GUEST BLOG by Renee N. Meland

THE FREEDOM IN GOING BACKWARDS

I had an epiphany the other day. It seems, at least for us artsy types, that we spend the first part of our adult lives figuring out how to go back to the way we were when we were five. I saw a similar post on a friend’s website the other day, so I know I’m not alone on this. When we’re five, everything seems achievable: being a writer, being an astronaut…whatever dream comes into our juvenile little heads, we see no reason why we can’t achieve it.

At what point were we told we were wrong about that?

Somewhere between age five and age thirty, our perspective gets all screwed up. I don’t know if it comes from the first bill we ever have to pay on our own, or the first relative who tells us, with a chuckle, “no really, what do you want to do with your life?” Either way, that five-year-old gets lost along the way.

And it takes a while to get them back.

Some people never do. Some people find themselves on their deathbed, thinking “yeah I never did write that story/paint that painting/build that house, but I sure met everyone else’s expectations of me.” It’s crazy that we were are most true selves before we even reached junior high.

Don’t get me wrong, there’s nothing wrong with wanting to make a life for yourself, in whatever way that means. There are other dreams that come with being an adult that are also valid: wanting a house, wanting to be able to travel…these things are important too.

But somewhere along the line, it seems like we got the idea in our head that we had to choose. One or the other. House or art. Cruise or culture. What is it that makes us think we can’t have both? There never seems to be enough time in the day, but if you really want something, you’ll find a way to squeeze it in. And you may find that half-hour that you shove into your schedule is the best part of your day.

Five-Year-Old-Me told me that.

---

Burning Doors

The Extraction List Series

Book 2

Renee N. Meland

Genre: Science Fiction Thriller

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Date of Publication: April 28th, 2015

ISBN: 9781680581119

ASIN: B00W7GV018

Number of pages: 164

Cain Foley committed his first murder before he could even drive a car…

Not that he would’ve had anywhere to drive to. When he was fifteen, America was one of the poorest countries in the world, and its’ citizens took their hatred of that fact out on each other through gangs and violence.

Children barely tall enough for carnival rides peppered the streets selling drugs (or themselves) so they could buy their next meal.

Every night on the news, Cain watched as an angelic blonde woman who lost her own child swore she’d end it…

She assaulted America’s televisions with praise for the Parental Morality Law: a set of rules that spells out exactly what it takes to be a parent in the eyes of the government, and the consequences of breaking those rules. He prayed every night that she’d come to rescue him before his father took off his belt again.

Before she could save him, Cain faced a fatal choice…

Fight back or die on the basement floor.

He chose life.

Now on the run, he finds himself being hunted by a police officer with his own special brand of torture. Before he can save even a handful of the children who have been swept up in the gang life, he must first cover up not one, but two murders. His father’s and one committed by a teenage madam who is either the love of his life, or his final undoing.

As he feels himself being pushed further and further to the edge, Cain realizes that surviving his father was just the beginning.

Available on Amazon  Kindle  Print

---

EXCERPT

The first time I killed someone, it was an accident. Though I guess it was the kind of accident that happens when you squeeze your hands around someone’s neck for too long, or when you shove someone who is standing too close to the edge of a building. In my case, I accidentally killed my father when I beat him to death with a pipe.

He had set me up that night, I’m sure of it. I was always careful to leave the TV volume down so I wouldn’t be caught. But when I flipped the power on that night, the news roared. The woman I wanted to see was there, giving a speech like always, but her voice came out with the force of thunder. Sweat drenched my body when I heard the door to my parents’ upstairs bedroom fly open and hit the wall. The foundation shook and so did my limbs. I sat frozen in a seated position as I heard his footsteps. All I could focus on were his shiny patent leather shoes coming toward me. Even in the middle of the night, he took the time to slip them on.

I could smell him before I even saw his feet. He constantly stunk of mouthwash and old cologne; it was some putrid mix of sandalwood and beach vacations that we would never take. He cackled as he stepped toward me, so the minty air from his breath reached me before his hand did. I felt my head hit the floor before I felt the familiar sting in my cheek.

“You’re so stupid. You really think you’ll ever leave here? Where do you think you’re going to go, huh? You need me. She hasn’t come for you and she never will!” He kicked me in the side with his foot.

My stomach clenched from the impact.

I usually kept quiet when he hit me. At most, I would agree with whatever he was saying to stop him before he did real damage.

It never worked.

No matter what I said, or didn’t say, the blows would keep coming. My mother was always conveniently upstairs, but no one can tell me she couldn’t hear the snap of his belt or the furniture rattle as he shoved me into it.

That night was different. Maybe it was watching the woman from the television, or maybe it was the way his smile stretched across his face as he struck me, I don’t know. But when he was finished and heading back upstairs, I spat towards him.

My cheeks burned as I did it. In fact, my whole body felt like it was on fire. But I’d be lying if I said I wished I could take it back. Even when he turned, eyes wide when he noticed the wad of saliva glistening on the concrete floor, I didn’t regret it one bit.

I may have even cracked a smile.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Renee N. Meland is an avid writer and reader of speculative fiction. She and her husband reside in the beautiful Pacific Northwest. When she is not writing or being a devoted doggy-mom, she is gardening or learning a new recipe.

She is currently working on the rest of the books in The Extraction List Series. Other upcoming projects involve reincarnation, and a house filled with people who all have something to hide.

Blog: https://reneenmeland.wordpress.com/

Twitter @reneenmeland

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8194285.Renee_N_Meland

Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/pages/Renee-N-Melands-Books/311899338826241

INTERVIEW with Elizabeth Varlet | BOOK GIVEAWAY!

I had the pleasure of speaking with Elizabeth Varlet about her latest work. Check out our interview and an excerpt from Abounding Dawn. One lucky reader can win a free copy of the book!

---

E: First off thank you for speaking with me today. What inspired you to write Abounding Dawn? Have you always been a fantasy fan?

EV: As a teenager I preferred horror (R.L. Stine books were my fave) and borrowed copies of historical romances, actually. Although fantasy movies have held a place in my heart ever since one Christmas when my brother and I received a copy of Willow and spent the entire day watching it, over and over and over again.

