Saturday, January 31, 2015

Final Day: Songs of the Earth Blog Tour

Blog Schedule

1/31/2015 Jill Prand Book
1/31/2015 Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents Book
1/31/2015 Ooh my shelves Book 


If you missed the stops this week I've attached them below. If you lick on the names you'll be taken to the articles. Hurry and enter the giveaway if you haven't already!

1/26/2015 Love Bytes - Article: Reincarnation and Second Chances
1/26/2015 MM Goodbooks - Review (Thank you!)
1/26/2015 Raine O'Tierney (The Hat Party) - Interview

1/27/2015 The Blogger Girls - Review (Thanks Bunches!)

1/27/2015 Book Review, Rants and Raves - Promo
1/27/2015 Hearts on Fire  - Interview

1/28/2015 Prism Book Alliance - Article: The Importance of Names & Review

1/28/2015 Fallen Angel Reviews - Promo
1/28/2015 GGR - Review

1/29/2015 BDF book blog - Promo
1/29/2015 The Novel Approach - Article: Pieces of the Past
1/29/2015 Cheekypee reads - Promo

1/30/2015 Queer Town Abbey - When Is It Too Much Sex?
1/30/2015 T.T Kove - Promo
1/30/2015 Eye on Books - Review (Thank yous!)


A hug thank you to everyone who hosted me this week!!



Sunday, January 25, 2015

Songs of the Earth Blog Tour Coming This Week



This coming week Songs of the Earth is going its blog tour. There will be a mixture of guest posts, interviews, reviews, and excerpts as well as a giveaway so make sure that you don't miss it!


Blog Schedule


1/26/2015 Love Bytes
1/26/2015 MM Goodbooks
1/26/2015 Raine O'Tierney (The Hat Party)

1/27/2015 The Blogger Girls
1/27/2015 Book Review, Rants and Raves
1/27/2015 Hearts on Fire

1/28/2015 Prism book alliance
1/28/2015 Fallen Angel Reviews
1/28/2015 GGR

1/29/2015 BDF book blog
1/29/2015 The Novel Approach
1/29/2015 Cheekypee reads

1/30/2015 Queer Town Abbey
1/30/2015 T.T Kove
1/30/2015 Eye on Books

1/31/2015 Jill Prand Book
1/31/2015 Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents Book
1/31/2015 Ooh my shelves Book 

Saturday, January 24, 2015

What are you read... Hey! Bikers!


Before I jump into my reading I wanted to talked about the books that are coming out with antihero bikers. There are a boatload of them in mainstream Het and some have caught my eye. I'm seriously thinking about reading a couple after I checked out the excerpts. The covers alone can motivate me into buying these but I don't want to be disappointed. Where are these books in M/M?? Publishers? Indy authors?

Double Down: Bedlam Butchers Club - this is like 12th in the series. Do I really want to start here or at the beginning?

Rough Justice (The Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club Book 1)
Silver Bastard (Silver Valley Book 1)
If I bought books solely on the look of the cover alone I would've come away broke after visiting Joanna Wylde's author page on Amazon. I didn't even click on the covers to read because I was afraid I wouldn't have the fortitude to walk away.

Vicious Cycle (A Vicious Cycle Novel Book 1)

Beyond the Cut (The Sinner's Tribe Motorcycle Club)
See what I mean? Yum!! I love the covers and the excerpts made me think about going there. I wish that I could write contemporary well so that I could put together my own story (of course after I finished all my current work--which would mean the biker thing would be passe). As it is now, I doubt anyone would want to read my bikers. 

Where are the M/M biker books? Anyone know of one or two that I could sink my teeth in?





As you can see, I have gorged on Rhys Ford. Just found her stuff, well it's been there but I'm such a fickle reader when it comes to contemporary books. o.O Look there, I didn't have any problems. Spending time with these was a reward for getting my writing goals completed everyday. Great motivation. Now I'm out of audiobooks to listen to.

Dirty Laundry (Cole McGinnis Series Book 3) By Rhys Ford #Audio #GreatNarrator #Contemporary #Tears
Dirty Secret (Cole McGinnis Series Book 2) By Rhys Ford #Audio #GreatNarrator #Contemporary #Tears
Dirty Deeds (Cole McGinnis Series Book 4) By Rhys Ford #Audio #GreatNarrator #Contemporary 
#Tears
Down and Dirty (Cole McGinnis Mysteries) By Rhys Ford #Audio #GreatNarrator #Contemporary
Tequila Mockingbird (Sinners Series Book 3) By Rhys Ford #Audio #GreatNarrator #Contemporary #MustGiveMeMore #GrabbyHands
Whiskey and Wry (Sinners Series Book 2) By Rhys Ford #Audio #GreatNarrator #Contemporary
Sinner's Gin (Sinners Series Book 1) By Rhys Ford #Audio #GreatNarrator #Contemporary

I'm on a book hangover.

