Category Archives: Guest Author

High Concept Review

 

High Concept
Author: Whitley Grey
Publisher: Loose ID LLC
American release date: September 9, 2013
Format/Genre/Length: Novel/M/M Mystery/329 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★ ★

Reviewer: Julie Hayes

Beck Stryker is a detective with the Denver PD. He recently lost his partner, Danny, and the wound is still fresh. As is his shoulder injury, although he doesn’t complain, just grins and bears it. He has stayed close to Danny’s widow, Marybeth, and their two sons. He’s the only father figure the boys have left. But not close enough to reveal the truth to Marybeth—that Beck is gay—and neither is he out at work, although Danny knew, and never judged him for it.

A string of home invasions, one of which resulted in Danny’s death, brings in FBI profiler Zach Littman. Zach has his own personal demons—he was seriously injured during an interview with serial killer Xav-D.

Beck and Zach met two years previously, while working on another case. At the time, Zach—who is gay and out—was in a committed relationship with Dean. But that has gone south, after Dean reveals his addictions and won’t deal with them. Although Dean is clean now—according to him—they are just friends, but Dean wants to go back to the way they were while they were still together. Beck, under the influence of too much alcohol, kissed Zach and Zach rejected him, because of Dean. But neither has forgotten that kiss, and Zach is now single.

There have been three home invasions, one involving a local politician who is up for election. His wife and five-year-old daughter were killed. He was tortured and tied up. The choice of victims in these cases makes no sense.

Pursuing various leads, Beck and Zach can’t deny their mutual attraction, although they try. The case begins to take on sinister overtones. Beck is trying to hold his partner’s family together, but is he giving Marybeth mixed signals? Zach is forced to confront Xav-D again, which doesn’t thrill him—he almost didn’t survive the first encounter.

Can two strong men give when giving is required, and can they find a way to overcome the obstacles in their way?

I totally loved this book from the beginning. Whitley Grey is a great writer with an incredible command of the English language. Her carefully chosen words bring each scene to life, visually and in terms of all the other senses as well.

I loved exploring these two sexy men’s psyches, getting to know them, watching as they struggled against their mutual attraction, for different reasons. I also loved the police procedural story as much as the romance. I like that doesn’t play to stereotypes, as much m/m romances are wont to do, with one man almost assuming the woman’s role in the relationship. These two men are unquestionably masculine. The sex is incredibly hot and smokin’!

This is a great book, and I understand there will be more. I can’t wait. Great job, Ms. Grey—bravo!

Wednesday Briefs: July 2, 2014

Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

The Boys of Belsmeade: Chapter Eight by Kazy Reed

Oh yes, Aramis thought. This is perfect. The sweet flavor of his mate burst onto his tongue and made his spine tingle. He fisted one hand in Eliot’s hair and wrapped the other around the slim waist, drawing him closer.

Thump. Swish. Thump. Swish.

Faster and faster, Eliot’s heart pushed the vital fluid through his veins. The scent of blood swirled in the vampire’s nose and triggered his thirst. Unable to control himself any longer, the predator took the human’s chin in his hand and pushed it gently up to expose the slender throat.

Fingers gripping Aramis’ shirt, Eliot moaned, “Oh, Aramis. Yes.”

Click here to read the full brief:

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Wednesday Briefs: June 25, 2014

Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

The Boys of Belsmeade: Chapter Seven by Kazy Reed

Not until I reached the street where the club was located, did I realize I was underage. Hopefully, Aramis had arranged something with the bouncer, or maybe it was an 18+ club. I parked in a garage and walked to a non-descript brick warehouse with a neon “A” hanging over the door. Other than that, there were no markings. A line of people waiting to get in stretched down the sidewalk, and I was relieved to see that many of them didn’t look much older than me.

The bouncer checked my ID and asked me for the password.

Click here to read the full brief:

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Hot off the presses – Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust Anthology!

