Author #Interview – Death by Starlight by Alexis Duran #Giveaway #Excerpt
In Memory of A.C. Katt Tour – Guest Post by Joel Leslie #Giveaway
Divine Promotions was sad to hear of the passing of Mary Lynn Hansel aka A.C. Katt. As both a friend and a wonderful author, she will be sadly missed. We decided we wanted to do one last tribute to her memory so we are doing this tour to honor her and the stories she wrote.
Release Blitz! Stormy Nights by Jules Jones & Storm Duffy #Giveaway
Treadmill Week 34 & What I #amreading
Treadmill Goals:
- Get on the treadmill (or equivalent exercise) daily
- Pace is fine at 30 min/mile, although I may up it on occasion
- Time range between 30 minutes and 1 hour per day
- Distance 1-2 miles per day
- Read the chosen book, which I won’t allow myself to read outside of my treadmill time, hopefully motivating me to reach or exceed the above goals (the only exception to this is Saturday nights, if I want to finish off a book so I can start a fresh one for the new week)
Note: Although I will try to avoid them, my daily #amreading updates may or may not contain spoilers, so read at your own risk.
What I #amreading (rereading): The Peacock Prince by John Tristan ♡
My favorite lines this week:
- SUNDAY – NOTE: (not a book quote) I totally flaunted my own rules and watched the Game of Thrones season opener instead of reading. Even though I love this book I’ve chosen to reread this week, I’m not even going to pretend to be sorry. And look at the bonus time I spent on the treadmill because of it!
- MONDAY – A braid thick as a ship’s rope was thrown over his shoulder, shining like obsidian under the lamplight. His skin was a dark bronze, made darker by his stubble. When he saw me, he showed a smile, but his black eyes were sharp as a dagger and unreadable.
- TUESDAY – Lady Iris opened and closed her mouth like a half-gutted fish. I still held his eyes, Barbarian he might be, I thought, but at least he was honest. Perhaps my sister might grow to like him after all.
- WEDNESDAY – I thought I understood then what Dagon Blackstone meant about honors and titles. Here I was, the prince of Aël, and I could not even command a door to open.
- THURSDAY – “If you need to throw up, don’t do it on the Blackstone’s floor.” Jerah said. He thrust forth the bowl that had previously held my breakfast. “Use this, or run out and heave over the railing.”
- FRIDAY – Wearing as little as he did, I cold see his tattoos outlined clearly in the sunlight. On his breastbone bloomed a sleek black octopus; it was its tentacles, elaborated into bizarre geometric shapes, that formed the patterns across his shoulders and arms. By the time they reached toward his wrists, the lines barely seemed to relate to their octopi origin—still, they had a kind of wild, jagged beauty, the beauty of swords and cliff’s edges.
- SATURDAY – For a long moment, nobody spoke. Above us, in the rafters of the temple, a bird squabbled for a moment with its mate and winged off through the greenery. I could feel my heart beating in my lips, in the tips of my ears. I counted the silent seconds with my pulse as metronome—five, ten, fifteen.
Week 34: July 16, 2017 – July 22, 2017
| DAY | PACE | TIME | DISTANCE |
| Sunday | 30 min/mile | 69.22 min:sec | 2.3 miles |
| Monday | 30 min/mile | 33:48 min:sec | 1.1 miles |
| Tuesday | 30 min/mile | 34:25 min:sec | 1.1 miles |
| Wednesday | 30 min/mile | 32:22 min:sec | 1 mile |
| Thursday | 30 min/mile | 30:07 min:sec | 1 mile |
| Friday | 30 min/mile | 31:33 min:sec | 1 mile |
| Saturday | 30 min/mile | 30:37 min:sec | 1 mile |
#RainbowSnippets July 22, 2017 – To Love and To Cherish (Vows Box Set)
I’ve joined the Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook. From their description: “Rainbow Snippets is a group for LGBTQ+ authors, readers, and bloggers to gather once a week to share six sentences from a work of fiction–a WIP or a finished work or even a 6-sentence book recommendation (no spoilers please!).” Pretty cool, eh? Don’t forget to “Like” my Facebook page and/or my Facebook profile while you’re over there checking out this fantastic group!
In honor of the release of the Vows Series Box Set, I’m going with another snippet from To Love and To Cherish (the final story in the set). The box set is up exclusively at Amazon.
This snippet follows immediately after where I left off last week. Nash has come home to face his roommates (Harley and Oliver), and he’s scrabbling to find a way to tell them about the arrangement he’s just made with Emmitt (a marriage of convenience). He’s afraid of what their reaction might be so he’s trying to head that off by redirecting the conversation to their own relationship.
Last week ended with:
Harley pointed a finger at [Oliver]. “Don’t put this all on me. You’re just as capable of asking as I am.”
This is told from Nash’s 3rd-person POV (although Harley and Oliver are the only players in this scene):
“Oliver had the decency to blush. “Okay, I guess that’s a fair point, but you’re the one still insisting we keep waiting.”
“Don’t put words in my mouth.”
“What? That’s pretty much what you just said.”
“I was explaining why we hadn’t, not insisting that we shouldn’t.”
Oliver pinched his lips and placed his hands on his hips. “So?”
“So what?” Harley asked.
“Do you want to get married?”
Click here for more information on the stories included in this collection.
The Vows Series Box Set will be exclusively in the Amazon Select program for 90 days. On October 14, 2017 it will become available at all the usual distributors.
Here’s the Kindle universal link: myBook.to/Vows_AA
#RainbowSnippets
#FlashFictionFriday – Cultivating Love – Alt. Universe 1 Part 4
Today’s Flash Fiction Friday scene uses the words left in last week’s post: best – writer – ever. 😁
This is a continuation of Alternate Universe #1. You can find the first three installments here (1) and here (2) and here (3).