Wednesday, January 21, 2015

My Thoughts: The Last Door by J. A. Jaken, Excerpt, Giveaway

I promised myself that this year I would write more reviews for the books that I loved. I'm glad that I picked this one. It was a delightful gem that ensnared me from the first page.

Kaori Sansa is the heir to the seat of the High Lord of Kazure and away attending university. On the cusp of graduation he learns of his father’s sudden untimely death. His father, Akashi, was a larger than life figure, one that Kaori didn’t believe he could live up to. He and his father were such different people. Kaori the scholar his father didn’t understand, and Akashi the war hero and ruthless leader that Kaori barely knew. Taking up the mantle of High Lord comes with more dangers than Kaori would have ever guessed.

But Kaori isn’t alone. He has Hunter his bodyguard from the Assassin’s Guild who has been at his side since Kaori was six.  Haku Tomana, his childhood friend, who is now a Guard of Heavens Gate. Plus there is his father’s adviser and Kaori’s former teacher, Ishaya Kamahize. All three come together to give Kaori much needed support.

From the beginning, the comfortable relationship between Kaori and Hunter was very important to Kaori. Hunter wasn’t only his trusted bodyguard but also his friend and as the story unfolds, it was easy to see how much more the two wanted but didn’t dare to wish for.

“How do you deal with fear?” Kaori asked curiously, momentarily distracted from his examination of the landscape outside the window. 

Hunter smiled slightly. An expression chased across his eyes, there and then gone, that Kaori had never seen there before. It made him shiver without knowing why. 

“Usually, I kill something.”

Both the story and the characters are like onions, each layer revealed something more after I thought I had a grasp on the who and the what. Sometimes the waiting for the next reveal was excruciating because I wanted to know more and gobble it up but this was a story that couldn’t be rushed. 

Kaori began as sweet and endearing as well as very inexperienced in many ways which was quite refreshing from the common theme of a spoiled promiscuous heir. There was something about him that made me worry for him because I could imagine court life crushing the individual presented to me at the beginning of the book. But Kaori was also smart and approached everything with thought and consideration, surprising me and his adversaries.

Sometimes he asked the most naive questions within the hearing range of seasoned advisers and (frustratingly so) no one gave helpful hints when I had already surmised what the issue was… well, there was a couple of times I drew conclusions that were bashed so that kept me second guessing what I thought was going on.

Hunter was my favorite character and I found that most of the sections that I highlighted in the story had to do with him. There is something about wounded heroes that draws me. Hunter was a fighter in so many ways with a quiet strength but he still had secrets that he couldn’t bare for Kaori to know.

“But the thought of Kaori knowing what he had been—what horrible depths he’d had to climb out of—filled Hunter with a biting shame. He didn’t think he could survive it, if Kaori were ashamed of him.”

The writing was excellent leaving me suspicious of everything. Quickly I found myself engaged and invested in the outcome of all the characters. A sentence or two could set a scene to lead me to beautiful vistas or setting the stage for an unknown trepidation. Bits of philosophy highlight some of the character’s insights. The romance was a slow burn that had me rooting for Kaori and Hunter. I loved this Pseudo-Japanese world. I enjoy the subtle insertions of names, place names that have a meaning tying the name to the land and the people. I found the author’s note at the end delightful, giving me that look into the ground laid in the building of this colorful world.

This is a excellent book that I would highly recommend whether you like fantasy, or adventure, or a bit of intrigue. If the author ever writes a sequel, I will be first in line to buy a copy. As it is, I’m going to go look and see if this also comes in paperback because I want it on my bookshelf.

*~*~*~*

Author Name: J.A. Jaken
Book Title: Through the Last Door
Publisher: White Owl Publishing
Book Length: 135,000 words (326 pages)
Genre: Fantasy/Adventure, M/M Romance
Book Release Date: 12/19/2014

Book Description

When Kaori Sansa’s father dies, he is forced to return home to claim the throne as the rightful heir of the country of Kazure. In the aftermath of his father’s death, he learns that the country he loves is riddled with corruption, and is hovering on the brink of war. Will he be able to hold the kingdom together despite the odds that are stacked against it, and somehow unlock the buried powers of Shinja, the Sacred Beast of Kazure?

Buy LinksAmazon | Amazon UK | Barnes & Noble | All Romance (ARe)



Excerpt:

"You really should try to eat something, High Lord," Ishaya said.