I think my first real foray into fantasy fiction was Lord of the Rings. My then boyfriend (now husband) introduced me to the series during our first visit to Europe to meet his parents. There were days when we didn’t have much to do and his old battered copies were sitting on the bookshelf. So, I picked them up and started reading. I was instantly hooked. From there, I read authors like Tad Williams, Terry Brooks, and Robert Jordan. However, I always finished the books wishing there had been more romance.

I guess I’ve always been a tender-heart. Eventually, I decided to write my own epic fantasy where the romance would play a bigger role. I signed up for NaNoWriMo and set about doing just that. After ten years, that story has morphed into an entire series set in the universe of Sevenworlds. It is epic with a capital “E”.

E: The story is MMF. What made you decide to go this route for the story? Did you consider a love triangle at any point or did you know from the beginning that you wanted to do a poly relationship?

EV: I knew from the beginning that Abounding Dawn would be a ménage. It was originally titled (in my head) Josie and the Dragon Kings. This was most probably due to my addiction to all things M/M and MMF. I blame this on a lovely author, Denise Rossetti, whose Phoenix series was my introduction into the genre.

E: What came first for you, the characters or the plot? How did you go about crafting each character? Which character was harder for you to write?

EV: Abounding Dawn came about because where I live there is this massive, ancient looking doorway in a back alley not too far away from our apartment. Whenever I used to pass it, my imagination would run wild. It’s never open and I just kept wondering, what’s behind those doors? The world of Odren sprang forth in my mind and a heroine with a secret past and an adventurous heart.

Finn was the most difficult for me to write. He is, to me, the most complex. And his issues were deeply hidden at first. It took me a long time to figure him out. What was he afraid of? Why couldn’t he let go? What was keeping him from his HEA? Once I understood him, the story flew out of my fingertips.

E: Writing a poly relationship can be hard. There has to be a balance between all three characters, otherwise it can feel like one character is left out. How did you overcome the hurdle of making it a solid relationship between Brax, Finn, and Josie?

EV: I feel like the three of them need each other. Without Josie, Brax would never have been able to overcome the indoctrinated fears from his youth. Without Josie, Finn would never have been able to see himself as a worthy king. Without the love they all have for one another, they wouldn’t have had the courage or the power to defeat the obstacles in their way.

While I was writing, I kept a list of reasons why they each fell in love with the other two characters. Those lists were long so I won’t share them here, but I think having those reasons in the back of my head helped the relationships develop organically and realistically. At least, I hope so.

E: What would you say is the hardest part about writing an epic fantasy?

EV: My biggest challenge was creating a world that felt so alive it actually became another character. That is my favorite thing about reading fantasy books. The worlds always feel so dynamic and interesting. But man, that’s hard. It takes so much time and thinking and rethinking and more time. Still, somehow I learned to love it. Now, worldbuilding is one of best parts of my writing process.

E: An important part in fantasy stories is creating a believable world. Abounding Dawn is set in your Sevenworlds series. What was the hardest part about building the world? How did you overcome this and what kind of advice would you give for aspiring fantasy writers?

EV: Sevenworlds is a universe that consists of seven different worlds, one of them being Earth. In Abounding Dawn – Odren’s Unrest: Book One, I only explore one of those worlds, but others are mentioned occasionally.

I did a ton of research about worldbuilding when I first started. Many of the details came about through writing or brainstorming. Some came from inspirational images which I built cultures around. I started with my goal for the story. I knew I needed a culture where a triad royal family would be accepted as normal. From there I built the religion for the Amendal Empire. I knew I needed conflict, and what kind of epic fantasy would it be without some kind of war or battle? So I built other cultures and more religions which opposed the one I’d created for Amendal.

I think the most difficult part, for me, was the scope. So, my advice for newbie authors is to KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid). Unfortunately, I learned this the hard way. I mean SEVEN worlds? How crazy am I? 😉

E: Can you tell us about any future projects you may have?

EV: I’m writing the rest of my Odren’s Unrest series which features Josie’s long lost siblings. Imperious Shroud – Odren’s Unrest: Book Two, is about her oldest brother and the two people he teams up with to solve a mystery plaguing Odren.

I also have a contemporary M/M series called Sassy Boyz in the works about a group of androgynous male strippers in NYC who struggle through dark pasts and bad choices before they can find their HEAs. The first book, Damaged, is completed and submitted to agents as we speak.

E: Lastly, do you have any pearls of wisdom you’d like to share with our readers? Any advice for aspiring writers who are trying to break into the market?

EV: I would like to encourage readers who are unfamiliar with M/M or MMF to give the genre a chance. I never imagined I’d enjoy it, but now I’m addicted. It has been a very eye-opening experience.

For authors, just keep at it. If you have a story in your head bursting to come out, write it. Sign up for writer groups, join a class, and take workshops, read books. Especially, read books! If you set your mind to something the only thing that can stand in your way is yourself.

---

EXCERPT

Bind the Chalice and harness the dragons… Josie returns to her birthplace and is named the Chalice, destined bride to Amendal’s two kings. But no matter how attracted she is to both men, the fate of the kingdom is not her problem.

With their nation threatened by war, the kings, Brax and Finn, must summon their mythical dragon forms to save their people. But with Brax tormented by a lifelong indoctrination against same-sex coupling, and Finn crippled by the fear of being unworthy, a true union seems impossible. Without it, they are left with no weapon to stop the tide of death.

When the final battle erupts, the kings fight to protect their fleeing citizens, but their army is a meager defense against the enemy’s dark magick.

An impending war. Two kings desperate to save their people. A centuries old legend. And the woman who unites them all.

---

BUY LINKS

Loose ID – http://www.loose-id.com/odren-s-unrest-1-abounding-dawn.html

Amazon – http://www.amazon.com/Abounding-Dawn-Odrens-Unrest-Book-ebook/dp/B00YB4YYJO/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

ARe – https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-aboundingdawn-1815110-340.html

Kobo – https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/abounding-dawn

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Elizabeth Varlet is a nerd at heart and spends way too many hours binging on episodes of her favorite television shows. If you love Doctor Who, Supernatural, Stargate, Star Trek, Sherlock, or Firefly you are already her best friend.

