Friday, August 25, 2017

Pre-Order Now Available for Sunder (Darksoul, 1)

There are just 10 days until the release of Sūnder

A couple of years ago I wrote Darksoul: Part One where I hastily wrapped up the romance with a Happy For Now ending, but there were loose ends. As I was completing the story, I realized I didn't like how part one concluded and ended up rewriting and revising until I was satisfied. Then I could concentrate on the rest of the book and 30k became 120k. LOL! The story is now a standalone in the Darksoul universe. 

I worked hard to make Sūnder something different, something special, and honestly I couldn't have done that without the help of my editor, Alison. I also wanted to be able to add more stories to this universe that were also complete standalones. Despite where a reader started in the series, they could sink right into the story and not feel lost. 

Now my first self-pub baby is ready to out into the world. *sniffle* I hope y'all love it as much as I do!

Title: Sūnder
Series: Darksoul, 1
Author(s): Lexi Ander  
Categories: Romance / Gay / Paranormal / Urban Fantasy / Futuristic Sci-Fi /  Mpreg /
Word Count: 120,000 words
Cover Artist: Kirby Crow


Release Date: September 4, 2017

Pre-Order LinksAmazon | Kobo  | iTunes  | B&N | 


Blurb:

If Sūnder Alārd was born female he would have been cherished for being faeborn—born with magick—and his birth celebrated. Instead, his L’fÿn mother insisted on his death. Only his Panthrÿn father’s desperate escape through the forest saved him.

With most Chándariāns uneasy in his presence due to rumors he is doomed to become a darksoul, and unlikely to find a mate because of it, Sūnder has nevertheless carved out an honorable existence as a warrior and commander. Serving as a bodyguard and chaperone, Sūnder accompanies the Chándariān prince to the annual mating festival on Earth, and when the prince is injured, he can’t help but be fascinated by the tongue-tied nurse who attends them at the hospital.

At sixteen years of age, Gabriel St. Baptista came home to discover his parents had taken off into space, leaving him behind to look after himself. Gabe never recovered from the unexpected desertion, and keeps everyone at arm’s length to avoid the pain of being abandoned again. However, after meeting Sūnder, Gabe finds himself unable to resist the bond between them and breaks his carefully crafted rules to spend time with the Chándariāns, regardless of the fact that Sūnder will soon leave. Scared by what he feels for Sūnder, Gabe can only hope his heart won’t be too broken when Sūnder returns to Chándaria.


But deceit and treachery surrounds them both, and when Gabe saves Sūnder’s life, it sets off a chain of events that could either tear Gabe and Sūnder apart… or give them both exactly what they want.

Thank you for stopping by and reading!!

Wednesday, August 23, 2017

Reader ARC Sign-up for Sunder (Darksoul, 1)

Hey guys! I have a release coming on September 4th. I'm looking for reader reviews and if you are interested you can sign-up through google docs. I'm giving out about 30 copies so don't wait to sign-up because the slots will fill quickly. The rules for participation so make sure you read before fill out the form. Good Luck!

Monday, August 21, 2017

Spotlight: Retro Men of London #giveaway

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With the release of Survival Game, book #9 in Susan Mac Nicol’s contemporary MM Romance Men of London series, fast approaching, Embrace the Rainbow Book Promotions and the supporting bloggers would like to take you on a flashback tour through the Men of London series so far . . . . . . . . .

Men of London Book One **LOVE YOU SENSELESS**

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One of London’s up-and-coming chefs, Eddie Tripp has just the right recipe to drive tragedy from the mind of Gideon Kent—and leave him senselesswith desire.

THE MEN OF LONDON
From Soho to Norwich, there’s no escaping love.

A TASTE OF FOREVER
An award-winning chef with his own restaurant and an inexhaustible passion, Gideon Kent once had everything. Then came tragedy. It stole more than Gideon’s home. He hasn’t cooked since.

Until Eddie Tripp. Fun-loving and vivacious, the Norfolk redhead’s a real up-and-comer in Gideon’s kitchen—and other places. Slim where Gideon’s broad, easy-going where Gideon is growly, he and Gideon seem polar opposites, and yet Eddie conjures flavors that would tempt anyone with a taste for perfection. The sauce of love is already simmering, and this pair is about to dine on the most delicious dish they’ve ever prepared. Because Eddie’s been Gideon’s missing ingredient all along.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Boroughs Publishing

EXCERPT

Gideon tapped the pen on the desk in nervousness at having Eddie so close. Not for the first time he wished he could smell him, see if the man’s scent was sweat or cologne, or soap or sweet-scented sugar from the creations he made.

“She did, did she? She can be a really interfering biddy. And how many times have I told you to call me Gideon? Mr. Kent was my dad. And I don’t see him here.”

He bit his lip as his snark returned in Eddie’s presence. It was as if his mouth had no other way to react when Eddie was near.

Eddie seemed to be suppressing a smile. “It’s a little difficult to be on first-name terms with a man who’s always growling at me,” he said, faint amusement in his tone. “I thought perhaps I should keep it professional.”

Oh, Eddie bites does he? Not such a whippersnapper after all. I quite like that. The idea of him biting is definitely something I’d like to pursue.

Gideon shifted in the chair, trying to stave off the erection forming in his jeans.

Christ, that would be all I need, physical evidence of how he turns me on. I don’t even know if the man is gay or straight and he’d probably deck me. They say redheads have tempers, don’t they?

Men of London book two **SIGHT AND SINNERS**

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The murder of a shared friend leads a high-profile investigator and a psychic into a mystery involving lies, blackmail, BDSM—and into each other’s arms.

From Charing Cross to Waterloo, there’s no escaping love.

SEEING THROUGH…

28-year-old Draven Samuels has a tragic past, but as an investigator with a high-profile London company he now gets what he wants. Tough, sarcastic, and sceptical, he has no patience for lies and even less for people who waste his time. Even if they’re as beautiful as the wild and dark-haired Taylor Abelard. Especially when they’re talking over the body of a murder victim.