Kaori closed his eyes. The smell of the food -- while undoubtedly well-prepared and mouth-watering -- was making him feel ill. But if he hadn't eaten all day, then neither had Hunter. And Hunter would not eat before he did; not out of a misguided overabundance of fealty, but because he was as much of a mother hen as Ishaya was.

Reluctantly, he selected a plate of light crackers and cheeses, adding a pile of thin-sliced veal at Haku's insistence. The food clung to his throat when he tried to swallow, without any taste at all. He nodded gratefully when Haku handed him a cup of spiced wine to wash it down with.  

"You, too," he said, frowning in Hunter's direction. "Don't tell me you aren't hungry."

Hunter made no move to accept the offer. "I want to be sure you have enough to eat first," he said. "You need--"

"There's more than enough here to feed all of us if we want it, and half the grounds staff besides. Eat, damn you."

A small smile touched Hunter's face as he slid down to sit at Kaori's other side and reached for a plate, piling it high with sliced veal and fruit. "If you insist." There was an ironic twist to the words.

The familiar byplay made something inside Kaori's chest loosen. Hunter, at least, wasn't treating him any differently because his father had died. Taking comfort from the shoulder brushing so warmly against his, he finally found the courage to look up and meet Ishaya's eyes.

"There are probably things I need to know," he said. The words felt heavy in his mouth. "Affairs of state, or... something." He felt lost.

Ishaya smiled kindly at him. "There's no need for you to worry about that tonight, High Lord." His eyes were soft. "Rest assured that all is running as it should within your kingdom. For tonight, at least, you have no responsibilities other than spending time with your friend."

"I'd like to hear about that university in Gyre," Haku said, selecting a grape from the platter and taking a slow bite from it. "What was it like, living over there? Was it horrible?"

"No, it wasn't horrible at all. Gyre is really a wonderful place. Let me tell you about the campus where I was living...." Kaori was glad for the delay in having to face his new reality for that much longer. He felt more relaxed now as he talked about the country he had spent the past three years visiting, the things he'd learned there, the culture, the language, the people. In return, Haku told him about the trials he'd passed in order to become a member of the Palace Guard, and some of the campaigns he'd been on. Kaori was unsettled to realize that his friend had significant battle experience now, and had even killed on occasion, when it had become necessary. That image jarred discordantly with the image of the childhood companion he carried around in his mind's eye. In many ways, this new Haku seemed a stranger to Kaori; the thought made him feel sad. But time moved on, and people changed. That was the way of the world.

At length, he began to feel quite sleepy. He realized with some surprise that he had eaten more than he thought he'd be able to.
"Your room has been prepared," Ishaya said, drawing his attention, "if you'd like to retire for the night."

Kaori caught himself in the middle of another yawn and ducked his head embarrassedly. He really was very tired. The thought of going to sleep as if nothing untoward had happened disturbed him, but at the same time he wanted it desperately, wanted the dark and the temporary oblivion it offered.

"Yes," he said, sighing. "I think I'd better." He smiled, feeling very much aware of his friends sitting around him like a balustrade, like armor, sitting with him so he wouldn't have to be alone on this night of all nights. "Thank you."

He got up to walk out of the room, but stopped before he reached the doorway. Turning around, he met Haku's eyes and asked, "Did my father suffer at all?"

Haku hesitated before replying. "It wasn't easy for him," he said at last. "But what is, in this life?"

Ishaya leaned forward in agitation. "Haku!" he said sharply, with a disapproving frown. "There was no reason for him to know--"

Haku shrugged, unimpressed by the other man's ire. "We shouldn't get into the habit of lying to him. Life is hard, and it's only going to get harder." He glanced in Kaori's direction, his gaze contemplative. "Especially for him."

The words sent a wave of coldness washing through Kaori, but he nodded agreeably enough. "Thank you, Haku." Feeling numb, he left the room.

He'd taken nearly five full steps before he realized that Hunter had fallen in beside him. Glancing at the man irritably, he said, "You'd better get some sleep, too."

"Of course." Hunter's tone was nonchalant. It occurred to Kaori that he'd never once seen the other man sleep. He just always seemed to be there, watching over him.

"Seriously, Hunter." That thought worried him, for some reason. "I don't think you have to worry about anyone trying to assassinate me here in the palace tonight."

"No," Hunter said agreeably. "You should be safe enough here."

"So get some rest. Please."

Hunter's eyes were extraordinarily dark when they looked at him. For the first time, Kaori wondered if he was mourning Akashi's passing, too. Had the two of them been close at all? They must have been, for Akashi to have assigned Hunter the task of protecting his only heir.

"I will," Hunter said after a moment's pause. "Promise me you'll get some sleep as well. Don't just lie awake, worrying."

