his eyes while Jax studied him. 

Jax couldn't believe how hard it was to take his eyes off of Danny. Danny was the furthest thing from what he was usually attracted to. It wasn’t just that he was smaller than Jax and  more into books than being outdoors, it wasn’t even that he hadn’t fought back against his ex, though that would typically have been a major turn off. It was mostly that he'd figured them to be too different, all the way across the board, until today, when somehow they’d managed to have a completely awesome time while blending both of their likes into an amazing tour of the city.

Jax couldn’t remember the last time he’d had that much fun with anyone, or laughed so hard, outside of hanging out with Callum and Max and he’d never considered dating either of them. Not the way he was considering asking Danny if he wanted to go out sometime.

“You’re not going to let me live that down, are you?” Danny asked.

Jax paused and looked thoughtful, smirking as several thoughts slid through his mind. “Maybe,” he said at last. “If you’ll come over sometimes and show me exactly how one might go about preparing moccasin medium rare and what kind of spices to use.”

They both ended up laughing then, deep, gasping, full on belly laughter, and when they stopped, they were face to face, eye to eye.

Jax licked his lips and Danny’s eyes widened as Jax moved in closer.

This is stupid

The inner voice in Jax’s mind screamed at him to put on the breaks and pull back. This was his neighbor, maybe even a potential friend, the last thing he needed was to make shit awkward when he decided to start listing all the reasons that it wouldn’t work between them.

And yet…he couldn’t make himself stop.

As if on its own accord, Jax’s hand reached out to cup Danny’s cheek, one finger brushing along the still fading bruise beneath Danny’s eye as he shifted forward and brushed the gentlest kiss he’d every given across Danny’s lips.

“Do you want to go see a movie with me on Monday night,” Jax asked softly, having barely pulled away.

“Yeah,” Danny breathed, eyes fluttering closed when Jax kissed him again, just as gentle.

“Jax!” 

Max's bellow caused Jax to jerk back completely and drop his hand. He stood there blinking as he tried to get his bearings, kicking himself for what he’d just done. 

“Hey, Jax, you up there man!”

“Dude!” Jax yelled back as Max came thundering up the stairs. “We’re not sharing a house anymore, man, other people live here, you can’t run around hollering like that.”

“Shit man, I forgot, sorry. Hey Danny, how you been.”

“Umm, good,” Danny stammered, already fitting his key in the lock, he gave Jax a small smile, popped the door open and stepped in. “Night Jax,”

“Goodnight, Danny.”

Danny closed the door, leaving the pair out in the hallway. Jax heard the lock being engaged and closed his eyes, letting his head fall back and hit the wall as he groaned loudly.

“Jax, you okay?”

“Not in the slightest,” Jax muttered

“Why? What happened?”

“I kissed him.”

“Shit. What took you so long?”

Jax just groaned again and scrubbed a hand down his face. “So what the hell were you yelling about.”

“Oh man, just wanted you to come downstairs and see what we’ve done with the place, and as an added bonus, we’ve got the game machine hooked up.”

Jax’s eyes popped open and he grinned at his friend. “Zombie kill night?”

“Oh yeah, my friend, it’s zombie kill night.”

“In that case lead the way, I need to shoot shit tonight.”

“Yeah? Why?”

“’Cause it’ll take my mind off how bad I wanna beat on the door ‘til he answers, then kiss him senseless.”

And don't forget my new novel, coming out December 4th from Wayward Ink. 

Cover Reveal for My Upcoming Release: Broken Prince, Mismatched Eyes

I'm so excited for this release. Coming to you from Wayward Ink Publishing on December 4th, my second novel, Broken Prince, Mismatched Eyes. Check out the awesome trailer below, created by Wayward Ink's Lily Velden. 

