Blogger Blog Tour - Boy Meets Boy Reviews

Blogger Blog Tour - Boy Meets Boy Reviews


Goodreads is a fabulous place, a corner of the 'net.
Where bibliophiles can get together and new friends are met.
Sometimes you can be lucky, and if you are you find,
Some other crazy people, who are, of a like-mind.

Now way back last September, this is just what occurred,
a group of friends got chatting, 'bout books they all did lurve.
This group is very passionate about the kind of books they like,
all of them did feature men, not a woman was in sight.

These peeps might be a little mad (but all of them are kind),
they called themselves the Unicorns and often they did find,
they wanted to share their love of books, all around the web.
I know, said one, let's make a blog!. Good idea, the others said.

And so last November, when outside was cold and wet,
Boy Meets Boy Reviews was born, and our minds all were set,
on telling all and sundry about the books we do adore -
our only policy is honesty, nothing less and nothing more.

Our blog can get a little crazy, just a bit from time-to-time,
But honestly it's lots of fun with these friends of mine.
Audrey, Ann, Sunny, Natasha, Jo and Jenni-Lea.
SheReadsALot, Wench, JJ, Breann and me!

Together we share this blog, we all play our part,
Sunny and Audrey organise, Natasha does the art!
We read, review, discuss, give-away and have ooooodles of fun.
We've met many so authors now and LOVED each and every one.

We love you all for stopping by our little part of the web,
for reading our reviews and for sharing what we've said.
We love to hear from each of you, your comments and your views.
And it must be said, from us Unicorns - thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!


Yep...it's time for a giveaway!! We will give away one copy of a book of the month of your choice! The books to chose from are:

Thick as Thieves by Tali Spencer
Superhero by Eli Easton
Kamikaze Boys by Jay Bell
Naked Tails by Eden Winters

What a list to choose from huh! Comment below telling us your favourite M/M MC, leaving your name and a way to contact you (e mail, social media address etc). A winner will be chosen at random on Friday 5th September 2014. Good luck and thank you for joining us Unicorns today.

Blogger Blog Tour - The Novel Approach

Blogger Blog Tour - The Novel Approach

2014GRL_BlogTour_sq200x200
Cheers, everyone, I hope you’ve all had a great week! I’d like to start with a huge thank you, first of all, to RJ for allowing me to hijack her blog space today so I can share some of the great things we have in store at The Novel Approach, leading up to GayRomLit 2014 in October. 

Before I get to the good part, however, I’d like to use up a wee bit of my e-ink and word count to tell you about TNA, in case you’re not familiar with the site.

A Twist and Two Balls (With A Kick #1) - Clare London

A Twist and Two Balls (With A Kick #1) - Clare London

Eduardo Mancini is going to be a star of the London stage and screen. Or that was the plan. His alter ego Eddy March hasn't got further than the chorus and a bit part in a TV series.

His parents aren't supportive, his agent can’t place his particular skills, and he's finding it hard to hang onto his young dreams. Things go from bad to worse when he's late for an important audition, hasn't got enough to money to pay the taxi fare, and is chased across the streets of Soho by the irate driver.

Eddy reaches what he believes is sanctuary - "With A Kick", a store where ice creams are blended with alcohol and imagination, and where his friends can help him.

But Nuri the taxi driver is persistent in his steady pursuit, above and beyond the money he’s owed. Despite their very different characters and background, Eddy and Nuri’s relationship goes from a complete unknown to a wary balancing act. There are still mistakes to be made, and hurdles to clear. And both of them have to admit that their life so far hasn’t gone the way they planned.

But maybe being caught by Nuri was just what Eddy’s career needed – both for his job and his heart.

Review - 4/5

This was so funny in a lot of places. I love the quarreling brothers, and the back story to Nuri which is unraveled a bit at a time. I am huge Clare London fan and this has all the usual Clare London touches, humour, angst, family (a huge turkish family I kind of lost track of!), and a lovely HEA. There are some British in-jokes but nothing that pulls you out of the story. I can not wait for book 2 which I understand is being by Sue Brown, and then book 3 which I hope is coming from Clare and that they are taking it in turns!

A very sharply written read which I loved. :)

Buy Links



Dead Things, by Meredith Russell, interview

Dead Things, by Meredith Russell, interview

Kerry stood behind him, resting her hand on his shoulder as she asked, 

“Is he dead?” Devin tentatively reached out and pulled back the guy’s dark bangs. The guy looked so human. Hesitating, Devin found the courage and pressed his fingers to the side of the man’s neck. 

Surprised, he pulled back his hand and looked up at Kerry. He wasn’t sure he believed it. The man wasn’t what they thought. 

He met Kerry’s eyes. “He’s alive.”

* * * * *


RJ: what was it like revisiting a story that had originally been released over two years ago?


MR: Like visiting old friends. Old friends who might take a bite out of you if you turn your back lol. It has been roughly 2 years since Dead Things was originally released and I was a little apprehensive about going back to something I’d written what seems like a lifetime ago, but I have to say it was nice to have the opportunity of the rerelease, to go through and tweak little bits and it also got me thinking about the sequel. I’d put it off for so long that it was great to finally feel like I could write it and be happy about where it would be going and who it would be released with.

RJ: How the hell did you come up with a story this immense and sweeping?

MR: It’s hard to remember where the story began really. Certainly, I have always been a fan of the horror genre in books, movies and TV, so I decided to start with something I know and love. I went with zombies just because it offered lots of possibilities to explore human reaction and the need to survive. It was quite interesting looking things up - like what would happen with power and food and things we take for granted. Not necessarily the usual backdrop of a romance story, but I have to say it was fun to create this world for my characters to exist in.

RJ: What I like most is that even though this is a huge canvas that you focus on the relationships at the core of the story. Devin is an incredibly strong and determined character - how did he have to change from his normal self to become such a heroic character?

MR: We don’t really see Devin pre-virus, we have glimpses into what his life was like but that is all. We learn a little about his background, how he was in the army and capable of looking after himself. He used to have a boyfriend and a job and a life, but he lost all that and in a way shutdown. He was all about surviving and protecting the remaining people he cared about. As part of a larger group, he then became essential in the protection and organisation of those people too. I guess he kind of locked away his emotions and it made him good at what he needed to do - survive.

