September 29, 2013

Beyond Clockwork by Jennifer Cierra


Beyond Clockwork by Jennifer Cierra is now available in e-book format!

Pinocchio never had to deal with rusty gears. He probably never had to deal with broken hearts, either.

In the city of the Young Queens, magic abounds alongside mechanics. Terrin Shore, the Clockmaker of the southern slums, likes to consider himself a master craftsman, but he can’t deny that his dolls are endowed with a certain veracity. He stopped making wind-up toys years ago, yet his dolls still move, speaking and interacting with such grace and humanity that he is tempted to forget they’re false. He makes a living from his skills, selling dolls to aristocrats and nobles with gold to spare.

Ian is Terrin’s most lifelike doll. Crafted in such detail that he can pass for human at a casual glance, he was made in the image of Terrin’s closest friend, master thief Christiansen Townsend. Ian, however, is not Christiansen. He has a personality and attitude of his own, along with a rebellious streak. Despite his artificiality, he is head over heels in love with Terrin. Still, he knows how unlikely it is a doll-maker will fall in love with a doll.

When Christiansen is injured while fleeing from the city’s peacekeeping officers, Ian has a choice to make. Does he stand back and let Christiansen be submitted to the Young Queens’ justice, where the thief will likely be executed? Or will he sacrifice himself for Terrin’s and Christiansen’s happily ever after? And is that even what Terrin really wants?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 25, 2013

Where the Heart Chooses by Tinnean


Where the Heart Chooses by Tinnean is now available in e-book format!

Portia Sebring was born into a family that’s considered royalty in the intelligence community, and the fact that she’s a woman doesn’t preclude her from joining the “family business.” A linguistic genius, she’s recruited by her older brother to decipher Russian codes for the Venona Project. While at Arlington Hall, she meets Nigel Mann, a CIA officer known as Mr. Freeze, who’s been vetted to the NSA. Unbeknownst to Portia, her father is behind the meeting. Rumor has it that Portia, called the ice princess, is also a lesbian, and at this time in America -- the late ’50s -- it could negate any veracity to the codes she deciphers. A match with an equally cold man who won’t distract her from her work seems the ideal solution in her father’s eyes.

Things don’t go quite according to plan, as both Portia and Nigel develop strong feelings for each other. They marry and eventually start a family. However, the lifetime together they anticipate is cut short when Nigel’s jet crashes on New Year’s Day, 1978. Devastated, but with a thirteen-year-old son depending on her, Portia has no choice but to go on after Nigel’s death.

When Quinton, her son, is approached to join the US Equestrian Team for the 1980 Summer Olympics, she’s pleased and proud, but those plans are dashed due to the government’s boycott of the Games. To distract him, Portia takes him to France on a wine-buying trip, and it’s there that Quinton first feels an attraction for someone of his own sex. Portia, a wise mother, is aware, but since she herself had a same-sex affair in her early twenties, she’s very accepting of this.

Along with Gregor, her trusted bodyguard and devoted family friend, she watches as Quinton follows in his father's and her footsteps in the "family business," and finally finds a partner worthy of him, WBIS agent Mark Vincent. She’s happy for them, but sure that she won’t love again, since Sebrings have their “one” and she's lost hers, but is she right?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 24, 2013

The King's Secret by Wayne Mansfield


The King's Secret by Wayne Mansfield is now available in e-book format!

For years Pan has been living happily with King Seronisis at his palace. Yet nothing can compare with the happiness Pan experiences whenever he is able to visit his parents and sisters on their farm by the Great Forest.Being the king’s lover and most trusted confidante is a dangerous thing to be.

When Pan returns to the palace after a month-long visit with his family, he stops along the way to bathe in a small lake not far from the palace. But during his swim, his escorts disappear and Pan is abducted.

Terrified, all Pan can think of is what his beloved King Seronisis will think when he doesn’t arrive home on time. He's taken across the desert to a cave where his captor lives in exile. When he discovers the reason for his abduction, he wonders how he can warn Seronisis of the forthcoming threat his abductor poses to the monarch. But how can he escape? And will he ever see his lover, King Seronisis, again?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 23, 2013

Panic by Peter Melillo


Panic by Peter Melillo is now available in e-book format!

