Saturday, February 27, 2016

Rainbow Snippet Feb. 27th

It's finally here, the cover for Desolation Angel, only one more week before its release date, so here is the final snippet before then. Thank you so much who have commented on the snippets each week. Here is the pre-order link:


Snippet
Sionn was startled for a second when he felt something soft brush across his lips, until he realized it was Dare, kissing him lightly before taking the scarf away. Sionn’s eyes widened when he saw where they were. The big domed roof, the telescopes, the star maps and detailed charts, graphs, and images—it was almost too much for Sionn to take in at once.
“Dare, I wouldn’t have guessed you’d remember.”
“Of course I remember. I used to love listening to you talk about how the constellations got their names.”
“You always did love my stories.”
“I still do. And I couldn’t think of a better way to spend our first date than staring at the stars with you.”


Friday, February 26, 2016

Happy Friday....have a stiff drink and enjoy ...And All Shall Fade to Black



It felt good to work with power tools again, or maybe it was just the feeling he had working on something made him feel good about himself. Creating the set for Danny was one part atonement for being an ass, but the rest was just how cool it would be to see the play come to life with all the bells and whistles.

Measuring out the last piece for the ring frame, he cut it and carried it over to the rest of the pieces, then set about assembling the base and building up the sides and the small set of steps in the back that would allow the actors to step inside without having to navigate the ropes. Was a good thing he knew a little about wrestling and what it was supposed to look like. When Danny had suggested painting the base blue, Jax had balked, explaining it was supposed to be fabric.

Little had he known that would send him on an excursion to a fabric store to find something that would work. Hours spent wandering the racks and rolls of material had finally yielded something that would mimic the right color and consistency, and as he spread it over the base, he was feeling pretty pleased about the way it was all turning out.

“Holy shit that’s nice.”

Jax jerked his head up to see a guy in a mask watching him. Phillip, he thought Danny had said the man’s name was. He was playing Az, that Jax knew for sure, and would be one of the actors performing inside the ring. Jax watched as the guy fiddled with the mask before finally peeling it away from his face.

“Damn that thing is hot, it’s gonna be a bitch when all the lights are shining on the stage.”

“I bet,” Jax replied conversationally, wondering what in the world the guy wanted.

“Seriously though, awesome job on the ring, it looks really real,” Phillip said. “I wasn’t sure at first what Danny had in mind when he was trying to explain all the scenes to us. I’ve never watched wrestling, I thought about watching a match or two when I got the part, but work and rehearsals and shit, I just never really got around to it.”

“I’ve watched it a few times, enough to figure out what I’m doing anyway,” Jax admitted.

“Cool. I just wanted to come back and see it, get a better feel for what I was in for, ya know,” Phillip said. “I’d better get back out there, but thanks for stepping in and helping.”

“No problem.”

Jax watched as Phillip wandered back out towards the front of the stage, then he turned his attention back to his work. Turned out Phillip wasn’t the only one grateful for his help, several times over the course of the day members of Danny’s crew wandered to the back and introduced themselves, admired the ring and made casual conversation with him. It was odd, but not at all unpleasant to feel like he was a part of their team.

The way he saw it, this was the easy part. No way could he ever see himself doing what they did, standing out on the stage for people to stare at and securitize. He was pretty sure he’d puke before he ever stepped foot on the stage. He had to admire the courage it took to do what they did, which just made him even more pleased to have a small part in making it happen.

Doubling his efforts and his focused, he finished using the staple gun to get the floor covering in place, then moved on to constructing the ring posts. 4 x 6’s had to be shaped into posts, then wrapped in paper mache to make them thicker. Those would have to harden for the next two days before he could spray several coats of black over them until they looked like shiny metal. Best to get started at them next, to make sure they were ready for Friday. The ring ropes would be hose material painted blue and red, since they would best mimic the thickness.

Bending to his task, he quickly lost track of time, so much so that when Danny tapped him on the shoulder after he’d turned off the machine, that he jumped and looked around.

“Hey,” Jax said when he saw Danny standing there.

“Hey, yourself, it’s getting late. I know you have to be at work in a couple hours, I thought you might want to grab something to eat before you had to go.”

“Naw, I’m good,” Jax said. “I want to get these wrapped in paper mache before I leave for the day, so they’ll be ready to paint on Friday.”

“You don’t have to rush, you know, we’ve got a little over a week before dress rehearsals, and with all the progress you’ve already made, I don’t have a doubt everything will be ready.”

“Thanks.”

“So, join us for dinner?”

“Thanks, but I’m not really hungry.”

Danny shuffled from foot to foot, frowning.

“What’s up?” Jax asked, looking around at the pieces he’d already completed. “Did I fuck something up?”

“No, not at all, everything is awesome, I don’t know how you found the old posters for the gym walls but between them and the office set you finished yesterday, everything looks amazing. I can’t believe what you’ve been able to do in just a week.”

“The set designs were pretty simple, it helped that you had the supplies and everything already here, it really saved me some time.”

“I’m glad. I know it was kind of last minute, you helping out, so at least we had most everything you needed.”

“Yeah, and folks helping paint really made things come together quicker too,” Jax said.

“That’s what a production is all about,” Danny replied, a small smile crossing his face. “It’s not a division of actors and tech crew, it’s everyone trying to work together to make a performance happen.”

“That’s cool. What you guys do here is pretty awesome. Never would have imagined so much went into it.”

“What we do here.”

“Huh?”

“You said, ‘you guys,’ but you forgot to include yourself,” Danny pointed out.

“Some screws and bolts aren’t the same as what goes on out there.”

“Don’t do that.”

Jax frowned and studied Danny, confused by the sudden look of fury on his face. “Do what?”

“Undervalue what you’ve done to help.” Danny snapped. “And don’t think none of us have noticed the way you never seem to take a break, not for a snack, not for lunch, you just guzzle water and that protein stuff you carry with you.”

