Dirty Dozen Author Interview – Olivette Devaux #LBGT #Gayfic #Romance

Welcome to Olivette Devaux

What first prompted you to publish your work?

I have a writing mentor who is a NYT bestseller author as well as a former pro poker player. Turns out, in his younger years he was homeless for a few months (not related to poker,) and he was living out of his Porsche. In the desert, no less. The concept of a homeless man living out of a PORSCHE got me tickled pink. I mean, who does that? I ran with the idea and created Sam and his love interest, Theo.

When I write a book, I publish it. In fact, I publish all books I write. What I don’t publish is short stories – those often sit on my hard drive and I trip over them every so often and say, “Oh, yeah. I really should publish this one.” And then I forget again.

I kind of wanted to give a copy of Lucky Starflowers to my mentor, but I chickened out.

How did you become involved in book bundles? Would you recommend it?

Book bundles are a lot of fun! They are a great way for readers to discover new writers in their target genre. They are also a great way for writers to introduce themselves to a new group of folks who might not hear of them before. Collaborating with other writers is also wonderful and creative. What’s not to like?

What other bundles are you involved with?

There have been so many that I forget. I have a book, maybe two, in Burning Rubbers, which features gay romance tough guys. That one was a lot of fun. The name is kind of awful. It’s like a bad Dad joke and I should be embarrassed for even coming up with it, let alone using it!

Are you a ‘pantser’ or a ‘plotter’?

Well…when I get an idea, I let it fester for a while. At least a day. I generate ideas easily, so if it’s still with me the next day, it’s worth thinking about. If it’s with me few days after that, I’ll sit and write. By then, I’ll have established a few, fairly vague milestones along the plotline. I write into the dark, and when I allow myself to cut loose and do that, my characters surprise me. My milestones might shift around as well, but that’s okay. The story always grows something better in their place.

What is your favourite mythical creature? Why is this?

Ah, that would be a Waterkin. It’s a name I made up for a mythical Czech creature I grew up with, although they are known throughout Europe. I have a whole series of stories written about the way they immigrated to the US and now live in the local rivers and try to adapt to modern life. That world is under my Kate Pavelle pen name, though, and it’s not out yet.

What does writing bring to your life?

I love to create things. Stories are just one of the things I make, and I love sharing them with the world. I love injecting a bit of humor into mine, whether it’s a Millenial vampire in search of “ethical blood,” or whether we’re talking about wiseass one-up scenes that ease the tension in a crime suspense story like Breakfall. I love to laugh, and writing stories allows me to share that with my readers.

If you had to pick 5 books to take to a desert island which 5 would it be?

A survival manual featuring primitive technologies, 2. A book on yoga or karate, with all the asanas and katas in it, 3. a complete collection of Shakespeare, 4. a complete collection of Western poetry (gimme something thick and it has to have Longfellow and Kipling in it,) and a very thick, empty journal with a bunch of pencils.

What piece of advice do you wish you’d had when you started your publishing journey?

START AN INVENTORY!!! Seriously, once you write more than a dozen works, it just kind of sprouts and it gets hard to keep track of what is published where, how long is it, and so on. A good, properly crafted spreadsheet can go a long way to sanity when your have more than a hundred works (of all lengths and genres,) floating around the world. They need new book covers every so often, you want to make sure you offer different books into bundles so readers don’t get bored, and so on,

If you could have dinner with any literary character who would you choose, and what would you eat.

I think Gareth, Jack’s partner, from Jackie Keswick’s Power of Zero series. I’d want to show up for their Christmas celebration, when Gareth makes all those meat pies and various other goodies we don’t have here in the States. The advantage of this choice is that I would probably meet the whole cast of interesting characters from that world!

Tell us about your latest piece?

I wrote Buzz, the last stand-alone book in the Vegas-based Happy Hour Inn world. It took me forever (because Covid and real life interefered,) but once I got back to it, I was relieved when it got me to laugh!

What’s your next writing adventure?

My next writing adventure is sharing my rough drafts on Patreon. If you want some free reads, or some reads you’d be happy to support, go have a look at https://www.patreon.com/mugenpress

Is there a message in your books?

Always. But it’s never on purpose. I write something because the topic intrigues me, and only when I reread it half a year later I realize that a tangentially-related “message” had somehow made its way in. And that’s how it should be, because my primary goal is to entertain.