THE DARKNESS

Psychic Taylor Abelard is used to people calling him a freak. He can see past events and feel the ghostly vibrations of people close to him who’ve passed on. It’s why he doesn’t get too close to the living. But this time, against his better judgment, despite Draven’s mocking rejoinders, Taylor will get closer than ever before. The mystery of a dead friend will lead the two men down a dark and seedy trail of blackmail and lies. Add in the heartbreak of a family tragedy, and events lead them straight into each other’s arms. By the end of this night, all their demons will have risen—and been banished with the dawn.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Boroughs Publishing

Sight and Sinners Karen

Men of London book three **SUIT YOURSELF**

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Scarred both physically and emotionally after a motorcycle accident, twenty-five year old ex fashion model and porn star Oliver Brown is about to be stripped bare by flamboyant twink Leslie Scott—and they’ll rebuild love from the bottom up.

BARING THE BEAST

Twenty-five year old Oliver Brown is addicted. Two years ago, he was at the height of his career as “Nikki Star,” fashion model, porn actor, partier without peer. Then came the accident. Hiding his scars, both emotional and physical, he’s gone into hiding. But fine clothing is some solace. A new suit by Debussy? Better even than a ride on his motorcycle Hulk or all the things he used to give and take on camera.

Enter Leslie Scott, the flamboyant, dark-haired, heel-and-tiny-short-wearing twink sent to deliver Oliver’s newest fix. A firecracker, Leslie is dapper, generous, in touch with his feminine side but all man, and as gorgeous as any garment ever made. He makes Oliver dream of ending his reclusion, of recapturing a future forever denied him. But for that to happen, Leslie would have to strip him to the bone. Only then will they rebuild life from the bottom up.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Boroughs Publishing

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Men of London book four **FEAT OF CLAY**

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TWO MEN. TORN. TORTURED. LOVED.
Though they went their separate ways, Tate Williams and Clay Mortimer have been crazy about each other since their school days. Clay went into the SAS. Tate became a cop. Neither mentioned their attraction to the other. Both sought out danger. Both found it.

Imprisoned and shot in an undercover assignment gone wrong, Tate somehow survived…and found his way back into Clay’s arms. His old friend is now the owner of an elite investigation agency and everything any man could want: patient, handsome, commanding. And Clay knows what it takes to survive. But Tate can’t bring himself to share all his secrets, nightmares that force him to rebel against everything. He finds solace from his past as a graffiti artist, a childhood passion, but his demons drive away all who might care for him. Only when he faces that past—and learns that everyone has tasted despair—can the two men truly be brothers-in-arms…and more.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Boroughs Publishing

Men of London book five **CROSS TO BARE**

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TWO OF A KIND It’s amazing what a little mascara and lipstick, a blonde wig, false boobs, and top-notch female fashion can hide. Not that Lenny James is hiding his masculinity. He uses his normal voice when he’s Laverne, and he’s not particularly camp as a man. His reasons for creating his alter ego are locked deep in his past. He is who he is: tough in business, and a romantic at heart. What he’s hiding is vulnerability. He wants a man to accept both sides of him. 

Gorgeous, commanding, and dark as sin, Brook Hunter meets Lenny and knows nothing about Laverne until fate pushes her into his path. Cross-dressing is as far from Brook’s reality as fashion is from his world of diplomacy and high finance. Understanding and truth take time, and trust doesn’t come easy. But Brook is about to show Lenny that there are no sides to true love, just the place where they meet in the middle.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Boroughs Publishing

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Men of London book six **FLYING SOLO**

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Flight attendant Maxwell Lewis has spent years cultivating a bon vivant image only to find he finally wants something more—and that something more includes the never-does-repeats game designer Gibson Henry. 

ABOVE AND BEYOND 

Maxwell Lewis is proud of the life he’s made. Having turned tragedy into triumph, he’s now a beloved member of a Target Airlines cabin crew with more than his fair share of attention both in the air and on the ground. But lately he’s wanted something more than the occasional hook-up or sometime sex buddy—particularly after meeting game designer and passenger Gibson Henry.
Talented and driven, Gibson has built a company ready to be the next big thing in gaming. Devoted to his work, he takes onetime pleasures where he finds them and never does repeats…which is what he tells handsome, sexy Maxwell Lewis after a little mile-high flight attendance. But a chance encounter in a London club is about to change things forever. Two men, one who’s flown solo and another who’s only ever played alone, are about to find that at some point all games come to end, it’s time to bare your heart and try for love.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Boroughs Publishing

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Men of London book seven **DAMAGED GOODS**

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Touched by tragedy, love is an elusive dream never to be realised by eighteen-year-old Jax Grady--until he discovers his secret admirer and receives the sweetest gift he could ever desire.

THE SWEETEST GIFT

Tragedy and horror shaped Jackson Grady's life, leaving him orphaned and scarred. At eighteen he's ready to claim his future, but who could love his disfigured face and damaged soul? Definitely not a big, burly, beautiful Irish Traveller who is entirely the stuff of dreams.

Dare Rowan didn't mean to become obsessed with the blue-eyed man he first saw across a field, but that porcelain skin and innocent air demanded another meeting. Jax has the face of a wounded angel, and the rest of the young man is as heart-breakingly perfect. Jax is beautiful in every way and teaching him about love and life will be something Dare will embrace. Like unwrapping and savouring the candy at the shop where he works, Dare will show this young man everything Jax desired but never thought he'd have, and take Jax to new highs while he holds him through the lows. Between them, they’ll find out just how sweet life can be.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Boroughs Publishing

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Men of London book eight **HARD CLIMATE**

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Eco-warrior Mango Manning must shake the demons of his past to win back London nightclub owner Ryan Bishop, who is suddenly facing issues of his own.

WITH BOTH HANDS

Brawny, beautiful, complicated and sexy as hell, eco-warrior Mango Manning is everything performer and London nightclub owner Ryan Bishop wants in a life-partner. But Mango has been loving and leaving Ryan for the past two years, and Ryan’s had enough. That’s why he’s moving on. Ryan’s the monogamous type—which means now he’ll be alone at the worst possible time.