“I grab something on my way to work.”

“Okay, then come on, let’s go grab something,” Danny insisted.

“Why are you making such a big deal of this?”

“Someone has to,” Danny said. “I’m worried about you. I know it’s none of my business, but I um, I think you’ve got an eating disorder.”

Jax blinked, stunned at the words that kind of sat in the silence between them. He wanted to lash out at Danny, tell him to fuck off and storm out of there, but he couldn’t desert the show and he couldn’t deny the truth in what Danny was saying.

“I’ve had one for a long time. I manage,” Jax grumbled defensively.

“Have you um, ever talked to someone about it, like, a professional, someone who might be able to help?”

“Yeah, just haven’t needed to in a while.”

“I kinda think you do. I don’t mean to be pushy or anything but, it’s getting hard to miss.”

Jax crossed his arms and glared at the ground, “Yeah, well, I’d rather it to being a fatass.”

“Huh?”

“Look, I used to be really fuckin’ fat okay. I used to overeat and sometimes I pig out on stupid shit, like ice cream and pizza and other crap, so, sometimes I skip a few meals after I do that shit, to kinda balance it out.”

“Not sure it’s the healthiest way to balance it out.”

“Yeah well, it isn’t your body, so, it shouldn’t matter to you.” Jax grumbled, checked his watch and set about unplugging things. “I’d better go, don’t wanna be late to the shop.”


Before Danny could get in another word Jax hurried away, the sudden sting of the cold air on his face as he stepped outside a harsh reminder of the tears that were flowing down his cheeks.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

It's Snippet Time!


Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week to share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).
In this group you’ll find anything from romance and historical fiction to mystery and YA. The common thread is that every story’s main character identifies as LGBTQ+. The snippets could range from zero flames to full-on sexytimes, anything goes content-wise. The only rule is snippets will be 6 sentences long–one for each color in the Pride flag.
I would invite everyone to please come check out the Rainbow Snippets group, click on a link, read and comment on the writing available and get involved yourselves in this awesome exercise. The link to the group can be found HERE

Today's snippet is also from Desolation Angel set to be released on March 4th. 

Synopsis: Desolation Angel

Dare gets lost in music only he can hear; ever since he was a child the music would roll through his mind, soft at first, and then loud, drowning out everything until the rest of the world melted away. When he comes back to himself he has notes and lyrics, the base of the songs his band plays all over the city, but some days he finds himself wondering what good it is to be so talented, when the rest of his life is such a mess. His music is his passion but sometimes it interferes with simple things, like taking a shower without being in there for hours, or cooking a meal without nearly burning down the house. He wonders if giving up the music will give him a chance at a 'normal' life and the love of the man he adores, so when the opportunity comes to ‘fix’ himself, he jumps at it. But fate has a funny way of twisting things up and ‘normal’ is just a state of mind, isn’t it? While Dare struggles to change everything he believes is wrong with himself, secrets are revealed, loyalties and relationships are tested, and the band is offered the kind of opportunity that comes along once in a lifetimes.

Today's Snippet (just a bit of the band having fun)

“I’m coming for that flag, Tommy, just you wait!” Mark bellowed.
“I keep hearing you make the same threat, but I haven’t seen you do anything yet!”
“All I hear from either one of you is talking!” Paul said as he rushed Tommy’s fort with an armful of snowballs. He lobbed one at a time, catching Tommy in the side of the face when he peeked over to see what was going on. Mark took that opportunity to gather up an armload of his own snowballs and rushed Tommy’s fort too, pelting him from the side as Tommy tried to return fire.

“Oh, of course, it had to be me you guys come after!” 

Friday, February 19, 2016

Happy Freebie Friday here is the latest chapter of ...And All Shall Fade To Black



Jax trudged up the steps having a hard time putting one foot in front of the other, he was so tired and shaky after finishing up at the shop. Steph had noticed too, and it had sucked being peppered with a stream of questions ranging from how well he was sleeping to if he’d been getting enough to eat. After the binge with the ice cream he’d been careful to limit himself to two small meals a day and extra workouts, but he wasn’t sure it had erased the damage done. Standing in the mirror in the morning when he’d gotten dressed, he’d looked at himself from all angles. His jeans were still fitting right, even hanging a bit low on his hips the way he liked them. He’d stroked a hand over the ridges of his abs, poking them a bit, wondering if it was a bit of flab beginning to show.

Anger had raged inside of him, because he’d worked so hard only to fuck it up so badly. For a moment he’d contemplated smashing the window, but the last thing he needed was more bad luck in his life. For a moment, he’d simply stood there, staring at his reflection, disgusted with himself, before finally pulling a t-shirt on. Hiding himself from view always felt better on days like this, though it always felt like a shame to cover up all of that beautiful ink. Those pieces would have been better on someone else, someone who wasn’t disgustingly undisciplined.
                                                                                                                                               
He was so busy wallowing in dark thoughts and misery that he didn’t notice Danny’s door was open until the other man’s voice stopped him cold.

“Hey Jax, you got a minute?”

He lifted his head, wondering what Danny could possibly want after the way their last conversation ended. “Yeah, um, sure,” Jax said as he climbed the final step and crossed the hallway to lean against the wall.

“Do you mind coming in?”

It was impossible not to let the shock show on his face at Danny’s suggestion, but he nodded, and stepped past him into the well-lit apartment. The cats where there to greet him, winding around his feet, so adorable that Jax couldn’t help but kneel down and scratch beneath their chins and rub their fuzzy heads. Lyric arched and purred, making Jax smile a bit as the big cat put her paws on his shoulder and rubbed faces with him.

“Well hello to you too,” he said, rubbing the fluffy furball even more.

Mrrrumph, Lyric replied, headbutting his hand.

Jax laughed, gave her one final skirtch beneath the chin, and stood to find Danny watching him, an unreadable look on his face.

