Happy New Year to one and all!
May 2016 be filled with love.
Find you surrounded by friends and family.
With health and financial security.
Blessings to you and yours!
CJ
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Thursday, December 24, 2015
Saturday, December 19, 2015
Title: Men in Uniform
Authors: Eric Gober, CJ Baty, Alina Popescu, Kassandra Lea, Asta Idonea, Eddy LeFey, Lily Velden, Jim Dunaway, Carol Pedroso, Jo Tannah
Genre: Gay Romance, Military, Contemporary, Fantasy, Mystery, Science Fiction
Publisher: Wayward Ink Publshing
Synopsis
Like your boys in blue keeping the… peace?
Hot firemen dealing with… heat?
Naval Officers getting in way too… deep?
Perhaps you have a ‘thing’ for marines…
Or do you prefer your Men In Uniform to belong in the future?
Another galaxy?
Another time?
Wherever your love of a uniform leads you, MEN IN UNIFORM has something for you.
Buy Links
Don’t miss WIP’s Christmas Sale – 30% off all titles till December 24th!
WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/men-in-uniform-a-wayward-ink-publishing-anthology/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-meninuniformawaywardinkpublishinganthology-1939285-166.html
Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Men-Uniform-Wayward-Publishing-Anthology-ebook/dp/B018VB6HJW/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Men-Uniform-Wayward-Publishing-Anthology-ebook/dp/B018VB6HJW/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Men-Uniform-Wayward-Publishing-Anthology-ebook/dp/B018VB6HJW/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Men-Uniform-Wayward-Publishing-Anthology-ebook/dp/B018VB6HJW/
Book Trailer
<iframe width=”560″ height=”315″ src=”https://www.youtube.com/embed/-rYD36JzhgM” frameborder=”0″ allowfullscreen></iframe>
Stories Included
Issue No. 1
ERIC GOBER
Come to a land…
Where epic battles rage…
Among monsters, superheroes, and a very sexy cop.
Love and war are funny business in Hollywood, U.S.A.
CJ BATY
A blackmailer forced Stiles to leave his perfect life behind.
Along the way, he found a new friend, a job as a Pinkerton Agent, and murder.
Can Stiles find the murderer before he kills again?
ALINA POPESCU
Sean never thought his military career would ever have him babysitting his ex who Sean hasn’t seen in six months.
When best friend Tom finds out his younger brother Aiden is targeted, Sean drops everything to protect the man he still loves.
Can two former lovers survive a weekend alone in the woods, or will the threat from within be more devastating than the one from outside?
KASSANDRA LEA
Love beckons Officer Warden Brooks to the shadows of a desolate place.
But his lover Tate Eldridge is so much more than a criminal, he’s a beautiful mystery.
ASTA IDONEA
When his father loses the battle against Hrafnaheim, Prince Darius finds himself a political prisoner.
Taken in chains to a dark and unfamiliar land, he begins to lose hope.
But then Captain Morten Gunnarsson of the Palace Guards is assigned to watch over him.
Now it is not just Darius’ body being held hostage, but also his heart.
EDDY LEFEY
When the Draaduuri arrived on Earth many humans died.
Captain Timothy Kellerman’s family was among them
Now, a truce has been struck. He is the prize.
Crown Prince Yuuhaan has instantly bonded with his slave.
Can the prince keep his baser instincts in check long enough for Timothy to transform?
To become the next great hope of the Draaduuri and the human race?
LILY VELDEN
Go to Portsmouth, said my friends. It’s quieter. You’ll be able to write without distraction.
They obviously hadn’t met my mysterious and elusive neighbour, Finn.…
After all, what would a Friday night be without hearing Moaner, Gusher, or Squeaker screaming out their joy at being shagged senseless by the obviously talented Finn?
Come to think of it, what would a Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday night be without it either?
Thank God for Mondays!
JIM DUNAWAY
Apartment building fires are always tragic, even if everyone makes it out alive. But what happens when a person can’t make it out on their own?
Brave firefighters must risk their lives in order to rescue trapped people.
Lieutenant Kenny Whitfield is one such firefighter. Brave and somewhat reckless.
Lance Corporal Steve Martinson is one such person in need.
When Kenny and Steve meet face to face in the hospital, well…
CAROL PEDROSO
Franc has resigned himself to yet another year of pain and humiliation in order to complete his on ship training.
Then along comes Zyph, with his sexy blue skin and probing questions…
Will he be Franc’s Blue Knight?
