Friday 29 September 2017

Out Now—New Urban Fantasy Novel, Blindsided, by K D Grace (@kd_grace)


Blurb:

Book two in the Medusa’s Consortium series. 





In New York City, away from those she loves, living with the enigmatic vampire, Desiree Fielding, Susan Innes struggles to come to terms with life as a vampire whose body serves as the prison for a deadly demon.



When Reese Chambers arrives unexpectedly from England, desperate for her help, she discovers that Alonso Darlington, his lover and her maker, has been taken captive and Reese has been warned to tell no one but her. Before the two can make a plan, Susan receives her own message from a man calling himself just Cyrus. He not only holds her maker prisoner, but also her lover, the angel Michael. If she wishes to see either of them alive, she’ll come to him and not tell Magda Gardener, the woman they all work for and fear.



With no help coming from Magda or her Consortium, Susan and Reese must turn to the Guardian – the terrifying demon now imprisoned in her body. He alone can help them, but how can she possibly trust him after all he’s done?



Available from:

Amazon (universal link): http://mybook.to/blindsidedmc







*****

Excerpt:



It was a dark place where she found him, with walls so high only a small patch of starlight was visible above, but she was a vampire now. She didn’t need the light, and he, well he had never needed the light, had he? He stood naked with his back to her. He was broad of shoulder. There were white scars like latticework across muscles stretched taut over his shoulder blades. At first she thought they were from a whip, but as she drew nearer, she saw that they were more geometric in form, as though perhaps they were some sort of ancient ceremonial writing. She traced the shapes of them with the tips of her fingers, and his muscles rippled with the sensation. With a start she realized she’d never seen his body before.

“That is because I have none,” came his reply. “Only in dreams can I wear the flesh of my choosing.”

“You’ve worn flesh often enough. I would have thought it was always of your choosing,” she said, making no effort to hide her bitterness.

“It was not my own, though. That pleasure, I have never known.”

“Only in dreams, you say. Then this is a dream.”

“You know that it is.” He didn’t turn to face her but leaned toward her, and she slipped her arms around him and rested her head on the flat of his back. His belly tensed at the touch of her hands, and he caught his breath in a soft moan. “Touch is what I longed for most,” he said. “I thought the lack of it would drive me insane while I languished in my previous prison. But here, with you, I’m closer to touch than I would have thought possible. I do not mind it, you know. It is no hardship to be nestled inside you, close to your heart.”

She released him and took in their surroundings once more. “This is the place I’ve created for you?”

He pulled her arms back around him and sighed with contentment as she laid her head against him once more. “This is how I have decorated. The place you created for me was only the shape of myself, both boundless and infinitesimal. Oh, it did not matter. I could see through your eyes, feel through your flesh, even though it no longer lived as it once did, even though you never spoke to me. I hoped that someday you would.”

“And when I refuse, you come uninvited into my dreams?”

“All dreams are uninvited, Susan, and perhaps this time it is you who have come uninvited into my dream.”

She thought about that for a moment. Was it even possible to visit the dreams of a demon? Did demons even have dreams?

“Susan?”

“Yes?”

“If I had come to you more gently, if I had courted you and companioned you and been patient with you in the ways of your world, would you have loved me?”

“You never gave me that chance.”



*****



About K D Grace/Grace Marshall



Voted ETO Best Erotic Author of 2014, K D Grace believes Freud was right. It really IS all about sex—sex and love—and that is an absolute writer’s playground.



When she’s not writing, K D is veg gardening or walking. Her creativity is directly proportional to how quickly she wears out a pair of walking boots. She loves mythology, which inspires many of her stories. She enjoys time in the gym, where she’s having a mad affair with a pair of kettle bells. Her first love is writing, but she loves reading and watching birds. She adores anything that gets her outdoors.



K D’s novels and other works are published by Totally Bound, SourceBooks, Accent Press, Harper Collins Mischief Books, Mammoth, Cleis Press, Black Lace, and others. She also writes romance under the name Grace Marshall.