I am proud to announce that I have a story in Wayward Ink’s new anthology, Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust, which released today! This is my first, and certainly not last, collaboration with Wayward Ink, so let’s celebrate together, while I talk a little bit about writing for an anthology.
Being part of an anthology is different than other writing. Being part of an anthology is a group effort, of which the sum is greater than the whole. I am proud to announce my first story for Wayward Ink Publishing, “His Prince Wore Pink Stilettos”, which is part of the Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust anthology. I am also very proud to say that I am an editor with Wayward Ink, and helped to edit some of these stories.
Sometimes you don’t want to read something heavy, you just want to take little nibbles of fiction. Stories you can stop and start at your leisure. Well, consider this book to be a smorgasbord for  your reading pleasure.
As the title implies, there will be love, loss, laughter & lust. Mostly I think you’ll come away with a smile on  your face, and perhaps a tear in your eye for what  you’ve seen in these pages.
My story, “His Prince Wore Pink Stilettos” takes place in the 1970s, and is one young man’s journey to sexual awareness. Being gay then wasn’t very easy, and Michael is clueless when it comes to boys, because he’s sure he’s the only one like him. And how can he tell the boy who’s the object of his wet dreams how he feels?
Here’s an excerpt from my story:
I WAS eighteen and gay at a
time when it wasn’t very well accepted, as compared to the grudging acceptance
we garner nowadays, but this is 2006 and that was the 70s, a different story
altogether. And St. Louis wasn’t Los Angeles, and it certainly wasn’t San
Francisco, tending to be on the conservative side, existing as it does in the
Bible belt. Puberty is hard enough to go through on its own merits, but when
one comes to realize that what seems natural to you is considered an
abomination by others—well, you sort of learn to keep your natural inclinations
to yourself. And then you hope that you’re not the only one that feels that
way.
I first came to understand
that it was men that tripped my trigger, so to speak, and not women, when I was
about thirteen. I have an older sister, Brenda, who used to read movie
magazines like they were gospel. She was always raving about this that or the
other handsome actor. And dragging me to the movie theater to see her current
favorites, whether I was willing to go or not. I usually was—willing, I mean.
After all, a free film is a free film. Even if I pretended to fuss about it.
But it wasn’t until we went to see A Man
Called Horse
that I got my first clue about my true sexual orientation.
There’s a scene at the
beginning of the film where Richard Harris, the rich Englishman who’s the hero
of the movie, is bathing in a river when the other members of his hunting party
are set upon and murdered by Native Americans. This same group then happens
upon Richard as well, and they chase him from the water, at which point there
is a fantastic view of his bare posterior. Well, when I caught a glimpse of
those firm buttocks, so unmistakably enlarged upon the screen, I found myself
riveted to the sight, unable—and unwilling—to look away. On top of that, I had
a definite reaction—a very physical one—that caught me very much off guard. I
think I even squeaked, embarrassing as that is to relate, because I remember my
sister nudging me to be quiet, while she too feasted her eyes upon the screen.
At her nudge, I spilled my cup of soda into my lap, which turned out to be
fortunate, for it relieved my engorged situation, and I didn’t have to explain
anything to anyone. Other than myself, that is. And napkins took care of the
rest.
That was when I had a long
hard look at myself and the world around me, borrowing Brenda’s movie magazines
for a comparison test. Yes, it was true, without a shadow of a doubt. It was
the male of the species that turned me on. While I liked the women well enough,
they did nothing for me in any romantic or sexual sense, and I had no desire to
kiss any of them. Richard Harris, on the other hand… well, I was more than
willing to be ‘ravished’ by him. Sort of like a reverse bodice-ripper, those
popular romance novels where the heroine was ‘unwilling’, back when that meant
she wanted it and didn’t know it. Well, I knew it, and I dreamed that someday
that hunky Irishman might come and take me away.
That never happened.
This story was originally published by Dreamspinner Press a
few years ago. It has been re-edited and the title slightly changed. I’m proud
to have had it accepted by Wayward Ink for their Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust
anthology. As the title implies, there is something for everyone in this book.
Wayward Ink is having a giveaway to celebrate the anthology’s
release! Just enter your name in the rafflecopter!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Love,
Loss, Laughter & Lust
We’ve
all loved.
We’ve
all laughed.
Sadly,
we’ve also probably all known loss in one form or another.
And,
yes, we at Wayward Ink are sure we’ve all experienced lust!
In Love,
Loss, Laughter & Lust,