JO TANNAH
Warrior and Dragon Seek to Destroy Those Who Had Dared Harm Their Prince.
Giveaway
Prize: $10 WIP Gift Card
a Rafflecopter giveawayFriday, December 18, 2015
Available now!
Wayward Ink Press - Men In Uniform Anthology
Monday, December 7, 2015
It's Cover Reveal Day for Wayward Ink Press newest release
Men In Uniform
A WAYWARD INK PUBLISHING ANTHOLOGY
Like your boys in
blue keeping the… peace?
Hot firemen dealing
with… heat?
Naval Officers
getting in way too… deep?
Perhaps you have a
‘thing’ for marines…
Or do you prefer
your Men In Uniform to belong in the future?
Another galaxy?
Another time?
Wherever your love
of a uniform leads you, MEN IN UNIFORM
has something for you.
STORIES INCLUDED
ERIC GOBER
Come to a land...
Where epic battles rage...
Among monsters,
superheroes, and a very sexy cop.
Love and war are funny
business in Hollywood, U.S.A.
CJ BATY
A blackmailer forced Stiles to leave his perfect life behind.
Along the way, he found a new friend, a job as a Pinkerton Agent,
and murder.
Can Stiles
find the murderer before he kills again?
ALINA POPESCU
Sean
never thought his military career would ever have him babysitting his ex who
Sean hasn’t seen in six months.
When
best friend Tom finds out his younger brother Aiden is targeted, Sean drops everything
to protect the man he still loves.
Can two former lovers survive a weekend alone
in the woods, or will the threat from within be more devastating than the one
from outside?
KASSANDRA LEA
Love
beckons Officer Warden Brooks to the shadows of a desolate place.
But
his lover Tate Eldridge is so much more than a criminal, he's a beautiful
mystery.
ASTA IDONEA
When his father
loses the battle against Hrafnaheim, Prince Darius finds himself a political
prisoner.
Taken in chains
to a dark and unfamiliar land, he begins to lose hope.
But then Captain
Morten Gunnarsson of the Palace Guards is assigned to watch over him.
Now it is not
just Darius' body being held hostage, but also his heart.
EDDY LEFEY
When the
Draaduuri arrived on Earth many humans died.
Captain
Timothy Kellerman’s family was among them
Now, a truce
has been struck. He is the prize.
Crown Prince
Yuuhaan has instantly bonded with his slave.
Can the
prince keep his baser instincts in check long enough for Timothy to transform?
To become
the next great hope of the Draaduuri and the human race?
LILY VELDEN
Go to Portsmouth, said my friends.
It’s quieter. You’ll be able to write without distraction.
They obviously hadn’t met my
mysterious and elusive neighbor, Finn.…
After
all, what would a Friday night be without hearing Moaner, Gusher, or Squeaker
screaming out their joy at being shagged senseless by the obviously talented
Finn?
Come to
think of it, what would a Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday
night be without it either?
Thank
God for Mondays!
JIM DUNAWAY
Apartment building fires
are always tragic, even if everyone makes it out alive. But what happens when a
person can’t make it out on their own?
Brave firefighters must
risk their lives in order to rescue trapped people.
Lieutenant Kenny Whitfield
is one such firefighter. Brave and somewhat reckless.
Lance Corporal Steve
Martinson is one such person in need.
When Kenny and Steve meet
face to face in the hospital, well…
CAROL PEDROSO
Franc
has resigned himself to yet another year of pain and humiliation in order to
complete his on ship training.
Then
along comes Zyph, with his sexy blue skin and probing questions…
Will
he be Franc’s Blue Knight?
JO TANNAH
Warrior and Dragon Seek to Destroy Those Who Had
Dared Harm Their Prince.
Thursday, December 3, 2015
Good News! A Buggy Ride for Christmas is now available in ebook format and paperback. This edition contains the original short story plus first chapters or excerpts from my books A New Dream and Drifting Sands, as well as upcoming releases Paradise His (was previously released in the Hot Summer Nights Anthology as His Island Paradise NOW extended with a new ending and a wedding!), Crashing Waves (2nd Warfield Hotel Mysteries Book), my story The Pinkerton Man in the soon to be released Men in Uniform Anthology by Wayward Ink Press, and a couple more new stories that will be coming out in 2016.