Find K D Here:                     


http://www.thebritbabes.co.uk             


Twitter: https://twitter.com/KD_Grace           





Release blitz organized by Writer Marketing Services.

Tuesday 26 September 2017

Out Now—United in Love, a Charity Anthology Edited by Lucy Felthouse (@cw1985) #charity #anthology #britishredcross






Blurb:

The world could use a lot more love, which is why being united in love is the theme of this short story collection. Each of the characters are dealing with horrific and heartbreaking situations—loss, grief, war, divorce, dementia, disputes over land and more, but what they all have in common is that, with the help of love, of unity, they come through. It may not be all happily-ever-after—since life just doesn’t work that way—but positivity and solidarity shine through in each of the tales and will warm your heart.



So enjoy these stories of unexpected companionship, old lovers reuniting, second chances and creative problem-solving, with the knowledge that the proceeds from your purchase will also have a deeply positive effect—with every penny going to the British Red Cross’s UK Solidarity Fund.



Featuring stories from Gina Wynn, Lily Harlem, Rebecca Chase, Rosie Jamieson, Skye MacKinnon, M H Heyer, Alyssa Drake, Arizona Tape and Lucy Felthouse.



Available from:

Amazon (universal link): http://mybook.to/unitedinlove

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2wq8dqe



Smashwords: http://bit.ly/2hbrLrN






*****

 

Excerpt from What’s Past is Present by Gina Wynn



Connie always believed she’d know it was summer when the rain got warmer. And that meant summer was today.

She ran along the pavement, trying to dodge the drops as they fell in big splats on her bare arms like sloppy kisses, hunching as she attempted to shield the package of fish and chips she carried. The aroma of the hot food and warm paper tickled her nose, and she could almost taste the contents. Declan would be lucky if she arrived back with anything more than soggy, empty wrappings at this rate.

Picking up her pace as the smell of rain-splashed tarmac filled the air, she hurried the rest of the way back to the house. His house. She shook her head. It would take a while to see the house as anything but Mr Pearce’s place—an adjustment it felt like she’d only just made. Now, it was Dec’s. Just Dec’s. In her head, it’d only just stopped being his place where he lived with his dad. Glancing at the windows in hopes of glimpsing him inside as she walked past had been a habit for a very long time.

When her doorbell had rung the previous night, she hadn’t expected to find a very crumpled, travel-weary Dec in the dingy entryway to her bedsit. In fact, he was probably the last person she hoped to ever find gracing the stoop of what she not-quite-laughingly referred to as her hovel.

She’d barely had chance to move, or slam the door in his definitely unwelcome face, before he wrapped his arms around her, folding her into a perfect bear hug of long-ago familiarity. Caught off-guard and unprepared to see him, she rested her cheek against the soft brushed cotton of his shirt, listening to his heartbeat, as his fingers splayed over her cheek, and she pretended not to notice the rough gasps of air he drew or the silent tears landing in her hair. Her chest hollowed, her heart breaking both for him and over him anew, and a lone teardrop of her own slid noiselessly down her nose.

Of course, she’d promised to help him today because she could never deny him anything, even though she’d spent the past five years regretting him. Getting over him. The bastard. She’d never stopped loving him.

Five years had crept by in a lazy blink of his beautiful brown eyes. And now, in the place where she’d spent so many of her stolen days and illicit nights, she could almost imagine the clocks had rolled back and he’d never left. She’d certainly wished for it enough times.

Short of pressing the doorbell with her nose she had no way to attract his attention, so she pushed on the door handle with her elbow and shouldered her way through the unlocked door into the narrow hall. The same worn carpet, lending a musty smell to the house these days, ran straight ahead to the kitchen and up the stairs. She walked towards the kitchen, ignoring the grime of a house where the owner hadn’t cared as much for the fabric of the building over the years as he did the family members within it. Framed portraits and holiday snapshots of Dec and his dad lined the walls, but she brushed past each of them. She could describe the position and content of each—perhaps accurately pinpoint the date of a few if she appeared on Mastermind with ‘The early life of Declan Pearce’ as her specialist subject.

