Blog Tour + Giveaway: A More Perfect Union anthology by Various Authors

Other Worlds Ink and the contributing authors of A More Perfect Union anthology host today's tour stop! The contributing authors are Adrienne Bell, Kilby Blades, Aliza Mann, Claire Marti, R.L. Merrill, M.D. Neu, Dawn Montgomery, Sera Taino and Kearney Wentworth! Read more about the anthology which features four out nine queer stories and enter in the $25 Amazon gift card giveaway!

There's a new voting-themed charity anthology out (four queer stories): "A More Perfect Union." And there's a giveaway! Includes stories from Adrienne Bell, Kilby Blades, Aliza Mann, Claire Marti, R.L. Merrill, M.D. Neu, Dawn Montgomery, Sera Taino and Kearney Wentworth.

Love wins in this collection of nine all new, voting-themed romances.

A set of bite-sized romance short stories with 100% of the proceeds benefiting Fair Fight, an organization dedicated to combatting voter suppression.

From the campaign headquarters to the polls, A More Perfect Union features brand new stories from:

• Adrienne Bell
• Kilby Blades
• Aliza Mann
• Claire Marti
• R.L. Merrill
• M.D. Neu
• Dawn Montgomery
• Sera Taino
• Kearney Wentworth

**This anthology will only be available for a limited time, so be sure to grab your copy today**

We hope you’ll join us as love wins and democracy receives an HEA. The collection also includes stories from Adrienne Bell, Aliza Man, Claire Marti, Dawn Montgomery, and Kearney Wentworth. A diverse bunch of folks sharing their passion for social justice and fighting against voter suppression. All proceeds from the collection will go to support Fair Fight, and you can find more information at https://fairfight.com. The anthology will be available for a limited time on Amazon and Apple Books.

Amazon | iBooks | QueeRomance Ink

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Giveaway

The authors are giving away a $25 Amazon gift card with this tour:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47168/?

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Excerpt

Four of the nine stories in A More Perfect Union feature queer pairings. Here are quick bites from two of those stories:

From Sera Taíno: Oil and Vinegar

Yara wheeled the cart with soiled laundry onto the van, taking care to bend at the kneesto get the wheels over the gap between the ramp and the bumper. It was one of those infernally humid August days in Orlando that made you want to tear your clothes off right where you stood and dive into the first bucket of water you found. Yara had been doing housekeeping in this swamp ever since she got out of prison five years ago and there were a couple of rules she learned to follow the hard way. First, she never left the house without a water bottle. Florida humidity would suck all the water out of a person’s body in no time if they didn’t hydrate. And second, as a cleaner, she had to take care of her back if she wanted to make it to early retirement without injury.

Okay, the second one wasn’t an actual rule. That was all Paulina. She made shit up all the time to get Yara to take care of herself. Like “Quieres ir diving in Tucacas? Pues, don’t herniate your back.” Or “Want to do dance cumbia in Caracas with me? Don’t put so much salt in your sancocho.”

“Ay, por favor,” Yara would retort, all snotty and stank face, “We’re not going to live that long.”

“Oh, yes we are,” Paulina always snapped back, joking but not really. “We sacrificed too much not to enjoy this life a little.”

That was Paulina. While Yara was always looking back, Paulina faced the future. They were like that one Roman god, Janus. Two sides of the same dream.

Yara’s phone vibrated. She pulled off her cloth mask with the company name – Y&Ps Cleaning Service – stitched into the fabric. Wiping the sweat from her brow with one of the fresh towels, she tossed it in with the rest of the laundry before slamming the doors of the cleaning van shut, pausing to admire the lettering that matched her mask. She wanted to run her hands over the newly minted shapes, but her phone vibrated again. Paulina’s name flashed on the screen and she knew if she didn’t hurry up and answer it, Paulina would worry.

“Don’t forget what today is,” Paulina said without preamble. They’d been together for four years but Yara never got tired of her raspy voice, especially when she was ordering her around. She really liked it when Paulina ordered her around.

Yara blinked, stepped out of the blinding sun and into the meager shade cast by the van. “How can I forget, Lina? You’ve been reminding me since last week. I’m going to do a laundry run and then meet Josie at the House when she drops off the van.”

“Ok, ok. Just going down my to-do list and most of the stuff on here has to do with you.”

“Good to know I’m at the top of that list,” Yara teased.

“Always on top, bebe,” she whispered, sending an arrow of pure, unadulterated lust barreling through Yara’s body. She shifted on her feet, physically uncomfortable and unable to find any relief in the middle of this hellscape.

“Sigue con esa jodienda, and you’ll have to explain to everyone why they have to walk to the voting station when their van doesn’t show up.” Paulina was wrong to get her going while she was standing on the side of US192, sweating her ass off and dragging a half-ton of dirty towels around in the van.

“No-no-no,” Paulina responded, all the velvet and sex gone from her voice. Yara imagined Paulina waving one long, dark-brown finger in her face. “We’re not making anybody walk. These women are waiting for us. For you. And we’re going to show up for them.”

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From M.D. Neu: Election Night

Sammy turned the corner and rushed down the hall. She hated being late, but here she was, yet again. The elevator at the end of the corridor mocked her as the doors began to close. This week had been hell. Well, the whole election year had been hell. People fighting, families being pulled apart. Even her own family had battled it out. And now she wasn’t talking to her brother, Tom. “Such an ass.” She frowned. How could he support that idiot? How could anyone, especially when there was a better option. A saner option.

What the hell was wrong with people?

After the fallout between Sammy and Tom, she realized she needed to get involved. She understood if there were more people out there like her brother, then there were a lot of minds that needed changing.

Will it even make a difference? No, we have to get out the vote. People need to have their voices heard.

The elevator doors continued to close the nearer she got.

“Fuck,” she muttered under her breath. “Hold the elevator! Please!” she called out hoping someone heard her. She hadn’t noticed, in her haste, if someone occupied the elevator, but she remained hopeful, much like her thoughts on the election. Hopeful. Always, hopeful.

As the metal door shut right when Sammy reached out, she stopped and frowned, shaking her head.

Dammit!

Instead of the door sealing the last inch cutting off her chance of showing up for her shift upstairs somewhere in the neighborhood of being on time, there was a ding and the doors blessedly opened.

“Oh, thank Christ.” A smile pulled at Sammy’s lips. She was still going to be late, but at least this hurdle didn’t hold her up.

“I don’t know about that, but you’re welcome,” a soft voice said as the doors opened fully revealing a woman in her mid-thirties, with blondish brown hair falling gently over her shoulders. The black A-line skirt and blue blouse showed her curves and soft form. Her blouse opened enough to show off her perfect neck and alabaster skin. The skirt provided an amazing view of this woman’s legs. Sammy loved long legs, especially when they ended in a stylish pair of heels. The warm scent of lilac and jasmine tickled Sammy’s nose as she focused in on the woman’s deep green eyes.

Not fully Sammy’s type, but the pretty stranger wasn’t far off either. There was something about a professionally dressed woman that made Sammy’s heart quicken. She frowned at herself. If she didn’t have a long night of phone calls, she might have felt self-conscious of her well-worn jeans and sweatshirt. When Sammy wanted to impress someone, she could, but right now she was there to support her candidate and make damn sure that they won this election. She wasn’t here to find a date. Even though there were quite a few smart and passionate women who caught her eye.

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Author Bio

Adrienne Bell

Adrienne Bell is the author of over a dozen action-packed romances including the bestselling contemporary Second Service series. Her love of story structure led her to create Plot MD, a system for crafting compelling stories. She also is the co-host of the weekly podcast The Misfit's Guide to Writing Indie Romance. Adrienne lives with her husband and sons on the far edge of the San Francisco Bay Area where she spends her downtime reading, binge watching nerdy television, and scrolling through Disneyland fan sites.

Kilby Blades

Kilby Blades is a USA Today Bestselling author of Romance and Women's Fiction. Her debut novel, Snapdragon, was a HOLT Medallion finalist, a Publisher's Weekly BookLife Prize Semi-Finalist, and an IPPY Award medalist. Kilby was honored with an RSJ Emma Award for Best Debut Author in 2018, and has been lauded by critics for "easing feminism and equality into her novels" (IndieReader) and "writing characters who complement each other like a fine wine does a good meal" (Publisher's Weekly).

