Facebook & Twitter Chat with Cardeno C. and Rhys Ford and a GIVEAWAY

Hello people,

The Blog of Sid Love is celebrating and not for just one reason. For the ones who don’t know, TBSL completed its 7 months yesterday and this has been a memorable journey for me as well as my reviewers. The authors, my followers and readers have been amazing in participating in our events and following our reviews. Your words of appreciation always encourages us to do better.

So on this special occasion, we have a big event planned for you all. Also, we are going reveal something quite amazing to you (Well, it amazes me at least 😛 ) and we hope you like whatever it is and support us.

Event Details:

We have a new FB page, which you can find here: https://www.facebook.com/theblogofsidlove

Author Cardeno C. will be taking over this page TODAY between ONE PM TO TWO PM Pacific Time and you can chat with the author while the author will reveal some facts about his upcoming book “More Than Everything”. There will be a contest whereby you will get a chance to win a free ebook copy of any ONE of Cardeno’s books. So be there and participate!

We ALSO have a new twitter page, the link to which is: https://twitter.com/BlogofSidLove

Rhys Ford will take over this twitter feed and chat with you between the same time as Cardeno will be on FB. She will run a similar contest over there and will tell you about her new book “Fish and Ghosts”.

Like and Follow the two accounts so that you will be entered into both the contests. At the end of the chats, both the authors will choose a winner and also make an announcement for us! So be there on time.. they will let you know about how you can also win a goodie pack that comes from The Blog of Sid Love 😀

More details on that coming soon!

So, gear up people and show us some LOVE!

Guest Post & GIVEAWAY: Con Riley

How do you see the important people in your life, and how do they see you?

Those were the questions I had in mind when I started to write Salvage, my latest release from Dreamspinner Press. It was a challenge to reveal the key differences in how the characters perceived each other, until I had a little help from my boss, and from one of my sons.

Sometimes you need input from other people to see your own flesh and blood very clearly.

In Salvage, the Cooper family has been apart for five years. Fleeting visits home during that time weren’t enough to change each other’s opinions. On the other hand, I see my kids just about every single day. Does that mean I understand them as they really are now? My boss doesn’t think so.

A while ago, we spotted my son and his partner through our office window. My teen wore jeans that were ragged at the hem, that were more hole than denim,and that showed his neon-yellow underwear. He has his father’s curly hair, and boy it could have used a thorough combing. My son and his partner held hands as they passed by, deep in animated conversation, oblivious to our spying.

Just as I was internally making a list — throw away those awful pants, book a haircut, and for goodness sake, find him a belt! — my boss said,

“He’s so happy, isn’t he? Every single time I see him, he’s smiling.”

Had we looked through the same pane of glass?

How come she saw him so differently to me?

Somehow, my perception of my almost-adult son had gotten locked on the young child I used to lay out clothes for every morning.It took a pane of glass and someone else’s words to make me shift my focus. Of course my son is wonderful!

In Salvage, Gabe too focuses on past perceptions, and I use glass as a device to illustrate how those perceptions can change. There are two moments where Gabe sees his father, Coop, through a windowpane, and those two points are a key part of the story. At another stage, Gabe holds a pane of glass between himself and his sister’s boyfriend. Can he ever see the kid who outed him in high school as a good man?

Most importantly in this love story, Gabe glimpses his new neighbor Scott through a window thick with grime. That blurred and smudged sight leaves Gabe full of questions. Time, and listening to the people closest to him, helps himsee Scott clearly.

Salvage Blurb

Five years ago, an accident fractured Gabe Cooper’s family. Believing it was broken beyond repair, Gabe and his best friend Jamie Carlson left Minnesota behind for San Diego sunshine and college. Now another crisis brings Gabe home to help his ailing father, and he finally has to face the guilt that kept him away for so long.

Scott Stark also returns to Minnesota, with his young niece and nephew in tow, shouldering new family responsibilities. While Gabe comes to grips with his past, Scott struggles to accept his present role as a substitute parent, caring for two children, each with different needs. As Gabe and Scott get to know each other, reclaiming family life almost seems possible. Only two things stand in the way of love: Gabe’s unresolved relationship with Jamie, and Scott’s plan to leave Minnesota as soon as he can. Both men will have to accept past mistakes if they want to salvage a future together, and time is running out.

Buy links: Dreamspinner Press  ::  Amazon US  ::  Amazon UK  ::  All Romance eBooks

About this author

Con Riley lives on the wild and rugged Devonshire coast, with her head in the clouds, and her feet in the Atlantic Ocean.

Injury curtailed her enjoyment of outdoor pursuits, so writing fiction now fills her free time instead. Love, loss and redemption shape her romance stories, and her characters are flawed in ways that makes them live and breathe.

When not people watching, or wrangling her own boy band of teen sons, she spends time staring at the sea from her kitchen window. If you see her, don’t disturb her—she’s probably thinking up new plots.

Con Riley’s Website

Con Riley on Twitter

Con Riley on Facebook

GIVEAWAY

Leave a comment to this post in order to get a chance of winning a free ebook copy of Salvage.

Don’t forget to “FOLLOW THIS BLOG”. The widget is on the top of this page where you can either subscribe to this blog via email or if you are a wordpress user, you can “Follow” it through your READER!

Why do you need to follow? – To get instant updates on the winner announcement, or other giveaway events that are planned to be hosted on this blog or simply for the reviews and author interviews that are posted here.

If you are on Facebook, join our official Group: The Blog of Sid Love

===================================

CONTEST WILL END ON 18th October, 2013 @ 11:59 PM Central Time!!

Guest Post & GIVEAWAY: Michael Rupured

Thanks, Sid, for having me on your blog to talk about After Christmas Eve, released today by MLR Press. Being here, as part of my Release Party, is a pleasure. Thanks so much for all you and your reviewers do to spread the word about new novels in the genre.