But as she turned to push through the door into the next room, she caught sight of some new pictures and swallowed down a mixture of envy and bitterness at the juxtaposition of Declan’s life before and after—the part where he’d moved on without her. Even after Dec left, his dad must have continued to hang pictures of him because there he was, framed with as much care as anything that gone before.

Dec in an office of black leather and gleaming chrome—a vista of New York spread like a map through the huge picture window behind him; Dec beside an aeroplane bearing his name—sunglasses on, wide grin in place, and a suit that must have been expensive but one he wore without effort and made it look good.

Dec behind a podium.

Dec in an apartment so swish she’d have believed someone had Photoshopped him into it if she didn’t know better.

Dec… Dec… Dec. Just him.

Her gaze skimmed the remainder of the newest frames, and her thoughts stalled. She leant closer. No. They weren’t photographs. They were pictures that had been cut with great care from glossy magazines and newspaper articles, as if someone was reduced to simply scrapbooking a loved one’s life rather than being part of it.

Regret flashed through her. It didn’t show the future—the life together— she and Dec had planned in all those late nights that somehow turned into seeing the dawn. If she was honest, it didn’t show any sort of life she’d ever imagined for anyone she knew, let alone someone she loved. And especially not for Dec. She’d always believed they were the same type of person. But maybe not now she could see his life through someone else’s eyes.

She shrugged, trying to throw off her sudden melancholy. The fish and chips wouldn’t eat themselves.


Release blitz organised by Writer Marketing Services

Friday 22 September 2017

Anthem 3 Update


Just a quick news update. I finished the first draft of Anthem 3 this week and am quite buzzed. The sense of achievement at the end of a book is always immense, even more so this time as it’s the end of a trilogy. There’s still a lot of work to go. The second draft is often much harder than the first, but you can’t rewrite nothing and it’s a massive thing to have that first draft done and printed. Book 3 has probably been the easiest to write. Probably because I knew the characters so well, I’ve been living with them for over two years. I always plot my books in advance, but this one was more heavily plotted than the first two as it had to tie everything up. I’ve had a lot of interruptions this summer but that outline made it easy to stay on track.

I always like to take to take a break between drafts so won’t look at the manuscript till mid-October, when hopefully I’ll come at it with a fresh eye. In the meantime, I want to relax; catch up on my reading, work on a short story or two and best of all, take a holiday. I’m off on a two-week cruise with my husband next week, taking in Spain, France and Italy. By the time I get back I hope to know the status of Anthem 2 with my publisher and will share any news here.

Right Here, Right Now, the anthology featuring my story The Coach comes out while I’m away on 3rd October.



FROM POPULAR GAY ROMANCE AUTHORS LILY HARLEM, SAMANTHA CAYTO, BRIGHAM VAUGHN, ALEXA MILNE, JON KEYS AND THOM COLLINS

BUY IT FROM:



Have a great weekend, whatever you’re plans. Have fun and stay safe.

Friday 8 September 2017

Autumn Update


Autumn greetings. How bizarre is that? Summer is officially over and the leaves are starting to fall. Summer has been a bit of blur this year. I’ve been working hard on Anthem 3 the whole time, while having major work done around the house. Thankfully, the renovations are finished, and Anthem 3 is not far behind. As I write this, I have just completed the penultimate chapter. Whoa, and my nerves are shot. What a cliff hanger to end on. So, the book is almost done. I have one more chapter to write, and then the epilogue. I was aiming to have a complete first draft by the end of September and that’s looking positive. I’m heading off on holiday in three weeks so it’ll be nice to have the book done by then.

Well, it won’t actually be done until around December. It’ll take me a couple of months to do my second draft and then a final edit. But to have a first draft finished is a major achievement.

I wish I had news on a release date for Anthem 2 but things are up in the air with the publisher at the moment. I hope to know more in the coming weeks. I delivered the second book a while back, but due to in-house restructuring, I’m not quite sure what the plan will be going forward. I’ll update here as soon as I have news.