Blurb

Theo and his cousin Rickey inherit a flowershop. Young, sexy, and heartbroken after a rough breakup, Theo throws himself into running a new business.
No more dating!
No more exotic guys!
If Theo caved to romance, his ideal boyfriend would have a stable cubicle job and drive a Kia.
Sam Grey got caught counting cards one too many times. A professional gambler recovering from a bouncer injury, Sam denies that living out of his Porsche counts as a homeless situation.
February freeze in Pittsburgh, a perky florist and a slower, friendlier way of life helps heal his broken ribs – but hurts his heart when Theo thinks of him as just “passing through.”
DISCLAIMER: no real-life professional gamblers had their ribs broken in the making of this sizzling, HEA gay romance.

Excerpt

LUCKY STARFLOWERS

Steel City Stories, a stand-alone novel

Olivette Devaux

Available on all ebook platforms, in paper, and on Audible.

https://www.patreon.com/mugenpress

http://www.mugenpress.com (currently undergoing construction)

https://www.facebook.com/groups/801472633573132 (An Upper Cut, my FB group)

You can best reach me on Patreon or via Messenger.

Bio

Under another name, Olivette Devaux is an award-winning Amazon best-seller. As Olivette, she writes gay romance of many subgenres. If sci-fi, spy suspense, or urban fantasy without hot romance are your desire, look up her other public pen name, Kate Pavelle.

She has been published in magazines including Pulphouse and Heart’s Kiss, and has earned several Honorable Mentions by the Writers of the Future contest under both pen names.

Olivette Devaux is the author of Disorderly Elements, a contemporary urban fantasy gay romance series featuring a curious development of elemental control gifts. You can read the first book, Like a Rock, on her Patreon for free at https://www.patreon.com/mugenpress

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Guest Feature – Excerpt – Lucky Starflowers #LBGT #Romance

EXCERPT: Lucky Starflowers – Olivette Devaux

Sunshine tickled his eyelids. He burrowed himself deeper in the sleeping bag that must have slid down to his chest.

I slept.

The realization woke him up just as the nonevents of last night began to creep in. The cold, the urge to piss, the thirst for a hot cup of tea or coffee or just plain warm water. The tossing and turning. He’d probably have bruises on his knees from kicking the damn steering wheel.

He couldn’t wait to get out and about. Maybe the coffee shop, or a nearby library. Or a truck-stop diner. He’d settle down with his laptop. Maybe update his blog. The shop would be warm, the coffee hot and aromatic. If he smuggled his toiletries into the bathroom, he could brush his teeth and shave. And change his shirt into something less… fragrant.

He reached into the duffle behind him and pulled out his small toiletry bag. It would squeeze inside the computer case if he was careful. That, and his phone charger. He’d recharge and call the sheriff with his forwarding address.

If only the casinos hadn’t adopted that dumb facial recognition software, he’d be set. There was a casino in Pittsburgh. He could’ve earned enough money to… oh, that’s right. His hand gave a dull throb. He was itching to sign up for a poker game and earn some living, but the casino would have to wait until he could handle cards without wincing in pain.

Sam was about to get out when two guys marched into his field of view. He shrank back.

White snow. Blinding sun. Cutting wind. Pain.

They crossed the little three-space parking lot with its coveted little nook, the one Sam had been eyeing earlier. He was glad, now, he hadn’t shoehorned his way in.

Sunday morning, two guys. What were they up to? He noted their easy body language. Like a couple. Like two guys used to each other’s physical contact. The taller one said something and the shorter one laughed. They both had dark hair, but the shorter guy kept his shoulder-length and mod, with what might’ve been caramel highlights. His hips swished in an easy sway as he negotiated the ice patches in his way. Gay? Maybe.

The thought of a gay couple in Pittsburgh floored Sam. He’d never imagined the descendants of grizzled steel workers to be… gay. Then again, the snow was still white. There was no soot in the air.

Pittsburgh seemed cleaner than expected. People had been, to date, nicer than expected as well. The drivers took turns at intersections, and the coffee was Seattle quality.

For a brief second, the idea of settling down crossed his mind.

No.

Absolutely no fucking way.

He was staying only long enough to get his papers, and to figure out how to work the card tables again.

The two guys disappeared into the building through a basement entrance. Its double door gaped like a maw to the underworld. Sam remained still.

