Welcome Guest Author - Michael Kudo

Please welcome our guest Michael Kudo today! We're so glad he could stop by today!

I’m here with BWU today to discuss my writing process – the what, when, where, and how.

I can’t even calculate the amount of times I’ve had friends come up to me and say things like: “Wow, you actually sat down and wrote a WHOLE novel?!” or “I love to write, but it’s so hard staying focused” or even, my personal favorite: “You wrote over fifty-thousand words on a single topic/subject? You must have incredible willpower!”

So after I laugh internally, I smile and shake my head and assure them it isn’t as easy as it sounds. They seldom believe me. I think in their minds, I’m just a godless charlatan who wants to horde the secrets of writing all to myself so I can build an empire and rule the world! A bit dramatic, but you catch my drift.

The point being, it isn’t as easy as they think and to prove it, I’m going to break my writing process down in ten simplified steps.

(1)    Actively decide to write – it may seem like a no brainer, but you’d be surprised how hard it is to make that decision. The way writers work (or most of us, anyway) is that we need inspiration to hit in order to write our stories. Inspiration can be anything from memories, a normal, everyday experience, or our characters whispering sweet nothings in our ear. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen every day and if we actually waited for inspiration to hit every single time we sat down to write, we’d never get anything done. Generally, it’s a good rule of thumb to get SOMETHING down. Anything. Even if it’s just a few fragmented sentences. If you’re writing, you’re winning.

(2)    Free myself from distractions – It could be just me, but I’m easily distracted. I’m like an ADHD kid on 7 grams of cocaine, 2 boxes of cookies, and a shot of hard liquor. So that being said, in order to write, my environment needs to be PERFECT if I’m going to get anything done. I need to have white noise of some kind, whether it’s rain (rainymood.com) or the soundtrack to one of my favorite videogames (Chrono Trigger, Final Fantasy 6, Legend of Zelda: Windwaker, or Super Mario RPG, for those who are curious) I just need something to help silence the unhelpful background noises and coax out my creativity. Speaking of videogames, I’m a huge gaming geek. I love playing video games and sometimes it’s hard to stop myself from getting in that extra battleground or playing that extra round of Hearthstone.

(3)    Sum up the chapters – I used to be able to just write as I went along but I’m finding it harder and harder to write that way as of late. I now open a wordpad document and write out the chapters and add 3-5 brief sentences about the key scenes in each chapter I want to touch on. This helps me because I now have a goal to strive towards.

(4)    Write – Yay, I’m writing! How much fun is this? LOOK MA, I’M A WRITER!

(5)    Become distracted…by something – Oh, look, is that a unicorn? Or better yet; well, I’ve written a couple hundred (or thousand) words…I deserve a break. Maybe fifteen minutes of browsing the Internet (read: 1 hour) or a quick match in a video game (read: 2-3 hours)

(6)    Cry and regret life choices – Okay, so maybe it wasn’t a good idea to spend all my free time playing video games and browsing the Internet. My bad.

(7)    Drink and eat chocolate – You know what they say: write drunk, edit sober. And in the middle of a potential emotional breakdown consuming more chocolate that previously thought possible by a human.

(8)    Seek Reassurance – I’m only human. Sometimes it’s nice to be told you’re not a failure and that no matter what, you can do it. For me, my fiancé takes care of that role. =)

(9)    New Resolve – I can do this. I can get this story done.

(10) Finish – After much struggling and mental turmoil, I usually have a novel completed at this point. Tada!

And that’s my writing process.

Blurb:

“I don’t like to be called an Assassin, I prefer the term problem solver.”

My name’s Alex. I’m an average guy. I kill people for a living. But don’t judge me.

I don’t take jobs on just anybody though. I only kill the really annoying people, like cheaters or abusers. So if you think about it, I’m actually doing God’s work—okay, maybe that’s stretching things a bit.

Other than the whole committing murder and trying to get away with it thing, my life is simple.

Well… except for the fact I’m in love with a fellow assassin who happens to be my mentor. I also have to make sure I’m careful when I’m on the job because if I ever fail a hit, I’ll be considered a “liability” and be executed promptly. Oh, and there’s a small chance someone in the organization is trying to have me killed. But I’ll figure that out, eventually. Did I mention I’m gay?

Okay, maybe my life isn’t so simple.

Buy Links:

http://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-mainstream/red-rose-blood-the-deadly-rose-series/

Author Bio:

Michael was born and raised on the Jersey Shore – the geographical location, not the TV show. As such, he cannot boast having tanned skin, a rock-hard body, or being BFFs with Snooki. His version of GTL is gaming, Tumblr, and Lounging. He didn’t know what to do for a living until he wrote a couple of fun short stories as an English class project and made people laugh, something he’s always enjoyed doing and decided that’s what he wanted in his future.

A self-described “Otaku” (person with obsessive interests in manga, anime, and/or video games) Michael spends most of his time enjoying those things, becoming emotionally attached to fictional characters and collecting every bit of My Little Pony merchandise available.

He lives with his fiancé of five years in the heart of NJ.

Find out more about Michael on his blog (http://michaelmeeps.blogspot.com/) on Twitter (https://twitter.com/MichaelMeeps), and on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/michael.meeps)!

