Swords and Introspection

Today my Spartans are on Joyfully Jay's blog for a little down time and introspection. Please join them as they take some down time--Spartan style.

Rainbow Snippets - Save a Horse, Dive a Cowboy

Finished the rough--very rough--draft of Save a Horse, Dive a Cowboy.

Now to collect feedback and round out the story with layering--the five senses, back story, foreshadowing and all that stuff.

Hope you enjoy the ending.


Shep shook his head. Clearly, the orgasm had shaken all the sense out of Charlie.

He cleaned them both off and stripped off the nurse costume before crawling into bed. Charlie lay on his side, draped over Shep's uninjured side.

Wrapping an arm around him, Shep pulled his head to rest on his shoulder.

"I thought you said if it wasn't strenuous, it wasn't sex."

"That's right. But this was making love."

For more Rainbow Snippets, drop by the Facebook group.

Rainbow Snippets - Save a Horse, Dive a Cowboy

This week's snippet is from my WIP, Save a Horse, Dive a Cowboy. Shep is working to earn his diving certificate so he can save Hoss. Wish them both luck!

I know it's a bit more than usual, but I felt it was necessary.

Charlie dropped to his knees and rolled, hooves straight up to the sky. He wriggled for a few moments, then rolled upright. The sun warmed him and his eyes drooped.

He wondered what Shep was doing right now.

***

The door closed behind Shep and before he knew what was going on, Chris had shoved him against the door and had his lips on Shep. What the hell?

He dropped his duffle and scuba gear with a clatter and a wince. I hope nothing broke.

Grabbing Chris's shoulders, Shep shoved him back. "Whoa! Wait. What's going on?"

For additional Rainbow Snippets, drop by the Facebook group.

Rainbow Snippets - Save a Horse, Dive a Cowboy

This snippet is from my current WIP, Save a Horse, Dive a Cowboy. I blame this on Josh Lanyon, Dianne Thies, Felice Stevens, Sanna Solin, and PD Singer.

Save a Horse, Dive a Cowboy: What's a cowboy to do when his horse loses a shoe?

"I think my horseshoe is loose. I need you to look at it later and make sure it's secure."

Shep's eyes widened. "The magic one?"

Charlie nodded, although the shoe wasn't really magic.

"You've got to be more careful. If you lose it, you'll be stuck as a horse. Then what will I do?"

For more Rainbow Snippets visit the FaceBook group.

Rainbow Snippets - A Shared Love

This snippet is from A Shared Love, the final book in the Spartan Love arc.

A dark whirlwind swept around him, snapping at his legs. Theron barely swung in time to drive the creature off, sadly without doing any damage of his own. His heart thumped harshly. He'd almost been hamstrung. If he'd been any slower, he would have provided the beast with dinner, or at the very least been crippled for life.

Small branches crashed, giving way under its solid bulk. A low snarl reverberated through the night-dark air, allowing Theron to track the creature's return path. He turned with it, every sense bent on keeping him alive.

For more Rainbow Snippets go to the Facebook group.

Rainbow Snippet - Homecoming, A Tested Love Bonus Scene

Homecoming is an A Tested Love bonus scene featuring Apollo x Halys. You can read it in it's entirety on Charley Descoteaux's blog. Warning: NSFW

Halys knelt on the cool marble of the antrum, awaiting his lord's return.  The doorkeeper had kept watch and informed him when his lord Apollo's chariot was seen approaching. Halys had hurried to the bench next to the door with a pile of soft cloths and a bronze bowl of warm water.

The torches guttered, throwing wild shadows on the walls. Smoke filled his nostrils and spoke of secret things, passions best shared in the dark. Had the goddess of lust and sex exerted her wiles on his lord?

For additional Rainbow Snippets check out the Facebook group.

Body Language Is FREE

Not sure ancient historicals are your thing? Give Body Language a try. It's a prequel to my Apollo's Men series. And as it's free, a good way to get your feet wet.

Travelling with Narses through conquered Lydia, Lykos hides his identity as a prince of Aenus.  He intends to take the measure of the encroaching Persian Empire. But before they reach Sardis, he hears cries for help and charges into battle with mountain bandits. Unable to save the beleaguered merchant, he rescues Kas, a young Persian man.

Now his protector is dead, Kas would like nothing better than to remain with the handsome warrior who came to his aid. But how can he explain that to a man who speaks little but Greek?

Body Language is now available at Amazon.

A Tested Love Is Available for Preorder

Lured by seductive promises, Andreas risked his life to be with Theron, only to find himself betrayed. Abandoned and alone, Andreas resigns all hope of seeing his fierce warrior again and resumes his life as a helot.

