Monday Meet: Grace Duncan

Hey, guess who’s on my blog today?  The incredible Grace Duncan. That’s who. And her characters Finley and Tanner.

Thanks so much to the awesome Brynn for hosting me today! Without further ado, let’s get back to Finley and Tanner!

Do you have any bad habits? If so, what are they, and do you plan to get rid of them?

Tanner shrugs. I don’t know that I have many bad habits. Finley snickers. What? Finley shakes his head, trying to look innocent and failing. All right, then, what do you think my bad habits are?

Finley smirks. You mean like not picking up your dirty clothes? Or not doing laundry until the last minute? Letting the coffee creamer sit on the counter?

Tanner glares, though there’s no heat to it. I don’t do those. Finley doesn’t answer, simply waits. Tanner sighs. Okay. Maybe I do… some of that. But you’re not much better.

I never said I wasn’t. Finley grins. I’m just as guilty of the clothes and laundry thing. But I do put the coffee creamer away!

You don’t use it.

Finley laughs. Well, I still don’t leave it out! I put it away for you!

Tanner rolls his eyes. Okay fine. We’re working on the clothes thing, though. We’re just both still kind of in… college student mode with it.

That is so disgustingly true. Finley chuckles. We’ll get there eventually.

Tanner grins. Maybe. By the time I’m alpha.

Maybe we’ll just have to learn how to hide it better so the pack members don’t know.

Tanner laughs. That’d work.

If you were to gain an obscenely large sum of money (via an inheritance, a lawsuit, a lottery, or anything else) what would you do with it?

That one’s too easy. Finley smiles. For either of us. He looks at Tanner.

Tanner nods. It’d go into the pack, invest in the leatherworking business, help build houses for them.

We might travel a little. I’ve never been anywhere, really. Finley purses his lips. Well, aside from Oregon. But there are so many amazing places just here in the US.

I’d like to do that. I haven’t traveled much, either. Tanner takes Finley’s hand. So, yeah, we’d set some aside to travel, but I think most would go back into the pack.

What would you wish for if you found a genie?

The knowledge of how to mate in wolf form. Tanner looks completely deadpan but Finley laughs hard enough to hold his stomach.

Oh my gods, yes. We still haven’t figured that out.

Tanner grins. Um… I think I’d ask for my best friend back. I still see Eric now and again. He’s still in the forests of our pack lands in wolf form. I’d love for him to come back and be with us.

Finley nods. That was tough. I can’t imagine if I’d seen that. If it’d happened to Jamie or something.

Other than that—and I know this sounds corny—but other than that, I don’t know what I’d ask for. I have a mate that loves me, a family who cares about—extending to my pack. We’ve got a good home, I make good money. Tanner shrugs. We’re very luck.

We are. Finley smiles. I dunno, maybe the answers to the final exams? He laughs. But truthfully, Tanner’s right. We’re lucky. We don’t need much.

* * *

Thanks again to Brynn for sharing her blog with me today!

Each person who picks a question the boys answered and gives me the answer for them, is entered to win a copy of any of my previously published titles.

Be sure to follow the entire tour. There’ll be a scavenger hunt at the end for a chance at a $25 Amazon gift card! Keep up with the tour here:  http://www.grace-duncan.com/devotion-blog-tour

There is also a very special giveaway going on for Devotion. In the story, there are eight references to werewolf movies or movies with werewolves in them. Everyone who can tell me accurately where all eight are (what page) and what the movie is, will be entered to win a signed paperback of Devotion and a Dreamspinner gift card.

Blurb:

Finley Cooper is tired of waiting. He’s spent the last two years, waiting for his destined mate to be ready to claim him. In deference to human laws, he’s agreed to put it off until he was eighteen. But now he is and his mate has a new set of excuses. Finley doesn’t understand it any more than his wolf does. And Finley’s beginning to wonder if Tanner really wants him or if fate made a mistake.

Tanner Pearce wants nothing more than to claim his mate. But Finley’s age worries him. He’ll never forget what happened when his best friend mated at Finley’s age, only to have that mate end up feeling trapped and breaking their bond. While rare, it can happen, and the fallout Tanner witnessed as his best friend tried to deal with the break would haunt him for years.

If that isn’t bad, when the future alpha of the Forbes pack claims his mate, it’s traditionally a public event. Neither Tanner’s nor Finley’s parents understand Tanner’s reticence over either issue, but Tanner is sure claiming Finley this soon is a recipe for disaster. However, Finley has had enough and when Finley threatens to find someone who will claim him if Tanner doesn’t, Tanner realizes he’s going to have to come to terms with his fears or risk losing his mate forever.