They came out soon, both carrying a white bucket in each hand. Something was sticking out – long and green, covered on top with paper. Sam watched them close the door and walk back around the corner and up the street, and as they passed within ten feet of his car, he realized they were hauling huge buckets of roses.

He let them get out of sight before he crawled out of the low seat of his Porsche. Creaky and miserable, he stretched in the cold morning air. The pallid sun had moved since it woke him, and now half of his car was covered in the shadow of the warehouse. Sam hoisted the black computer bag out of his trunk, added the necessary toiletries, and stuffed a rolled-up T-shirt into the pocket of his leather bomber jacket.

First hygiene, then coffee, then brunch recommendations.

As he crested the hill to turn right onto Butler street, a kitty-corner door caught his attention. The mosaic of its entrance said “1896” in little tiles, surrounded by a design of ivy leaves on a cream background. He stopped to look closer. It had been recently restored, and with loving care at that. The sign above the door read Starflowers, and inside he saw an array of plants. The OPEN neon sign was turned off, but there was light on inside. He skirted the potted conifer with its red and silver heart decorations and pressed his nose to the glass.

The two guys he’d seen before were working at an island. The taller gesticulated wildly, waving a red rose in the air. His shorter partner seemed to have only sighed. He was cute, though. Sam wouldn’t have minded getting to know him better. Maybe they weren’t a couple after all. He stepped away, thinking this was all a very bad idea, when he noticed a small “Help Wanted” sign on the window.

Very bad idea.

He hurried off to the coffee shop down the street. He had… stuff… to do.

Allmother Rising Blog Tour – #DarkFantasy #Romance #LBGT

Allmother Rising

by Elexis Bell

Genre: Dark Fantasy with Straight and LGBTQ Romance

A broken-hearted priestess and a deposed prince team up with a ranger and a rebel with one too many secrets. In the name of The Allmother, they go to war to save their lands.

A coup in a neighboring kingdom brings threats of invasion and fire to Priestess Rising Veliana’s home in the forest. Under the guidance of her goddess, The Allmother, she forms an alliance with the deposed prince, Tyrvahn, and his ex, Garle, the leader of a rebellion that’s been brewing for years.

But Garle has many secrets, one of which could unravel Veliana and Tyrvahn’s budding romance and the future of these uneasy alliances. Veliana’s best friend, Kivala, tries to soften Garle with the ways of their fallen homeland, but what she learns chills her to her core.

At war with a vicious man twisted by the god of greed, they can’t afford to fight amongst themselves. Can they overcome their differences to save their home and their goddess from the new king? Or will the forests burn over blood-soaked earth?

Fans of magic and grit, high stakes and godly secrets will love this dark high fantasy novel with straight and LGBT romance.

**Only .99 cents until June 1st!!**

Goodreads * Amazon

Elexis Bell writes gritty and emotional novels. Born and raised in the midwestern United States, she dreams of a cabin in the woods rather than a house surrounded by cornfields.

She loves writing well-developed characters facing real problems in vibrant, magical worlds. Armed with a degree in psychology and a rollercoaster past, she sprinkles gut-wrenching emotions over high fantasy romance, science fiction, and the occasional thriller.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Instagram * Amazon * Goodreads

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

Win a Swag Pack with a signature card, magnet, sticker and three bookmarks!

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New Release – Rainbow Romance Bundle #LGBTRomance #Romance

Rainbow Romance – A collection of LGBT tales celebrating same-sex love.

From fairy tale retellings, lesbian sword and sorcery, to gay vampires and lonely witches fantasy tales of same-sex adventure and devotion.

From holiday romance and sexy roommates to crime drama, and short tales of female fun bring romance and raunchiness.

Grab yourself a whole lot of Rainbow Romance – Proud to support love in all its forms.