Newsletter: https://www.kilbyblades.com/readersubscribe

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Kilby-Blades/e/B01N4770M0

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kilbyskorner/

Aliza Mann

Aliza Mann is a paranormal and contemporary romance author who resides in Michigan. The goal of this anthology spoke to her desire to create a world where all people can enjoy the right and privilege of voting. She is a champion of equal rights and believes in democracy. The legacy of her grandfather, the basis for this story, lives on within her, and she could not be more thrilled to share this story with the world.

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/alizamannauthor

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

Website: https://www.AlizaMannAuthor.com

Claire Marti

Claire Marti is an award winning and USA Today Bestselling author ​of swoonworthy Contemporary Romance novels set in Southern California. After graduating from the University of Virginia with a BA in English Literature, Claire was sidetracked by other careers, including practicing law, selling software for legal publishers, and managing a non-profit animal rescue for a Hollywood actress. Finally, Claire followed her heart and now focuses on two of her true passions: writing romance and teaching yoga. She’s thrilled to share her commitment to equality and justice for all in the A More Perfect Union Anthology.

Website: https://www.clairemarti.com

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

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/clairepmarti

R.L. Merrill

R.L. Merrill brings you stories of Hope, Love, and Rock 'n' Roll featuring quirky and relatable characters. Whether she’s writing contemporary, paranormal, or supernatural, she loves to give readers a shiver with compelling stories that will stay with you long after. You can find her connecting with readers on social media, educating America’s youth, raising two brilliant teenagers, writing horror-infused music reviews for HorrorAddicts.net, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more Rock 'n' Romance.

Website: https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com

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

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/rlmerrillauthor

M.D. Neu

M.D. Neu is an award winning gay author who writes epic Sci Fi, Fantasy, and Paranormal stories that reflect our diverse community. When not writing M.D. Neu works for a non-profit and travels with his husband of twenty years.

Website: http://www.mdneu.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/

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

Dawn Montgomery

USA Today bestselling author Dawn Montgomery loves to write almost as much as she loves to read. She has traveled the world twice over. While her days were filled with long hours and hard work, her nights were left for dark, lustful fantasies in and out of strange hotels and cities. Alaska and Texas are the places she calls home. She recently moved from the frigid North to Texas with her family and neurotic dog. It was tragic to leave behind the moose and bear for wide open plains and sexy cowboys.

Website: http://www.dawnmontgomery.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dawn.montgomery.author

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Dawn_Montgomery

Sera Taíno

Sera Taíno writes Latinx romances exploring the joy of love in the context of community and family in all its rich diversity. She was selected for the Harlequin Romance Includes You Mentorship, an initiative launched in 2019 to reach out to diverse communities of writers and bring more own voices stories to romance readers. Her debut novel is slated to be published with Harlequin's Special Edition Line in Fall, 2021. When she is not writing, she can usually be found teaching, traveling, or wrangling her family.

Website: http://www.serataino.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/serataino

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

Kearney Wentworth

Kearney Wentworth writes about her passions: music, romance, travel, sports, libraries, hotties and Blerds. The first book in her "Highland Havoc Rugby Club" series is out on submission and more short stories are in the queue.

Website: https://norudapublishing.com/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KearneyW_Writes

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

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Brains and Brawn (Summer of Hush #2) by R.L. Merrill

Take a look at today's blog tour stop hosted by author R.L. Merrill and Other Worlds Ink for rock star romance, Brains and Brawn (Summer of Hush #2)! Discover more about the new romance and enter in the $25 Amazon gift card giveaway!

R.L. Merrill has a new MM rock and roll book out: "Brains and Brawn." And there's a giveaway!

Billy “Brains” Brennan has achieved rock stardom in not just one, but two chart-topping bands, but events from his past have him convinced he’s living on borrowed time. Brains and his brothers-in-Hush are ready to take the last cross-country Warped Tour by storm...until the actions of two drunk dudes with bad attitudes set off a chain of events that leave him incapacitated...and face-to-face with a handsome stranger who inexplicably feels like home—and not the home Brains fled at sixteen.

Chief Petty Officer Paul McNally has spent his 25-year career as a Navy Corpsman responding to emergencies and caring for wounded soldiers. When fate has him in the right place to provide aid to a fallen rock star, it sends his life spiraling on a trajectory he never planned for. Instead of concentrating on his impending retirement and a second career, he’s now playing nursemaid to a fascinating younger man…and falling in love—a fact he can’t seem to figure out how to explain to his adult son.

A health scare, band drama, and pain from both of their pasts threatens to end Brains and Paul’s fledgling relationship. Fate brought them together. It will take trust, honesty, and hope to keep them together.


Amazon | Universal Buy Link

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Giveaway

R.L. is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card with this tour – enter via Rafflecopter for a chance to win:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47143/?

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Excerpt

Paul’s head whipped around when he heard the first scream. He watched in horror as the tent Bowie had just been standing in front of—Hush’s tent—collapsed and a crowd of people fell.

Without hesitation, he ran for the tent. Then he spotted Bowie standing over some big guy.

“You okay?” he yelled to him.

Bowie nodded, his big blue eyes wide as he looked back at the disaster.

Security began barricading the area around the tent and moving the screaming fans away from the scene. Adults attempted to pull the kids out of harm’s way.

That’s when Paul saw the tabletop on the ground and a pair of black-clad legs sticking out from underneath.

Oh God.

Guys in bright yellow security shirts lifted and pulled the rest of the tent out of the way. Paul rushed toward the broken table and sank to his knees next to Brains.

“Can you hear me? Are you with me?”

Brains locked gazes with him, and Paul felt pain in his right hand. He looked down to see Brains squeezing the life out of it.

“Please don’t leave….”

Medical staff approached in blue cargo pants and polos and swarmed the members of the band and their staff, several of whom were on the ground. Two women approached Brains with medical kits, and Paul started to move back, but Brains’s grip grew tighter.

“Please don’t leave me!” Brains said again, more insistently. He was panting, his face losing color, and Paul feared he was going into shock. He glanced at the table on his legs and at the staff who were preparing to lift it off him.

Paul worried perhaps the worst had occurred, but the fact that Brains was still squeezing the shit out of his hand was a good sign.

Brains coughed as he brought his other hand up to grasp Paul’s. “Please!” His appeals were growing in urgency.

Paul leaned a little closer to his face and pressed his free hand to Brains’s cheek. “I’m not going anywhere, okay? But they’re going to lift the table now. You ready? Try not to move.”

Brains nodded—another good sign—but Paul pressed a hand to his shoulder. “Stay still.”

The staff guys counted to three, and then they lifted the table.

Brains let out a guttural shout, and tears streamed down his face as he winced in agony.

Paul breathed a sigh of relief to not see any blood or rips in Brains’s pants. He half expected to see a bone shard sticking out. But they weren’t out of the woods.

“Brains, listen to me, okay?”

“Billy.”

Paul frowned. “Billy?”

“My name is Billy. Please—”

“I’m not leaving you, but these medics here are going to look you over, and they’re probably going to poke and prod you a bit.” He nodded to the young women in Rock Medicine shirts who stood by, hesitating to approach. Paul heard sirens in the distance, which meant better-trained professionals were on their way, but Brains—Billy—needed to be assessed immediately.

“Sir, we need you to move—”

“He’s not going anywhere!” Brains shouted at them.

Paul addressed the one with the first-aid kit. “My name is Paul McNally. I’m a Navy corpsman, and I’m trained in triage and emergency medical treatment.” And I’m not leaving his side.

The young women looked to each other and then crouched down next to Billy. One of them placed a hand on Billy’s arm.

“I’m going to touch you, okay?”

“He’s staying with me, you got it? He’s staying.” Billy’s chin quivered as he spoke to the medics. The two women looked at each other with eyes wide.

Paul was losing circulation in his hand, but he wouldn’t have left Billy if the entire venue burst into flames. The way he was reacting… Paul had been through countless emergencies and could recognize when there was a psychological issue at work that needed attention.

He looked around for Bowie and saw him with Dimples, watching from a distance. Relieved that he hadn’t been hurt and seemed to be doing okay, Paul turned his full attention on Billy.

One of the women took Brains’s vitals, and the other ran her hands over his body, checking for injuries. She barely spoke to Brains, and Paul was perturbed at the way they were assessing him.