All too aware of the harsh punishment Sparta demands of men who love other men, Theron reluctantly surrenders Andreas in hopes of keeping him safe. The warrior returns to Sparta to embrace his destiny in place of the helot he has grown to see as a man, not just a slave. Cold but honorable duty will be his new lover.

Duty proves to be a jealous lover when Sparta demands the final test of Theron’s loyalty. Sent to kill Andreas, Theron must find a way to come to terms with his burning desire for his handsome helot before their forbidden love destroys them both.

A Tested Love, the sequel to A Spartan Love, is available for preorder at Dreamspinner Press.

Alone, Andreas toils on a remote farmstead for a Spartan overlord. When a kryptes enters his world, Andreas fears for his life. The dread warriors stalk and kill helots—like Andreas' father—as part of their training.

Andreas sees only one way to save himself: he must tame the fearsome warrior.

But what began as self-preservation develops into attraction. Yearning for the company of someone other than his ferret Ictis, Andreas decides to trust the Spartan warrior and risk the fate that claimed his father.

Born to rule by the sword, Theron sees the world as his and acts accordingly, taking everything Andreas offers and reaching for more. However, love between men in Sparta is considered shameful and requires either exile or suicide to redeem Sparta’s honor. Now, only the gods can save them from the terrible price Sparta extracts from men who desire other men.

Rainbow Snippet - Body Language

"Are you all right, you son of Seth?"

"Narses?" Lykos drew a deep breath, one he hadn't expected to lay claim to. The wound in his side twinged in protest. He would have to take care not to repeat that mistake. "The bandits?"

"All dead."


To read more about prince Lykos and the young man he rescued, you can download Body Language for free at Smashwords.

If you are looking for more Rainbow Snippets, drop by the Facebook group.

A Tested Love Blurb

Lured by seductive promises, Andreas risked his life to be with Theron, only to find himself betrayed. Abandoned and alone, Andreas resigns all hope of seeing his fierce warrior again and resumes his life as a helot.

All too aware of the harsh punishment Sparta demands of men who love other men, Theron reluctantly surrenders Andreas in hopes of keeping him safe. The warrior returns to Sparta to embrace his destiny in place of the helot he has grown to see as a man, not just a slave. Cold, but honorable duty will be his new lover.

Duty proves to be a jealous lover when Sparta demands the final test of Theron’s loyalty. Sent to kill Andreas, Theron must find a way to come to terms with his burning desire for his handsome helot before their forbidden love destroys them both.

Tyler, Dilbert, and the GRPFATAAHDSS

Hi, my best mate, Tyler Knoll, is a bit shy and hates having to tell everyone how great his book is, so I offered to write this blog for him. Thanks so much for the invite.

Who am I? Well, most of my friends call me Dilbert. You'd think I'd be offended at being compared to a nerdy cartoon character, but it's much better than my real name, so I don't give a rat's arse. As long as they don't call me Dil.

Tyler and me got on like a house on fire right from the start. Unlike some of the other guys I met when I arrived in the States, he was fair dinkum. A real bonzer bloke. At first we thought we were speaking different languages. What with his Southern drawl and my ocker accent, but after we spent a few Friday evenings, chewing the fat and sharing a few tinnies, we did just fine.

There were a few misunderstandings though. I still can't get over the fact that you can't drink alcohol until you're twenty one. How backward is that? But then if I had known, I'd never have invited Tyler along on that memorable Friday night, and our lives would have turned out quite differently.

So there you have it, my mate Tyler. He may not be Aussie, but he's true blue. Some guys think he's a few shrimp short of a barbie, and spends half his time away with the pixies, but they're barking up the wrong tree. The thing is, Tyler doesn't say much. It wasn't until I read this book that I realized his brain is going flat chat and his mouth can't keep up.

Don't believe me? Read the book and you'll see what I mean! You won't regret it.

At times it's side-splittingly funny. Or at least giggleworthy. Mind you some of the situations Tyler found himself in weren't funny at all. He came a gutser on more than one occasion. But he's like one of those toys that bounces back no matter how hard you push him. I had to intervene every now and then, otherwise some of the pricks he met would have walked right over him.

Some people accuse me of being manipulative, but I can assure you that I always had Tyler's best interests at heart. The trouble is that because he doesn't have a mean bone in his body, he doesn't realize other people are not as nice.

Take Rupert for example. I was furious when I discovered he set Tyler up. Threw him to the wolves or wolf in this instance. Extricating Tyler from that predicament took some tough negotiating on my part. Then there was that dickhead Gareth Evans who virtually kidnapped him. I suspected Tyler was in trouble, but what could I do? Still he survived thankfully.