My holiday-themed murder mystery/thriller includes a little romance, a sprinkling of gay history, and a dash of humor. Though technically a prequel, you don’t need to have read Until Thanksgiving to enjoy After Christmas Eve. Here’s the tag line:

On Christmas Eve, 1966, Philip Potter drops off gifts to the homeless shelter, an act of generosity that later makes him a suspect in the murder of a male prostitute.

Philip Potter plays a supporting role in my first novel—the uncle of a main character. Fans adored him and shared my interest in learning more about him. I was especially interested in finding out what had motivated his interest in homeless gay teenagers. With not much else in mind, I drafted out three-sentence descriptions of the first thirty chapters.

Writing a novel is nothing like I’d imagined. For decades, my preconceived notions about the process prevented me from even trying. Finding out I could make stuff up as I went along, rather than having to plan everything out ahead of time, was a revelation.

Going through the publication process was educational too. I love working with editors and know their job is to make my story better. Whether about a character, the plot, wording or whatever, I almost always agree with suggestions for change. The single exception so far involved a demand to write out a year with words rather than numbers. I refused because, in my opinion, words made the passage more difficult to read.

Working with editors has made me a better writer. Fixing the same or similar problems a few times keeps me from repeating the same mistakes again—mostly. Christie and Kris—my editors at MLR Press—have been super. I’m tickled pink with the final version and hope you and your readers will be too.

To celebrate today’s release, I’m giving away 10 copies (ebooks) through my After Christmas Eve Eleven-Stop Blog Hop. Details are available here (http://wp.me/p1Htlv-LB). Each stop on the hop features a different excerpt from the first three chapters, in serial form. If you can’t wait for the next segment, you can buy the book here (http://www.mlrbooks.com/books.php).

Here’s the blurb:

As Philip Potter wraps up his last minute shopping on Christmas Eve, 1966, James Walker, his lover of six years, takes his life. Unaware of what waits for him at home, Philip drops off gifts to the homeless shelter, an act of generosity that later makes him a suspect in the murder of a male prostitute.

Two men drive yellow Continentals. One is a killer, with the blood of at least six hustlers on his hands. Both men have secrets. And as Philip is about to discover, James had kept secrets, too. But James wasn’t trying to frame him for murder…

BUY LINK: MLR Press

Visit my website (http://rupured.com), like my Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/AuthorMichaelRupured), or follow me on Twitter (@crotchetyman).

Guest Post & GIVEAWAY: Jordan L. Hawk

Do the Thing You Fear

I’ve got a secret to share with you: the prospect of writing the SPECTR series scared the hell out of me.

Writing series is fun, don’t get me wrong. I love the idea of following characters for more than one book, seeing how they change and grow, how their relationships develop. But what I wanted to do with SPECTR was a bit different. I wanted to write a series of shorter works, each with its own story arc, but at the same time more tightly bound into a single overarching story than is typical (unless you’re talking fantasy trilogies, anyway).

This met that I not only had to get the pacing for each installment right, but the pacing for the entire series right. Except I intended to start releasing them long before I was finished writing them, so if I screwed something up, I couldn’t go back and fix it. I was working live without a net.

Oh, and instead of just having to weave in the progression of a romance between two characters, I had three to juggle, just to make things even more complicated.

I didn’t think there was any way I could pull this off. Were my skills up to it? What the hell was I thinking to even try?

Many years ago, I read an interview or blog post by Sir Ian McKellenwhere he talked about picking his next role based on what frightened him the most, what he thought he might not have the skill to do. (My Google-fu has failed me, but if anyone else can find it, please post a link in the comments!) The idea being if we don’t challenge ourselves, we can’t grow as artists. I tend to think he’s right about that, so I’ve tried to apply his advice to my career.

Did I succeed or fail? That’s for others to decide, especially since the entire SPECTR series isn’t out yet. Am I glad I did it, even when—especially when—it scared me?

Yes.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Jordan L. Hawk grew up in the wilds of North Carolina, where she was raised on stories of haints and mountain magic by her bootlegging granny and single mother. After using a silver knife in the light of a full moon to summon her true love, she turned her talents to spinning tales. She weaves together couples who need to fall in love, then throws in some evil sorcerers and undead just to make sure they want it bad enough. In Jordan’s world, love might conquer all, but it just as easily could end up in the grave.

GIVEAWAY

Jordan L. Hawk has decided to giveaway a set of SPECTR: Volume 1, which is the first three novellas (Hunter of Demons, Master of Ghouls, and Reaper of Souls) in a single collected volume.

TO ENTER, LEAVE A COMMENT TO THIS POST:

Follow the given format to enter yourself into the contest:

Name*:
Email ID*:
Preferred Format*:
Message to the author:

Don’t forget to “FOLLOW THIS BLOG”. The widget is on the top of this page where you can either subscribe to this blog via email or if you are a wordpress user, you can “Follow” it through your READER!

Why do you need to follow? – To get instant updates on the winner announcement, or other giveaway events that are planned to be hosted on this blog or simply for the reviews and author interviews that are posted here.

If you are on Facebook, join our official Group: The Blog of Sid Love

===================================

CONTEST WILL END ON 15th October, 2013 @ 11:59 PM Central Time!!

Author Interview & GIVEAWAY: Theo Fenraven

Welcome to the blog of Sid Love. I feel very honored to have you stopping by here.

Thanks for having me. 🙂

We don’t often see an interview or guest post from you, though you are a fervent blogger with an very active website and reading group. Is there a reason you usually don’t do interviews?

The biggest element is time: I never have enough. So I have to pick and choose carefully what I can fit into my schedule.

Talking from experience I can say that your blog is a true pleasure to follow because it’s smart, interesting and funny but yours is quite special because of the phenomenal photographs you’ve taken and posted there. How come you are such a fantastic photographer? Did you study for it? And where does the passion for it come from?

Thanks for the compliment. 🙂 I try to keep it interesting.