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Grace Duncan grew up with a wild imagination.  She told stories from an early age – many of which got her into trouble.  Eventually, she learned to channel that imagination into less troublesome areas, including fanfiction, which is what has led her to writing male/male erotica.

A gypsy in her own right, Grace has lived all over the United States.  She has currently set up camp in East Texas with her husband and children – both the human and furry kind.

As one of those rare creatures who loves research, Grace can get lost for hours on the internet, reading up on any number of strange and different topics.  She can also be found writing fanfiction, reading fantasy, crime, suspense, romance and other erotica or even dabbling in art.

Find Grace here:

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Monday Meets: Avon Gale

Avery Hextall, a junior architect at a prestigious firm, is thrilled when his design is chosen for a new performing-arts center—even if it means working closely with his insufferably uptight project manager, Malin Lacroix. When a chance encounter in the boss’s office proves that Lacroix is anything but cold, Avery is determined to learn more about the real man beneath the aloof veneer.

Despite their growing attraction and their increasingly kinky encounters, the enigmatic Malin remains as emotionally distant as ever. Worse, Avery’s friends are convinced Malin thinks of Avery as a dirty secret and nothing more—a secret that might destroy both of their careers.

But the real secret is a single moment in time that haunts Malin and keeps him from committing to the life he wants with Avery. In order to move on, Avery must help Malin come to terms with the tragedy in his past before they can work on building a future together.

Lacroix smiles down at him—that tiny smile that Avery doesn’t like because it’s stupid. “Do I?”

“Yup.” Avery looks over at Harlan, who is trying to tell Avery with his eyes to be quiet. Avery just makes a kissing motion at him and turns back to Lacroix. “You look a lot less stuffy. Like a normal person.”

“And you look… defeated.” Lacroix’s smile is sharper, and it’s strange. It’s a loud restaurant, but Avery can’t seem to hear anything else, notice anything else, who isn’t his boss. “Much like you did earlier, when you were aware you should apologize and were angry about it.”

That kills all of Avery’s ire, and all he feels is incredibly tired. And drunk. Lacroix is clearly enjoying himself at Avery’s expense, which is making him feel weird, and he doesn’t like it. “Go away. Fire me when I get back. I don’t care. Why are you even here? I thought you lived in Mordor .”

“Sorry to disappoint you,” Lacroix says in a smooth voice, and Avery is pretty sure the reference just sailed way over his head. “I’m here to meet a friend.”

“What? You have friends? Are they boring math people too?” Avery grins at him, meanly, like he’s picking on a kid at the bus stop. An older kid who could run him over with a car. “Hey, is it Thomas? Is he going to give you a twenty-five dollar blowjob?” The instant he says that, Avery is well aware he’s gone too far.

How does he still have a job, and why is he doing his level best not to? Something about Lacroix’s insufferable smugness makes Avery want to rile him up. And he’s always been the type to push and push, just to see what he can get away with. But he rarely does it like this. What the hell does he want? Lacroix to lose his cool and punch him in the mouth? Jesus, he’s acting like a twelve-year-old boy with a crush on a—

Oh no. No, no, no. A horrible suspicion is planted in Avery’s brain, and he starts sucking on the ice in his watery gin and tonic, desperate for more liquor to burn it out of there.

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Avon Gale was once the mayor on Foursquare of Jazzercise and Lollicup, which should tell you all you need to know about her as a person. She likes road trips, rock concerts, drinking Kentucky bourbon and yelling at hockey. She’s a displaced southerner living in a liberal midwestern college town, and when she’s not writing you can find her at the salon, making her clients look and feel fabulous. She never gets tired of people and their stories — either real or the ones she makes up in her head.

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Monday Meets: Louise Lyons

Louise Lyons is visiting my humble blog today, sharing an excerpt from her new book and offering a Rafflecopter giveaway.

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Blurb

Can romance and rock ‘n’ roll dreams survive with a storm raging around them?

Alex Randall has always wanted to be a rock singer. When he answers an ad from a local band, his dream finally comes true. He loves the stage, and the group’s fans love him. Things couldn’t be better, except for the attraction he develops for the band’s guitarist, Lindsey. Alex is surprised and initially worried, since he only had one brief flirtation with a boy in his teens. But even though he and Lindsey become close and start seeing each other, Alex fears commitment, and Lindsey worries that Alex might only be experimenting.