After that I kept a closer eye on him. A much closer eye. I think it was worth it in the end. Why don't you do yourself a favour and read the book to find out for yourself.

May I close by saying a big thank you on Tyler's behalf. While he was too shy to appear on the blog, I'm sure he'd be happy to answer any questions you might like to ask.

Blog Tour – Tyler Knoll’s Just for Fun by A.B. Gayle

Title: Tyler Knoll's Just For Fun Series (Books 1-4)

Author: A.B. Gayle

Genre: Satire, humor, gay, gay romance, LGBT

Length: Novella

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

Tyler Knoll was born one wild, stormy night in April 2013.

Of course, Tyler might tell you he was born twenty years earlier, but should we believe anything he says? That’s for you to decide.

In Tyler’s first adventure—like many a gay man before him—he was SNARED by gay porn, wallowing in tales of bigger, stronger, harder….

Then his fickle mind was seduced and SHREDDED by the prospect of BDSM and slavery.

When a Big Misunderstanding SLASHED at Tyler’s sanity, almost costing him his life, he turned to another genre for his salvation. But even this encounter proved potentially hazardous—not from freezing temperatures, but at the hands of irate fans.

Finally, tired and SCREWED by his all his trials and tribulations, he discovers—like many storybook heroes before him—that sometimes Mr. Right is closer than we think.

Buy links

Everyone who bought SNARED gets a 20% discount at buying the Just for Fun composite from the WIP website! Check the website for details.

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/?p=1278

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Tyler-Knolls-Just-Fun-Books-ebook/dp/B00ZW6552U/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tyler-Knolls-Just-Fun-Books-ebook/dp/B00ZW6552U/

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Tyler-Knolls-Just-Fun-Books-ebook/dp/B00ZW6552U/

Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Tyler-Knolls-Just-Fun-Books-ebook/dp/B00ZW6552U/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-tylerknoll039sjustforfuncompositebooks14-1839904-149.html

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tyler-knolls-just-for-fun-ab-gayle/1122175760?ean=9781925222548

Book trailer

Giveaway

Prize: $20 WIP Gift Card and 1 ebook copy of Tyler Knoll’s Just for Fun

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

Unlike many authors, A.B. Gayle hasn’t been writing stories all her life. Instead she’s been living life.

Her travels have taken her from the fjords of Norway to the southern tip of New Zealand. In between, she’s worked in so many different towns she’s lost count. A.B. has shoveled shit in cow yards, mustered sheep, been polite to customers, traded insults with politicians. Sometimes she needs to be forgiven as she get confused as to who needs what where. 

Now living in Sydney, Australia, A.B. finally has time to allow her real life experiences to morph with her fertile imagination in order to create fiction that she hopes her readers will enjoy.

A.B. values feedback on her writing, both negative and positive.

A.B. Gayle can be found at:

Website: https://abgayle.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abgayle.writer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/abgaylewriter

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/abgaylewriter/

Just for Fun

It's my pleasure to welcome AB Gayle to my blog. She's here to discuss her new release Just for Fun.

I've read all your m/m novels and novellas. One thing I've noticed is that you frequently write stories with one or more American protagonists. While you have been to the US more than once, you are a died-in-the-wool Aussie (pronounced Ozzie for us Americans). But strange pronunciation is not the only challenge when crossing cultures. Aussies seem to like to come up with obscure references and strange nicknames for everything. Such as calling Americans yanks or Yankees. While many Americans would just roll their eyes at such a "quaint" term, southerners often take offense.

Tyler Knoll: Y'all mind if I butt in here? Yankee and yank are mild terms to them. Dilbert tells me that back home, we're often referred to as Septic Tanks or even Seppos! Apparently it's rhyming slang (Hopefully I've spelled that right. Autocorrect switched my first attempt to "rimming slang." At least it wasn't "rimming tang" as that is something quite different. Musky. Yum.

Tyler, the main character in Just for Fun, is not only an American, but a Texan to boot. He wouldn't much care to be characterized as a Yankee. Would probably even set anyone straight on that point.

Tyler Knoll: Yes, ma'am, I sure would, and did on many occasions. Politely, of course. In the end, I said to Dilbert, "How would you like me to call you a Kiwi?" He never repeated the insult after that.

Care to share some of the challenges presented by Tyler because you chose a southern boy for your MC?

Tyler Knoll: She didn't have a choice. I am what I am.