Arthur Fredrickson is back from Iraq, convicted of the brutal murder of seventeen year old Ali Hussein. He has no recollection of removing the clip from Ali's AK-47 and then pumping twelve rounds into his body while they were on sentry duty. The lawyer Arthur’s parents hired to defend him wants to use the Homosexual Panic Defense, if Arthur would rescind his confession of murder under threat of torture.

Arthur surmises his exposure to the "gay bomb" pheromones while handling specially marked artillery shells had suddenly worn off and caused him to go into a blind rage at the gay sex he was having with Ali. But Ahmed, Ali’s best friend since early childhood, implies the murder was caused by Ali wanting Arthur to stop the romantic aspect of their guard duty sex. But then, Ahmed and Ali also had a history before the war began.

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 22, 2013

Journey Into the Unknown by Tillie Wells


Journey Into the Unknown by Tillie Wells is now available in e-book format!

Miranda is a professional accountant with a boring, staid life. Then Kiley Parrish is transferred to Miranda's section. Kiley is a happy, exciting woman and as they become friends, Miranda's life changes from boring to adventurous; and not only does her life change, but also her thoughts about gay and lesbian people.

Kiley introduces Miranda into the world of gay rights and steamy lesbian nights. Exposed to parties, touchy-feely encounters, and close dancing with other women, Miranda begins to yearn for the closeness of a relationship with another woman. But isn't she straight? And Kiley is her friend, but could she be something more?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 21, 2013

Terry O'Reilly on The Dragon


Terry O'Reilly on The Dragon ...

What's the record for giving birth to a story? I probably don't hold it, but it sure seemed like it with my latest release The Dragon.

It all started over seven years ago when I met Randy online. He was handsome, sexy and had the most marvelous dragon tattoo. As you can see from the picture, it starts on his chest, coils around his body, and goes down his left leg. As Randy and I talked, I became infatuated with him, as did my muse. I began to think about a story involving a young man who is forced into the life of a pirate who feels obligated to brand himself with a tattoo of a dragon. The tattoo seems likely to prove his undoing.

The short story started and stalled, fizzed then fizzled. Other ideas came and pushed Thor -- my pirate character -- into the background. Other stories were written while Thor patiently waited. For several years I left the poor man hanging in the rigging of the mainmast of a seventeenth century sailing ship. But I never fully forsook him, opening the file frequently, reading what I had written, making a note or two, and doing research on pirates' lives.


Finally, Thor begged to have his story told. He was becoming seasick and his hands were blistered from so long being on a pitching ship and clinging to a swaying mast. I took pity on him and finished the book. Yes, the book. It had grown from a short tale to a novel.

I hope Thor -- and his inspiration Randy -- find this tale worth the reading. I also hope it takes less time to read than it did to write.

Terry O'Reilly
terry-oreilly.com

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 20, 2013

J.M. Snyder on I'll Take the Rain


J.M. Snyder on I'll Take the Rain ...

You may or may not know that, once upon a time, I wrote fan fiction. That's how I got into M/M erotic romance in the first place, way back in 1998. This story began life long ago as former fan fiction, but I really liked it and wanted to tweak it into something new.

I always thought this story was about true love withstanding whatever tests are thrown at it from all sides. The main character is young and immature, and his insecurities drive a wedge between himself and his boyfriend. His boyfriend is older and disgusted at his antics, but the communication between them has broken down to the point where, instead of conversation, they resort to barbed words and stinging feelings. Throw a roommate into the mix, who only sees the bad side of their relationship, and things come to a head quickly.

In my opinion, the story ends on a positive note. However, my writers' group thought the relationship was borderline abusive, which was a bit more than what I intended. They only read small snippets of it, so I'm very curious what other readers think about the story and how the characters are portrayed. If you like it, if you don't, please leave a comment and let me know!

J.M. Snyder
jmsnyder.net

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 19, 2013

Paul Alan Fahey on Garden Reach


Paul Alan Fahey on Garden Reach ...

In the beginning, it was this want ad that drew Evelyn to such an isolated area on the Pacific coast:

"Garden Reach
Now avail lux 1 & 2 bedrm suites, magnif renov
estate overlkng Pacific. Spect vus! 80 mi
N of SF. Bird watchrs' paradise, pvt bch.
Just $750K. Senior wmn only.
Interested parties please contact Lilah Sarkees at ..."