There seems to be a lot unease in the MM community right now. I see other authors complaining about poor sales and announcing their retirement from the genre. I’ve been writing gay fiction for twenty-five years (I know, I’m not old enough, but I am) and have seen huge changes in that time. Back then there was a great print magazine market for gay stories, $200 for a 2,000-word short. Wow, they were glory days indeed. There was a pretty good publishing scene at the time. My first novel was published by Virgin books. I can only dream about releasing through such a major house now. The print market died a death over time. All of those magazines are defunct and mainstream publishers that had gay themed divisions closed their doors. eBooks came along and were massive, but they are now in decline. It seems that I’ve no sooner got used to one market before it’s gone. It’s a constantly shifting sea.

How does that affect me? Well, I’m not going to make any dramatic retirement statements. Sure, sales are not what I’d like them to be. I don’t think any authors are. Whether that’s because of piracy, a declining genre market or because readers just don’t like our books, I don’t know. I do know we’re never going to get rich writing MM fiction. I write gay stories because I love them. I take a lot of time with what I write, developing the characters and plot. I’m lucky that I don’t rely on my writing to survive. I haven’t had to churn them out just to keep the light on and that’s the way I like it. I enjoy writing. It’s not a chore.

So, we’ll see what the future holds. In the meantime, I’ll work towards completing the Anthem trilogy and giving Daniel and Elijah a great send off. I have a couple of good novella length ideas I plan to develop too, but my goal for 2018 has always been to write a mainstream, non-MM book. That hasn’t changed. I want to devote 100 percent of my energy to that novel but I won’t be silent on the MM front. Whatever happens with my current publisher, it’s certain Anthem 2 and 3 won’t be out until 2018, and with my two novellas that’ll be a pretty good release slate for next year while I work on something else.

In the more immediate future, my husband remined me last night that tomorrow is our anniversary. It's twenty-two years since we first got together. How’s that for a MM HEA? It's not that I actually forgot it was anniversary, it's that we now have three. The date we got together (Sept 9) the date of Civil Partnership (June 17) and the date we had a conversion to marriage (Dec 30). That's a lot to remember. We’ll spend a quiet weekend together celebrating.

I hope everyone else has a fabulous weekend, whatever you’re up to.

Stay focused. Stay positive. Stay safe.

Wednesday 6 September 2017

Release Blitz: A Vampire's Tale Birthday Bash #pnr @mayatylerauthor







Buy Links:











Praise for A Vampire’s Tale:



“…I have truly enjoyed reading Corgan and Marisa’s story. I loved all the new twist that the author created for the way vampires live and the magic things they are capable of doing. A Vampire’s Tale puts a whole new twist on vampires. I would recommend A Vampire’s Tale to anyone who loves reading about vampires.

            -- The Avid Reader



“… A Vampire’s Tale is a unique type of romance. It is essentially a slow burn for most of the story, a deep and progressive tale of love between our intrepid heroine Marisa and the enigmatic vampire Corgan.

For me this book was reminiscent of Interview with a Vampire, a tiny smidge of Misery (you’ll get the reference once you read it), a little bit Twilight mixed with a whole lot of originality, romance and drama, with the intimate scenes being softer and more fade to black than vampire books often portray…”

            -- Emerald Book Reviews



“… This novel is a paranormal romance unlike any other I have read before. I must confess I was a little worried about the writer-vampire relationship. Probably because I thought the romance will be a little cheesy and not too much action or plot development into it, but I am glad I was wrong. The story ended up being a sweet and heartwarming romance mixed with a good enough dose of action and mystery.

This book is quite a specimen because it's worth isn't just in the romance development but in the stories behind our hero and heorine. I highly recommend this novel to those searching for something much fulfilling, interesting and enchanting than your typical romance…”

            -- Two Girls Book Reviews



Excerpt:



… My heroine Marisa faces two would-be assailants before my hero Corgan valiantly swoops in and saves her …



Lost in thought, the last half of her coffee had grown cold, and she didn’t want more, anyway. The coffee shop was deserted except for the lone attendant. It must be later than she realized. Her stomach churned, and something akin to fear gripped her. She had the strangest notion she had to go home. Now.