RJ: What about Noah? How does he change because of the raging virus?

MR: Again we have glimpses of what Noah was like. He worked on the family farm. He had a brother and a sister and a dog. But like Devin, he lost all that and had been alone for several months before Devin turned up at the farm. Though it’s obvious things have affected Noah, at first he’s rather sarcastic and stand-offish, there’s still a bit of the old Noah there. Compared to Devin he’s more willing to make connections and at ease with the situation.

RJ The plan is for a second book… can you tell us more?

MR: I have wanted to do a sequel to Dead Things for so long that I had so many ideas jotted down that it’s taken me a while to really decide where I want the sequel to go. As book one was very Devin orientated I want the sequel to delve into Noah’s past and POV more this time. We’ll see how life in the prison has moved on since Corden, it’s set roughly a month on from where book 1 ends, and problems that have come from his leaderships, along with us venturing outside the prison again and meeting some new characters who maybe know a little bit about why Noah is so special. Oh and of course… there’ll be more zombies and most likely more gore and maybe a little death *eyes up secondary characters*

Buy Links, reviews and excerpts


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Blogger Blog Tour - Scattered Thoughts And Rogue Words

Blogger Blog Tour - Scattered Thoughts And Rogue Words


Hi! I'm Melanie Marshall and my blog is ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords. I like to think i'm the perfect example of you are never too old for something new. To try something new, to go in a direction you never anticipated, to learn about anything you can think of….exploration and new paths are ageless!

I've had many careers to date in my life. I was one of two women in high level positions in the steel industry during the 80's. I managed a steel warehouse and galvanizing plant for the US division of an international engineering and construction firm.

Loved the firm, hated the environmental impact. Ten years and another degree later and I was employed as a Park Ranger/Park Naturalist. That lasted for another 26, almost 30 years if you had in seasonal experience. And all the while, I was also a mother, knitter, animal lovers and of course, reader. I've traveled the world, in real life and through books for my entire life!

It was Kirk/Spock and Solo/Kuryakin of TMFU series that brought M/M romance and fiction into my life where is has stayed a constant love. First fanfiction, which I also wrote, and then onto LGBTQ fiction, romance and other genres as well. And trust me I read them all. Horror, shapeshifters of every type including sloths (thank you, Charlie Cochrane), lovers of every species, variety, and sexual kink. And I am always amazed that I find that authors everywhere manage to deliver something fresh and exciting to genres and story lines already overly familiar.

That's what started me off as a reviewer. I wanted to share those stories that I loved and my thoughts on ones not so dear to the heart. From there I wanted to interview authors, talk to other readers…get involved! And that's what being a blogger has done for me. It's opened worlds, introduced me to new people, books, and ideas. I continue to learn, ask questions, and get excited about reading all over again with each new book i read. And that goes for their covers and cover artists too!

What do I bring to my reviews? Years of experience, knowledge and a different perspective perhaps. A love of reading and writing, certainly. And the urge to share that enjoyment with others.

I have included my logo. That's Kirby, one of my terriers and my Soft coated Wheaton rescue on the picture. I am sure he is thinking of the Clifford books with that gaze. Or maybe just the chicken cooking in the kitchen.

RJ asked for some of my favorite reviews but I couldn't choose. Each new one I write might be the favorite to come. I hope that they all come across as fair, well reasoned and open minded. That's my goal at any rate.

Come visit ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords. Check out my thoughts on writing, my author interviews, and reviews. Usually there is a contest or two happening as well.

I am offering up a $25 Amazon gift card to one lucky person who visits my blog and leaves a comment during RJ's blogger event. Open worldwide (I am sure I can figure out how to get a Amazon UK card to you all overseas). Contest runs until September 19th as here in the States August is the time when the government is out of session and everyone is on vacation!

Do I love what I do? Yes indeed! Does it matter what age you are? Never. Visit ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords. Check it and the books and authors I love out! And leave me a note! I love hearing from people.

Thank you, RJ, for this wonderful event and chance to participate!
Melanie, ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords

After thought (see? scattered): I do have two articles for you to check out. My Vocabulary Gone Bad posts. Definitely not safe for work.

When A Tit Should Be A Nip or Leave Those Orbs Alone

Destination Anus or Where No Starfish Has Gone Before




GRL Blog Tour - Lex Chase

GRL Blog Tour - Lex Chase

Hello everyone! I'm Lex Chase and a big thank you to RJ Scott for hosting me for the GRL Blog Tour o' Fun!

Last year was my first ever GRL, and I had snagged a Supporting Author slot, and so came the absolute panic. I'm the author of the Checkmate superhero series for Dreamspinner Press, and at the time, the first novella Pawn Takes Rook, and the second novellas Cashing the Reality Check were out. I had nothing in print. Nothing. I learned very quickly many readers prefer print. Some don't care one way or another, but a majority want Belle's library in Beast's Castle. Me? I don't have enough shelf space in my house. So I have Belle's library on my Nook!

But here I was with this print dilemma. So I had to think of something that would make me stand out. Enter dat swag!

I had asked everyone I could possibly know that had done conferences before. What were the things that people took away. What were the things that didn't hit the trash can? There was a resounding paper swag is a no but funky memorable swag is a yes. Considering my budget is made of moth balls, a paper clip, and a ball of lint, I managed to spring for pens and buttons back then. I also played the system at Bath and Body Works and scored 100 hand sanitizers throughout the year. I also had superhero Blowpops, where I assembled each one by hand with a cape and a mask while watching hours of The Newsroom on HBO. Considering in a former life I used to be a comics artist, I put my chops to work and drew a print of the MCs of Checkmate, Rook and Garth here:

PTR_Welcome_Screen_Inks
 
 And so off to GRL I went! My findings that despite my covers for Pawn Takes Rook, and Cashing the Reality Check, everyone wanted that print. I mentally filed this away for later. I also took notes on what other folks had, what went over well, and what was the must have items.

So. Enter GRL 2014! It's about a month and a half away! HOMG! FREAK OUT! Now? Now as they say in video games I've "leveled-up" I'm going as a Featured Author. Holy jesus. Pray for me.