It had been nearly three years since Kaori had last slept in a room alone. Having a roommate had been troublesome for him at first, but he'd swiftly grown accustomed to the sound of another breath in the darkness next to his own. All of a sudden, he missed Ben so poignantly it brought a physical ache to his chest.

"Yes," he said, wondering if he sounded half as insincere as he felt. "I promise."

They walked in silence the rest of the way to Kaori's room. At this hour, there was no one else out and about in the corridors. The emptiness of the palace was unsettling, as if it were inhabited by nothing more than ghosts, or memories. Kaori wasn't sure which of the two would be worse.

He paused outside the door to his bedroom when he reached it, staring hard at the elaborate whorls etched into the polished wood. At his side Hunter waited patiently, as if sensing that he needed to find the courage to speak.

"Everything's changed," he said at last. There was no one else he could have made such an admission to, not even Haku. "And I don't think... I don't think I can be what they need from me."

"Nonsense." Hunter's tone was kind. "You've spent the past two years -- nearly three -- studying politics and economic stratagems. You're already more educated than your father ever hoped of being."

"My father was a great warrior."

"It takes more than war to rule a country."

"I'm too young. The lords of the Council are going to laugh at me if I try to tell them what to do."

"I assure you they won't."

"They'll be right to. I don't know anything. I mean, I do, but it's all book knowledge. I don't know anything about their fears, about the issues they're facing."

"You'll learn. The important thing to remember is that you aren't alone. We're all here for you, and we're rooting for you. We'll help you all that we can."

Hunter. Haku. Ishaya. Kaori smiled slightly at that reminder. "I'm probably going to fall on my ass."

The corner of Hunter's mouth curled upward. "If you do, you'll pick yourself up again. You'll make mistakes, you'll learn from them, and life will go on. Your father made more than his fair share of them."

That made Kaori raise his head, surprise widening his eyes. The thought that his father might have been fallible rocked the foundations of his world.

After a moment, he asked, "Do you miss him?"

For a moment, it didn't look as if Hunter was going to answer. Then he turned away with a small sigh, so soft Kaori almost couldn't hear it.

"I think you have the potential to be a far greater ruler than your father ever had a hope of being," he said, without looking at Kaori's eyes. "I think people are going to assume, at first, that you might be just like him... and that they'll be pleasantly surprised when they find out you're not."

Kaori turned those last statements over in his head and tried to determine if, taken as a whole, they amounted to a compliment for him, or for his father. He decided he was too tired to come to a coherent conclusion and that he'd do best to just let it go for now.

He slid the fingers of one hand over the surface of his door, feeling the familiar warmth of it slide in through his skin. "Promise me," he said, staring down at his hand. "Promise me... you aren't going to change. Promise me you'll never treat me any differently because of... of what I am."

Hunter turned to look at him then, surprise at the words tightening the skin between his brows. A moment later, his expression softened. "Is that an order, High Lord?"

Kaori frowned. "No. It's not. It's only a request."

Hunter nodded seriously. "Then unfortunately, I'm going to have to decline. I can't promise never to change. I don't know anyone who could do that." When Kaori opened his mouth to speak, he said, "But I will promise always to treat you as I have in the past."

"Like an obsessive mother hen, you mean," Kaori said, subsiding with a grin.

"If you'd like to think of it that way." Hunter's eyes sparkled. "But seriously, Kaori. You don't have anything to worry about. No matter what happens, I'll always be by your side."

It was ridiculous, how much comfort that promise gave him. Kaori was struck by the sudden urge to ask the other man to go into his bedroom with him, just so he wouldn't have to sleep alone.

Flustered, he turned back toward his door. "Go get some sleep, then. You promised."

"I did." Hunter lifted a hand and ruffled Kaori's hair, his palm settling in a warm, heavy weight on the top of his scalp. "You go to sleep, too."

Kaori repressed a shiver. "I told you I would." He pushed open the door and stepped into his room, feeling strangely bereft when the other man's hand fell away from his hair.

He didn't look back when he closed the door.



Author Bio:

J.A. Jaken has been writing homoerotic fiction for more than ten years. She got her start in the profession writing slash fanfiction, where she has published numerous stories under the pen-name Rushlight. Over the years she has written erotic short stories and novels in genres ranging from science fiction/fantasy to gothic horror to modern detective mysteries. Outside of writing, her interests include studying foreign languages, practicing martial arts, riding horses, and collecting medieval weaponry.

website: http://www.jajaken.com/
email: jajaken@jajaken.com
facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jajakenfiction
twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/jajakenfiction
goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/JAJaken



*~*~*

Blog Tour Stops

1/19/2015 
Prism Book Alliance Guest Post
multitaskingmommas Book Reviews Promo, Book Review
Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents Book Review

