Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit and Give-Away: Rhys Ford



Oh. Mah. Gawd!  Today we have the talented, the creative, the amazing Rhys Ford in the clubhouse! *cheers wildly*  See what she has to say about dead people, dragons and Rock Stars.  Just ignore all the squeeing.  I can't seem to help myself when she's around.

BMBR:  What are your favorite M/M themes?
Rhys:  Um… two guys having sex and falling in love. *grins* I have no idea. Usually I start off with personalities and then work out how they fit. Name them. Find the conflict. Find the resolution.
Oh and kill people. Apparently I need dead people in my books. Go figure.


BMBR:  What books do you consider Desert Island Keepers? 
Rhys:  I can’t even answer this. How big of an island? I have about 3000 ebooks alone. Guh. Really… Guh.

BMBR:  What's your go-to tasty beverage?
Rhys:  Coffee. Whiskey. Coffee. *grins* I do like a good iced Vietnamese coffee or a boba milk coffee. For tea I prefer a simple English Breakfast but I can get happy with an Earl Grey latte.

BMBR:  Do you have any secret talents? Inquiring minds want to know.
Rhys:  I don’t even have any overt talents much less secret ones. Um…. Shit, no idea. I cook? That’s stretching it. I’m pretty boring. *nods* I sing for Rock Band but mostly because I can trick the Xbox into thinking I’m hitting the range. I wouldn’t say I can sing.

BMBR:  If you had to choose to be one magical beast, what would it be and why? (you don't have to say unicorn...but we won't say neigh either)
 
Rhys:  A dragon. It’s my birth year. And most of my tattoos have a dragon in them. A kitsune would also be nice.


BMBR:  Who's your favorite porn star? 
Rhys:  I am going to be a pretentious douche here and say I don’t watch porn. Well not on a regular basis. Or even semi-regular basis. Not that I’m against porn. I just never get around to it. Every once in a while I look something up to see if it’s possible but I don’t really know who they are. I’ve apparently posted porn artists in my morning shots because everyone knows who they are. I’m all… yeah, got nothing. But they’re pretty.


BMBR:  Do you have author envy? Whose words do you read and think, "GAH, I wish I wrote that!"? 
Rhys:  Have you not READ my Facebook feed? God, pretty much everyone. I’m going to go outside of genre to say Courtship Rite by Donald Kingsbury and Warchild by Karin Lowachee. In genre, toooooo many to list. I will admit…. Barely… a distinct want or rather need, to suck up the Two Jordans brains. *nods*


BMBR:  Any new projects you're currently working on? 
Rhys:  Right now, I’m working on a new series called Murder and Mayhem. It’s set in modern-day Los Angeles and features a Hispanic detective embroiled in a murder investigation with a former cat burglar. Oh…and they have a….history. *grins*

BMBR:  Thanks again for being a part of our Anniversary Shenanigans.  We love it every time you visit the stables and you're welcome back any time.
Rhys:  Thank you for having me. Really. Thank you and smooooches.  

 Rhys Ford was born and raised in Hawai’i then wandered off to see the world. After chewing through a pile of books, a lot of odd food, and a stray boyfriend or two, Rhys eventually landed in San Diego, which is a very nice place but seriously needs more rain.

Rhys admits to sharing the house with three cats of varying degrees of black fur and a ginger cairn terrorist. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird, a Toshiba laptop, and an overworked red coffee maker.

It's time for a giveaway!  One lucky winner will receive a $20 USD gift card and an ebook from Rhys Ford's catalogue.
To enter to win, please leave a comment on this blog post and let us know (1) your name and a means of contacting you (e.g., email, Twitter handle, link to Goodreads account, etc.) and (2) what's your secret talent.

The giveaway is open until 10:00PM (Pacific time) on November 22nd. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner whom we will select using a highly scientific "names in a hat" method (or, you know, an internet randomizer). Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner. 

Review: A Most Personal Property by Darrah Glass

In the heat of August 1900, Henry Blackwell—rich, handsome, and painfully shy—anticipates the purchase of his companion slave, that most personal of properties, with equal parts excitement and dread. There are limits to what a gentleman might do with his slave and still remain a gentleman, and what Henry craves goes far beyond what’s allowed.

Martin, a slave from House Ganymede, is the most beautiful young man Henry’s ever seen, and he’s ready and willing to do as Henry commands, but Henry’s afraid to ask him for what he really needs. A master needn’t care what a slave thinks or how he feels, but Henry can’t help wanting Martin to like him anyway. If Henry could be certain Martin wanted the same things he does, he might be bold enough to reveal his secrets.


Unfolding against a backdrop of progress, privilege and turn-of-the-century amusements, the four installments of the Ganymede Quartet present an erotic coming-of-age fantasy of Gilded Age New York in which young men from the richest families form intense bonds with the slaves who serve them.





I read YA!!!


Well, what really happened was I saw the word 'slave', my pupils dilated and that's all I have to say about that. I regret nothing. This book was right up my alley. The alley labeled slavefic. Slavefic set during The Gilded Age? Yes ma'am.