Mango Manning knows he’s screwed up and has commitment issues. That’s why he’s been so on-and-off with Ryan these past two years. He’d thought he found a safe haven, a place to hide from the losses of his past, but there are other demons you just can’t escape. Like Ryan’s health. If Mango is to put things right, he must man up and discover a way back into Club Delish and the heart of its owner. Only then can they look to the future together, come what may. True happiness will slip through their fingers...unless they both grab on and hold tight.

Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Boroughs Publishing

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Men of London book nine **SURVIVAL GAME** releases September 2017

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Since his true love died, paramedic Eric Kirby has been living a half life, but when he meets purple-haired Kyle Tripper, Eric's heart is jolted into a whole new rhythm.

HANDLE...

Kyle Tripper has led an interesting life. Currently the manager of London's famous Club Delish, he used to be a croupier extraordinaire in Las Vegas. But not everything in that life was so glamorous; his ex was a piece of work. Now gun-shy, Kyle hopes there is someone special out there for him, and secretly wishes it's luscious paramedic, Eric Kirby.

WITH CARE

Every day Eric Kirby goes through the motions. Yeah, he saves lives, and, sure, he makes a difference, but he doesn't feel it anymore - not since he lost his one true. But, when he meets wild, flamboyant Kyle Tripper and learns there's a skittish, apprehensive man beneath the bold façade, the best of Eric's protective nature kicks in, and opens his heart to a new love.


Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Boroughs Publishing


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Giveaway: Win a SIGNED copy of Survival Game

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About the Author

Susan bio pic

Susan Mac Nicol is a self-confessed bookaholic, an avid watcher of videos of sexy pole dancing men, geek, nerd and in love with her Smartphone. This little treasure is called ‘the boyfriend’ by her long-suffering husband, who says if it vibrated, there’d be no need for him. Susan hasn’t had the heart to tell him there’s an app for that…

In an ideal world, Susan Mac Nicol would be Queen of England and banish all the bad people to the Never Never Lands of Wherever -Who Cares. As that’s never going to happen, she contents herself with writing her HEA stories and pretending, that just for a little while, good things happen to good people.

Sue is a PAN member of Romance Writers of America and is a member of the Romantic Novelists Association in the UK. She’s also Editorial Manager at http://www.divinemagazine.biz, an online LGBTQ e-zine, and she’s a Charity Board trustee at http://wwwbeingmecampaign.com in London.

She’s passionate about research for her books and has stayed in a circus, taken lessons from a blind person on how it feels to be non-sighted, and travelled to a lighthouse with maintenance crew to see first-hand what it’s like inside. She’s also writing a screen play with a Hollywood actor named Nicholas Downs, with a view to taking her latest release, Sight Unseen, to the big screen.

All in all, she’s happy with her lot and loves that you love to read her books.

You do, right?

Links: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads

MoL Promo

Inhuman Beings by Richard May #giveaway #interview




Welcome all!

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Rick May, author of Inhuman Beings: Monsters, Myths, and Science Fiction.

Hi, Rick, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself and your background?


What were you like at school?


I was in the closet as a Gay person and as an intelligent person. Neither were prized in my little country high school so I tried to be as outgoing as possible and make people laugh. Meanwhile, I was dating a boy from another high school and a girl from mine.

Were you good at English?


I loved reading and writing and was pretty verbal so I did well in English, but I planned on being a doctor because I enjoyed science and math so much. A year into college, however, I realized I’d make a terrible doctor so switched to plan B, which was an English degree.


What are your ambitions for your writing career?


I don’t expect to be rich—a pretty safe assumption when you write Gay erotic short stories—but I hope people find my books and are stimulated intellectually, emotionally, and maybe physically by my writing.


Which writers inspire you?


The American Transcendalists, especially Hawthorne and Melville, inspire me for the oddity of their stories. Jane Austen inspires me through her humor and keen eye for character. D.H. Lawrence is such an excellent descriptive writer and of course a master at portraying passion. He is my favorite short story author. Tolstoy always amazes me for the depth of his writing and the sweep of his stories.


So, what have you written?


I have two published books: Gingersnaps: Photos & Stories of Queer Redheads and this book. I’ve also been published several times in Best Gay Erotica (Cleis Press) and other anthologies, as well as in several literary journals. I also have a short story series on Kindle called Gay All Year.


Where can we buy or see them? (* include American, European and any other relevant links. Free, free promotions or prices can be included)


Gingersnaps is out of print, regrettably, but Inhuman Beings is available on Amazon and Barnes & Noble and through Ingram at your local bookstore.


Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?

My book is a collection of short fiction so there are numerous main characters. The book is divided into three parts: monsters, myths, and science fiction. One of my favorites is a leprechaun living in modern day New York City, but then I’m Irish. I’m very proud of my extension of a Greek myth, “My Mother’s Head,” in which I imagine a story for Chrysoar, the fraternal twin brother of Pegasus. He’s mentioned by name and described in the classic Greek myths but not much else is known about him. “Kakouhthe” is a Native American story I wrote about a human encounter with the cyclone god of the Shawnee people. It doesn’t turn out well for the human he connects with, depending on how you look at it. “Exchange of Fluids” is dystopian, which I am definitely not, about a post-apocalyptic world in which dogs have become humoid.The main character is a red-haired dog, like an Irish Setter with a human body.


What are you working on at the minute?

I am working on a third short fiction collection, all fairly contemporary settings. This is based on my Kindle series.


What’s it about? (*if relevant)


It’s 12 stories of how men meet other men and is keyed to a holiday or major event each month. I’m trying for a lot of diversity—racially, culturally especially. For example, December is a bondage and S&M story keyed to the eight nights of Hannukah.


What genre are your books?

Gay erotic fiction


What draws you to this genre?

I like exploring the different ways Gay men can meet and how different men can overcome obstacles to fall in love. This necessarily involves sex so my stories have been categorized as erotica. To me, sex is just a part of life.


Which actor/actress would you like to see playing the lead character from your most recent book?