Jax squirmed, a little uncomfortable at the way Danny was watching him. “What’s up?”

“Would you like some coffee or tea or anything?”

“Umm water, please.”

“Sure,” Danny said, heading for the kitchen. “Grab a seat.”

Looking around, Jax decided on one of the wooden chairs at the dining room table and dropped into it, catching sight of a bottle of whiskey on the counter as he did. He could have gone for some of that at the moment, if Danny was offering, might have cut down a little on the nerves he was feeling.
When Danny sat the ice water on a coaster in front of him, he drank it gratefully, glad to have something to do with his hands as Danny settled into the chair across from him.

“After the last conversation we had, I know I have no right to ask this, but I need a favor and you’re the only one I know who might be able to help us out with this,” Danny began.

Jax exhaled, finding himself instantly more at ease at hearing Danny’s words. A favor he could handle, he’d been worried Danny wanted to talk about their messed up attempt at friendship. Settling more comfortable in his chair, Jax had a brief moment to wonder about the prickle of disappointment he suddenly felt, before Danny started talking again.

“Herman’s cousin Thatcher was supposed to build the sets for the play, but he bailed on us, kind of last minute to take a better paying job, and I was wondering if you would have the time and be willing to finish the sets for us.”

Jax tapped his fingers together, letting Danny’s words sink in. Helping with the sets would mean seeing Danny every day and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. It would be harder to keep just how much he liked Danny to himself if he had to constantly interact with him, but on the other hand, he’d really enjoyed hearing the script performed. The play had spoken to him and it would be kind of cool to have a hand in making it happen. If only….

Jax raised his head to meet Danny’s eyes, then dropped it, because Danny’s gaze was just too intense.

“What’s your backup plan?” he asked at last.

“You are the backup plan,” Danny admitted and Jax could hear the weariness in his voice. “If you can’t do it, then we’ll have to cancel the show and hope we can get a time slot for some time next year.”

“Damn.”

Danny sighed. “Yeah, pretty much. Like I said, I’m sorry to have to ask you. I know you’re busy with work and all…”

“Only in the evenings,” Jax blurted. “Most days I just spend my time at the gym.”

“Oh.”

“I’ve got all the tools we’d need, do you have plans or drawings or something to show me what the sets are supposed to look like?”

“Wh-what?”

“Plans, did you have anything drawn up?”

“Yeah, does that mean you’ll do it?”

Jax raised his head and once again met Danny’s eyes. “Yeah, actually. I don’t want you to have to cancel your play. I liked what I heard at the rehearsals, I’d kind of love the chance to see it live.”
Jax watched as Danny’s eyes went wide, relief washing some of the stress lines away from his face. The rest fled when he smiled and Jax felt a special kind of pleasure at having put that smile there. Maybe he’d fucked up any shot at friendship, but perhaps he could make it up to Danny, just a little, by hoping with the play this way.

“Holy…Jax thank you. Thank you so much, I-I don’t even know what to say right now, I, just thank you for agreeing to do this. This play means so much to me and if the critics come and they like it, then some favorable reviews can really help me get some of my other plays in theaters around the city and maybe in Missouri too and who knows, maybe it could go further, and…listen to me, ranting on and on and we haven’t even performed opening night yet.”

Jax couldn’t help but laugh at that, and Danny’s passion and energy.

“That’s pretty awesome, how into your work you are.”

“This is the only thing I’ve ever really wanted to do. I love writing plays. I hope I can connect to the audience with them. That they’ll take something away from what they saw that makes them want to talk about it with friends, encourage them to come see the play too.”

“That’s cool. It really is. If you’ve got a copy of the plans here I’d love to take a look at them.”

Danny nodded, shoved his chair back and hurried to his bag, returning to the table with a folder market set designs. This time, when he sat it wasn’t across the table from Jax, but in the chair closest to him, laying out the plans on the table in front of him.

“This is the biggest piece,” Danny explained, pointing to a corner section that jutted out from a wall. “It has to look like a wrestling ring.”

Jax nodded, studying it. It looked simple enough to construct, as a stationary prop. He checked the dimensions, and the notes beneath explaining that a few scenes would actually be taking place in it. That was good to know.

“What’s this?” Jax asked, pointing a piece of the plans that had a big X through them.

“Oh, we had to scrap that,” Danny said, reaching for the paper.

“Why?”

“No one knew how to make it work out.”

“What was it?”

There was a scene in the play where Az is trying to kill a mouse, but you can’t use a real mouse on the stage and the movements in cat toys don’t last long enough. You pull the string and it goes a little and dies. We tried battery operated ones but they zip across the floor too fast to be realistic.

Jax cocked his head to the side, studying it.

“So what happened to the scene?”

“We left it in, it’s a key scene, we just decided to pretend there was something there and hope the audience will suspend disbelief for a moment.”

“Or we can take the guts out of a stuffed mouse and replace them with the inside of a remote controlled car, and have someone off to the side control the mouse for the scene.”

Danny’s jaw dropped, his eyes blinked and Danny watched as he glanced from the paper, back to Jax, then back to the paper again.

“Holy shit that could work. Can you, do you know how to do that?”

“Yeah. I loved remote control cars growing up, we were always fiddling with them, building them and motorizing shit to scare people with. I can put it together, no problem.”

“Thank you. Damn. I, this is way more than I expected.” Danny admitted.

Jax just shrugged. “I should be thanking you. You’re giving me a chance to fiddle with that stuff again.”

“Why’d you stop?”

Shrugging again, Jax rested his head on his hand.

“I dunno, guess I figured I’d outgrown it or something.”

Danny laughed a little, and Jax picked at the sleeve of his shirt as he tried to figure out why.

“I’m sorry, I’m not laughing at you,” Danny said, waving his hand in the air between them. “It’s just, it sucks that as we get older we start to feel as if we have to give up on the things we love. Why? I don’t get it, even though I’ve come to realize I’ve let a lot of things go for the same reasons.”