One of my favorite movies (and books) of all time is Edith Wharton’s The Age of Innocence. I like it because it’s so deliberate and meticulous in its pomp and circumstance. Everyone with any social standing had to abide by an arbitrary and confining set of rules or be outcast. It’s the very definition of keeping up appearances because there are always eyes on you, which made for a whole lot of repression. A Most Personal Property reminded me so much of it only from a 16 yr old’s perspective. I skimmed a couple other reviews and saw the word “repetitive” more than once. Yes, it is necessarily so, in my opinion. That’s the day and age and Ms. Glass is reinforcing the tedium. When you’re building a world this vibrant and lush and using language this evocatively I can deal with a little repetitive.

A Most Personal Property is told entirely through Henry. Henry reminds me an awful lot of a beloved protagonist of mine, George from A Room with a View. Henry is introverted, pensive, shy, socially awkward and oblivious to social norms. He understands he has a role to play, but he doesn’t understand why these rules are in effect nor what purpose they serve. He longs to be wanted and desired like his favorite swashbuckling couple from his monthly subscription of Pals. The trouble is his favorite couple are master and slave and that love is forbidden. In all other respects, this time period and its values are retained aside from slavery bit, so Henry being an invert is a grievous burden. He's very handsome and wealthy, both qualities he finds superficial and meaningless. He’s not a good student. He’s lazy. He's hormonal, moody and possessive. Also, his parents are both a waste of space, aside from his father barking at him periodically which cows him and does nothing positive for his self-image. His parents' companions are more parental to him if that tells you anything.

All Henry wanted in the world was for a boy who had the freedom to choose anyone or anything to choose him.


The elite in this society acquire a companion slave before entering their junior year of high school, a lifelong commitment. Henry is smitten with Martin upon first sight at the auction and Martin seems taken with Henry as well. The relationship development hurt so good. They’re both desperate for one another but too afraid to make a move and, therefore, miserable. Well, Martin’s in no position to make any moves here, but Henry doesn’t want him to submit out of duty. He’s a romantic and he wants them to belong to one another, to be lovers. Oodles of angst and UST ensue and I wouldn't have it any other way. If you’ve ever seen The Age of Innocence there is a scene involving a glove and it’s one of my all time favorite scenes. There are two scenes in this book that reminded me so much of that scene it made my heart pitter patter.




Two things stood out as outstanding were the level of research that clearly was put into bringing 1900 NYC to life i.e. the language, the clothing, the class distinctions, the rituals. I appreciate research and Ms. Glass obviously did hers and I applaud her for it. The second was the character development. Henry and even his friends were so real I felt as though I were tagging along with them on their trips to the park and cycling and going to the arcade. Everything about Henry felt so authentic and genuine that I was honestly surprised to discover that this author was female. Bravo.

A Most Personal Property only covers three months with no cliff for an ending, but I’m left… well, bereft for one but wondering what time span the other three books are going to cover. I’m hopeful we’ll get to see Henry and Martin as adults. I’m almost positive Henry will wend up on Wall St. since he’s good with numbers, but there’s also a world war looming as well as the roaring 20s, both of which would make for interesting reading. Plus, I’m wondering if Henry can hang on to bachelorhood or if he’ll have to take a trophy wife to perpetuate the family name.

Ms. Glass, please write faster. I need the next one so bad. *grabby hands*



I would like to thank Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion.

Find out more on Goodreads.

Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit & Giveaway with Ava March



Ava March!!! *squeal* 
Ahem, excuse me. I got a little excited. Ms. March graciously accepted our invitation to celebrate our anniversary by writing a blog post!


Without further ado, may I present Ms. Ava March!

Does Length Matter? 


First off, I must extend my congratulations to Boy Meets Boy Reviews on their first anniversary! And many thanks to the blog team for inviting me to the blog and to share in the anniversary fun. 

Today, I’m chatting about length. When it comes to books, does length matter? Do you think there is a perfect length that leaves one satisfied, without leaving one overstuffed or craving more? Or do you believe it’s not about length, but about what a story does between the pages that matters? 

As an author, I’ve written across the length spectrum. From free short stories that function more as epilogues to short novellas to longer novellas to novels. When I started writing male/male stories, I wrote almost exclusively shorter novellas. But as I got more books under my belt, the stories started getting longer and longer, and try as I might to contain them, the stories didn’t want to stay neat, compact little novellas. Then one day I decided to just let stories be as long or as short as they wanted to be. And it was quite freeing to not worry about length anymore. Whatever I ended up with, I was happy with because it was the length I felt best fit the story. 

As a reader though, my take on length is different. Length matters, but I don’t have a preferred length, nor do I pick books based on the blurb and just accept whatever length the book ends up being. It’s more about my mood. 

• Short stories—when I’m in the mood for something fun and snack-sized that I can read in thirty minutes or less. And if one short story doesn’t quite satisfy the book craving, I can always pick up another short story to read. 

• Novels—when I want to lose myself in a story. Something thick and fat and long with subplots and a cast of secondary characters. Something that will leave me with a massive book-hangover—exhausted yet oh, so happy that I was run through the emotional wringer. 

• Novellas – when I’m in a Goldilocks sort of mood. I don’t want the big bed or the little bed. I want something in between that I can read in an evening but that won’t leave me too hungry for more. 

What about you? Does length matter when you are picking books to read? Do you have a decided preference for a specific length? Or are you more like reader-me, and pick based on your mood? 