A Buggy Ride for Christmas ebook
A Buggy Ride for Christmas Paperback
Best News of All! The ebook is just $.99. The paperback is $5.99.
A Buggy Ride for Christmas Paperback
Best News of All! The ebook is just $.99. The paperback is $5.99.
Friday, November 27, 2015
Monday, November 23, 2015
Saturday, November 21, 2015
I am so excited to be a part of the blog tour for Taylin Clavelli's wonderful book Secret of the Mansion.
Check out of the lovelies below. Congratulations Taylin! First off, I got the chance to interview Taylin and I'm sharing the questions and answers with you!
Taylin welcome!
Thank you for having me CJ.
Your books are so detailed, something I adore.
How much time do you spend on research before starting a new project?
It varies depending on the story. When I started Dakota
Skies, all I had was a childhood love of
westerns. As I didn’t truly know the era,
I had to research everything from maps, weather patterns, clothing, tribal
histories – this list goes on. In the end, I had a load of documents, pictures,
and reference sites on my PC.
Researching Secret Of The Manor didn’t take as long as I am
already familiar with the Cotswold’s, horse riding, and windsurfing – my
husband windsurfs. I love history and have a number of books on my
shelves. That left the witchcraft aspect,
and I am very lucky to have a friend who kept me on the straight and narrow on
this angle. The WIP editors made sure that the research I did was correct too.
I feel the extra details helps paint a picture that allows
readers to immerse themselves into the
word I’m creating. I like to transfer to the page the images in my head.
For my next novel, the research I have to do is humongous.
When you aren’t
writing, how do you like to spend your personal time? Any favorite hobbies?
I have been a horse rider since I was 16 – many many years. Although I don’t ride as much
now, I still keep my hand in. I also practice the martial art of Taekwondo. I
run a club close to my home. Recently, several of my students, including myself
were successful at the UITF world championships at Hatfield, London. We’re all
looking forward to the next one in Argentina in two years time.
Lots of authors
listen to some kind of music while they write. Do you and if so what type of
music inspires you?
I only listen to music while I write if my family are at home, and I am in the writing groove. However, music has inspired the odd story or two. As for
my taste in music, it is varied. At the grand age of 49, I’ve lived through
some excellent era’s of music. I listen to everything from classical to 80’s, and
my daughter nudges me when there’s something current she thinks I’ll like.
Favs include Queen,
Adam Lambert, Fall Out Boy, Abba, ELO, Vangelis, and Two Steps From Hell.
Coffee or tea?
Tea
Secret of the Manor is a blend of modern and
ancient information. How did you keep the time periods separate in your mind
while you wrote?
This was one of the few times that I kept a calendar of
events. There were certain historical aspects that I knew I wanted in the
story, so while writing those, I stayed
focused on that. I never wrote a historical
and a current part of the story at the same time. The only time I merged the
two aspects was when I went back to make sure everything flowed properly.
Argo is Warren's wonderful
steed. He seems human at times during the story. Did you model him after
someone you know?
I have known many horses over the years, and they all have
personalities of their own. No, there wasn’t anyone I based Argo on, but he is
a combination of years of riding and some imagination. For instance, I used to
ride one horse called Dougal, who tested his riders. During the winter months,
he’d get bored and leap into the center
of the arena. He’d give them a prior warning, but if his rider didn’t take
notice and adjust accordingly, he’d dump them. There was another horse too that
wouldn’t let me out of the stable until I’d been divested of every mint in my
pockets.
And lastly, we met
through Fan Fiction many moons ago. Did you ever think that somewhere down the
road, you and I would both be published authors?
You, CJ, yes, as your stories have always been outstanding.
Me, hell no. I’d have never even tried writing original fiction, had Lily
Velden not suggested I submit a story for a Dreamspinners anthology. I wrote a comedy, and it was accepted. There was no one
more shocked than me.
Now, I can’t imagine not writing. It has changed my life and
outlook. When I’m out and about, I’m more aware of people and my surrounding. I
also feel very blessed to be among such wonderful people from all over the
world. It’s a great place to be, and I am
so thankful for that and to everyone.
You have always been friendly and encouraging, too. It was
one of your stories that influenced my reading M/M. And for that I am truly
grateful.
Thanks so much Taylin!
Now to the good bits. Check out the exclusive excerpt at the bottom and my review on amazon.com.