Now with the Checkmate series over with the last novella Conventional Love came out New Years Day 2014, but I have two novels in print! Print! Paper stuff! Readers like paper stuff! The two novels are in fact the start of two separate series. The first was released July 25th, Chasing Sunrise: Book One of The Darkmore Saga, an m/m gritty paranormal urban fantasy. Or as I call it: The Most Controversial Book Ever with a hyper effeminate hero that cross-dresses in elaborate gowns. That's him on the cover. Also the vampires in this series don't freaking sparkle and they farm humans like livestock. Oh yeah. And it's a romance.
Chasing Sunrise400x600

  And coming September 12th, Americana Fairy Tale: Book One of Fairy Tales of the Open Road, an m/m quirky fractured fairy tale urban fantasy. Maybe not the most controversial book ever, but definitely a weird one. We have a fuckup guy that's a fairy tale princess and his fairy godfather is a housecat-sized Jeff Bridges in Big Lebowski with big ol' pink butterfly wings and then a dude that's a dirty, nasty Creole huntsman out of New Orleans. And the World's Largest Ball of Twine. This is the book you never knew you needed.
AmericanaFairyTaleFS

See these covers? They couldn't be more different. Now with all of my mental notes from last GRL, consider this a preview of the Lex Chase Swag o' Awesome!  

Lex_Pens

I've got the usual pens...

And this time I sprang for stress toys!

Lex_Stars

And remember that paper swag? How to make it stand out? I've got these!
First! Putting my comicking skills to use we have: Checkmate Trading Cards! 17 different designs in all with 4 special cards!

Checkmate_Cards

What special cards you ask? Find yourselves any one of these babies and you could win something pretty swanky!

The Dynamic Duo - Lex Chase


Carry On Dancing - Lex Chase


Carry on Dancing - Lex Chase

The Black King - Lex Chase

The Black King - Lex Chase

I should mention there's only six of the Red Rook cards. You'll want to find him especially. Just sayin'.
The Red Rook - Lex Chase
The Red Rook - Lex Chase

Next! Putting other artists to work for me!

Presenting the Lex Chase Universe: Series 1 Trading Cards! Have a sampling! There's 10 cards to collect in all!


Checkmate by Valeriane Duvivier

Chasing Sunrise by Valeriane Duvivier


Americana Fairy Tale by Aimee Duncanwidth

Americana Fairy Tale by Kei Everett

And then! The prints are back baby!
I have these from Chasing Sunrise!


The Proposal by Snicks-chan

King And Consort Color

King and Consort by Lex Chase  

Is that it? Oh no. There's more! Let's just say Americana Fairy Tale is going to have some pretty awesome swag coming at your face.

Did someone say mailing postcards?

And shower loofahs?

 Oh yeah.

 Shower.

Loofahs.

 Pink ones.

 Just marinate on that.

 
Get ready for GRL! Stuff Lex's books in your brain!
Buy Checkmate from Dreamspinner Press
Buy Chasing Sunrise from Dreamspinner Press in eBook and Paperback
Pre-order Americana Fairy Tale from Dreamspinner Press in eBook and Paperback (Coming September 12th!)
 
Paperbacks ordered through Dreamspinner Press qualifies for Free Shipping to GRL for pick-up! Good for multiple uses!
Use code: GRL2014

LXC_Flames
 

About the Author: Lex Chase once heard Stephen King say in a commercial, 'We're all going to die, I'm just trying to make it a little more interesting.' She knew then she wanted to make the world a little more interesting.

 Weaving tales of cinematic, sweeping adventure, epic love and depending on how she feels that day, Lex sprinkles in high-speed chases, shower scenes, and more explosions than a Hollywood blockbuster. She loves tales of men who kiss as much as they kick ass. She believes if you're going to going to march into the depths of hell, it better be beside the one you love.

Lex is a pop culture diva and her DVR is constantly backlogged. She wouldn't last five minutes without technology in the event of the apocalypse and has nightmares about refusing to leave her cats behind. She is incredibly sentimental, to the point that she gets choked up at holiday commercials. But like the lovers driven to extreme measures to get home for the holidays, Lex believes everyone deserves a happy ending.

Lex also has a knack for sarcasm, never takes herself seriously, and has been nicknamed 'The Next Alan Moore' by her friends for all the pain and suffering she inflicts on her characters. She is a Damned Yankee hailing from the frozen backwoods of Maine residing in the 'burbs of Northwest Florida where it could be 80F and she'd be a popsicle.

She is grateful and humbled for all the readers. She knows very well she wouldn?t be here if it wasn?t for them and welcomes feedback.

You can find her on those social media things at:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LXChase
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Lex_Chase
Tumblr: http://lexiconofkittens.tumblr.com
Find her blog at http://lexchase.com
or
drop her an e-mail at lex.a.chase@gmail.com.

Bold by Garrett Leigh - 4.75/5

Bold by Garrett Leigh - 4.75/5

Dancer Kai is the sweetheart of Blue Boy Studio. Cute and petite, he’s the slender bottom every top loves to pound. But nothing is ever quite as it seems, and beneath his golden curls and giggles lies something else…an edge no one can quite put their finger on.

Is Kai bored? Or does he crave something more?

Blue Boy Studio is under new ownership. Veteran porn star Jude has seen it all before, and with the help of Kai’s mentor, Cam, they figure Kai needs a change. Enter Matthew, a fellow dancer and the newbie on the block.

Kai isn’t impressed. Matthew is hot, but Jude and Cam’s plans seem beyond his reach. Can Kai really do…that? He doesn’t believe it, but with Matthew along for the ride, it’s time to be bold and find out.

Review - 4.75/5

Awww, Kai you make me smile. I love Kai's backstory and how it all fits together with Blue Boy Studio. And I adore Matthew... A brilliant book 3 in this series...


Buy Links

Loose Id

Excerpt 

   Excerpt #3
   Taken from Bold (Blue Boy 3)
 
Jude drummed his fingers on the desk. “What was the first full sex scene you ever shot?”

“Levi Ramone.” Kai didn’t need to think about it. “The end of last summer.”

“I’ve watched that scene,” Jude said. “I think it’s one of your best. It’s very honest.”

“Honest?”

“Yeah. Natural. You were nervous, but you used that to your advantage and connected with Levi in a way that made him think. You should watch it back, and take note of how he looks at you. You might be surprised by what you find.”