About the author:

Ava March is an author of sexy, emotionally intense M/M historical erotic romances. She loves writing in the Regency time period, where proper decorum is of the utmost importance, but where anything can happen behind closed doors. With over fifteen works to her credit, her books have been finalists in the Rainbow Awards and More Than Magic contest, and deemed ‘must-haves’ for Historical M/M romance by RT Book Reviews readers. Visit her website at www.AvaMarch.com to find out more about her books or to sign-up for her newsletter. 

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Ms. March has agreed to give away a print copy of All in with the Duke! 

Max Arrington, the Duke of Pelham, vows to never again let a handsome face blind him to a man's true intentions. But ten months of celibacy and lonely nights drive him to a decadent brothel, where a beautiful young man arouses his illicit passions as never before. Tristan Walsh has grown tired of being used for men's pleasure. But his latest client is different: commanding yet generous, Max makes him feel cared for as well as wanted. Yet Tristan knows he'll never have the choice to leave the brothel and submit only to Max. So when Max invites him to be his guest at his country estate, Tristan eagerly agrees to his terms—days to do as he pleases while Max tends to the dukedom, and nights spent together in wicked play. But when the "business arrangement" begins to deepen into something more, Tristan must face the fact that he has no true place in Max's life—or in Max's guarded heart…



To be entered to win leave a comment WITH your email address so we can contact you once a winner is determined for your physical address. Anywhere in the world, Ms. March has agreed to ship it! Awesome author is awesome. Giveaway ends November 21st at Midnight EST. 

And, p.s., it's one of my favorite books. An excellent, EXCELLENT read.


A big unicorn thank you to Ms. March for stopping by and celebrating with us.

Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit & Giveaway: Keira Andrews


There were many blog books I've read and liked, but one that stands out for me (Breann) is A Forbidden Rumspringa by Keira Andrews!

<-- Just look at those sweet boys. Gah. I reviewed it a few months ago and I still think about them from time to time. David and Isaac with forever hold a special place in my heart. I'm dying to read more about their story.

Let's be honest, if not for the blog... I probably would have read this beauty anyway because it took over my update feed for a few weeks. It was not to be ignored. For good reason!

If you haven't gotten your hands on it, jump on the buggy (<- Heh. See what I did there?) and READ IT!


BMBR: What are your favorite M/M themes?

Keira: I'm a sucker for two sides of the same coin: hate to love and friends to lovers. I also eat up hurt/comfort with a spoon. I adore angst when I know I'm getting my happy ending.
 
BMBR: What books do you consider Desert Island Keepers?
Keira: Ohh, that's a tough one. Summer Devon and Bonnie Dee's M/M historicals spring to mind, especially The Gentleman and the Rogue. R.W. Day's A Strong and Sudden Thaw is a perennial fave, as is Perry Moore's Hero. Then there are classics such as To Kill a Mockingbird. How big is my suitcase? I hope it's expandable!
 
BMBR: What's your go-to tasty beverage?
Keira: Diet Coke, a.k.a. the Nectar of the Gods. (I know it's full of chemicals, but an ice-cold DC is heaven.)
BMBR: Nobody does Diet Coke like Mickey D's. Nobody.
 
BMBR: Do you have any secret talents? Inquiring minds want to know.
Keira: My PG secret talent is having a scarily good memory for useless information. My R-rated secret talent is under wraps for a reason. ;)
BMBR: Useless information may turn out to be useful someday!
 
BMBR: If you had to choose to be one magical beast, what would it be and why? (you don't have to say unicorn...but we won't say neigh either)
Keira: I'm going to go for a hippogriff. Horse/eagle seems like a winning combination since I could fly or run depending on the terrain. Unicorns seem like they'd be real divas, whereas the hippogriff might be cranky (at least in the Harry Potter universe), but practical.  
 
BMBR: Who's your favorite porn star?
Keira: Colby Keller. He's just so adorable, along with being smokin' hot. He's not one of those dead-eyed guys you know is only faking for the camera.
 
BMBR: Do you have author envy? Whose words do you read and think, "GAH, I wish I wrote that!"?
Keira: All the time! Recently it was KJ Charles and her book Think of England, which is a delight. Also Tamara Allen. Her work is so lovely.


BMBR: Any new projects you're currently working on? 
Keria: You bet! My latest release, Semper Fi, came out a few days ago. It's a novel about two Marines who go from friends to lovers after WWII. It was a real labour of love, and I hope readers will love Cal and Jim as much as I do. Then in December I have Holding the Edge, a holiday sequel to Cold War.


February brings A Clean Break, the sequel to A Forbidden Rumspringa, which readers can win in the BMBR anniversary giveaway. The response to AFR was better than I'd dreamed, and I'm excited for everyone to read David's POV in the second book. I'm also working on the third in the series and hoping to have it ready for April or May. As you can tell, I'm very busy! I wouldn't have it any other way.   
BMBR: *squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee*
 
Thank you so much for stopping by and chatting with us Keira!

About the Author:
After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, paranormal and fantasy fiction, and—although she loves delicious angst along the way—Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.” You can find out more about Keira and her books at her website, and on Facebook and Twitter.


To enter to win a copy of one of my favorites, A Forbidden Rumspringa, please leave a comment on this blog post and let us know your name and a means of contacting you (e.g., email, Twitter handle, link to Goodreads account, etc.).