She started writing stories in high school and hasn’t stopped. Now, her characters like to get frisky under the covers – or the stars, they’re not picky. She’s a thirty-something, newly married, world traveler who devours books like they were candy.

To contact Elizabeth, send her an email to elizabethvarlet@gmail.com. Or follow her on any of her social media sites.

Website – http://www.elizabethvarlet.com/

FB Author Page – https://www.facebook.com/EVarletAuthor

Twitter – https://twitter.com/ElizabethVarlet

Pinterest – https://www.pinterest.com/elizabethvarlet/

FB Reader Group – https://www.facebook.com/groups/ElizabethsEntourage/

---

GIVEAWAY

Want to win a copy of Abounding Dawn? Just go to the rafflecopter for a chance to win!

REVIEW: One Two Three Kiss Box set by E.J. Kimelman

I received this book for free in order to get a fair and honest review. My receiving this book does not affect my opinion.

TITLE: One Two Three Kiss Box Set

AUTHOR: E.J. Kimelman

GENRE: Urban Fantasy

RATING: 3 Stars

SUMMARY: The International Council for the Exploration of the Universe exists to consider and conduct investigations into the dimensions of the Universe; to examine how far humans are being depleted by zombies; to investigate natural methods, such as by breeding, etc., of keeping up the stock; and in cases of certain future failure of supply to suggest the necessary remedial measures. For the most part it deals with the humans common to all dimensions, but a special sub-committee considers the vampires, and a second the shifters; disembodied spirits are not investigated.

BUY LINKS: Amazon  iTunes  BN

 

REVIEW:

The One Two Three Kiss box set is a whirlwind adventure. There’s a lot going on. And by a lot, I mean a lot. We have zombies, vampires, shifters, warlocks, and more. Kimelman somehow finds a balance in all of this to create an exciting story that leaves you on the edge of your seat. This is definitely a new twist on the urban fantasy genre, taking try-and-true monsters and giving it a new spin.

Darling and Megan’s relationship was my favorite part. It was nice to see two strong females as a focus in the story, and I loved that they could stand on their own, but also enhanced one another. I’d love to see more stories like this, focusing on female relationships.

While Kimelman’s writing isn’t the strongest I’ve read, the story still can stand on its own. She crafts suspenseful scenes and her dialogue flows naturally. I would have liked a little more showing and not telling in certain parts, but it wasn’t a large enough issue to detract from the story. She definitely proves she has the chops to become a great writer.

SPOTLIGHT: One Two Three Kiss by E. J. Kimelman | TOUR GIVEAWAY

One, Two, Three Kiss Box-Set

An Apocalyptic Urban Fantasy

Transmissions From the International Council

 for the Exploration of the Universe

E.J. Kimelman

Genre: Urban Fantasy

Date of Publication: 4/17/15

ASIN: B00W4DJIQ8

Number of pages: 218

The International Council for the Exploration of the Universe exists to consider and conduct investigations into the dimensions of the Universe; to examine how far humans are being depleted by zombies; to investigate natural methods, such as by breeding, etc., of keeping up the stock; and in cases of certain future failure of supply to suggest the necessary remedial measures. For the most part it deals with the humans common to all dimensions, but a special sub-committee considers the vampires, and a second the shifters; disembodied spirits are not investigated.

In the first transmission….

A new, dangerous street drug is spreading through Crescent City. A hallucinogen that causes violent attacks, incredible strength, and leaves its victims in a permanently altered state.

Darling Price’s band, Higgs and the Bosons, is on the verge of their big break. If only she could get her act together and play the way she did before her best friend and musical inspiration, Megan Quick, fell fatally ill, then disappeared.

With only weeks to live Megan wasn’t even strong enough to visit the bathroom by herself, yet, somehow she climbed out of her window and left.

Even though it’s been months, Darling can’t stop looking for Megan. Still hoping to find her alive is insane. Her obsession is pissing off her band mates and Darling is worried it might trigger her hallucinations. She hasn’t been sick since Megan and she ran away from their foster home to Crescent City at the age of 13.

They took a blood oath, pressing bleeding palms together, promising that no matter what they’d stay with each other. So how could Megan leave her? It’s a mystery Darling can’t solve and refuses to let go of.

Since Megan’s disappearance Darling has started to feel a gnawing hunger. No food or drink or drug can quench it. It’s a hunger she’s felt before, but has convinced herself wasn’t real. Because what Darling feels, and the vivid memories from her early childhood, are all impossible.

As the drug spreads through the city and the world begins to unravel, Darling’s lack of musical inspiration becomes the least of her problems as she comes to recognize that all of her assumptions about the universe may be wrong.

 

In the second transmission….

Darling Price thought her best friend, Megan Quick, was dead. Months earlier the doctors said Megan had only weeks to live. Than she disappeared. So when Megan saves Darling from a crowd of flesh crazed zombies, exhibiting strength and speed beyond the bounds of biology, Darling is at once exhilarated to see her friend alive again but also frightened by her.

Darling comes to understand that Megan’s new found life comes at a price, one she hopes Darling is willing to pay so that they can be together again.

With zombies over running the streets, immortal beings controlling her emotions, and lost memories flooding back to her, Darling must make a decision that will decide the course of her life forever. At the same time Darling begins to understand that she is not just some regular girl. She may have powers of her own that go beyond the bounds of known biology.

In the third transmission….

Darling Price can feed off the power of others. Through this transfer of energy she can heal from any wound, including a zombie bite. With the help of Dimitri, an 800 year old vampire, Darling searches for answers about her parents and her powers.

As she gets closer to the truth the world continues to crumble around her. Dr. Issa Tor, a powerful warlock, believes that Darling can help save the world but when she goes to his society looking for answers she just finds more questions. Time is running out for Darling and the world she has learned to think of as home.

Available at Amazon  iTunes  BN

---

EXCERPT

International Dimension Investigations

Please state Where and When this correspondence was found and then put it in the nearest inter-dimensional pathway. You will be informed in reply where and when it was set adrift. Our object is to find out the Direction of the Deep Currents of the Universe.