Pre-order Links Below

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/broken-prince-mismatched-eyes-by-layla-dorine/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-brokenprincemismatchedeyes-1929493-143.html

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/broken-prince-mismatched-eyes-layla-dorine/1122960557?ean=9781925222685

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Broken-Prince-Mismatched-Eyes-Mauritanian-ebook/dp/B017WXGBM8/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Broken-Prince-Mismatched-Eyes-Mauritanian-ebook/dp/B017WXGBM8/

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Broken-Prince-Mismatched-Eyes-Mauritanian-ebook/dp/B017WXGBM8/

Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Broken-Prince-Mismatched-Eyes-Mauritanian-ebook/dp/B017WXGBM8/

Layla Can Be found At:

http://layladorine13.wix.com/layladorineauthor

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005197938547

https://twitter.com/layladorine

http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product-category/authors/layla-dorine/

http://layladorine.tumblr.com/

https://www.pinterest.com/layladorine/

Reflections

It’s getting cold again, it hasn’t snowed yet here in Iowa, but soon I’m hoping. As I count down to the cover reveal of my second novel, I can’t help but begin to feel those twin prickles of anticipation and fear. I try not to dwell on them too much. Not everyone is going to like what I write, and not everyone is going to get it, the true measure of success, I keep telling myself, is that I didn’t give up. I kept writing and I told the story that I wanted to tell. I was true to myself and my muse and in the end I know that I will always have that to look back on and be proud of.

This is the time of year when I finish up old projects and start in on new ones. Last winter, three new novels were born. In those beginning stages, it was all about the note taking and getting to know the characters better through writing prompts and snippets of dialogue jotted into empty notebooks. As the days past the notebooks got fuller and fuller until the skeletons of stories were formed.  There’s a lot of hot chocolate involved in the process, lots of mulled cider and even mulled wine too. Something about spices, whipped cream and snow falling outside help with focus, or maybe its just that everything starts to slow down this time of year and its more peaceful and easier to think.

With each novel the process gets easier, and each time I feel like I learn a little bit more about myself as a writer and about the worlds that my characters live in. Thanks to the time and generosity of my editors, I’ve also learned a great deal about the writing process, unnecessary and overused words, how to streamline my writing and the places where I still need to grow and develop. It’s the growth and development that keep me from getting stagnated, the research and the pintrest boards, the storyboarding and the note taking, the ability, really to always wake up to something new in a way that I never got to experience working outside of the home.

I love the moments when the characters can teach me something about myself, when I can push past the fear of putting something on the page and just do it, no second guessing, no wondering how someone who reads it might respond. I see over and over on the internet the advice to authors to tell the story that they wish to tell and I have been working hard to live that advice and not allow the occasional comments and barbs to make me feel like I need to change it.

There was a time though, when I would have crawled into a hole at the first cruel word. When I would have taken the entire document and deleted it and refused to give in to the urge to write anything for fear that it would be met with hate. It took becoming a mom to two wonderfully unique children and having to deal with them coming home telling me what cruel things were said to them by those who didn’t understand their unique and creative souls to force me to find my inner strength. I knew the right words to tell them, I knew to teach them to stand their ground and never quit being themselves but I also knew that words would be empty and meaningless unless I began to do those same things myself.

So fear of being unique and different and well, me, just had to go, and instead, I had to embrace the fact that I’m happiness when I give in to my urges to be spontaneous and wild and way left of mainstream, be that in my personal life or my work. So here I am, and that BSDM story I’ve always wanted to write is what I’m doing now in Burning Luck, and I wake up each day happy and inspired to let my fingers fly over the keys.

It’s funny, when I first sat down to write Burning Luck, it was mostly just to get Lucky Strike McAllister to shut up, since I couldn’t seem to get him out of my head. I had no intention of starting on another story, especially not with a snakeshifter tale and a rock and roll romance that were in desperate need of being finished, but Lucky was persistent and in the end I’m glad he was. His journey to find a home with Thorn and Cain is a rocky one, but it will sooooo be worth the trip. Good luck and happy writing to those who are still in the middle of their NaNo challenge. The world needs more wonderful things to read.  

...And all shall fade to black (part 11)

“Maybe if you tell me the things you like, it will help me narrow down where we should go. It’s not the biggest city, but there’s still plenty to see,” Danny explained as they walked out of a rustic brick building that housed one of the local diners. Jax was carefully tucking a box of pastries in his backpack, alternately bemoaning all the extra workout hours he’d have to put in, and praising how good they’d looked and smelled.

Danny laughed and studied Jax intently. “I seriously think you need to stop worrying so much about a few snacks. You’re in amazing shape.”

“And I fully plan to keep it that way.”

Something about the way he said it gave Danny a moment of pause, but he didn’t know Jax well enough to comment, at least not yet, but in the short time that they’d known one another, it struck Danny as odd how body obsesses Jax got whenever sugar and desserts were involved.