The giveaway is open until 10:00PM (Pacific time) on 11/21/14. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner whom we will select using a highly scientific "names in a hat" method (or, you know, an internet randomizer). Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner.


Thanks for celebrating with us and GOOD LUCK!  ♥ Breann

Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit & Giveaway: Cardeno C.

 
Cardeno C. is here! HERE! Omigod. Have you all read her Home series? If not, you need to meet the guys of Emile City. Stat. Anyway... stay and fanigirl with me while we chat with Cardeno C.


BMBR: What are your favorite M/M themes?
CC: My favorite theme is childhood friends to lovers. I revisit that theme often in my books: More Than Everything, Wake Me Up Inside, Walk With Me, The One Who Saves Me, Where He Ends and I Begin, Home Again, Eight Days, and All of Me are all childhood friends to lovers books.

I also like enemies to lovers books although I have to admit, I'm more of a happy writer than an angsty one, so my enemy parts can't ever take long. Still, I'd say In Your Eyes, A Shot at Forgiveness, and maybe even McFarland's Farm (kind of sort of) have an enemies to lovers bent.
BMBR: The One Who Saves me is a definite favorite!

BMBR: What books do you consider Desert Island Keepers?
CC:  My top three desert island keepers are:
Frog by Mary Calmes – The characters in this book are the embodiments of people I love in real life. It touched me deeply.
The Blinding Light by Renae Kaye – Renae is a new writer who wowed right from the gate. I enjoyed the warm, fuzzy feelings evoked by both of her novels.
The Magpie Lord series by KJ Charles – I don’t read historicals or mysteries and yet, I adored this book. What KJ can do with words is awe inspiring. 

BMBR: What's your go-to tasty beverage?
CC: I should confess up front that I have a caffeine addiction. I am constantly drinking stay-awake beverages. I loved iced tea (earl gray w/ vanilla soymilk), Chai, Diet Coke, Yerba Mate, and, of course, coffee in any of its forms.
BMBR: Chai! Mmmm... chai.

BMBR: Do you have any secret talents? Inquiring minds want to know.
CC: If people consider my writing a talent, I'd say it's that I'm a writer. I known it's not a secret to anyone reading this, but it's a secret to all but a handful of people I know through my legal name.
BMBR: I'm pretty sure people consider your writing a talent!

BMBR: If you had to choose to be one magical beast, what would it be and why? (you don't have to say unicorn...but we won't say neigh either)
CC: *snort* I do love unicorns. And now that you've mentioned them, I'm totally distracted and can't answer the questions. "Why am I distracted?" you ask. Well, it was a dark and stormy night ... or at least a really, really late one. And I was punch drunk and chatting with the great Mary Calmes and we were, ehm, *researching* unicorns and shifters and part man part unicorn and ... did you know there's a thing called a manicorn? If you find him online, try to look away. You can't. He'll keep watching you. Even after you turn off the computer. It's been over a year I think and he is *still* watching me.
BMBR: Ah, yes. We are well acquainted with Manicorn. The best research happens when punch drunk.

BMBR: Do you have author envy? Whose words do you read and think, "GAH, I wish I wrote that!"?
CC: Not envy and I don't think I've ever wished I wrote something but there are authors who I admire immensely, whose work I devour, and who inspire me to be a better writer. I named three of them up there. :)
BMBR: Any new projects you're currently working on?

CC: Always! I always have new projects. My next release is November 21st - a shifter novella called Blue Mountain. You can find information about it here. And I'm currently writing a new novel called Johnnie in my new Siphon universe.

Thanks so much for stopping by & chatting with us CC! 

About the Author:
Cardeno C. - CC to friends - is a hopeless romantic who wants to add a lot of happiness and a few "awwws" into a reader's day. Writing is a nice break from real life as a corporate type and volunteer work with gay rights organizations. Cardeno's stories range from sweet to intense, contemporary to paranormal, long to short, but they always include strong relationships and walks into the happily-ever-after sunset.

Cardeno's Home, Family, and Mates series have received awards from Love Romances and More Golden Roses, Rainbow Awards, the Goodreads M/M Romance Group, and various reviewers. But even more special to CC are heartfelt reactions from readers, like, "You bring joy and love and make it part of the every day."

Author Links:
Website
Twitter
Facebook


To enter to win an ebook copy of The Half of Us by Cardeno C. please leave a comment on this blog post and let us know your name and a means of contacting you (e.g., email, Twitter handle, link to Goodreads account, etc.)

The giveaway is open until 10:00PM (Pacific time) on 11/20/14. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner whom we will select using a highly scientific "names in a hat" method (or, you know, an internet randomizer). Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner.

Thanks for celebrating with us & GOOD LUCK!

Peachy's Blog Book Discoveries, Treasures AND GIVEAWAYS!

So, the blog really started on a whim. There was a herd of us that liked a lot of the same books, we chatted, joked, mocked one another mercilessly and shared porn links. You know, BFF stuff. The blog started, we would post about books we loved just to share our treasures with fellow readers. We are really casual about stuff in general and just want the blog to be a place of book fun times. It wasn’t long before authors and promoters were contacting us with review requests and we were like,

“WHOA, no way.”

