Saturday, May 30, 2015

How To Tell If You Are In A High Fantasy Novel

Bawahahaha!!! I saw this at a site I found not long ago called WRITEWORLD, lol. Thought I'd share. :) Hell, a lot of this could be applied to Scifi too!
~M






How To Tell If You Are In A High Fantasy Novel

[via The Toast]



· The Elders would like a word with you.

· The Ritual is about to begin.

· Something that has not happened in a thousand years is happening.

· You are going to the City. There is only one City. It is only said with a capital C. No one needs to bother saying the name of the City. It is the City.

· Certain members of the Council are displeased with your family’s recent actions.

· A bard is providing occasional comic relief; no one hired or invited him and his method of earning a living is unclear.

· The High Priest is not to be trusted.

· Someone is eating an apple mockingly.

· There is one body of water. It is called the Sea. The Great Sea, if you are feeling fancy.

· You live in a region with no major exports, no centralized government, no banking system, a mysteriously maintained network of roads, and little to no job training for anyone who is not a farmer.

· You have red hair. You wear it in a braid. Your father was a simple man, and you don’t remember much about him – he died when you were so young – but you remember his strong hands, as he fished or carpentered or whatever it was that he used to do with them.

· You’re going to have to hurry, or you’re going to miss the Fair – and you never miss the Fair.

· There is trouble at the Citadel.

· Your full name has at least one apostrophe in it.

· It is the first page, and you are already late for something. Your mother affectionately chides you as you gulp down a few spoonfuls of porridge; she will be dead by page forty-two.

· There are two religions in your entire universe. One is a thinly veiled version of Islam. It is only practiced by villains. The other is “being a Viking.” You are a Viking.

· There are new ways in the land that threaten the Old Way. Your grandmother secretly practices the Old Way, as do all of the people of the hills.

· The real trouble began the day you arrived at court. Every last nobleman hides a viper in his smile. How you long for the purity of life in your village, which is currently on fire or something.



cheshirelibrary: How To Tell If You Are In A High Fantasy Novel

Source: cheshirelibrary

Friday, May 29, 2015

First Annual MM Memorial Day Scavenger Hunt

Army Banner 2 Update



Welcome to the first annual MM Memorial Day Scavenger Hunt! 10 Days, 30 Blogs, and loads of prizes! The rules are simple: At each stop on the tour you'll find a military themed picture with a word or words. Collect the words and figure out the secret phrase (HINT: It's lyrics to a song). Once you think you have the correct phrase, enter it into the Rafflecopter at any of the stops.

One grand prize winner will be selected from all the correct phrases.  Use the other Rafflecopter options to enter to win one of the runner-up packages.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting!


Our stop's phrase is:  Isn't




Grand Prize ($45 GC total)
-Kindle Paperwhite (VWF)
-Swag (VWF)
-$25 GC (Jessie G)
-$20 GC (Sara York)
-2 ebooks (Jessie G & BFD)
-Bad Boyfriends series ebooks & print (3 books) from Nya Rawlins

1st Place ($35 GC total)
-$25 GC (Nya Rawlins)
-$10 GC (Sloan Johnson)
-CTR & backlist ebooks from Kade Boehme
-Unicorns & Hidden Gem ebooks from Lissa Kasey
-Winner's ebook of choice from MMGoodbookreviews
-Adventures of Cole & Perry ebook from Amanda C. Stone

2nd Place ($30 GC total)
-$20 GC (Aria Grace)
-$10 ARE GC (Prism Book Alliance)
-Love at First Site ebook from Cardeno C.
-Trouble Comes in Threes ebook from M.A. Church
-Winner's choice of Felice Stevens ebook

3rd Place ($20 GC total)
-$10 Amazon GC (READing is FUN Da Mental)
-$10 GC (Two Chicks Obsessed with Books and Eye Candy)
-backlist ebook from Annabeth Albert
-Winner's choice of Aria Grace ebook
-Winner's choice of Andrew Grey ebook

4th Place ($20 GC total)
-$10 GC (Felice Stevens)
-$10 Amazon GC (Amy Lane)
-Undercover Love series ebooks (2 books) from Brendan Cothern
-Winner's choice of Susan MacNicol ebook
-Winner's choice of Lexi Ander ebook

5th Place ($20 GC total)
-$10 Amazon GC (BFD)
-$10 GC (Lexi Ander)
-Winner's choice of Kindle Alexander ebook
-Winner's choice of Susan MacNicol ebook
-Winner's choice of backlist ebook from Cate Ashwood




Participating Blogs/Authors:
May 25
May 26
May 27
May 28
May 29
May 30
May 31
June 1
June 2
June 3

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

HAHABT winner!