A.B. Gayle: Shoosh! It's my turn to answer a question! Can I just say for the record that it was a pleasure and an honor to work with a Southern Boy; they are so genteel. Though I must admit that at times he was a tad garrulous. Yet to his credit, he was always guiless.

Tyler Knoll: Hey, enough of the "G" words. You know I hate them, anyway, you have a typo, it's spelled "gentle."

A.B. Gayle: It's a different word. Look it up.

Tyler Knoll goes off muttering, "I'm fixin' to."

A.B. Gayle: Quick, before he gets back. If it had been written down exactly as he speaks, noone would have understood him. Thank goodness there's no audio version. And are Southern Boys always so d...?

Tyler Knoll returns Thesaurus in hand. Genteel: polite, refined, or respectable. Well, it's better than being a Johnny Reb running around in a jacked up pick-up with the southern flag in the back window! And if you want to use big words, at least I'm not a pernicious, petulant, prick full of platitudes.

A.B. Gayle: Are you calling me a prick?

Tyler Knoll: Heck no , ma'am. I'm a Southern gentleman. I'm merely saying that it's lucky I'm not like that.

What kinds of misunderstandings did the differences in culture present the characters?

Tyler Knoll: The age thing was the first one. See, back in Australia, they can go to pubs and clubs as soon as they turn 18. Dilbert didn't know I was underage when he took me out that fateful evening. Of course I didn't tell him I was using fake ID, because he didn't ask, did he? Mind you, I wondered why he asked whether I was eighteen or not. I mean I don't look eighteen, do I?

A.B. Gayle: It wasn't so much a cultural problem. Dilbert did his best to avoid misunderstandings, but was hampered by the fact that Tyler doesn't actually say much. Very little of what goes through his brain comes out of his mouth. It needed a massive fracture of the fourth wall to allow him to reach that conclusion and get to know his friend better.

What was your favorite bit of Aussie-ism that had to go because your POV character wouldn't have understood it?

A.B Gayle: Knee trembler. Tyler didn't know what it was.

Tyler Knoll: Hey, once you explained what it was, I understood. I've had plenty of those. Not back then maybe, but plenty since we got together. In the shower....

A.B. Gayle: Shoosh. I don't think she wants specifics about your sex life. But we should thank, Kayla, at this juncture for ensuring that you were only given terms and references you would understand. Why she even spent hours helping me find a suitably sized city with multiple story office buildings, no smoking bans, sports bars and gentlemen's clubs that had penthouse suites to stand in for the real thing.

Tyler Knoll: Well, I told you we had to be vague so people couldn't track me down!

What is your favorite bit that remained? And what did you have to do to keep it there?

A.B. Gayle: "tickets on himself" but more on that later.

So tell me, AB, what American term did you find to be the strangest?

A.B. Gayle: Roomies or roommates. We call them flatmates here.

Tyler Knoll: Hey, "flat" "mates" sounds just as crazy to me. One of my roomies was quite round!

Do you have an excerpt that illustrates these differences?

Dilbert’s normally happy-go-lucky expression disappeared as he commented bitterly, “But you’d be nothing more than his personal slave.”

“Slave?” I sprang to my feet and strode over to the window. Reaching it, I turned and leaned back against the glass. There wasn’t anything to see anyway: a parking garage and sunshine that I hadn’t felt on my face for ages. “What’s wrong with being a slave? Half the PAs in this building seem to fulfill that function in one form or the other. You always hear them complaining that they’re tied to a desk all day.”

At least I wasn’t an intern. They didn’t even get paid for the privilege!

Dilbert stared at me without speaking. Probably as astounded as I was by this atypical burst of emotion. “Anyway,” I continued. “What about the guy you work for? You’re always complaining that he fucks you around.”

Dilbert always maintained Toby Metcalfe had tickets on himself. As you could imagine, I’d been a bit confused as I’d never seen him walk around with little pieces of cardboard stuck to his suit. But Dilbert had explained that it was a figure of speech back where he came from. It meant his boss had an overinflated opinion of how great he was. As far as Dilbert was concerned, if Metcalfe did have tickets on himself, they’d read: Out-of-date stock. Must go.

Dilbert gave a snort of laughter. “Not literally. He wouldn’t dare. I’ll grant you that he’s an idiot, but so are most of the guys in middle management around here. Having to fuck someone should never be part of your job description.”

I wish I hadn’t told him now. But when I arrived at work on the Monday following that unforgettable Funtastic Friday, I’d told Dilbert about the role Gareth had “interviewed” me for. His subsequent outburst of fury had taken me by surprise. Then he started apologizing, saying it was his fault. He shouldn’t have left without me, but I’d taken so long in the bathroom, he’d figured I’d bailed because I was bored. It turned out that Rupert had told him I’d gone home.