Then, you know what they would do? They would send us their books to read and review and we were like,

“WHOA, no fucking way! This blogging shit ROCKS!”

Did I mention we were really casual?

Getting books to read and review is a perk and a half, seriously, we are so lucky and very thankful. You know what has been my absolute favorite thing though? Reading a book by and author that is new to me and falling in love with their words. Unexpected treasures really are the best surprises. I picked a couple of books that were not on my radar in any way before the blog. Review requests came in through our email and I was lucky enough to pick them up to read and now to highlight here. It wasn’t easy to pick just a couple, but these two stood out and our anniversary seemed like the perfect time to highlight them again.

The two I picked are Lily by Xavier Axelson and Anything but Everything & Five More Gay Erotic Stories by J. Phillip Elwes. Both authors were kind enough to write a little something for us to share and a big thank you and hug to both of them for helping us celebrate!
 
*****************

We'll start with Lily . . .

What does one say when they realize their child is gone? Better yet, what does one say when that child returns, but is different?

This is the question Pryor must ask himself after his daughter, Lily, is dragged into the woods by a wolf and her body is never found. It isn't until he sees a wolf in the woods with eyes that resemble Lily's that he feels hope. And then something is whispered from deep within the woods, a promise for him to see Lily again.

One day...

But which day and for how long?

And then Pryor meets Ned, a silversmith who brings out desires that Pryor hasn't felt in years and helps him hatch a plan to keep Lily with him.

Now the question isn't about how much time Pryor will have with Lily, it's about how far will he'll go to keep her with him.

Here's the original review and I have to say I was so amazed and horrified in the best way by this story. If you are a fan of a true horror story, this one is for you. I'm not talking gore-fest horror, I'm talking fuck with your head, make you squirm, keep looking over your shoulder horror. It also has a romance I fell in love with and some seriously steamy scenes between two men who are so obviously in love.

And now a word from Xavier on how Lily came to be:

Lily is one of my favorite pieces. It is unexpected, touching, and terrifying. I wrote Lily back in 2012 in response to my then publishers request for a “Father’s Day” story, and “Dad’s need love too,” idea. They wanted to highlight the struggle a father has finding love. I couldn’t think of a dad struggling more than one recovering from the loss of a child, especially if that child was dragged into the woods by a wolf…on Father’s Day.

I was shocked when my editor claimed it wasn’t quite what they had in mind for a Father’s Day story. So they decided to publish “Lily” on its own merits. I couldn’t have been happier, although to this day I believe it to be a perfect Father’s Day story. Then again I think Dracula is a romance.

To have Lily chosen by Boy Meets Boy as a favorite read of 2014 is an honor. My work is not for everyone so when it gets into the hands of someone who appreciates it, I am wowed and awed. Thank you Ann for reading and enjoying Lily!

Thank YOU Xavier, I can't recommend it enough!

*****************

My second choice, Anything but Everything & Five More Gay Erotic Stories . . .

Anything But Everything & Five More Gay Erotic Stories is six short stories about men lusting for and loving other men.

Here you will read about college fraternity bothers, a mechanic, police detectives, a former boxing champ, a famous photographer and others in such varied locales as San Francisco, a Colorado ranch, a ski resort and a small town in Oklahoma.






See the original review here. I've said it once and I'll say it again, this is erotica done right. It's deliciously filthy and I loved it. This author nails the friends to lovers theme and there is more than just porn happening in this anthology. It's fun, it's sexy and I loved the characters. Plus, there are more stories to come - YAY! (I really can't wait for Liam's story!)

JP shares his inspirations:

I'm very pleased Ann has selected Anything But Everything. I started writing gay erotica not long after I wrote my first nonfiction piece for my school newspaper. I grew up in the second half of the last century, decades before the internet and personal computer. In those days, the LGBTQ community was nowhere to be found in mainstream media, except in a few quick clips on a big city's gay pride parade, during which the evening news anchors did little to disguise their disdain. I felt alone and invisible but knew in my heart I was not. I'd read about "the love that dares not speak its name" in literature and in history books. I knew gay skin magazines were sold in the stores on the outskirts of my town. I bought them as soon as I found the courage. I was astounded by the pornographic images of handsome men naked for the enjoyment of other men. It was a revelation to read in those magazines erotic short stories of men lusting for and loving other men. I had no doubt I would one day be living as an openly gay man lusting for and loving other men. I first wrote gay erotica as a release from living a half-life in the closet.

I later wrote gay erotica to loudly and proudly celebrate human sexuality, which popular culture seemed bent on sanitizing well into the 1990's. The global reach of the internet, of course, changed everything. I discovered forums and groups, where I disseminated my gay erotic short stories and read lots of stories by other authors. My stories were published on a gay website and in anthologies. I considered self-publishing. It seemed difficult. A decade later, I looked into self-publishing on Amazon and saw how straight forward it is. I selected five of my gay erotic short stories I most enjoy. (Three have not been previously published.) In just over a week, I wrote the title story, Anything But Everything, while imagining an athletic happy-go-lucky looking for love in all the wrong places. I then published the collection of six stories. Today, I enjoy writing gay erotica because the stories are the most personal writing I do - no word count to constrict me; no publisher to please - and because I can explore lust and romance among all types of men living in big cities, small towns and rural communities, as Walt Whitman writes in In Paths Untrodden "to celebrate the need of comrades."

