Blog | Parker Williams

The Librarian Book Blast

Author Bio:

Somewhere in a small town in up-state New York are a librarian and a second grade teacher to whom I owe my life. That might be a touch dramatic, but it’s nevertheless one hundred percent true.

Because they taught me the joy of reading, of escaping into worlds crafted of words.

Have you ever been nine years old and sure of nothing so much as that you don’t belong? Looked at the world from behind glasses, and wondered why you don’t fit?

Someone hands you a book, and then you turn the page and see… There you are, running from Injun Joe in a dark graveyard; there you are fencing with Athos; there you are…beneath the deep blue sea- marveling at exotic creatures with Captain Nemo.

I found myself between the pages of books, and that is why I write now. It’s why I taught English and literature for so many years, and it’s why my house contains more pounds of books than furniture.

If I’d had my way, I’d have been a fencer…or a starship captain, or a lawyer, or a detective solving crimes. But instead, I am a writer, and I’ve come to realize that’s the best thing in the world to be, because as a writer, I can be all those things and more.

If I hadn’t learned to value the stories between the pages, who knows what would have happened? Certainly not college…teaching…or writing.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lee.brazil

Twitter: @leebrazil

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/leebrazil/

Publisher: Lime Time Press

Cover Artist: Laura Harner

Blurb(s):

A rash vow of celibacy puts Valentine Michaels in the path of seduction.

Val is at a crossroads in his life. A college dropout, he’s gone as far as he can in his career as a cosmetologist, owning his own style salon. He no longer finds satisfaction in it, though he’s put years into proving to his bigoted parents that a college degree and the veneer of straightness aren’t the only roads to success. They’d turned their backs on him, and he proved he didn’t need them to make it.

His love life is no better than his working life. His relationships always start with a bang and fizzle into boredom, or worse, anger.

Adrian Grey has his own agenda for helping Val: he’s been in love with Val since they were freshmen. The intervening years of listening to Val’s gossip about his lovers and relationships have taught Adrian just what it was he did wrong all those years ago, and he thinks this time around he now knows exactly how to get—and keep—his man.

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Romance

Excerpt:

Impatiently, Val flipped his powder-blue locks over his shoulder, tapping the little whisk broom against the counter where his supplies were arranged neatly. “Derek, you left me standing around at Paul’s for an hour, a place I totally hate by the way, without even a phone call to say you weren’t coming, and then I walk past you playing ball in the park with your friends on the way back here. I’m not overreacting!”

He ran a swift eye over his supplies. Scissors, combs, spray bottle with water, gel, mousse. Everything in order. While he prepared his workstation, he listened with half an ear to the deep voice on the other end of the phone, trying to explain or rationalize or whatever, but he wasn’t into hearing what Derek had to say. The guy was an immature jerk who put his own wants ahead of everything, even if it meant leaving Val standing in a group of young college kids he barely knew, in a bar he usually avoided like the plague. He’d gone to the party in the first place for Derek. Being stood up while doing something so selfless pissed him off. Just once in a relationship, Val wanted to find a guy who put him first, who loved him more than sports, friends, and all the other temptations the wicked world offered. “Just forget it, Derek. You don’t get it. It’s not just last night; it’s the whole last few months.”

More rumbling and babbling in his ear. He ran a dust cloth over the client’s chair and then adjusted its height. Prepping his station at the salon was second nature and required little of his attention. Kind of like listening to Derek. Why the fuck do I listen to this shit? Derek had all the emotional understanding of a two-ton truck. Cute as hell, but clueless about what would melt Val’s heart. In fact, Derek might accurately be called dense altogether. A little consideration, a romantic gesture or two, would go a long way. Hell, an apology instead of an excuse would probably have gotten him a second chance even this morning. Eh. Who are you kidding? Derek is a symptom, not the illness itself. “Fuck off, Derek. It’s over. Do me a favor and lose my number, okay?”

Flipping the phone shut, he shoved it into the pocket of his smock and busied himself cleaning up his workspace. A quick spray of glass cleaner to the mirror, a swipe or two with a rag, and he was done. Done with Derek, done with men, done with romance and love and sex, and fuck it all. He could be celibate. Masturbation didn’t count as sex, did it? He’d need something if he wasn’t getting any.