Kai glanced around the office. Gone were the days of utilitarian chairs and filing cabinets. Jude’s office was more like a den. A couch, a dartboard. Photographs from Jude’s own porn star career. Some of the pictures were more graphic than others, but Kai could tell he’d done it all—top, bottom, Dom, sub. He wondered what Jude looked like naked. Somehow, his cock was covered in every shot. “What was your first scene?”

“Me?” Jude’s lips twitched with amusement, but he pushed himself off the desk and pulled a box down from a shelf. “Don’t judge me by the tacky sets. It was the nineties.”

Kai took the old VHS case, and his eyes widened. “Fuck. Is that Mac?”

Jude grinned. “The one and only. That’s how we met.”

“Wow.” Kai was lost for words. He knew Jude used to be a big name in the business, but he’d had no idea Mac was a porn star too. “Did you meet on set and live happily ever after?”

“Not quite. That was my first scene, and his last. He left the industry to become a firefighter. It was ten years before I saw him again.”

A porn star and a firefighter? Suddenly Mac, the boring accountant, had gotten a lot more interesting.

*****
Bold (Blue Boy 3)

Don’t underestimate me…

Dancer Kai is the sweetheart of Blue Boy Studio. Cute and petite, he’s the slender bottom every top loves to pound. But nothing is ever quite as it seems, and beneath his golden curls and giggles lies something else…an edge no one can quite put their finger on.

Is Kai bored? Or does he crave something more?

Blue Boy Studio is under new ownership. Veteran porn star Jude has seen it all before, and with the help of Kai’s mentor, Cam, they figure Kai needs a change. Enter Matthew, a fellow dancer and the newbie on the block.

Kai isn’t impressed. Matthew is hot, but Jude and Cam’s plans seem beyond his reach. Can Kai really do…that? He doesn’t believe it, but with Matthew along for the ride, it’s time to be bold and find out.
 
Release Date: August 19th 2014
Publisher: Loose Id
Cover Artist: G.D. Leigh 


Exams, Pride & Autism

Exams, Pride & Autism

It's an odd time in the Scott household. B passed her A Levels and is taking up her place to study at Cardiff University in September. It's something she's been working very hard towards, and we are so proud of her. Exams and decisions about further education have always formed an important part of who she is, whether she wanted it or not. B was one of those kids who were assessed for everything from virtually day one of starting school back at age 4ish.

That is the expectation.

Matt on the other hand has assessments and as long as they show he is improving, or highlights where we can help him, that is all we use them for. Matt is a bright kid, especially at Maths, and his spelling ability is awesome. He reads like a normal child, he just doesn't very often understand what he reads.

I don't want him to sit exams. I don't want the incredible pressure on him when he doesn't need to be *exam'd*. Seems to me the UK culture is exam, exam, exam and I can't see why an autistic boy needs to learn chemistry to exam level when he'd much rather be cooking, or playing. He has different needs to B. He needs a functional life, learning about money, and safety, and danger. What H20 means is probably not on the to do list for Matt's life.

Every autistic child is different. Every neurotypical child is different.

THEN, something happened today. A letter landed on the doormat, an official looking letter addressed to Matt.

Apparently he sat exams (he didn't tell me, the school didn't exactly tell me). They are entry level tests in Maths and English. He passed both and he was so pleased with himself.

Both he and B passed exams. I didn't say one word about how he shouldn't have to sit exams.

I was just proud. And Matt? All he wanted to know was how much money we would give him as a well done.

Significantly less than it will cost to send B to University... ROFL...


Blogger Blog Tour - Love Bytes

Blogger Blog Tour - Love Bytes


Hi! My name is Danielle, mostly known as Dani, and I am here to talk to you a bit about Love Bytes (review blog).

First of all thank you to Miss R.J. Scott for giving us bloggers this opportunity to talk about our blogs, our passion J

Love Bytes started out as the Blog of Sid Love in April of 2013 under the guidance of my friend Sid Love. When I joined this blog as a reviewer I didn’t expect to be running and owning this blog one day! When things got too busy for Sid to handle, I became part owner of the blog in January 2014 and took over the blog in april 2014 when the name also changed to the current name “Love Bytes “ ( reviews).

So who and what is Love Bytes? I hope that's what you all want to know J Well first of all LB is a fantastic team of reviewers! Currently consisting of Elizabetta, Taylor, Carissa, Cindy , Roberta, Donna, Vicki, Colette, Irene (though on a hiatus at the moment), new reviewer Petra and guest reviewers Paul and Marieke. Without them there wouldn’t be a Love Bytes!

What is LB and what do you find with us?
Well as it says on our banner we are a same sex review blog, meaning we review any book that has a coupling of the same gender in it. Our main focus is on m/m but we are hoping to add some (more) f/f to the mix in the future. We review every sort of book: contemporary to bdsm, historical to scifi, fantasy to a menage (on occasion). Name it and one of us has stepped into the genre you are talking about.

Besides having a average of two reviews a day, we also post at least one event post a day consisting of either a guestpost, an interview, or a promo/spotlight post -- often accompanied with a giveaway.

What more is there to say? We have a pretty open and easy policy. I think we are open to a lot J

You can reach me anytime for a request for a review on reviews@lovebytesreviews.com, or for a request for any guestpost/ interview/giveaway etc on owner@lovebytesreviews.com.

Besides the reviews and events we also host an authors page spotlight on our blog. Sid started this being the first blog to ask authors if they wanted to do a monthly featured blogpost. Up until this day we still have authors doing a monthly post on a regular basis. (Authors: If you are interested in filling one of the open dates in the month , drop me a mail).

For a blog that started a little more than one and a half years ago and changing layout and name (and owner) just 4 months ago, I am proud, happy, and honored for our loyal base of readers and supporters who visit our blog so regularly.

With the changes happening quite fast and me being not a computer expert, I still feel myself needing to learn some of the different aspects of owning a blog, like working with Wordpress for example. Thanks to the help of others (also other bloggers, I would like to mention that!) I have gotten better and am still eagerly learning. I do want to take this opportunity to thank my friends for having my back especially at the moments that I thought I would get buried under everything that came my way.

All those people, along with my awesome reviewer team, are the reason Love Bytes is up and runs the way it does. I am not going to name all the friends I am talking about (they know) but I am going to name one because without him, Love Bytes wouldn’t have a banner or images, for example, on top of the fact what he does for me behind the screens. Ash, thank you!