I’ve been studying photography most of my life. When digital became relatively cheap and common place, I took that as my cue to dive in. It’s far cheaper to download pics to a computer than take film in for developing. Over the years, I’ve developed my style, which is generally color-saturated and detailed. I like rich, deep colors in my pictures. As I was developing my photographic skill, I was also learning how to post-process in Photoshop. Taking a picture is only the first step. It’s what you do with it afterward that makes a photo special.

I spend much of my days immersed in words, either writing them or editing them. Turning to a purely visual hobby is restful and exercises a different part of my brain.

You have written quite a few different novels/stories. Do you have a preferred genre to write in?

My preferred genre is m/m, but if other characters start yelling in my ear, I tend to listen. I never want to limit myself in any way.

On top of being a writer, an amateur photographer and still working a day job, you are also known as a very good editor. How are you able to keep up?

Honestly? I have no idea. 🙂

You newest release ‘Blue River’ is coming from Dreamspinner Press on October 9th as a re-release. Why is it released anew and can you tell us something about it?

A much shorter version of Blue River was published by MLR Press a couple years ago. However, it was released as part of a mass presentation of holiday stories and got lost in the crowd. I thought the story deserved a wider audience, so I got my rights back, revamped the story, almost doubling its original length, and offered it to Dreamspinner. I’m very glad they accepted it. Here’s the blurb: 

Photography genius Ethan Mars is out and living the fast life in Los Angeles until a mysterious mist in Topanga Canyon sends him back in time. There he meets Quinn Parker, a farmer who has hidden his homosexuality from everyone, even Margaret, his fiancée. Falling in love is the last thing Ethan expects, and the last thing Quinn can allow—in 1863, being gay can get him killed. When Ethan is unexpectedly offered a way home, he faces an impossible decision: go back… or stay?

I did a lot of research for this one. It seemed I was stopping every other sentence to check things out. Did they have toothpaste? What about toilet paper? How did they preserve food for winter? How did they kill a chicken for dinner? It was endless! And I loved every minute of it.

If I look at your blog I see another book coming this month called Transgression, another totally different book from what I can tell so far. Is there something you can or are willing to share on that one?

This is a case where I had two other stories already started, but a character insisted I stop work on them and tell her story. In Transgression, you meet Sky Kelly, a pre-op trans woman living in Los Angeles. You also meet Zach Fox, Ricky Giraldi, Liza Dabrowski, Gus Fischer, and Ethan Stonebridge. All of them are interesting, and half are hiding something. 

This is different from anything I’ve written before. I loved writing this story, and I’m excited to hear what readers think.

Some of your books are published by a publisher ( dsp and mlr) while others you choose to publish yourself at Voodoo Lily Press, the publishing company you have with author, A.J Rose. How do you decide what to publish where?

I like Dreamspinner, so I hope to place a story there once in a while. But I also like the discipline of self-publishing. I’m kind of a control freak, and being able to handle or oversee every step of a manuscript from start to finish appeals to me a great deal. 

Transgression will be self-published because it contains characters or storylines publishers may not want to accept. I am not limited in what I want to write if I self-publish. AJ and I take our self-pubbed works very seriously and release a professional product. It’s important to us that readers’ enjoyment of our titles is not lessened by bad covers or editing. To that end, we take great care to offer them the best book we can produce.

And do you find it hard for you and AJ to work so closely together, considering you’re both authors with strong personalities?

When AJ and I are writing, we’re in our own little worlds. Once in a while, we’ll share something about our story or ask for an opinion, but mostly, we save that for when neither of us is immersed.

Time to do the shorties 🙂

Favorite food? King crab. It’s expensive, so I don’t get it often, but I love it.

Favorite color? All the colors of the rainbow. 🙂

Favorite author? Oh, no! Not going there. I enjoy too many to choose only one.

Favorite book? Impossible to choose.

Favorite way to spend a day off? In bed. ‘Nuff said.

Favorite movie? Can people really choose only one?

Favorite music or song? I have many, but lately, I’ve been listening to a lot of Hurts. Theo Hutchcraft has an incredible voice. 

Favorite clothes? Anything comfortable, and the fewer, the better.

Favorite season? Summer. It will always be summer.

I’m curious to know who your biggest influences are. Not just writers, but others as well. Is there a particular teacher or family member that made a big difference in your life that you could tell us about?

My Uncle Dan is a big influence. I’m talking about life things. You know, the importance of being honest with yourself and others, and the value of friendship and having a strong sense of ethics. Whatever “goodness” is in me was nurtured and encouraged by family and close friends.

Do you have any other hobbies that people might find interesting?

I enjoy astronomy. Uncle Dan has a large telescope, and we use it whenever I’m at his place. I taught myself to play guitar years ago, and I sing fairly well. AJ is the piano player in the family, but I can play by ear. I’m pretty much interested in everything!

What can we expect from the author Theo Fenraven? What is in the works?

Another Precog book is in the works, though I might not get that out until next year. I have a couple of SF books in mind, and AJ and I are finally coming around to the idea of writing something together.

At the end of this interview I would like to ask you if there is anything else you would like to mention or share?

I want to thank my readers. Without you, there’s little point in getting published. I appreciate all of you, and I want to send special thanks to those of you who’ve sent me email or otherwise found a way to tell me how much you enjoy my stories. I love hearing from you.

Thank you so much for doing this interview !

~ As told to Danielle

GIVEAWAY

Besides participating in this interview Theo kindly offered a give-away of his new release “Blue River”

If you want to enter leave a message below answering why you would like to read this book

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CONTEST WILL END ON 13th October, 2013 @ 11:59 PM Central Time!!

Guest Post & GIVEAWAY: Kindle Alexander

 

I’m late on my guest post and I’m so sorry! Thank you for having me here.

Sidlove, I never know what to say in these things. It takes me time to come up with something. I generally have to go to the most pressing thing I’m thinking about in order to even come up with content for a guest post. Today, those thoughts are centered into bloggers. My God you people are amazing.