Pages or Words: 22,000 Words

Interview

1 – What is your secret indulgence?

Well… um… I can’t tell you. It wouldn’t be a secret then, would it? Okay, fine. Olives. Those green ones that are loaded with sodium.

2 – Favorite way to unwind at the end of the day?

Music + Tequila

Tour Dates: February 24, 2015

Tour Stops:

Parker Williams, Havan Fellows, Divine Magazine, Amanda C. Stone, Molly Lolly, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, My Fiction Nook, Bayou Book Junkie, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Kimi-Chan, Inked Rainbow Reads, Bike Book Reviews, MM Good Book Reviews, BFD Book Blog, The Hat Party, Cate Ashwood, It’s Raining Men, Michael Mandrake, Andrew Q. Gordon, Velvet Panic, Iyana Jenna, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Fallen Angel Reviews, Dawn’s Reading Nook

Sales Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00T8G2IKC

Smashwords : https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/517097

All Romance : https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thelibrarian-1740464-149.html

Direct From Author Via Payhip : https://payhip.com/b/tz3n

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Continue reading

Here Without You Book Tour

Author Bio:

Mia Kerick is the mother of four exceptional children—all named after saints—and five nonpedigreed cats—all named after the next best thing to saints, Boston Red Sox players. Her husband of twenty-two years has been told by many that he has the patience of Job, but don’t ask Mia about that, as it is a sensitive subject.

Mia focuses her stories on the emotional growth of troubled young people and their relationships, and she believes that physical intimacy has a place in a love story, but not until it is firmly established as a love story. As a teen, Mia filled spiral-bound notebooks with romantic tales of tortured heroes (most of whom happened to strongly resemble lead vocalists of 1980s big-hair bands) and stuffed them under her mattress for safekeeping. She is thankful to Dreamspinner Press, Harmony Ink Press, and CreateSpace for providing her with alternate places to stash her stories.

Mia is a social liberal and cheers for each and every victory made in the name of human rights, especially marital equality. Her only major regret: never having taken typing or computer class in school, destining her to a life consumed with two-fingered pecking and constant prayer to the Gods of Technology.

Where to find Mia:

Blog: www.miakerick.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mia.kerick

Dreamspinner Author Arcade: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/AuthorArcade/mia-kerick/bio/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6474518.Mia_Kerick

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MiaKerick

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Paul Richmond (Photograph by Dan Skinner)

Blurb(s):

With all of his scratched and dented heart, Nate DeMarco wants to be two places at once, but he’s been forced to make an unbearable choice. Having barely survived high school, Nate and his boyfriends, Casey Minton and Zander Zane, are ready to move forward in life. Casey and Zander have left home to attend Boston City College. Nate remains in New Hampshire to protect his volatile younger sister from their increasingly violent, alcoholic uncle. Nate suffers with anger, resentment, and loneliness as he battles what he wants against what he feels he must do.

Now separated, the young men fight to stay in contact. However, they’re each faced with their own separate issues. Casey must cope with residual fear from having been bullied in high school. Zander obsesses over the establishment of One Voice, the new gay-straight alliance at Boston City College. Nate fights for his sister’s very survival. Meanwhile, the intensity of the boys’ relationship increases, both sexually and emotionally, as happens in long distance relationships.

Nate’s futile effort to live two lives leads to tragedy, which blasts Nate, Casey, and Zander apart. Can the three young men find their way back to a united path before it’s too late?

Categories: Contemporary, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Menage/Poly, New Adult, Romance

Excerpt:

2 NATE’S DIARY

August 23 (they only been gone about half a week now)

SO MAYBE this is a bit fucked up, but I’m gonna put it down on paper in black and white, and maybe when I read it back to myself, it’ll seem more normal.

Here’s the thing. Like Casey says, us three is a throuple. Three dudes in love. Whatever. Cuz I sure as shit love them guys, and nothin’s gonna change that. So, yeah. There’s two dudes in place A and one dude, alone, in place B. I just figured them two would be gettin’ busy in bed in their fancy dorm room whenever they had a chance—cuz that’s what guys do, right?