Mind you, it took me ages to translate everything into English. There’d been lots of bloody this and bloody that, even though I’d stressed the fact that Gareth hadn’t actually drawn any blood. I’d even peeled down my trousers to show Dilbert. I’m not sure why he went bright pink. The red welts had faded by then. Shame.

In the end, I didn’t get the chance to tell him the whole story, as he went nuts when he discovered I shouldn’t have even been there because I was underage. His rant switched to the stupidity of a system that allowed people to vote and be killed while fighting for their country, but didn’t consider them old enough to drink alcohol.

I’d never seen that side of Dilbert before. Usually he was laid back and ultra cool. Almost as polite and law-abiding as a properly-brought-up Texan boy. It was lucky there was no one within earshot. I’d never heard anyone swear as much as he did. It was awesome.

Blog Tour – Tyler Knoll’s Just for Fun by A.B. Gayle

Title: Tyler Knoll's Just For Fun Series (Books 1-4)

Author: A.B. Gayle

Genre: Satire, humor, gay, gay romance, LGBT

Length: Novella

Publisher: Wayward Ink Publishing

Synopsis

Tyler Knoll was born one wild, stormy night in April 2013.

Of course, Tyler might tell you he was born twenty years earlier, but should we believe anything he says? That’s for you to decide.

In Tyler’s first adventure—like many a gay man before him—he was SNARED by gay porn, wallowing in tales of bigger, stronger, harder….

Then his fickle mind was seduced and SHREDDED by the prospect of BDSM and slavery.

When a Big Misunderstanding SLASHED at Tyler’s sanity, almost costing him his life, he turned to another genre for his salvation. But even this encounter proved potentially hazardous—not from freezing temperatures, but at the hands of irate fans.

Finally, tired and SCREWED by his all his trials and tribulations, he discovers—like many storybook heroes before him—that sometimes Mr. Right is closer than we think.

Buy links

Everyone who bought SNARED gets a 20% discount at buying the Just for Fun composite from the WIP website! Check the website for details.

WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/?p=1278

Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Tyler-Knolls-Just-Fun-Books-ebook/dp/B00ZW6552U/

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Tyler-Knolls-Just-Fun-Books-ebook/dp/B00ZW6552U/

Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Tyler-Knolls-Just-Fun-Books-ebook/dp/B00ZW6552U/

Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Tyler-Knolls-Just-Fun-Books-ebook/dp/B00ZW6552U/

ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-tylerknoll039sjustforfuncompositebooks14-1839904-149.html

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tyler-knolls-just-for-fun-ab-gayle/1122175760?ean=9781925222548

Book trailer

Rafflecopter Giveaway

Prize: $20 WIP Gift Card and 1 ebook copy of Tyler Knoll’s Just for Fun

a Rafflecopter giveaway

About the author

Unlike many authors, A.B. Gayle hasn’t been writing stories all her life. Instead she’s been living life.

Her travels have taken her from the fjords of Norway to the southern tip of New Zealand. In between, she’s worked in so many different towns she’s lost count. A.B. has shoveled shit in cow yards, mustered sheep, been polite to customers, traded insults with politicians. Sometimes she needs to be forgiven as she get confused as to who needs what where. 

Now living in Sydney, Australia, A.B. finally has time to allow her real life experiences to morph with her fertile imagination in order to create fiction that she hopes her readers will enjoy. 

A.B. values feedback on her writing, both negative and positive.

A.B. Gayle can be found at:

Website: https://abgayle.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abgayle.writer

Twitter: https://twitter.com/abgaylewriter

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/abgaylewriter/

Phoenix, a Love in Los Angeles Book

Whether in real life or on the page, a question people and characters face is: How to keep a relationship hot and interesting, after years of being together?

When Phoenix (Love in Los Angeles, Book 3) opens our protagonists and leading couple, Alex and Paul, have (spoiler alert!) been together for eight years and married for three. They’re deeply invested in their own careers and friendships, and reeling from the tragedy that has struck their social circle.

In this context, sex and physical intimacy is different than it was in the honeymoon phase of their relationship. Which left us with a problem: How could we, as writers, keep Paul and Alex’s sex life interesting enough to capture the attention of readers?

Our solution was largely to write the problem. Couples that have been together that long do face the challenge of how to keep life in bed interesting. And so we had Paul and Alex deal with that themselves: Not only do they have to negotiate interpersonal crises together, they also have to figure out how their evolving relationship and their own personal grief are reflected in sex. We -- and they -- hope their journey on the page is hot, interesting, and truthful.