When Lindsey’s ex contacts him following a health scare, fear and anger drives a wedge between Alex and Lindsey, which causes rifts within the band. Alex and Lindsey’s relationship is still new and fragile, and with Alex unwittingly blaming Lindsey for their problems, it becomes a true challenge for them to weather the storm.

Excerpt

Band practice the next evening didn’t happen. Lindsey didn’t turn up, and Mark tried ringing him several times, but his phone went unanswered. I didn’t miss the way Mark and Ricky exchanged glances a few times, and by the time ten o’clock came, they looked worried.

“Alex, can you do me a favor?” Mark asked when we decided to call it a night.

“Yeah, what?”

“You’re in your car, aren’t you?”

“Yes.” I’d finally given in and started driving to Mark’s for rehearsals. It was easier and Beeston was nice enough to leave my car on the roadside and not worry about it.

“I know it’s a bit out of your way, but could you pop over to Lindsey’s place and check he’s okay?”

“Why wouldn’t he be?” I felt a prickle of anxiety—both for Lindsey and at the idea of leaving the BMW unattended outside his house. I remembered where he lived from when we’d dropped him off on the way back from a couple of our own gigs. Lindsey had an upstairs flat in a converted terraced house. The area looked like a warzone, with windows on some properties boarded up and a few of the tiny overgrown gardens filled with junk. I’d seen a burnt-out car on a patch of rough ground on one occasion.

Mark glanced at Ricky and back at me. “I don’t know, just a feeling. He never does this. He calls if he can’t make it. You know his address, don’t you?”

“Yeah. Okay, I’ll go.”

“Ring me and let me know,” Mark added.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

Ricky shrugged. “It’s not up to us.”

“What isn’t?” I didn’t get why they were obviously keeping something from me.

“Nothing. You know he’s in a kind of crappy relationship. He gets upset sometimes, that’s all.”

“Well, I don’t think I’m much of a relationship counselor.” I grimaced and pulled out my car keys. “Okay, I’m going.”

In twenty minutes I turned into Lindsey’s street. I parked in front of his house and looked around anxiously as I locked the car. A couple of teenagers skulked along by a fence on the opposite side of the road, and I kept an eye on them until they turned out of sight into an alley. I was probably worrying too much, but my car was my baby, and I envisioned coming back and finding its wheels missing or graffiti spray-painted all over it. Then again, I only had to knock on the door. Lindsey would probably come out and ask me what the fuck I was doing bothering him, and then I could go home and ring Mark.

I walked up the path of broken paving slabs and pressed the doorbell. There was no sound inside, and I knocked loudly on the wooden door. Turning my back to the building, I looked up and down the street again, but there was no sign of anyone else. I knocked again and waited another couple of minutes. Then I cautiously tried the door handle. The door wasn’t locked, and it swung inward with a faint squeak.

“Lindsey!” I stepped into a tiny three-foot-by-six hallway with a flight of stairs directly in front of me. Lindsey didn’t answer, and I took one last look at my car and made my way up the stairs. When I reached the landing, I found four doors that I imagined must be the bedroom, lounge, kitchen, and bathroom. “Lindsey?”

Two of the doors stood ajar, and I looked into the first room to find a tiny bathroom with a toilet, sink, and shower. Darkness filled the bedroom next to it. I felt around on the wall for a light switch, and seconds later the room flooded with light. A double bed was positioned under the window. I gasped in horror when I saw Lindsey lying on it. He rolled away from me, covering his face with his hands.

“What the fuck happened to you?”

“Go away.” His voice was muffled, and he coughed and groaned.

“Fuck.” I went over to the bed and sat on the edge. A substantial amount of blood stained his white T-shirt. Despite his attempts to cover his face, it was easy to see his split lip, and his nose had bled heavily. I felt sick when I imagined someone hitting him, obviously several times.

“Christ, Lindsey, who did this?”

“Alex, just go, please. I’m all right.”

“The hell you are.” I touched his arm gingerly and then gripped it and pulled at him. He resisted for a moment but then turned onto his back. The left side of his face was swollen and bruised, and the blood had come from both nostrils and his lip. “Who did this?” I repeated.

“I’m okay.” He pushed my hand away and sat up.

“You’re not okay. You need to go to A & E.”

“Fuck that.” Lindsey pulled the front of his T-shirt up and dabbed at his nose. Fresh blood oozed from it and dripped onto his ruined shirt. He pushed me out of the way, got to his feet, and stumbled into the bathroom. I heard him vomiting and the toilet flushed. I went to him, flicking on the bathroom light as I stepped into the tiny room. Lindsey crouched on the floor, and what horrified me the most was that he was crying.