“So, you never answered my question,” Danny remarked. “What do you like.”

Jax sucked in a breath and paused to lean against a building, his eyes skimming the block. “Truth is, I don’t do much.  I like to wander around, go for walks and shit. I like fast rides, love amusement parks, especially the roller coasters. I swim, though I doubt I’ll find an outdoor pull around here, though if you know of a good indoor one that can help too. I used to play a lot of hockey, so if you know of a skating rink that would be great too.”

“If you like amusement parks we should go to Adventureland before the season ends,  their coasters are killer.”

A slow smile spread across Jax’s face.  “Definitely. You’ll have to show me which one is your favorite, the faster the better.”

“How about next weekend?”

“You’re on.”

“Perfect.” Jax replied and the way he drew out the first part of the word like an overly content cat sent a shiver down Danny’s spine.

“There’s a public skating rink, I’m not sure where exactly, but I now a few people who go sometime.”

“What about you?”

Danny shook his head and held out in his hands in front of him as if trying to ward off the entire idea. “I can do without a broken ankle, thanks.”

“It’s not so hard, once you get the hang of it. Just picture rollerblading but with ice.”

“And I don’t rollerblade either, the whole idea of strapping wheels to my feet just doesn’t hold any appeal.”

“Hmmm,” Jax said thoughtfully. “Where do you usually go to unwind?”

“Comedy theater,” Danny replied immediately, “And paintball, well, I used to play paintball, haven’t in a while.”

“I’ve never played,” Jax admitted. “Always wanted to, never found the time.”

“Then that’s something else we’ll have to do some time,” Danny suggested. “They’ll be packed as hell today. It’s an indoor place.”

“If you got comedy theater, you’ve got to have murder mystery nights too, right?”

“Oh yeah, they have a murder mystery dinner every Friday and Saturday night over on 12^th street.”

“Figures,” Jax grumbled. “Those are my busiest nights of the week.”

Danny sighed and shuffled from one foot to the other, his hands shoved deep into his pockets. The idea of showing jax around had been exciting at first, but now he was starting to wonder they would ever get off the block.

“So what would a typical Saturday be like, if you were going out on your own?”

Danny licked his bottom lip, reluctant to share what he was certain would be a boring string of stops to someone like Jax.

“Well, we already covered breakfast,” Danny began hesitantly. “It’s almost nine and the new ice age exhibit opened last week at the museum. I haven’t seen it yet, so I’d head in that direction. Along the way I’d stop at this amazing indy bookstore and picky up a few things.”

One glance at Jax and Danny noticed that his eyes had lit up and he was practically bouncing on the balls of his feet like a little kid.

“Ice age exhibit?

“Yup. Iowa apparently had all kinds of animals here once. American Camel, cave bear, sabretooth cats, bison, ancient horses, sloths, mastodons, they’ve been finding tusks and skulls and all kinds of teeth in the creeks and old farm properties.”

“No shit.”

“Yeah. They’ve even put together a mobile exhibit. I hear its all pretty cool,” Danny said.

“Sounds that way. I’d like to see it, I mean since you were gonna go check it out sometime anyway we might as well check it out together, and that bookstore you were talking about.”

Danny’s mouth fell open a little as he tried to make sense of Jax’s words. “Really?”

“Yeah. Why, what’s wrong, why are you staring at me that way?”

“I just never took you for the museum sort.”

“Why?”

“Your….” Danny’s words trailed away and instead he gestured towards Jax, clearly searching for a way to describe him and scowling when Jax began to laugh.

“What’s so funny?” Danny asked indignantly.

“You know what they say about assumptions,” Jax chuckled. “Now come on Mr. Tour guide and lead the way.”