“Billy, can you wiggle your toes for me?” Paul asked.

Brains nodded, and then Paul looked at his Vans-clad feet. Thankfully, he saw movement on both.

Paul smiled down at Brains. “You’re doing great. You know what today is?”

“A fucked-up day? I had a bad feeling this morning….”

“Seems like it was warranted.”

Brains’s deep blue eyes fixed on Paul, and his breathing seemed to slow for just a moment. Paul hoped that meant he would maybe be able to relax—

“Sir, I’m going to need to put a collar on you.”

Brains flinched when the medic touched him. “I’m fine, just let me up—”

Paul placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, and it was enough to keep Brains from trying to sit up. “Billy? It’s important that you lie still and let them put a collar on you. With this sort of accident, they need to keep your spine aligned to avoid any further injury, okay?”

Brains began to pant and tugged Paul’s hand as though he wanted to try to pull up, but when he tried to move his legs, only the right one moved, and he screamed in pain.

“Look at me,” Paul said, getting closer to his face. He needed to distract him, to make Brains focus on him. “Brains, they need to take you to the hospital—”

“No. No, no, no, please,” he whispered. “I can’t go, please, Paul, please—”

“I’m not going to leave you. I won’t let them hurt you, okay? They need to take you in for X-rays to make sure nothing’s broken.”

Brains’s voice sounded like that of a frightened child. Something was seriously wrong. He pulled on their joined hands again, and the medic placed a hand on Brains’s chest to keep him from moving.

“Sir? You may have a spinal injury, so we have to place you on this backboard with a collar to protect you. If you won’t cooperate, we’re going to have to sedate you.”

“Can you give us a minute?” Paul asked the medics, irritation clear in his voice.

“We need to get him to the ambulance,” the medic closest to him said, and then was distracted by the band’s manager. She gave the medic Brains’s information and shot a worried look Paul’s direction. His full name was Billy Brennan.

Paul ground his teeth together and took a breath to calm himself. “I understand. Will you give me a moment to speak to Mr. Brennan? I’d like to avoid the use of sedatives.”

She nodded, and they stood and backed away a few feet to confer.

Paul squeezed Brains’s hand and placed the other on his forehead.

“Hey, man. The sedatives are a drag. This will all go better if you let them collar you and get you on the backboard. Hopefully everything is fine. The fact that you’re moving your toes and strangling my fingers leads me to think your spine is just fine, but it’s procedure. I swear I’m staying with you.”

Billy swallowed hard, his eyes wild. “I know I’m acting crazy. There’s a reason, I just… please.”

Paul smiled at him. “You haven’t seen crazy until you’ve got a wounded Marine pulling his pistol and pointing it at your face while you try to remove a sliver from his other hand.”

Brains’s eyes bugged out. “A sliver?”

Paul shrugged. “It was a four-inch piece of shrapnel, but I’d still call it a sliver.” He winked, and Brains barked out a laugh. Good, keep that smile. “You going to let them collar you and take you for a little ride?”

Brains’s smile faded. “Just please stay with me. Can you? Will you?”

If Paul hadn’t already been 100 percent in on this mission, he was now.

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Author Bio

R.L. Merrill brings you stories of Hope, Love, and Rock 'n' Roll featuring quirky and relatable characters. Whether she’s writing about contemporary issues that affect us all or diving deep into the paranormal and supernatural to give readers a shiver, she loves creating compelling stories that will stay with readers long after.

Winner of the Kathryn Hayes “When Sparks Fly” Best Contemporary award for Hurricane Reese, Foreword INDIES finalist for Summer of Hush and RONE finalist for Typhoon Toby, Ro spends every spare moment improving her writing craft and striving to find that perfect balance between real-life and happily ever after.

She writes diverse and inclusive romance, contributes paranormal hilarity to Robyn Peterman’s Magic and Mayhem Universe, and works on various other writing and mentoring projects that tickle her fancy or benefit a worthy cause.

You can find her connecting with readers on social media, educating America’s youth, raising two brilliant teenagers, trying desperately to get that back piece finished in the tattoo chair, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more Rock 'n' Romance.

Author Website: https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com

Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005746815103

Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/rlmerrillauthor

Author Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/rlmerrillauthor

Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rlmerrillauthor

Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9828914.R_L_Merrill

Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/r-l-merrill/

Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/R-L-Merrill/e/B00PI6Q1LI

Cover Reveal + Giveaway: Summer of Hush by R.L. Merrill

Author R.L. Merrill and Other worlds Ink share the new cover for re-release, Summer of Hush! Check the updated cover, find out more about the rockstar romance and enter in the $10 Amazon gift card giveaway!

R.L. Merrill has a hot new MM Rock 'n Roll romance out, and we have the cover reveal: "Summer of Hush." Plus there's a giveaway!
Hush is back… and it’s about to get loud. After two years grieving the death of his best friend, Silas Franklin is back on the road with his metalcore band, Hush. With a new member, a brilliant new album, and a headlining spot on the last cross-country Warped Tour, life couldn’t be better—unless Silas could meet the intriguing music blogger known only as the Guru.
Silas has followed his blog for years and feels the Guru might be the only person who “gets” him. For years Krishnan Guruvayoor has reported on the metal scene as an anonymous blogger, and he’s just landed an internship on the Warped Tour as well as a potential position with a well-respected music magazine.
His best friend arranges for him to meet singer Silas Franklin—but only as Krish the Intern. Their chemistry is instant, and Krish is thrilled to get to know the man behind the music. The rock star and blogger quickly go from meet-cute to cuddle session, but secrets, overprotective bandmates, meddling media, and a terrible accident all conspire against them.
Can their romance survive the summer of Hush?
This is a rerelease.

Get It On Amazon

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Giveaway

R.L. is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour. Enter via Rafflecopter:
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47140/?

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Excerpt

Krish’s finger hovered over the Play button.
What if it’s not enough?
Krish sat in his bedroom. His last final was this morning, meaning he’d unceremoniously finished college. He came straight home from school to start his new adventure. But before the insanity started, he had something very important to listen to—an album he’d been waiting two whole years to hear. The band was Hush. The album, Sunrise, was their fifth studio album since their founding in 2008.
It would break his heart to give a negative review to his favorite band. His alter ego, the Guru, was known for his brutally honest metal reviews. He had a million subscribers on his YouTube channel, where he posted weekly animated shows, five hundred thousand Twitter users who followed his musical and political rants, and his blog posts were often mentioned on such popular sites as Metal Hammer, Loudwire, and even HuffPost. He owed his readers an accurate review, even if he was conflicted.
What if losing their guitarist meant the end of Hush? He’d loved them since his brother introduced him to music—specifically metalcore—and though he loved them best, he tried to be impartial to all of the bands he reviewed, from live performances and new albums to whatever he felt the need to riff on.
And then there were his posts about social issues, namely mental health and the LGBTQ community. Those tended to get really personal, and after Gavin West committed suicide, his love of music and his personal life intersected. The blog he wrote about Gavin’s death was his most viewed ever and the one he almost didn’t post.
“Krish, darling, did you want anything to eat? You didn’t have lunch, sweetheart. I am worried about you.”
Krish’s mom stuck her head in his room and found him in the same position—earbuds in, finger over the button, and holding his breath.
“Is it the new album from Hush?”
Krish nodded.
“How is it?”
“I’m afraid to play it.”
His mom patted him on the shoulder. She knew how devastated he had been by the death of one of his favorite musicians nearly two years prior. She’d cried alongside him, just as she had a year before that when they lost his brother.
“Whatever they’ve done, it will be beautiful. They’re talented boys.”
Krish smiled up at his mom. How he managed to land the coolest Indian mom on the planet was a mystery he’d yet to solve. She indulged his every passion, from music to politics to books and his guilty pleasure, video games. Her own childhood had not been so free, so she was determined her boys would be able to do whatever they wanted with their lives. For Vivaan, that meant joining the Marines after college. For Krish, it meant a career in music journalism, and now that he’d finished his degrees, he was anxious to get started.
“Have you finished packing?” she asked him.
Krish swallowed hard. Warped Tour. The other benefit of his blog was that he’d caught the attention of Alt-Scene magazine. Their assistant to the editor in chief had arranged for Krish to join the tour. He’d remain anonymous and only the tour office manager would know who he was and why he was there. To everyone else he was just her intern. He’d post his blog as usual but also work on a piece for the magazine. If the magazine liked how he covered the tour, there was a full-time position waiting for him at the end of it.
“Mostly. Jake’s not picking me up until Friday morning. That means I have one more day to stress over what I can and can’t fit into the one duffel bag I’m allowed to bring on the bus.”
She smiled at him and tugged on his shaggy curls. “A whole summer on a bus. I hope you made room for air freshener and hand sanitizer.”
“There will be women on the bus. I’m sure between them they’ll have something that smells nice.”
“It’s been wonderful having you home,” she said, her voice softer. “I’m going to miss you.”
“I’ll miss you too, but it’s only two months,” he answered. Krish had moved home when they received the devastating news about his brother, and he’d commuted to UC San Diego for the remainder of his time there, needing to be near his parents as they all worked through their grief. Now that he’d graduated, it was time to start the next chapter in his life, and he’d been given the opportunity of a lifetime.
“The first two months of the rest of your life. This is an exciting time for you.”
He heard the tears behind her voice. He couldn’t look at her or he’d be lost.
“I wish he were here,” Krish said quietly. His brother should be having his own adventures while cheering on his little Guru. But Krish was on his own now, and it was time to think about not only starting a career and leaving the nest, but standing on his own without his biggest supporter.
“I’ll come down in a second.” Krish hugged her waist and exhaled a shaky breath.
“I’ll heat up some dinner.”
“Is there any of that tandoori chicken left?” he called to her.
“I’ll heat some up for you. Don’t get lost up here. Just push Play.”
She totally understood him. “Thanks, Mom.”