Well, apparently not so much. Last night they Skyped me. There them two were, sittin’ all cozy on Casey’s rainbow-colored bedspread. The floppy stuffed unicorn that me and Zander gave him for Christmas junior year was propped up behind ’em, starin’ at the computer, like it was lookin’ right at yours truly. I felt real alone and a little like a loser (fucked-up fact is they only been gone a couple days), but I leaned back on my bed and acted like I didn’t give a shit.

Casey said, in this adorable proper voice, “Nate, there’s a topic Zander and I feel it’s imperative we discuss. It’s a matter of great importance.” He already sounds like a doctor, and he’s only a freshman in college.

Zander was just starin’ into the computer at me, sorta studyin’ my I-don’t-give-a-shit-about-nothin’ expression.

“What’s such a big friggin’ deal, babe? Lay it on me.” That was pretty cool soundin’, I thought.

“Well, Zander and I want to have a discussion about…. Nate, we want to discuss physical intimacy. In that….”

Even on Skype I could see that two spots on Casey’s cheeks had turned bright pink. Looked like he was having trouble spittin’ this out. And he was the talker in our throuple.

“Zander and I are here together, without you, and we’ve talked about this—”

“I expect you two’ve been goin’ to town on each other every night since you got to college and are prob’ly itchin’ to strip each other down right now.” Both of my guys’ eyes popped open wide when I said that.

“Actually, Nate.” Zander spoke up cuz it seemed that Casey was suddenly at a loss for words. “We haven’t, and we’re not gonna.”

“Huh?” That just kinda flew outta my mouth. “Come again, guy?”

Casey found his voice. “We aren’t going to sleep together unless you’re with us. We discussed it, and neither of us think it would feel right.” He glanced at Zander, and them two nodded at each other. “We aren’t going to do anything in bed together until you’re here for a visit.”

Pages or Words: 216 pages

Interview

On a scale of one to ten, how much of an emotional toll did this book take on you and why?

Thank you very much for hosting me on your blog today, I am so pleased to be here on my Here Without You book tour. This is a very interesting and maybe slightly complicated question, as Here Without You is the first sequel to Us Three, in the series that is called The One Voice Series.

I hope it is okay that I backtrack a bit, and start by discussing Us Three. I did some intense research on bullying in order to write Us Three, which was a YA novel. And great deal of the bullying tactics I included hit quite close to home because I focused on the ways females bully. Although in this story one of the female bullies escalates to violent physical bullying, much of the girls’ (the Queen Bees) tactics were emotional. They encouraged others to gang up against Casey and make him feel isolated, they employed social media to harass him, and they even used simple dialogue to humiliate him. And having personally experienced some of that kind of treatment in the past at the hands of other girls, it took a toll on me to write about it because it brought me back to high school and all of the feelings of rejection and isolation. In addition, to apply this pain this to a very sweet character like Casey who I had grown to love in a short period of time, was not easy to do. I would rate the emotional toll Us Three took on me as a 7-8. The first scene of the book, however, I would rate as a 9.

Here Without You does not focus on bullying, but instead it centers on physical and emotional abuse in a domestic relationship. Fortunately, I have not experienced the kind of physical and emotional abuse that Nate and his younger sister, Cindy, face at the hands of their guardian, Uncle Rich. Nate was finally in a position to leave his dangerous home; he had made it through high school and had an opportunity to go with his boyfriends to Boston to study culinary arts. But he was trapped in that he felt he could not leave his volatile younger sister in the hands of his more volatile alcoholic uncle. Cindy’s insolent behavior led to merciless beatings—not of her but of Nate, by their enraged uncle. And as the story progresses, the assaults on Nate become more and more frequent. This physical abuse and Nate’s inability to deal with it, was very difficult to write, as I knew Nate much better when writing Here Without You than I did while writing the first book in the series, and I had grown attached to him. I knew how deeply he loves Casey and Zander, how he is truly very needy for them but feels he must appear strong. In fact, in writing this story, I realized that his physical largeness also contributes to his sense that he must always be the strong one, but at times he is even more fragile than Casey, even. Nate doesn’t understand that his personal physical safety matters, too. He is only concerned with the safety and happiness of his younger sister.