Sometimes the end of everything…

Now happily married to writer and producer Paul Marion Keane, television star J. Alex Cook’s life has been a fairytale of success and romance for years. But when an unexpected tragedy throws his and Paul’s social circle into chaos, the alumni of hit TV show The Fourth Estate are forced to pick up the creative pieces left behind.

...is just the beginning

Confronted with his own mortality, Paul suggests he and Alex start a family. But figuring out what family means when your best friends’ polyamorous marriage may be melting down and you have Hollywood’s most malevolent fairy godmother to thank for your success is no easy proposition.

As Alex questions whether anyone in a profession full of make believe can truly have fame, fortune, kids, and the happily ever after of their dreams, he sets out to take control of his own life and discover that the best love stories never truly end.

Phoenix is Book 3 in the Love in Los Angeles series.

Bio:

Erin McRae is a queer writer and blogger based in Washington, D.C. She has a master’s degree in International Affairs from American University, and delights in applying her knowledge of international relations theory to her fiction and screen-based projects, because conflict drives narrative.

Racheline Maltese lives a big life from a small space. She flies planes, sails boats, and rides horses, but as a native New Yorker, has no idea how to drive a car. A long-time entertainment and media industry professional, she lives in Brooklyn with her partner and their two cats.

Together, they are co-authors of the gay romance series Love in Los Angeles, set in the film and television industry -- Starling (September 10, 2014), Doves (January 21, 2015), and Phoenix (June 10, 2015) -- from Torquere Press. Their gay romance novella series Love's Labours, set in the theater world -- Midsummer (May 2015), and Twelfth Night (Fall 2015), is from Dreamspinner Press. They also have a story in Best Gay Romance 2015 from Cleis Press and edited by Felice Picano. You can find them on the web at http://avian30.com/.

Social media links:

Joint Blog

JointFacebook Page

Erin’sTwitter

Racheline’sTwitter

Erin’sGoodreads

Racheline’sGoodreads

Erin’sAmazon Author Page

Racheline’sAmazon Author Page

eBook Buy Links:

Amazon

Torquere

Excerpt:

Alex's eyes flutter shut when Paul slides his hand into his back pockets and pulls him closer. They're not dancing so much as grinding together, but they're hardly alone in that regard--at least they still have their shirts on, and if Alex is willing, Paul has absolutely zero desire to stop.

Paul can't hear it, but he can feel the breath of a moan on his neck when Alex gets insistent about digging his fingers into Paul's hair while he mouths a the skin above his collar. Six months apart, with only two weeks in the middle, was a very long time, and the time they've had since has barely been enough to get used to sharing space with each other again, much less fall back into their relationship with all their knowledge of each other's bodies and hearts intact.

"This is possibly a stupid idea," Alex murmurs at some point.

Paul isn't sure how much time has elapsed since things crossed into slightly inappropriate but totally expected territory. "I don't think you care."

The House of Dionysus

Dionysus and the satyr

Lisa Henry, JP Kenwood and I have created a new group on Goodreads for the discussion of m/m set against the backdrop of the Greco-Roman world.

We are entertaining questions about our stories and the ancient world, Classical History in particular.

Please drop by The House of Dionysus and chat.

Becky Condit of USA Today Gives A Spartan Love 5 Stars

"Kayla Jameth writes the most exciting historical romance, and when I say historical I mean waaaaay back in history. Spartans and Greeks, gods and goddesses, farmers and nomads. I can't recommend her book A Spartan Love highly enough." - Becky Condit

Love and Lust rec: A Spartan Love by Kayla Jameth

Body Language Is Free on Smashwords

Body Language takes place in Lydia—a kingdom in Asia Minor (now part of modern Turkey) that was conquered by Cyrus the Great during the 6th century BC and became part of the Persian Empire.

Years later, Lykos, the son of the king of the Thracian city-state, Aenus, is travelling incognito through the conquered province. To avoid arousing questions as to why he is there, he is only accompanied by the Persian, Narses, a friend of his father. Hearing cries for help, the two men intervene. They are too late to save a merchant and his slave, but they arrive in time to prevent bandits slaying the third member of the party.

Kas recently lost his family and was grateful to be travelling under the protection of Tahmasp. Now the merchant is dead, his future is once more under threat. He would like nothing better than to remain with the handsome warrior, but how can he explain that to a man who speaks little but Greek?