Ha, ha! Again, I have multiple lead characters. I’d love to see a young Laurence Harvey play the human in my ghost story, “inheritance,” and a young Marlon Brando play the golem in “Sand.” It would be lots of fun if Eddie Redmayne played the leprechaun in “A Leprechaun in New York. Benedict Cumberbatch would make a great stainless steel robot in “The Latest Model.”


How much research do you do?

I always do lots of research on place and character—cultural and physical. I write a lot of historical fiction and so do quite a bit of research into the clothing, food, size, culture, etc., of the time. I always say when in doubt, look it up. It’s so easy now it’s lazy not to.


Have you written any other novels in collaboration with other writers?

Not writers. My first book was done with the photographer David Sweet. My stories were inspired by his photos of gingers. My stories are almost always inspired by a visual—a photo, painting, dream, or someone in a crowd.


Why did you do decide to collaborate and did that affect your sales?


David talked me into it. I didn’t seem myself writing books. I was perfectly content getting published in magazines and anthologies.


When did you decide to become a writer?


I don’t know that I ever decided. My third grade teacher, Mrs. Sheets, in grammar school had us draw a picture and write a story about it and I’ve never stopped.


Why do you write?

Stories start telling themselves to me all the time, inspired by what I see around me. I write them because they’re interesting to me and I don’t want to let them slip into nonexistence. Once I write them, the stories and the characters exist and that gives me satisfaction and happiness.


What made you decide to sit down and actually start something?


I don’t really “decide.” The stories come and I write them.


Do you write full-time or part-time?


Part-time. The rest of my day is spent planning literary events for others and writing for our local newspaper.


Do you have a special time to write or how is your day structured?


I almost always write in the morning. I aim for 9am to noon but life too often intervenes.


Do you write every day, 5 days a week or as and when?


I write Monday through Friday, rarely on weekends.


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


No. I aim for hours at my desk and laptop. The amount I write or edit is not important to me.


Do you write on a typewriter, computer, dictate or longhand?


A computer. I wrote longhand for years because I enjoyed the quiet of a pen on paper, but my thoughts ran faster than my pen so I switched to a computer. The flow of thought to page is much faster. I hated the finger tapping at first but became used to it.


Where do the your ideas come from?


I don’t know that it’s an idea. The inspiration almost always starts with a visual. I see something and bing! the story starts to tell itself.


Do you work to an outline or plot or do you prefer just see where an idea takes you?


I definitely prefer to see where the story goes. I bang out the first draft fairly quickly and spend many more hours editing. If a story winds up in a dead end, I put it aside. These stories usually can’t be fixed.


How do you think you’ve evolved creatively?


I’m technically much more proficient. I was an editor and edited other people’s writing as part of my work in publishing. But my writing process is the same: write fast, edit over and over. I do show my work now to other people for comment before I think I’ve finished editing. I found a writing group and try the beginnings of stories there to receive feedback on whether there’s potential. I show first edits of complete stories to fellow writer friends for feedback. I never did this until I became serious about publishing. More brains do help, although you have to ignore a lot of comments. You have to consider them but you don’t have to implement them. It’s your story; you get to decide.


What is the hardest thing about writing?

Promoting published work


What was the hardest thing about writing your latest book?


The book I’m writing now has been very difficult. It took a year to write and I’ve been editing for 18 months or more. After publication of my first erotic short story collection, I realized I didn’t want to be stereotyped as an erotic writer so psychologically it’s been difficult finishing this second erotic collection. But the stories are too good to abandon. I’m almost done and then I’ll move on to general fiction, not erotica.


What is the easiest thing about writing?


The writing. It’s a joy to sit down and write.


How long on average does it take you to write a book?


It takes a year to write and one to two years to edit. I amazed at friends who write and edit a book a year.

Do you ever get writer’s Block?


Only after the election of Donald Trump. First time in my life. Took six months of bad writing to get through it.


Any tips on how to get through the dreaded writer’s block?


Don’t stop writing. Sit at your desk or the coffee shop or wherever you write and write something—random thoughts, descriptions of the place or people you see. That works for me. I think prompt cards might work to. Read a prompt and write something about it. Anything. That’s the key. Write ANYTHING. You’ll get through it. Then, throw everything you’ve written during the process away.


If this book is part of a series, tell us a little about it?


It’s a one-off. I have other ideas for parallel stories but probably more here and there for magazines and anthologies. One story I dropped from the manuscript was accepted for an anthology. Another needed more research and I plan to get back to it.


What are your thoughts on writing a book series.


I write fast enough to do a series but I edit way too slowly so, no, I don’t expect ever to write a series. I can see the attraction though. I love many of my characters and enjoy visiting them. But my stories aren’t autobiographical or from my alter ego. If they were, I think it would be easier to write more about the character.


Do you read much and if so who are your favourite authors.


I read a lot but never enough to keep up with the to-read stack. My favorite contemporary authors are Colm Toibin, Michael Aleynikov, Anne Raeff, Shelley Wong, and Genanne Walsh.


For your own reading, do you prefer ebooks or traditional paper/hard back books?


I read in both formats but prefer paper. I spend so much time looking at computer screens that print books are a relief for my eyes.


What book/s are you reading at present?


Right now I’m enjoying the three John Burdett Bangkok books. I’m also reading the latest Wuvable Oaf graphic novel. At the top of the stack are Where the Jews Aren’t by Masha Gessen and Only the Animals, stories by Ceridwen Dovey.


Do you proofread/edit all your own books or do you get someone to do that for you?


I edit my own books. I was trained to edit in college when I was pointing to be an English professor and learned to edit when I was an editor at Doubleday. I can be dispassionate about my own work.



Do you let the book stew – leave it for a month and then come back to it to edit?

No, I plunge ahead. Editing takes so much time so I just push through.


Who edited your book and how did you select him/her?
Not applicable

Tell us about the cover/s and how it/they came about.
This book was first published as an ebook. The publisher did a pretty good job on the cover, but for the paperback I wanted something more fun and more lurid. The inspiration was a 1950s scifi film poster. I think I got what I asked for.



Who designed your book cover/s?