Locality where found?

Depth

Date when found?

Name of Sender

Address

I hope this works. I’ve never tried attaching anything to our research messages before. Only 4% are found and responded to. Perhaps you have no idea what this is, what the Deep Currents of the Universe are. More than likely, if you can understand this, then it is much like your ocean. In my world we first started putting messages into bottles in order to track the currents of our waters.

When another dimension responded it shocked us. It’s possible in your world the dimensional portals are still unknown to your scientists. After decades of study they are still mostly unknown to ours, hence this message. We still use the same methods we did over a century ago. Though now it is the currents of the Universe that we throw our bites of data into.

But I have not broken all protocol, and risked my career, in order to talk about my world or the methodology of The International Council for the Exploration of the Universe. I did it to talk about Darling Price.

I have interviewed many inter-dimensional creatures but none of them like Darling.  Enclosed you will find the recordings from the first day’s sessions. I hope the file is not too heavy to float.  I feel a great nervousness that I will be too late, or that you will not understand the impact of these interviews. I fear that my world is lost, but perhaps yours can be saved.

I will send out more when I can. Please respond. Tell me that you’ve received my message.

****

Darling Price’s hair is dark; it falls over her shoulders in shimmering waves. It’s glossy like a record, catching the light in white lines. Her eyes are a very intense green. Alarming, powerful.

She avoids eye contact. “Bad things happen when I look a person in the eyes. Everyone except Megan.”

“Tell me about Megan,” I said.

“She is the thing that saved me. I was going to kill myself, and kill people with me, and just drag the whole world down. I felt like reality was twisting around me and… she stopped the world and I got to live.”

“Since her leaving?”

“Leaving,” she hiccuped a laugh, “is that what you’re calling it?” Darling stood up and turned to the wall. Her black leather pants were the same shiny black as her hair. On her hips hung a white belt; it tilted to one side, where her gun hung. Silver pistol, not as shiny as her hair. It looked used, scuffed, strapped to her leg for too long.

She raised her hands above her head and rested them against the cinder-block wall. Her fingernails were short, painted the same matte metallic as her gun. She turned back to me, running a hand through her hair, pushing the long locks away from her high cheekbones and arched brows. “She was taken. I want you to write that down. Megan did not leave me.”

“Okay,” I said, dutifully picking up my pen. “Please continue.”

She looked at her empty chair, the long hair falling to cover her fine features. It exposed her shoulder, bare except for the strap of her tank top. Surprisingly erotic under the fluorescent light.

Darling sat down and leaned onto the table between us. “Do you have a cigarette?” she asked.

“You can’t smoke in here,” I said.

She smiled slowly, her eyes warming; a sensation began to tingle along my jaw. “Give me a tobacco stick, and I’ll tell you my story.”

I waved to the guard.

Darling sat back, pushing the chair away from the table, and extended her legs out straight. “And a beer,” she said. “I’d love a beer.”

I nodded.

Moments later, a fresh cigarette hanging from her lip, the smoke curling around her and seeming to want to brush up against her hair before dissipating into the air, she began to tell me her story.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Emily Kimelman is the author of the best selling Sydney Rye Series including UNLEASHED, DEATH IN THE DARK, INSATIABLE, STRINGS OF GLASS, THE DEVIL’S BREATH and INVITING FIRE. This series feature a strong female protagonist and her canine best friend, Blue. It is recommended for the 18+ who enjoy some violence, don’t mind dirty language, and are up for a dash of sex. Not to mention an awesome, rollicking good mystery!

Emily splits her time between the Hudson Valley and traveling the world with her husband and dog, Kinsey (named after Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Milhone), researching exciting locations for the Sydney Rye Series. You can follow along on their adventures through Instagram, Facebook, and on Emily’s blog.

http://emilykimelman.com/

https://twitter.com/ejkimelman

https://www.facebook.com/EmilyKimelman

---

GIVEAWAY

To enter the giveaway, just fill out the rafflecopter.

• 1 $20 Giftcard to Barnes and Noble or Amazon (winner’s choice)
• 3 ebook copies of the Box Set
• 1 mug
• 1 tote bag

GUEST POST: B. Leslie Tirrell | $25 AMAZON GC GIVEAWAY!

My pseudonym is B. Leslie Tirrell. The “B” comes from a name I saw in a Dragonlance book that I fell in love with the more I saw it. “Leslie” is a play on one of my undergrad writing mentors’ names. “Tirrell” is a name from my family.  I’m from Toledo, Ohio, which isn’t as boring as it sounds. We’re near fun places and we have an awesome art museum and zoo. Hmmm. What else? I’ve been writing for twenty-six years. Started when I was eight.

I graduated in June of 2014 from Seton Hill University and its Writing Popular Fiction Program. Seriously, the place is Hogwarts. Apply.

My thesis novel is currently not fit for the light of an Easy Bake Oven, so I won’t speak on that. Both mentors told me to start a new project with what I’d learned during my time at Seton Hill. Luckily, it was already in the works. In November of 2012 (just before the start of my second year at SHU) I saw a picture of a genie in a cobweb covered lamp. It looked bored and pissed off. One of my mentors happened to write gay romance and I’d been reading her books. Her name is Jessica Freely and she’s awesome. I’d been into yaoi anyway, and decided to try my hand at writing gay romance too. NaNoWriMo was happening. I figured I’d write a short story. That short story refused to leave me alone, so I had it workshopped at school. People liked it. Me being me, a perfectionist, kept working on it. Soon it kept growing. It ended up being a novel. I called it A Jinni’s Wish. I finished it in October of 2014, five months after I’d graduated. I did a Facebook post calling for beta readers. Found a few reliable ones. Then I waffled about in terror because I’d never submitted anything before. So, not expecting much, I submitted the novel to about seven or eight companies.

Two requested the full MSS. I went on and sent it, didn’t get my hopes up, much, and started looking for new places to submit to while I waited. One offered a contract the next day. I did some digging and decided to hold out for the other place to respond. They did. Loose Id had published some of my favorite authors and they wanted me? My bottom lip is still not quite back in place from it falling to the floor and they offered the contract back in late February early March.