In addition to the pain and fear he must live with, Nate must deal with his challenges alone. Casey and Zander have together relocated to their school dormitory two hours south, and Nate knows they have each other to lean on, while he has no one. At a certain point in the book, Nate is driven over the edge by a combination of these factors, and writing the scenes when Nate hits rock bottom, I will rate as an emotional toll of 9.5, bordering on 10.

Dreamspinner Press has purchased a third cover for the final book in this, the One Voice Series. I promise that in what I plan to title, Coming Into the Light, you will know I endured an emotional toll of 10, as Zander, who has always held the three together, tries to make his way out of the dark.

Tour Dates/Stops:

16-Feb

17-Feb

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

Velvet Panic

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews

Amanda C. Stone

18-Feb

Fallen Angel Reviews

Cathy Brockman Romances

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

19-Feb

20-Feb

Sales Links:

eBook: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6035

Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=6036

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Continue reading

When in Bloom Book Blast

Author Bio:

Ever the quiet one growing up, Nicole Dennis often slid away from reality and curled up with a book to slip into the worlds of her favorite authors. Over the years, she’s created a personal library full of novels filled with dragons, fairies, vampires, shapeshifters of all kinds and romance. Always she returned to romance. Still, there were these characters in her head, worlds wanting to be built on paper, and stories wanting to be told and she began writing them down whether during or after class. She continues to this day. Only recently has it begun to become fruitful, spreading out to let others read and enter her worlds, meet her characters, and see what she sees. No matter what she writes, her stories of romance with their twists of paranormal, fantasy and erotica will always have their Happily Ever Afters.

She currently works in a quiet office in Central Florida, where she also makes her home, and enjoys the down time to slip into her characters and worlds to escape reality from time to time. At home, she becomes human slave to a semi-demonic tortie calico.

Where to find the author:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NicoleDennis.Author

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/nicoledennis.author/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/nicoledennisaut/books-n-promo/

Tumblr: https://www.tumblr.com/blog/nicoledennisauthor

Publisher: Totally Bound

Cover Artist: Emmy Ellis

Blurb(s):

Will the personal challenges of a former Army doctor and a brilliant florist get in the way of a chance at life and love?

Fighting type one diabetes since childhood, Jude Sebastian runs to prove he can live a normal life, until epileptic seizures begin to change his life. Even with Dawson, his medical alert Golden Labrador, at his side, Jude finds daily life difficult. He owns the floral shop Flowers in the Breeze, and designs everything from simple bouquets to elaborate themes for weddings and celebrations.

At the Shore Breeze Clinic, Jude comes across a man clearly suffering with a PTSD episode. A new arrival in the small town, Doctor Elliott Sheffield, a retired Army Ranger doctor, is looking for a second chance after what he saw in the Middle Eastern deserts.

Wanting a normal relationship, Jude tries to deny his disorder, but something is happening. He can’t regulate his sugars and his disorder worsens. When he returns to the clinic, Dawson alerts Jude to an oncoming seizure.

Reader Advisory: This book contains scenes referencing PTSD, seizures and diabetes.

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance

Excerpt:

Cursing under his breath as the sky turned orange with another incoming sandstorm, Dr. Elliott Sheffield hated the situation. Though they’d tried to tie down the damn tent, the ferocious wind tugged the straps, causing openings everywhere to expose the critical care unit to the elements. Why had he ever agreed to come to this desert hell in the Middle East?

After struggling through several storms like this one, he knew the clouds could turn the sky black for at least seven hours. Pushing out the noises of men calling out in pain and fearing for their lives, he concentrated to save the man on the operating table. His hands and forearms were covered in blood as he searched for the damned bleeder in the man’s belly.

“Come on… Come on… Where the fuck are you?”