Leaving the mug on the table, she walked out of the restaurant without a second glance. Her step quickened as she heard frightening sounds in the darkness. Almost home. She sighed.



Two strange men, with dark hoodies concealing their faces, stepped out of the shadows.



“Where are you off to in such a hurry, pretty lady?”



She ignored the speaker and continued walking.



“Hey, we're talking to you.”



The largest man of the duo blocked her path while the other grabbed her by the back of her neck and yanked her into the alley.



Every fiber of her being wanted to flee. “Let go of me,” Marisa demanded.



“Not until we've had some fun.”



She tensed and clenched her fists. “Maybe you didn't hear me clearly before, asshole. I said let go!”



The man in front of her pulled out a knife, the metal reflecting in the dim light of the moon.



Heart racing, she struggled against her attacker, trying to kick her way free.



“The lady doesn't want to play tonight, fellas. I suggest you find a new friend.”



The man behind her released his grip, and the two thugs inched away from her. “Hey, man. We didn't mean any harm.”



Corgan stepped in front of her and waved his hand in the air. “You were never here. You never saw me. If you ever see this lady again, you will run away from her and won't know why. Am I clear?”



They nodded blankly.



“Then go, before I change my mind.”



Marisa fell into Corgan’s arms as her would-be assailants dashed down the street. Sobs racked her as she shivered uncontrollably. “You saved me.”



“I should've been here sooner.” Holding her tightly, he stroked her hair. “Nothing will ever harm you again.”



Surrounded by the safety of his strong arms, she had complete faith in him. She leaned into his embrace and sighed.



“Do you trust me?” he asked.



“Yes.”



“Hold on.”



He scooped her up in his arms and floated into the air. His black cape swirled around him as they rose higher. Then they soared over the city, high above the buildings.



“Wow. I had no idea.” As he flew through a wet cloud, she snuggled closer. “Don't drop me, okay?”



He chuckled, a deep and throaty sound, as if she amused him. “I'll try not to, little one.”



“Well, try hard, mister. I'm too pretty to fall from the sky and smash on the sidewalk.”



“Yes, it would be a shame to mar your pretty face.”



Returning below the clouds, he lowered them onto a curved, marble balcony. With a wave of his hand, the double French doors swung open. Light from many flickering candles illuminated the room.



“Where are we?”



“My place.”



 

Author Bio:



Maya Tyler, wife and mother of two boys, writes paranormal romance with a twist. Her debut novella Dream Hunter was released in December 2014. Her second novel A Vampire’s Tale released on March 22, 2017. She’s a romantic and believes in happily-ever-after. Being an author is her lifelong dream. She enjoys reading, music (alternative rock, especially from the 90’s), yoga, movies and TV, and spending her free time writing and blogging at Maya’s Musings.







Book blitz organised by Writer Marketing Services.


Friday 1 September 2017

Out Now—One Night in Kuala Lumpur by Abbey MacMunn @abbeymacmunn #EroticRomance #NewRelease





Blurb:

In search of inspiration and excitement, successful artist, Ziva Clarke, takes a trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her exhibitions in the UK have left her exhausted, she’s had no fun in ages and her creativity is at below zero—the exotic Far East could be just what she needs.

Charmer Sam Tempest is visiting Kuala Lumpur on business with his father, but behind the impeccable suit and the wicked smile, he’s not a happy man. Duty bound to join his family’s international business, Sam longs to follow his true passion—to carve wood sculptures.

The two lonely souls meet by chance on a crowded street, and it turns out they might not be the strangers they first thought. So begins a night of confessions, shared dreams and hot sex.

Can one steamy night in Kuala Lumpur be the answer to both their dreams?