Guest Post - Chris T Kat

Five things you didn't know about Robin Evans

Thanks a lot for the chance to be a guest on your blog. Dreamspinner Press will publish my new release, Secret Energy, on August 29th. Secret Energy is a shape-shifter story, and the sequel to Secret Chemistry (http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=3520).

The main protagonist in Secret Energy is Robin Evans, a 19-year-old wolf shifter. If you've read Secret Chemistry, you'll probably know some of the things I listed below, but if not, you'll know him better afterward. ;-)

ñ  Most of Robin's family members shift into wolves with gray coats. Only his father, Ralf Evans, and one of his brothers, Tim, have black coats. Robin and his mother have pristine white fur in their shifted forms, which makes them exceptionally beautiful.

ñ  Even as a 19-year-old man, Robin holds dear a stuffed animal he calls 'Mr. Bear'. ;-)

ñ  Robin is a senser, which means he's a gentle soul and rather affectionate. That doesn't mean he'll take any crap from anyone. On the contrary, he fears to be seen as weak and struggles with his identity as a senser.

ñ  Not only is Robin a senser, he's also a healer. He's not as powerful as Jay is, but if they combine their powers, they can heal almost any injury.

ñ  Robin's mate, Peter Brannigan, isn't who Robin expected. Neither did he expect such a big age gap.

In case you've read Secret Chemistry, what appealed to you about Robin? I'm a sucker for guys with deep dimples, which is why Robin has those. ;-)

[COVER HERE]

Buy links:

e-book: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5368

paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=5369

All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-secretenergy-1602038-145.html

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Energy-Shifters-Book-2-ebook/dp/B00MX242QG 

Blurb:

When wolf shifter Robin agreed to cover for his older brother Tim and Tim’s lover Jay, he never imagined feeling so stifled. Tim's overprotective attitude suffocates him. Pressure from within—the urge to find his own mate—mounts daily. With a little help from Jay, Robin finally convinces Tim to let him go for a run alone, but he has no inkling that his life will change forever as a result.

Unexpectedly, he finds his mate Peter Brannigan, an old and special soul, and the one shifter who can bring balance to Robin’s life. The new couple spend days together, developing their bond as mates. Yet even as they explore and cement their relationship, crisis looms just ahead when an old enemy of the pack shows up and kills someone Robin loves.

Excerpt:

The scent called to Robin, setting something free within him—something unfamiliar and primal in nature. Robin’s mood alternated between exhilarated and scared, the combination and sheer intensity of both feelings troubling him.

Robin stopped near a small creek and carefully stepped inside the stream, the cool water soothing his paws and ankles. He took a few swallows of the clear water while his heartbeat slowed down.

The scent was strong around the creek, but Robin was unable to pinpoint it. After raising his snout high in the air, he inhaled the smell deeply, hoping it would infuse his lungs and from there spread to every part of his body, because whatever it was, it had a highly arousing but also calming effect on him. A long, high-pitched yowl broke free from his throat, announcing his longing.

Robin waited before he swept his gaze around. High pines surrounded the small creek, casting shadows on the water’s surface. The creek flowed slowly and smoothly, only occasionally hindered by rocks strewn in its bed. The water swirled around them, creating small vortices that gurgled.

Would anyone answer his plea? What would he do if someone did? Why was he even expecting someone to answer? It couldn’t be his mate—it just couldn’t—although everything would make sense, then.

No one answered Robin. In fact, he couldn’t even hear the usual cacophony of animal noises, just the water lapping at his feet. Robin pricked his ears, concentrating hard on what he could hear—the purling of the creek, the wind whipping through the treetops, and sometimes branches creaking. His breathing sounded harsh, closer to panting. Something wasn’t right, not at all.

Robin walked over to the other side of the stream, the earlier exhilaration dwindling. He shifted from foot to foot, darting his gaze around. An uncomfortable sense of isolation nestled into his insides. Maybe he should have listened to Tim after all?

Shivering, he stood there, not sure whether he wanted to go on with his search or go back to Tim, Jay, and Walter. Going back meant safety, whereas going after his potential mate—or whatever it was he was following—could mean anything.

Robin tucked his tail between his hind legs. He had never heard of a wolf being afraid of his mate. Wouldn’t that mean the scent didn’t belong to his mate? Or maybe his mate was nuts and he somehow recognized it? Whatever the scent was—or to whomever it belonged—it didn’t smell like a wolf.

What if his mate was female?  How would that work? He had never been into girls. He liked them as friends, but any kind of advances had him running for the hills. Robin was gay, period. No, the scent had to belong to a male wolf.

No, wait. He’d already ruled out another wolf.

The darkness settling around him didn’t help the queasy feeling in his stomach. Whichever direction he turned his head, something moved in the shadows, leaving him vulnerable and scared. The moon remained partially hidden behind the clouds, but even if the sky had been clear, the moonlight wouldn’t have been able to illuminate the forest ground properly. Or at least not in a way Robin wanted.

Suddenly he started. The moon? Oh hell! Shouldn’t he have been back hours ago? Surely Tim was already looking for him. Why hadn’t he realized hours had passed? Had his wolf taken over without him noticing? His father obviously had a point with not wanting Robin to go anywhere alone in his wolf form.

Robin threw his head back and closed his eyes before he howled at the moon, the sound of his voice echoing through the forest, silencing every other animal in his vicinity. This time someone answered him. Robin jumped at the sound of a roar at the other side of the creek.