Synopsis
Warren Blake is an accountant at the pinnacle of his career. After accepting a new position he decides to settle in the scenic Cotswold village of Walmsley Hackett. A village with a colourful history of myth, old wives tales and mystery.One morning during his train ride into work, Warren notices a small quaint church which he becomes enchanted with. Curiousity compels him to find the church and when he finally does, he discovers an unmarked grave in the corner. Feeling sorry for its occupant, Warren becomes a frequent visitor.
Little does he know that the young man inside the coffin needs a champion and Warren is chosen.
What follows involves a ghostly medieval joust, witchcraft, love, and Warren risking his life.
Buy Links
WIP: http://www.waywardinkpublishing.com/product/secret-of-the-manor-by-taylin-clavelli/Amazon US: http://www.amazon.com/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
Amazon AU: http://www.amazon.com.au/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
Amazon DE: http://www.amazon.de/Secret-Manor-Taylin-Clavelli-ebook/dp/B0174MHXS8/
ARe: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-secretofthemanor-1914001-149.html
Book Trailer
Giveaway
3 x Mega Swag Packs (Europe only) – Bullet USB, Keyring hip flask, Memo set, Mints, 3-in-1 Stylus pen keyring2 x $10 WIP Gift Cards
3 x Swag Packs – Memo set, Mints, 3-in-1 Stylus pen keyring
a Rafflecopter giveaway
About the author
Taylin Clavelli lives in the United Kingdom, about 15 miles south of Birmingham, and a short journey from the world famous Cadbury’s Chocolate factory. She’s married with children and loves her family with all her heart.Her love of books has been a long standing affair, with Taylin liking nothing better than to lose herself in an imaginary world.
Until she met Lily Velden, she never considered trying her hand at writing. However, after talking ideas, Lily encouraged her to put pen to paper—or rather, fingers to keyboard. Since, with a few virtual kicks in the right place, she hasn’t stopped. Her confidence eventually led to her writing an original work for submission.
Her first published work was Boys, Toys, and Carpet Fitters, developed for the Dreamspinner Press Anthology – Don’t Try This At Home.
Now she absolutely adores immersing herself into the characters she creates, and transferring the pictures in her brain to paper, finding it liberating, therapeutic, and wonderful.
Outside of writing, her interests include; martial arts (she’s a 2nd Degree Black Belt in Taekwon-do), horse-riding, all of which facilitates her love of a wide variety of movies. Her action heroes include Jet Li and Tony Jaa—finding the dedication these men have for their art combined with their skill both amazing and a privilege to watch. If pressed, she’ll admit to thinking that the screen entrance of Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean – Curse of the Black Pearl, and Shadowfax in LOTR, to be the greatest screen entrances ever. Her all-time favorite movies are Star Wars and Lord of the Rings.
The simple things in life that make her day, putting a smile on her face are:
Laughter – especially that of her children.
The smell of lasagna cooking – it makes her mouth salivate.
The dawn chorus – no symphony ever written can beat the waking greetings of the birds.
Social links:
Website: http://www.taylinclavelli.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100005234535413
Twitter: https://twitter.com/taylinclavelli
HERE IS AN EXCERPT JUST FOR MY READERS.
Secret Of The Manor – Excerpt – Night Ride
Suddenly, a
patch of mist marred his path, and Warren shivered. It was as if the droplets
of water were crawling over his skin, tasting it, testing it. A sweet fragrance
filled his nostrils, and he was sure he could hear the vapour hiss as it delved
beneath his collar. A small branch came out of nowhere and thrashed Warren’s face,
but he kept going. The fog enveloped the scratch, which stung like tiny needles
plucking at his flesh before the pain disappeared, soothed into non-existence.
Argo
stopped, rigid, and puffed loud and deep, his ears twitching in all directions.
Warren could feel the rise and fall of his steed’s chest under his legs and was
afraid to urge the beast anywhere until he settled. Warren breathed deep, too.
Something was ahead and he had no idea what it was. His arms shook from
adrenaline, and a bead of sweat ran from his brow.
Thump,
thump, thump. His heart stuttered, torn between turning tail and forging on.
Argo’s ears
abruptly focussed forward. Then he snorted and surged ahead. Warren ceased to
be the master and became a passenger. Argo seemed to know where he was going.
It was as if Warren were on a train with a single-track line, and someone had
removed the brakes.
Argo puffed
in excitement and upped his pace. It was all Warren could do to hang on.