“Yeah, like what?”

“I used to love roleplaying games and all night gaming sessions. You name it and Herman and I used to play.”

“No shit?” Jax chuckled. “I’ve played a few times, but Callum and Max play a lot, they’ve got tons of games. You should go down and talk to them sometime if you’re still interested in playing. I’m sure they’d be happy to have you join in and Herman too if he wants.”

For the second time tonight, Danny’s smile made Jax feel good about having put it there.

“You know what, when this play is over, I’m going to do just that. Thank you.”

“No problem.” Jax stifled a yawn and stood, unsteadily. “Well, if I’m gonna be building sets for you in the morning, then I’d better get a good night’s sleep.”

“Yeah, I’ll see you at the theater at ten.”

“That’ll work,” Jax said and turned, intending to head for the door when the whole room spun and spots sort of danced in front of his eyes. He swayed and grabbed hold of the table, shocked when he felt Danny’s hands on his arm and back.

“Are you okay?”

Jax shook his head to clear it, then took a deep breath and let it out slow, steadying himself and easing away from Danny.

“Yeah, um, fine, just more tired than I thought, sorry,” Jax said as he headed for the door, willing himself to walk a straight line to his apartment.


He fumbled with the door for a moment and once inside, thought to head to the kitchen and grab some food. He knew he should, but the moment he was alone that nagging voice returned, reminding him he still had all of that ice cream to make up for. In the end, he just went to bed. 

Wednesday, February 17, 2016

Callum's Fate Blog Tour and Review

Callum's Fate Tour Banner

Title: Callum’s Fate
Author: Dianne Hartsock
Genre: Fantasy, Gay Romance, Erotic Romance
Length: Novella
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

In 1780, Scotland, following a harsh year of drought, Callum Mackenzie is forced from his father’s farm in the hopes of finding work.

But as fate would have it, Callum is lured onto the moors by the will-o-the-wisp. Lost in the dark, he falls into enchantment, encountering faeries and nymphs, until he stumbles into the arms of a licentious Barrow-Wight who lays claim to his soul.

Hearing his silent pleas, Donal sends Liam the gruagach (faery) to rescue Callum and bring him to his farm, a place of refuge from the Fae.

Callum is happy working on Donal’s farm, slowly falling in love with the beautiful, silver-haired gruagach.

Yet there’s something wrong in the nearby forest….

Despite Donal’s warnings, Callum is lured into the forest and becomes tangled in its magic, easy prey for the Barrow-Wight.

Will Liam be able to strike a deal with the Barrow-Wight to save Callum’s life, or has Callum found his last resting place instead?

Excerpt

He went on when the other man kept silent. “I know your magic guards us, keeps us safe from the dangers of the moors. But why, my friend, when you get so little from us in return? Surely there are other places more deserving of your attention, those who can give you a rich home, full of luxuries?”

Liam flashed him a look Donal couldn’t decipher, a mixture of laughter and something else. “You didn’t think I’d forget the wee lad who saved me from the brollachan all those years ago?”

Donal laughed softly at the memory. “If a certain lovely brownie hadn’t been caught in the rafters with the faery queen’s son.... She sent those evil creatures to eat you alive.”

The gruagach shuddered. “Worse. They would have possessed me and done great harm to the world through me.”

“Instead, those bogies chased you down the well. The way you screeched, I thought they’d trapped my new kitten down there.”

“And you drove the most feared creatures that walk the night off with a club. I suppose proving that righteous anger conquers evil.”

“I think the saying is ‘love conquers all things’. I wasn’t about to let them hurt my kitty.”

“You did seem surprised when you pulled me from the well instead.”

Donal’s expression softened. “You were so beautiful.”

Liam brushed the light hair from Donal’s eyes. “And you stole my breath, young as you were then.”

“I was fifteen, Liam. Old enough to know my heart.” Donal leaned forward and kissed the gruagach’s sweet mouth. He sighed, remembering the joyful days and nights that had followed, learning the pleasures of another man’s body. The gruagach had been gentle, sensual. He had become lost in bliss and elation.

“I loved you,” he confessed. “I hadn’t wanted to hurt you.”

Callum's Fate Dianne Hartsock Cover

Review

Absolutely fascinating, riveting from start to finish. This is one of those books that sticks with you and makes you want to read it over and over again, especially if you are a lover of myth and folklore. I found myself drawn to the vivid descriptions, to the characterizations themselves, and to the way that the story played out. i don't want to give anything away because this is one of those stories where you really need to curl up on the couch, preferably in front of a fireplace and read it yourself, give yourself the time to just get lost in it. There were some awesomely sensual scenes that got to be pretty steamy as well but for me the real joy was in seeing the world building, the fairies, and the depth to each of the characters.

Buy Links links

Don’t miss the Valentine’s Day Sale (February 11-17) 50% off on WIP’s website and 40% off on ARe!

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/callums-fate-by-dianne-hartsock/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Callums-Fate-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B01B383YP0/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Callums-Fate-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B01B383YP0/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Callums-Fate-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B01B383YP0/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Callums-Fate-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B01B383YP0/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-callum039sfate-1973471-143.html

Giveaway

Prizes: $5 ARe Gift Card & $2.99 WIP Gift Card

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Callum's Fate 3D Cover

Video Trailer

About the author

DIANNE HARTSOCK is the author of m/m erotic romance, both contemporary and fantasy, the psychological thriller, and anything else that comes to mind. Oh, and a floral designer. If she can’t be writing, at least she has the chance to create through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage to bring a smile to someone’s face.

Currently, Dianne lives in the Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play.