The roar didn’t sound like a wolf; it was too guttural for that. After his initial jump, Robin stood frozen, shock waves rolling through his entire body.

Chris T. Kat

Chris T. Kat lives in the middle of Europe, where she shares a house with her husband of many years and their two children. She stumbled upon the M/M genre by luck and was swiftly drawn into it. She divides her time between work, her family—which includes chasing after escaping horses and lugging around huge instruments such as a harp—and writing. She enjoys a variety of genres, such as mystery/suspense, paranormal, and romance. If there's any spare time, she happily reads for hours, listens to audiobooks or does cross stitch.

Links:

Blog: http://christikat.blogspot.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/christi_kat

GoodReads:http://www.goodreads.com/ChrisTKat

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChrisTKat

Special guest & Giveaway from Leigh Ellwood!

Please welcome guest author Leigh Ellwood to our blog today :-)

Thanks for coming to see me today. I have a great giveaway below, be sure to enter.

I am thrilled to be here to talk about my latest book release, Sugar Rush. Not only is this part of the Ellora’s Cave Hot Pink line of lesbian romance, but it’s also my first Ellora’s Cave book. I have been reading EC romances for years – starting with earlier works by Jaid Black and Cheyenne McCray, and I am happy to be part of the EC family.

I’m coming to Ellora’s Cave after ten years of being published, and after dabbling a bit in self-publishing. With so many authors going “indie” you might wonder why, after I’ve done, why I would submit to a publisher again. Well, while indie is the rage not all authors are doing it. I know several who are content to work with publishers at every stage. There are others who consider themselves “hybrid” authors in that they self-pub and submit. I suppose I am one of those.

I had been kicking around the idea for Sugar Rush long before I considered submitting it anywhere. I had thought at first I might put it out myself, as I’ve had success self-pubbing my lesbian stories. When I saw on Twitter that EC was acquiring F/F stories for Hot Pink, I gave it serious thought. Ellora’s Cave has history in the romance industry, and I’ve enjoyed going to their parties at RT conventions. I know authors with EC books, and I’ve seen their books in stores.

I know, too, that I love to write and enjoy looking for more options with regards to my writings. I decided then I’d give the line a shot. If they liked Sugar Rush, I’d roll with it and have fun working with an editor and cover artist. As it turned out, Kelli at EC loved my story and now I have a new book release!

If you are looking for something new to read, I hope you’ll look for Sugar Rush and the other great F/F stories from Ellora’s Cave!

About Sugar Rush by Leigh Ellwood

Buy Now! Kindle ~ Barnes & Noble ~ Ellora’s Cave

Baker Neve Rush is surprised to receive social media attention, both the good and bad varieties, after agreeing to bake a wedding cake for a lesbian couple. She cares about people’s tastes in pastries, not sexual partners. The newfound fame has gained her new customers—as well as one resurfaced ex. Gianna stirs up memories Neve would rather forget, and an impromptu flirtation with a client might just do the trick.

Judy Goldsmith finds Neve’s open-mindedness refreshing and attractive, and isn’t above a little scheming to get to know her better. As Neve and Judy satisfy each other’s sweet tooth in the most pleasurable ways possible, feelings begin to blossom. But their deepening attraction may not survive a little white lie…and an even bigger, darker secret.

A Romantica® GLBT erotic romance from Ellora’s Cave

About Leigh Ellwood

I am Leigh Ellwood. I write smutty stories about people who like getting naked and having sex. Some have more sex than others, some have sex with people of the same gender, some have sex with more than one person, and still others have sex with toys and things that require the use of batteries. My stories range from a few thousand words to well past 70k. My books are available at Amazon, B&N, Smashwords, Kobo, and ARe. Really, just type my name in any bookstore site and something is bound to show up.

Please stalk me online for news about my books and crazy adventures.

http://www.leighellwood.com
http://leighwantsfood.blogspot.com
http://twitter.com/LeighEllwood
http://www.facebook.com/leighellwoodauthor

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Writing Rules and Goose Poo with Rhys Ford!

Please join one of our favorite authors Rhys Ford as she tells us about writing rules, the lack of care and of course, goose-poo. You know you're curious! Check it out.

My coffee is too hot and there’s a cat hair on my tongue. I can feel it. But for the life of me, I can’t get it off my tongue.

That’s kind of what writing feels like. You want more of something but you can have it AND you know something is there on the tip of your tongue.. on the tip of your mind… but you can’t get it out.

Totally like that.

It’s an exercise in frustration and pain. Rarely do I finish something and say; God that was good. Mostly I say, okay that didn’t suck. No really I say God that sucked why can’t I—

Make emotions out of words. To go from a piece of paper and with a few folds, create a crane—then a thousand cranes to hang from a central point for blessings and beauty. Why can’t I origami the words into that crane?

And if I do make something resembling a bird, it certainly isn’t perfect.

But sometimes perfect isn’t all it is cracked up to be.

There’s lots of advice on how to write. How to be a writer. What to do as a writer. We hear it all the time. Show don’t tell. Active not passive voice. Eliminate the ‘had’ and the ‘that’ as often as you can. Put in actions not smirked, replied, snorted or said. Don’t introduce someone only to kill them in the next paragraph. Don’t put a name to a face unless that is an important character. If you mention the gun on the mantle, it better be an important part of the plot.

Lots of advice.