At Love Bytes we also have the opportunity for authors to run advertisements on our blog. You can find them on our page in the left column.

For me the joys of owning this blog are the communications with readers, reviewers, authors, publishers and bloggers, the ability to help in making books known, sharing the pleasures in reading and the joys you can find in a good book, a good review, or a nice post.


So what is a blog post without a giveaway right?

Below you will find a rafflecopter giveaway for a 10 dollar gift card.

To enter there are a few options, I added one specific one to the mix: A question for you to answer. “What is it that you would like to see or see more of on Love Bytes same sex review blog?“ 

Good Luck,

 Dani J

a Rafflecopter giveaway


Love Bytes:
Dani Elle Maas

Email(s): owner@lovebytesreviews.com
reviews@lovebytesreviews.com
Blog: www.lovebytesreviews.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/LoveBytesReviews
Twitter: @lovebytesreview

Blogger Blog Tour - Joyfully Jay

Blogger Blog Tour - Joyfully Jay

Joyfully Jay

Hi there! Thank you so much to R.J. for inviting me here today to talk more about my blog, Joyfully Jay

What is Joyfully Jay?
Joyfully Jay is primarily a m/m romance review blog, although we also cover some f/f, m/m/f, and other GBLT combinations. We typically run 4-5 posts a day, Monday through Friday. The first post of the day is almost always a guest spot from an author or publisher, followed by 3-4 reviews a day. I am so excited that we are celebrating out 3 year anniversary in September! The blog has grown a lot from when it was just me talking about books to where we are now.

Why did you start Joyfully Jay?
I started the blog mostly because I love to talk about books. I was commenting a lot on other blogs, but I really wanted to be able to share my thoughts in more depth so I decided to start my own. At the time, there were very few m/m blogs so I was sort of figuring out things as I went along. Now my favorite thing is to read the comments and chat with readers about books they like (or don't like). There is nothing like the thrill of reading a fabulous book and getting to share it with others!

Who are the Joyfully Jay reviewers?
I am so thrilled to have seven fabulous reviewers reading and writing for Joyfully Jay. In addition to me, we have Crissy, Jason, Michelle, Kris, Sammy, Amy, and Angi. If you want to know a little more about us, you can check us out on the About Us page.

What are some cool things I can find on Joyfully Jay?
Well, as I said, we have reviews and guest posts pretty much every day of the week. We also have some fun features and things you can explore on the blog. Here are some highlights:
How can I find book reviews on your blog?
Check out our Reviews tab on the red menu bar on the blog. There you can find Reviews by Rating, Reviews by Genre, and Reviews by Reviewer.

Where else can I find you online? 
I am on Twitter at @jayhjay432 and on Facebook as Joyfully Jay. We also have a blog page on Facebook called Joyfully Jay Reviews. You can find me on Goodreads as JayhJay or the blog page as Joyfully Jay. You can get our blog feed here and subscribe to updates by email here.

Anything else?
Thanks so much to R.J. for having me here today! I am so glad to get to meet you all and hope you will stop by the blog to have some fun with us!  

Giveaway 

As a thank you for checking us out and reading my post today, I am giving away the winner's choice of any book from one of our Favorites lists. So this can be anything from our Monthly Favorite books, Covers, or Favorite Books lists. You can find them all under Favorites in the red menu bar of the blog. Be sure to leave a comment when you enter with your email address so I can reach you if you win. Thanks!

 jay signature
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Last chances... competitions and book ordering...

Last chances... competitions and book ordering...

GRL print book pre-orders


**NOTE** following a couple emails with queries about payments I just wanted to reassure that you don't have to pay now. Payment can be made at any time up to about a week before GRL. Sorry I didn't include this info before...

Book ordering for GRL from me closes tomorrow (Friday 22 August). I'll be ordering all the books on Saturday so they have time to be swum over to the UK in a waterproof bag (well it seems that way)...

The link to pre-ordering is here: GRL Book signing and ordering...

Don't forget I am giving away Deefur and Decisions at GRL itself so if you are pre-ordering and you want one of those, add it to your order and I will include it for free in that order. To be fair to everyone I can't accept orders for 'just' Deefur or Decisions (or both together!) ...

UK Signing pre-orders

This too is closing in the next couple of days. The link for this can be found here: UK Gay Romance Book Signing event, London, September 6th - Book Ordering

Competitions closing soon

Blogger Blog tour - Prism Book Alliance - Closes in ten hours!!!!



Volcanoes


Keeping an eye on the Iceland Volcano - the ash may well cause issues with flying... :( watch this space and hope it doesn't erupt...


October is Queer Romance Month

October is Queer Romance Month


I am proud to be involved with Queer Romance Month - you can read more about this at: http://www.queerromancemonth.com/

Queer Romance Month exists to celebrate queer romantic fiction in all its aspects.

Watch this space for more news. 

Follow QRM on twitter: 

https://twitter.com/QueerRomance






From the About Us page:

  • We believe that love is love, and nobody should be relegated to a sidebar or a subgenre. Queer romance is romance.
  • We welcome anyone who believes in love, irrespective of gender or orientation. Allies, supporters and the curious are all part of QRM.
  • We support the right to read what you like, write what you love, and be who you are.
  • We love romantic fiction. We want to share the love and help some amazing books and authors reach a wider audience.
  • This is a celebration of queer romance and its allies. You are welcome to discuss posts and (respectfully) disagree, but aggression and hatefulness will not be tolerated. In other words, don’t be a jerk.
  • Any money raised by clickthroughs to Amazon will be donated to Stonewall UK &PFLAG


 

Publisher warning signs - learning from experience

Publisher warning signs - learning from experience

Edited 20 August for me to add in bold and capitals...

IF YOU ARE LOOKING INTO BEING PUBLISHED WITH A NEW PUBLISHER THEN...

TALK TO EXISTING AUTHORS AT THAT PUBLISHER, AND NOT JUST ONE BUT MANY!

GOOGLE IS YOUR FRIEND. TYPE IN THE PUBLISHERS NAME AND SCROLL PAST TO ANY POSTS FROM PEOPLE CITING PROBLEMS AT THE PUBLISHER.

DON'T FEEL LIKE NO ONE ELSE WILL WANT YOUR STORY. THIS IS JUST NOT TRUE. 