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Author Bio

R.L. Merrill brings you stories of Hope, Love, and Rock 'n' Roll featuring quirky and relatable characters. Whether she’s writing about contemporary issues that affect us all or diving deep into the paranormal and supernatural to give readers a shiver, she loves creating compelling stories that will stay with readers long after.
Winner of the Kathryn Hayes “When Sparks Fly” Best Contemporary award for Hurricane Reese, Foreword INDIES finalist for Summer of Hush and RONE finalist for Typhoon Toby, Ro spends every spare moment improving her writing craft and striving to find that perfect balance between real-life and happily ever after.
She writes diverse and inclusive romance, contributes paranormal hilarity to Robyn Peterman’s Magic and Mayhem Universe, and works on various other writing and mentoring projects that tickle her fancy or benefit a worthy cause.
You can find her connecting with readers on social media, educating America’s youth, raising two brilliant teenagers, trying desperately to get that back piece finished in the tattoo chair, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more Rock 'n' Romance.
Author Website: https://www.rlmerrillauthor.com
Author Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005746815103
Author Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/rlmerrillauthor
Author Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/rlmerrillauthor
Author Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rlmerrillauthor
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9828914.R_L_Merrill
Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/r-l-merrill/
Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/R-L-Merrill/e/B00PI6Q1LI/

Review: DSP Advent: Homemade for the Holidays Week 4

Choosing the right gift for that special someone can be the most daunting part of the holidays. In a sea of mass-produced items, why buy when you can DIY? The end-of-the-year festivities are the best time for crafts, whether they’re made from yarn, paper, flour, or even code. And with some love and luck, these special presents might inspire a romance that lasts an evening… or a lifetime. Nothing makes the season merry and bright like a gift handmade from the heart, and to bring smiles to the faces of the ones they care about, these guys are willing to get creative.









Week 4 is here My Lovelies!



A Peace Offering by R.L. Merrill 

Dover Billings has sold his handcrafted wares at the Dickens Fair in San Francisco for over twenty years. He's not as outgoing as the other artisans at this yearly Victorian celebration and prefers to observe the festivities from the shadows. That is until a new corset maker moves into the booth next door and unsettles his carefully constructed life. Landry Malcolm is handsome, well-dressed, and the life of the party… one Dover wants no part of. Too bad he's attracted to his confident younger rival.

Landry desperately wishes to get through to the beautiful artist next door, but every move he makes seems to be the wrong one...until a drunken kiss seems to break through Dover's serious demeanor. Miscommunications seem to plague any attempts to find common ground, leaving Landry wondering what—if anything—he can do to make things right. Will a custom-made peace offering open the door to friendship, cooperation… and maybe more?


R *A Reader Obsessed* - 4 Hearts! 

Oh this was a good one!

Slight enemies, Dover and Landry seem to step on each other’s toes over and over as they cross paths repeatedly within their small artsy renaissance community. Landry desperately wants to make an impression, and Dover just wants to avoid intimacy all together.

It’s awkward and tentative with a one step forward with two steps back progression. Dover and Landry just can’t seem to connect and they fight with each other and themselves over whether or not they should pursue or just back off.

What I really enjoyed about this is that the MC’s are not cookie cutter stereotypes of the grumpy antisocial nerd vs the charismatic extroverted player. These two have layers, and I was constantly pleasantly surprised to see them slowly revealed in ways I didn’t expect.

Overall, impressive writing with natural realistic progression, this really was one of those rare holiday shorts that never felt rushed nor left out anything crucial (except the erotic details - darn!). Regardless, a hard earned, well deserved happy ending where a bit of perseverance and a willingness to take a chance pays off in all the ways!

Ann - 4 Hearts

This tale had all the elements of old-timey Christmas pageantry that I would love to have a taste of. The author did a great job of creating a visual treat and considering both Dover and Landry are artists, that element was a character in itself that added to my enjoyment of A Peace Offering.

Dover and Landry have an opposites attract / not-really-enemies to lovers thing going on. I liked where it was going even if Dover came across as a real dick to Landry more than once. Thankfully we got Dover’s POV as well and I really appreciate when an author does that with a particularly prickly character. Especially in a short story. The ending of the story and the beginning of the relationship don’t feel rushed then, because we’ve had the benefit of insight into Dover, in reality, being a bit of a smitten kitten over Landry.

The two of them were a real treat once Dover opened up and all that sweet chemistry got to pour out towards Landry who deserved it muchly by that point.


Piecing Together His Life by Jon Keys 

Real estate broker Colin Romu has been estranged from his family for many years, but an unfinished quilt bequeathed in his mother’s will might help him make peace. Seeking solitude, Colin heads for his isolated cabin in upstate New York, but a sudden blizzard lands him in a ditch instead. Fortunately local EMT Mason Doyle is on hand with a rescue and a place to stay until the storm blows over. As they contemplate Colin’s mother’s last gift, they realize their lives entwine in ways they never imagined.

Ann - 3 Hearts

The setup for Piecing Together His Life was really great. An inherited unfinished quilt, some family drama, a somewhat reclusive artist, a cabin in the woods; all great stuff. Colin and Mason were both likeable characters and obviously very attracted to one another. I liked where the story was going and was completely onboard.

I got a little lost with the two main plot points along the way. I was told about them, but they didn’t feel like they were explored enough or maybe they were just too big for a short story. Mason had basically zero confidence in his artisitic skills and has just kind of given up on pursuing art as a profession. His family is all for that and I guess I just didn’t get it. The big why was never really explained beyond they just weren’t fans of the idea. Colin was cut off from his family even though his mother left him the quilt and apparently still loved him. I guess. His family sounded pretty terrible actually and I didn’t understand the point. She could have just left him the quilt without all the drama and it would have felt more sweetly sentimental instead of a little meh.

I loved how it turned out though. It was a Very Christmas Happy Ending (all capitalized), the kind that gives you hope for the MC’s for a forever kind of happiness, not just with each other but with all kinds of possibilities for their futures.


Purls of Wisdom by Morgan James

Yarn shop owner and ex-soldier Noah Miller never looks forward to the Christmas season. At least this year the break coincides with Hanukkah. But before his vacation, he has to survive the December rush. 

When virgin knitter Finley Mason comes into the store desperate for yarn, needles, and lessons so he can win a bet against Hazel, a woman who must be his wife, Noah agrees to help him despite his better judgment—he usually hates teaching. 

As the deadline to finish his roommate’s scarf looms, Finley falls in love with the reclusive shopkeeper, and he tries his best to woo Noah with all the magic of New York City at Christmastime. Noah could easily be swept away—if only Finley wasn’t straight and taken….

R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3.5 Hearts!

Understated with dashes of quirk, I appreciated this nice holiday short!