Thing is—I’m not really good at taking advice. Oh sure, if it is well meaning—and much of it is—I will certainly take it into consideration. However my first instinct is to mutter under my breath, “Fuck you all. I do what I want.”

Mostly about the murder because really, I love a good murdering.

Did I mention I’m not really that great at the whole rule following thing? It’s gotten me into trouble more than a few times and well, if you’re a writer, it’s not always the best course of action. Because really grammar and punctuation are important. Very important. But the rest of it? Loosey-Goosey. Or however that looks. Anyway, pretty much over-guavaed geese on parade. Much like penguins, our geesey friends become supersoakers of poo when they eat too much fruit.

Long story on how I know that—both about the penguins and geese—but let’s just assume I know what I’m talking about. Writing is also about holding a supersoaker of goose-poo.

Okay mostly it’s about knowing when to break the rules.

I do admit to breaking them. Mostly about storylines and plot. I like writing fantastical things. I write close to true life but the rule breaking lies in the close. Very close. Okay sometimes not so close. When to douse the rules with goose-poo? That’s a fine balance…and I’m not so sure I’ve mastered it it.

But I shall try.

The Devil’s Brew was a bit of rule-breaking for me. A novella—in a genre where novellas aren’t the most beloved of things—but more importantly, it’s meant to be sweet. Not a drop of blood in sight. Not a scream. No body parts. No shadowy figures in the window. Just sweet, a bit poignant but mostly, a visit with friends.

Because sometimes, the rules I break are my own. *grins*

Hope you all enjoy the novella.

And damn it, my coffee is still too hot.

ANNOUNCING:

The Devil’s Brew by Rhys Ford (Book 2.5 in the Sinners Series)

Miki St. John’s life has been turned upside down but it’s the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

His best friend, Damien Mitchell, is back from the dead. He has a dog named Dude. And more importantly, he and his lover, SFPD Inspector Kane Morgan, now share Miki’s converted warehouse.

For the first time ever, Miki’s living a happy and normal-ish life but when Valentine’s Day rolls around, Miki realizes he knows next to nothing about being domestic or domesticated. Nothing about the traditional lover’s holiday makes sense to him but Miki wants to give Kane a Valentine’s Day the man will never forget.

Can he pull off a day of wine and roses? Or will his screwed up childhood come back and bite Miki in the ass?

Again.

Rhys Ford’s The Devil’s Brew may be purchased at: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4991

Also at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Devils-Brew-Sinners-Series-ebook/dp/B00KH4YEPG/

About Rhys Ford

Rhys  admits to sharing the house with three cats of varying degrees of black fur, a black Pomeranian puffball and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and an overworked red coffee maker.

My Blog: www.rhysford.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rhys.ford.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Rhys_Ford

And at the Starbucks down the street. No really, they’re 24/7. And a drive-thru. It’s like heaven.

My books can be purchased, folded and first chapters read at Dreamspinner Press. http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com

Can This Be Real Blog Tour!

We have LE Franks on our blog today on her Can This Be Real Blog Tour! Come hear about what spawned the story and enter to win the giveaway!

My Love of a Chef – And Why I’d Never Want to Be in Christian De Guisse’s Shoes

When I saw MLR Press’s submission call for a “Foodie” themed story I leapt at the chance. I love to write about food. It’s everywhere in my books. It’s 100% relatable for the reader since everyone eats. It’s a great hook into the meat of any story.

And because I used to cater private parties and weddings in my twenties, I’m comfortable writing about cooking. I know how a well-balanced chef’s knife feels in my hand, I know the bustle of a popular restaurant, and I've always had a highly developed sense of smell and therefore taste, so I have an easier time describing the food presented in my stories.

So when I throw my perfectly lovely chef’s life into turmoil—he’s cheated on, his career in NYC is trashed, and he’s exiled to a place (to him) that is likened to the wilds of Siberia—instead of giving him a comfortable landing, I send him straight into the orbit of a detective who couldn't care less about his gift.

Personally, cooking—bringing people into my home to host them—is an intimate expression of my love and care. It’s a deep part of my pathology…the need to bring people to my table, to feed them. And so I know for my chef Christian, he has that need as well. A large part of his identity is expressing himself through his food.

So to meet a man that he’s instantly attracted to but who is completely indifferent to food is a blow to Christian’s ego, and that conflict makes writing this story fun.

-LE

Blurb:

Chef Christian De Guisse can't trust a man who doesn't love his food, while Detective Andrew Simmons won't let any man close who thinks he's broken---somewhere between these two points, love is possible, but only if they get real.

When Chef Christian De Guisse accidently outs Celebrity Chef Jordan Slayer during a fight in front of The Times entertainment reporter---it only gets Christian ex-boyfriend status and a one-way plane ticket to culinary exile in Oregon. But a fortuitous meeting with Detective Andrew Simmons at the Portland airport keeps Christian and his collection of exotic herbs out of the hands of Homeland Security, starting the chemistry simmering between them. Andy isn't much of a foodie and for a chef who communicates love through his cooking this may be one hurdle too high...until they're finally ready to get real.

Buy Links:

MLR Press: http://www.mlrbooks.com/Bookstore.php?bookid=LEF_CTBR

Amazon: http://amzn.com/B00JXRCPDG

ARE: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-canthisbereal-1489668-149.html?referrer=509531de39c1c

Coming soon from LE Franks and MLR Press: Can This Be Real?