Every single day, several times a day, you come up with relevant, brilliant topics to discuss. I cant come up with that even once a month, but here you are doing it every day. The other amazing greatness, you keep yourself so organized. You guys have it down. Months planned in advance, with kind, considerate nudges at people like me that can’t remember what time to get up in the morning, little alone I agreed to guest post. And when you message me and say, Kindle… Where is your post? You never one time use words like “idiot” or “dummy”.  I love you guys. Thank you for all you do.

So this post is dedicated to you guys. Thank you for having me here and for all you do. You truly make a difference.

Now on to business. I have a new book out today and even though Amazon has made me totally crazy, I think it’s finally up. The story is called Double Full. I’m surprised at how many people don’t know what a double full is… I was so proud of the name, and then it went lame because no one knows. A double full is a tumbling move, turning two complete twist in the air. For this story, it signifies Jace, who is a cheerleader, and his life over the last ten years. His counterpart is Colt, of course the hot quarterback of the team, but in Double Full it’s all done a little different. The life these two live, well you just have to read it and see.

Thank you for having me here. I’m truly sorry I’m late. I appreciate you beyond reason!

Kindle

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Best Selling, and newly award winning (whooo hooo!) Author Kindle Alexander is an innovative writer, and a genre-crosser who writes classic fantasy, romance, suspense, and erotica. It’s always a surprise to see what’s coming next! Happily married with too many children, and dogs, living in the suburbs of Dallas.

Website: www.kindlealexander.com

Email: kindle@kindlealexander.com

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

DOUBLE FULL

Blurb: Up and coming football hero, Colton Michaels, makes a Hail Mary pass one night in the college locker room that results in the hottest, sexiest five days of his young life. However, interference after the play has him hiding his past and burying his future in the bottom of a bottle. While Colt seems to have it all, looks can be deceiving, especially when you’re trapped so far in a closet that you can’t see your way out. When ten years of living his expected fast-lane lifestyle lands him engaged to his manipulative Russian supermodel girlfriend, he decides it’s time to call a new play.

Jace Montgomery single-handily built the largest all-star cheerleading gym in the world, driven by a need to forget a life-altering encounter with a handsome quarterback a decade ago. His reputation as an excellent coach, hard-nosed business man, and savvy entrepreneur earned him respect in the sometimes catty world of competitive cheerleading. When Jace learns of his ex-lover’s plans to marry, his heart executes a barrel roll and his carefully-placed resolve tumbles down without a mat to absorb the shock. Can his island escape help him to finally let go of the past and move his life forward?

Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Double-Full-Nice-Series-ebook/dp/B00FPRACEC/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1381254002&sr=1-1&keywords=double+full

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/double-full-jae-ashley/1117053073?ean=2940148821502

Email me and let me know what you thought of the story: kindle@kindlealexander.com

GIVEAWAY

TO WIN AN EBOOK OR PRINT COPY OF DOUBLE FULL, LEAVE A COMMENT TO THIS POST:

Follow the given format to enter yourself into the contest:

Name*:
Email ID*:
Preferred Format*:
Message to the author:

Don’t forget to “FOLLOW THIS BLOG”. The widget is on the top of this page where you can either subscribe to this blog via email or if you are a wordpress user, you can “Follow” it through your READER!

Why do you need to follow? – To get instant updates on the winner announcement, or other giveaway events that are planned to be hosted on this blog or simply for the reviews and author interviews that are posted here.

If you are on Facebook, join our official Group: The Blog of Sid Love

===================================

CONTEST WILL END ON 14th October, 2013 @ 11:59 PM Central Time!!

Playing Ball – DSP Anthology [Blog Tour]

HUG IT OUT!

By Shae Connor

One of the Atlanta Braves’ newer stars is first baseman Freddie Freeman, a tall, red-haired, corn-fed boy from central California. All of 23 years old, Freddie’s nonetheless become a clubhouse leader and a fan favorite, not just for his stellar play on the field but also for one big reason: Freddie LOVES to give hugs.

In particular, Freddie loves to hug his BFF, Dan Uggla.

Freddie and Dan hug so often, and so well, that it’s become an advertising gimmick (link: http://wapc.mlb.com/atl/play/?content_id=27085283&c_id=atl), a meme (link: http://freddiefreemanhuggingpeople.tumblr.com/), and even a fandom, complete with their own portmanteau: Fruggla.

Their bromance gets even cuter when you realize that Freddie is 6 inches taller, and Dan is 10 years older. Seriously, how many gay romance stories have you read with setups like that?

It’s close friendships between teammates like these that lend themselves to fiction, and baseball is full of them. No, the characters in Home Field Advantage aren’t based on Freeman and Uggla (though Caleb does have some similarities to Freddie), but that doesn’t mean they won’t end up in the pages in some form somewhere. If not mine, then someone else’s.

I’d love to hear from other fans about your favorite pro sports friendships. Not just in baseball, either! A friend of mine is a big fan of two hockey players who are BFFs. What sports friendships do you follow, and what makes them so great?

While you’re thinking that over, take a minute to enter our giveaway! We’re offering two prizes. The grand prize is a print copy of Playing Ball signed by all four authors, a unisex BBQ apron featuring hot athletes from Originals by Lauren (https://www.etsy.com/shop/OriginalsbyLauren), and swag from all four authors. The runner-up will get an ebook copy of Playing Ball and swag from all four authors.

The giveaway will run from 12 AM Central on September 21, 2013, to 12 AM Central on October 11, 2013. To give an opportunity for the authors to get together to sign the book and gather swag, the winners will be picked and the prizes shipped after the end of GayRomLit 2013.

Rules: You must be a resident of Earth, 18 years or older, who lives in a place where the viewing of adult material is legal. By entering the giveaway, you are indicating your agreement to the rules. Winners must provide a physical mailing address to receive their prizes. If a winner does not respond to the prize notification within 48 hours, the prize will be re-awarded.

  Click here to enter!