Noah is a lot grumpy and perhaps that’s due to his experience in the military. Now that he’s home and owns a yarn shop, such a pleasant environment has not lessened his gruff side much. Despite the many unwelcoming signals Noah thinks he’s putting out, customer Finley is completely oblivious as he desperately begs Noah for help in teaching him to knit.

Surprisingly, Noah is unable to say no to Finley, and a nice slow burn starts as these two get to know each other under the excuse of being teacher and student. Finley is super earnest and happy go lucky - his infectious cheer inevitably rubbing off on Noah. Both wish things would progress further, but there’s just one teeny tiny misunderstanding.

Again, sweet and heartwarming as Noah comes out of his shell for all the right reasons, guaranteeing that he and Finely get a fabulous holiday together!

Ann - 4 Hearts

On paper Noah shouldn’t have been as swoon worthy as he was, but damn if he didn’t convince me to swoon along the way. Sure he’s a fine specimen of a male, but his grumpiness should have been off putting but turns out, it wasn’t. Especially in the face of the force of nature that is Finley.

Sure the story is pushed along by the misunderstanding, and the only reason that wasn’t annoying was because it was a short story, so it didn’t go on for too long, and because Finley has a friend in Hazel who is smarter than both Finley and Mason and makes sure the two of them get their shit together.

Noah is saved by the fact that we get his insight so I knew he was falling hard for Finley and my absolute favorite thing was the banter between the two of them. They had chemistry for days and I was there for it with every conversation.

Finley is just too sweetly earnest to ignore for long and his gift to Noah was sincerely adorable. I’ll be adding this one to my Christmas reread list.


Rainbows in Sea Glass by Kim Katil

Kyle has loved James, his best friend’s older brother, for as long as he can remember. Unfortunately James is a player, and Kyle has no desire to be his latest conquest. When James suddenly turns the full weight of his charm on him, Kyle flees to Cape May Point to collect sea glass and Cape May diamonds to make a St. Nicholas Day present for his aunt.

James has always taken Kyle’s presence for granted and he’s shocked to find how integral Kyle is to his life and future happiness. Braving his family’s well-meaning attempts to help and a sudden winter storm, James heads to the shore to convince Kyle that the most precious thing they’ll find on the beach is each other


R *A Reader Obsessed* - 3 Hearts!

Bonus points for favorite trope of falling for your best friend's brother!!

As per the blurb, Kyle has been in love with James for as long as he can remember, but he knows that he would never survive being a fleeting hookup. When a night of dancing makes Kyle realize he needs to distance himself from James and the potential messy situation, James too, has his own revelation.

What ensues is a bit of sappy wooing but it was enjoyable sappy wooing. Beware again the out of nowhere random BDSM element dropped in the bedroom (perhaps along with the homemaking theme, a little bondgae was also a possible option for advent authors this year) but I digress.

Again, this features a beloved trope, warm family vibes, and an inevitable cuddly HEA!

Ann - 3 Hearts

Being in love with the best friends brother is a trope made of gold. Rainbows in Sea Glass took it and cranked it up to 11. While everything was a little too perfect, a little too sweet and a little too shiny, that didn’t mean I didn’t eat it up. The author did a really good job of throwing in enough flash back moments to make sure we knew how important Kyle was to James and his family.

I really appreciated the unique setting and the use of the crafts that brought Kyle and James together (finally). Being a west coaster I wasn’t familiar with the setting and some of the treausres Kyle worked into his present for his aunt. So I did some googling and that always is a fun rabbit hole and any story that makes me google is a winner.


Riding the Hammer Lane by Cassie Decker

It’s long-haul trucker Eddie’s first Christmas away from home, and he picks up the CB radio in search of friendly voice. He doesn’t expect to reconnect with his old instructor—and brief but passionate fling—Colton. Eddie realizes the scarf he’s been knitting symbolizes the love and longing he’s been trying to deny. When fate brings them back together on a lonely, snowy stretch of Iowa highway, will they grab hold of their second chance and acknowledge the love woven tightly between them?

Ann - 2.5 Hearts

I liked the idea of Riding the Hammer Lane, I liked what I knew of the characters, but the problem was, I didn’t really get to know much. Having only one POV made it a little tougher to buy into how into one another these guys were.

Eddie was obviously a good guy and Colton was, well, Colton was there and I felt that I was told about their connection much more so than anything I actually saw. Which was kind of a bummer considering the unique premise. I think the action in the middle was a little big and not exactly necessary. I would have loved to have those pages filled with Eddie and Colton reconnecting. I wanted to be there for that ride
.

The Santa Project by Elinor Gray

Working at the Craft Emporium keeps Adam Martinez busy during the holiday season he absolutely hates. Enter elementary schoolteacher David Okoye, who can’t get enough of Christmas or craft supplies. David is cute, wholesome, and Adam can’t deny a little bit of a crush.

Making the holidays special for his students is only part of the reason David makes excuses to go to the Craft Emporium. He also holds a torch for Adam. He takes it as a personal challenge to show Adam how to enjoy the holidays when he asks Adam to teach him to knit. David promises the holidays can be wonderful when shared with the right people, but how can they share them when David is going home to his family and Adam will be left all alone?

Ann - 4.5 Hearts 

Ok, this story is a snack and a half. The author really managed to fit a lot of connection between David and Adam into a short story. I also felt like I got plenty of backstory for each of them, so that their reactions, issues and conversations read organically.

And David? David is super emotionally mature and what is up with that? He’s just perfect for Adam and the way he handled Adam’s dislike of the holidays and the understanding he showed was above and beyond what I expected. His profession as an elementary school teacher shines through, but in a way that was kind and not at all condescending. Adam recognized it too and it spoke to the appreciation they had for one another.

Their dates were quite sweet and exactly what I wanted to read for them. The bit of drama at the end made sense and was short lived, thankfully, because a sad Adam made me sad. The resolution was executed perfectly for the two of them and gave confidence in an HEA.

Also, steamy hot. Very steamy hot. A lot of the Christmas short stories fade to black when it comes to the physical, but not this one, no sireeee bob. Thank you Elinor, that was some good stuff.

**copies of the Advent stories were provided for honest reviews**

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Summer of Hush by R.L. Merrill

Welcome author R.L. Merrill's visit on the Summer of Hush blog tour! The author and Other Worlds Ink share info on the the new rockstar contemporary romance! Learn more and enter in the $50 Dreamspinner Press gift card giveaway today!

R.L. Merrill has a new contemporary MM romance out: "Summer of Hush."

Hush is back… and it’s about to get loud.
After two years grieving the death of his best friend, Silas Franklin is back on the road with his metalcore band, Hush. With a new member, a brilliant new album, and a headlining spot on the last cross-country Warped Tour, life couldn’t be better—unless Silas could meet the intriguing music blogger known only as the Guru. Silas has followed his blog for years and feels the Guru might be the only person who “gets” him.

For years Krishnan Guruvayoor has reported on the metal scene as an anonymous blogger, and he’s just landed an internship on the Warped Tour as well as a potential position with a well-respected music magazine. His best friend arranges for him to meet singer Silas Franklin—but only as Krish the Intern. Their chemistry is instant, and Krish is thrilled to get to know the man behind the music.

The rock star and blogger quickly go from meet-cute to cuddle session, but secrets, overprotective bandmates, meddling media, and a terrible accident all conspire against them. Can their romance survive the summer of Hush?


Publisher | Amazon | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | Goodreads

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Giveaway

R.L. is giving away a $50 Dreamspinner gift card with this tour – enter via Rafflecopter:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d4786/?

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Excerpt

“Did you see this?”

Los held up his phone and displayed it like Vanna White in all her glory.

“New Guru?” Silas asked, his heart rate making the jump to lightspeed.

“‘The Last Warped Hurrah.’ He’s coming. You’ll for sure get to meet him.” Los wiggled his eyebrows at Silas, who tried to play the whole thing off as though he wasn’t ready to start jumping on the couch and doing back flips.

“That’s cool,” he said, hiding his excitement. The possibilities….He’d had his hopes up that he might meet him two years ago when they played Warped, but the Guru never said what show he attended. Silas had analyzed his posts to see if he could get any idea where it might have been. Ridiculous. Tons of dates, a blur of venues, and thousands of screaming fans in the hot sun—it was hopeless. The guy didn’t answer private messages either. Because he’d tried that.