Look for the Can This Be Real blog tour on a blog near you!

April 24^th – Grace Duncan

April 25^th – The Novel Approach

April 26^th – Prism Book Alliance

April 27^th – The Kimi-Chan Experience

April 28^th – Book Whores United

April 29^th – Pants Off Reviews

Each day you’ll be given the opportunity to enter to win fabulous prizes! An LE Franks tote bag, a Can This Be Real notebook, and other swag will be up for grabs!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

AUTHOR BIO: > LE Franks

LE Franks lives in the SF Bay Area, surrounded by inspiration everywhere. After years of ignoring the voices in her head, LE is finally taking off the filters and giving the stories free rein. These days, she can be found frequently writing about sexy men who desperately need a happily ever.

LE writes M/M Romance in a unique mix of humor and drama with enough suspense to produce fast paced stories filled with emotion and passion and featuring characters that are quirky and complicated. LE’s men are living in the margins--they're in the middle of their journey, doing the best they can while searching for a connection to something bigger than themselves. With a little effort and a lot of luck they may actually find their happily-ever-afters.

Published by MLR, DreamSpinner, and WildeCity Presses.

Web: http://www.lefranks.com

Twitter: @Boxtersushi

Blog: LEFranks.wordpress.com

FB: LE Franks

Butt Ninjas From Hell!

Good morning book whores! We have Ally Blue on our blog today sharing a little bit of her piece in the Butt Ninjas From Hell anthology! Make sure you check it out and don't forget to enter the rafflecopter for a chance to win a $50 gift card!!

Butt Ninjas from Hell

They move like shadows through the night... when they aren't tripping over the furniture. Porn stars, holy emissaries, demons, and even just plain humans—ninjas come in all forms and from all kinds of Hell in this erotically charged comedic Wilde City anthology. Whether it’s the world of second-rate television, fluttering ninja stars, obsessions over a bronzy-olive toned soldier, or magic backsides, your authorial guides will take you where few readers have ever dared to go… without protection.

Butt Ninjas from Hell: You’ll Never Hear Them Coming!

Featuring…

Clean Up on Aisle Me! by Shae Connor

Sheathing His Sword by JP Barnaby

Twink Ninja Tiger, Flaxen Buns Of Fury by Kage Alan

Twerk It by Ally Blue

Hell Is Where The Heart Is by Eden Winters

Ninja, Vanish! by Kiernan Kelly

The Soldier And The Vagabond by Jevocas Green

A Ninja Walks Into A Bar by T.C. Blue

Release date: April 16, 2014

Buy link: http://www.wildecity.com/books/gay-mainstream/butt-ninjas-from-hell/

Hi all! Ally Blue here, with a snippet from my contribution to the Butt Ninjas from Hell anthology. My story is called Twerk It, and it’s a fun, sexy, silly love story between a demon slayer and a minor demon with a magic ass. Because I took the term “butt ninja” pretty literally :)

Read on for blurbage and an excerpt. Enjoy!


© Copyright 2014 Ally Blue

What happens when a demon slayer goes hunting in Hell? Twerk it, baby.

L’lousche is a minor sex demon with short-shorts, tall boots, a Hell Kitty t-shirt and a magic backside. When he shakes that ass, no soul in Hell or on Earth can resist the urge to sin. Not even the demon slayer who’s supposed to kill him.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

He’d swallowed the last delicious bite and was sipping the special satanic brew—orders of magnitude better than anything you could get up top, which was just all kinds of wrong—when a vision of twinky sexiness swayed over to his table on thigh-high black leather platform boots with red flames up the sides and leaned on the closest chair, one slender hip popped sideways.

“Well, hi there, beautiful stranger. Mind if I sit?”

Hugo stared the demon up and down, from the long black and red striped bangs hanging over his ruby red eyes, down the slim dancer’s body clad in a glittering red cropped top with a demonic cartoon cat’s head on it, to the red and black short-shorts barely covering his groin. In fact, now that he looked closer, Hugo saw the shorts were made entirely of mesh, except for a strip of leather cradling the demon-twink’s privates.

The shirt said Hell Kitty.

Rawr.

Hugo smiled wide. “Pretty thing, you can sit wherever you want.”

Those gorgeous lips curved into a smile Hugo wanted to lick. “Oh. Thank you very much indeed.” Pushing away from the chair, Hell Kitty skirted the table and settled his pert rear right on Hugo’s lap.

Hugo figured he shouldn’t have been surprised. Demons loved to pull shit like that.

Not that he was complaining. That was one sweet ass right there. Besides, maybe this little hottie would be willing to help him find L’lousche. As long as he didn’t say why he wanted him, of course. Satan’s minions tended to be protective of each other. Another surprising thing about the netherworld.

Hell Kitty cocked his head sideways and examined Hugo’s face. “I haven’t seen you here before. Believe me, I would’ve noticed.” He touched both tips of his naturally forked tongue to his top lip, eyes gleaming with all sorts of sinful promises.

Goddamn. When he was done with this job, Hugo was definitely fucking this one. Demons were usually, well, demons in the sack, and Hugo was willing to bet Hell Kitty here would be better than most.

“It’s my first time here.” Hugo caressed one round, firm ass cheek with his free hand, resulting in a low hum and an eye-crossing butt wiggle. “I think I like it, though.” He grinned and gave Twinky-Demon’s bottom a squeeze.