you’ll experience one or more of the “L”s as we take you on
a roller coaster of emotions.
Whether
you like to sigh over the sweet, cry for the broken-hearted, enjoy a good laugh,
or get a little hot and bothered; there’s something for everyone in this
collection. 
Buy
link for Love, Loss, Laughter & Lust at Wayward Ink:  http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/love-loss-laughter-lust/
MINI BLURB FOR EACH STORY
His Prince Wore Pink Stilettos
Julie Lynn Hayes
Wanted: one prince, ball optional…
Invisible
Taylin Clavelli
What do you do when you become invisible
to the love of your life?
Hearts
Anyta Sunday
What
if your fate is to lose the one you love and be doomed to live in a city of
lost hearts?

Is it possible two dead hearts can see life again?

A Closed Door
Andrew Q. Gordon
Sometimes when you leave to find
yourself, you’ve left the answer behind. 
Sleepwalking
Taylin Clavelli
Devastated
by loss, Matthew sleepwalks through life, existing but not living.
Can
someone rescue him from his waking nightmare and help him to live again?
Life According to Buddy
Lily Velden
Buddy
is a penis on a mission…
Mission Objective: The Love Tunnel
Service with a Smile
Lily G. Blunt
Terry visits a men’s designer boutique,
and Ash gives him service with a smile…
Hunter or Hunted?
Lily Velden
Any
hunter worth his salt will tell you that in order to capture your prey, there
are few simple rules you must follow…
Julie Lynn Hayes was
reading at the age of two and writing by the age of nine and always wanted to
be a writer when she grew up. Two marriages, five children, and more than forty
years later, that is still her dream. She blames her younger daughters for
introducing her to yaoi and the world of M/M love, a world which has captured
her imagination and her heart and fueled her writing in ways she’d never
dreamed of before. She especially loves stories of two men finding true love
and happiness in one another’s arms and is a great believer in the happily ever
after. She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and two cats, loves books
and movies, and hopes to be a world traveler some day. She enjoys crafts, such
as crocheting and cross stitch, knitting and needlepoint and loves to cook. While
working a temporary day job, she continues to write her books and stories and
reviews, which she posts in various places on the internet. Her family thinks
she is a bit off, but she doesn’t mind. Marching to the beat of one’s own
drummer is a good thing, after all.  Her
published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, Amber Quill Press, MuseitUp
Publishing, Torquere Press, and eXtasy Books, and coming soon to Wayward Ink
Publishing and Prizm Publishing. She has also begun to self-publish and is an
editor at MuseitUp.  
You can find her on
her blog at http://julielynnhayes.blogspot.com,
and you can contact her at tothemax.wolf@gmail.com.
My links:
Twitter @Shelley_runyon

 

Wednesday Briefs: June 18, 2014

Here is a list of all the authors flashing this week, along with a brief snippet from their latest free work. Click the link after the snippet to be taken to the complete story on the author’s home page.

Love Across Time chapter 12; by Jim Dunaway;

Doctor Thomas’s brows furrowed as he examined Ethan’s chart. “Michelle,” he said to the attending ICU nurse, “why aren’t there any recent notations of seizures from Ethan Evans.”

The nurse took the chart from the doctor and examined it carefully. “It would appear that they have stopped. I personally haven’t seen any kind of seizure activity.” She sat at one of the computers and typed in a few commands. “The EEG log shows no seizure activity of any kind for the last two days. Wait a minute…” She glanced at the chart again.

Click here to read the full brief:

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Dare to Love Forever; by JC Wallace – Blog Tour and Giveaway

Hi, everyone! I want to thank Wednesday Briefs for hosting a stop on the

Dare To Love Forever Blog Tour.