A JINNI’S WISH is my debut novel, so like pilot episodes of new shows, give it a shot, smile and nod, and see what you think. I have a new book in the works, totally unrelated to the world in A JINNI’S WISH, and I learned a great deal writing, rewriting, and re-rewriting that, so I can only improve from here.

---

ABOUT A JINNI’S WISH

In the desert city, Al-Timini, humans and Mystics–magical beings–coexist peacefully…until humans begin to disappear. Suspecting evil in their own kind, Mystic detectives hire Ilyas Bashour, a lonely human scholar, hoping his keen mind can uncover answers where their own efforts have failed.

Namir is a jinni living in the city’s ancient library. Abused and degraded by his former master, he has abandoned hope of finding another who is kind and trustworthy–until Ilyas discovers him. To Namir’s surprise, his reluctant new master treats him as an equal. Soon their relationship takes on a sexual dimension. And not just that; the two of them begin falling in love.

Their combined talents are desperately needed when the Mystics are also threatened, but their growing passion may endanger everyone, including themselves.

BUY IT HERE

Amazon

---

EXCERPT

Ilyas went back inside and sat at his desk. The jinni hummed tunelessly as he washed the dishes, and Ilyas had to smile. On the heels of the smile came dread. He’d nearly lost it when he heard about Namir lying bloody on the ground from the arrow wound. Had the jinni’s timing been off one way or the other, either Abdullah would’ve been dead or Namir would’ve been. Ilyas couldn’t keep the jinni inside at all times, but Namir’s appearance did make him stand out. If Ilyas was honest with himself, he still wasn’t used to Namir’s near-translucent skin, bald head, colorless eyes, and monotone voice. Ilyas knew it was time to make his first wish.

His decision sent tingles throughout his body that bordered on arousing. Namir must’ve felt it too because he burst from the kitchen to the sitting room, hands still wet from the dishes. He knelt before Ilyas, who had a flash of doubt. Should he change the jinni? Namir’s body language was eager, and he smiled, although it didn’t reach his eyes as usual. Would Namir’s personality blossom once he was shaped?

“You wish to shape me?”

“You may use my name,” Ilyas said and put up a hand to silence him. The jinni had proven himself trustworthy. “You may use my name, Namir,” he repeated, using his to let him know he meant it. “I wish to shape you. Change your appearance. I am Ilyas Bashour.”

Namir didn’t answer, but he took Ilyas’s hands. Emotions poured through Ilyas, and the sensation left his hands and the rest of his body tingling again. Ilyas closed his eyes, wondering how to go about changing Namir, but the jinni had already started. Namir’s hands shrank slightly, the fingers long and slender yet still male. His cool skin warmed. When he whispered his master’s name, Ilyas realized that the jinni had tapped into his deepest desires to shape himself. Was that the power a master gave to a jinni by allowing the use of his name? Their souls could touch? Ilyas kept his eyes closed and felt the jinni move Ilyas’s hand to his face. Namir’s features felt…handsome. Ilyas ran his fingers through soft, thick, long hair.

The entire process took less than a few minutes.

“Master?”

Ilyas opened his eyes to meet a pair of beautiful ones. Namir’s eyes were now hazel, fading to green. He noticed a moment too late that the jinni was exhausted.

“I need Madrya and Esseli,” he said in a weak tenor’s voice. He spoke an echoing word in a tongue unknown to Ilyas before crumpling into his arms, unconscious.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

B. Leslie Tirrell became a writer in the third grade when her teacher penalized the class and made them finish a story in their Spelling book. She fell in love with writing that day and never stopped. After attempts at becoming a Biologist and peon for The Man, B. Leslie returned to her true vocation of writing and earned her MFA in Writing Popular Fiction from Seton Hill University in June of 2014. She lives in Toledo, Ohio. When she isn’t writing, she enjoys cosplay, yaoi, body modifications, being Asexual, and being a crazy cat lady.

---

GIVEAWAY

One lucky reader will get a $25 Amazon GC. Leave a comment below with your e-mail. Winner will be selected Wednesday. You must leave your e-mail to be entered.

REVIEW: A Jinni’s Wish by B. Leslie Tirrell

I received this book for free in order to get a fair and honest review. My receiving this book in no way affects my opinion.

TITLE: A Jinni’s Wish

AUTHOR: B. Leslie Tirrell

GENRE: Fantasy, Romance, LGBT, Multicultural

TAG LINE: “Their combined talents are desperately needed when the Mystics are also threatened, but their growing passion may endanger everyone, including themselves.”

 

RATING: 3 Stars

SUMMARY: In the desert city, Al-Timini, humans and Mystics–magical beings–coexist peacefully…until humans begin to disappear. Suspecting evil in their own kind, Mystic detectives hire Ilyas Bashour, a lonely human scholar, hoping his keen mind can uncover answers where their own efforts have failed.

Namir is a jinni living in the city’s ancient library. Abused and degraded by his former master, he has abandoned hope of finding another who is kind and trustworthy–until Ilyas discovers him. To Namir’s surprise, his reluctant new master treats him as an equal. Soon their relationship takes on a sexual dimension. And not just that; the two of them begin falling in love.

Their combined talents are desperately needed when the Mystics are also threatened, but their growing passion may endanger everyone, including themselves.

 

BUY LINKS: http://www.amazon.com/Jinnis-Wish-B-Leslie-Tirrell-ebook/dp/B00YQHB46M/ref=redir_mobile_desktop?ie=UTF8&noEncodingTag=1&redirectFromSS=1&ref_=aw_ss_kndl_dp

 

REVIEW:

 

Tirrell had a really interesting concept for her story. I haven’t read many stories about jinn or the Arabic/Islamic culture, so I was super excited when I found this small gem. It’s an interesting story, focusing on a scholar named Ilyas and an abused jinni named Namir. In the midst of their developing relationship, there’s a mystery to be solved about disappearing humans.