The gem-red eyes staring into his went to half-mast. Kitty’s voice dropped low. “I guarantee you’ll like it, handsome.” He rested one almost-too-hot palm on Hugo’s cheek and swooped in for a kiss.

Hugo had never kissed a demon before. Fucked them once or twice. Let them suck him off more times than he could count. Those forked tongues? Oh, Mama. But this was the first time he’d kissed one.

Won’t be the last, he swore to himself as Twinky’s tongue wound around his in ways no human’s could while that luscious bubble butt rocked against his swelling dick.

Christ, he was gonna come right here if they didn’t stop. Lucky for him, you didn’t get in trouble for that in this neck of the woods. Still, coming with his cock up Hell Kitty’s ass would be way more fun than jizzing his pants.

Later, said the part of his brain that wanted the other half of his twenty grand. Work first. Sex later.

Regretfully, he broke the kiss and pulled away enough to meet the sexy little devil’s fuck-me gaze. “Hey, can you help me find somebody that’s supposed to be here? I need to give him a message. Then maybe you and I can find someplace private, huh?”

Demon Kitty smiled a smile busting at the seams with marvelously evil things. “I’m sure I can help you, hot stuff. I know everybody.” He tilted his head and used his devil tongue to tickle the inside and outside of Hugo’s ear at the same time. “Who’re you looking for?”

“A minor demon of sex and mischief.” Hugo ran his hand up kitty boy’s slender back. The heat of the demon’s skin radiated through the thin shirt. “His name’s L’lousche.”

For a second, Hell Kitty’s spine tensed, and Hugo wondered—too late, of course—who exactly he was talking to. Then the crowd erupted into cheers and screams, and Hugo leaned around the sexy thing on his lap to see what the deal was.

A tall, curvy, stunning woman with black hair striped in orange curling down to her black-leather-clad ass stood beside the DJ, surveying the room as if it were her personal kingdom. Which of course it was.

The DJ grabbed his mic in one gilded claw and shouted over the noise. “All right all right all right, demons and damned ones, monsters and ghosts and heavenly hosts, humans and aliens and creatures of all kinds, welcome to Hell’s Belles. Hope y’all’re having the time of your afterlife!”

The throng wooed. Some said yeah. Others hollered no, though they sounded pretty drunk. Hugo kept quiet and enjoyed the show.

The DJ laughed. “We have a very special guest tonight, folks. Satan herself has come to party with us!” He swept a lobster-like appendage toward Satan, who smiled and bowed for the screaming crowd. “And now, we’re gonna play some dance music, ‘cause guess what? Satan said dance y’all!”

A roar like nothing Hugo had ever heard before shook the walls. A dance song several years old thumped from the speakers. It took Hugo a moment to recognize it.

He laughed. Satan Said Dance. Funny.

Hell Kitty swiveled toward him, red eyes glowing in the black lights the DJ seemed to like. “Let’s dance. C’mon.” He hopped off Hugo’s lap and held out a hand.

Hugo knew he ought to say no. He ought to demand that his new friend tell him where to find his mark, then get the hit out of the way before he took this thing any further. But he was starting to get a sinking feeling about this whole business, and dammit, what was wrong with having a damn dance first?

Grinning, he took Hell Kitty’s hand. “We gotta. Satan said.”

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Willow Springs Ranch Series!

Come check out the books in Laura Harner's Willow Springs Ranch series! Come check out these cool books and then enter her drawing for 5 $20 Amazon gift cards!

Book 1 - Ty Hard

Tyler has used Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell as a shield against the truth since he was seventeen. Cut loose from his Navy career and mourning his mentor’s death, Ty must come to terms with his desire for another man, even while he fights to keep his PTSD from pulling him under. Rancher Cass Cartwright’s relationships never last more than a few hours, and that’s just the way he likes it. Now he's done the one thing he swore never to do: fallen in love. Can Cass convince Ty to let go of his past or will sabotage at the ranch kill their love before it has a chance to grow?

Amazon:http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005GRDWC0/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B005GRDWC0&linkCode=as2&tag=pridepromo-20

ARe:https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-tyhardwsr1-578625-145.html

Book 2 – Hold Tight

Sheriff Holden Titus had organized his fresh start down to the last detail. Except for the part about the bomb that blew his plans all to hell. Now he’s running out of time, without a job, without a home, and struggling to get back on his feet. Literally.

Despite the impolite rejection, Drew knows he didn’t have the wrong impression months ago when he asked the sheriff to dance, but he never expected to have Holden’s life in his hands. Literally.

Thanks to some meddlesome matchmaking, the two men are now temporary housemates at the Willow Springs Ranch and Drew is determined to help Holden heal, both physically and emotionally. Even if it means he has to drag the other man kicking and screaming to physical therapy…and out of the closet. In fact, that might be kind of fun.

The problem is, Holden doesn’t consider himself in the closet…but not all secrets are created equal.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008GTHSRK/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B008GTHSRK&linkCode=as2&tag=pridepromo-20

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-holdtightwsr2-857341-340.htm

Book 3 – Taking Chance

Officer Chance Carter is pretty sure he’d still enjoy being on either end of a good ass reaming—just not the one from his supervisor that lands him on an involuntary extended vacation. Another holiday season with nothing to do except visit an old friend.