As the winds howled, Elliott felt the grit of the fine layer of sand digging underneath the scrubs and within any openings of his uniform. Along with the sweat dripping down his nape, the sand mixed with the moisture and aggravated him. Damn stuff could get through any crack and crevice of tent, Humvee or building. This place sucked when it came to performing delicate surgery, but he didn’t have a choice. The soldiers were here. He needed to be nearby to care for them.

“Shit… Got it,” Elliott said and made the necessary stitches to close the nasty bleeder. He scrambled to put the soldier’s innards back in place, flushed everything with saline to cleanse, and stapled the exterior wound. “Cover him up tight. We’ll come back and make it nicer.” He stepped back to let the other physician and nurse finish. He peeled off and tossed the gloves. Removing the sweat-soaked mask, he left the curtained-off operating theater and went back to the main infirmary.

When the blasted Taliban insurgents had overrun the garrison stationed at the American base, Elliott had transferred with most of the surgical team to the Canadian–British combat hospital at the Kandahar airfield.

It wasn’t any better here.

Elliott shoved a weary hand through his hair. He scratched at the heavy bearded growth. Since his boots had hit the sand, he’d adapted to the crazy, never-ending situations, difficult in the best of conditions, but aggravated in the worse. He’d figured out ways to suture and clean some of the most devastating wounds he’d ever seen in his career. He could never get around the constant issue of infection from the damn sand.

“Fucking sand…”

The thump-thump-thump of helicopter blades surrounded them. Everyone within the base knew the meaning behind those blades. It was never good.

“We have incoming patients,” someone called out.

“They’re not friendlies! Take cover!” another soldier shouted as bullets flew through the sand and darkness.

Crouching, riveted as soldiers rushed around, Elliott thought about the patients. He knew their lives were at the most risk, unable to defend themselves. When dark figures invaded the tent, Elliott covered a nearby patient. Several loud blasts blew through the base as bombs went off in rapid succession. He called out when searing heat scored through his shoulder.

Blood and gore rose in front of his mind. Within seconds, all the time it had taken to save these patients was destroyed.

“Doctor…”

Elliott blinked. He tasted the fine grit of the sand.

“Doctor…”

“Dr. Sheffield? Are you okay?”

When fingers touched his wounded shoulder, Elliott screamed and pushed back until he hit something hard then plopped his ass on the ground. The intensity knocked Elliott out of the intrusive flashback from his five years spent in Kandahar. He was home in the States. Having left Afghanistan and his ten year military career, he had now lived and worked in Florida for the last nine months.

He lowered himself until his scrub-covered ass hit the floor. He pressed his hands flat on the cool tile of the emergency room to ground himself in reality. He looked around, goggled as other staff fought to save a patient with a vicious belly wound. Two others moved toward him. He held up a hand and hyper focused on the blood-covered blue latex.

“Are you with us, Elliott? Can you rise?” another doctor said in a calming tone.

“Yeah. Yeah, I’m here.”

“Where were you?”

“Kandahar.”

“Do you know what set you off?”

“Insurgents overran the base and hit the clinic and caused so much destruction among the patients and created more. It was the appearance of the wound. I took care of so many of them. Most were ruined by the fucking sand.” Elliott knocked his head against the wall.

“Easy. Can you stand? I’ll get you back to the lounge.”

“I’m okay, Harry, take care of the patient.” Elliott pushed himself to his feet and stripped the gloves from his hand. He wobbled out of the room and down the hall.

“Dr. Sheffield?” a nurse called.

He held up a hand. “Taking ten.”

“But…”

Something toppled with a harsh clatter. The broken glass caused Elliott to crouch again in a protective corner and cover his head.

“Dr. Sheffield!”

Lost again in the sand, heat and blood, Elliott stayed put in his cover position. What the hell was he doing here in civilian life? He couldn’t avoid the truth of how he suffered from PTSD.

“Dr. Sheffield… Major…”

He lifted his head at the sound of his Army title. Another doctor crouched in front of him. Through the haze of blood and sand within his memory, he almost didn’t recognize the fellow soldier. James was a friend, a psychiatrist and military officer with the Air Force.

“Major, are you with us?”