Adults only!

https://books2read.com/Rainbowromance1

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08BKWYPVS/?tag=kydala-20

https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/rainbow-romance-volume-i

https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1519368788

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/rainbow-romance-volume-i-a-l-butcher/1137196593

https://bundlerabbit.com/b/rainbow-romance-volume-i

Doors of Shores Meyari McFarland

Witches of London – Lars Aleksandr Voinov

Flux Olivette Devaux

Out of Disaster Meyari McFarland

The Gay Vampire Next Door Rod Mandelli

Rainmaker Miriam F. Martin

Sidekick Devyn Morgan

Kiss Me Again Andrea Dale

Falling For His Roommate Devyn Morgan

First Time with the Gay Vampire Mark Pace

Finding Love On Christmas Eve Devyn Morgan

Bobby and the Beast: A Gay Twink Romance Fairy Tale Mark Pace

Gods of the Earth Series Blog Tour #Fantasy

Influence of a God

Gods of Earth Series Book 1

by Nina R. Schluntz

Genre: LGBTQ SciFi Fantasy Romance

Jesse has a type-the heartbroken. He doesn’t hide this fact, he’s even tattooed a damaged heart on his chest. His partners love the people who left them, which means there’s no fear of them getting attached to him. He showers them with the affection they have been deprived of and in return, he gets no string attached hook-ups.

Except for Ben.

No matter what Jesse does, when he gets drunk, its always Ben’s porch he ends up on. Which is fine, because Ben is still deeply in love with his ex-wife, even though she’s already remarried.

It might have all stayed fine, if Ben hadn’t met Cooper, the twelve-year-old stepson of Ben’s ex. He knows things he shouldn’t. He has a weird quirk of disappearing for hours. He even predicts future events with uncanny luck. And Cooper has a plan for Jesse. He wants himself and Ben’s daughter to live with Jesse and Ben. Which is a problem, because Jesse doesn’t do relationships.

To Cooper that just means Jesse needs to learn things the hard way.

Goodreads * Amazon

Prophet of a God

Gods of Earth Series Book 2

Isaiah has heard voices in his head his entire life, so it’s ironic when his brother declares that he has been chosen as a prophet for a god. Isaiah assists his brother in his search for the messiah and quickly discovers the god chose his brother in an effort to get closer to Isaiah.

The messiah isn’t shy at all in declaring that Isaiah is fated to be with him. But the voice in Isaiah’s head is skeptical and easily finds errors in the god’s claims.

Cooper is a god, one of many on Earth, but he is approved to pose as a messiah. He warps the path he’s supposed to follow in an effort to get closer to a man that is supposed to be his lover for only one night. Doing so has consequences, because Isaiah is not the man he expected. For one, he cuts himself in an effort to deal with the darkness of his past. And second, there’s the pesky sprite that loiters on Isaiah’s shoulder, whispering advice that Cooper would rather it didn’t.

Goodreads * Amazon

Muse of a God

Gods of Earth Series Book 3

Lawrence, who prefers to go by Laurie, is one of those gifted performers that everyone envies because he always gets the lead role.

Carter is a god with a shaded past. He created a planet… and then helped parasite type symbiotes destroy it. His current time on Earth is to prove he is rehabilitated.

He isn’t.

But he is good at manipulation. He wants to stay close to the two scientists who will discover a means to save Earth once Carter brings the symbiotes to it. One of them is Laurie’s roommate in college. Which means Laurie is Carter’s best means to befriending the scientists.

A not so chance encounter and some mocking, gets Laurie to join the lacrosse team Carter is on. Seducing him is easy enough, but Laurie quickly proves refreshingly unpredictable and his quick tongue makes Carter reconsider his choices to stay loyal to his previous love who controls the symbiotes.

But can Carter’s growing affection toward Laurie be enough to convince him to save Earth rather than destroy it?

Goodreads * Amazon

Enemy of a God

Gods of Earth Series Book 4

The world is ending and the gods are abandoning Earth. A strange woman arrives at the same time the parasite symbiotes do. She has no memory of who she is and the question remains, is she an ally to save earth or the enemy of the gods here to destroy them?

Jayson is the first to find her and he forms an immediate friendship with her. They are both outcasts with a dark past. He makes a deal with a god, Cooper, in an attempt to learn more about his alien friend. He doesn’t expect to fall in love with Cooper and worse, learn that his alien friend must die in order to save Earth.

Goodreads * Amazon

Symbiote of a God

Gods of Earth Series Book 5

Stephen, Nick, and Lawrence have been best friends since college. Stephen and Nick are scientists, tasked with finding a cure to the symbiotes which have invaded Earth and use humans as hosts. Removing the symbiote kills the human, and a human doesn’t live long once infected.