Buy Links

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Author Bio

Louise Lyons comes from a family of writers. Her mother has a number of poems published in poetry anthologies, her aunt wrote poems for the church, and her grandmother sparked her inspiration with tales of fantasy. Louise first ventured into writing short stories at the grand old age of 8, mostly about little girls and ponies. She branched into romance in her teens, and MM romance a few years later, but none of her work saw the light of day until she discovered FanFiction in her late 20s.

Posting stories based on some of her favorite movies, provoked a surprisingly positive response from readers. This gave Louise the confidence to submit some of her work to publishers, and made her take her writing “hobby” more seriously.

Louise lives in the UK, about an hour north of London, with a mad Dobermann, and a collection of tropical fish and tarantulas. She works in the insurance industry by day, and spends every spare minute writing. She is a keen horse-rider, and loves to run long-distance. Some of her best writing inspiration comes to her, when her feet are pounding the open road. She often races into the house afterward, and grabs pen and paper to make notes.

Louise has always been a bit of a tomboy, and one of her other great loves is cars and motorcycles. Her car and bike are her pride and joy, and she loves to exhibit the car at shows, and take off for long days out on the bike, with no one for company but herself.

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Email: louiselyons013@gmail.com

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Monday Meets: Vicktor Alexander and a Giveaway

Excerpt (From Groom of Convenience):

“Here we are,” Rosemary announced, her voice louder than normal, with a false cheeriness to it. Lucien’s eyebrows rose at his mother’s behavior, and he stopped her in front of the closed doors, which once again let Lucien know something or someone was behind those doors that his parents didn’t want him to know about until they’d had a chance to explain it to him.

“Mother, what is going on?” Lucien asked her. Rosemary looked at Lucien and shook her head. “Why, Luce, absolutely nothing. Why would you ask me something like that?”

Lucien was really concerned, as neither of his parents used his nickname. Ever. He said nothing to her, just staring, unmoving. Rosemary removed her hand from Lucien’s elbow and raised it to the pearls hanging at her neck to play with them a moment. Lucien was very aware of that gesture; it meant Rosemary was nervous and trying to figure out just what to reveal. He waited expectantly, confident she would let him know what was going on before he had to face his maldy, but when Rosemary shook her head and squared her shoulders, Lucien knew his ploy of silence wouldn’t work this time.

“All you need to know, Lucien, is that everything we do, we do as your parents and because we love you,” Rosemary told him. She raised a hand to his cheek and stroked the skin gently, lovingly. “We were so happy when I gave birth to you and discovered you were a girl. We had been surprised by the pregnancy, as the doctors told me I was past my conceiving years, but you were a delightful surprise. We always wanted a son, and we were finally given one.” She dropped her hand from Lucien’s cheek and lifted it to her face to wipe away the tears that had gathered in her eyes. “We do this because we care about you and only want the best for you.”

Rosemary turned back to the double doors of the red rose room and pushed on the handles to open them. She grabbed the skirt of her morning gown in one hand and glided into the room. Lucien stood in shock for only a moment before he followed her. “Close the doors, Son.” His maldy’s husky voice came from the direction of one of the chairs next to the fireplace.

Lucien nodded and, as he turned to close the doors, saw the Duke and Duchess of Cumbria sitting on the loveseat across from his maldy. He froze in shock for but a moment. Years of etiquette training wouldn’t allow him to just stand in front of the door, but he had never seen anyone in the red rose room who wasn’t family, and now here were two of the most prestigious peers of the realm, not only in their home but in their private family room. Lucien took a moment to compose himself. He smiled at both of them and bowed slightly before turning back to close the doors. After he released the handle, Lucien took a steadying breath and moved to face his parents.

“Well, have a seat, Lucien,” Annabelle directed him.

“Yes, Maldy,” Lucien answered automatically. His maldy was a stern woman. Lucien could only remember one instance where he had ever seen her be soft and loving, though he wasn’t supposed to have. He had woken up in the middle of the night when he was seven years old and had walked out of his room and down the family wing toward his parents’ room. He knew he was too old to actually sleep in the bed with them, but he had wanted comfort from a dreadful nightmare. Halfway down the hall, he’d stopped, frozen in place as he saw his mothers pressed together against the wall next to the bedchamber. They were dressed in evening attire, Rosemary in a gorgeous dress of blue velvet, one hand holding a white shawl, her black hair spilling down her back in a mass of curls. Annabelle was pressed close to Rosemary’s body, her thick blond hair pulled back into a harsh, unforgiving bun, her face pressed into the crook of Rosemary’s neck. Annabelle wore a slim dark green evening gown, embroidered in onyx gems under her small bust and around the hem.