Blog Tour: The Case No One Foretold - A Mark Julian, Vampire PI Mystery

Title: The Case No One Foretold
Author: L.G. Fabbo-Gonnella
Series: Mark Julian, Vampire P.I., book five
Genre: Mystery, Detective, Gay romance, Paranormal
Length: Novel
Publisher: Ai Press

Synopsis

Two men engage in an altercation in a movie lobby. Later one of the men turns up dead in a New York City alley. But this is no ordinary murder. The deceased is a sex demon and his fellow combatant was the werewolf, Jean-Claude Roué, fiancé of Mark’s shape-shifter secretary. Now the werewolf is accused of his murder and faces a trial by before a supernatural tribunal. If Jean-Claude is convicted for causing this death it will mean his execution. This time however, Mark Julian is away on a personal investigation in Kenya so Tortego, the crafty vampire chief, goes to an unusual source to secure help. Using his powers as head of New York City’s supernatural community he appoints Mark’s human partner, Detective Vincent Pasquale, to be one of the three judges for Jean-Claude’s trial. Now Vinnie must not only fight to clear his friend, Jean-Claude, he must deal with his supernatural co-jurists: the werewolf Viola Lupa and the sex demon Dale Carter. Both of his companion judges are on record as sworn enemies of “any mixed supernatural mating.” Throw in a shifty shape shifter named Andelan Clarke, Ja-ne the original Oracle of Delphi and, a sexy TV newsman from the island of Guernsey who appears to be more interested in bedding Vinnie than nailing a story and it truly becomes “The Case No One Foretold!”

Excerpt

The four grey robed figures sat around the wooden circular desk in the darkened stone-carved room. In the center of the table only a flickering flame, held in a bronze bowl, gave off any light. The rough cold walls were bare, giving the place a rather sinister atmosphere. Three of them were men and one a woman.
“I fail to see how hiring another killer will solve the issue,” the woman sharply stated in annoyance while staring over at the man seated across from her. “I mean the last set of vampire murders hardly solved the problem did it? In fact, that spectacular failure may have potentially cast a rather unwelcome light upon our activities.”

“I have to agree that your hiring another assassin to remove the persons on your new hit list was hardly inventive,” the tall man next to her added as he stared at the same person to whom the woman had just spoken too. “Besides, was killing all those other vampires truly required?” He grumbled. From the tone of his voice it was clear that he too shared the woman’s irritation with the person opposite them.

The slightly built male individual to whom they had addressed their criticisms said nothing for a few seconds. From his facial expression however, it was obvious to them all that he was inwardly seething over their comments. After a minute however, his face lost all outward hint of his internal anger. “I think disposing of those vampires who sat on that commission was unavoidable.” He calmly replied. “They knew too much about our plans, or else they had too many suspicions based upon what they inadvertently discovered in the records.” He gave them a chilling look; grinned at the discomfort it gave to the others in the room then continued speaking.

Buy Links

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B016B0F3ZE/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016B0F3ZE/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B016B0F3ZE/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B016B0F3ZE/

Giveaway

Prizes: 2 bundles of books one & two in the Mark Julian, Vampire P.I. series; 3 copies of Book One in the series, The Case of the Choirboy Killer
a Rafflecopter giveaway

More in the Mark Julian, Vampire P.I. Series

While each individual mystery can be read as a stand along, there are storylines that continue from one book to another, so we recommend you use the series in order:

Book One – The Case of the Choirboy killer

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00L8H28U4/

Book Two – The Case of the Strega’s Touch

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00LU0DNF8/

Book Three – The Case of the Heavenly Host

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00PD1LGKY/

Book Four – The Case of the Vampire Hunter

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0113C3UNM/

About the author

L.G.Fabbo-Gonnella is a resident of NYC. He has often said Manhattan is the underlying unspoken character in many of his books. “I guess its a love affair that I have with her,” he once said. “I could live here forever and yet still find magical things about her that I never knew existed.
When not seeking out interesting new locales for his books he can be found dinning with friends and enjoying all the city he adores has to offer.

Though he has not yet met the supernatural denizens of NYC, he does hope too one day. And yes, there is a “letter Lounge” albeit under a different name.

He can be reached at L.G.Fabbo.Gonnella@gmail.co
Facebook: https://facebook.com/Mystery-writings-of-LG-Fabbo-Gonnella
Website: http://fabbo-gonnella.blogspot.com

Excerpt from this years NaNo Novel: Burning Luck

This year I was determined to be ready for National Novel Writing Month. Last year I jumped into it on a whim a few days before it kicked off, pulling some notes off of my bookcase shelf for a merfolk story I'd been meaning to write for about 7 years. Thankfully, the notes were meticulous enough to jog my memory and I was able to reach the 50,000 word goal, though, there is still much more I want to do to the story before it is presentable.