1/20/2015 
Love Bytes Reviews Guest Post
Gay.Guy. Reading and Friends Book Review
Rainbow Gold Reviews Guest Post, Book Review

1/21/2015 
MM Good Book Reviews Guest Post, Book Review
Twinsie Talk Book Reviews Promo
Loving Without Limits w/Lexi Ander Book Review

1/22/2015 
BFD Book Blog Guest Post
Eyes on Books Book Review
Cheekypee Reads & Reviews Promo

1/23/2015 


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Saturday, January 17, 2015

Mixing Pieces of the Story

 

For the last several weeks I've been working on Dragon's Eye. Before the funny business with Silver I had started and completed 17k but had to put it aside to work on something else for a different publisher until the business with Silver straightened up or I got my manuscripts back. In the meantime, the details of the book in my head was going around and around. Ideas were considered, some were kept and others thrown away.

When I started working on the story again, I had decided that the story needed more than Tristans's POV, there was just too much that needed to get wrapped up and he couldn't be everywhere and I didn't want to "tell" what happened. So I decided to use Ushna's and Nikita's (Brian) POVs. I didn't think that would change the story too much but be able to go to places that Tristan couldn't.

The story starts out with Ushna's POV but where I wanted to start it kept giving me problems because I kept "telling" how Ushna arrived at his current situation. I scrapped the first chapters three times trying to find the place to start that felt right. I know it's right because the story flows, going forward instead of looking back and when I finall found it I could have wept.

So I began truly writing again, tacking on to my growing word count the 17k that had gathered dust on my hard drive. Only, when I finished Ushna's portion and delved into what I had written before, I discovered the two didn't match up. I had completely forgotten some details that I had original used. I picked through what was there, salvaging what I could, which really wasn't much. Five of the seventeen thousand words swallowed and gone because it no longer had a place in the story. Of the remaining 10k I removed another four thousnad words and what was kept worked really well.

Then Tristan's portion came to an end rather suddenly. I say 'suddenly' because in my mind there was still another chapter that I recall vividly that wasn't there. I search the electronic folders for other docs that could be holding the wayward chapters and found nothing. But I remembered writing the scene and I was looking forward to rereading what was there. The only thing that came to mind was that I didn't type it up when I finished. So I searched through my notebooks, which was a feat because there were several unfinshed projects but found it last night.

This morning I sat down to read it, and man, what a let down. I am not impressed. What had been sticking in my mind was very different. I don't know if I can use most of this because it doesn't jive with what now comes before. I'lll probably salvage a couple of sentences here and there but what happened in my head is way cooler and I'm going to use it instead.

I should've expected it. I'm a pantser. I have a list of things that need to be resolved but I don't plot. Getting from one scene to another is an unknown. When I introduced another's POV, it changed the course of the ball game. Plus I've had over a year to consider the different paths and the outcomes of follwing a certain route. I looked at the big white board that has held Dragon's Eye list of things that needed to be resolved and while reading throught it I had this moment of "what did I mean by that" or "no, that's not going to happen any longer" and then I erased it all.


I had this moment this morning where I wanted to stamp my foot in anger because of the 20k of the original manuscript, I only kept 7k. Sure the story will be better than if I had completed it a year ago. But that story I started writing a year ago is much different than the Dragon's Eye I'm writing today. Well, at least I hope so. :-)

Thank You for stopping by and reading!!

Sunday, January 11, 2015

Weekly reading list. What Are You Reading?



I didn't post the reading list for last week since I did my favorites for the year. It seemed like over sharing, and really there wasn't that many to share. I've been concentrating on writing Dragon's Eye, which is coming along really well, so my reading time is down.

This week's list is mixed with last weeks and so there is a bit more than what I can do on a normal week considering these are novels and not novellas or short stories.

Dirty Kiss by Rhys Ford #Audio #Contemporary #NowIGetIt #GreatNarriator
A Shadow of a Dream by Isabella Carter #Audio #Fantasy #GreatNarriator
Frog by Mary Calmes #Audio #Contemporary #GreatNarriator
Through The Last Door by J.A. Jaken #Fantasy
Trouble Comes In Threes by M.A. Church #Paranormal #MMM
Dead Things by Meredith Russell #ZombiesApocalypse

What have you enjoyed reading this week?

Friday, January 9, 2015

Blog Tour: Favorite Son by Will Freshwater with Giveaway.

I am tickled to have Will Freshwater stop by with some information on his debut book, Favorite Son.

Each stop is eligible to giveaway an eBook of Favorite Son so make sure you follow the hop. To enter to win a copy of Favorite Son leave your email addy and a comment below about books that deal with politics. Are they a favorite read of yours? Have you read one before?