DTFL is my second novel and will be released on June 1st. After this post, you will find a blurb and excerpt, as well as a chance to enter to win some great prizes at the end of the tour!

Check here for links to all of the blogs in the tour.

-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-

So you may or may not ask why vampires?

Well, I did ask why vampires. See, I always said I would never write a vampire story just because there are soooooo many of them.

How can you stand out and be fresh in a market overrun with vampire stories? Continue reading

Cover Reveal – Crossfire, by Jon Keys – Part of Men in Uniform from Torquere Press

Well folks, here it is. The cover reveal for the Torquere Press anthology Men in Uniform and Crossfire is one of the eight stories it contains. It’s release day is May 21st. Nine days! I can hardly wait!

miu-crossfire510

Here’s a little blurb for the story. Continue reading

New Release: Heart Knot Mine; by Lily Velden w/ giveaway

HeartKnotMine_FBbanner_DSP

Greetings all!

It’s Sunday morning and I’m propped up in bed with my ever-faithful laptop, coffee in hand, with even a glass of juice poured as well!

Life has been beyond hectic of late and I can’t say how many times I’ve wished for more hours in the day, or that my poor old bod wouldn’t scream at me, demanding sleep. It’s not convinced that there’ll be time enough for sleep when I’m pushing up daisies… Continue reading

Whatever Weekend: Julie Lynn Hayes – Even Bad Boys Have Consequences

Look at that face. How can you say no to it? Most women can’t. Maybe that’s his problem.  For those of you who don’t recognize him, that is Hank Moody, author, bad boy and all around sexy guy – the foundation upon which Californication is built, the sexy comedy on Showtime now in its fourth season. Continue reading

Whatever Weekend: JC Wallace – Curiosity Killed Shaney Tour and Giveaway

blog tour pic

Hi, everyone! I want to thank Wednesday Briefs Blog for inviting me. Curiosity Killed Shaney is my first published novel and I am thrilled to share this story with all of you.

This blog tour got huge fast! There are awesome prizes to that will be given away at the end of the tour. At the end of this post, you will find a link to enter! Check in at www.jcwallacebooks.com for links to all of the blogs in the tour and you can enter as much as you like!

Today I am interviewing Hudson from Curiosity Killed Shaney.

JC: Hey, Hudson. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me.

Hudson: No, problem, JC. Shaney is around here somewhere, so I hope we can get through this without incidence.

JC: Okay, well, let’s get started. Tell us a bit about yourself.

Hudson: Well, I’m Hudson Turner from Curiosity Killed Shaney. I’m 26 year old and I’m a carpenter. I live in Tupper Lake, NY. Shaney is my boyfriend. I think that’s about it.

JC: You run your own carpentry business. How did that get started?

Hudson: I went to college because my parents expected it and they’re high achievers. My dad is in business so I went for that because I didn’t know what to go for and it made him happy. He wanted me work with him but when I got out of college I came back to Tupper Lake. I have always loved working with wood. When I was a teenager, I liked to build things with my grandfather so I set up my own business as a carpenter and I’m happy with it.

JC: How did you get involved in charity?

Hudson: Oh, you mean doing work for people who can’t afford to pay. Well, my grandfather was a very altruistic and believed in giving. He was a research scientist he didn’t want to make money off his work and always told me that people are important than money. So, when my business got going really good, I would do work for those I knew couldn’t afford it just as my grandfather taught me.

JC: That’s really nice of hear. Let’s talk about you and Shaney. You’re really different from one another. He’s free-spirited, curious, easy going. You’ve described yourself as reserved, quiet and solitary. How does it work with your differences?

Hudson: Shaney is over the top some of the times (laughs) but I think our differences complement each other. I think I help ground him and keep him from going too far over the top. He can get pretty outrageous in what he wants to do or find out about. For me, he has really shown me how to live life, not be so closed off and to laugh more. I’ve never laughed so hard with Shaney around.

Shaney: (yells from the other room) That’s right big guy!

Hudson: (shakes his head and yells back) Go find something to do, baby. I’ll be done soon.