“Not an attack…” Elliott knew his gaze would be dead and haunted since he saw it so many times in the mirror after one of the dreams woke him.

“No, Major, a tray filled with containers crashed,” James said. “Major, I need you to stand and come with me. We’ll have a chat.”

“Yeah, guess I need to do that,” Elliott said as he looked beyond James. “I kinda lost it there.”

“Wouldn’t be the first time a soldier covered his ass,” James said as he rose.

Elliott followed James, who chose to find someplace quiet and separated from the chaos of the ER.

Pages or Words: 52,000 words

Interview

1 – What is your secret indulgence? When I can afford it, I splurge at Teavana. Oh, their Earl Grey is bliss.

2 – Favorite way to unwind at the end of the day? Cup of tea. Fat Cat on my lap.

3 – Favorite beverage (alcoholic or non) Tea!

Tour Dates: February 20, 2015

Tour Stops:

Parker Williams, Inked Rainbow Reads, Amanda C. Stone, Divine Magazine, BFD Book Blog, MM Good Book Reviews, Molly Lolly, Bayou Book Junkie, Rainbow Gold Reviews, Havan Fellows, Lee Brazil, Fallen Angel Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Andrew Q. Gordon, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Hearts on Fire, The Hat Party

Sales Links:

https://www.totallybound.com/when-in-bloom

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Continue reading

The Phoenix Embryo Book Blast

Author Bio:

Jeanne Marcella was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area. Granted unlimited access to books at a very early age via the library, she quickly acquired a fondness for creating her own stories through word and drawing.

Going against the grain of mainstream top ten fantasy, she writes eccentric, GLBTQ dark fantasy dramas not for the faint of heart.

Currently, she reworks her first novel about half-breed centaurs into a 2nd edition.

Where to find the author:

Blog: https://aforgeofphoenix.wordpress.com/

Website: http://www.JeanneMarcella.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jeanne.marcella.98 (I unpublished my FB fan page as it did not draw ANY traffic.)

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AForgeOfPhoenix

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/GoddessTriad/

Google+: https://plus.google.com/u/0/110464796341873472652/posts

Wattpad: http://www.wattpad.com/user/AForgeOfPhoenix

Publisher: Jeanne Marcella

Cover Artist: Streetlight Graphics

Blurb(s):

Twelve-and-a-half-year-old Acanthus Breese and his yellow-robed peers have survived without an adult presence for seven years. They’ve scavenged. Endured madness, starvation, and murder after the adults imprisoned and abandoned them without a backward glance. They’ve clawed their way to civilization and questionable sanity at the guidance of one of their own.

Thirteen-year-old Edward Dasheel is a direct descendant of the goddess Staritti and the red phoenix god, Dasheel. Because of Edward’s love and leadership, Acanthus and the other boys know that despite their regretful crime of harming Staritti and driving her away, hope for redemption remains.

Acanthus knows Edward better than anyone; he knows Edward hides dark secrets about their exile, the adults, and specifically about him. So it is terrifying when suddenly the adults return, pushing themselves back into their lives. What do they want after all these years? And why?

Categories: Bisexual, Dark Fantasy, Fiction, Gay Fiction, Drama, M/M Romance, Steampunk, For Mature Readers

Excerpt:

Acanthus danced around in a chaotic circle, waving his arms and pointing out the window. “Dee! He took Minos. He had wings! He flew! Priests! By Staritti, there were adults in Regrets!”

“Shh. Shhh. It’s all right.”

“How can it be all right?” Acanthus yelled. He paced. He prowled. He was helpless. Edward made no move to restrain him. “They throw us away, ignore us, and then pick us off! How much more can we endure? You know we’ll never see Minos again, Dee! We’ll never see him again! Just like all the others!”

“I know,” Edward answered in a helpless, grating whisper.

“Minos didn’t have anyone,” Acanthus said to himself. “No one, for the last seven years. I feel so bad; I could’ve done something. I could’ve been his friend.”

“You can’t blame yourself.”

Horror washed through him. “Yes, I can. This is my fault. I wanted to break something today. I broke Minos.”