NEVER PUT ALL YOUR EGGS IN ONE BASKET.

Original Post

This is just a summary of the warning signs I wish I had had the bravery to react to as Silver imploded.

It took me way too long to get in the mindset that like all authors who hand over their babies to a publisher, I was owed respect. I wish I had someone like me telling me what to look out for.

A lot of it is common sense, but let's face it, somehow despite all of the crap Silver was pulling they still managed to convince some authors that everything was going to be okay (Including me at the beginning!).

Here were some of the warning signs that I wish I had acted on and just somehow walked away from it all.

Insistence that authors should trust that that the management know what is best

I don't know where to start with that one. Authors at Silver were made to feel that we couldn't doubt the company. If we doubted then we were traitors (yep, that was the word used).

Someone in charge who seems to glamour everyone like a vampire

A team of people under the owner who appear to trust the owner implicitly and aren't given the space to question actions being taken. A team who appear to be cut off from the owner and not told a thing about what is going on and so follow the party line.

Long rambly emails explaining how everything will be okay if only the authors would calm down and listen. 

When it all went tits up at Silver we received page upon page of how we should just stay calm and keep writing. How it was our fault. How we should keep our heads down. How going public would tear the company apart. I could go on...

Blaming third parties for delays in payment.

Silver were adamant that apparently Amazon fell *way behind* in paying them. Months behind. Amazon have never missed payments to us in the three years I have worked direct with them - just saying.

Blaming third parties for a fall in sales.

Silver said Amazon sales were low, because *insert various reasons here*.

Saying that a sale throgh the publishers website means more money to the author because you get the most money on a website sale as opposed to a third party sale. 

What they mean is that they get more money direct to themselves to shore themselves up. Most authors will earn more from Amazon and ARe and all the other third parties simply because their audiences are bigger.

Suspicious expansion/contraction

Expansion that Silver promised would make everything better. Expansion that Silver insisted would not be paid out for from author funds.

Not getting paid

Oh and this is the doozy. If I can leave anyone with one piece of advice. Always know where the money is. I ended up losing thousands, as did a lot of other authors who trusted Silver.

And remember

You are worth more than being jerked around.

HUGS TO YOU ALL... RJ X

EDITED - 20 August with points raised in comments... (summarised for brevity)

LM - If something looks or sounds odd, strange, dodgy or anything other than totally normal, look into it. Ask questions, research, do whatever it takes to get to the bottom of things. If things are not as they should be, talk to one or two of your fellow authors at the publisher, someone you trust. Chances are if there is something underhand going on they will have their own suspicions for the same reasons you have.

Be aware if author groups are shut down

Anon - be aware that you have self worth. 


Other publishers will want you, don't feel like your writing career is over because of one bad apple.


GRL Book signing and ordering

GRL Book signing and ordering

Complete change of direction from me

After some thought I won't be selling any books at GRL on my table at the signing...

I'm not at GRL to make money - hell, all I want to do is see people and meet fans and friends.

And let's face it I would have to sell a shit ton of books to cover £2000 in flights and hotel fees... rofl!

Instead I will offer:

Pre-ordering and pre-paying on special requests through the ordering form below
A selection of free books **

In Summary:

I will be bringing around 100 printed books that I will give away free - first come first served at the signing table. 50 copies of Deefur Dog & 50 copies of The Decisions We Make...

At my signing table there will also be postcards that I will be happy to sign. These postcards will be for most of my covers... :)

I will also love to sign any books you have bought yourselves... I'm guessing I'll be able to give you a *free* sticker or something so you can get out of the signing hall without paying for them again... ROFL.

HOWEVER

I know some people want specific books from me (as evidenced by the people who have pre-ordered The Heart Of Texas etc). I will still be offering this but given the fact I need time to organise I will be closing the pre-ordering 24 August. ONE WEEK FROM TODAY.

The pre-order form is below.

* * * * *

** If you pre-order Deefur ot Decisions along with other books then you won't be charged. Please don't just order Deefur or Decisions as these are my *free* books.

* * * * *


Blogger Blog Tour - The Guilty Indulgence Book Club

Blogger Blog Tour - The Guilty Indulgence Book Club


The Guilty Indulgence Book Club started four years ago after a group of us attended a reader's conference. We decided to start a book club and create a blog. We never dreamed it would get so big!

We have gained over three thousand followers between all of our accounts -blog, facebook, tumblr, twitter, goodreads, audible- and get an average of 10,000 hits monthly on our blog.

We still like to attend reader events. We've been at the Readers Appreciation Weekend (RAW) several times, Authors After Dark (AAD) a few times, The Novel Experience (TNE), GayRomLit, RomFest and the Indie Romance Conference (IRC).
We keep our focus on supporting authors we enjoy reading. Our list of "must reads" has become longer as we discover new authors. Since we love reading and we can't help but give our opinion, blogging is our simple indulgence.

We don't post negative reviews on our blog. We only focus on the books we'd recommend to readers. Books are very subjective so what one person likes, another may not. We attempt to tell what we like about a book so readers can decide if they might like it too.
We participate in the Hop Against Homophobia each year, as well as hosting the Hunky Days of Christmas and our yearly blogiversary blog hop each September.
We read everything! Here are some examples of our favorite books in each of the different genres we read.

The Indulgent Bloggers


Competition



Blogger Blog tour - Rainbow Gold Reviews

Blogger Blog tour - Rainbow Gold Reviews

Rainbow Gold Reviews

Hi everyone we are Rainbow Gold Reviews, and we are so excited to be able to guest post here today and fill you in on who we are and why we do what we do. So first and foremost I want to give a great big THANK YOU to RJ Scott for letting us take over her blog today.

Like I said we are Rainbow Gold Reviews, and we are fairly new to the blogging world. We debuted on March 31st 2014 and have been going non-stop since then, and I have to say we love it. We have a large number of RGR members, some of us review, some do art for books, but we all come together for one thing. Bringing awesome books to the readers. New books from new authors, new books from authors who are well known. Books that readers would normally pass up. Our favorites, both book and authors alike, along with author interviews, guest post, and giveaways. That is what you will find at RGR.