Shaney: Okay.

JC: I think he’s gone, so I can ask the next question. What was your worst first date ever?

Hudson: When I was sixteen and a bunch of us went down to the lake to hang out. Soon people paired off .and me and this girl were left sitting there. I knew at the time I was gay but in Tupper Lake, back then, it just wasn’t accepted. The girl got a little handsy and kissed me and I did kiss her back but I thinking about a guy in my gym class. Before I knew it, she’d grabbed my hand and put it on her…um…chest. I kind of freaked out and literally ran away. She told the entire school. It was pretty crappy.

Shaney: (yells) Ewww, on her boob?!

Hudson: Shaney, I thought you were going to find something to do.

Shaney: (yells) Yes sir, boss!

JC: (chuckles) Okay. Next question. You’ve been called by some The Perfect Guy and Mr. Tall, Dark, and Hunky. What are your thoughts on that?

Hudson: Sounds like something Shaney would say. Not sure how true that those are.

Shaney: (yells)You’re definitely all of those Mr. Hottie!

Hudson: Shaney!

Shaney: Going!

JC: Shaney? (no answer). Okay, now that he’s gone, I PROMISE I won’t tell Shaney…so dish! What did you first think when you met him?

Hudson: Yeah, I don’t need his head any bigger than it is. When I first saw him, I thought that I really wanted to just talk to him. I’m not so good at that stuff and if you read the story, you’ll see how well our first meeting worked out. Damn, that boy can get himself hurt the closet. Best thing I ever did was talking to him.

JC: Very sweet (yes, he’s blushing). I’ve heard you call your truck your baby. What’s the story with this vehicle?

Hudson: It’s a 2012 Ford F250. It’s a truck. I’m a guy. Enough said.

JC: Got it. So, are you more of a dog person or more of a cat person?

Hudson: Snort, definitely a cat person if you get my meaning.

JC: Oh, the killed by curiosity thing. Got it (laughs). Any more adventures on the horizon for you, Mr. Hudson?

Hudson: With Shaney, when isn’t there an adventure. Getting up in the morning is an—

(A loud crash shakes the house.)

Hudson: What the fu—

Shaney: Hey, Huds, you know that shelf in the hall closet you told me not to touch? Well, it fell on my hand.

Hudson: (rubs at the bridge of his nose) See? Can get hurt in a closet. See ya, JC.

JC: If I ever get through an interview with these two, it will be a miracle.

Tomorrow, I will be visiting the blog of AT Weaver. Hope to see you all there!

CuriosityKilledShaney cover

Available at

R&P Publishing      Amazon     Barnes and Noble

ARe       BookStrand

Blurb:Shaney’s curiosity is always getting him into trouble, including stumbling into a ritualistic circle and being imbued with an energy that will eventually tear him apart. He soon finds out that Hudson, a man he cares for deeply, might be responsible for his misfortune. Add in the betrayal by his best friend Todd and the desire of a demented occultist named Silas to control the energy inside of him and there seems to be no way out. Can Shaney find a way to rid his body of the nefarious energy before he dies a horrible death?

Excerpt

Shaney peered cautiously around the aisle of junk peddled on late night television as items that that no one could live without. Yeah, right, Shaney snorted to himself. With anything but suave subtlety, he looked for his target through the open racks of clothes and tall shelves filled with shoes. Well, tall for him. Yes, he was short for a man. Hell, he was short for a pre-pubescent teenager. And in one of the cruelest twists of fate, at five feet six inches, Shaney was the shortest of his three siblings—three sisters, actually. Oh, yeah, as if that hadn’t been a wonderful childhood.

He sighed, reminding himself that he’d long ago come to terms with his lack of verticality—sort of. Silently, he slipped around the end of the shelf, moving slow and smooth, like the aforementioned cat. He worked his way toward the first rack of haphazardly piled shoes. Of course, he should straighten those up later. He stopped about ten feet from the rack, not daring to get any closer. As he peered through one of the shelves, he caught just a glimpse of his target’s red shirt. The man was rifling through the rack of sweatshirts.