My publisher


Do you think that the cover plays an important part in the buying process?

Absolutely. Unless you have a highly recognizable name, it’s the main reason potential readers look at the book.


How are you publishing this book and why?
(*e.g. Indie, traditional or both)

Small press


What would you say are the main advantages and disadvantages of self-publishing against being published or the other way around?

I self-published my first book but it was a lark anyway. You have a lot more control but you may wind up embarrassing yourself because you don’t have multiple brains working on your book.


How do you market your books?

Oh, marketing. I’ve done this for decades for other people. Quite another story to do it for myself. I wrote a marketing plan and am working my way through implementing it.


Why did you choose this route?

I’ve marketed other people’s books so just toddled on without thinking.


Would you or do you use a PR agency?

I will, when I’ve finished my first general fiction book.


Do you have any advice for other authors on how to market their books?

My advice is ask someone else. I don’t trust myself yet to pass on information. But, yes, one bit of advice: Get out there. Read in public wherever and whenever you can. If nothing else, you’ll get readers’ reactions, which may help you write.


What part of your writing time do you devote to marketing your book?

Not enough. I should be spending a third of my time marketing.


What are your thoughts on good/bad reviews?

You have to take any review as one person’s opinion and—good or bad—not make it your opinion of your work.


Any amusing story about marketing books that happened to you?

There are no amusing stories about marketing books.


What’s your views on social media for marketing?

Excellent and no expensive.


Which social network worked best for you?

I use Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Facebook is still the most effective for me.


Any tips on what to do and what not to do?

Write every day. Write in the same space/place, if possible. Don’t worry about the quality of your writing during the first draft. Don’t try to edit during your first draft. Hire an agent, if possible. Aim high when it comes to publishers but accept lower if that’s the reality.


Did you do a press release, Goodreads book launch or anything else to promote your work and did it work?

I am on this book.


Did you get interviewed by local press/radio for your book launch?

No.


Is there any marketing technique you used that had an immediate impact on your sales figures?

Food and drink at my launches.


Did you make any marketing mistakes or is there anything you would avoid in future?

I wouldn’t spend money on ads unless they’re in social media.


Why do you think that other well written books just don’t sell?

Many well-written books don’t really tell an interesting story, and many that do are just not found by readers. It’s so difficult to bring your book to the attention of readers so they might buy it and read it and recommend it to friends.


What do you think of “trailers” for books?

Too far astray from writing for me but a good idea if you can get yourself to do it. We live in an increasingly visual world. I may make myself try this at some point.


Do you have a trailer or do you intend to create one for your own book/s?

Maybe. There’s so much you can do on marketing. With anything you do, you have to think: how am I going to get people to look at this?



Do you think that giving books away free works and why?

It depends. If the recipient is influential, in print or word of mouth, yes. If they’re going to blurb your book, yes. If they’re your mother, yes. Otherwise, no.


Did you format your own book?

No.


In what formats is your book available?

Ebook and print


If formatted by someone else, how did you select them and what was your experience?

My publishers formatted them in both cases.


How do you relax?

I have a large garden. Gardening is very zen. I stop thinking when I’m gardening. I love to walk and to think about playing tennis. I go to a lot of other people’s readings; I love being read to. I listen to classical music. I love chamber music, the symphony, opera, and ballet.



What is your favourite motivational phrase.

Do it!


What is your favourite positive saying?

“Love is always there, all around you. Be aware. Accept love, not the lack of it.”


What is your favourite book and why?

Pride and Prejudice, because it’s so funny


What is your favourite quote?

I’m not much for quotes.


What is your favourite film and why?

2001, A Space Odyssey, because it is beautiful and weird at the same time


Where can you see yourself in 5 years time?

I see myself publishing my fifth book.


What advice would you give to your younger self?

Don’t take yourself so seriously


Which famous person, living or dead would you like to meet and why?

Nathaniel Hawthorne and Herman Melville together. I admire their work tremendously and am intrigued by them personally. Most authors don’t intrigue me, their stories do.


If you could have been the original author of any book, what would it have been and why?

Leviticus. I’d leave Queer people off the list of abominations.


What advice would you give to aspiring writers?

Don’t write unless you feel compelled to. You won’t receive much notice or money for your work, and it’s hard work and so many people are already doing it. The world does not need more writers, unless they can tell brilliant stories. The world will always need that.


Where do you see publishing going in the future?

I think we’ll be going back to clay tablets and cave walls after climate disaster.


Is there anything else you would like to add that I haven’t included?

Thank you for your interest in my book and in me!


How can readers discover more about you and you work?

I don’t have a website. Isn’t that terrible? But I do have a Facebook page. Here’s the link: www.facebook.com/richardmaywriter


Title: Inhuman Beings
Author: Richard May
Release Date: June 15th 2017
Genre: Gay Fiction, Fantasy, Paranormal, Sci-Fi, Erotic

Inhuman Beings-Front cover

BLURB

Fall in love with a shapeshifter in San Francisco, a ghost in Scotland, or a vampire in Russia. Time travel to 1920s Mesopotamia, 1600's Africa, or to ancient Greece before time even existed. Find yourself on a distant planet, in love with a creature whose very being can destroy you, or in a post-apocalyptic world, drawn to a mutation created by the destruction of Earth.

Enjoy these 18 erotic stories about romantic encounters between men and not men--monsters and myths, gods and demons, science fiction and fantasy. Each story is the stuff of nightmares--and of dreams.

Add Inhuman Beings to Goodreads

Paperback Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK *The paperback version has 3 new stories*

Ebook Purchase: Amazon US | Amazon UK | MLR Press

REVIEWS

“With Inhuman Beings, May seductively crosses the boundaries of time and space, the real and the imaginary, in these spellbinding tales of love and lust and things that go bump, not to mention hump, in the night.”

Rob Rosen, editor of the Best Gay Erotica series

Inhuman Beings is an enormously imaginative, genre-crossing work in the tradition of Peter Cashorali’s groundbreaking Fairy Tales but with greater breadth and franker eroticism; an impres­sive achievement.”