Months after the initial invasion, Lawrence becomes infected and seeks the help of his friends. The rush to find a cure is now paramount, but something is strange about Lawrence’s infection. He is still in control of his body, and he can now understand the symbiotes. Nick and Stephen realize he may hold the cure to finally ridding the world of the symbiotes.

Goodreads * Amazon

Resurrection of a God

Gods of Earth Series Book 6

Earth is the second planet Carter has created, and now the same symbiotes that destroyed his first planet, are here, destroying Earth. Afraid he will only aide in Earth’s destruction, since it’s his soulmate and lover behind the invasion, he goes into hiding.

Jayson knows Carter is the only god who can save Earth and he is done waiting for him to come back. He resurrects the god and saves the planet, but its something not just any human can do. Jayson realizes there’s more to his relationship with Carter than he thought. He’d assumed he was Cooper’s soulmate, he loves Cooper, but when he keeps running into Carter he realizes the truth. A god has a different soulmate on every planet, and on Earth, he is Carter’s soulmate.

But Carter doesn’t want him. His soulmate from his first planet was destructive and Carter fears what Jayson will become if he bonds with him. Jayson has to convince the god that he is different, and that your past does not determine your future.

Goodreads * Amazon

Nina Schluntz is a native to rural Nebraska. In her youth, she often wrote short stories to entertain her friends. Those ideas evolved into the novels she creates today.

Her husband continues to ensure her stories maintain a touch of realism as she delves in the science fiction and fantasy realm. And their kitty, a rescued Abyssinian, is always willing to stay up late to provide inspiration.

Website * Blog * Facebook * Twitter * Amazon * Goodreads

$10 Amazon gift card – 3 winners!

Follow the tour HERE for special content and a giveaway!

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Review – Healing Springs – Audio – #Fantasy #Lesbianfiction #Spiritual

Healing Springs by KL Rhavensfyre is a tale of homecoming, revelation, loss, love and determination.

When writer Selene is forced to return to her childhood town of Healing Springs, after an accident which robbed her of health, a career she is reluctant, plagued with pain and self-pity and a shell of who she was. Yet the mysterious healing springs cared for by her family for generations hold secrets and power.

The book begins with Selene being forced to sell her house and return to her Bohemian hippy mother’s inn – and the bitterness that brings. Selene finds it hard to see past her pain and loss, particularly the loss of her ability to write. We meet Amy – successful businesswoman, but an outsider in the small American backwoods town. Amy is black, gay and feisty and runs a metaphysical store and coffee shop. So where is the fantasy in this tale? We learn of the town’s history and the strange old witch woman whose house Amy buys. The old woman’s ghost still lingers and as the story progresses we learn the secrets of the town, it’s springs and the curses and blessings they bring. Amok, a strange and possibly supernatural dog appears and plays a crucial and slightly comical role. And then we have Minerva…

The fantasy aspect is subtle, slow to build but integral to the tale. It burns like the romance between the two women. Selene cannot remember the love affair between herself and Amy and believes no woman would want her battered and scared body. Love will find a way, even if it has to call in supernatural forces.

This is a slow burn story, which builds and builds until the exciting conclusion. I have to say I shed a tear.

Well-written, packed with emotion, and full of surprises – this is a great tale. The narrator is easy to hear, and well-chosen.

Recommended – 5 stars.

Release Blitz/Book Spotlight – Anthem of Survival – M/M Romance

Out Now—THE ANTHEM TRILOGY BOOK 3: ANTHEM OF SURVIVAL By Thom Collins

The Anthem Trilogy:

Anthem of the Sea
Anthem of the Dark
Anthem of Survival

Anthem of Survival

Will they ever escape the past?

Revenge casts a long shadow.

Following two prior attempts on their lives, Daniel and Elijah are together and stronger than ever. Their relationship has weathered the toughest elements and survived. Physically and emotionally scarred, the bond between them can’t be broken. One year on from the devastating events in Anthem of the Dark they have reassessed their priorities and want to spend time out of the spotlight.

Elijah has quit his stand-up career to focus on his new passion: training to be a chef. But for Daniel, there are too many questions he desperately needs answers to. Like who orchestrated the violence in Blackpool a year ago? Whose hatred of him runs so deep they’re ruthlessly prepared to hurt innocent by-standers? He teams up with journalist Keeley Rank to uncover the facts.