Thank you JP, I am so looking forward to more and of course, Liam!

And NOW, it's time for prezzies! My gifty to you, we want you to read and love these as hard as I did so it's Giveaway Time!!!


To enter to win ebook copies of both Lily and Anything but Everything, please leave a comment on this blog post and let us know your name and a means of contacting you (e.g., email, Twitter handle, link to Goodreads account, etc.).

The giveaway is open until 10:00PM (Pacific time) on 11/20/14. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner whom we will select using a highly scientific "names in a hat" method (or, you know, an internet randomizer). Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner.

Thank you to both Xavier and J. Phillip, you guys rock!

Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit and Give-Away: Alexa Land




We've got the lovely and always hilarious Alexa Land here with us today!  *cheers loudly*


Welcome Alexa!
Hi! Thanks for interviewing me!
 
What are your favorite M/M themes?

I really don’t gravitate to any themes in particular. As long as it’s a great story with a HEA, I’m a happy girl!
 

What books do you consider Desert Island Keepers? 
Oh man, I always have a tough time narrowing down favorite books! I’m just going to cheat and say I’d want my Kindle with me (along with a solar charger), because it contains tons of books and that would keep me going for a long time!
 
What's your go-to tasty beverage?

Coffeeeeeee! I’m a total, unapologetic addict.

Do you have any secret talents? Inquiring minds want to know.

I used to love drawing, especially cartooning. I even worked in the animation field for a while. I’m pretty rusty now, though!
 
If you had to choose to be one magical beast, what would it be and why? (you don't have to say unicorn...but we won't say neigh either) 

LOL Sorry, I have to go with a dragon here. They fly, breathe fire, and kick ass. Your unicorns can come hang out with my dragon, though! :)
 
Who's your favorite porn star?

I don’t have one. But one of my besties is batshit crazy for Tayte Hanson, so I’ll go ahead and give Tayte a shout-out for her!

Do you have author envy? Whose words do you read and think, "GAH, I wish I wrote that!"?
There’s a great YA writer named Laini Taylor (author of the Daughter of Smoke and Bone trilogy) who’s just amazingly talented. Her writing is so gorgeous and effortless, and she builds these incredible, imaginative worlds. When I read her stuff, I just go, “DAMN.”

Any new projects you're currently working on?

I’m currently working on Against the Wall. It’s the seventh book in my Firsts and Forever series, and it’s Christian’s story, who we met in Skye Blue. All the characters from previous books in the series will be making appearances, and of course Nana is back in all her glory! This one’s going to be quite a ride!

Thanks for stopping by, Alexa!

Thanks again for interviewing me! Following are my links:

Find Alexa on the web:
Blog: http://alexalandwrites.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?...
Twitter: @AlexaLandWrites



My two most recent books: 

 The Tinder Chronicles
The complete 3-volume set is available for just $2.99 at Amazon and Smashwords. It includes the previously published, re-edited novellas Tinder and Hunted (approx. 25K words each) and the new novel Destined (approx. 60K words).
Buy links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00OHSEULG
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...
 





And Skye Blue, Book Six in the Firsts and Forever Series
98K words, ebook available for $3.99
Skye Blue buy links:
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Skye-Blue-Alexa...
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view...


It's time for a giveaway!  Alexa will award one winner a $25 Amazon gift card!

To enter to win, please leave a comment on this blog post and let us know (1) your name and a means of contacting you (e.g., email, Twitter handle, link to Goodreads account, etc.) and (2) Let us know your go-to tasty beverage in the comments, inquiring minds want to know!

The giveaway is open until 10:00PM (Pacific time) on 11/19/14. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner whom we will select using a highly scientific "names in a hat" method (or, you know, an internet randomizer). Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner.





Anniversary Shenanigans: Author Visit and Giveaway - Devon McCormack



SheReadsALot here with a very special guest, Mr. Devon McCormack. I think he's a very up and coming author in GLBT fiction. I'm a story girl, you give me a hot plot (no it doesn't equal sex, pervs), characters I care about and an ending that leaves me thinking and I'm happy. He does this for me. He can weave quite the tale.

Sadly, I can't claim coming across Mr. McCormack reviewing for this blog. It was actually for my other one but I eyed the blurb for Clipped and wanted in. Was not disappointed. And I'm three books in and I'm still in awe of this guy. I blabbed about Clipped to the unicorns, pushed the quotes, the plot, everything on them. Because I couldn't get it off my brain. Still can't...he represents #TeamPain very well. But he doesn't only have hardcore erotica up his sleeve...he writes YA & NA entwined with paranormal/urban fantasy so well.




It's my pleasure to introduce you to Devon McCormack. That's right you're getting more than an interview, you're getting into his mind too! Come read about why his mother can't read his books, learn about his favorite porn star and have a chance to win an eBook from his backlist (winner's choice).



Interview: Devon McCormack


BMBR: What are your favorite M/M themes?