So with that in mind, I created a storyboard this year and made a tone of notes and sketched out scene ideas and workshopped the characters a little all so that I could be ready for November 1st, and man did it pay off. This morning I hit my goal of 50,000 words, coming in at 50013 before I had to leave for work. As soon as I got home I went through my notes and made a list of the scenes that I still have left to write. There are 12 that still need to be added in order to tell the complete story, then Burning Luck will sit for about 2 weeks before I jump into editing it.

For now, hear is a Excerpt from Burning Luck, in time I hope you will come to fall in love with Lucky, Cain and Thorn as much as I have while writing their story.

“Thorn!”

“Do you have to bellow?” Thorn asked as he stepped from the study.

“Nope, I just did it to annoy the hell outta you.” Cain said, grinning.

“Asshole.”

“Did you see the pictures?”

“Yeah, was glad to see he got it done. That board is going to look amazing in the window. Can’t wait to see what else he does.”

“Hell, it’s going to suck having to sell it, as soon as I saw it, I wanted it for myself.”

“Figures,” Thorn commented, rolling his eyes. “You have enough boards, I’m surprised we haven’t had to build an addition on to the house for all the boards you just couldn't live without.

“I’m not that bad.”

“Yeah, you are,” Thorn said, laughing as he pulled Cain in for a kiss. Cain’s finger’s tangled in Thorn’s long hair as he pushed Thorn against the wall and kissed him brutally.

“Let’s fuck,” Thorn growled, trying to shove Cain off him so he could he could drag him to the bedroom, though the wilder part of him was screaming to just reverse their positions and fuck Cain up again against the wall.

“Can’t,” Cain gasped as he broke the kiss, but still kept a firm hold on a fistful of Thorn shirt. “I promised Lucky a massage.”

“Planning on playing a bit dirty with that massage?” Thorn asked, his eyes having darkened with desire.

“Planning on seeing how far he’ll let me take it,” Cain said with a mischievous grin.

Thorn’s eyes darkened a little more and yanked Cain to him in order to deliver a punishingly possessive kiss.

“Don’t fuck him without me.” Thorn ordered after he’d broken the kiss.

“You know I won’t, I just want to see if maybe he’s more open to the idea of joining us in our bed.”

Thorn snorted and shook his head. “Good luck with that, you’d have better luck luring Mark to join us.”

The pair shared a laugh at the thought of three dominant alphas trying to find harmony in a bed, even one as large as the California king that sat in the bedroom upstairs. There might be sex, but it was libel to be bloody. 

Freebie Friday ....And All Shall Fade To Black (Part 10)

Heavy boots on the stairs sent Danny to his door, peering through his peephole to try and get a glimpse of who was coming up the stairs. When he saw a very familiar tattooed arm go past, he undid the locks and pulled the door open, calling out to Jax just as he was opening the door to his apartment.

“Hey,” Jax called back as he turned around.

“Can I talk to you a minute?”

“Sure, hang on one sec,” Jax replied, opened his door and set the bag he was carrying and his backpack inside his apartment, then closed the door and locked it back before joining Danny in his doorway.

“What’s going on?”

Danny gave him a hesitant smile. “I just wanted to say I was sorry.”

Jax frowned as he tried to figure out what Danny could possibly be sorry about. “Okay, what for?”

Now it was Danny’s turn to be thrown and he found himself blinking as he fumbled to put together the right words.

“I didn’t mean to offend anyone with that remark about drinking,” Danny explained. “It’s just that after Sean, I’m not really feeling very comfortable around alcohol.”

“Understandable, and for the record, no one was offended.”

Danny’s face flushed and found himself feeling a bit stupid for how much he’d obsessed about the entire incident. “Oh.”

“So how’s the play coming along?”

“Slowly,” Danny had to admit as Jax leaned against the wall, crossing his legs and seeming to get comfortable there. “I’d hoped to be finished writing the new one before it was time to start rehearsals on the one I’d finished workshoping but it isn’t working out the way I had planned.”

“Why not? Too busy to write?”

“More like hating everything I’ve been writing. I know where I want the story to go, I just can’t seem to get it there.”

Jax was quiet for a moment, chewing his bottom lip the way Danny usually found himself chewing on the end of a pen.

“Maybe that’s your problem.”

Danny frowned. “I don’t follow you.”

“What I mean is that you’re trying to get the story to go someplace instead of just allowing it to go there.”