Edward put a calming hand to his shoulder. “Dearest, it’s not your fault.”

“We don’t know that for certain. We all should know better by now. All of us. We have to stick together, make sure everyone’s okay.”

Pages or Words: 128,000 words

Interview

2 – Favorite way to unwind at the end of the day? Listening to the music I use for character themes.

3 – Favorite beverage (alcoholic or non) Coffee.

4 – Did you have an embarrassing nickname as a kid? Yes, and I don’t think I’ll repeat it.

Tour Dates: February 19, 2015

Tour Stops: Parker Williams, Velvet Panic, Inked Rainbow Reads, The Hat Party, Bayou Book Junkie, Molly Lolly, Fallen Angel Reviews, BFD Book Blog, Cate Ashwood, MM Good Book Reviews, Boys on the Brink Reviews, Fangirl Moments and My Two Cents, Bending The Bookshelf, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Nephylim

Sales Links:

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00GWQXQ5M

Apple/iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-phoenix-embryo/id830778514?mt=11

Barnes and Noble Nook: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-phoenix-embryo-jeanne-marcella/1117531943?ean=2940149477883

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/the-phoenix-embryo

Smashwords: http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/381624

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Continue reading

A Barlow Lens Book Tour

Author Bio:

Elizabeth Noble started telling stories before she actually knew how to write, and her family was very happy when she learned to put words on a page. Those words turned into fan fiction that turned into a genuine love of M/M romance fiction. Being able to share her works with Dreamspinner is really a dream come true. She has a real love for a good mystery complete with murder and twisty plots as well as all things sci-fi, futuristic, and supernatural and a bit of an unnatural interest in a super-volcano in Wyoming.

Elizabeth has three grown children and is now happily owned by an adorable mixed breed canine princess named Rosie, and two cats, Murphy and Yeti. She lives in her native northeast Ohio, the perfect place for gardening, winter and summer sports (go Tribe!). When she’s not writing she’s working as a veterinary nurse, so don’t be surprised to see her men with a pet or three who are a very big part of their lives.

Two of Elizabeth’s books have received Honorable Mentions in the Rainbow Awards.

Where can you find Elizabeth Noble?:

Website http://www.elizabeth-noble.com

Circles website: http://elizabeth-noble-circles.weebly.com/

Dreamspinner page: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/index.php?cPath=55_423

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/AuthorArcade/i398-elizabeth-noble

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Elizabeth-Noble/e/B0052JEZVY

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/elizabeth.noble.77

Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Elizabeth-Noble/120757231345733

Google+ pages: https://plus.google.com/110207268360224371489/posts

https://plus.google.com/b/106536309910672083581/106536309910672083581/posts/p/pub

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com@elizabethnoble1

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/elizabethnoble1

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: TL Bland

Blurb(s):

While planning a future with his partner, Val, Wyatt’s past refuses to be forgotten. Wyatt’s old friend asks him to look into the mysterious death of her uncle in a fire back in 1927, when men were silent, tough, and did not love other men—except when they did. Working with Val, Wyatt digs up clues uncovering the truth behind the tragic school fire and the one responsible. The story of Tom and Philip slowly reveals itself, and Wyatt and Val realize nothing is as simple as they originally believed. As their trail heats up, an old enemy of Wyatt’s decides he’s waited long enough for revenge. If Wyatt can’t tie everything together, history might repeat itself.

Categories: Contemporary, M/M Romance, Mystery, Thriller

Excerpt:

Once they were back at their hotel, Wyatt ushered Val into their room, not bothering with the light. They were high enough up there was no need to close the drapes, and light from the city cast a soft glow over them.

As Val unbuttoned his suit jacket, Wyatt stepped up behind him, placing his palms on Val’s shoulders, then rubbing lightly up and down his arms a few times. “Let me give you a hand.” Wyatt eased the jacket off and kissed the side of Val’s neck, nudging his head to the side as he did so. A low moan rumbled out of Val’s chest. Wyatt dropped the jacket on a chair and slipped his hands under Val’s shirt, caressing Val’s skin with his fingertips.