Playing Ball

Shae Connor, Kate McMurray, Kerry Freeman, and Marguerite Labbe

Cover by Aaron Anderson

Published by Dreamspinner Press

270 pages

Blurb

Baseball—America’s favorite pastime—provides a field wide open for romance. A Home Field Advantage may not help when Toby must choose between the team he’s loved all his life and the man he could love for the rest of it. In 1927, Skip hides his sexuality to protect his career until he meets One Man to Remember. Ruben and Alan fell victim to a Wild Pitch, leaving them struggling with heartache and guilt, and now they’ve met again. And on One Last Road Trip, Jake retires and leaves baseball behind, hoping to reconnect with Mikko and get a second chance at love.

The anthology contains the following novellas:

Home Field Advantage by Shae Connor

Toby MacMillan, grandson of Atlanta Braves owner Ray MacMillan, lives for baseball and loves his team. When he meets new team member Caleb Browning, an innocent welcome-to-the-big-leagues dinner leads to a not-so-innocent night together. Toby quickly calls things off, afraid of the ramifications of their tryst, but the two men develop a friendship that soon becomes more. After Caleb takes a fastball to the head, their budding romance hits the news—and Toby’s grandfather hits the roof. When Ray MacMillan demands Toby deny the relationship, Toby must choose between the team he’s loved all his life and the man he could love for the rest of it.

One Man to Remember by Kate McMurray

It’s 1927, and in New York City, Babe Ruth and the Yankees’ unstoppable batting lineup, Murderers’ Row, is all anyone can talk about. Across town, the Giants’ rookie infielder Skip Littlefield racks up hits, creating a streak to rival the Babe’s. Worried his secrets could get out, he avoids the spotlight, but he catches the attention of lauded sports reporter Walter Selby, a notorious dandy whose sexuality is an open secret. Skip reluctantly agrees to an interview, and mutual attraction is sparked. Skip can only hope the more charismatic stars will draw attention away from his romance with Walt. Otherwise, his career and everything he loves is at stake.

Wild Pitch by Marguerite Labbe

Ruben Martell fell in love with Alan Hartner during their years playing baseball. They stepped over the foul line once, but the encounter left them struggling with heartache and guilt, turning away from each other to focus on their families. Now retired from the majors, they run a batting cage together and coach rival Little League teams as they juggle fatherhood and being single again. Though Ruben has never given up hope that Alan might look at him as more than a friend, Alan seems determined to keep things the way they’ve always been. But long-buried feelings and desires have a way of resurfacing, and Ruben can’t wait forever.

One Last Road Trip by Kerry Freeman

With the last game of his Major League Baseball career behind him, Jake Wilson hits the road. Years have passed, but he never got over the romance he shared with Mikko Niemi back in college. Finally, he’s ready to do something about it. He starts with some crucial visits to his ex-wife in New Mexico, his son in Oklahoma, and his daughter in Tennessee. But his true destination is Mikko’s home in Georgia, where he’s hoping to get a second chance at love.

Buy at Dreamspinner: http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4197 (ebook)

http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/store/product_info.php?products_id=4198 (paperback)

Buy at ARe:

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-playingball-1304727-166.html

Buy at Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/Playing-Ball-ebook/dp/B00FF0X2BE/

Check out the full schedule of this Blog Tour here:

http://shaeconnorwrites.com/2013/09/20/playing-ball-blog-tour-schedule/

Author Interview & GIVEAWAY: Trusting Thomas by K. C. Wells

Thank you for coming over to the blog of Sid Love to answer some questions! It’s a great pleasure having you here ! 🙂

Well, it’s lovely to be here! Thanks for having me.

When I look at your bio I notice you started writing not too long ago but wanted to for quite some time before that. What made you take that final step?

Being so stressed in my job that I had to do something.  I’ve always been creative – I paint, sew, play the clarinet – but I haven’t been able to do those things for a while because the demands of my job were simply too much. Then when the job became so stressful that my health suffered, it was time to do something. My doctor actually said that I needed an outlet, something to focus on. So I thought about that idea for a book I’d had a year previously….

Now you’re writing full time did it change your life ? And if it did, was it all positive or were there also negative sides to that?

Oh WOW – has it changed my life.

Well, losing the EDJ certainly changed my life. My friends comment these days that I look so much happier. But as for writing full-time, I love it! It’s wonderful to spend a day on the laptop and at the ned of it, I can read it over and think, “YES! It was a good day.”

There’s only one negative that I can see. I have to be VERY self-disciplined. When I go down to my little writing room by the sea, it’s easy. There are no distractions and I just get on with writing. When I stay at home? That’s another story. It’s SOOOOOO easy to get distracted… the Internet, friends on Facebook (Yeah, Max Vos, I mean you… 🙂 ) stuff round the house, the Internet, shopping, the Internet… Yeah, you get the picture…

You self-publish some stories as well as publishing with Dreamspinner. Is there a reason why you use both?

When I submit a book to Dreamspinner, there’s a waiting time till I find out if it’s been accepted, then five-six months before it comes out. When I self-publish, once I’ve finished the book, it’s off to my beta readers. That’s usually about a week – damn, they read fast! – then off to Sue, my editor, and then I sit down and run it through the software before uploading it onto Amazon, All Romance, etc…

It’s a faster process and I get to see the results of my labor faster, too. Especially as now my writing pays the bills..

But publishing with Dreamspinner is wonderful. They take care of everything – covers, publicity…

I like having the best of both worlds.

Looking over your backlist I see an impressive list built in a short time. I see for starters the ‘Learning to Love’ series that has three books so far, all with very different personalities in them. In part one we meet freshman students Michael and Sean and we are introduced to their friend Evan, who gets his own story with Daniel in part two.

Did you know when you started the first book and introduced us to Evan that there would be a part two where he would be chasing his own happily-ever-after? Or was it something that came to you as you write Michael and Sean’s story? And then part 3 with Cris and Josh who also are introduced in an earlier book?

I was half way through Michael & Sean when I realized there would be a sequel. I mean, Evan HAD to have his Happy Ever After! But by the time I ‘d started Evan and Daniel’s book, I’d already worked out that there would be four books in the series in total.