As Lucien continued to watch them, he saw Rosemary lift her leg and circle it around Annabelle’s waist, while Annabelle dropped a hand beneath Rosemary’s skirts. Lucien’s eyes had widened, and he’d turned to leave, not in the least bit interested in watching his parents copulate in the middle of the corridor. It was something he only knew about because he’d overheard his sisters speak of it and because he’d sneaked into the servants’ quarters many times and seen the same thing occurring among the servants. Just as he started to turn away, he saw Annabelle lift the hand that had been pressed against the wall on the side of Rosemary’s head and tenderly stroke Rosemary’s cheek. She had leaned close and kissed Rosemary’s lips gently before lifting Rosemary’s leg higher. It was Rosemary’s gasp and harsh groan of Annabelle’s name that had spurred Lucien to turn and race down the hallway to his room.

So while one part of him was happy to know his maldy had a gentle side, the self-preservation side of him tried not to remember how he knew that. Lucien settled himself on the edge of the chaise next to the loveseat where the duke and duchess sat.

“I believe you know the duke and duchess?” Annabelle said, smiling thinly up at Rosemary, who stood and began pouring tea for all of them. Lucien crossed one leg over the other, balanced his teacup and saucer on his knee, and sat straight up—something else he’d learned how to do in his etiquette class—and nodded.

“Yes, Maldy. So nice to see you again, Your Graces,” Lucien said with a smile at two of the highest-ranking members of society. The Duke of Cumbria was a harsh-looking man. His skin had a healthy tan from spending a great deal of time outside, no doubt riding his horse or hunting, like most titled members of the gentry. It was a luxury Lucien wished he would have once he married, but one he believed he would have to go without once that occasion happened upon him. The duke’s black hair was brushed back from his face and pulled into a queue at the back of his neck; gray had seeped into the dark strands and colored his temples. His eyes were a mesmerizing shade of light gray, almost silver, his chin pointed, a dimple resting in the middle of it. He had broad shoulders shrouded in a brown morning coat over a startling white dress shirt with a white cravat and a black vest. He wore black breeches, which could barely contain his large thighs, and black boots on his feet.

Next to him, the Duchess of Cumbria wore a morning gown of yellow that caused her pale skin to look sallow. Her red hair, cluttered with gray strands, was pulled back in a bun, tendrils escaping to curl around her rounded face. Lucien admired the fact that the Duchess had not felt the need to buy a wig of blonde or black hair that would make her much more fashionable. She no doubt felt she didn’t have to, being a superior member of the gentry. Her bonnet rested on her lap, and Lucien wondered if perhaps she had just removed it moments before he’d entered. Where his mother Rosemary had foregone heels for slippers, the Duchess wore a beautiful pair of white heeled shoes with lace and embroidery over the front of them. Her eyes were a deep jade color, and she smiled brilliantly at Lucien when his eyes fell on her.

“And it is indeed a pleasure to see you again, young Lucien,” the Duchess, Jane, if Lucien remembered her Christian name correctly, said, her voice light and melodious.

“I am sure you are wondering why you were summoned to the family home when we did not have a scheduled meal,” Annabelle stated, and Lucien gave the Duchess a final smile before turning his attention to his maldy.

“The thought had crossed my mind, yes, Maldy,” Lucien admitted.

“Well, my dear, we have taken it upon ourselves to make a decision about your life that I am sure you will find not only agreeable but practically miraculous and fortuitous,” Annabelle stated with a pointed look. That look Lucien knew quite well. Even if he didn’t find the decision “miraculous” or “fortuitous,” he was being ordered to pretend he did in front of the duke and duchess.

“Thank you, Maldy. I am sure that I will,” Lucien agreed. He wondered if he had been offered to be a companion to the Duchess. While it wasn’t at all a notion he would have chosen for himself, it was inherently better than what he thought he’d been summoned to the estate for.

“Your mother and I have decided to accept the suit offered by the Duke and Duchess of Cumbria,” Annabelle told him before calmly lifting her teacup to her lips and taking a sip.

“Suit?” Lucien questioned, looking back and forth between the two couples.