Michael Nava, author of the Henry Rios novels

Inhuman Beings represents a seminal work in gay male erotic literature that draws on the threads and yarns of our cultures and civiliza­tions. Tales from many countries and eras transport you across the globe and through the years, making this book one that will stand the test of time.”

Wayne Goodman, author of Better Angels

“Richard May’s new collection of short fiction contains an international menagerie of legendary creatures. There’s a Hindu god, a Native American cyclone spirit, a Chinese rain dragon, a moody Jewish golem, a sadistic Iraqi jinn, and more. Fans of the homoerotic melded with the speculative and the paranormal will savor every page of Inhuman Beings.”

Jeff Mann, author of Country and Consent

"The beauty of this collection lies in its imagination – May is doing nothing less than writing a gay mythology, complete with monsters and fairy tales, imagined futures and refreshed pasts. His bold infusion of desire into mythology and encounters with the paranormal is unique, bracing and insightful. Inhuman Beings is full of a kind of sacred frivolity.”

Trebor Healey, author of Faun and Eros & Dust


EXCERPT

Clocks told me it was after midnight, the new last day for the Daberleys at Enscombe. I climbed the central staircase, thinking of all the feet which had trod before me.

My father’s bedroom felt freezing so in quick order I stripped, not bothering to hang my clothes, and slid under the heavy blankets. Sleep came quickly but I was awakened soon after, or so it seemed, by the sound of footsteps in the hall outside my room. I was groggy and pulling myself into sitting when the bedroom door opened and the shadow of a tall man stood in the doorframe.

“Aren’t you afraid?” he asked in Stephen Taylor’s voice.

“No,” I lied, jumping out of bed and turning on the lamp, only belatedly covering myself with underwear tossed aside.

“But I do want to know what you’re doing in my house in the middle of the night.”

“I come here often,” was all he said as he entered the room and closed the door. I made ready for him as he came across the carpet but he just sat, slumping in the armchair.

“He killed me, you know.”

Giveaway: Comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of Inhuman Beings

About the Author

Richard May

Richard May’s short fiction has been published in his collections Inhuman Beings and Ginger Snaps: Photos & Stories (with photographer David Sweet), his series Gay All Year on Amazon Kindle, in anthologies like Never Too Late, Best Gay Erotica, and the Lambda Literary nominated Outer Voices Inner Lives, and in literary journals, including Bay Laurel, Chelsea Station, and Hyacinth Noir.

Rick also organizes the monthly Perfectly Queer book reading series with his partner Wayne Goodman in Oakland CA at Nomadic Press: Uptown and in San Francisco at Dog Eared Books Castro, individual LGBTQ Pride Readings for visiting authors, the annual literary festival Word Week in Noe Valley CA, and an online book club Reading Queer Authors Lost to AIDS.

Rick is from Sacramento CA and Brooklyn NY and now lives in San Francisco. He has red hair and truly believes in all things ginger. Another genetic stunner: he is 19th cousin to Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain.

Please follow him on social media at facebook.com/richardmaywriter, @rickmaywritr on Twitter, and richard.may1313 on Instagram.

Links: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram

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Saturday, August 19, 2017

What is on the Reading Radar? #TBR #WishList

What am I doing? I'm waiting on the list for the Releasing Chaos blog tour winners. :)

I've also been getting Sunder ready for publication. It's release date is September 4th and there is still so much to do. 

I've also been working on Bespoken's world building. There were a couple of issues that I needed to address and expand on. So there's been a lot going on.

There hasn't been much time for reading here lately and I've been looking for something to sink my teeth into. I actually have a Reading Radar this week. Yay!


Title: Like a Torrent
Series(Disorderly Elements Book 2)
Author(s): Mason Winters, Olivette Devaux
Length: 171 pages
PublisherMugen Press; 1 edition (June 25, 2017)

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Urban Fantasy / Gay / 

Notes:

Blurb

Navigating a new relationship? Hard. Doing so as an ill-trained elementalist? Impossible – but odds improve when well-meaning family steps in. Ash, the water-whisperer, and Cooper, the earth elementalist, seek help from Cooper’s grandparents while at their small farm in upstate New York. Fessing up to grandma might lessen the horror of their power control issues. When Ash and Cooper are together, the earth moves and the rivers rise to flood stage. 


Keeping their relationship going without leveling the city pales in comparison to facing off with the greedy Brian Clegg and his gang. Brian works for the environmentally destructive frackers, threatening Pittsburgh like never before. 


Two men. Their love. Their leadership. Will they rise to the occasion? And will Pittsburgh survive their struggle to set an evil deed to rest? 


Book 2 in the Disorderly Elements series, LIKE A TORRENT features paranormal battles, a spicy romance with two hot guys in love, and a Japanese sword with a mind of its own. For adult audiences only.




Title: Apex: The Dragon's Mate
Series: Dragon's Blood M.C.
Author(s): BA Stereke
Length: 102 pages
PublisherSuperiorland Publishing; 1 edition (June 29, 2017)

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Dragons / Wolves / Motorcycle Clubs / Fated Mates / Gay /

Notes:


BlurbApex: The geometric center of a turn. The point at which a turn is negotiated at the highest speed and the motorcycle’s direction has changed.

Calum Keith is the leader of Dragon’s Blood Motorcycle Club (M.C.) and the Chieftain of Clan Keith, a Clan of Scottish Dragons who accepted a quest from their King to come to America and find their fate-chosen mates. A seer told them that where they encountered one mate, many others would also be found. The Clan has ridden the back roads of America for nearly 100 years looking for the answer to their quest. In a small café in the High Plains Wyoming town of Laramie, Calum Keith runs headlong into a young man named Chance Bashford. This is Calum’s destiny, and Chance might just be the love of his life. Before that, they must overcome the harsh upbringing and lack of care that Chance has endured during his short twenty-one years on this earth. If Calum plays his cards right, he just might win the heart of his beloved. However, like any quest, danger lurks around every corner. A rogue wolf pack has made Laramie their home base, and they have their sights set on Calum’s love. Calum and his gang of Dragon’s must face this threat head on if they want a chance at putting down some roots and seeing what the winds of the high plains have in store for their Dragon Clan.