Tirrell has created a rich world, filled with fantastical creatures. One issue I did have was that I wasn’t sure what time period or dimension this story was set in. All we know is the city, but I wasn’t sure when it took place; if this city happened to be on Earth or a completely different original world. While she has a great cast of Mystics, I wanted a little more on where they came from, where the city was from, and a bit more world building in general.

Her writing style is very neat and clean, though there were parts where it was more telling and not showing. It would have been nice to get a deeper sense of the city, to get the feel of the desert heat, the smell of the food cooking, and the sounds of the bazaar.

Ilyas and Namir are interesting characters. Ilyas was my favorite, because he was a level headed, kind hearted scholar. Namir is an abuse victim, so he is a bit more emotional. I’m not overly fond of emotional characters, so I wasn’t a super fan of him, but he still has a cuteness to him that is endearing, and you can feel the connection between him and Ilyas. The sex doesn’t happen for awhile, so I wouldn’t categorize this story under erotica. Trigger warning: past abuse is talked about, including rape.

There is a prologue at the beginning, and I would personally cut it. Prologues are useless; if it can be integrated into the story, than it probably isn’t necessary to the plot. This prologue made the story start off as an episode of Law and Order, which is kind of off putting.

All together I think this was a good read. There were parts I would change and expand on, but Tirrell did a great job of creating a unique world that we don’t see often in the LGBT genre.

Weekend Writing Blitz Challenge | AMAZON GC GIVEAWAY!

Happy weekend everyone! Who’s excited to kick up their feet and relax? Well guess what? It’s time to really get some writing done! That’s right, it’s time for the WEEKEND WRITING BLITZ CHALLENGE. What exactly is that? Well, it’s my new weekly writing challenge. The rules are simple: write! It doesn’t matter how much or what it is (poetry, short stories, novels, fan fiction, essays), but dedicate some part of your weekend to writing. Post a link or your writing in the comments, along with an e-mail, and one lucky reader will win a $5 Amazon Gift Card on Monday. This challenge is good all weekend long, so get writing and get sharing! Who knows, maybe you’ll finish that novel you’ve been meaning to write or make some amazing writing friends. Have any writing questions or stuck? Shoot me a comment and I’ll help you out as best I can!

CHARACTER INTERVIEW: Astrid V. Tallasken

E: Sara, it’s really nice having you here. I really appreciate you taking the time to speak with me.  Tell us, what’s it like being a medium? Do you ever feel a bit overwhelmed from all the spirits?

S: Thanks for having me! I’m glad to have a break! Being a medium is … really hard to explain to someone who’s never been there. Most people are afraid of ghosts, but for me they’re just a part of every day life. I don’t see them everywhere, all the time, but when I do they almost always want me to pass on a message. Deciding whether or not it’s the right time or place to tell someone is probably the hardest part. And yes, there have been MANY times I’ve been overwhelmed by them. In fact, that is a big reason I ended up hospitalized.

E : You’ve been through a lot recently. What was it like staying at a mental hospital? How did you cope with not being able to see anyone?

S: The mental hospital was like being in prison. I know that isn’t the typical experience, and I don’t want anyone to think it is, because there are times when you need that extra intervention just like you would if you broke your leg or got really bad pneumonia. For me it was different since there were extenuating circumstances. It was horrible to not see my baby boy. I missed him so much, and worried about him every day. And being so isolated, even with people around me, was a very empty feeling.

 

E: You recently went through a really traumatic event. Your son went missing, correct? What was that like for you?

S: It was literally the worst thing I could ever possibly have gone through, worse than anything I could have imagined. Losing a limb might be the closest thing to it. My job in life is to keep my child safe, and I felt like I failed him completely and was in an almost unending panic mode. I had to remind myself that the best way to help him was to calm down and methodically work through all the information and come up with a concrete plan to get him home safe.

E: When you first met Daniel, you were in the mental hospital, right? Not the most ideal play for meeting a guy. What went through your head when you saw Daniel? Was the attraction instant?

S: Haha, it definitely isn’t the most romantic of places for a meet-cute, is it? When he showed up, after so long being isolated in the hospital, I was completely taken off guard. So my first thought was “who the hell is this random dude?” I wouldn’t say there was instant attraction. Attraction wasn’t really the word for it. It was more like two souls just recognizing each other, this need to be with him wherever it might take me.

E: You’ve overcome a lot, but there still seems to be a lot of problems out there for you. How do you handle so much stress? What’s it like being stuck between both Heaven and Hell?

S: Sometimes I don’t exactly handle the stress at all. It overwhelms me and I completely lose it, whether it’s having a complete raging temper tantrum, or crying for days, I sometimes just have to let it wash over me like waves. The rest of the time though, I like to come up with plans. Strategizing makes me feel in control. As far as Heaven and Hell, if all the angels and demons (minus a very select few) were to spontaneously combust so I never had to deal with them again, I would be a very happy girl. These are beings who have been stuck in a very restrictive role, with thoughts and ideals that are set in stone, so making a dent in their thick skulls and surviving to tell the tale can be a bit of an adventure to put it mildly.

E: Do you have any tips for your fans out there on dealing with pestering angels and demons? What advice would you have for someone going into the apocalypse?

S: Hide in a hole and don’t come out till it’s over? That’s what I wish I could do! We’re talking about ancient beings with great big chips on their shoulders and somewhat unstoppable powers. Standing up to them is a dangerous task, especially if you can’t measure up to the challenges they put before you.

E: Lastly, do you have any big plans for the future? Anything exciting we can look forward to?

S: The apocalypse is really heating up, so my big future is keeping Heaven and Hell from burning everything to the ground. After that? I’d love to just go back to a simple life, family and friends and nothing important to deal with for a very long time. Is that boring? Good, I’d love some boring for a while!

---

At Death’s Door

Title: At Death’s Door

Author: Astrid V. Tallaksen

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance

The world is a pretty straightforward place. Even for medium Sara Stone things seem pretty simple, aside from the whole talking to spirits bit. But when the spirits get too hard to handle and Sara ends up admitted to a mental hospital, the world starts to seem a lot less straightforward. First her family disappears, including her four year old son. Then she gets the sneaking suspicion that not only are the staff at the mental hospital somehow connected, but they also have no intention of ever letting her leave the hospital.