Upon hearing that, Danny’s spine went rigid, his arms crossed and he almost seemed to bristle. The fact that Jax not only noticed that he struck a nerve, but actually had the nerve to chuckle about it just made Danny frown more.

“Relax,” Jax said, grinning, “And by the way, you just proved my point.”

“Well maybe if you explained your point better, it would be easier to understand,” Danny grumbled.

“Okay, answer me this, where do you write?”

“Here, I’ve got a nice view out the window and all the tea I could ever want.”

“Which sounds boring as hell,” Jax pointed out. “Look, I’m not a writer, but I’ve spent enough time with creative people to know that you have to go out and live life, experience shit in order to be able to sit down and actually get words or images to flow on paper.”

“So now you’re saying I’m boring.”

“Nope, you are, I just said it had to be boring sitting around here all the time. Maybe your struggling with your play because you’ve been pushing so hard to force yourself to get it done. Maybe what you need is a day away from it, and here.”

“So I should, what, go wander around aimlessly? See a movie? Visit a museum?” Danny tossed out there, beginning to ponder whether Jax could actually be on to something. It had been awhile since he’d done much of anything besides work on his plays and put up with Sean.

“Well,” Jax said, the grin on his face stretching just a little bit more. “I’m off tomorrow, you could always show me around the city.”

The suggestion completely threw Danny for a loop, for a moment, then he quickly nodded. “I can do that. Maybe you’re right, it might be good for me.”

“And even if it doesn’t work, at least you’ll be doing a good deed and keeping me from wandering around aimlessly getting lost. I have a horrible sense of direction.”

“Well in that case, I guess you do need a guide. What time do you want to head out?”

Now it was Jax’s turn to look sheepish. “I um, kinda forgot to grab milk at the store tonight, or juice, or eggs, and I forgot bread too, so maybe we’d better head out around eight and find a diner or something.”

Danny couldn’t help it, he burst out laughing at the completely hopeless look on Jax’s face.

“So then what was in the bag?” Danny finally asked.

“Chili fixings and some boxed corn bread mix,” Jax admitted sheepishly, eliciting a laugh from both of them.

“Well we know where your priorities lie,” Danny said. “So, tomorrow, eight o’clock?”

“Perfect,” Jax said as he shoved away from the wall. “Thanks, Danny.”

“You’re welcome,” Danny said and waved as Jax headed back to his apartment.

Release Day Blitz: Taylin Clavelli's Secret of the Manor

Title: Secret of the Manor
Author: Taylin Clavelli
Genre: Gay romance, mystery, paranormal, adventure
Length: Novel
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

Warren Blake is an accountant at the pinnacle of his career. After accepting a new position he decides to settle in the scenic Cotswold village of Walmsley Hackett.  A village with a colourful history of myth, old wives tales and mystery.

One morning during his train ride into work, Warren notices a small quaint church which he becomes enchanted with. Curiousity compels him to find the church and when he finally does, he discovers an unmarked grave in the corner. Feeling sorry for its occupant, Warren becomes a frequent visitor.
Little does he know that the young man inside the coffin needs a champion and Warren is chosen.
What follows involves a ghostly medieval joust, witchcraft, love, and Warren risking his life.

Buy Links

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/secret-of-the-manor-by-taylin-clavelli/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-secretofthemanor-1914001-149.html

Excerpt

DURING THE previous summer, midway through the building process, Warren had found a local stables and indulged his love of horses. The facility had both indoor and outdoor schools, a field full of jumps, and a cross-country course. Warren chose the place not only because of its impressive amenities, but because he immediately struck a chord with its aging owner, Carl. He and Carl rode together often. Their friendship developed during Sunday-afternoon rides through the vales and hills of the Cotswolds.

It was during one of the pair’s lollops into luxurious green canopies and winding trails that Warren first spotted a small church spire. But it was in the distance, and was soon out of sight. Even then, Warren was intrigued. Sadly, they never rode close enough for it to be anything but an image veiled by trees and for one reason or another he never asked about it.

Often, he and Carl didn’t talk at all when they rode together. They simply enjoyed the relaxing, mind-clearing experience of milling around the countryside on horseback. Short of the odd bird flying out of a hedge and scaring the bejesus out of them, or a rabbit making a dash for cover, riding was a time of compatible solitude, away from the rat race.