“Says here he’ll be posting about the shows,” Los said, still reading through the blog while waiting for his hair dye to set. Jordan volunteered to be their hair maintenance person because he’d gone through barber school before he became a rock ’n’ roller.

“Dude, stop moving,” Jordan scolded Los. He was trying to avoid getting black dye on his red T-shirt, but Los kept moving around.

“Sorry.”

Silas checked the tour schedule hanging at the front of the bus. “There are thirty-eight dates on this tour. He could be at any of them. It’s not like anyone knows what he looks like. All of his videos are animated.”

“Maybe he’ll post about the different shows, like who he sees. And Brains is doing his workshops. Dude—”

“Dude, why are you guys being so loud?” Billy Brains climbed from his bunk on the tour bus and stretched his lanky body in the narrow hallway. The band had held its final run-through last night at their rehearsal space in Oakland and was headed to Pomona for the opening date of the show that weekend.

“Because, bruh, Silas might finally get to meet his crush.”

Silas threw a rag, but Los dodged it and was reprimanded by Jordan for moving again. It could have had anything on it, but they were just getting started on their tour, so the likelihood it had already been tarnished with some sort of bodily fluid was low. By the third or fourth leg of the tour, you never knew what kind of funk it could be contaminated with.

“Just let it go, Los.”

“Why?” Los asked. “You’ve been sprung on this guy since….”

Silas knew it was hard for all of them to talk about it and they still tended to trail off whenever the topic was brought up.

“He did a beautiful piece about Gavin,” Brains said softly as he slid into the booth next to Silas and rubbed at the stubble on Silas’s freshly shaved head. “Unlike the rest of the press. If I never have to talk to another reporter….”

Silas dropped his head on Brains’s shoulder. “You won’t have to.” Brains was right. The press had crucified the band after Gavin’s death, and they’d all agreed only Silas would give interviews from then on. There were several news sources that were persona non gratawith them. Brains was their drummer and truly their rock. Without his determination, songwriting talent, and experience in the business, there was no way they would have made it through the last two years. “Sorry we woke you up. It’s Los’s fault.”

“It’s all right. I wasn’t sleeping. I was watching one of Chris Motionless’s makeup videos. I fucking love how he does his eyes.”

Brains loved makeup and had a huge obsession with shows on horror- and fantasy-inspired art. He’d brought his kit with him to the table to experiment. Silas often let him practice on him. His stage makeup creations were badass.

Los threw the rag back and Silas caught it. “He’s got to meet him,” he insisted. “It’s the last Warped!”

“How do we make this happen?” Brains asked. “Oh, I know. Let’s hit the socials. Spread the word out that we want the Guru to come to my TEI workshop. We’ll send him a free ticket if he’ll come.”

“Yeah, put it on your Snapchat story, Silas,” Los said. “You have an assload of followers. Someone is bound to see it.”

“And what do I say, huh? ‘Gee whiz, Guru. Pretty please, come to my drummer’s workshop for a meet-cute’? That’s lame.”

“No one knows who he is for a reason,” Silas said. “Just forget it.”

Silas didn’t want to get his hopes up. Again. He needed positivity. This tour was going to be hard enough. It was his first time touring without Gavin, and while he was confident the album was a great showcase for their new guitarist, Jordan Barrett, and held enough of Gavin’s spirit to be a hit, he was on edge. They needed this summer to be huge, or else it was time to wrap up Hush and move forward in his life without his true loves—music and his best friend.

“If it’s meant for you guys to meet, it’s gonna happen,” Brains.

“I don’t know. You really believe in that kind of fate shit?”

Silas wanted to. Oh, how he wanted to. But the next part of that wish was that the Guru was just as incredible in person as he was in his writing, and that was probably pushing his luck.

“You know I believe it,” Brains said. “Fate has always kept me going. It’s what brought us together, right?”

True, the formation of their band had been a sort of kismet. Brains, Los, Gavin, and Silas had all been in the same place in their lives with all the magical elements that made their music stand out among their metalcore brethren. If Brains wanted to chalk it up to some mystical force, Silas could buy that.

“Fate is a powerful thing,” Jordan said as he wandered back over with a beer. “You never know when it’s your time, am I right? I never thought I’d end up with you guys, and here we are.”

Los fist-bumped him. “Damn right and a-fucking-men for that.”

Brains and Silas joined in the fist bumps, which turned into some weird, obscure Wonder Twins Power references, and pretty soon they were all cracking up.

Yeah, Fate had been fickle with Silas and his band. She’d given them the world on a platter, then yanked it away. Everything had crashed and broken into pieces, but she was slowly putting them back together. Would she continue to grace them this summer?

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Author Bio

Once upon a time... a teacher, tattoo collector, mom, and rock ’n’ roll kinda gal opened up a doc and started purging her demons. R.L. Merrill is still striving to find that perfect balance between real life and happily ever after, and she’ll keep writing love stories until she does. Both self-published and traditionally published with Dreamspinner Press, Ro writes romance in contemporary, paranormal, and horror settings inspired by love, hope, and rock ’n’ roll. Ro also loves connecting with other authors online, at conventions, and chapter meetings for the Romance Writers of America, of which she’s been a member since 2014.

A sucker for underdogs, Ro has adopted a wide variety of pets including cats, dogs, rats, snakes, a chameleon, and some fish. Her love of horror is evident the moment you walk in her door and find yourself surrounded by decorative skulls and quirky artwork from around the world. You can find her lurking on social media where she loves connecting with readers, or else find her educating America’s youth, being a mom taxi to two busy kids, in the tattoo chair trying desperately to get that back piece finished, or head-banging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Author Website: www.rlmerrillauthor.com
Author Facebook (Author Page): www.facebook.com/rlmerrillauthor
Author Twitter: www.twitter.com/rlmerrillauthor
Author Instagram: www.instagram.com/rlmerrillauthor
Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/9828914.R_L_Merrill
Author QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/r-l-merrill/
Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/R-L-Merrill/e/B00PI6Q1LI

Blog Tour + Giveaway: Worst Holiday Ever by Various Authors

Looking for a holiday anthology that feature #ownvoices and characters that fall under different spectrums? Look no further, the authors of Worst Holiday Ever and Other Worlds Ink drop by today on a blog tour! Nine stories from authors Kilby Blades, R.L. Merrill, Marie Booth, Adrienne Bell, Eva Moore, Kari Lemor, Meg Bellamy, Preslaysa Williams and Erin St. Charles for you to enjoy!

Plus R.L. Merrill not only drops by with a ficlet and excerpt from their contribution, The Thanksgiving Parade From Hell. But they also host a $25 gift card giveaway!

There's a new holiday romance anthology out: Worst Holiday Ever.


It’s the most wonderful time of the year! OK—scratch that. It’s time for another obligatory family gathering. And nothing spices up the egg nog like bringing your partner home. Surely your belligerent brother-in law, your gimlet-eyed granny and your drunken uncle will keep it classy. With forced proximity and alcoholic beverages, what could possibly go wrong?

• Decked Out by Eva Moore


• A Perfect Fit by Adrienne Bell


• Crazy Old Money by Kilby Blades


• Stealing Christmas by Kari Lemor


• Touched by Fate by Preslaysa Williams


• Ringing in the Reefer by Marie Booth


• The Thanksgiving Parade From Hell by R.L. Merrill


• Thankful in Perdition by Erin St. Charles


• Feliz Chanukah! by Meg Bellamy

This anthology is for readers who love any or all of the following: m/m, #ownvoices, plus-sized heroes, interracial/multicultural families, paranormal romance, contemporary romance, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Chanukah!


Warning: It is best to leave this one to the mature audiences. Note: Many of the stories in this anthology are not queer.


Amazon | Smashwords | QueeRomance Ink

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Giveaway

R.L. Merrill is giving away a $25 Amazon gift card OR a $25 Dreamspinner Press gift card with this tour. Enter via Rafflecopter:


a Rafflecopter giveaway



Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d4744/?

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Author Visit

Author R.L. Merrill not only hosts today amazing giveaway, Merrill also delivers a ficlet based on their anthology contribution,  The Thanksgiving Parade From Hell! Check it out!

Ficlet: When Dalton met Orrie

Labor Day Weekend – 2017

“Mr. Bishop! He’s about to take the stage!”