Social links

Website: https://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diannehartsock
Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannehartsock
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/diannehartsock/

Saturday, February 13, 2016

Rainbow Snippet Feb 13. Share the Love



Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week to share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).
In this group you’ll find anything from romance and historical fiction to mystery and YA. The common thread is that every story’s main character identifies as LGBTQ+. The snippets could range from zero flames to full-on sexytimes, anything goes content-wise. The only rule is snippets will be 6 sentences long–one for each color in the Pride flag.
I would invite everyone to please come check out the Rainbow Snippets group, click on a link, read and comment on the writing available and get involved yourselves in this awesome exercise. The link to the group can be found HERE

Today's snippet is also from Desolation Angel set to be released on March 4th. 
Since tomorrow is Valentine's Day, I wanted to share a steamy bit from the upcoming novel. A little more than 6 lines but please consider it a tiny Valentine's Day gift.  

Dare leaned over and flicked his tongue across Sionn’s chest, making him writhe. “Tell me what you want.” He slid down Sionn’s body, slinky as a snake, and caught his teeth on the button of Sionn’s jeans, undoing it, then easily pulling down the zipper.
“I want you ta ride me,” Sionn groaned as Dare slid his jeans lower and lower before finally yanking them off.
“Really?” Dare purred, hands on Sionn’s thighs, parting them so he could trail kisses up the inside.
Sionn gasped at the feeling of Dare’s hair spilling over him, gliding across his abs. Dare gave the inside of his left thigh a light nip before turning his head and licking the other.
“God, aye, really!” Sionn cried out as Dare kissed up that thigh too, then took him in his mouth.

Friday, February 12, 2016

Freebie Friday Post for Feb 12th... And All Shall Fade to Black


Smiling, Danny stood on the stage, looking out into the empty auditorium. He lived for moments like this, when rehearsals were going smoothly and his words were actually starting to come alive. The only hiccup they were experiencing was that that Herman’s cousin had backed on helping with prop and set designs. Finding someone at such short notice was proving to be a disaster, which meant Danny was going to have to do something he really didn’t want to do but for the sake of the show, he’d swallow his pride and do it.

He just hoped that after the way everything had disintegrated between them, Jax would say yes.

Footsteps on the stage alerted  him to the presence of another, and he turned his head to see Herman striding towards him with a grim look on his face.

“That’s it, we’re sunk, we’re gonna have to postpone. My Uncle Dean was the last hope, and wouldn’t you know it, he’s in the Dominican Republic with my Aunt Irene and won’t be back until sometime next month.”

“Isn’t he the one who hates the snow?”

“Yeah, pretty much,” Herman grumbled.

“Then chances are he won’t be back next month either.”

Herman shook his head, the despondent look on his face making Danny feel bad for blowing up at him earlier. It wasn’t his fault that his cousin Thatcher had canceled on them in order to make way more than they could afford to pay him. Just went to show that giving ones word and a handshake didn’t go as far as it used to. Maybe in the future he should look to take a few carpentry and welding classes when the continuing ed program offered them. At least then he could build his own sets, or at the very least, help work on a crew that was building them.

“Do you want me to call the theater director in the morning or would you prefer to do it?” Herman asked. “I don’t mind doing it, and telling her it’s all my fault, maybe she’ll be willing to find us a slot without making us have to wait another year.”

“No, I’ll take care of it.”

“Danny, let me, I was the one who suggested we use Thatcher.”

Clasping a hand on Herman’s shoulder, Danny gave him a reassuring smile. Or at least, he hoped he was being reassuring, the truth was, he was scared Jax would tell him to go to hell and slam the door in his face this time and he wasn’t sure if he’d deserve it, or if he’d have reason to be pissed after everything that had passed between them.

“There’s a chance, a slim chance we won’t have to cancel,’ Danny told him. “But I won’t know until I go home tonight and talk to Jax. When I talked to him before about maybe helping with props he seemed open to the idea, I’m hoping if I explain how much of a bind we’re in, he’ll agree to help out at the same rate we offered Thatcher.”

“You think he will, after, well, you know?”

Danny shrugged. “One can only hope.”

“Shit Danny, I’m so sorry you have to do this.”

“It’s not your fault, stop blaming yourself. Shit happens, I shouldn’t have freaked out so bad on you earlier.”

“I don’t even care about that right now. I know you had no intention of ever talking to him again, and now, ‘cause of me and Thatcher, you have to, and I just, I’m really sorry.”

“Quit apologizing, before I ask you to sing your apology in front of our entire karaoke group, and you know I will.”

“Ohh fuck, seriously, not that, anything but that, please, Danny, you evil bastard, that fuckin’ sucked when Simon made me do it.”

“Well then, listen when I tell you that its fine. I’ll talk to him tonight, and if he says no, well, then I’ll call the director and tell her what happened and deal with the consequences. All you tried to do was help, so stop beating yourself over it.”

Herman nodded and hugged him tight, nearly squeezing the air out of Danny who patted his back a bit awkwardly as he struggled to breathe.

“Okay, okay,” Danny gasped, flailing a little until Herman stepped away.

“That’s Danny, you’re the best,” Herman said as Danny drew in a lungful of air and sputtered a bit.

“Well if that’s what I get for being the best, then I’ll work harder in the future not to be,” he muttered as he backed away. “I’d better go, I think I need to mix up a drink or three before he gets off work, I have a feeling I’m gonna need them to deal with him.”

Sunday, February 7, 2016

Blog Tour-Promo, Giveaway, Excerpt: Hell to Pay & 21st Century Demon

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Title: Hell To Pay & 21st Century Demon
Author: Asta Idonea
Series: Souls For Sale
Genre: Gay Romance, Paranormal
Length: Long Novella/Short Story
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Hell To Pay Synopsis

The contract was destroyed and Tom’s soul saved from Hell.

Or so they thought.

Demon deal-maker, Saul, and his mortal lover, Thomas Ives, find themselves on the run when the other demons take none too kindly to Saul’s bending of the rules. With the denizens of Hell on their heels, Saul and Tom must fight to stay one step ahead, knowing that if they’re caught there’s only one direction they’re headed: down.