Though the truth is well hidden, it is closer than anyone thinks. Someone wants revenge. Someone intent on destroying Daniel anyway she can. When Daniel and Elijah attend a fundraising gala for a victim support charity they are unaware they are about to face their most perilous situation yet. Vengeance is a deadly game and not everyone will survive.

Available in ebook and Paperback

BUY LINKS:

Pride Publishing: http://ow.ly/2EIj30myQPQ

Amazon USA: http://ow.ly/J2nk30mTNMC

Amazon UK: http://ow.ly/iXQc30mTNIb

Excerpt:

Daniel Blake, sitting on a shaded terrace in a pair of sun-bleached shorts, strummed a melody on his guitar. The afternoon sun blazed in a cloudless sky and, despite the protective canopy above him, the heat was intense. Beads of sweat ran down his neck, tracking over bronzed skin to the dark mass of chest hair. It glistened on his top lip as he gently chewed the bottom. With his eyes closed, he progressed through the strings. A moment later, he smiled, finally satisfied, and put down the guitar. He reached for the weathered notebook that had been his constant companion all summer and wrote in an eager, untidy hand.

Daniel had been working on the song for two days, both music and lyrics, and, at last, it was done. He had nothing left to add.

He lifted his gaze to the sky and inhaled full into his lungs. Across the terrace, the blue water of the Ionian Sea reflected the white light of the sun, its expanse an ever-changing collage of sapphire and diamond colors. Down the coast, the outline of Corfu Island was a hazy mirage in the heat. This perfect view had been his for six amazing weeks. The idyll would soon be over, but not yet.

Daniel lay back on the lounger and lengthened his arms above his head, stretching the stiffness in his neck. He’d been so absorbed in the song, ensuring every chord and every word were right, he’d ignored his own comfort and now his body ached. A few weeks earlier, he’d made the mistake of writing beside the pool, in the direct glare of the sun, and paid the price. Two painful days in bed with sunburn. Since then, he’d stuck to the shade while working on his music. He lost himself so much in the process it was easy to burn.

Daniel studied his body as he lay there. He’d never looked so good or been this tan before. There’d been no time to sunbathe in the past, he’d always thought it a waste of time. He had had too much to do, too much to achieve, to spend his days lying around a pool. But he’d realized this summer that a tan didn’t just suit him, it helped him feel better.

It wasn’t just the sun. Daily sessions in the pool and long walks on the beach kept him in shape. Coming off Lady Lynda, he’d had every intention of letting his fitness routine go a little, if only for the summer, but it hadn’t worked out that way. He was in better condition now than when he arrived, in mind as well as body.

His legs were strong, muscular and tan. He hardly recognized his own body. He inched down the top of his shorts to admire the contrast in color between the creamy skin below his waist and the coppery tones above. The villa was private and he could have bathed naked if he’d wanted to, except he wasn’t that kind of guy. Besides, tan lines were sexy. He’d always thought so. Who needed to risk a burnt butt and balls?

The one thing that marred the bronze color of his torso was the scars between his hip bones and ribcage, sustained the night Oliver Gill had stabbed him, and from the lifesaving surgery he’d gone through afterward. Before coming to Corfu, the pale scars had been almost unnoticeable on his white skin. His dark body hair just about concealed them. But as his tan deepened, the scars stayed white, becoming more pronounced, forcing him to look at them, to acknowledge them.

Daniel traced his fingers along the lines and indentations. Had he made peace with the disfigurement? No. But as the summer came to an end, he’d learned to accept them.

Daniel sighed and basked in the heat. Life was not so bad, considering what the last two years had thrown at him. Better than that, things were good. Not perfect, too many questions remained unanswered for that, but his optimism grew every day.

The glass doors of the terrace opened behind him and Elijah Mann stepped out, offering him a cold bottle of water.

“It’s hotter than hell out here,” Elijah remarked, shielding his eyes against the sun to gaze across the sea.

Daniel swung his legs over the side of the sunbed and sat up. He drank the chilled, sparkling water and looked with admiration at Elijah’s chunky thighs. While the sun had turned Daniel’s white-boy skin an appealing shade of bronze, Elijah, with his Greek heritage, had gone nut-brown. The beige shorts and blue open-neck shirt he wore today complemented his tan. God, he’s gorgeous. Daniel never had to remind himself what a lucky guy he was.