Former hospital corpsman Bryan Mitchell doesn’t feel less than honorable, but that’s what his discharge paperwork states. Now he's down and out in Kingman, Arizona until the charity of a stranger lands him a temporary job for the holidays.

When two federal employees go missing during a highly controversial wild horse roundup, the two Willow Springs Ranch newcomers are drafted to help in the search, but if rumors of a local anti-government militia are true, Chance and Bryan may be in serious trouble—and from something far more dangerous than their 
mutual attraction.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D62Q102/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00D62Q102&linkCode=as2&tag=pridepromo-20

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-takingchancewsr3-1011838-145.html

Book 3.5 – Ty’d Down (free short)

Ty brushed his hands on the long white apron and moved to the island counter to add more

frosting to the piping bag. Cake decorating had never been his favorite chef duty, but like many cooks in the Navy, he had plenty of experience. He took another sip of coffee then began the final step of piping the white border around the edge of the top layer. He would add the already prepared red roses, last. As peace offerings went, a chocolate three-layer cake with buttercream icing wasn’t much, but Cass would forgive him. Eventually.

Today should have been their wedding day, but Ty had put a stop to all the foolishness weeks ago. For fuck’s sake, Arizona didn’t even have gay marriage. The gathering of friends for a commitment ceremony just seemed…stupid. Besides, Cass had just been caught up in the events surrounding Chance and Bryan’s rescue when he’d proposed. The truth of their relationship had been plain as day when Cass tried to take over the conversation after Bryan had been rescued. The words still echoed in his head.

“It’s my ranch…my decision…" Cass was boss and Ty the cook. Point taken. Ty wasn’t even bitter. Much. Cass was right, this was his ranch and Ty had usurped his authority—but goddamn it! No one here was better than Ty when it came to running a covert mission. Cass should have respected him enough…trusted him enough…

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00B5E0LHM/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00B5E0LHM&linkCode=as2&tag=pridepromo-20

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-ty039ddownwsr35-1047798-145.html

Book 4 – Hanging Chad

For Chad Ollom, landing on the Willow Springs Ranch after his teaching career crashed and burned last year was a lesson in irony, considering he’d sworn off all things related to horses and cowboys after a near fatal fall as a child. Now with a new mission in life, Chad plans to bring critically ill children to the ranch for a special celebration.

Aging rodeo cowboy Jesse Duran lives life eight seconds at a time, and whether it’s broncos or men, it’s always been get on and get off before anyone gets hurt. When he’s required to take a break from the circuit and ends up on the WSR, the enticing ass of a stand-offish teacher turned contractor might just be enough challenge to keep him entertained for a week or two.

As attraction flares, personal boundaries start to crumble, and the lines between seducer and seduced begin to blur. When the series of on-going attacks against the WSR moves from sabotage to arson, Jesse steps up to help, but when Chad is forced to return to his past to face charges, the men of the WSR want to know if Jesse will stick or leave Chad hanging.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D0LUKCO/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00D0LUKCO&linkCode=as2&tag=pridepromo-20

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-hangingchadwsr4-1214650-148.html

Book 5 – Park’s Lot

When vegan, peace-loving, social do-gooder Park Williams stumbles across the half-dead cattle rancher who has been sabotaging the Willow Springs Ranch in the name of a homophobic militia group…there’s only one thing to do. Save his life, then share his tent. Waking to find the man’s dick pressed against his ass is just a bonus.

Tanner Triplett is in trouble. Not the your-brother-is-a-sociopathic-murderer-and-you’re-his-next-victim sort of trouble. Not even the your-father-is-trying-to-overthrow-the-federal-government-and-you’re-going-to-jail-for-helping kind of trouble. No…this is the sort of trouble that comes when you wake up with stranger’s dick in your hand. Holy fuck. How is he going to get out of this?

A sudden need to run for their lives ought to do it.

Determined to make amends, Tanner leads Park to the relative safety of the WSR, where the biggest danger should be from gun-wielding cowboys seeking revenge. Tanner hadn’t counted on sharing a room with the exotically beautiful Park or the danger to his heart when the carefully erected walls protecting his secret come tumbling down.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00IJOAQ3U/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=390957&creativeASIN=B00IJOAQ3U&linkCode=as2&tag=pridepromo-20

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-park039slot-1426016-340.html

About the Author:

Raised in California, Laura likes it hot, which explains why she ended up in Arizona via such diverse places as Japan, Maine, and Florida, and many more places in between. After retiring from the US Navy, she found a niche working for land management agencies, including the National Park Service and the Bureau of Land Management. Though she has held many jobs around the world, her favorite was working and living in Grand Canyon National Park. Working (and eating) in New Orleans was a close second. You will find many of her books are set against the rich backdrops provided by coastal Louisiana and northern Arizona.

When asked how she started writing, Laura tells of waking on Boxing Day a few years ago, with a woman named Elena MacFarland yammering in her dreams, demanding her story be told. Despite never attempting to write fiction before that morning, Laura ignored all of the holiday visitors and the Highland Destiny series was born. She doesn’t believe it was a coincidence that the great grandmother who died when Laura was just a baby was named Elena MacFarland. Destiny does play a hand.