To save his
skin, Warren leaned against Argo’s neck and put his trust in his charger. All
he could hear was the one-two-three, one-two-three thunderous beat of his horse
in canter. One-two-three, one-two-three. Argo’s thick black neck surged forward
in time with the beat. One-two-three, one-two-three. Long strands of mane
licked at Warren’s face, and he grabbed a handful to steady himself. He almost
lost his seat when Argo took off over a fallen tree and burst out of the woods
into a clearing.
With a
whinny and a rear, Argo announced his presence. His front legs pawed the air.
Warren clung to the saddle and prayed.
Sunday, November 1, 2015
It's the first day of November and officially my favorite time of year. The air is crisp, the winding blowing softly rustles the leaves to the ground and the sun peeking out between the clouds makes for an uplifting day.
The scents in the air are special as well. Fireplaces burning, rain on the wind and leaves all bring the romance of autumn to mind.
Long walks in the woods with the one you love. Watching your children play in the piles of leaves, it's taken you hours to rake up, has you smiling right along with them.
Because today is so special for me personally, I want to share with you all. Go to my Facebook page and leave a post saying what you like most about the fall/autumn time of the year. I have a whole bag of goodies from the Queen of the West Book Bash that took place on October 17th to give away. There are all kinds of fun items from the attending authors, including a couple of signed books! Because the bag is so large, I'm going to have to limit this to the US only. Sorry!
Today is also the beginning of NaNoWriMo and I am so excited to say that I am participating this year. I'll be posting my progress in the box at the top of the right hand column on this page. Very shortly I will be bringing you the name and news about the story I am working on.
Lastly, hug someone you love and tell them you love. Life is short and you don't want to miss the opportunity to tell the special people in your life how you feel.
CJ
Wednesday, October 21, 2015
I have some great news to share today. Bottom Drawer Publications who published Drifting Sands, has graciously given me a 50% off code to purchase the Drifting Sands ebook through there website.
This code will be in my first newsletter in November! So if you didn't sign up for the newsletter during the first posting, you still have a chance.
This code will be in my first newsletter in November! So if you didn't sign up for the newsletter during the first posting, you still have a chance.
And I will still send you a free ebook copy of "A Buggy Ride for Christmas", too. The cover was designed by the amazing Kelly Abell at Select-O-Grafix, LLC.
Subscribe to C.J. Baty's Mailing List
* indicates required
Saturday, October 3, 2015
Coming soon from Nicole Colville "Dominque"
It is my pleasure to reveal the cover of Nicole Colville's coming new release. Please read below about how this amazing cover and story came to be.
Is it Dalton good?
Okay, so let me be honest with you, after
Dalton, I knew I had to step up my game and keep the level of images I use on
my covers at Dalton level. In fact, the hubby coined a new phrase, and
repeatedly used it every time I showed him a shot I liked for Dominque. He
would say, “It’s good, but is it Dalton good?”
He was right – I begrudgingly say that. So,
I began the search for the perfect man. The one! I mean, come on!!! Really? I
had to find the one!! Pfft.
Damn! It took a lot of hard work to find a
man who not only sung to me as my beloved Dominque’s character, but who also
had the looks to go with it, and let me tell you, I kinda set the bar high with
Dominque, and either I went through the whole book and changed my man, or I
kept looking for the one! Just like Jacob through the whole of his life, I had
to find a man who sat on a pedestal so high I worried no man would fit the
bill. It wasn’t just what he looked like, but he had to have something deep
inside him which showed his emotions like he was shouting them to me.
It was after a full month of searching
through photograph sites, emailing them and seeing what was unavailable to the
stock sites and the public, that I found my Dominque. The model is called David
Lurs. I have pics and I’ll share them below for you. He is Dominque. He was
born for this cover. He is the one! I had to have him, and like with Dominque,
you pay for what you get lol
This picture took a lot of effort finding,
but after all that effort it paid off because I have the best cover, and if you
ask the hubby…. He says it’s Dalton good!!! Woo Hoo
Knights to Remember is a bestselling short
story series which began last year and it has eight shorts out with my BBF
Sebastian. Dominque was mentioned in book one and then nothing until book
eight, but all the way through it I knew his story would be told. I just didn’t
think it would be so amazing and so… long lol
What should have been a short story turned
out to be a full length novel with around 90k of words and over 380 pages. It’s
also a standalone book which begins before the other books in the series and
can be read first, last, or on its own. So don’t worry if you’ve not found
Sebastian yet, Dominque is good to go :D
Saturday, September 19, 2015
Paint the Sky
Audiobook
by
Lily G Blunt
Narrated by Joel Leslie
Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance
Listening Length: 6 hours and 4 minutes
Program Type: Audiobook
Version: Unabridged
Publisher: Lily G Blunt
Audible.co.uk Release Date: 3 Sept. 2015
Language: English
Not an Audible member?