If he could just get a bit closer, get a better look…

Shaney froze as the man—and, oh, what a man he was—walked out from behind that rack of shoes, a black sweatshirt in hand. Maybe if Shaney remained still, he wouldn’t be spotted out there in the open, drooling, because that was what he did when faced with the most gorgeous specimen of man known to humankind. The hunky man’s spiky black hair was longer on top and shorter on the sides. He had a five o’clock shadow at ten a.m. covering a strong jaw with—oh, hell—a dimpled chin and intense crystal blue eyes centered by the straightest, most slender nose ending over mouth-watering lips that were just waiting to be sucked and nibbled. That red T-shirt covered wide shoulders and biceps. Black jeans hugged a slim waist and caressed every single muscle with each confident, I-own-the-world step he took in black work boots. And talk about tall!

Shaney stopped breathing as Mr. Tall, Dark, and Hunky came down his aisle. The man’s blue eyes scanned the store looking from something or…someone?

Me?

Time ceased and the world narrowed as those eyes penetrated straight into Shaney’s soul, connected with his very essence, and awakened Shaney’s cock within his pressed chinos. Those forceful eyes were staring and, wait…frowning, as the man came straight at him! Panic seized Shaney’s body. Oh, fuck! He saw me staring and now he’s going to kill the cat! Damn, Todd for being right! Unable to break from the intensity of that unyielding gaze, Shaney started to scramble backwards with no regard for direction—just away from Mr. Tall, Dark, and Angry. Shaney sprinted in reverse as the man raised his hand and pointed a finger.

“Hey. You.”

Even faced with imminent death, the man’s voice vibrated through every nerve in Shaney’s small frame. If he had to die, let his death be at the hands of this god.

“Stop!”

Every cell in Shaney’s body followed the forceful order, but not before Shaney slammed into the shelf behind him. He gasped, the breath knocked from his lungs. He grasped for anything solid to hold onto as the useless treads of his sneakers slid on the waxed floor. Items rocked on the shelf, some toppling, others just threatening.

This is gonna hurt, Shaney thought and cringed until his hand finally grasped a shelf, and his other hand found purchase as well.

The enormous display shelf settled as Shaney struggled to steady his feet. He closed his eyes, sucking in large quantities of air. His hands vibrated against the steel of the shelf, unyielding in their death grip. The whoosh of blood in his ears cocooned him in silence and he almost forgot about…Shaney’s eyes popped open, and he jumped back in surprise to see Mr. Tall, Dark, and Angry right in his face. And next, as is standard humor in classic Saturday morning cartoons, something heavy fell out of the sky, landed on Shaney’s head, brought him to his knees, then flat on his face. The only thing missing were those annoying little chirpy bluebirds circling his head. He’d have to settle for stars.

Curiosity Killed Shaney Blog Tour Giveaway!!

Shaney is so excited about his story being told that he is giving away some great prizes!

P.S. He’s really excited to give them away!

Prizes:

1- $25 Amazon Gift Card

2 Curiosity Killed Shaney Ebooks

2 of Maximus’ “Duct Tape” T-shirts

3 “Freeze Warlock” Coffee Mugs

2 $5 Amazon Gift Cards

Click here for pictures of Prizes

You can enter daily along the blog tour, as often as you like!

Enter Shaney’s Giveaway!

About JC Wallace:

I have been writing all of my life, however it was just this year that I ventured out to be published. In my day job, I am a behavior analyst. At night and on the weekends, I write about all things men. I believe there is nothing hotter than two men finding and loving one another, whether for a night or forever. An avid reader of M/M romance, I love a good twist of a plot, HEA, HFN, or tragic ending.

I am owned by three kids, one grandchild and one on the way, two dogs and one cat. I live in the beautiful Adirondack Mountains in Northern NY

Website: http://www.jcwallacebooks.com

Twitter: http://twitter.com/jcwallacebooks.com

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

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7237038.J_C_Wallace

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/profile/view/jcwallace