Elijah dropped onto the other sunbed, knees spread wide, and looked straight at him with soulful brown eyes. His thick blue-black hair fell in an untidy wave across his brow and a three-day beard darkened his jaw. With his natural Greek coloring, Daniel wondered if Elijah had ever looked more handsome. Even more important, he looked happier and healthier than he had in a long time. Less than a year ago he’d been in hospital, fighting for his life. Daniel wouldn’t ever forget how close he’d come to losing him. Those long, terrible hours beside his bed, praying he would recover. Hoping for the best, afraid of the worst.

“How’s it going?” Elijah asked, nodding at his guitar.

“I’m finished,” he answered, smiling.

Elijah’s eyebrows raised. “Really?”

“Absolutely.”

“Don’t keep me in suspense. Let me hear it.”

“What’s for lunch?” Daniel asked, feigning indifference.

Elijah leapt forward, grabbing Daniel’s bare waist, tickling the sensitive flesh around his middle. Daniel yelped and fell backward, giggling. Elijah followed through, lying on top of him, fingers still working his waist. Daniel laughed, squirming against his hard body.

“No lunch today,” Elijah said, his face on top of Daniel’s. “Not until you play me your song.”

Thom Collins Bio

Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, Gods of Vengeance and Silent Voices with Pride Publishing. The Anthem Trilogy is out now from Pride Publishing. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and promptly confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.

He is currently working on a new novel.

Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but since taking his first cruise in 2013 he realized that sailing is the way to go.

Links:

Blog: http://www.thomcollins.co.uk

Twitter: @thomwolf and @realthomcollins

Instagram: thomcollinsauthor

Pinterest: Thom Collins

Email: thomcollinsauthor@aol.com

Release blitz organised by Writer Marketing Services.

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Pride Month Promo Offer – Cross-Blog Posting

June is Pride Month. Celebrate the glorious diversity of love and the world. Posting this for a great blog, helpful to indie authors.

Promo Opportunity for LGBTQ Fiction/Romance Books!
June is Pride Month and https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/contact are hosting a month-long event entitled Promotion With Pride. We’re huge supporters of LGBTQ human rights including the right for every person to be who they are, love whom they choose and to walk proudly.

It is open to all authors who write gay/lesbian/bi/trans/queer fiction/romance.

For $5 USD per book spotlight, it is an inexpensive book promo with huge upside. We have the social media reach of 30 million and will be promoting across all social media platforms. Interested in participating, please fill out this form and we will be in touch:
https://www.nnlightsbookheaven.com/contact

There’s still time to sign up!

Book Spotlight – Healing Springs – Lesbian Romance/Paranormal Romance

Basic Book Spotlight

Title: Healing Springs

Author: Rhavensfyre

Genre: Lesbian Romance, Lesbian Paranormal Romance

Main character description (short).

Selene and Amy are the two main characters, and it is as much Amy’s story as it is Selene’s. Both left Healing Springs right after school and now are hovering right around 40 years old before returning home. However, there is a third, and very important character that threads its way through the story…and that is the springs itself. The Springs has a few things to say about how things are supposed to be, and where Amy and Selene are going.

Synopsis:

Falling out of love is one thing, but purposefully forgetting it is another. Selene McAlister is a successful author who had it all. Best-selling novels, a beautiful beach house, a fast car and perfect health…until one rainy night that changed her life forever.

Selene had to be cut from the wreckage of her sports car, and despite horrific injuries, she survived. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, she couldn’t decide…not when she had to deal with the aftermath of her injuries every day after that.

Broken and battered, scarred and in pain, she was a ghost of her former self, but that wasn’t the worst of it. The accident had taken something more important from her than physical health…it had robbed her of the ability to write…and taken huge chunks of memory along with it.

Now, at forty years old, she’s being forced to move back to Healing Springs and return to the small family Inn her mother owns. Returning to her childhood home was never a part of her plans. On top of everything else that happened, it only served to convince her that her life was a total failure, and that she had nothing left to look forward to other than a lifetime of pain and isolation.

Amy Fontaine is a successful businesswoman and photographer. She is also Selene’s best friend and has been since before High School. She’s not the type to let Selene retreat from life and succumb to self-pity, not if she has anything to say in that matter. Maybe that’s why Amy was the last person Selene wanted to see when she returned to Healing Springs.