The Quest is just beginning.




Title: Justified
Series: Magnified, 2
Author(s): Mell Eight
Length: 147 pages
Publisher: LT3 Press

Genre: Romance / Paranormal / Vampires / Werewolves / Urban Fantasy / Gay / Lesbian /

Notes:


BlurbThe world of vampires and werewolves is in upheaval. The magical community is under attack by a great evil power trying to destroy them all and their strongest fighter is oblivious with his nose glued in a spell book. Yani has given up hope in getting Aaron back on track. He knows he instead has to focus on his own future and the lives of those he loves, even if it means losing Aaron, the love of his life, forever.

Yani's life isn't the only one in flux. As the battle heats up and lines are drawn, the rest of his friends must fight for their own survival in a world with no answers to the terrible magic attacking them.




Title: The Glamour Thieves
Series(Blue Unicorn, 1)
Author(s): Don Allmon
Length: 177 pg
Publisher: Riptide

Genre: Romance / Urban Fantasy / Gay /

Notes: releases August 28th


BlurbJT is an orc on the way up. He's got his own boutique robotics shop, high-end clientele, and deep-pocketed investors. He's even mentoring an orc teen who reminds him a bit too much of himself back in the day.

Then Austin shows up, and the elf's got the same hard body and silver tongue as he did two years ago when they used to be friends and might have been more. He's also got a stolen car to bribe JT to saying yes to one last scheme: stealing the virtual intelligence called Blue Unicorn.

Soon JT's up to his tusks in trouble, and it ain't just zombies and Chinese triads threatening to tear his new life apart. Austin wants a second chance with JT--this time as more than just a friend--and even the Blue Unicorn is trying to play matchmaker.




Title: Blackmark
Series:The Kingsmen Chronicles, 1
Author(s): Jean Lowe Carlson
Length: 531 pages
PublisherJean Lowe Carlson; 1 edition (June 15, 2016)

Genre: Epic Fantasy / Adventure / Sword & Sorcery / 

Notes:


BlurbWrongfully accused of treason, veteran Kingsman Elohl seeks the truth of a betrayal that caused the Kingsmen to vanish a decade ago. Inked with the Blackmark and despised for it, Elohl uncovers the truth and exposes ancient enemies. Now, he must give everything to shatter the hidden sect that usurps power from the throne. A bloody war will be reaped in the shadows, that will burn nations and bring kings to their knees.

This dark and gritty sword and sorcery series from award winning author Jean Lowe Carlson explores a complex world of treachery, passion, sex, and magic.




Title: Holding Out For A Hero
Series: Dragon Prophecies, 2
Author(s): Shannon West, Susan E. Scott
Length: 179 pages
Publisher:

Genre: Romance / Action & Adventure / Fantasy / Paranormal / Dragons / Gay / 

Notes: This totally made me think of this Bonny Tyler video. 


BlurbDespite his good looks and sweet personality, Lance is convinced his Asperger’s gives him power--like the power to make people treat him differently. His mother told him he was special and that people would always misunderstand. That’s why she gave him an ancient necklace and a special cape to wear under his clothes because she was dying and wouldn’t be around to help him anymore. The necklace and cape do give him certain powers, like strength and speed and the ability to see the Shadow Men, nasty creatures who have begun congregating in large numbers all over town. When he sees a group of Dragons and their witches being attacked by the creatures, he jumps in to help, like a true super hero should and gets much more than he bargained for.

Sebastien is a Golden Dragon and typical of the breed—imperious, pushy, arrogant and gorgeous. He takes Lance with him to protect him, but he has no idea who Lance really is and who the powerful forces are that wish to steal Lance’s powers. Luca and the others are on hand to help navigate this dangerous, unknown force, but it will take the combined powers of them all to defeat it and cast away forever the source of Lance’s powers - which can bring great good or terrible evil and destruction to the entire world.




Title: Ironmarked
Series: The Faeblood Chronicles, 1
Author(s): Malcolm B. Lambert
Length: 266 pg
Publisher:

Genre: New Adult / Paranormal / Fantasy / Gay /

Notes:


BlurbHaving my mom ripped from my life was the last thing I expected to happen right at the beginning of my senior year. I had to move to a sleepy town out in the middle of Nowheresville to live with my dad. On top of that, the cute-but-creepy neighbor makes me sick. He thinks he’s so hot with his killer smile and strange eyes. After coming to my rescue, things get even stranger between us and I’m starting to believe that Troy isn’t telling me everything. 

But that’s nothing. Rocke, Troy’s mega-hot cousin, strolls into town and it’s pretty clear that he is just as mischievous as his smile. For some reason, I keep letting him get under my skin and I can’t even deny that I like it. And it’s so wrong.

What’s also wrong is that Troy and Rocke aren’t exactly human. Yeah, go figure. Leave it to me to crush on the hottest guys in town who are faeries—actually they prefer the term faeblood. With all the strange attacks happening, they claim innocence, which can only mean that something dark has made its way to our little town. And I have no intention of being the next target, even if I have to face my darkest nightmare.




Title: Pawns and Puzzles
Series:
Author(s): Sarah Ettritch
Length: 286 pages
PublisherNorn Publishing (June 29, 2017)

Genre: Romance / Fantasy / Coming of Age / Lesbian / 

Notes:


BlurbTwo friends learn how quickly life can change when they go from living lives of luxury to being the most wanted fugitives in the land.

When assassins threaten Princess Fi’s life, her foster sister Erryn summons cursed beasts to save her. Branded a heathen, Erryn escapes the guards ordered to kill her and flees for her life. When she hears about a faraway temple that may reveal why she has summoning powers, she sets out on the long journey to reach it. But Erryn’s pampered life doesn’t serve her well in the wild. Bounty hunters and guards become the least of her worries.