Everything changes when Sara has her first visitor in three months. Daniel is handsome, friendly, and a complete stranger. When he promises to spring her from the hospital and swears that everything she’s experienced is completely real, Sara has no choice but to believe him. But once she reaches a run-down Victorian house in the tiny Alabama town her rescuer calls home, the last thing she expects to discover is that every memory she has is a lie.

Daniel reveals a world filled with angels, demons, and an impending war humans know nothing about. Sara wants to ignore her role in the whole mess – all that matters is solving the mystery of where her son has gone. But the forces of Heaven, Hell, and the Heart have other plans for her. Can she find her child before the world comes crashing down?

Between Heaven & Hell

Title: Between Heaven & Hell

Author: Astrid V. Tallaksen

Genre: Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance

Being a fallen angel used to be easy. A quiet life with the people she loves is all Sara ever asked for. Unfortunately, the apocalypse didn’t get the message. After nearly losing everything, she’s managed to put her life back together and start living what she hoped was happily ever after with her small family. Now she wants nothing more than to hide away and pretend the end of the world is a distant rumor. Her life has already been torn apart once. Doesn’t she deserve a break?

The apocalypse finds its way back to her doorstep when a letter arrives. Is it a friendly warning, a dire threat, or a simple reminder that she can’t run away from what’s to come? Sara refuses to take heed and pays dearly for her avoidance. With her family in danger and the preservation of free will hanging in the balance, she finds herself with no other choice. Sara must follow the path forged for her, a path that may take away everything she holds dear and leave her in pieces at the end. She’s caught between Heaven and Hell, and the last person she’d ever have considered trusting might just be her greatest ally.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Astrid V. Tallaksen grew up with a heart for stories of creatures and places outside of this world. Her love of reading quickly became a love of writing. She spent several years creating content and helping writers to improve their craft on the online world of Althanas, a creative writing workshop in the guise of a roleplaying forum. A self-avowed nerd, Astrid loves science fiction, comic books, and eighties fantasy movies in the vein of The Princess Bride and Labyrinth. Her geekiness extends to annual volunteer work at the massive sci-fi convention known as Dragon*con every year in Atlanta, Georgia. In the odd times that she’s not immersed in geekdom or writing, Astrid loves to sing karaoke, crochet, and spend time with her family and pets.

Links

http://www.astridvtallaksen.com

https://authorastridvtallaksen.wordpress.com

https://www.facebook.com/authorastridvtallaksen

https://twitter.com/astrid_writes

https://www.pinterest.com/authorastridv

---

BUY THE BOOK

Links to purchase At Death’s Door:

• Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00MU3PSES
• Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/at-deaths-door-astrid-v-tallaksen/1120165219?ean=2940046334890&itm=1&usri=2940046334890
• Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/at-death-s-door-2
• Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id910324345
• Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/237150536/At-Death-s-Door-Freefall-1
• Page Foundry: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/221cd943-e628-4f4b-85d0-d8865c01b542

 

Links to purchase Between Heaven & Hell:

• Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00V596Y1Y
• Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/between-heaven-hell-astrid-v-tallaksen/1121564456?ean=2940151679329&itm=1&usri=2940151679329
• Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/between-heaven-hell-1
• Apple iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id979737032
• Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/259833381/Between-Heaven-Hell-Freefall-2
• Page Foundry: http://www.inktera.com/store/title/834cbab2-e588-4579-abf6-54ce31b8355d

SPOTLIGHT: Letters from a Cowboy |Paperback Giveaway!

Title: Letters From A Cowboy

Series: Morning Report

Author: Sue Brown

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Garrett Leigh

Length: 154 Pages

Release Date: 10 June, 2015

Blurb: A Morning Report Story

Simon Wood arrives at Tamar Ranch looking for a job after being fired from his last position for seducing the boss’s son. It doesn’t take much for him to prove his skills with horses, so he’s taken on, but soon he clashes hard with Chip Henson.

The animosity between them hides something very different, but not for long. No matter how hard they try to resist their attraction, eventually they give in to their need. They start leaving notes for each other, and others notice and warn them to be more careful.

Fearful of discovery, Simon leaves Tamar Ranch to save Chip’s job. When he learns that his departure sent Chip off the rails, he knows he needs to risk everything and go back for him.

HE WAITED an hour by the mill before Chip showed. The cowboy slid off his horse and into Simon’s waiting arms, his hat tumbling off his head as Simon held on to him tightly. Simon pulled him into the shadow of the mill, pleased that he could finally bury his chilly face in Chip’s neck, his nostrils full of the strong, rich scent of his man.

“I thought you weren’t coming,” he managed eventually. “Didn’t know if you’d get my note.”

“I nearly didn’t,” Chip said. “Lorne and Brad were waiting for me with rifles before I left.”

“How did you get away?”

“Lofty and I jumped them and knocked ’em both out before they could shoot me.”

Chip shuddered with the emotion, and Simon hung on even tighter, aware of just how close he’d come to losing him.

“I love you, Henson,” Simon said gruffly, feeling Chip dig his fingers almost painfully into Simon’s back. Simon relished the pain. It reminded him they were both still alive.

“Love you too, Woody.”

Simon huffed into Chip’s neck at the nickname. “Next time we go together.”

Chip pulled back to look at him. “Don’t be stupid. We can’t take that risk.”

“I’m not leaving you again,” Simon insisted stubbornly.

Chip stepped back and slid his hands down Simon’s shoulders to grasp him around the upper arms. “Don’t, Simon. You know we can’t risk anyone finding out about us. I only just escaped this time. Next time it could be you, and I can’t have that.”

Simon stared at Chip, seeing the lines around his brown eyes, carved deeper into Chip’s face in the year he’d known him. “And I’m not gonna to spend my life wondering if you’re goin’ to turn up. We can’t be together as lovers, but we can be together as friends.”

“What are you saying?”

“If keeping us safe means we stop fucking, then….”

Chip pressed his lips together, then gave a short nod. “Friends.”