When Heaven decides to get involved, Saul’s actions are no longer a mere bureaucratic misdemeanour but the basis of a factional confrontation. And now only one question remains: to whom does Tom’s soul truly belong?

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21st Century Demon Synopsis

It should have been an easy job: a contract signed and a new soul earmarked for Hell. But when suave demon deal-maker Saul chooses nerdy Thomas Ives as his next target, events take an unexpected turn. The lines between business transaction and pleasure blur, and Saul must decide whether he cares more for his professional reputation or the soul he just condemned to eternal damnation.

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Excerpt - Hell to Pay

The corner of a carton of pickled gherkins is digging into my back. I can’t see the writing on the carton since it’s nigh on pitch-black in here, but I know it contains pickled gherkins because I can smell the foul things. Even through the packaging, the stench is almost unbearable. I’ve never been a fan of pickled gherkins at the best of times, but after being boxed in by them for nearly nine hours I’m pretty much ready to blast every pickled-gherkin manufacturer in the world into smithereens; send them all to Hell where they belong. If I wasn’t on the run, I’d do it; don’t think I wouldn’t! But an act like that would draw too much attention, so I refrain and put up with the discomfort as best I can. Why don’t I move? Well, I can’t, can I? If I shift position by even a millimetre I’ll disturb Tom, and the sweet boy deserves a smidgen of uninterrupted slumber after the night we’ve had.

Tom’s head is resting on my shoulder, and his curls tickle my cheek as I angle my head a fraction to look down at him. Granted, I can’t see much in this gloom, but when he exhales I feel the gentle puff of air as it wafts over my shirt, and I know every inch of his body so well I can picture it even without a light source to illuminate that delectable form. To have him at my side—that’s worth the nightmare of this gherkin-infested ride.

Buy Links

Don’t miss the Amazon Sale – 30% off for the first 48 hours after release.

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/souls-for-sale-by-asta-idonea/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Souls-Sale-Asta-Idonea-ebook/dp/B01B6YUI5K/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Souls-Sale-Asta-Idonea-ebook/dp/B01B6YUI5K/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Souls-Sale-Asta-Idonea-ebook/dp/B01B6YUI5K/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Souls-Sale-Asta-Idonea-ebook/dp/B01B6YUI5K/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-soulsforsaleseriesbooksoneandtwo-1973473-149.html

Video Trailer

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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About the author

NICKI J. MARKUS was born in England in 1982, but now lives in Adelaide, South Australia with her husband. She has loved both reading and writing from a young age and is also a keen linguist, having studied several foreign languages.

Nicki launched her writing career in 2011. She published works through Wicked Nights Publishing and Silver Publishing before both companies closed their doors. She is now self-publishing some of her works, including the novella Time Keepers and the fantasy novel The Ragnarök Chronicles.

Nicki also writes M/M fiction under the alternate pen name of ASTA IDONEA and has had several short stories published by Wayward Ink Publishing. She is currently working on her first M/M novella.

Nicki works as a freelance editor and proofreader, and in her spare time she enjoys: music, theatre, cinema, photography, sketching, and cross stitch. She also loves history, folklore and mythology, pen-palling, and travel.

Social links:

Website: http://www.nickijmarkus.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NickiJMarkus
Twitter: https://twitter.com/NickiJMarkus

Saturday, February 6, 2016

Rainbow Snippet Feb 6th





Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week to share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).
In this group you’ll find anything from romance and historical fiction to mystery and YA. The common thread is that every story’s main character identifies as LGBTQ+. The snippets could range from zero flames to full-on sexytimes, anything goes content-wise. The only rule is snippets will be 6 sentences long–one for each color in the Pride flag.
I would invite everyone to please come check out the Rainbow Snippets group, click on a link, read and comment on the writing available and get involved yourselves in this awesome exercise. The link to the group can be found HERE

Today's snippet is also from Desolation Angel Set to be released in Early March. 

Today's Snippet

“If you care about me, then why’d you say them?”
“Because I didn’t think you’d give a shite how I felt, and that pissed me off.”
“So you call me a space cadet and act like it’s all my fault that I zone out? Give me a break, Sionn, I’m not stupid. You came to get me ’cause Paul, Mark, and Tommy are fightin’ and asked you to, and you probably cussed them out before leaving ’cause all I am is a giant waste of your time.”
“Dare, that’s not—”
“Save it, Sionn, just save it. I don’t need you to lie to me to try and make me feel better. I know what I am, and I’m gonna do my best to fix it, so just save it and let’s go.”

To learn more about Desolation Angel and my other works, please check out my website HERE: layladorine13.wix.com/layladorineauthor

Friday, February 5, 2016

Freebie Friday: ....And all Shall Fade to Black (continues)


Ice cream. It had always been his favorite comfort food, which was exactly why he never allowed himself to have any at all these days.  Or maybe he should say he hadn’t allowed himself any until three days ago, when he’d stalked out of his apartment building to go for a walk and had ended up stopping at a convenience store and buying an ice cream sandwich.

Steph would have told him it was perfectly fine, and maybe it would have been, it he hadn’t stopped a few blocks later and bought another one. All in all he ate four of them that night, then starved himself the following day in an attempt to make up for it. He’d gone to the gym too, guzzling water and working out until he’d gotten dizzy and had to stop, and even that hadn’t felt like enough to make up for it.

Work had been a disappointment. Steph wasn’t talking to him and the only piercings he’d done were a nose ring, a pair of tits, a couple eyebrows, and a poorly thought out Prince Albert.  Jax still couldn’t believe how that had come about. When the couple had come in, only the woman was supposed to be getting a piercing, two of them, actually, matching little hoops in her nipples, the kind he did all the time. She’d sat like a pro and been thrilled with them when he was done. Unfortunately, she’d also insisted on taking pictures of her new piercings and posting them on the internet, a fact that set her boyfriend off. The two started an argument right in the middle of the shop, with the guy finally declaring that if she could get her tits pierced and show them off all over town, then he was gonna get his junk pierced and do the same.