A Spartan Love Blog Tour

Be sure to stop at every blog as they each have a different excerpt from the book. Plus comment to enter the raffle for an ARe Gift Certificate.

1-Dec                    Hearts on Fire

1-Dec                    PrismBook Alliance

2-Dec                    WickedFaerie's Tales and Reviews

2-Dec                    TheHat Party

2-Dec                    ScatteredThoughts & Rogue Words

2-Dec                    3 Chicks After Dark

3-Dec                    LoveBytes

3-Dec                    BFDBook Blog

4-Dec                    MMGood Book Reviews

4-Dec                    Elisa- My Reviews and Ramblings

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A Spartan Love

Blurb:

Alone, Andreas toils on a remote farmstead for a Spartan overlord. When a kryptes enters his world, Andreas fears for his life. The dread warriors stalk and kill helots—like Andreas' father—as part of their training.

Andreas sees only one way to save himself: he must tame the fearsome warrior.

But what began as self-preservation develops into attraction. Yearning for the company of someone other than his ferret Ictis, Andreas decides to trust the Spartan warrior and risk the fate that claimed his father.

Born to rule by the sword, Theron sees the world as his and acts accordingly, taking everything Andreas offers and reaching for more. However, love between men in Sparta is considered shameful and requires either exile or suicide to redeem Sparta’s honor. Now, only the gods can save them from the terrible price Sparta extracts from men who desire other men.

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The Bucket List by Douglas Black

Hello, Kayla, long time no see!

Great to have you here, Douglas. I see you've brought a lovely cover and a sexy excerpt.

Thanks for having me over to your blog. I’m here today to talk about bucket lists. I know, I know, this is a bit of a departure from your more usual historical posts (all of which I love reading!) but bear with me while I rant because I have a little proposition for you and all the lovely visitors to your blog! Exciting, huh?

The concept of bucket lists was the inspiration behind my latest novella, imaginatively titled (I’m sure you’ll agree) The Bucket List. In the story, main character Kade gets dumped and his friends write him a bucket list to help him break out of his shell and start having fun again. Kade is a reluctant participant in this challenge, but participate he does and it changes his world more than he ever thought it could.

I would imagine the concept of bucket lists needs no introduction, but for those of you who have come this far in life living under a rock, let me briefly explain anyway.

When you write a bucket list, you write down all the places you want to go and all the things you want to see, do and achieve before you shuffle off this mortal coil. In doing this, inevitably you realize just how much there is out there to do and how little time there might be to do it all in, but that’s part of the fun! That’s the challenge of bucket lists and, I suppose, of life in general.

They say that writing a bucket list focuses your attention on what you want to achieve in life and, from personal experience, I can say that’s true. We all know that it can be far too easy to get bogged down in life’s little details and end up forgetting the bigger picture, and it’s also far too easy and oftentimes far more comfortable just to stick to what we know instead of seeking out new experiences.

I’m sure I’m not the only person ever to find myself standing on New Year’s Eve with a drink in my hand, wondering where on earth the year went and what I did with it. In fact, that’s happened to me more than once, usually when I’ve had a very busy year work-wise, and it’s not a nice feeling. It makes you wonder what you’re doing with your life, where you’re going wrong and what you’re going to do about it. And those are not the questions a person should be trying to answer five minutes before midnight on the last night of an old year.

I was still a student at university when I wrote my first bucket list. I wrote it to remind myself that there was more to life than just studying. Over the years, I’ve returned to it, rewriting it or retyping it whenever I’ve felt that I’m losing sight of all the things I want to achieve and, you know something? The years where I’ve paid extra special attention to my bucket list have never ended with me looking back and wondering where all the days have gone, as the chords of Auld Lang Syne start to ring out. Sure, I’m still aware of time passing by, far too quickly for my liking, but at least more often than not it feels like I’m managing to cling on for the ride.  

You can probably guess what my proposition is. I challenge you, each and every one of you, to take a pen and a scrap of paper and have a go at writing your own bucket list. Unlike Kade in my new novella, I can’t promise that it will turn your world completely upside down, introduce you to the sort of Australian surfer-guy that dreams are made of, and generally set you up on a path that might lead to a hot, exciting new life, BUT, I can promise that it will make you think.

Take an hour. Go to a coffee shop. Order your favourite drink and arrange some sheets of paper in front of you. First things first, do what all good writers do and spend the next twenty minutes staring out of the window, procrastinating. Then, start writing. List down all the places you want to see, even if you have no idea how you’ll ever be able to afford to travel there. Write down all the things you want to do and learn and own and achieve. I promise you, you won’t regret it. If you’re anything like me you’ll realize that there’s a lot more that you want to do than you expected there to be, and you’ll also see that if you make a few changes you can begin to understand how it might just be possible to start ticking a few things off that list. Take my word for it: that’s an incredibly exciting place to find yourself in!