If you sign up to Audible for at least two months and Paint the Sky is your first purchase
my narrator and I will receive a bonus payment.
Currently you can receive one month's membership with 1 FREE credit.
About the Audiobook Narrator
Joel Leslie was a pleasure to work with throughout.
I love his narration of my story and the way he brought the various characters to life.
Check out his others works here.
This was the beginning of something special.
ALSO AVAILABLE AS AN EBOOK AND IN PAPERBACK
I'm offering a choice of either a signed paperback copy of Paint the Sky, an A5 or A6 notebook with a Paint the Sky cover to three lucky winners.
To enter the giveaway please comment on the post on Lily G Blunt's blog saying which of the three gifts you would prefer.
Three winners will be randomly chosen on 3rd October when the
Paint the Sky Audiobook Blog Tour has finished.
Lily discovered the wonderful world of m/m romance novels five years ago via fan fiction and went on to write stories in her spare time. With the encouragement of her friends and readers she decided to publish some of her work. Lily subsequently self-published several stories via Amazon. She later published short stories with Torquere Press and Wayward Ink Publishing. Lily is excited about joining Pride Publishing for her upcoming story, The Handyman Can.
Easily distracted from her writing, Lily makes videos using clips from gay-themed movies and posts gorgeous pictures of men kissing or making out on her tumblr and Facebook pages. Lily is also an avid supporter of GLBTQ rights and advocates equality for all. She was recently a steward for Pride in London.
Lily lives in central England with her rather bemused husband and a ‘mad as a bag of frogs’ Shetland Sheepdog called Barney.
Friday, September 18, 2015
Happy Friday everyone. If you signed up for the newsletter and haven't received your email with the download of A Buggy Ride for Christmas, please email me directly at cjbaty27@gmail.com. I'll get that sent straight over to you. Also, I had one email bounce back that it wasn't correct, so if you were expecting the email with the downloads and didn't receive it by Saturday morning, please contact me.
I will be mailing out gifts this weekend as well to the winners from the Birthday Bash Event and the names drawn here.
I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
CJ
I will be mailing out gifts this weekend as well to the winners from the Birthday Bash Event and the names drawn here.
I hope everyone has a lovely weekend!
CJ
Tuesday, September 15, 2015
Well the BookRhythm *Virtual* Birthday Bash is over and what a great time it was for everyone. So many winners and such great prizes. If you signed up for my newsletter during the event, watch your inboxes for an email from me with your copy of A Buggy Ride for Christmas.
They will be arriving in a day or two. And the two lucky winners of a swag pack of goodies from IBF2015 are .........................
Amy Copeland
&
Deborah Blanchard
Congratulations to both of you!
I'll be contacting both of you shortly for your mailing addresses so I can get your packets out to you.
Thank you everyone who participated and have a great week.
CJ
Monday, September 14, 2015
Something amazing to share today. Beautiful Thunder by Louise Lyons is now available.
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
I tried
knocking on Lindsey’s door again and even rattled the letterbox, but he didn’t
answer. I went back to the car and sat in it for a while, staring up at the
windows and watching for some kind of movement, but there was none. In the end
there was nothing for me to do but leave. I drove to Mark’s rather than go home.
I had a sick feeling in my stomach that something might have happened to
Lindsey, but for once I didn’t want to suffer alone. At least now Mark and
Ricky knew I was going out with him, I wouldn’t have to hide my miserable face.
“I don’t
know where he is,” I told them.
“What?”
“I rang
him last night and this morning,” I said for Ricky’s benefit, in case Mark
hadn’t told him that. “He didn’t answer, and his flat’s all locked up and the
curtains closed. The neighbor said he thought he was in.” I frowned, wondering
why Lindsey would have been out in the evening. “He said Lindsey came back in
about nine o’clock. Lindsey never said he was going anywhere.”
“He
probably went to meet one of his friends,” Ricky said. “He hangs out with that
Daz quite a bit.”