 

Buy Links:

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2ugZpyR

Amazon US: http://amzn.to/2tmcq8O

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/736962?ref=cw1985

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/one-night-in-kuala-lumpur/id1261163161?mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/gb/en/ebook/one-night-in-kuala-lumpur

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-night-in-kuala-lumpur-abbey-macmunn/1126808189?ean=2940154462416





Excerpt:

Squinting, Ziva tried to see who’d spoken in a deep, smooth-as-silk British accent.

A tall man stood before her and greeted her with an alluring, lopsided smile that exuded confidence. Kind eyes crinkled at the corners.

His broad shoulders were clad in a navy, tailored business suit. With his thick hair, a rich, burnt umber colour, slicked back off his forehead, and an angular, clean-shaven jaw, the guy could have stepped off the set of a TV advert for men’s cologne. And his lips… oh boy, his lips. Full, well-defined, and made for sinning.

Her mouth dried. Kuala Lumpur grew more interesting by the second.

Elise filled in for her temporary inability to speak. “No, we haven’t. My sister failed to mention Pavilion or Lot 10. I’m afraid she doesn’t share my love for shopping.”

Surprise flashed across his face before his smile widened then hitched higher in one corner. Yep, male model material. Just my luck if he’s gay.

Elise shifted from one foot to the other and adjusted her hold on her dozen or so shopping bags. “Are the malls far?”
“No, not far. They’re near the Golden Triangle part of the city.”

Ziva stifled another groan. More malls, right near where they were staying.

The guy tipped his head. “I’m Sam, by the way.” Sophisticated charm oozed from every pore. “It’s lovely to meet two beautiful English roses so far from home.” Although he spoke to both of them, he directed an intense gaze at Ziva. Mischievous cobalt eyes sparkled in the bright sunlight then he winked at her. Hmm, not gay then.

“Hi, I’m Elise,” her sister said, sticking out her chest. “Nice to meet you, too.” She shuffled her feet again. “My feet are roasting standing here.”

Ziva glanced at Elise’s unsuitable choice of footwear as she stood on a drain cover. “I’m not surprised your feet are hot. It’s ninety-five degrees and you’re wearing high-heeled boots. I told you to wear your flat sandals.”

Elise rolled her eyes. “Flat sandals do not go with this outfit,” she said resignedly. “Kuala Lumpur is home to some of the best shopping malls in South East Asia—who cares about a little discomfort?”

“So, you were listening when I read out the tourist brochure and the amazing places I’d like to visit.”

“No, not really.” Elise gave an apologetic shrug. “I heard ‘shopping malls’ mostly.”

Sam laughed. His attention never left Ziva. “And your name is…?”

The crowd surged forward to cross the road. Someone jostled past Ziva, accidentally knocking her elbow. Her tatty canvas handbag and her one and only shopping bag dropped to the ground. She gasped as her new lingerie tumbled onto the dusty pavement. “Oh, crap!”

Stooping to her haunches, she then hastily stuffed lacy bras and matching thongs back into the paper bag. Her blonde curls tumbled over her face, helping to hide cheeks that burned hotter than the pavement. A serious contender for Miss Tiny Tits UK, she’d been spoiled for choice when she’d seen that the malls in KL catered for smaller women, so she’d treated herself to a few items of sexy underwear. Not that she had an occasion to wear it, but still, the last thing she needed was to have it displayed for all to see.

Sam kneeled in front of her, picked up a black bra, and swung it on his finger. “Here, I think you missed one.”

Head still down, she reached for the bra, but he hooked his finger around the strap and held it firm. She tugged. “Let go.”

“Not until you tell me your name.” He tugged back, stretching the lace and elastic across the distance between them. “And not until you look at me.”



Author bio:

Abbey MacMunn writes contemporary, paranormal and erotic romance. She lives in Hampshire, UK with her husband and their four children. She is a proud member of the Romantic Novelists’ Association.



When she’s not writing, she likes to watch films and TV shows – anything from rom-coms to superheroes to science fiction movies.



Contact links:



Twitter  @abbeymacmunn








Release blitz organised by Writer Marketing Services.