You will also find our three team leaders (also co-owners of RGR) Marc, Tanja, and Alina. And with each team member you will find our reviewers: Laura, Lorraine, Vivy, Beth, MtSnow, Anne, Aine, Anna, Lee, Dana, Tracy, Dawn, Nicki, Teodora, Eloreen, Karrie(our oh so talented artist, who does our book art pieces), Oscar, Adrian, Thorhkristen, Cyma, & Bethany(that's me).

Now here is how we are different from most of your blogs. Yes we review LGBT in all forms, from the tame YA to the too-hot-for-Amazon erotica. Yep, if its LGBT we will review it, but we are different in how we rate the books we read. We don't review in a 5 start rating system, we use a 10 pots of gold rating system. When we were in the planning stages we all agreed that 10 pots of gold gave us some room in how we wanted to read and review a book. This is a rating that has worked well for us, it gives us the freedom to really show how much we enjoyed a book, while also the freedom to honestly review that book. Here you can read a little more on how we rate our books.


We use a 10 point rating system with half steps to distinguish our reviews from each other more easily. Reviews that range from 6-10/10 (indicated with golden numbers on our rating scale above) will be featured on the blog (which would be 3-5/5 stars on Goodreads).

Our main goal is to share LGBT literature we enjoyed or saw potential in, thus while we might rate the rare books we really don’t enjoy somewhere else, we don’t feel this blog is the right place to do so. We will only post reviews for books that have a rating of 6 pots of gold and higher for our reviewers.

We don’t earn any money and do this just because we love this genre. It takes a lot of time to run this blog, so we want to focus on books we at least liked. Instead of using our reach to warn people off books we didn’t like at all, we want people to see our recommendations and find a reviewer with similar taste to discover new treasures of this genre.

The reviews we post will be fair & honest opinions of our reviewers, who will always try to give their opinions in a respectful and constructive manner <3

We LOVE this genre and are looking forward to interviews, guest posts, events and great books.

Which leads me to WHY we do this. Plain and simple, we love this genre and we want to praise the authors while giving the readers reviews on books that we love in hopes that they will go get that book, read it and love it just as much as we did. It's work and it's time-consuming, its stressful and hard work, but you know what? We would NOT change a thing, we love it, we love the books, and the authors and the replies that we get when a reader says “Great review, I am going to buy it right now.” We have all made new friends by starting this blog, be it fellow reviewers or authors, people who share our passion for what we read, and for that I know we are all grateful. Our hope is that we can reach more readers and show them just how awesome this genre is, 'cause it does ROCK!!!!!

And really when you take 24 reviewers on one blog, you are bound to find something to read. ;)

Giveaway 

Every comment left on this post will be entered in the giveaway, a $5 voucher to Amazon. Please provide an email address within your comment. 

State of Play - news updates & competitions

State of Play - news updates & competitions

The Summer break is so busy, Matt at home on Summer Break, University arrangements for B, Holidays... you name it I'm half way through it...

Competitions

Winners

Winner of the first Blogger Blog tour (the My Fiction Nook one) = Elayne Young who wins a free e-book from my backlist, or a future book:) CONGRATULATIONS Elayne... x

Competitions closing soon!

Blogger Blog Tour: Multitasking Mommas Book Reviews!
Blogger Blog Tour - The Blogger Girls

New competitions

Catching Kit is now on sale! Competition...
Blogger Blog tour - Prism Book Alliance

Works in Progress

My current WIP is Last Marine Standing. It's going slower than I want, but we'll still be okay for an early October release!

We're nearly finished with Heat (writing with Chris Quinton), hoping for a September release, possibly October.

Work is going on (promise!) on End Street five, and a storyline for End Street six is firming up, both books with Totally Bound.

Recent Blogs you may have missed...

Depression
Catching Kit, out today from Love Lane! Competition.
Brandon Witt - GRL Author tour
Mark of Cain by Kate Sherwood, 5/5 and highly recommended
Creating a book request form in Google Docs
The Promise - WIP
GRL Book Ordering Form

Love Lane Books has a new blog!

We've worked hard with some pretty annoying code to create an awesome blog for LLB. We're featuring news and updates along side the *stories behind the books* and *author profiles*.

We're looking to release two new books a month with LLB so watch this space.

Also some exciting new releases:

Releases

Catching Kit by Kay Berrisford
Alter Ego by Meredith Russell

Our new blog

Love Lane Blogger


Blogger Blog tour - Prism Book Alliance

Blogger Blog tour - Prism Book Alliance

So…

A couple months ago when RJ approached me about a possible guest appearance on her blog, I thought, “Oh, how sweet. That would be a good way to find some more readers.”

Now I just think it is her sadistic way to to turn the table on all of us bloggers who ask writers for guest content on a regular basis… well played, Ms. Scott. 

Seriously, folks, what do you want to know about Prism Book Alliance, and myself, that you don’t already know? So I decided to Interview myself. I write interviews all the time, why not write and answer one :)

What is Prism Book Alliance?

Our tagline is “Celebrating diversity through literature” and I think that sums it up nicely, but in case it doesn’t here is the slightly longer version. We are a review blog that focuses on GLBTQ literature. We will consider for review any title, new or old, that features one or more main characters that would fall on the GLBTQ spectrum. While reviews are, at the core, our main focus, we also want to promote GLBTQ literature in any way we can including hosting authors for guest spots and discussing the relevant issues.

Why do you do what you do?

This is a question I get a lot. The short answer is I love to read, and I love this genre. Even before I expanded the blog and started meeting more and more people in the genre, there was just something about it that just fit for me. I have a ton of friends in the genre, on both sides of the pen. I fully believe what Dreamspinner Press author Andrew Grey said at RainbowCon 2014, the literature leads the way. It isn’t a coincidence that the rise in the acceptance of GLBTQ fiction has paralleled the acceptance of GLBTQ in society and the fight for equality.

The other answer is I love to talk books. I may be a introvert and anti-social, but get me started on books and I don’t shut up ;)

What does Prism Book Alliance offer besides reviews?

While we offer, on average, 30-40 reviews per week, we also offer readers 6-10 giveaways each week, either exclusive to us or as part of larger blog tours. We offer exclusive content from favorite authors, as well as those you don’t yet know are your favorites.