I
vaguely remembered Daz from Nero’s. I thought Lindsey would have told me if he
planned to go out, but I wasn’t his keeper. We were close, but we still did our
own thing sometimes. Then a prickle of alarm ran up my spine and made me
shudder. Could Steve have done something to him after all this time? It had
been months, and the man seemed to have accepted he and Lindsey were over, but
it was all I could think of.
“What?”
Mark asked. “What are you thinking?”
“Steve.
Do you think…? Hell, it’s been months, but the man was a twat. He….” I bit my
lip. I couldn’t get the image out of my head of Lindsey, beaten and bleeding,
when I found him before.
“Go on.
We know something happened, but Lindsey would never tell us,” Mark prompted.
“It was around that time Lindsey had the flu, when he stayed with you.”
“He
didn’t have the flu,” I said before I could stop myself. “Steve beat him up. He
didn’t want you to know.”
“Fuck!”
Ricky spat. “That bastard! Do you seriously think he might have gone after
Lindsey again? He was the jealous type.”
“Yeah,
but he knew about us, and he seemed to accept it. Do either of you have a key
to Lindsey’s place? He’s always at mine, so I don’t.”
“No.”
Mark shook his head. “I’ll try ringing him again. Hold on.” He went into the
kitchen and tried Lindsey’s number, but reported there was no answer.
“I’ll go
back there,” I said. “You stay here in case he turns up. I’ll stop off at mine
on the way, just in case.”
Mark and
Ricky nodded. Both looked as worried as I felt. My guts churned as I drove back
to the Park as fast as I dared. I told myself I feared the worst and there was
probably nothing wrong. He might have overslept and not heard the phone or the
door. He could be trying to ring me right now and wondering where the hell I was.
I ran
into the building and up the outer stairs to my door. Fumbling my key into the
lock, I cursed as it wouldn’t turn, until I realized it wasn’t locked. I burst
through the door, and there was Lindsey, curled up in a corner of the couch in
the living room. I sagged with relief. Lindsey glanced up briefly but then
ducked his head down. He looked awful, as if he hadn’t slept. The paleness of
his face seemed exaggerated by the purple shadows under his eyes, but it wasn’t
makeup.
“Lindsey,
are you okay?” I hovered in the doorway. Lindsey shook his head but didn’t
speak. “Give me a minute. Everyone’s worried about you.” I grabbed the phone
and dialed Mark’s number. He answered on the first ring.
“Alex?”
“Yeah.
He’s at my place.”
“Is he
okay?”
“I’m not
sure. Doesn’t look like he’s been hurt. I’ve gotta talk to him. I’ll speak to
you later, okay?” I hung up before he could reply and went to sit beside
Lindsey. He didn’t move or look at me. He just stared down at his legs, which
were folded in front of him. His boots lay on the carpet next to the couch.
“What happened?” I asked. “I went to your place. Were you there?”
“No. I
went for a walk.”
“I saw
Pete.”
“Who?”
Lindsey glanced at me with a frown.
“Your
neighbor? He said you’d been out last night and you got back around nine, but
he hadn’t heard you go out.”
“It was
early.”
“Where’d
you go last night?” I touched his arm. “Did you see Steve?”
“What
makes you say that?” he asked, startled.
“It was
all we could think of. We thought something might have happened to you.”
“Did you
tell them?”
“That he
hit you? Yeah. I’m sorry.”
“Doesn’t
matter.” Lindsey let out a long sigh and unfolded his arms. He pushed his hair
back from his face. It looked as if he hadn’t washed or brushed it that morning,
and that was unheard-of for him.
“Talk to
me,” I begged. “You’re freaking me out.”
Lindsey
laughed. It wasn’t his usual deep chuckle, but a cackle that sounded a touch
hysterical. I didn’t know what to do—whether to give him space, or cuddle him,
or shake him and try to make him talk. I sat there, twisting my hands together
and watching him until he finally met my eyes. “Steve rang me yesterday. He
wanted to talk to me about something and asked to meet me.”
“Shit,
you didn’t go, did you?” I groaned.
“Yeah, I
went. We met up at Forest Recreation Ground.”
“What?”
I gasped. “Why would you do that? What if he’d done something to you? Did he do
something?”
Lindsey
shook his head. “He just talked. It was fine. Well, it would have been fine
if….” He broke off and looked away again. “Fuck. He, um, he’s HIV positive. He
hasn’t slept with anyone since we broke up.”
Buy
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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.
Email: louiselyons013@gmail.com
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