Dalton Bishop had been looking forward to this moment ever since he’d opened his subscription box from Third Man Records three months ago to find Orrie Jones’s debut album. The face on the cover drew him in, but the voice…Oh, this man’s voice. Rough, emotional, soulful, it felt as though Orrie was singing just for him. Dalton was in the beginning stages of planning his company’s End of Summer Bash to celebrate a phenomenal quarter and he’d had the brilliant idea that they should contact Orrie Jones’s management and hire him to perform. Now, the voice that had filled Dalton’s spare moments with impure thoughts was going to be performing for his company’s picnic. Pretty insane.

Dalton waited in the wings opposite where Orrie would enter the amphitheater stage at California’s Great America amusement park and waited, his palms sweating just thinking about seeing the guy in person after all the nights he’d dreamed about him. Orrie didn’t need to know about that, though. Dalton didn’t want him to think this was all a big stalker’s plan to get him alone…Shit.

            It was time for him to go speak to his employees and he was freaking out. Not unusual, but he needed to get it together. He took a deep breath and trotted out onto the stage. He received thunderous applause from the five hundred or so employees and family members he’d bought out the park for today. Little kids jumped and cheered with barbeque sauce on their faces. A bunch of guys from engineering were shirtless with painted chests and were currently chugging beers. The mild-mannered IT folks were gathered in front of the stage with giant smiles on their faces, and Dalton couldn’t help but be grateful he could provide this day of entertainment to his employees. They’d voted in the inter-office poll for a day at the park with live performances and he’d wanted to deliver.

            “What’s up, Bishop Tech?!”

            Everyone cheered and there were some screams. His CFO led a chant of “Bi-shop Bi-Shop Bi-shop” and Dalton shushed them.

            “Thank you to everyone for coming out today to celebrate our phenomenal summer! In can’t even begin to tell you how proud I am for our little company to be sitting pretty on the top Silicon Valley companies lists and that our stock is now at a record high! You’ve all worked so hard, and I hope you know how much I appreciate your hard work.”

            More clapping and more shouting.

            “Now, friends, it is my great honor to introduce you to the incredibly talented Orrie Jones!”

            The crowd went wild once more as Dalton held out a hand to call their attention to the gorgeous man taking the stage. Instead of saying hello to his special guest, Dalton hurried over to the wings again and found the best vantage point to watch his set.

           

***

“Thank you, everyone,” Orrie said slowly into the microphone, a blush creeping up onto his cheeks when the shouts grew louder.  He’d played hundreds of clubs in his career before graduating to larger venues on his tour with Jack White, but there was something about a small crowd of rabid music fans. Or in this case, a bunch of tech company employees blowing off steam. He was on a brief break from the tour when his manager let him know that he’d booked him this gig, a request from the CEO himself, who was apparently a big fan. He’d thought he might meet Dalton Bishop before he took the stage, but his personal assistant was the one to pick him and his accompanying musicians up at the airport, get them checked into the hotel, and bring them here an hour before showtime. His introduction was the first time he’d even gotten a look at the CEO of Bishop Tech, and he was still reeling.

            The guy was adorable. Unbelievably cute. Orrie didn’t often find hipsters attractive, but Dalton Bishop, in his tight, salmon-colored, pressed khakis and Toms with no socks had Orrie intrigued. Dalton wore a fitted plaid shirt, neatly rolled up at the elbows with a company t-shirt thrown on over it…the guy was geek chic and Orrie chuckled at his enthusiasm on stage. But that ginger hair… again, not something Orrie usually found drool-worthy, but on this guy? Orrie was going to meet him face-to-face when his set was over, that was for sure.

            He launched into his set, his guitar growling to life for his first song, Breathless, and the entire crowd began jumping around and dancing. He thought to himself that they must have provided some good alcohol for everyone to be this loose before starting in with the lyrics, but even the kids were dancing along.

            He caught movement out of the corner of his eye and saw that Dalton Bishop was watching the set from the wings, a huge smile on his face. Something in that smile made Orrie want to give the performance of his life. He threw his all into his covers of “The Lemon Song” by Led Zeppelin, “Hang You From The Heavens” by The Dead Weather, and The Doors classic  “Hello, I Love You,” and with every song, Dalton seemed to be enjoying himself even more.

            Orrie ended his set with his radio smash hit, “Be Your Man,” and the crowd went insane. His cheeks hurt from smiling as he belted out lyrics about finding that special someone who could get past all of his defenses and make him beg for more. It was definitely one of the spicier tunes on the album and he’d been shocked it was chosen as the first single, but it turned out to be a helluva way to make a first impression with indie rock fans.

            The set was over and Orrie thanked the crowd and Bishop Tech for having him, especially their CEO. Dalton joined him onstage and as he was approached by the sexy af genius, still grinning ear to ear as though had some wicked secret. Orrie was amazed by how innocent and naughty the guy looked all at the same time.

            “Let’s hear it for Orrie Jones!”

            Dalton held out his hand to shake and the moment Orrie took it, he knew something momentous had just happened. Sometimes a person is brought into your life for a purpose, and though that purpose might not make itself known for a bit—in this case it took three days—you just know. And it wasn’t like that feeling of dread you get when someone is bound to end up breaking your heart like Orrie’d had with his ex. No. This feeling was buoyant, light, and full of promise. He shook Dalton’s hand and held on for a second longer than he probably should have before Dalton blushed, turned to wave at the crowd and said, “Enjoy the rest of the food and booze. The shuttle to the hotel leaves in forty-five minutes or you can grab an Uber home on Bishop Tech. You guys are what makes our company special and I’m looking forward to the next year of increased innovation!”

            Everyone cheered, Dalton gestured to him once more for a bow, and then Dalton wrapped an arm around his shoulder and led him offstage.

            “Is it wrong if I hoped you might accompany me back to the hotel?” He stopped walking. “Not for anything nefarious, I swear. Oh God, that sounded wrong. I just thought we could—“

            “You are so adorable,” Orrie said. “Relax. I’d have been offended if you didn’t offer. I want to know why you chose me to play your show.”

            Dalton smiled shyly. “I’m going to need another drink before I make that confession.”

            “Then take me to the hotel bar and let’s have ourselves a conversation.”

---

Excerpt

  From "The Thanksgiving Parade from Hell," by R.L. Merrill
“You hardly ate anything.” Dalton rubbed Orrie’s back. He’d suggested the donuts because he knew Orrie would be too stressed out to eat.

“I don’t know why she insists on serving quiche at these things. Who the hell eats quiche, anyway?” Orrie picked at the spot on his finger.

Dalton shook his head. “Only old people. And hipsters.”

Orrie laughed humorlessly and leaned back in the seat. “You don’t have to do the boxes this weekend. I can do it tomorrow before I leave.”

“Forget it,” Dalton said as he started the car. “I get you to myself tomorrow until I take you to the airport, and I’m not losing a single minute of time with you.” He leaned over and kissed Orrie sweetly. “It’s been a long six weeks, baby.”

“Too long. I missed you.” Orrie closed his eyes and Dalton took that as a good sign. He hoped that meant Orrie would be able to relax at their next stop. Because he sure the hell wouldn’t.

Ahhhh, Casa de Bishop. The eternal bachelor pad. The house where Bishop men went to lick their wounds and drink. A lot. And today being Thanksgiving and the holy day of the pigskin, Dalton had prepared his defense. He just had to get past this next two hours, and then he and Orrie would move on to…his mom’s. Okay, make that the next four hours.

He pulled the car out of the pretentious neighborhood where Orrie’s grandmother lived and drove down the hill to the more blue-collar area of Castro Valley. It was a funny town in that way. You had these newer, expensive developments up in the hills and canyons, but a lot of old neighborhoods from the forties and fifties that remained affordable for the low- to middle-income folks in the East Bay.

Peter Bishop, Dalton’s father, lived in such a home, one he’d inherited from his parents. The boys had grown up there, and currently, Dalton’s brothers Terrence and Stanley lived there with him. Both had broken up with their significant others in the past year and now, with their divorced father, they lived the life of swingin’ singles. Dalton just hoped the house was in better shape than it had been the last time he was here.