When he reached Val’s tightening nipples, he rubbed small circles until Val’s hips jerked. Val shuddered and pulled in a quick, shaky breath, making Wyatt smile. Val’s tie and shirt joined his jacket. Wyatt ran his hands over Val’s torso before returning them to Val’s shoulders. He lightly traced the scars on Val’s shoulder with first his finger, then his tongue.

Val’s surgery to repair the damage done in the course of stopping some seriously dangerous people who had been trying to force jockeys to throw races, had left several scars. They weren’t red, raised, and angry anymore. Val never complained about them hurting, but the marks were still puckered and darker than the surrounding skin.

“You know,” Val whispered between dragging in a breath and panting it out again. “That first time we went out to dinner, I was so worried you’d think I was some uncouth, country hick because I don’t know about wine and art. And that I was too young to bother with.”

“Hmm, do you know what I worried about when I was thirty?” Wyatt scraped his teeth across Val’s shoulder blades.

“N-no. What?”

“Getting a sweet piece of hot ass,” Wyatt said in a low voice.

Val laughed. “Well, you’re sort of slow. Took you long enough. Worth the wait?”

“Oh, hell, yes.” Wyatt maneuvered Val to the bed.

Pages or Words: 32,000 words

Interview

Hi and thank you, Parker for hosting me today!

Parker asked me the question recently: What does the phrase ‘Every life is a circle’ mean to you? Especially in terms of this series.
Have you ever heard the expression ‘It’s a small world’? Or some variation of that?
Here’s a for instance: Parker Williams and my grandson have something in common. They’re both Parker. I know a bit about both Parkers. I know what part of the world Parker Williams lives in, I’ve seen pictures of his pets and that he’s a huge animal lover and cooks vegan food.
I also know a bit about my grandson, Parker. He’s a huge animal lover too (even at only 15 months old), he likes pizza, toy trucks and apple juice. What can I say? The kid has good taste. He’s a few years younger than Mr. Williams and the two have never met but yet, they have several things in common.
They both have canine and feline friends, for some reason they both seem to like me, each likes pizza and they share a name.
Two Parkers separated by geographical distance and age, they’ve never met, yet they are connected.
Whoa!
So, what the heck does this have to do with my series? A mystery, suspense series with gay men as the main characters you ask?
Well, my grandson likes to play peek-a-boo, which I think qualifies as liking mysteries. Parker Williams likes to read about gay men…see where I’m going with this? Of course you do. And for those of us who remember, there was a Parker Stevenson who played a detective on TV. Now we have three people with the same name, all connected.
Giving a name to a book is difficult. Giving a name to a series of books is ten times more difficult. Each book within a series is still its own entity and the series title must encompass all those entities and say a little bit about them. The series title must connect all the books in some way.
When I was developing the idea for my Circles series, an image popped into my head that gave the series its name. Those five various colored Olympic Rings. All different. All interconnected.
Each one leads into the next.
A Barlow Lens is the second book in the series, Run for the Roses is the first. A Barlow Lens focuses on a peek into the past (points to pretty banner) and solving a cold case murder. Run for the Roses is a story that revolves around illegal gambling and the Kentucky Derby. The third book, Jewel Cave (comes out in April) has a plot which revolves around an obsessive stalker and kidnapping. What rings—Circles—are connecting these books?
Each book in the series features a different branch of law enforcement. In Run for the Roses we meet Val and Wyatt. Wyatt is with a branch of Homeland Security known as ICE. In A Barlow Lens Val and Wyatt look into the lives of two other men, Philip and Tom, who died in 1927. Philip was street cop. The request for the investigation comes from a US Marshall, Griff who is one of the main characters of the next book, Jewel Cave.
Through documents and photographs that preserved the past Val and Wyatt, along with Griff, meet Tom and Philip. Because of Val and Wyatt and their interactions with Griff, the reader is given a very brief introduction into characters in the next book.
All of these men are separated by time and distance and yet their stories collide, their circles intertwine.
In each of the books in the Circles series at some point the reader will be introduced to characters featured in the next book.
We’re all interconnected.
Every Life is a Circle.