Laura became a full-time writer in 2012, and now she spends her time writing, watching her Arizona Diamondbacks, and working on her very own version of the Willow Springs Ranch in northwestern Arizona. She is a multi-published author of erotic romance, mystery, and urban fantasy and her books can be found at all major online retailers.”

https://www.facebook.com/LauraHarnerAuthor

https://twitter.com/LauraHarner

http://www.pinterest.com/lauraharner/

http://lauraharner.com

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Liam Davis & the Raven by Anyta Sunday

We are happy to have a sneak peak at Anyta Sunday's new release Liam Davis & The Raven! Make sure you check out the excerpt that you can only find here in the Book Whores house! Don't forget to enter the rafflecopter for a chance to win these prizes:
Prize 1) An e-copy of Liam Davis & The Raven (Mobi/e-Pub/PDF)

Prize 2) An e-copy of Liam Davis & The Raven (Mobi/e-Pub/PDF), and any one of my backlist books.

Prize 3) An e-copy of Liam Davis & The Raven (Mobi/e-Pub/PDF), any one of my backlist books, and a $10 Amazon voucher.


And check out the other stops on the tour to find more excerpts and chances to win! The links are down below.









Liam Davis is a serious journalist, and he’s good at it.

Or at least, he was. Until the chief of Scribe, the campus magazine, makes him give up his politics column to write for the party page —the party page that is problematic for two reasons: One, it threatens Liam’s chance of getting the traineeship with his apathetic father at his prestigious newspaper company, and two, he has no idea what it means to party, let alone how to capture this new audience’s attention!

But Liam Davis is no quitter. He’s determined to prove to his father, the chief, and above all himself that he can do it—and do it well.

Life doesn’t make it easy. Not when Freddy Krueger comes stalking out of the shadows to attack him. Luckily the Raven, the campus vigilante—the vigilante getting hate mail sent to Scribe’s opinions page—comes to his rescue.

Now, between finding the perfect angle for his party page columns and making friends (and perhaps something more?), Liam needs to find this mysterious Raven — not only to thank him, but to warn him to watch his back.




Excerpt:

“May I cut in for a dance?”

Shannon snapped her attention back to us, and her lips quirked at the edges. “Sorry, thought I saw my brother but I must have imagined it . . . cut in? Yeah, sure, I don’t mind.”

She untangled herself from Quinn and clapped a hand on my shoulder. “Just a word of warning though, the guy likes to lead.”

And with that, she stepped to the side and pushed her way out of the dancing crowd. Quinn’s eyes darkened, and he rested his hands on his hips.

“Uh, what?” I jerked my gaze to follow Shannon’s exit route. Had . . . had Shannon misunderstood me? I wanted to cut in for a dance, yes. But with her.

I blinked and met Quinn’s gaze. “Well this is awkward.”

His shrug was almost imperceptible, as if it were for him, not me. “I’m guessing that’s a no to dancing?”

“It’s not a yes. I’ve never danced with a guy before.” Never much danced with a girl, either. Though there was that one time at my cousin’s wedding. . . .

“It could be something else to write about.” Quinn searched my face for a reply that I didn’t have, and then he focused on the crowd around me. “Or maybe there’s another more interesting lecture in life here. I’ll leave you to find it.”

He stepped to maneuver around me, and I sidestepped, cutting him off. His surprised breath brushed over my cheek. Minty, fresh, not reeking with alcohol like I expected. “I just meant to come over here to say thanks. That’s all. Why didn’t you take up the offer of a room?”

He looked toward his shoes and then up again. “It didn’t seem like you’d care either way.”

“I don’t. It just doesn’t make sense. You need a room, I have one.”

“It might not make logical sense, but . . . you and me, I don’t know if we’d get along so well.”

I frowned. “It’s a room.”

“Yeah, but no. Thanks.” He pushed past me, his arm knocking lightly against mine. “Hey, Shan, wait up!”
And that’s the last you’ll see of them.

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About the Author: A born and raised New Zealander, Anyta Sunday has been exploring the literary world since she start reading Roald Dahl as a kid. Inspired, stories have been piling up in her head ever since. Fast forward to her mid-twenties and jump a few countries (Germany, America, and back again), and she started putting pen to paper. When she’s not writing or chasing her kid around, she’s reading, hiking, watching Joss Whedon series, attempting Pilates or curling up with her two cats. Updates on her projects can be found at anytasunday.com.

Author’s Web Page: http://www.anytasunday.com
Author’s Book Page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/liamdavisraven
Author’s Page on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Anyta-Sunday/251386378229403

Anyta would like to thank:

Caroline Wimmer (http://streiflicht-fotografie.de/?project=book-cover-art-anyta-sunday&lang=en) for the amazing cover art! I love how this so wonderfully captures the tone of the book and its setting. Teresa Crawford for developing the story and discussing how best to shape the direction of the novel. Lynda Lamb for keeping me sane while I took so long to get this one ready, and then for going through and catching all my nasty spelling and formatting errors. HJS Editing (http://www.hjseditingservices.com/) for such wonderful and thorough copyediting and making my characters actually sound American.

Other tour stops:

April 1 – Mrs. Condit & Friends

April 2 – Novel Approach

April 3 – Cate Ashwood

April 4 – MMGoodbooks

April 7 – Prism Book Alliance

April 8 – Nephylim

April 8 – Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

April 9 – Book Whores

April 9 – Top2Bottom Reviews

April 10 – Hearts on Fire

April 10 – Elisa Rolle

April 11 – Bound by Blood

April 14 – Amanda C. Stone