Devon: Enemies to lovers for the win. Nothing makes me happier than two guys who start off hating each other's guts. I love the tension that comes along with that. In Clipped, this plays out in Treycore and Kid's relationship. Treycore's a higherling (AKA  angel) who isn't all that fond of humans. Humans also emit a potent, disgusting stench to immortals, so he'd also physically repulsed by their presence. He meets an ex-sex-slave named Kid who smells worse than most humans and he's particularly nasty to him. Kid, having just escaped from slavery, doesn't appreciate Treycore's condescending attitude, and he's quick to challenge his insults. Despite how much they get on each other's nerves, they also have a powerful, inexplicable sexual attraction towards each other. So they fight, and then it becomes to much for them, and they fuck. More fucking ensues.

BMBR: What books do you consider Desert Island Keepers?

Devon: Oh...there's this little book called Clipped that could easily satisfy all my sexual needs for an eternity. What? Wrong answer? Too narcissistic? Ok, ok. Desert Island keepers? I have to be kind of lame with this question because I have books that I'm really attached to. One, for sure, has to be Wuthering Heights. I can never read that book too many times. It's just beautiful...absolutely beautiful. The passion, the lust, the intensity. It's raw, it's captivating, it's beautiful. I don't think I could ever get bored with that story. There are few books that truly transport me to another world when I'm reading, but that one definitely does. I hate saying this next one, because I think he was one of the douchiest authors ever to walk the earth, but William Faulkner. I adore Light in August. I would definitely need that with me.

BMBR: What's your go-to tasty beverage?

Devon: If you'd asked me a year ago, I would have said pumpkin spice coffee. At the time, I drank like four pots of coffee a day, but realizing that wasn't the healthiest lifestyle, I gave it up and now I'm a big tea drinker instead. Well, not that big. Not as big as I was with coffee, but I drink it occasionally. When I do, I drink cinnamon apple spice tea. I'm not a big cinnamon fan, but for some reason, that always does the trick.

BMBR: Do you have any secret talents? Inquiring minds want to know.

Devon: Don't lie. They don't care! Hmmm... Secret talents? Does self discipline count as a talent? With most everything in my life, I'm a masochist. I make myself exercise. I make myself eat healthier. I made myself give up coffee, which I loved more than breathing. Recently, I started running so I could participate in a half marathon with my friends. Stupidest idea I've ever had. I hate running. I have never hated anything so much in my life. Me and my boyfriend have been training, going on these long runs and they're unbearable. And I'm not talking about physically. Physically, I've acclimated to it. Mentally, it's like a form of Chinese torture. So why do I do it? Because the moment my body tells me, "No! Stop! You're killing me," I say, "Shut the fuck up, asshole."

BMBR: If you had to choose to be one magical beast, what would it be and why? (you don't have to say unicorn...but we won't say neigh either)

Devon: I don't know if this counts as a magical beast, but there's a lot of hentai that includes giant monsters with lots of tentacles. Do you know how many orifices I could get inside with those? Of course, it's not all that practical. I'd have to have a small army of concubinus to satisfy my tentacles. And for this to work, I'd essentially want my tentacles to function, not like tentacles, but like a bunch of dicks. I don't know. That's kind of difficult., because on one hand, that sounds like I could get off a whole lot. On the other hand, I worry they wouldn't be very usefully, because if I tried to use them to fight, I'd essentially be hurting my dick.

BMBR: Who's your favorite porn star?

Devon: Oh my God. I love this question. Johnny Rapid! Oh, my Johnny. Sometimes, my boyfriend will pull up a video up of him just 'cause he knows that boy makes me very happy. There's a guy who knows how to ride a cock. Sometimes, someone will be topping him, and he'll get this amused expression on his face like, "Aw. That's so cute. You're really trying, aren't you?" And they are. Bless their hearts. One time, he actually laughed at one of the guys who was pounding him and trying to talk dirty. That's my kind of guy. And he's so little. I could keep him in my pocket and take him everywhere I go.

BMBR: Do you have author envy? Whose words do you read and think, "GAH, I wish I wrote that!"?

Devon: Hmmm...I don't really envy other people's ideas. I'm pretty content with the ones I come up with. I'll sometimes envy a pretty passage. There are plenty of better wordsmiths in the world. But those sorts of passages are usually so mystical in nature that I don't ever think I could do something like that. For me, if I write something that sounds lovely, it's in a moment of inspiration that I couldn’t control if I wanted to.

BMBR: Any new projects you're currently working on?

Devon: Yes. My life is filled with WIPs. I just finished a YA Contemporary novel, and I'm tweaking/editing a project called Metal Made Flesh. I'm also working on my follow up to Bound, Clipped's sequel. I'll be taking a little break from that one, as I tend to do, but I'll be back in the heat of the battle in no time.


And here's something a little extra by McCormack!


Writing Books Mama Can't Read

by Devon McCormack

"So...we can't read it?" my mom asked.

I'd told she and my dad I was publishing a book. After all, it was my first, I was excited, and who would want to know about it more than my parents who watched me writing my whole life? Of course, when I'd blurted it out, I hadn't really thought how I was going to explain Clipped to my parents. "So, Mom, Dad, God and Satan were ex-lovers who butt-fucked for eons. When they broke up, humans ended up in the middle of their petty post-relationship feud. Now, it's just a big battle mixed with giant cocks and cum for days." No. That wasn't going to go over well. My parents were fairly religious, and my mother's reaction to my coming out went something along the lines of, "Yes, of course I know you were born that way! I'm your mother! Just don't tell anyone!" So I assumed releasing a book that violated my mother's religious beliefs as well as her fear of my doing anything to broadcast my sexual orientation would give her a heart attack.