We, also, have a few regular columns for your entertainment and/or edification:
  • Five Thing Friday - This is just a fun way to get to know all the reviewers at Prism Book Alliance. Each week we tackle a different topic
  • Sunday Spotlight - Every Sunday one or more of the Prism Book Alliance reviewers will tackle a topic relevant to the genre. It could be serious or fun, current event or a diversion. You never know what we will cover until we cover it.
  • Outside the Margins - We kicked off this really great column in August that we have chosen to call Outside the Margins. I have asked some of my favorite authors and people to talk to my readers once a month about a topic that is dear to them. I have given them free reign on these, so I never know what they will cover. Our OTM authors include Brandon Witt, Diana Copland, Johnny Williams, Sue Brown, L Dean Pace-Frech, Dorien Grey, JP Barnaby, Christopher Koehler, and RJ Scott.
  • Prism Recommended Reads - This is a monthly award we offer to the best of the books we reviewed in a month. 
What is with the name Prism Book Alliance?

Oh that is a fairly boring story… I have had a review blog for about 2.5 years. In it’s most recent incarnation is was called Brandilyn Reviews Books. When I decided to expand and bring on more reviewers, that name no longer worked. One night the original 8 or 10 of the new reviewers and I were chatting on Facebook trying to come up with a new name that encompassed what we were trying to do. Since we want to be more than just a review blog, we wanted to leave the term “reviews” out of the title. There were also we too many blogs with “Rainbow” in the title, so we started wordsmithing and throwing out ideas.

I am not big on spelling things out too explicitly, I like to let people think… Prism represents the sexuality/gender identity spectrum. Alliance is a nod to all of our geeky sides. Book was thrown in to bring us back to literature in some way. The tagline, “Celebrating diversity through literature,” took even longer for us to settle on, but I think it encompasses our mission completely.

Who is Prism Book Alliance?

Well, I guess you could say that I am the “face” of Prism Book Alliance as it is my baby, but Prism would not be a fraction of the blog is without the fabulously awesome Prism team. Some review once or twice a month,. Some review once or twice a day. Most are somewhere in-between. We all have very different tastes, likes, and dislikes, but we all want to see this genre succeed, and more importantly, we believe in equality for all persons.

The Prism Team consists of:
  • Brandilyn - That is me
  • Adriana
  • Beverley 
  • Caroline
  • Christine
  • Feliz
  • Josie Goodreads
  • LeatherSkater - Our resident smart ass ;) 
  • Leisa
  • Lirtle Grafton
  • Madame Aus - coming soon
  • Optimist *King’s Wench* 
  • Paisley
  • PizzyGirl
  • Shelby
  • Teresa
  • Ulysses
I want to meet my favorite reviewer, where can I?

Well that depends. A number of us will be in Chicago in October for GRL, so feel free to find us there. Myself, Christine, Lirtle, Paisley, and PizzyGirl are all planning to be there.
Beverley and Josie are both planning to go to the UK Gay Romance Signing Event in September

Looking ahead to 2015, I will be at The Novel Experience in April, RT Conference in May, Austin Author Affair in May, and GRL in October 2015 (well that is the plan).

You torture Authors with silly questions - why don’t you answer a few?

Fine I will ask a few of the authors I have tort… err… interviewed in the past to come up with some questions…

How will the world end?

Not with a bang but a whimper…

What trope do you wish was permanently retired?

This is a dangerous question… My answer would probably change based on what I am reading and my mood…. But I would say Gay For You, or maybe just the TITLE of the trope… I used to adore this trope because of the “love so strong that what is between your legs doesn’t matter” ideal, but it is overdone and has become quite formulaic. It also assumes that people are either completely gay or completely straight. The Kinsey scale is a scale for a reason. The GLBTQ spectrum is called a spectrum for a reason. I have a hard time reading gay for you without rolling my eyes often times.

You lock three M/M authors in a room and drop in one item. Who are the authors, what is the item, and what happens?

JP Barnaby, Grace Duncan, and James Buchanan… Flogger… Do I need to paint the picture?

If Mitch left Vegas in Old Blue carrying a load of two headed frogs and doesn't stop for 500 Miles, when does he get to the Green Monstrosity?

It’s just a matter of time…

What's your favorite thing to wear?

Jeans and t-shirts (year round… in Houston…)

If you were having a coffee klatch, name five characters, each from a different book, with whom you'd like to share that special time with.

hmm… this could be interesting for sure. Okay sticking with M/M characters… Stefan Joss from Timing by Mary Calmes, Deacon from Keeping Promise Rock by Amy Lane, Kira from Point of No Return by NR Walker, Kyle from Tales from Foster High by John Goode, and Dylan from the Infected Series by Andrea Speed.

What is your favorite lollipop flavor, and which character in a favorite book would you like to see suck on that sucker?

Favorite flavor is probably grape, unless you want to count Sugar Daddy’s as a flavor… (the candy people, though.. anyway…I digress)… as for character I would like to see suck on that sucker… Cooper Jones from the Thomas Elkin series by NR Walker. I think he would be quite, ummm… entertaining to say the least.

What are you reading right now and what is next on your to-be-read list?

Since I am answering this about a week before it goes live, I will have finished most of what is on my immediate TBR by the time you read this. Currently, I am reading Grand Slam by JT Cheyanne and Nothing Special by Jay Northcote. Next up will be either Names Can Never Hurt Me by Wade Kelly or Murder on the Mountain by Jamie Fessenden.

Rapid Fire Time:

Coke or Pepsi? Dr. Pepper (Caffeine Free)
Alone or At a Party? Alone
Tea of Coffee? Neither - I don’t do caffeine
Any Tattoos or piercings? Two holes in each earlobe that have not seen earrings in about 15 years
Vodka or Tequila? neither, I don’t drink. At one time in my past I would have said Tequila, however.
Music or TV/Movies? Music
Beach or Mountains? Beach
Porsche or Prius? Since I drive a Prius, I will go with that.

Where Can Readers Find Out more about Prism Book Alliance?


How can Authors contact Prism Book Alliance to have their book reviewed or to make a guest appearance?

We have a handy dandy little contact us form that will take care of all your contact needs: http://www.prismbookalliance.com/contact-us/

It is seriously the easiest, fastest way to get in contact with me :)

Be sure to check out our submission guidelines.

Giveaway

What is a guest appearance without a giveaway? I have a $10 All Romance eBooks or Amazon gift card (winner’s choice) for one lucky commenter. All you have to do is answer a simple question… Who is your favorite M/M literary couple?