Garden Reach is about second chances. Many people believe we've lived more than one life down though the ages. Some of us even manage to start over in a single lifetime and reinvent ourselves again and again. The whole idea of second chances -- the realization that we're not quite finished and there's more to see, do, and accomplish -- has fascinated me since childhood.

The main character in my story, Evelyn Richards, truly believes in second chances. In the winter of her years and after her husband's death, she sells her home and household belongings and moves north to a seaside Victorian mansion she shares with three other women.

However, once she settles into her nest and the months go by, Evelyn has second and third thoughts about her new home and soon discovers if she isn't careful, her fresh new start may indeed lead to a dead end.

Garden Reach is very much influenced by the books I read and the films I watched as a child and adolescent. Shirley Jackson's The Haunting of Hill House and Daphne du Maurier's Rebecca were surely on my mind when I created the story's atmosphere and the odd inhabitants of the mansion. Is Garden Reach a suspense thriller or a black comedy? Of course in the end, you'll be the judge. I always enjoy hearing from readers. Please let me know your thoughts after reading the story.

Paul Alan Fahey
paulalanfahey.com

Read an excerpt or buy a copy of GARDEN REACH today!

September 18, 2013

The Dragon by Terry O'Reilly


The Dragon by Terry O'Reilly is now available in e-book format!

Raised in an orphanage after being found abandoned on the London docks as a newborn baby, without a known last name nor date of birth, Theodore has but one friend, Seth, a fellow orphan. Destiny takes Theodore away from Seth and back to the sea when he comes of age and is found an apprenticeship on a vessel in the English merchant navy.

Thor, as he becomes known aboard ship, soon falls for Miguel, the handsome boatswain. However, his life is turned upside down when their ship is raided. Miguel is torn from his life and Thor is taken hostage and forced into the life of a pirate aboard The Dragon. Both attracted to and repulsed by the evil Captain Wyvern, Thor finds the large dragon tattoo -- the symbol of the rank of the ship's captain -- taking hold of him and binding him to the man.

Fate intervenes once more and Thor is elected captain of The Dragon when Wyvern is killed during a raid. Dismayed by Wyvern's ruthlessness, Thor is determined to show humanity to those vessels his crew plunders now that he is in charge. But despite his growing wealth, power, and reputation, Thor is restless and unfulfilled. He feels his life is not yet complete and somehow reaches beyond the decks of the pirate ship he now captains.

A raid on a Dutch merchant ship brings yet another twist to Thor's life when someone from his past is found on board. Thor now has to face hard choices, the most difficult of which involves deciding if he can leave the sea and make a new life on land with his rediscovered love. But with a price on his head and a large tattoo of a dragon on his body, can Thor escape his past life of a pirate?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 17, 2013

I'll Take the Rain by J.M. Snyder


I'll Take the Rain by J.M. Snyder is now available in e-book format!

My boyfriend and I go to the same college, and one of the things I enjoy most is sharing a room with him. Sharing a bed. I hoped living together would improve our relationship, which has grown rocky as of late.

But he's the jealous type, and I always seem to say or do the wrong thing at the wrong time. I don't mean to provoke him; sometimes I just don't think how my actions might hurt him.

Unfortunately, our roommate only sees us when we're at our worst, so she thinks things are bad between us. When he's angry enough at me to kick me out of bed and I have to sleep on the couch. When he snaps at me for flirting with her, even though he knows I don't mean anything by it. She never sees how wonderful he is to me sometimes, or how perfect we can be together when we're alone.

I hope her misplaced concern won't come between us. Or maybe it'll be my own stupidity that tears us apart.

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 16, 2013

Garden Reach by Paul Alan Fahey


Garden Reach by Paul Alan Fahey is now available in e-book format!

Are second chances possible? Evelyn Richards thinks so. After the death of her husband, she travels to a remote spot on the Pacific coast. There, on a windswept bluff above a rugged, rocky shore, she moves into a luxurious suite in a renovated Victorian home. Evelyn immediately falls in love with the remote and wild setting, as well as with the renovated home, Garden Reach, which she shares with three other women in circumstances similar to hers.

Evelyn is especially drawn to the owner, Lilah Sarkees, an exotic and attractive woman who owns the mansion and acts as hostess for the residents. But two months after settling in, Evelyn is beginning to have doubts about her ability to adjust to these new surroundings.