"No," I replied. "I don't think you want to read it."

"Is there a lot of cursing?" It was an accusation, not a question. Before Clipped, my mom had read pretty much everything I'd written, from kids books to screenplays, though she was particularly bothered by the screenplays that included naughty words like fuck, shit, and the really heinous one--damn. After she'd run across a few, she'd insisted that I black out curse words from any manuscripts I shared with her.

"Yes. There's lots of that."

She grimaced and scanned my face, as if expecting my expression to reveal what other forms of debauchery I'd written about. I tried to psychically project to her, "Butt sex. Lots and lots of butt sex. Huge dicks invading tiny, dry boy-holes."

"And," I continued, "it's just not the sort of book you would like. Think trashy. Like trashier than trashy. Like really really trashy. And I wrote it."

I assumed she would infer from that last sentence I meant it was the gayest shit ever written and surely that would be the end of the discussion. Alas, I received a call not long after that, where she said a little-too-eagerly, "I told Aunt Jess about your book."

"You did what?!"

"The book. I told her. She's really excited for you. She wants to know your pen name."

"I bet she does. Mom, did you not understand what I meant when I said I was writing something really trashy? Something I wrote?"

"Oh, she reads Harlequin books all the time."

I bashed the heel of my hand against my forehead. "Mom. I'm sorry. I should have been more specific. I wrote it...Me...It's a sexual book. Sex that I'm writing about..."

This sort of verbal charades was a small example of the guessing games we played since I'd come out and my mother had made it clear she didn't want me mentioning "the gay thing" around her. So rather than just explaining what I'd written, I felt it was best to beat around the bush...which totally hadn't gotten me into trouble the first time...Mmmm hmmmm...

"Oh," Mom said, as she seemed to finally understand what I was getting at. Although, at that point, I wasn't all that confident I'd conveyed my message.

"Yeah, so Aunt Jess won't be reading my book anytime soon."

"Well, what am I supposed to tell her? She said she really liked your last book."

"Of course she did. It was about kid superheroes saving the universe!" In my mind this continued with, "Not an angel strangling a human while he fucks him in the ass with a fraction of his two-footer!"

Mom sighed that sigh that's meant to convey so many things: that I fucked up, that I'm making her life difficult, and that I need to make better life choices. "Well, when are you going to write something a little more mainstream..." Since this conversation, I've learned "mainstream" just means "not gay."

"I don't know, Mom. I'll let you know when I do, okay?"

Since Clipped, I've published three more books, none as erotic or naughty as Clipped. With each release, my mom gets really excited for me and asks, "Is this one we can read?" I want to shout at her, "No, Mom. The characters are gay and I curse on every fucking page!" But I offer a gentle, "No. I don't think that would be a very good idea." It's a sort of truce, though it saddens me. As I mentioned, she read pretty much everything I wrote as I was growing up. She was my first critic. She was the first to tell me, "This scene doesn't make any sense." She was the first to say, "This book really just isn't that good. No, I don't mean that. It's just not written very well. Oh, I knew you would take that the wrong way." I can tell that, by not being able to participate in this part of my writing career, she feels more than a little left out. She doesn't mind me sharing censored reviews, even of Clipped, because she wants to be a part of the success that I'm receiving. But I can tell that, though there are ways I can share pieces of this with her, it'll never be the same as when she could freely read everything I wrote. Sad as that is, it's just a part of growing up and making my way toward the life I want, rather than the life my mother dreamed for me. At some point, she's going to have to realize that she has to get over her issues with all things gay before we have a chance at sharing my work. But perhaps one day that'll happen, and if I need to censor out the curse words, I guess I wouldn't mind.

Thanks BMBR, for having me on the blog today. If you're interested in following me, here's where you can find me:


Also, if you're curious about my novel, Clipped, here's where it's available:



About the author:

Devon McCormack spends most of his time hiding in his lair, adventuring in paranormal worlds with his island of misfit characters. A good ole Southern boy, McCormack grew up in the Georgian suburbs with his two younger brothers and an older sister. At a very young age, he spun tales the old fashioned way, lying to anyone and everyone he encountered. He claimed he was an orphan. He claimed to be a king from another planet. He claimed to have supernatural powers. He has since harnessed this penchant for tall tales by crafting whole worlds where he can live out whatever fantasy he chooses.

A gay man himself, McCormack focuses on gay male characters, adding to the immense body of literature that chooses to represent and advocate gay men's presence in media. His body of work ranges from erotica to young adult, so readers should check the synopses of his books before purchasing so that they know what they're getting into.



We thank McCormack for dropping by the stable! Devon has kindly offered an ebook copy from his backlist - winner's choice To enter to win, please leave a comment on this blog post and let us know:

(1) your name and a means of contacting you (e.g., email, Twitter handle, link to Goodreads account, etc.)

and

(2) Your favorite beverage of choice. We like to get to know our blog readers too!

The giveaway is open until 10:00PM (Pacific time) on November 19th. Shortly thereafter, we will contact a winner whom we will select using a highly scientific "names in a hat" method (or, you know, an internet randomizer). Please respond to the winning notification within 48 hours or we will choose another winner.