And from my own opinion I am very much looking forward to a part 4 in this series as I really would like to find out how you will continue this and I kind of need you to make it alright (without spoiling too much). Is it coming and when?

Ahhhhh… Part 4 is on my To Do list, and will be submitted to Dreamspinner early next year, so hopefully it should be out by the summer. It’s the final year of studies for Michael, Sean, Evan, Daniel and Chris – Josh will still have Medical school, of course – and a lot happens. I cannot tell you how many people have messages / emailed me about Sean, wanting to know if he’s going to be alright.  I love that boy – would I let anything bad happen to him? Hmmm…..

But part 4, Final Exam, is a pulling together of different storylines. Evan and Daniel take time to explore another side to their marriage, one which has been emerging throughout parts 2 and 3. Josh and Chris are still a fairly new couple, and there are bumps in the road to contend with. But Michael and Sean have a tough time ahead, and they’ll only get through it with their friends and family to support them.

Continuing through your backlist, we see the ‘Island Tales’ a series you are self-publishing which has different characters in each story but centres on the Isle of Wight. Can you tell me why you decided to write this series using separate and non-related characters?

Interesting question. Just because Mark and Sam (from Waiting for a Prince) didn’t turn up in the next tale, September’s Tide, please don’t assume that’s the last you’ll see of them. In fact, they turn up in the third tale, which should be out before the end of the year. And Andy and Richard, at the Beach Shack café in Steephill Cove, turn up in both books – and will be in the third. (They’re real people, by the way. They’re waiting for the day when someone ask them “Are you the guys in the books?”) And they’re straight, before anyone asks.  🙂

I liked the idea of setting lots of different stories on the Island. I love this place. It’s beautiful, tranquil and definitely an inspiration.

I have at least three more books planned for the Island Tales series.

Coming to the ‘Collars and Cuffs’ series that has had a very successful start with “An Unlocked Heart” with the second part “Trusting Thomas “ being released tomorrow (Are you nervous?)

You take the reader into the world of BDSM with this series. Is that a genre you always wanted to explore as a writer?

I’m ALWAYS nervous when a new book comes out, even after (*counts on fingers*) eight books.

I’ll be honest. I got half way through 50 Shades of…. and gave up. And then I thought, what would a gay version look like?  I love the BDSM books by Sean Michael, Anna Martin, SJD Peterson, Patricia Logan… so it was something I wanted to try. I loved the idea of making the books primarily a love story, with added BDSM. I often get reviews that say they’re not hardcore BDSM – they were never intended to be. But when I get readers telling me that they LOVE how different the book is, or that they don’t usually read BDSM but loved An Unlocked Heart – that is huge for me.

We get introduced to Thomas in the first part as Leo‘s Business partner so it is great to see he is getting his own story in this part. Can you share something with us about the new book “Trusting Thomas”?

I loved Thomas from the start. This is a kind, patient, gentle man who trains Doms and subs alike, but has never had his own submissive. He’s content with his life, rattling around in his big house, running the club, but when a friend asks him to help him by taking on a sub, Thomas can’t say no. He isn’t prepared for such a damaged young man, however. Peter has been through a lot, and it’s going to take him a while to trust another Dom.

The book is Thomas and Peter’s journey, and I loved watching them take those all important steps to realizing that they needed each other.

What does worry me is  the reaction to the age difference. At the start of the book, Thomas is 55 and Peter is 26. When I read Slow Bloom by Anah Crow and Dianne Fox (LOVE that book!) it didn’t bother me in the least that Jack was 48 and Ricky was 19 when they started… But I know there are readers out there for whom this will be an issue. Not an insurmountable one, I hope.

You’re already well known for your special way of combining smoking hot mansex with romance. Is this something you really have to work at, or does it come naturally for you while writing?

LOL. I see my books like a film in my head. And seeing as some comments were made in my earlier books that there was too much sex, I am now always careful to rein in my men. If the sex moves the story along, then yes, okay boys, off you go, the bedroom’s thatta way… If it doesn’t? Sigh…

Something else that worried me about Trusting Thomas is that there’s a lot less sex than in my previous books. When you read it, you’ll see why. And if you like less sex with your story? Come on in – you’ll like this one.

Knowing where in the story I want my characters to make love? That’s easy..

Writing the scenes? That’s harder. They have to be right. That’s why beta readers are so valuable. And to be honest? I love writing sex scenes. If i can read it back and see the action in my head, I’m pleased.

Time for my shorties I would say 🙂

Favorite food? OMG – I don’t really have one, I like food! (Though chocolate would be near the top of the list)

Favorite color? Gold

Favorite author? Can’t answer that one – FAR too many to choose from

Favorite book? See above!

Favorite way to spend a day off? Going down to the beach, walking along the shore, listening to the waves…. Happy sigh

Favorite movie?  Oh dear. Nope. Too many again.

Favorite music or song? I really like Classical music, but then there’s the Beatles…..

Favorite flower? Roses – preferably with a perfume

Favorite clothes? I love wearing dresses

Favorite season? Summer

At the end of this interview I would like to ask you your plans. What’s coming from K.C. Wells?

OOH! Just last week I had an idea for a short story, based around the characters of Blake and WIll from Making it Personal. That will be out very soon

And speaking of Making it Personal, I will be writing Rick’s story early next year.

Ideas are coming at all from all angles lately. I can’t keep up with them!

And in January Dreamspinner are releasing my first ever co-authored novel! Parker Williams (aka Will Parkinson) and I have written a book, Someone to Keep Me. It’s a BDSM story, which fits into the Collars & Cuffs world. At the moment Will and I are planning the next book, Damian’s Discipline, and there’s a third book in the pipeline. That will be it for the BDSM books – we DO have other ideas, however…  😉

And is there anything else you would like to share with us here?

Wow – I think I’ve covered everything – except I would like to thank all the readers out there who read my books. It’s been wonderful so far to share all these stories in my head. Thank you, all of you.