Back at the castle, Fi tries to carry on with her life. But then her father is assassinated, and Fi is framed for the crime. With the help of those loyal to her, she escapes from prison and searches for Erryn, hoping to enlist her aid in reclaiming the throne. But the outside world isn’t kind to treacherous princesses. Fi’s quest to prove her innocence leads to another cage, one that has her wishing she was back in a prison cell.

Pawns and Puzzles was originally published as a serial novel. It contains the first seven installments in the Daros Chronicles (Friends Torn Apart, On the Run, Blood and Blades, Place Your Bets, Friend or Foe, Loyalty and Lies, and Leap of Faith).




Title: King of the Fire Dancers
Series: Shift Happens, 1
Author(s): ST Sterlings
Length: 318 pages
Publisher: Ninestar Publishing

GenreRomance / Fantasy / Gay / Bisexual / Abduction / Captivity / Enemies to Lovers / Shifters / Slow Burn ?

Notes: releases


BlurbWhen he’s propositioned by a wealthy stranger, it seems Coy Conlin’s impoverished life is about to be upgraded. But before he can share the news with his family, he comes home to find his grandmother murdered and his little brother missing. To make matters worse, he’s thrown in prison along with every other shifter under the Sovereign’s orders.

August Seaton left his laboratory job at the Asuda Registry to become a Registry officer. But after a mission with his partner goes horribly wrong, August ends up with Coy’s dead grandmother on his hands, and Coy thinks he’s the murderer. Worst of all, his partner discovers his secret.

August is a shifter. And now he’s Coy’s cellmate. Coy and August must survive each other, abusive guards, and a scientist hell-bent on forcing Coy into a breeding program.

Teamed up, the pair escape prison and journey across the country. With the Registry hot on their trail, they have enough things to worry about. Falling for each other wasn’t supposed to be one of them.




Title: Thief's Blade
Series(Magic of Dimmingwood Book 1)
Author(s): C. Greenwood
Length: 161 pages
Publisher:

Genre: Epic Fantasy / Sword & Sorcery / Coming of Age / 

Notes:


BlurbBlessed. Betrayed. Imprisoned. The captive has escaped and he wants revenge...

Luka’s carefree existence as the spoiled son of a minor noble ended the day his family was arrested and imprisoned in the Eyeless Tower. His father, a political rival to the praetor of Camdon, would never live to see freedom again. Luka should have joined his father on the scaffold but fate – or the schemes of men – intervened. Escape came.

Now Luka has a chance to thwart his persecutors and avenge his family. Beginning life again in a distant province, he takes a new name – Rideon. But the past he left behind won’t stay buried. His father’s old foe is determined to destroy him. Rideon finds help, only to discover a sinister purpose drives his mysterious allies. His new weapon seems to be cursed by an evil spell. Worst of all, he has offended a powerful faction within the city of Selbius. The treacherous thieves’ guild is out for his blood and their cunning thief king won’t be satisfied until Rideon feels the wrath of his infamous blade.

The only whisper of hope seems to come from the shadows of far away Dimmingwood. But can Rideon reach that haven, protect his young brother, and dodge all foes until his day of vengeance comes? Or will the traitors, thieves, and magickers surrounding him finish the deadly work his enemies began?




Title: The Curse
Series: The Witches of Salem, 1
Author(s): TS Mckinney
Length: 166 pages
PublisherPainted Hearts Publishing (August 2, 2017)
Genre: Romance / Urban Fantasy / Gay /

Notes:


BlurbWitches. Warlocks. Hocus Pocus.

I didn’t believe in any of those things. To be honest, the only thing I really believed in….really had faith in its existence, was bad luck. There was too much proof of it in my life to deny it.

As it turns out, the bad luck that accompanies me wherever I go escalated to a heightened level following a visit form a long-lost relative I didn’t even know existed. She starts spouting nonsense about my parents really loving me (even though they committed suicide a few days after my birth), how my mother tried using witchcraft to save their lives…and how there is a curse hanging over my head that requires my death on my twenty-fifth birthday. Supposedly all the Bailey men commit suicide on their twenty-fifth birthdays due to this curse.

Total craziness, right?

Wrong.

A small dash of intrigue and a heaping-helping of fear cause me to pack up and head to Salem, Massachusetts – where it all started. Here’s my biggest problem: my twenty-fifth birthday is only a couple of weeks away and I’m having these very sensual dreams about a man I don’t know.

I might not know him, but I sure want him.




Title: Enigma
Series: What Lies Beneath Enigma, 1
Author(s): Ditter Kellen
Length: 363 pages
Publisher:

Genre: Romance / Alien Sci-Fi / 

Notes:


BlurbDoctor Abbigail Sutherland is used to being alone. Between twelve hour shifts at the hospital and looking after her eccentric father, she has very little time for much else. Until an unexpected call one night, sends her racing to the lab where she discovers a secret that could change the world forever. Hauke awakens after an underwater explosion, strapped to a bed and on his way to a site known as Area 51. His only hope for survival lies in Abbie Sutherland, the beautiful doctor that saved his life. Amidst a deadly virus, seemingly impossible to stop, and a corrupt Government placing a price on their heads, Hauke and Abbie run for their lives, uncovering conspiracies, deceptions, and a love that won't be denied...

Recommend reading the books in order. This is not a serial, and it does have a happy ever after, but the story moves forward with a new hero and heroine in the next book.



Title: Unsteady
Series:
Author(s): Melissa Collins
Length: 323 pages
PublisherM. Collins Author, LLC (April 28, 2017)

Genre: Romance / Contemporary / Gay / 

Notes:


BlurbMicah Hudson and Jude MacMillian were both lonely teenagers. One the new kid and one the target of relentless bullying, they quickly became friends. But when friendship grew into more, the relationship was too much for either to handle. As their tenuous bond was tested, everything tumbled down, leaving them lonely once again. 

A decade later, Micah is on the brink of losing his will to live. Beyond exhausted from lying to everyone, including himself, Micah thinks of the one person who knows his deepest secret. Desperate and alone, Micah makes the only decision he feels he has: he must leave. But his need for closure depends on one thing.

Can Jude make room in his Unsteady life for Micah once again?




Thank you for stopping by and reading!!