What is it that makes her so uneasy? Why is Garden Reach -- initially so full of hope and promise -- now a place of danger that could threaten her very existence? Will she survive, or will Garden Reach claim another victim?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 15, 2013

Benedict by Hayden Thorne


Benedict by Hayden Thorne is now available in e-book format!

A young person’s sixteenth birthday is an important rite of passage that’s celebrated in the land of marionettes. A quarterly dance at the king’s palace for recent celebrants marks the highlight of a teenager’s year, where youngsters of all classes are invited to mingle and dance and enjoy themselves, forging new friendships and potential romances, all of which are expected to shape their lives for the better.

Benedict is a boy from a privileged household. Spoiled and taught his role as the future benefactor to those less fortunate, he’s grown up with specific strictures on how to behave toward others, and he’s learned to look to his elders for unequivocal guidance.

Just before the next dance at the king’s palace—a dance where Benedict, having just turned sixteen, is invited—a few strange things begin to happen. First, there’s the matter regarding Jeremy, Benedict’s friend, who lives in a poor cottage with his mother and grandmother in the woods. Jeremy’s not only been acting oddly, but also is missing some of his marionette strings. No amount of prodding from Benedict yields answers, and the more he tries to delve into things, the more Jeremy pushes away.

Secondly, there’s the matter regarding birds insisting that Benedict go to the palace to find the lost prince. With nothing but a key and obtuse instructions to go by, Benedict attempts to humor the birds but gradually realizes that the answer to the mystery of the lost prince could very well be a lot more personal than he’d first believed, especially when he sees Jeremy somehow being involved in it.

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 10, 2013

Stockton County Cowboys Book 2: Riding Cowboys by R.W. Clinger


Stockton County Cowboys Book 2: Riding Cowboys by R.W. Clinger is now available in e-book format!

Cal Hoke, an onsite pretty boy veterinarian at Riding Ranch in Stockton County, Oklahoma, has a secret he will never share with his ranch hand coworkers: he happens to be in love with the ranch owner, Pax Raulton.

Straight and sexy Pax is a chiseled, handsome, aggressive businessman at Riding Ranch. For years he has raised and sold thoroughbred Palominos. Pax is a private man who minds his own business on the ranch. When he suffers a head injury caused by one of his prized horses, he spends days in recovery due to amnesia. Pax cannot remember a single detail from his past.

Under Cal’s personal care and tender touch, Pax is provided with the help he needs to overcome his amnesia. As this healing process takes place, Cal learns Pax has a secret of his own, a secret that will change the two men forever.

But something lurks in Pax’s history that he has forgotten, a dangerous and charmless someone with the potential to shred Pax’s world with ease. Is the bond between Pax and Cal strong enough to keep them together when the dark secret is exposed? Or will the two cowboys force to end their romantic ride together?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 9, 2013

Shortcut by Peter Melillo


Shortcut by Peter Melillo is now available in e-book format!

Curious why a man is tied to a tree, sixty-year-old Griffith investigates and is attacked by two deserters who are AWOL from the U.S. military. They had planned to kill the effeminate Danny Fallow in a supposed 'Kill a Fag for Jesus' contest. After Griffith gets the situation under control, he discovers a murder for hire and insurance fraud scheme with twenty-year-old Danny as the victim.

With Danny to look after, Griffith discovers he has been so indoctrinated by a fundamentalist form of Christianity that he lives in a permanent state of shame and denial about his sexuality. Can he help Danny come to terms with his desires and maybe pave the way for a happier future together?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 5, 2013

Jeff Adams on Hat Trick


I worked on Hat Trick over a span of six years. There's been a lot of advancement for LGBT rights during that time and among them is the creation of the You Can Play project, which debuted in March 2012.

You Can Play has an important mission: You Can Play is dedicated to ensuring equality, respect and safety for all athletes, without regard to sexual orientation. You Can Play works to guarantee that athletes are given a fair opportunity to compete, judged by other athletes and fans alike, only by what they contribute to the sport or their team's success. You Can Play seeks to challenge the culture of locker rooms and spectator areas by focusing only on an athlete's skills, work ethic and competitive spirit.