Thank you very much for this interview and your time.

Thanks – it was fun!

~ As told to Danielle

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In addition to participating in this interview Miss K.C Wells has generously offered a giveaway of her new novel “Trusting Thomas” coming October 7th.

Are you just as excited as I am to read this book? Let us know and leave a comment below

Goodluck!

CONTEST WILL END ON 10th October, 2013 @ 11:59 PM Central Time!!

Guest Post & GIVEAWAY: Ethan in Gold by Amy Lane [DSP Halloween Special Events]

Halloween is just around the corner, so The Blog of Sid Love & Dreamspinner Press have joined hands to give you a special reason to celebrate! An event whereby we will feature four newest releases from DSP in form of guest posts, author interviews and giveaway contests! And that is not all – there will be an amazing contest at the end of this month. On 31st October, a lucky winner will be drawn from these four contests to win a goodie pack that will consist of the four books up for grab over the month! So don’t just sit there, hurry up and participate. To increase your chance of winning, leave a comment on all Halloween Special posts as well as the giveaway contests of any DSP authors that feature this month.

We kick off this event, starting with one of the most popular DSP authors – Amy Lane. Her third book in the Johnnies series released just recently and she has happily agreed to giveaway an ebook copy of Ethan in Gold. Check out as she stops by to share what’s so worth it in relationships …

Worth It 

By
Amy Lane

One of the tough things to do as you’re finding your way along a particular couple’s path is to figure out what a real happy ending would be.  No happy ending is too perfect—even the real ones.  The key to a real happy ending, or one that feels authentic, is the idea that if stuff comes up, these two people will figure out how to handle it.

I was pissed at my husband today—seriously, flamingly pissed.  Talking to myself pissed.  Talking to myself in the bathroom pissed.

So there I was, taking my sweet time, washing my hands, making faces in the mirror, having that imaginary conversation where I level my beloved off at the knees, and then when I open the door, there’s my Mate.  He’s smiling sheepishly.

“You were talking to yourself.”

“Yes.  Yes I was.”

“Were you yelling at me?”

“Yes.  Yes I was.”

“I’m really sorry.”

*sigh *  “That’s okay.”

Because the thing is, as pissed as I was, I don’t have the short-term goal of the relationship in mind.  We are not in a place in our lives where I can storm out and slam a door and fight with him at the top of my lungs—we have kids for sweet hell’s sake, and we’re obligated to act like grown ups. If the problem was a long-term difficulty, it needs to be discussed.  If it’s a brief irritation, an apology and a make up are plenty good enough.

That was the sort of thinking Jonah and Ethan had to do in Ethan in Gold.  They had a long-term difficulty—a couple of them, in fact.  Jonah’s family was falling apart, and Ethan was in porn.  It doesn’t get much more complex than that (and if it does, don’t tell me, I may take it as a challenge.)  So it was essential that they become friends first—because they had to care about each other to make the rest of the relationship worth it.  And that, in a way, is the crux of any relationship.  The idea of “This person has pissed me off now, but is that enough to destroy what we’ve built?”  Or, in Ethan and Jonah’s case, the potential of what they had to build.

It’s a tough idea—and the reason many relationships fail.  I think the reason this couple—or any couple in fiction—gives us hope is that they remind us what’s important.  I know that today, while I was whisper cursing my Mate, all I really needed was his sheepish smile and a reminder that one screw-up doth not a divorce make.

Maybe all Mate needed was a reminder that I’d rather vent my spleen on the potty and the mirror than on him to remember that I was a good person not to get pissed at him!  Either way, like Ethan and Jonah (but with certainly less cause!) most people who stay together do eventually remember the long-term goal.

And it’s usually so very worth it.

.:.: ETHAN IN GOLD :.:.

BLURB: Evan Costa learned from a very early age that there was no such thing as unconditional love and that it was better to settle for what you could get instead of expecting the world to give you what you need. As Ethan, porn model for Johnnies, he gets exactly what he wants—comradeship and physical contact on trade—and he is perfectly satisfied with that. He’s sure of it.

Jonah Stevens has spent most of his adult life helping to care for his sister and trying to keep his beleaguered family from fraying at the edges. He’s had very little time to work on his confidence or his body for that matter. When Jonah meets Ethan, he doesn’t see the hurt child or the shamelessly slutty porn star. He sees a funny, sexy, confident man who—against the odds—seems to like Jonah in spite of his very ordinary, but difficult, life.

Sensing a kindred spirit and a common interest, Ethan thinks a platonic friendship with Jonah won’t violate his fair trade rules of sex and touch, but Jonah has different ideas. Ethan’s pretty sure his choice of jobs has stripped away all hope of a real relationship, but Jonah wants the whole package—the sexy man, the vulnerable boy, the charming companion who works so hard to make other people happy. Jonah wants to prove that underneath the damage Ethan has lived with all his life, he’s still gold with promise and the ability to love.

BUY LINKS: Dreamspinner Press  ::  Amazon  ::  All Romance eBooks

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amy Lane has four children, two cats, an aging dog, a crumbling mortgage and an indulgent spouse.  She also has too damned much yarn, a penchant for action adventure movies, and a need to know that somewhere in all the pain is a story of Wuv, Twu Wuv, which she continues to believe in to this day!  She writes fantasy, urban fantasy, and m/m romance–and if you give her enough diet coke and chocolate, she’ll bore you to tears with why those three genres go together.  She’ll also tell you that sacrifices, large and small, are worth the urge to write.

Amy Lane on Facebook  ||  Amy Lane on Twitter  ||  Amy Lane’s Website

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Leave a comment to this post in order to get a chance of winning a free ebook copy of Ethan in Gold.

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Why do you need to follow? – To get instant updates on the winner announcement, or other giveaway events that are planned to be hosted on this blog or simply for the reviews and author interviews that are posted here.