“Yes. You are to wed Heathcliff Eddington III, His Grace, the Duke of Pompinshire, Marquess of Manchester, Earl of Southerby, Viscount of Berkinstock, Baron of Hempstead, heir to the Dukedom of Cumbria, in six months’ time.”

Groom of Convenience

By: Vicktor Alexander

Scandalous Whispers of the Remmington Realm, #1

M/M Erotic, Historical, Scifi, Fantasy, Transgender/Intersex Romance

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Release Date: October 17, 2014

Length: Novel/290 pages

 

 

Order: Dreamspinner ebook| Dreamspinner paperback| ARe| Amazon| Kobo| iBookstore| Nook

Add to: Goodreads

Description: In an alternate universe, in the country of Angland, 1814, the gentry live lives of culture and class. It is a time of courtships, marriages of convenience, and titles, where scandal can ruin an entire family. Gender lines are blurred, and making a good match is of utmost importance. Children are born to men and women, which has led to the acceptance of same-sex marriages. Lady Lucien Timothy Hawthorne is shocked and angry when he is betrothed against his will to Lord Heathcliff Eddington, III, the Duke of Pompinshire. While drowning his frustration at a popular gentleman’s club, he meets “Robert,” a gorgeous older man whom he sleeps with as “Timmy,” regardless of the potential damage to his reputation. After their liaison, Lucien corresponds with Robert via letters left at Remmington, and they decide to elope. Before they can get away, Lucien meets his betrothed, Heathcliff, who he is surprised to discover is also his beloved, Robert. Both men desire a marriage of the heart, but they find out that sometimes a marriage of convenience can turn into love under the right circumstances. But Lucien has a secret, and Tlondon isn’t as safe as they once thought.

About the Author:

Vicktor “Vic” Alexander wrote his first story at the age of ten and hasn’t stopped writing since. He loves reading about anything and everything and is a proud member of the little known U.N. group (Undercover Nerds) because while he lives, eats, breathes, and sleeps sports, he also breathes history and science fiction and grew up a Trekkie. But don’t ask him about Dungeons & Dragons, because he has no idea how to play that game. When it comes to writing he loves everything from paranormal to contemporary to fantasy to historical and is known not only for being the Epilogue King but also for writing stories that cross lines and boundaries that he doesn’t know are there. Vic is a proud father of two daughters one of whom watches over him from Heaven with his deceased partner Christopher. Vic is a proud trans* and gay man, and when he is not writing, he is hanging out with his friends, or being distracted by videos of John Barrowman, Scott Hoying, and Shemar Moore. Vicktor has published numerous bestselling novels and has a WIP list that makes him exhausted just thinking about. He knows that he will be still be writing about hot men falling in love with each other, long after he is living in an assisted living facility, flirting with the hot, male nurses. Website| Blog| Facebook| Facebook Fan Page| Tumblr| Twitter| Google+

Giveaway:

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Monday Meet: M.A.Church

My first guest of 2014 is M.A. Church.  She came by today to talk about bondage and submission, and her new book, “Wrapped in Leather”.

 

“Most welcome, bondage, for thou art a way, I think, to liberty.”

– William Shakespeare

Hey everyone! I’m M.A. Church and I’m here to talk about my latest release, Wrapped in Leather. It’s the first in the Wrapped Up series. Wrapped in Leather is about two men exploring a relationship involving their love of leather, BDSM. One of the things Toshi has to answer for himself is: What is a submissive?

    A submissive is a person who makes a conscious choice to give up some or all control of their life to another person—a Dominant or a Top. Dominance and submission is about a power exchange between two consenting adults. It is about the control within the dynamics of that relationship, whether it be a full time 24/7 relationship, or a casual meeting, or a part time arrangement.

Choosing to be submissive means to allow someone else to control your body and behavior within the preset limits you and that particular person, i.e. the Dominant, have agreed upon. Submission is not a sign of weakness; some of the most successful and strongest people are true submissives.

Submission is not about passiveness, it is not about being a doormat—most submissives are intelligent and well-balanced people just fulfilling their basic desires to submit and to give up control. Submission is not about kinky sex and whips and chains—though those things can and do play a part in our lifestyle, it is much deeper than just that, and comes from the heart. Submission is a choice, and a wonderful gift to the Dominant—it should never be entered into lightly, even in a casual situation at a party or gathering.