Needless to say, that hadn’t exactly well and the guy had left with an ice pack on a very sensitive area, cussing up a storm. The first thing Jax had done after closing time was head to the corner store and buy a pint of ice cream, digging into it as soon as he got home and finishing it off before bothering with dinner.

He was doing the same thing now, spoon posed over a half empty container of black cherry, his thoughts racing a thousand miles a minute as he stuffed his face.

When his cell phone rung he nearly dropped the spoon it startled him so bad. Glancing around, he tried to remember where he’d put his phone but it seemed almost too much effort to bother. The ringtone wasn’t Steph’s, and if Max or Callum wanted him then they knew how to walk up the steps. Besides, it wasn’t their ringtone either, so he scooped up another spoon full of ice cream and shoved it in his mouth. At this rate, he’d have to get up early and spend the whole day at the gym to make up for this, or maybe he wouldn’t even bother, what difference did it make, he’d likely just grab another pint on the way home anyway.

Brooding, he finished the pint and threw himself face down on the couch, growling when the phone rang again. Same ringtone, wasn’t that the default? He couldn’t remember so he lay there and closed his eyes, ignoring it again.

Three more times it rang, three more times he ignored it. At one point he even chucked the phone across the room, he was so annoyed with it. He flipped the channels on the television restlessly, stopping on a hunted places show and dropped the remote on the floor beneath his head.

This move hadn’t gone the way he’d planned. Des Moines was interesting enough, but he wasn’t sure working with Steph was going to pan out, especially if she couldn’t stay out of his business. The last thing he needed was her giving him shit, or worse, the silent treatment, every time he fucked up another relationship. Hadn’t she figured out by now that the chance of him actually managing to make something work, with anyone, was pretty slim?

Jace sighed, grabbed a pillow and pulled it up over his head. It muffled the show but he didn’t really give a shit at the moment, his head was starting to ache, so before it could turn into a full blown headache he hurried to his room and swallowed a couple painkillers, then flopped back on the couch again.

Unwittingly, his thoughts went back to Danny and the lavender oil and how good it had felt to have him massaging his temples. No one besides Steph had ever taken care of him that way. A part of him longed for that again, but the other part was scared to accept it. What good would it do him to get attached to someone when people didn’t stick around. Even if they didn’t screw around on you, there were the arguments you couldn’t bounce back from, or they got transferred or disinterested, or died.

That fucking ring tone again.

Fucking hell

Rolling from the couch Jax stalked across the room and retrieved his phone, flipping it open with an angry flick of his thumb and all but snarling into the phone.

“Who the fuck is this!”

“Jax,” the horrified voice on the other end gasped, and Jax just slapped his free hand to his forehead and groaned. “Is that any way to greet your mother.”

“Sorry,” Jax grunted. “Didn’t know it was you.”

“Well, that probably isn’t the best way to answer the phone, regardless.”

“Mom, I’m pretty sure you didn’t call to lecture me about the way I answer the phone.”

“No, I called because I’m going to be coming to Des Moines on the 5th and wanted to get together with you and Stephanie for dinner.”

Jax pulled the phone away from his ear and scowled at it.

“Jax, did you hear what I said?”

“Yeah, um sorry, just trying to figure out what you’re coming all this way for.”

“Why wouldn’t I want to see Stephanie’s new shop and where you’re living?”

“I don’t know, maybe because you’ve never come before.”

“If you’ll recall, I asked you if I could come visit and you told me you were too busy each and every time.”

“Yeah, and I was, I still am, Mom, what is this really about?”

“I’m getting married.”

“WHAT!”

“Please don’t yell Jax, I know you heard exactly what I said. I’m getting married. He’s a nice man, in fact, I’ve known him for longer than you’ve been alieve. We’ve been friends a long time and it finally blossomed into something more. We wanted to sit down with you both and celebrate.”

“Oh, fuck, mom you’re not marrying Mr. Russ are you?”

“I should have married him a long time ago, to tell the truth, I don’t understand why I never saw what was right in front of my face, Russ is a wonderful man, you know he is, Jax how many times did he step in to help out around the house while you were growing up?”

Jax’s brain tuned out her words, all he could do was stand there listening to the endless chatter, wishing he’d never answered the phone in the first place. Finally, after what felt like forever, she paused, and Jax cautiously focused, hoping she didn’t expect him to say too much.

“I would like it very much if you would be there,” his mother said.

“Sorry mom, I can’t.”

“I don’t understand why you have to be so difficult, Jax, I know I didn’t always get things right when you were growing up, but was I really so horrible to you that you can’t even spare one evening to have dinner with me?”

“If it was just dinner, maybe, but I’m not celebrating another marriage that’s just gonna end in less than a year,” Jax scoffed, wanting nothing more than to hurry up and get her off the phone. “How you actually convinced Steph that you’d changed is beyond me. You’ll never change.”

He heard her gasp of outrage and rolled his eyes.

“Look mom, I’ve gotta go.”
“Yes, I’d better get going myself, I’m sorry to have bothered you, believe me, it won’t happen again,” she said before handing up.


Jax closed his phone, then pitched it across the room, switched off the TV and grabbed his keys. Fucking hell, it never ended, it was always the same old shit, always the same crap from her time and time again. I’m getting married, meet the new stepdad. Fuming, he stalked to the corner store and picked up another pint of black cherry. This time he didn’t even wait until he’d gotten home to dig in, he snagged a plastic spoon and started shoveling it in on the walk back home.

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Blog Tour: Deep by A.L. Bates

Deep Tour Banner

Title: Deep
Author: A.L. Bates
Genre: Science Fiction, Gay Romance, Gay SciFi
Length: Long Novella
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

Fleeing from a troubled past that left him feeling tarnished and used, Sean finds work as a medic aboard the deep sea mining ship Ariel, on a distant planet.