Oh, and if you’re in need of inspiration, might I suggest you could do worse than to have a little glance at The Bucket List?

The Bucket List was released by Loose Id Publishing in August 2014. It is also available from Amazon.

Blurb:

When Kade Doherty gets dumped, he expects sympathy from his friends. Instead, he gets a bucket list. His friends want to help him enjoy life again, but Kade isn’t convinced a list of outlandish leisure pursuits will help much with that. To keep the peace he goes along with the plan and in the process, he meets Blake. 

Blake’s Australian accent and surfer-boy looks are the stuff of sexual fantasies and Kade surprises everyone – including himself – when he wastes no time making a move.

Kade goes with Blake into the Scottish highlands, but just as he is beginning to get used to life with his very own Mr. Australia, reality comes knocking. Kade’s newfound happiness falls apart when his abusive ex demands they meet. Blake senses something is wrong and he wants to help, but Kade knows he can’t confide in Blake.

After all, Kade hasn’t exactly been honest. He might feel like a different man when he’s with Blake, but Kade knows he’s still just an accountant from Glasgow with slight obsessive compulsions and a bucket list that someone else wrote. He knows Blake won’t hang around, let alone help, when he finds out the truth.

Or will he?

Excerpt:

Kade made his way slowly over to Blake, keeping close to the relative calm of the curving bar. He stepped in beside his Mr. Australia. Blake didn’t turn to look at him.

Kade assumed that, even given the circumstances, it was still acceptable to start with, “Hello.”

Blake turned his head, and Kade felt that warmth he had felt with his back to the fish tanks in the Asian supermarket. “Hi,” Blake said, his voice deep enough to carry against the music.

He turned, opening up his body and inviting Kade to step closer. Kade did. He wanted to, wanted to see if that strange connection he had felt earlier was still there between them.

“Who’s your friend?” Kade asked.

Blake just shrugged. “Don’t know. Just some kid. Art student, apparently. He was a good dancer, though.”

“Not a good kisser?”

Blake looked Kade up and down, taking his time doing so. Kade had always thought the idea that someone could undress you with their eyes was a concept fit only for the cheap romance novels his mum used to read, but he couldn’t think of a better way to describe what Blake’s eyes had just done to him. The words needed to describe how that made Kade feel wouldn’t be fit for polite company. Not that Kade was really in polite company.

“I wouldn’t know. Didn’t want to kiss him.” Blake reached out and stroked his hand down Kade’s right arm, from his shoulder to his wrist. He left it there for a few moments, holding tight, and then he pulled Kade’s wrist toward him. Kade’s hand landed on Blake’s hip, his thumb teasing Blake’s tight, strong stomach muscles. When Blake let go, Kade didn’t move his hand away.

“Why didn’t you want to?” Kade couldn’t stop staring into those bright blue eyes.

Blake shrugged and wrapped the hand that had been around Kade’s wrist around Kade’s neck. “He’s not my type. And I was hoping I would meet someone else here tonight. I thought it was a long shot, but I didn’t want to take the risk and ruin my chances.”

Despite his recent drink, Kade’s throat felt dry. He didn’t even care if that was a lie. Blake’s strong fingers rubbed Kade’s neck just below his hairline.

“Who were you hoping to meet?” Kade asked.

Blake tugged him in close so their bodies were pressing together. Kade’s hand slipped around to Blake’s back, holding on tight as Blake put his lips to the side of Kade’s neck.

“You,” Blake whispered. They were so close to the loudspeakers that the word should have been lost, but Kade heard that loaded syllable and felt it translate like heat through his body, like he had just stepped into a hot bath.

“Are you here with somebody?”

Kade shook his head. He felt Blake spread his legs. There was barely any distance left between them.

“Then would you mind if I did this?”

Kade turned his head to find Blake’s lips less than an inch away from his own. He smiled and tried for one of those winks he was so not used to giving, and then let Blake close the distance between them.

Author Biography:

Douglas Black was born and raised in bonnie Scotland. An archaeologist by trade, Douglas started writing MM erotica - as a means of avoiding starvation at university - before returning to the genre in 2012.

Welcome to your fantasy.

Author Links

Blog: http://douglasblackerotica.wordpress.com/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Douglas-Black/e/B00A93HUHO/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1406885803&sr=8-1

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Douglas-Black/1632968396841732

Twitter: @DBlackErotica