Simon went to step away, but somehow he ended up with his mouth mashed against Chip’s, his hands tangled in Chip’s hair, and Chip’s erection a rigid line pressing into his hip.

The throaty noises Chip made as they kissed just ramped up his excitement.

Simon growled deep in his throat and pushed Chip against the mill wall. “Fuck, I’ve missed you so much.”

“Missed you too.” Chip hauled Simon down to kiss him again.

“No lube,” Simon groaned.

“Ya got spit.” Chip’s hands were busy at Simon’s flies.

“It’s gonna hurt.” Simon was just as busy, dragging Chip’s jeans down his legs.

“Don’t care, not now. Just want you.” Chip turned in Simon’s arms and placed his hands against the rough wall.

Simon pulled Chip’s ass toward him, bare and beautiful, and all his. He ran his work-roughened hand over the tight asscheek. “You’re so fucking beautiful.”

Chip laughed roughly. “You need to see the doc, Woody. I ain’t beautiful.”

“You are to me. You’ll always be more beautiful than any of them painted whores in the Drink.”

“Thanks, I think.” Chip gasped as Simon spat on his fingers. “Hurry.”

Simon held Chip’s shoulder and slowly worked his fingers into Chip’s ass. “Just you wait. I’m not gonna hurt you.” He withdrew his fingers and spat on them again. He worked Chip until he was as prepared as he could get him.

Chip smacked the wall as Simon pushed in.

God, he was so tight. Simon wanted to ram in until he couldn’t go any farther, but he wouldn’t hurt Chip. “Too much?”

“Faster,” Chip gritted out. “I’m not gonna break.”

Chip might not, but Simon felt he was about to fly apart at the seams. He sank into Chip’s heat until he could rest against Chip’s back. He breathed across Chip’s ear, feeling the man shiver.

“Don’t let me go,” Chip whispered.

Simon held him tighter. “I’m never gonna let you go.”

“That’s all I needed to hear.”

Simon needed to move, but for a moment he just wanted to stay exactly where he was, Chip’s body tight around him and Simon’s senses full of his man.

DREAMSPINNER PRESS

AMAZON

ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Sue Brown is owned by her dog and two children. When she isn’t following their orders, she can be found plotting at her laptop. In fact she hides so she can plot and has gotten expert at ignoring the orders.

Sue discovered M/M erotica at the time she woke up to find two men kissing on her favorite television series. The series was boring; the kissing was not. She may be late to the party, but she’s made up for it since, writing fan fiction until she was brave enough to venture out into the world of original fiction.

AUTHOR LINKS

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/suebrownstories

Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SueBrownsStories

Twitter: https://twitter.com/suebrownstories

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+SueBrownstories/

Blog: http://suebrownsstories.blogspot.co.uk/

Website: http://www.suebrownstories.com/

Email ID: suebrown.stories@gmail.com

Get a chance to win two signed paperbacks of ‘Letters From A Cowboy’ or a package of Morning Report stories! Enter the Rafflecopter NOW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

June 10: Love Bytes Reviews || Up All Night, Read All Day

June 11: Molly Lolly: Reader, Reviewer, Lover of Words || Divine Magazine

June 12: Elin Gregory

June 15: Elisa – My reviews and Ramblings

June 16: Multitasking Mommas Book Reviews || Drops of Ink

June 17: Rainbow Gold Reviews || Man2ManTastic

June 18: Gay.Guy.Reading And Friends || Evelyn Shepherd

June 19: MM Good Book Reviews || Wicked Faeries Tales And Reviews

June 22: Foxylutely Books || BFD Book Blog

June 23: Nessa’s Book Reviews || Diverse Reader

June 24: RJ Scott || Nautical Star Books

June 25: Bayou Book Junkie || Prism Book Alliance

June 26: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Vampires, Witches, and Werewolves! (Oh my!)

I’ve been away on vacation for the last few days, doing a mini writing retreat. While I was scaling (and by scaling I mean driving a VW up a very steep and very scary hill), I started to think about my latest project, the final segment in the Meteora Trilogy. Now mind you, I wasn’t the one driving. So I wasn’t floating off in La La Land while trying to ascend Mt. Terrifying Gravel Path.

Recently a slew of stories have come out that fall anywhere under the fantasy/urban fantasy/horror spectrum. Out of them, a good chunk (probably over half) has been stereotypical monster mashes. You know the ones: there’s the steroid infused alpha werewolf/shifter, a vampire that acts like an emo kid from the early millennium, and all kinds of hocus pocus witches. It’s almost as if writers are given a list of creatures and told to check one off.

Every now and then a gem pops up, a story that abandons the ever ubiquitous three-monster list and goes with something a tad more original. But even then, we seem to continue within the same area, never straying too far from shifter-vampire-witch archetype. Sure, zombies have gotten some much needed attention, along with fairies, and even trolls. But these have all been bashed over the head so many times that their brains are splattered across the wall.

Where am I going with this? Well, I think it’s time for us to come up with something different. There are so many amazing monsters out there. It’s all a Google search away. Instead of falling back on the ever traditional vampire or fairy, why not try looking into Slavic lore or take a tour down south and research Mexican myths? The world is ripe with so many fantastical creatures, it’s a shame we seem to always rely on the same fables.

Even if you’re a fan of vampires and you really, really want to write a story about blood sucking fiends (you and the rest of the world), give it a fresh spin! Look at different myths for vampires. Did you know that the Greeks don’t have vampires, but they do have lamias, which are very similar? If you want to write that zombie novel (guilty as charged), why not do something outside of the traditional virus-induced apocalypse? Zombies originate from Haitian lore, look into it and go from there.

My point is that we can do so much more than what we have been. It doesn’t always have to be vampires, witches, and werewolves (oh my!). It can be a wendigo, griffon, or yeti. I want a story about Big Foot (and not monster porn either). I want a story about kappas and chupacabras and original monsters, ones that don’t have any lineage beyond your own imagination.

Let me know what you think, what you want to see. Who else is tired of the same ol’ song that keeps getting sung in urban fantasy and horror? Who else wants to see something more than the glittering undead and witches with vendettas? I know I do!