I can't enter the give away but I'll get us started. I don't recall reading a book that had a plot embroiled with politics. There have been several with rentboys and shady politician side characters (bad guys). But nothing that would be set in DC. The closest I've come is Fantasy novels with kings and court intrigue, which I don't really think counts but the two are so different.

I'll be the first to say that Washington politics is confusing. Thinking about writing about it... well I wouldn't know where to start. I have indulged in watching some episodes of DC politics though. Scandal, Commander and Chief with Gena Davis, but the one I watched the most was The West Wing with Martin Sheen (He-he, back in the day).

Now it's your turn. Have you read any books with a plot line that encompasses modern day politics? Do you have favorites? What do you enjoy about plots like that? You have until 11:59 p.m. eastern time on January 12th to leave a comment. Good Luck!!

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!


*~*~*

Book Title: Favorite Son
Author: Will Freshwater
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Book Length: 204 pages
Genre: Gay, Romance

Book Blurb:

Born into a blue-collar family, John Wells beat the odds and came out a winner. As chief of staff to Patrick Donovan, a US senator and aspiring presidential candidate, he enjoys all the power and privilege of a DC insider. But while riding high on a wave of success, he’s blindsided by a series of betrayals from the people he trusts the most. In the space of a single day, John's perfect life unexpectedly unravels when his career falters and his marriage implodes. Following a final, devastating blow, John assumes a new identity as “Peter” and flees to Provincetown, where a tight-knit community of eclectic characters slowly transforms him.

Peter finds himself drawn to Danny Cavanaugh, an enigmatic carpenter who is struggling to come to terms with his own troubled past. As they work together to renovate a local landmark, the two men forge an unlikely friendship that blossoms into love and becomes the foundation for a new life they hope to build together. But when a reversal of fortune pulls John back to DC, the treacherous world of politics he thought he’d left behind threatens to destroy his chance at true happiness.

Buy LinksAmazon | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner Press | All Romance eBooks(ARe) | Barnes & Noble:

*~*~*

Will recorded a couple of readings and they can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/willlivestowrite/videos

*~*~*



Author Bio:

Will Freshwater was born and raised in a small steel town outside Pittsburgh. He graduated, cum laude, from Boston College and was awarded a Juris Doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Law. Will has lived and worked in Boston, Philadelphia, Washington, DC, and Tampa. Although he has spent the better part of the last twenty years working as a successful corporate attorney, Will can happily confirm that his true vocation is writing. He currently resides in Morristown, New Jersey with his husband, Stephen, and their golden retriever, Rory. Favorite Son is Will's debut novel, and he is hard at work on his second novel.

Author Contact Links:

Email: willfreshwater@yahoo.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/will.freshwater.9?fref=ts
Twitter: @WillFreshwater https://twitter.com/WillFreshwater




*~*~*

Blog Stops

1/5/2014

Love Bytes 
Prism Book Alliance
man2man tastic
Loving Without Limits

1/12/2014

Multitasking Momma's
GGR-Review
we like it big book blog

1/13/2014

MM goodbooks reviews
Kristy Vizard
Love last refuge

Thursday, January 8, 2015

Throwback Thursday Review of Alpha Trine

Alpha Trine was reviewed for Crystal's Many Reviewers Throwback Thursday Spotlight.  You can find the review HERE.

A huge, big, mondo thank you to A-Nony-Mousy and Michele for such awesome reviews. Made my day and made me forget about my headache, too. 

Wednesday, January 7, 2015

Songs of the Earth Release Day!!


Whoot! Today is the re-release day for Songs of the Earth. I love that this series found such a great home with Less Than Three Press.

Songs of the Earth is the second book in the Sumeria's Sons series. For those who have read the first edition, no content was changed. We did typical editing and buffing.

The blog tour won't begin until later this month. I'll post notices here on the blog as well as on Facebook, twitter, GoodReads, and Google+.

Thank you guys for reading. {{hugs}}

Blurb:

Thrust into the role of Prince of the Lycans, Tristan strives to find his footing in a life suddenly rife with secrets and lies—and danger. Betrayed by a Goddess meant to safeguard him, desperate to protect his consort and their growing tribe, he can only prepare for the worst and struggle to hope.

And then the worst comes to kill them...


Buy Links: Amazon | Less Than Three Press | All Romance (ARe) | Barnes & Noble

Excerpt:

I sat on my horse, Dancing Socks, in the middle of the river that cut through my property, the chill of the water numbing my legs. We were stuck, trapped between two creatures of myth and a Goddess of the Lycan race. Behind me, six of my warriors in the fearsome Lupe battle form braced to protect me.