NOTE: The action in this scene takes place prior to the published story.
IMPORTANT NOTE: The action in this scene is NOT consistent with the published story, and CANNOT be considered a true prequel. If this scene had happened, the book would be entirely different. The action in this scene is also unrelated to that other “What if?” scene I posted on June 30 (alternate universe #2).
Told from Ed’s 3rd-person POV:
Ed stutter stepped, but Joe grabbed his arm, stopping him from falling into a klutzy heap in the middle of the diner. That would hardly have been the best first impression. The wide-eyed look on Fred’s face—a face that made him feel as if he were looking into some magical funhouse mirror that could show him his future—was disconcerting. Not at all what he’d expected out of some distant (or maybe not so distant?) cousin.
It was unsettling because Fred looked almost overwhelmed by Ed’s presence, but not in any kind of negative way because he’d had his lunch interrupted. More like he’d been waiting his whole life to meet Ed. Weird.
Ed continued forward. “Hi. I’m Ed Jamison, and this is…” He gestured toward Joe. Should he risk losing his chance to gain some information about his dad’s family in case this guy was homophobic? He cleared his throat. Fuck it. The grocery store woman had obviously wasted no time calling Fred and had probably told him about that kiss anyway. “This is my boyfriend, Joe Durham.”
Fred’s jaw dropped, so maybe the woman hadn’t tipped him off after all. “Your…” That was all he said before his head spun to stare at the other man still seated at the table. If Merriam-Webster ever wanted a picture to put next to the expression “what the fuck?” in their dictionary, they could snap a photo of that fella’s face.
The guy at the table sat back and tilted his head to gaze at Ed as if trying to figure something out. He found his voice before Fred did. “You didn’t write that goddamned letter, did you?” The words were murmured as if he was absently speaking his thoughts rather than addressing Ed.
“What letter?” Ed turned back to Fred. His lookalike’s expression had morphed from stunned to…heartbroken? Ed shrugged. “I’m not much of a letter writer. The occasional text message, maybe.”
Oh, look. I’ve run out of prompt words. Darn.
Leave as many prompt words as you like in the comments, but I’ll only promise to use one from each contributor in next week’s post (although I’ll try to use them all).
Blurb
A man of few words, Joe is a hard-working farmhand who likes his simple, uncomplicated life. Ed is satisfied with his existence as an auto mechanic, but thrilled when an unexpected development in his life allows him to help Joe realize a dream.
It forces them, however, to reevaluate the casual, undefined nature of their relationship. They’re too macho to speak of love, and neither would acknowledge he doesn’t really mind when it’s his turn to bottom. When life throws them a curve ball, and the rules of their game get old, Ed tries to take every aspect of their relationship up a notch. Can Joe adapt to the open sentimentality Ed’s injecting into their relationship, let alone the new spice in their bedroom activities?
This is a previously published story that has been rewritten, expanded, and re-edited.
As with all my books at JMS Books, LLC, Cultivating Love is available for #FREE download with your #KindleUnlimited subscription (as well as available in other formats at all the usual distributors).
Buy Links
eBooks
JMS Books | Amazon Kindle (Unlimited) Universal Link |iBookstore
Barnes and Noble/Nook | Kobo | Google Play | BAM!—Books-a-Million
JMS Books | Amazon Universal Link | Barnes and Noble
Release Blitz! The Betas: Rene (Werewolves of Manhattan 9) by A.C. Katt
When attending a wedding, Frank Ferone is introduced to René DuBois, a violet eyed stranger.
Release Blitz! Barging In by Josephine Myles #Giveaway
#GayRomLit – My Schedule, Etc.
My schedule so far leading up to GRL as well as at the event is:
Before GRL
- Sat. Sept. 9, 2017 – I’ll have a GRL-related Guest Post up at Joyfully Jay M/M Romance Reviews & More‘s blog where I’ll talk about my anxieties as a total newbie to GRL (or, for that matter, any convention).
- Mon., Sept. 25, 2017 (Don’t know the time yet) — I scored a much-coveted spot on Jeff & Will’s Big Gay Fiction podcast!
At GRL
- Wed. Oct. 18, 2017 @ 3:00 p.m. — Newbie Orientation — I’m going to try very hard to arrive in time to attend this (I wanna get one of those GRL virgin cherry stickers! 😉).
- Thurs., Oct. 19, 2017 @ 12:30 p.m. – 12:45 p.m. — Spotlight: Author Reading (I haven’t decided what I’ll read yet.)
- Thurs., Oct. 19, 2017 @ 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m. — Author Lounge at Evergreen Foyer
- Fri., Oct. 20, 2017 @ 10:00 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. — Author Lounge at Evergreen Foyer
My understanding is that the author lounge time is when I’ll be available for signing books and handing out swag. Speaking of swag, I need to get busy ordering that kind of stuff!
I managed to secure a spot on the Indie Pub Authors’ table where I’ll have books for sale throughout the retreat. Apparently, unless an author’s publisher(s) has a sale table or they’ve secured a coveted spot on the indie table, they can only sell books during their Author Lounge times.
My current GRL-related to-do list includes:
- Sign up for the special event sales tax, so I’ll be able to sell books at the event.
- Have someone with more skills than me design what’ll go on my swag.
- Order swag.
- Book flight or reserve a rental car (9 hour drive) (hotel was done when I signed up for GRL so I got a room in the reserved block).
If I’m missing anything critical (I’m a total newbie) or you have any suggestions, please leave your suggestions!
These are the paperbacks I’ll have with me to sell/sign at the event (you can preorder using the link, above, so you don’t risk missing out!):