While, at its core, Hat Trick is a love story between two high school hockey players, Simon Roberts and Alex Miller, the sport is a dominant force in their lives. Their team is on a quest to win the state championship for the first time in years and the two don't want to shift focus from that goal. Plus, for Simon in particular, hockey is a potential ticket to the college of his choice with a scholarship that will allow him to be less reliant on his parents.

I was deliberate in writing the coach characters in Hat Trick so they would be more interested in what Simon and Alex bring to the game rather than their couple status. This is especially true of their high school coach that they work with every day. As the guys are forced out of the closet, Coach Archer is very direct that, as long as the Simon and Alex continue to play the game he expects, their positions on the team are secure. As You Can Play says in its videos: If you can play ... you can play.

In just its first year, You Can Play has repeated the message with an array of players ranging from NHL stars, to college athletes, to others from leagues around the country. It's empowering for young LGBT people to hear it as they figure out their sexuality while wanting to pursue sports. It's also serves notice to the haters that their offensive language and bullying will not be tolerated. You Can Play may have started in hockey, but the message is relevant to all sports.

I'm proud, as a gay hockey player myself and as the author of Hat Trick, that I am able to use the story as a small way to spread the You Can Play message. I believe in the organization so much, that I'm donating one dollar for each copy of Hat Trick sold (both e-book and paperback) to You Can Play so they can continue to do their important work.

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 4, 2013

To Protect the Heir by H. Lewis-Foster


To Protect the Heir by H. Lewis-Foster is now available in e-book format!

In 16th Century Scotland, the clans are in a state of relative peace, but the younger sons of the Strathyre clan are still expected to serve two years of military service. Mackie isn't a keen soldier, but his duties have been made more bearable by highly pleasurable encounters with fellow conscripts, particularly the muscle-bound cavalryman, Stirling. With their green kilts hoisted round their hips, the men find ways of staying warm in the inhospitable Scottish climate.

Mackie’s least favorite task is lookout duty in the woods outside the chieftain's castle, where he's unexpectedly forced into action when he spies an intruder among the trees. He’s never seen real combat before and, as a result of the incident, is assigned to accompany the chieftain's eldest son Alexander to his uncle's castle in Braelen. Alexander is an amicable young man, who treats Mackie and his colleagues with respect, and is also extremely attractive.

The trip should be short and uneventful, but when disaster strikes, Mackie’s strength and bravery are put to the test. But soon he finds himself in an even more risky situation, as it becomes clear Alexander wants more from him than simply protection. Mackie knows he’ll get into trouble if he succumbs, but he also feels sympathy for Alexander, whose sexual freedom has been curtailed by the need to provide an heir to the clan. As they continue towards Braelen, Mackie tries to maintain the proper distance between a soldier and his master, but as the pair are confronted with danger, will the temptation of the chieftain’s son become too much to bear?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 2, 2013

Meeting Sonja by Eva Hore


Meeting Sonja by Eva Hore is now available in e-book format!

Have you ever fallen for someone the first time you meet them? Sonja is exactly what I’ve been searching for, but will she be interested in me?

There's an innocence about Sonja, but under that demure exterior, I find a smoldering, sensual woman just as interested in experimentation and pleasure as I.

If I ask her, will she say yes?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!

September 1, 2013

Hat Trick by Jeff Adams


Hat Trick by Jeff Adams is now available in e-book format!

Simon Roberts’ plan for his senior year is simple -- help his high school hockey team win the state championship and earn a college scholarship so he can get away from his dysfunctional family, especially his belligerent father and obnoxious older brother.

When the Central High Falcons open their season with an away game, Simon is forced to deal with the problem he’s struggled with for months -- his crush on teammate Alex Miller. After the game that night, Alex makes an unexpected announcement -- he’s gay, and in love with Simon.

Simon’s elated but scared to openly acknowledge that he’s gay, especially with so much at stake in their senior year. Now that they’re out to each other they have to decide what to do next. Should they date? Should they keep things between them secret? What about the team? Can Simon and Alex hide that they’re more than friends from the guys they spend so much time with?

Then a simple kiss is witnessed and their secret is out. The team fractures, and Simon’s family explodes as news about the gay hockey players quickly spreads. The guys must figure out how to move forward with everyone watching. Being the center of attention was in no way part of Simon’s plan for the year.

Can Simon juggle school, commitments to the team, his new relationship, and an unexpected tragedy all before the end of the hockey season?

Read an excerpt or buy a copy today!