I was in deep, deep shit. For the life of me, I couldn’t see a way out. Two Shirdals―lion-eagles also known as gryphons―one in front of me and one behind, effectively cut off any escape. Socks and I couldn’t outrun these Sumerian creatures of myth. But they were the least of my problems. What held my full attention was the woman standing before me on the water’s edge.

The Goddess Ki, clothed in a long, flowing gauzy dress, wearing a crown of ram’s horns, with a bow and quiver of arrows over her left shoulder and a cudgel hanging from her waist. She held a lion cub’s leash while regarding me with a stern, assessing gaze.

“Tristan Javed Ksathra Janick, Prince of the Enkidu, do you know who I am?”

How could I, or any Lycan, not know her? Regardless of what had happened today, I’d believed there was a solution. There was always a way out as long as I continued to breathe—but this, her, I couldn’t fight and win.

“You are the Goddess Ki, consort of Enki, Lady Life, mother of all living things, Nourisher of Kings. I greet you, Goddess. Do with me as you will.”

From across the water, Ki smiled a very white smile. “Come to me, Tristan. We have much to discuss,” she commanded.

I nudged Socks with my knees and she reluctantly finished crossing the stream, nervously tossing her head and rolling her eyes at the Shirdal. Once out of the water, I guided her a safe distance to the side and dismounted, removing her wet saddle and blanket. Her muscles twitched as she held still for me.

For a moment, I leaned my forehead on Socks’s shoulder. She reached around and nibbled at my hair. Not a half hour ago, I had left the ranch to go for a ride. The morning had offered many revelations with an accumulation of events that changed the course of my life.

After breaking the bond with my Twin Flame, Theo Sullivan, I hadn’t expected to find happiness or to fall in love with my best friend, but I had. Last night we made love, and it had been the best night of my life. This morning I’d awakened to find out I was born of royal blood, and Ushna was my chosen consort. Before I could begin to grasp what that even meant, Caspian MacCuill—one of the Magi—and a group of Lycan warriors invaded my home and attempted to kidnap Ushna and blackmail our friend, Gregori Borchetta, which led to Ushna being shot while trying to protect me.

All I had wanted was an hour. One single, measly hour to gather my thoughts and figure out what the hell we needed to do next. Instead, I sat trapped with no way to escape. The only course of action left to me was to save as many lives as possible. No mortal defied a Goddess and lived. If only I knew what I’d done to draw her attention.

Reluctantly, I straightened, petting Socks’s velvety nose before I removed her bridle. Giving her a smack on the rump, I sent her away. With luck, she’d return home safely and not be eaten.

Ready for whatever fate awaited me at the hands of a Goddess who hadn’t walked the Earth in a very, very long time, I turned to Ki and waited. It couldn’t be taken as good fortune that she was here now.

“Why so gloomy, Tristan? Do you think so poorly of me that you expect to be struck down by my hand?” Ki asked, head tilted to the side as she stared with almond-shaped black eyes.

One Shirdal lay at her feet, allowing Ki to scratch the feathers between its ears. The picture presented seemed surreal, two things that shouldn’t exist in this modern world of skyscrapers, automobiles, space shuttles, and nuclear bombs. Yes, I kept an altar in my room where I left burnt offerings to the Warrior Goddess Anat and Shamash, God of Justice. Believing in the Gods and Goddesses didn’t mean one would manifest into my world and actually speak to me.

“I don’t wish to offend, Goddess. It’s… well… this has been a very unusual day. Right now, I’m assuming the worst because I cannot fathom why you are here—speaking to me.”

She gave me another toothy smile and glanced across the water to the Lupes harassing the other Shirdal. “Please call your warriors to you, Tristan. The Shirdals meant you no harm. They were only playing.”

I barely withheld an ugly snort. Playing with me? I could imagine them playing as they tossed me about with their sharp beaks. Without a word, I lifted a hand to the Lupes and they entered the water, intent upon me as they crossed in a straight line.

Sunday, January 4, 2015

I Don't Need No Stinkin' Resolutions For A Writing Schedule!

New Year's resolutions are for the birds. It's like making a wish list of things that you would like to do, but really, they aren't important enough to simply execute and make them a normal part of your life. You have to make a list as if to remind yourself why they were important at the beginning of the year.

Some people do take the resolutions very seriously and accomplish things but many of us allow them to fall by the wayside for one reason or another and then later in the year become depressed because we didn't accomplish everything that we put on the list.

So I don't make resolutions when the new year flips over. I learned long ago that I don't value them. What I have always done is set goals but not at the new year. Every three to four months I assess what is going on and what I need to do. So I have quarterly goals, annual goals, and a five year goals that are always in flux because life can sometimes throw some curve balls.