If you are on Facebook, join our official Group: The Blog of Sid Love

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CONTEST WILL END ON 13th October, 2013 @ 11:59 PM Central Time!!

Guest Post & GIVEAWAY: Omorphi by Cody Kennedy [Blog Tour]

High school senior Michael Sattler leads a charmed life. He’s a star athlete, has great friends, and parents who love him just the way he is. What’s missing from his life is a boyfriend. That’s a problem because he’s out only to his parents and best friend. When Michael accidentally bumps into Christy Castle at school, his life changes in ways he never imagined. Christy is Michael’s dream guy: smart, pretty, and sexy. But nothing could have prepared Michael for what being Christy’s boyfriend would entail.

Christy needs to heal after years of abuse and knows he needs help to do it. After the death of his notorious father, he leaves his native Greece and settles in upstate New York. Alone, afraid, and left without a voice, Christy hides the myriad scars of his abuse. He desperately wants to be loved and when he meets Michael, he dares to hope that day has arrived. When one of Michael’s team-mates becomes an enemy and an abuser from Christy’s past seeks to return him to a life of slavery, only Michael and Christy’s combined strength and unwavering determination can save them from the violence that threatens to destroy their future together.

Purchase Omorphi from   Harmony Ink Press    Amazon    Barnes & Noble   ARe/OmniLit

Why the Title Omorphi?

I am one of those people who was fortunate enough to have traveled often and from a young age. Many people don’t have this opportunity and that’s why I try to bring a little bit of the outside world and other cultures to my readers through my books. One of the main characters in my stories will almost always be from a country other than the United States. In the case of Safe, Nico is Italian. In the case of Slaying Isidore’s Dragons, Isidore is French and Declan is Irish. In the case of Omorphi, Christy is Greek and we have a chance to glimpse a bit of Greek culture through some of Christy’s comments and cultural ways in Omorphi.

The working title of the novel was “Pretty” because Christy is, well, pretty. Also, Christy has been severely abused and has a very low opinion of himself. He believes, in spite of his good looks, he is ugly because of what heartless others have done to him. So, Christy likes to wear pretty things like lace and silk and, for him, it isn’t only cross-dressing, but a way to feel free of the ugliness he believes he is. Because Christy is Greek, I chose to change the title of the book to Omorphi, which means pretty in Greek. There you have it. That’s the story behind the title Omorphi!

About Cody

Raised on the mean streets and back lots of Hollywood by a Yoda-look-alike grandfather, Cody Kennedy doesn’t conform, doesn’t fit in, is epic awkward and lives to perfect a deep-seated oppositional defiance disorder. In a constant state of fascination with the trivial, Cody contemplates such weighty questions as: If time and space are curved, then where do all the straight people come from? When not writing, Cody can be found taming waves on western shores, pondering the nutritional value of sunsets, appreciating the much maligned dandelion, unhooking guide ropes from stanchions, and marveling at all things ordinary.

Find Cody    Facebook    Goodreads    Twitter @CodyKAuthor

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Follow Omorphi’s blog tour for three chances to win an ebook copy of Omorphi!

September 9th – Pre-kickoff post – Cody is a Featured Author on True Colorz and answers questions about penning Omoprhi Review by True Colorz

September 15th – The Novel Approach – Pre-release Q&A with Cody and a chance to win an ebook copy of Omorphi Review by The Novel Approach

September 18th – Author Will Parkinson – Will holds nervous Cody’s hand the day before Omorphi’s release because he promised to and Cody talks about Omorphi’s Cover and Bringing Omorphi to Life

September 19th – Mrs. Condit & Friends Read Books – Cody writes Perils and Pitfalls of Post Production Public Relations and a SECOND chance to win an ebook copy of Omorphi! Review by Mrs. Condit & Friends

September 19th – Smile, Somebody Loves You – Announcement post and Cody shares Omorphi Trivia with Beverly and Tamara

September 20th – Author Shira Anthony – Why I write the kind of stories that I do by Cody

September 21st – Author Jamie Mayfield – Why Omorphi and A Broken Kind of Life are Same but Different

Also on September 21st – Harmony Ink Press on Facebook: Meet Cody Kennedy and Jamie Mayfield

September 22nd – Cody’s Blog – Tony Edmondson, Fan Extraordinaire, interviews Cody

September 27th – Author Wade Kelly – Character Interview with Christy Castle

September 28th – Author Iyana Jenna, Fairy Fan Extraordinaire, Q&A with Christy Castle

September 29th – Author Zoe Lynne – The Notes Behind Omorphi’s Play List

October 4th – Sid Love’s Blog – Why the title Omorphi? Review by Sid Love

October 5th – Author Madison Parker – What makes Omorphi unique?

October 6th – Author John Ames – Q&A with Michael Sattler

October 11th – Boys on the Brink – Omorphi: Writing Sex and Violence in Young Adult works

October 12th – Author Jamie Fessenden – Cody shares Omorphi Trivia with Jamie

October 15th – Granny Irene – A week in the Life of Christy Castle before Michael

October 18th – Author Sara Alva – A week in the life of Michael Sattler before Christy

October 19th – Author Sam Kadence – Cody Talks About Writing Action and the Suspension of Disbelief

October 20th – Cody’s Blog – Omorphi’s One Month Anniversary Trivia Contest and a THIRD chance to win an ebook copy of Omorphi – In order to enter this contest you must:

1) have visited and commented on each stop on Omorphi’s Blog Tour – please be sure to leave your name and email address in your blog comment. “Anonymous” comments won’t qualify; and

2) you must correctly answer the trivia questions posted on Cody’s Blog by placing your answers in the comments section beneath the questions; and

3) along with your answers to the trivia questions, you must leave a comment about Omorphi’s Blog Tour.

The winner will be selected by Kismet, Cody’s greenwing macaw.

To make things even more exciting, a new contest will begin on October 21st on The Novel Approach Reviews Blog to win an ebook copy of Cody’s novella, Safe, due out October 24th from Harmony Ink Press!

Get ready to read and win!