Under the leader ship of the infuriating, yet charismatic, Captain Joel Riley, Sean settles into his simple, but dangerous, new life. It’s a life he soon comes to love; albeit one in which he conceals his sexuality and avoids intimacy.

But Sean’s new world is turned on its head when an old face threatens to expose him for the man he used to be.

With Joel’s help, will Sean learn to come to terms with his past and become a man he can be proud of?

Deep AL Bates

DEEP EXCERPT

The intimate gesture caught Sean by surprise. He expected the captain to sit in stoic silence, not comfort him like this. “I’m not proud of what I did,” Sean said, trying to remind the captain of the type of things he’d done, in case he didn’t understand.

“Don’t be. Be proud of the man you are instead. I wouldn’t have you any other way.”

Joel’s wide brown eyes were staring at him without malice or disgust, or anything other than genuine affection. Sean couldn’t help himself. He leaned forward, his lips brushing Joel’s. When he met with no resistance, he deepened the kiss. Joel’s mouth opened. Sean groaned as the captain pulled him closer. He was breathless when Joel moved away.

“I’m sorry,” Sean said, suddenly self-conscious. “I shouldn’t have done that.”

“I guess I didn’t exactly push you away.” Joel ran a hand through his hair—his tell for being nervous.

“At least now you can say you’ve tried.”

Joel let out an awkward laugh. “I suppose I can at that.”

Sean lowered his eyes. “Was it awful?”

Joel sighed, as though he was slowly surrendering. “No, it wasn’t awful at all.”

Buy Links

Don’t miss the Valentine’s Day Sale (February 11-17) 50% off on WIP’s website and 40% off on ARe!

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/deep-by-al-bates/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Deep-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01AOB6VW0/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Deep-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01AOB6VW0/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Deep-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01AOB6VW0/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Deep-L-Bates-ebook/dp/B01AOB6VW0/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-deep-1969763-177.html

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Giveaway

Prizes: $10 WIP Gift Card + $4.99 WIP Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveaway Deep Cover

About the author

A.L. BATES has a keen interest in Sci-fi and adventure novels and enjoys writing stories with strong characters in imaginative backgrounds. Although an avid writer, Deep is the first published novella by A.L. Bates.

A.L. Bates can be found on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoralbates

Happy Release Day! Callum's Fate by Diane Hartsock

Callum's Fate Banner

Synopsis

In 1780, Scotland, following a harsh year of drought, Callum Mackenzie is forced from his father’s farm in the hopes of finding work.

But as fate would have it, Callum is lured onto the moors by the will-o-the-wisp. Lost in the dark, he falls into enchantment, encountering faeries and nymphs, until he stumbles into the arms of a licentious Barrow-Wight who lays claim to his soul.

Hearing his silent pleas, Donal sends Liam the gruagach (faery) to rescue Callum and bring him to his farm, a place of refuge from the Fae.

Callum is happy working on Donal’s farm, slowly falling in love with the beautiful, silver-haired gruagach.

Yet there’s something wrong in the nearby forest….

Despite Donal’s warnings, Callum is lured into the forest and becomes tangled in its magic, easy prey for the Barrow-Wight.

Will Liam be able to strike a deal with the Barrow-Wight to save Callum’s life, or has Callum found his last resting place instead?

Callum's Fate Dianne Hartsock Cover

Buy Links links

Don’t miss the sale on Amazon! 30% off for the first 48 hours after release.

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/callums-fate-by-dianne-hartsock/
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Callums-Fate-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B01B383YP0/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Callums-Fate-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B01B383YP0/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Callums-Fate-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B01B383YP0/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Callums-Fate-Dianne-Hartsock-ebook/dp/B01B383YP0/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-callum039sfate-1973471-143.html

Video Trailer

Excerpt

Mists closed around him and hid the moon in a veil of cold grey. He came to a stumbling halt, fear pounding through him in time to the wild beat of his heart. As he caught his breath, he heard the unmistakable sound of flowing water, perhaps a creek winding through the heather. Callum gnawed his lips. Danger lurked on the water’s edge for an unwary man.

On the other hand, men built homes along the waterways and learned to guard against the faery folk. He sighed. Either choice spelled risk, but hunger and loneliness won out and sent him in search of the water’s path through the thick heath.

The gray fog made it hard to see his way and he cursed when he stepped into the creek before he knew he’d come to it. An icy chill raced up his leg and he glanced around, feeling as if he’d been startled from a dream. The mists were gone, leaving the fields bright with moonlight. Faint music caught his ears and he spied several globes of light in the distance. Will-o’-the-wisp? He didn’t know, but the haunting melody tugged at his heart and he walked toward it, careful of his footing.

Callum's Fate 3D Cover

It was caution that saved him before he made the fatal mistake of stepping into the faery ring that suddenly appeared at his feet. He might have become lost in their dark realm. He stared down, delighted with the brightly dressed wee folk fluttering and dancing in the circle of mushrooms. Laughter floated up to him and he smiled reflexively. Several of the pretty creatures spied him and flittered up to tug at his clothing with tiny hands. These were male, scantily dressed, and one saucy lad winked a bright eye and flew up to nibble at his lips.

Callum laughed and shooed them gently off. “I’m not fool enough to join you,” he told the three hovering near his face.

About the author

DIANNE HARTSOCK is the author of m/m erotic romance, both contemporary and fantasy, the psychological thriller, and anything else that comes to mind. Oh, and a floral designer. If she can’t be writing, at least she has the chance to create through the rich colors and textures of flowers and foliage to bring a smile to someone’s face.

Currently, Dianne lives in the Willamette Valley of Oregon with her incredibly patient husband, who puts up with the endless hours she spends hunched over the keyboard letting her characters play.

Social links

Website: https://diannehartsock.wordpress.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/diannehartsock
Twitter: https://twitter.com/diannehartsock
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/diannehartsock/