Now goals can be interrupted. but if that happens, I don't trash them. I simply reset when I think they can be accomplished. The beginning of 2014 was tumultuous with the debacle that Silver Publishing turned out to be. I had been working for months to get my rights back to all five of my books and trying to start anew some place else. But even with as crazy as everything was, I still had goals.

Today I'm redoing my agenda. This is last year's white board of my goals (please excuse the doggy tail swishes) and if you've followed my releases you know that Keeping Faith was finished and actually released in November but what about everything else?

Well, let's roll down the list. The Soul of an Animal Like Me was put on the back burner. It is a part of a trilogy that is a spin off of I.O.N. With the uncertainty of Silver I couldn't justify working in this when it possibly wouldn't see the light of day. It is halfway finished.

Fate and Destinies is finished. It's been sitting on my hard drive waiting for me to get the time to actually do the self-edits. It's about 110k which would take me quite a long time to do line edits so I keep pushing it back. I plan to get to it sometime this year.

Under the 2014 agenda area. Elite Ops *laughing* Yeah, that one was a bust because I couldn't come up with a storyline that I wanted to write. What I did test out, the feed back came back that the Ops dude was pretty unlikable because the plot I had in mind had him walking away from the love of his life without a good reason for staying away. So that plot was let go but I'm holding onto the characters. Usually I can find another story line for unattached characters or add them to existing series.

Druids of Sanctuary I wanted to be a love triangle trilogy but Emery was showing a preference so I had to go back to the drawing board and rework some things. Yeah, it's still sitting on the drawing board.

Bespoken was supposed to be book 3 in a 4 book series but there was a problem with things that had to happen in order to accomplish everything in the fourth book. I decided that instead of telling what happened that I would show. This added three books to the Valespian Pact series. Now the line up is Bespoken, Chosen, Rebirth, Boundless, and Legends. If I can come up with a viable love story for Mestor then there will be a standalone for him, Kindred. I spent a great deal of time with research on this series and Bespoken is ready. It's a part of the 2015 lineup.

One More Night is a bittersweet flash fiction that I thought about fleshing out and nothing is coming to mind so it will stay as it is.

Beginning Again is the reworking of Leap of Faith, a fluffy freebie I wrote a couple of years ago. I was going to leave it as is but received some great feedback on this that made me rethink and I began to expand it and change the areas that were off. It's contemporary and I'm not as confident when writing this genre but it's not shelved.

Elemental Guardians (Fantasy/Sci-Fi), Rescue and Rehab (Sci-Fi), Half Breed (New Adult/Paranormal), Dating Guide (Urban Fantasy) are all still on my agenda and I will get to but first I need to complete the series that I already have so these were moved to the waiting list.

At first glance, it would appear that I didn't get much accomplished, other than Keeping Faith. Not so.  I completed The Aurora Conspiracy and it will come out sometime this year. There were a lot of words put into manuscripts that are in the works. Homes were found for Sumeria's Sons and I.O.N. Sumeria's Sons has a re-release schedule. Striker was released. Alpha Trine received the Rainbow Award. And I went to two conventions as an author. The last quarter of 2014 I lost my father which put a host of issues in my path that I had to deal with, setting aside my agenda for the quarter. I had planned to have Dragon's Eye and Releasing Chaos finished before the end of the year but that's what happens sometimes.

This next quarter I plan on finishing the Sumeria's Sons series. I'm about 30k into Dragon's Eye. I estimated it would be around 100k about I'm almost at the half way point so I'm looking at more like 70k instead.

Releasing Chaos will wrap up the story of Tristan, Ushna, and Nikita. I had always planned for there to be two spinoffs of Sumeria's Sons. Sumeria's Children and Sumeria's Magi but these will have to wait until I've completed one or both of the other series.

I need to finish the self edits for Werewolf's Tale & A Druid's Sword. Then I can submit to LT3.

Bespoken and Chosen come next and then the 3rd book in the I.O.N. series.

Fate And Destinies needs the editing and then I need to find out were to send it or if I want to self publish.

The bonus fun for this year is working on the world building for the insect shifter - In This Skin (Sci-Fi) story. This is sort of a challenge to get readers to look past the shifted form and find someone to root for. It's been really fun to put the components together.

The other bonus is the fantasy story that is sort of a twisted Red Riding Hood mixed with some midrash. Reapers, assassins, and hunters in a series called Cain's Redhoods. There's about 6k in the first story, Show Me Your Teeth. Lots of world building needs to be done, maybe two or three stories in this world.

Maybe the writing schedule doesn't seem aggressive but since none of these are short stories I think it's pretty good. I'm looking at writing at least 600,000 words this year, if not more. Certainly nothing to sneeze at but it also gives me the family time that I've given up these last couple of years. I have to find that balance or I'll hate being an author and that's the last thing that I want.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!