When Carl was in the mood to talk he regaled Warren with the origins of Walmsley Hackett. And when Carl spoke Warren stayed quiet, enamoured with his stories.

As it turned out, the 1800s was nowhere near the start of Cheltenham life. Unearthed historical finds suggested several villages in the Cotswolds dated back to Roman times, long before the Saxons, Vikings, and mediaeval Normans.

The historical tales were of varying believability. Carl often rolled his eyes while he glossed over the fables he considered ludicrous. Among those were stories of a jousting competition reenacted during the summer solstice. It was believed to take place in a field on the village border, and Carl had never met anyone who’d seen it. Other stories told of winged fairies in the woods during spring and a Roman army on the march.

About the author

Taylin Clavelli lives in the United Kingdom, about 15 miles south of Birmingham, and a short journey from the world famous Cadbury’s Chocolate factory. She’s married with children and loves her family with all her heart.

Her love of books has been a long standing affair, with Taylin liking nothing better than to lose herself in an imaginary world.

Until she met Lily Velden, she never considered trying her hand at writing. However, after talking ideas, Lily encouraged her to put pen to paper—or rather, fingers to keyboard. Since, with a few virtual kicks in the right place, she hasn’t stopped. Her confidence eventually led to her writing an original work for submission.

Her first published work was Boys, Toys, and Carpet Fitters, developed for the Dreamspinner Press Anthology – Don’t Try This At Home.

Now she absolutely adores immersing herself into the characters she creates, and transferring the pictures in her brain to paper, finding it liberating, therapeutic, and wonderful.

Outside of writing, her interests include; martial arts (she’s a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwon-do), horse-riding, all of which facilitates her love of a wide variety of movies. Her action heroes include Jet Li and Tony Jaa—finding the dedication these men have for their art combined with their skill both amazing and a privilege to watch. If pressed, she’ll admit to thinking that the screen entrance of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean – Curse of the Black Pearl, and Shadowfax in LOTR, to be the greatest screen entrances ever. Her all-time favorite movies are Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.

The simple things in life that make her day, putting a smile on her face are:
Laughter – especially that of her children.
The smell of lasagna cooking – it makes her mouth salivate.
The dawn chorus – no symphony ever written can beat the waking greetings of the birds.

Social links:
Website: http://www.taylinclavelli.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005234535413
Twitter: https://twitter.com/taylinclavelli

Mini Blog Tour: Long Haul by Michael P. Thomas

Title: Long Haul
Author: Michael P. Thomas
Series: The Mile High Club, book two
Genre: Gay Romance, Contemporary
Length: Novella (62 pages)
Publisher: JMS Books

Synopsis
Flight attendant Tanner Bradac and his occasional make-out buddy Clark Arnold find themselves on a layover in San Francisco on the day the U.S. Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage. Tanner is as happy about the ruling as any of his Facebook friends rainbowing up their profile pictures, it just doesn’t affect him personally—he doesn’t even have a boyfriend. Color him surprised, then, when he and Clark get caught up in the celebratory spirit of the day and return home as lawfully wedded husbands.
The wedding may have been a last-minute light-hearted lark, but Tanner and Clark are willing to give marriage a go. Tanner loves Clark—at least, he really wants to love Clark—and he figures the rest should just fall into place. How hard can being married to a guy you barely know really be?


Short Blurb: On the day the Supreme Court legalizes same-sex marriage, Tanner Bradac doesn’t even have a boyfriend, so you can imagine his surprise when he and his buddy Clark get carried away by the celebratory spirit of the day and wind up lawfully wedded husbands. The wedding may have been a light-hearted lark, but Tanner and Clark are willing to give marriage a go. After all, how hard can it be?

Excerpt
“Where do y’all live?” Cecilia asked once they were settled in the shade of a huge tree and had toasted Endless Love.

“Denver.”

“Serious? So what, you’re in town for Pride?”

“No,” Clark said. “We’re flight attendants. We’re on a layover. We were actually supposed to be working today, but San Fran-Denver canceled.”

“So you got married instead?”

“You think you’re surprised,” Tanner said with a grin.

“I think that’s adorable,” Tess said. “How long have you guys been together?”

Tanner smiled at Clark, then pulled his phone out of his pocket to check the time. “What’s it been, babe? An hour and a half?”