Fortunately for Selene, her friends and family were having none of it. They would find a way to reach Selene and show her that she still had worth…and in Amy’s case…that she was still worthy of love.

Brief Excerpt 250 words:

“Every year, your grandmother would tell the tale while the bonfire burned, adding to the spice of the family ritual, only it wasn’t just a story. It was a warning. A warning to beware of wanting a thing so bad that you wish for something that should never be wished for. A wish made when you’re in pain and hurting so bad that your wish turns into a curse, and you pay, Selene. You pay every day after that, even if you had the best intentions. Even if you meant to curse yourself and no one else…because nothing can happen without it affecting the people around you, just like ripples travel across a disturbed pool.”

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)?

This novel is dedicated to all the strong women out there that wake up every day and struggle with disabilities, both visible and invisible. Their fight is what inspired this novel, and in some small way, perhaps they can find their way to their own Healing Springs.

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Links etc.

Healing Springs on Amazon

Book Spotlight – Addict (The Cassie Tam Files) #Sci-fi #Crime #Lesfic

Title: Addict (The Cassie Tam Files #1)

Author: Matt Doyle

Genre: Lesfic, Sci-fi, Crime Noir

Main character description (short):

Born in Vancouver, Cassie Tam is the daughter of a cop and an out lesbian. Now situated in the technological haven of New Hopeland City, she plies her trade as a Private Investigator, taking on odd job cases that the police either don’t care about or won’t touch. She’s built up a good reputation over the years and tends to solve cases with a healthy mix of the three S’s: smarts, snark, and sheer stubbornness. Oh, and the odd assist from her robo-gargoyle pet, Bert. Despite her tough exterior though, Cassie is prone to keeping stuff in, and is more than capable of finding social awkwardness when faced with the unfamiliar. That combined with her compulsion to keep digging, even when she knows she shouldn’t, can often leave her biting off more than she can chew.

Synopsis:

New Hopeland was built to be the centre of the technological age, but like everywhere else, it has its dark side. Assassins, drug dealers and crooked businessmen form a vital part of the city’s make-up, and sometimes, the police are in too deep themselves to be effective. But hey, there are always other options …

For P.I. Cassie Tam, business has been slow. So, when she’s hired to investigate the death of a local VR addict named Eddie Redwood, she thinks it’ll be easy money. All she has to do is prove that the local P.D. were right to call it an accidental overdose. The more she digs though, the more things don’t seem to sit right, and soon, Cassie finds herself knee deep in a murder investigation. To make matters worse, Cassie’s client, the deceased’s sister Lori, is a Tech Shifter – someone who uses a metal exoskeleton to roleplay as an animal. Cassie isn’t one to judge, but the Tech Shifting community has always left her a bit nervous. That wouldn’t be a problem if Lori wasn’t fast becoming the first person that she’s been genuinely attracted to since splitting with her ex.

Easy money, huh? Yeah, right.

Brief Excerpt 250 words:

I ALWAYS DID like Venetian blinds. There’s something quaint about them in a retro-tacky kinda way. Plus, they’re pretty useful for sneaking a peek out the front of the building if I feel the need. That’s something that you just can’t do with the solid, immovable metal slats that come as a standard in buildings these days. That said, a thick sheet of steel is gonna offer you a damn sight more security than thin, bendable vinyl, so I keep mine installed. Just in case.

Another round of knocking rattles the front door, louder this time than the one that woke me.

The clock says 23:47, and the unfamiliar low-end car out front screams “Don’t notice me, I’m not worth your time,” which makes for the perfect combo to stir up the paranoia that the evening’s beer and horror-film session left behind. This is my own fault. My adverts are pretty descriptive in terms of telling what I do: lost pets, cheating partners, theft, protection, retrieval of people and items, other odds and sods that the city’s finest won’t touch…I’ve got ways to deal with it all. That’s right, I’m a real odd-job gal. The one thing that I don’t put in there are business hours. The way I see it, even the missing pet cases usually leave me wandering the streets at half-past reasonable, so what’s the point in asking people to call between certain hours?

More knocking, followed this time by the squeak of my letterbox.

Why should readers buy this book (50 words max)? Described as Sam Spade meets Blade Runner, Addict throws an old-style PI into a near future world and blends sci-fi world building with noir corruption. If you want a speculative fiction title with an LGBT lead that isn’t a coming out tale or erotica, this is the book for you!

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