~Photo courtesy of Gregory Anton http://rav-photography.com

Many thanks to the model, Ben. J

 

Buy link: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4567

Paperback: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4568

Release date: January 3^rd

Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Blurb:

To celebrate his decision to take the next step with his boyfriend Ian, Toshi Baylor plans a romantic evening at their favorite steak house. Toshi starts the special weekend with a bang by surprising Ian at home with lunch. There’s a bang all right, but it’s between Ian and another guy.

Jase Taylor’s auto repair shop and the BDSM club, Wrapped Up, keep him busy while he waits for Mr. Right, instead of Mr. Right Now. He’s a Dom, but playing with the club’s submissives isn’t providing the usual stress release. After a day from hell, he deserves a good meal at his favorite steak house.

Toshi and Jase find a mix-up with their reservations: a table for Baylor, not Taylor. When Toshi invites Jase to dine with him, they discover a mutual affection for leather and a shared belief that trust must be earned.

Before they can explore their common interests, Toshi suffers a series of attacks by vandals. Jase’s protective instincts kick in, but both wonder if it can lead to anything permanent.

 

Excerpt:

Jase placed his hand on Toshi’s arm, halting the smaller man. “Okay, as I was saying… Why not meet me sometime at the gym? You wouldn’t have to work out alone then, and neither would I.”

Toshi stopped hunting his car keys and looked up at Jase. “Really? I’d like that.”

Jase held his helmet under his arm. He really didn’t want Toshi to leave without knowing when he’d see him again or having some way to contact him. That alone surprised him, but he didn’t question the impulse, just went with it.

“Tell you what, let’s exchange numbers and I’ll call you… well, hell.” Jase wasn’t letting Toshi go without knowing something. “Why don’t you meet me tomorrow at three? We can work out.”

Toshi fiddled with his keys. “I, ah, yeah. That sounds good. Three it is. Just go easy on me, man. It’s been two weeks, at least, since I worked out.”

Jase zipped his leather jacket, debating how to answer, then threw caution to the wind. Better to see how Toshi would react now than later. “Going easy isn’t in my vocabulary. That’s not who I am. I push—that’s what I do. But I won’t push you any harder than what you… need.”

Toshi’s mouth opened slightly. “Oh. I, ah… I, oh. Three, right? Yes, I’ll be there.”

There was no mistaking the look of lust that flashed in Toshi’s eyes, and Jase felt himself respond. “Give me your phone.” After Jase programmed his number, he handed the cell back to Toshi. “Dress in street clothes and bring whatever you work out in. After we’re done, we can shower there, then grab something to eat or… whatever. And Toshi, I enjoyed tonight. Very much. Call me if you can’t make it.”

Jase put on his helmet and his leather gloves. He noticed the way Toshi eyed the leather he wore—that was promising—before he flipped the visor down. He looked at Toshi—both of them standing there, staring at each other. He made a point of glancing down at the front of Toshi’s pants, to where a nice bulge showed, before walking away.

Just as he started the bike, he saw Toshi hurry to his car. Jase pulled out and passed in front of Toshi’s car. He stopped, one foot on the road to balance himself. Toshi was just sitting there, doing nothing. Jase’s grin was hidden behind the visor. It looked like he had Toshi’s attention. He lifted his hand, making the motion of starting a vehicle. When Toshi’s car started, he nodded and drove off, very satisfied with what he’d seen so far.

He glanced in his rearview mirror as headlights turned in the opposite direction. He’d bet Toshi was a submissive but had no real training. That need was there, though. He’d seen glimpses of it during dinner and at dessert. It had been a while since he’d played with anyone who wasn’t in the lifestyle, but Toshi showed promise. If he wasn’t very much mistaken, they shared a common interest… leather.

Author bio:

M.A. Church lives in the southern United States and spent many years in the elementary education sector. She is married to her high school sweetheart and they have two children. Her hobbies are gardening, walking, attending flea markets, watching professional football, racing, and spending time with her family on the lake.

But her most beloved hobby is reading. From an early age, she can remember hunting for books at the library. Later nonhuman and science fiction genres captured her attention and drew her into the worlds the authors had created. But always at the back of her mind was the thought that one day, when the kids were older and she had more time, she would write a book.

By sheer chance she stumbled across a gay male romance story on the web and was hooked. A new world opened up and she fell in love. Thus the journey started. When not writing or researching, she enjoys reading the latest erotic and mainstream romance novels.

My links:

Blog http://machurch00.blogspot.com

Twitter @nomoretears00

Facebook: M.A. Church http://www.facebook.com/pages/MA-Chur…

The Harvest FB fan page: https://www.facebook.com/#!/theharvest00

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5141393.M_A_Church

Thanks so much for coming by M.A.