“Already?” Clark said. “Time does fly.”

Cecilia made a show of setting her glass down with a thunk. “Wait. You guys aren’t a couple?”

“Well, we are now.”

“We’re friends,” Clark hastened to add. “And you know, we’ve fooled around.” He reached for Tanner’s hand. “I’ve been wanting to be a couple.”

Tanner smiled. “A little bit I have, too.”

“Really?” Clark asked, visibly pleased by this revelation, as if Tanner hadn’t just legally hitched his wagon to Clark’s star like an hour ago.

“Really.”

Both girls were gobsmacked, but Tess soon said, “Well, you got that wish.”

Cecilia pursued the theme. “But you weren’t, like, boyfriends or anything?”

The hand-holding husbands shook their heads. Nope.

“Hadn’t even talked about it?”

Nope.

“And you married each other because…?”

“Well, you guys seemed to think it was a good idea,” Tanner said with a smile.

Book Review
This was the perfect book for a Friday afternoon curled up on my couch with my cat. Sweet, light hearted, and fun while kicking off the celebratory feel of what it was like to hear the news of the Supreme Court’s decision on marriage equality. The hilarity of the rash decision had a very realistic and compelling feel to it, Cecilia and her rings were awesome, as was the judge, they gave the moment a feeling of uniqueness, while also bringing out how totally unprepared Tanner and Clark were for this moment. They are absolutely adorable in their awkwardness during the ceremony and at lunch afterward and super hot when they were bouncing each other off walls trying to find their door. I found it fun to watch them realize how little they knew about one another and how little they had thought things through, like with their living situation and not knowing that one hated sushi while the other Indian food. It all played out so naturally while they were with friends or socializing, it was clear that it wasn’t something that they just thought about when they were alone together. I almost did a spit take when they looked down to see that the landlord had set the steps on fire in an effort to get rid of the ant problem. The image that was painted of the frazzled older man just trying to make the problem go away was pretty comical. I loved the light hearted feeling of the story that flows through each of the scenes. The reality of Boise and never having discussed what each of them wanted in their lives and in their future really drove home the seriousness of the predicament they had gotten themselves into marrying on a whim. This was a great balance to the softer, lighter moments of earlier in the story. For a short read this one really packed a lot of emotion. It’s certainly a story I would read time and time again.

Buy Links
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Long-Haul-Mile-High-Club-ebook/dp/B016N810MO/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Long-Haul-Mile-High-Club-ebook/dp/B016N810MO/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Long-Haul-Mile-High-Club-ebook/dp/B016N810MO/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Long-Haul-Mile-High-Club-ebook/dp/B016N810MO/
JMS Books: http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29_94&products_id=1540

Start with book one!
First Flight Out
Jesse Cisneros and his best buddy Tanner fly for Mile High Airlines, which is every bit as classy as it sounds. When Dr. Willis rings his call light on a flight from New York to Denver, Jesse is so taken with the good doctor’s looks and charm, he forgets all about the inflight medical crisis that prompted him to call for a flight attendant in the first place. Willis is handsome. Willis is helpful. And wouldn’t you know it? Willis is someone else’s husband.
Jesse can hardly believe his luck when their paths cross again on the patio of a popular gay bar. It’s been nine months, and Willis has been busy: now he’s single, he’s out, and he’s very interested in getting to know Jesse better. It all seems too good to be true! And you know what they say about that …

Buy Links
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/First-Flight-Mile-High-Club-ebook/dp/B00UDJ3PT6
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/First-Flight-Mile-High-Club-ebook/dp/B00UDJ3PT6
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/First-Flight-Mile-High-Club-ebook/dp/B00UDJ3PT6
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/First-Flight-Mile-High-Club-ebook/dp/B00UDJ3PT6
JMS Books: http://www.jms-books.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=29_94&products_id=1405

Giveaway
Prize: $20 Amazon Gift Card
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About the author
Michael P. Thomas is a flight attendant whose writing is continually inspired by his work with the flying public, who flatly refuse to be boring. The author of three novel-length gay romances and a number of romantic and erotic shorts, he writes gay fiction because when he was coming out he sure was glad to have it to read. After misspending his youth in San Francisco, he now lives in his native Colorado with his husband.

Social Links
Website: http://misterstewardess.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GoReadMichaelPThomas
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MrStewardess