“Hey, doll,” Orrie said, reaching for his leg. “I know how much you worry about them. You don’t have to do anything you don’t want to. If you want to go…”

And that was just one of the many reasons Dalton loved this man more than anything. He looked over and Orrie was smiling at him in that way that made Dalton feel like any second he was going to be a weeping mess on the floor, but in a good way. Not in the way he’d grown up experiencing.

“I want to see them. I do. We’re supposed to be thankful on Thanksgiving, right?”

Orrie nodded, frowning. “You are the most thankful person I’ve ever known. You see the positive in everything. Sometimes to your own detriment.”

Dalton barked out a laugh and his eyes burned. He was tired of fretting over a situation that was never going to change.

Orrie got out of the car and walked around to Dalton’s door, which he promptly opened, pulling Dalton in for an embrace that felt more supportive than seductive, and yet it had both effects. Dalton may have been the one to pursue Orrie, but Orrie had seduced Dalton with his compassion as much as his passion, with his love as much as his loving.

“If you promise not to take any shit from your brothers, I’ll promise not to cause any bodily injury.”

Dalton snorted and dropped his forehead onto Orrie’s shoulder. “You know they’re going to give me shit, and I know you’re going to give it right back. Just don’t hit anyone this time. You don’t have that luxury, you know? You can’t afford any injuries.” He thought about Orrie picking at his finger and hoped it wouldn’t get worse as the day wore on.

Orrie sighed and kissed Dalton’s head. “I’m insured,” he said against Dalton’s hair. “If I happen to have an injury, they’ll find some other poor schmuck to play guitar for me. Shouldn’t be too hard. Any adolescent boy could play—”

“Stop it right there. You’re as full of shit as a Thanksgiving turkey.” Dalton put a finger against Orrie’s lips.

“I’m serious, baby. Please.”

Orrie laughed. “We have an audience. Should we give them a show?”

Orrie just loved to be demonstrative in front of Dalton’s brothers. They couldn’t contain their disgust, not so much because Dalton was gay, but because the thought of their oldest sibling being sexually active with anyone made them want to hurl. Since Dalton had been more of a father to Terrence and Stanley than dear old Dad, they tended to treat him that way.

“I’d say we should give them a show, but honestly, that’s not playing fair. If I want them to behave, I can’t exactly go sinking to their level.”

“So I shouldn’t fondle you right here?” Orrie slid his hand down Dalton’s chest.

Dalton winced and sucked in a breath.

“Did I hurt you? I’m sorry.”

Dalton pressed his lips together firmly and pulled back from Orrie. “I’m fine. Really.” Was that my voice coming out sounding like a little girl’s?

Before Orrie could interrogate him, which would really ruin the surprise Dalton had worked so hard to make happen, Peter Bishop slammed open the front door.

“Hurry up, you two, before Terry burns the damn turkey!”

Dalton stared wide-eyed at Orrie. “Did he just say turkey?”

Orrie nodded, his brow furrowed once more. “Are your brother’s actually cooking?”

“Come on, you two. I gotta get in the backyard.”

The screen door slammed shut and Dalton jumped at the sound.

“Have your phone ready to call the fire department,” he said to Orrie as he sprinted up the walk. Dear God, don’t let those idiots burn the place down.

---

Author Bio

Eva Moore: As a young woman, Eva Moore loved nothing more than to dive into the pages of a book. She even met her husband while reading a romance novel. When the second baby came along though, she found she had little time for diving into anything but laundry. Missing her stories desperately, she began to make up her own. The stories she played with while she washed dishes and changed diapers demanded space on the page, and she was hooked. Winning Cherry Adair's Finish The Damn Book Contest has propelled her career into high gear. Eva now lives in Silicon Valley, after moving around the world and back, with her college sweetheart, her three gorgeous girls, and a Shih Tzu who thinks he is a cat. She can be found most nights hiding in her closet-office, scribbling away, and loves to hear from the outside world.
http://www.4evamoore.com.


Kilby Blades: Kilby Blades is a fresh new voice in smart contemporary romantic fiction. A business executive by day, by night she writes dynamic characters into (and out of) tantalizingly complex predicaments. Critics laud her "feminist romance", noting empowered heroines and multi-dimensional heroes who are staunch advocates for their partners, stepping back from their own spotlights in order to let their women shine. From dry wit in her angstier books to blatant humor in her lighter ones, her characters are resplendent in their witty repartee. All her stories, regardless of genre, serve up delicious dilemmas and never-before-seen plots. When she's not writing, Kilby goes to movie matinees alone, where she eats Chocolate Pocky and buttered popcorn and usually smuggles in not-a-little-bit of red wine. Kilby is a mother, a social-justice fighter, and above all else, a glutton for a good story.
https://www.facebook.com/kilbybladesauthor/


Erin St. Charles: Erin grew up watching Star Trek and reading Barbara Cartland novels (don't hate), wishing she could create something that brings her love of science fiction together with her love of romance. Still a romantic nerd at heart, she writes sensual, diverse stories that blend fantasy, adventure, and love.
https://www.twitter.com/erinwritesbwwm
https://www.facebook.com/erinstcharles/


Kari Lemor: Kari Lemor grew up as one of those kids who read all night under the covers. Once she had her first glimpse of a romance novel at age 12, it was all over. Romance was in her blood. It would be many years before the stories that ran rampant in her head finally drove her to put words to paper, though. She wrote self-indulgently for the first few years and only recently began penning stories to share with others. She still writes stories that are self-indulgent but hopes others might get some enjoyment from them too. Now that her children are all grown and have moved out, she uses her spare time to create stories of love and happily ever after romances where heroes ride to the rescue of damsels who have already saved themselves. She lives with her husband in a small town in New England dreaming of warmer weather. But only if it's near the ocean.
https://www.facebook.com/Karilemorauthor/


Adrienne Bell: Adrienne Bell is the author of over a dozen action-packed romances including the bestselling contemporary Second Service series and the new Exiles of the Realm paranormal series. She loves nothing more than writing quirky heroines with a knack for finding trouble and the hardheaded heroes who help them fight their way out of it. Adrienne lives with her husband and sons on the far edge of the San Francisco Bay Area where she spends her downtime reading, binge-watching nerdy television, and scrolling through Disneyland fan websites.
https://www.facebook.com/AdrienneBellAuthor/


Meg Bellamy: Along with her husband, her family and her books, language is Meg's passion. In fact, by day she's a mild-mannered language teacher. Currently, she teaches ESL (English as a Second Language) to international students, but in her early teaching days, her main subject was French. Though her French is a bit rusty these days, she figures a trip to France would help fix that. She's also studied Russian, Spanish and Italian. This love of language spills over into her writing craft and appreciation for books -- and travel! Meg also has to travel to see other family members in New Jersey -- a mere continent away from Meg's home in Northern California. Being a published member of the community of writers with her contemporary romances and women's fiction is the fulfillment of one of Meg's most cherished dreams. Her first release, Homecoming, was released October 19 -- a week before her birthday -- from The Wild Rose Press.
https://www.amazon.com/Meg-Bellamy/e/B00655VO1S


Marie Booth: Marie's a Northern California girl with a love of all things artsy fartsy - as her brother says. A theatre and fantasy geek, she writes sexy paranormal romance and has a hot contemporary series releasing this year. You can contact Marie here:
http://www.mariebooth.com
https://www.facebook.com/marieboothbooks
https://www.twitter.com/marieboothbooks


R.L. Merrill: Once upon a time... A teacher, tattoo collector, mom, and rock 'n' roll kinda gal opened up a doc and started purging her demons. Several self-published books and a debut from Dreamspinner Press later, with more tucked away in her evil lair, R.L. Merrill is still striving to find that perfect balance between real-life and happily ever after. You can find her lurking on social media where she loves connecting with readers, being a mom-taxi to two brilliant and busy kids, in the tattoo chair trying desperately to get that back piece finished, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more Rock 'n' Romance.
http:/www.rlmerrillauthor.com


Preslaysa Williams: Preslaysa Williams is an award-winning author and actress. She writes contemporary romance and women's fiction with an Afro-Filipina twist. Preslaysa has a Bachelor's degree from Columbia University and is currently earning her MFA in Fiction from Seton Hill University. Connect with Preslaysa online at her website (www.preslaysa.com) or on any of these social media platforms:
https://www.facebook.com/preslaysa
https://www.twitter.com/preslaysawrites
https://www.instagram.com/preslaysa