Good luck with the book. <rushing out to buy mine right now>

Everybody check out last year’s Monday Meets (now at the left – thank you Andy Gordon for all the help with that).

Next week’s guest is C Jane Elliott

Monday Meet: Andrew Gordon

B: Today’s guest is Andrew Q. Gordon. Welcome.

A: Thanks for having me Brynn.

B: Tells us a bit about yourself.

A: These usually end up sounding like a personal ad, but I’ll try to keep it clean. I just got married this weekend – after 18 years together, the state finally agreed it was proper for us to get married. Mike and I have a daughter who turned two last week. She’s a handful, but I always look forward to coming home to see her. Mon-Fri, 8-5, I’m a prosecutor – which is a good gig as far as ‘evil day jobs’ go. I like sports, soccer and baseball mostly, so you might see both in my stories. And I’m a major caffeine junkie.

There that didn’t sound too much like an eHarmony profile did it?

B: Give us an overview of what you’ve written so far.

A: So far I’ve written three books that have been published.  (Un)Masked was a paranormal contemporary story I co-wrote with Anyta Sunday. The Last Grand Master is the first book of a high fantasy series – Champion of the Gods. And Purpose is another contemporary fantasy novel.  All three were published by Dreamspinner Press.

I also wrote a few free stories that are available on Gay Authors. Those were all contemporary college age stories.

 B: Do you have a favorite book and/or favorite character?

 A: My favorite book would be Second Shot – its one of the free stories I posted on Gay Authors. I just have an affinity for that one more than others.

My favorite character would be Kel – but he’s not been introduced yet in the Champion series. I’ll be interested to see what others think of him when I finally get to the point where he’s part of the story.

B: Do you have a favorite scene?

A: I really had to think about this – I’d probably say I have several favors – but most have not been published yet.  Of my published books – the scene were Gar meets Phillip Greer. Gar was there to avenge the innocent woman Phillip killed but found himself unable to carry out his role as the hand of vengeance. As far as minor characters go, Phillip Greer was one of my favorites.

B:  What was the easiest story to write?

A:  I’d have to say Purpose. It was based in DC so the locations were vivid in my mind. It also had an element of law enforcement that I didn’t have to make up.

B:  What was the hardest story to write?

A:  The Last Grand Master and the entire series is the most challenging. I’m in essence getting to play god and I need to get it right. Who knew it was so hard to create a world? I mean six days and the Lord rested right? All blasphemy aside, world building is difficult to do well. There are so many things to work out. Toss in a world based on magic and you’ve got to deal with trying to keep things consistent. I totally love it, but it is a challenge.

B: Are any of the characters based on someone you know?

 A: No, not really. At least no one full fledged. There are certainly elements of real people in many of my characters, but there is no one that I could say is the embodiment of a specific character. I’d be too afraid to offend someone by ‘basing’ a character on them.

B: Since there is always another story to tell, what are you working on now?

A: I have several things in the works. Right now I’m working to finish book two of the Champion of the Gods series. I hit a rough patch based on word limits for publishing that required I rework a large part of the book. That has been a struggle, but I think I can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I’m also working on a contemporary college age story about single teenage father trying to go to college, raise his son and the problems that presents trying to have a relationship.

B:  What have you read lately that most people haven’t read but should?

A:  Tough one cause I don’t know what others ‘haven’t read.’ But Loving Aidan by Ashavan Doyon, Same Page by Lily Velden and What Binds Us, by Larry Benjamin are all books I really liked. Lily has book published the sequel already to Same Page and Larry recently released, Unbroken and I’m looking forward to those.

B:  Last question is all yours – feel free to talk about anything you want your readers to know about you, your book, anything at all.

A:  This is one of those – say something in your funny accent type questions. What the hell do you say when you can say anything at all? Hopefully something worth reading.

The ability to get married after 18 years was probably the second most exciting event in my life. Not the first, you ask? No, the single greatest day in my life was being there when my daughter was born and I got to hold her. Being a father is a blessing I wish on everyone who ever thought or hoped to be a parent. Raising our daughter with someone I love and respect, who’s been there for me for 18 years has been a gift I never really expected when I came out. The idea that I could get married, be a father, have a family just like the one I grew up in was foreign twenty years ago. Time change and so do attitudes. I hope everyone who has the same dreams I did gets to see them come true.

Okay, cheesy post wedding day bliss message off.

B:  Thanks so much for coming today Andrew.

A:  Thanks for having me Brynn.