AND THE WINNER IS:

Denise Dechene

Okay, I've sent the email out! I want to thank everyone who took part in the Hop and for all the comments. 
~M

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

The Writer's Minion presents The Valespian Pact Audiobook Blog Tour by Lexi Ander and a Giveaway








Alpha Trine (The Valespian Pact #1)

Publisher: Less Than Three Press:
Ebook Release Date: September, 2013
Audiobook Release Date: February 2015
Cover Artist: Aisha Akeju
Genre: Sci-Fi/Gay/Poly
ISBN: 9781620042434
Available in both ebook and print and audiobook




Alpha Trine was the winner of 2014 Rainbow Awards



Audio Purchase Links: Available at iTunes and Audible


Book/Ebook Purchase Links:






Blurb:


The sole survivor on a science vessel adrift in deep space, Zeus was adopted by the Emperor and Empress of the Mar'Sani, though he is both human and blind, and seen by most as unfit to join the royal family. Though they were able to repair his vision, Zeus does not trust his eyes and the nobles of his parents' court refuse to ever trust a frail human.

Dargon Kal-Turak, along with his symbiote and lover Alpha, command one of the most dangerous ships in the stars. Narrowly escaping a trap, they dock in a space port to make repairs, but find that the Psionics hunting them are closing in fast. In desperation they kidnap the port Master Mechanic, unaware that the man they've brought on board is more than he seems, and will bring far more upheaval to their ship, their lives, and the stars than any of them could have imagined.





Striker (The Valespian Pact #2)

Publisher: Less Than Three Press:
Ebook Release Date: June, 2014
Audiobook Release Date: March 2015
Cover Artist: Aisha Akeju
Genre: Sci-Fi/Gay/Poly
ISBN: 9781620043783
Available in both ebook and print and audiobook



Audio Purchase Links: Available at iTunes and Audible
Audible:


Book/Ebook Purchase Links:






BLURB:

The peaceful respite for which Zeus and his intended, Dargon and Alpha, had been hoping is shattered when Zeus is unexpectedly drawn to the Waters of Poseidon and told that the safety they’ve been promised is a trap. But the Fal’Amoric aren’t the only important cargo on the Oethra 7, and countless others are depending on the success of their mission. If Zeus hopes to break the silent siege on Valespia and protect those most precious to him, he will need not just powerful allies but the fortitude to survive overwhelming odds.




Author Bio:

Lexi has always been an avid reader, and at a young age started reading (secretly) her mother’s romances (the ones she was told not to touch). She was the only teenager she knew of who would be grounded from reading. Later, with a pencil and a note book, she wrote her own stories and shared them with friends because she loved to see their reactions. A Texas transplant, Lexi now kicks her boots up in the Midwest with her Yankee husband and her eighty-pound puppies named after vacuum cleaners.








Link for Haka:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rDoV0EBu44&authuser=0





And now for the interview!

I love this series and have read it more times than I can count, lol. What made you write the first book?
Yay! I'm so tickled you loved the series. ^_^ The Valespian Pact was inspired by a story prompt that requested a Sci-Fi story with mpreg of a non-human male without the use of technology. The requester was pretty specific about the non-human being a person who didn't look remotely human. I wasn't really worried about the impregnation part because there are so many options for mpreg in the natural world (there is a species of flat worms are all born male. When they mate, the males "sword fight" with their "penis" and the one that loses gets to be the female. Pretty cool, eh? ). The hardest part was picking what to use.

The real question was how to make the non-human attractive to the reader. If the idea was too foreign or people couldn't empathize with the character then no one would believe that Zeus could ever fall in love with someone completely dissimilar to the norm. Then when I finished Alpha Trine, I had one of those moments where I thought I had failed my objective. I really liked the story, okay I sorta loved it, but I wasn't sure what others would think because sometimes what I liked was way out in leftfield. I'm still amazed at how much people love the series. It's humbling.


Where did you come up with the Mar'Sani? Is the world and its people based on something or totally made up?

The idea of the Mar'Sani started out with a race of reptile-people. In science fiction, more often than not, lizard-people are depicted as villains, the bad guys. Even though they walk upright and have advanced technology, they are still depicted as the vicious Neanderthals of the galaxy. Few find them attractive or worthy of a hero's tale. It's sorta unfair because reptiles have amazing qualities but many people prefer furry to scaly.

I did borrow from Greek Mythology for place names and Mar'Sani character names from Atlantis lore. I changed Atlantis to the planetary name of Atlainticia. Some of the names name for the Ancients came from Greek mythology, and of course, Zeus. But that was all I took from mythology. I didn't want anything more because the Greek Gods were sort of *ssholes and some of them are downright creepy. Everything else about them is made up. Mar'Sani are a fierce people who don't do things halfway. They throw themselves full-force into their convictions. How they view their responsibilities, family, spirituality—they commit to with all of their hearts. So even though they are alien in appearance, they are still lovable.

I also borrowed the reptilian scientific names for the names of the Mar'Sani houses. The revered and fear Gerrho'Sauridae is an actual lizard family that is native to Africa and Madegasgar, I just made mine venomous and a really cool color to blend into the Black Sands Desert. There are also little things like the space station Bashker'Qa is actually the character K in Cyrillic script. Udens Mahte'lan is from Latvian mythology term udens mahte, an epithet applied to 67 water goddesses. Oh, I almost forgot. The warrior side of the Mar'Sani, I borrowed (loosely) from the Māori people and their Haka. The battle in Striker is where you can see the correlation the most with the responsive chant and the face paint.

So while there are definitely made-up things about the Mar'Sani and the Valespian-verse, there are some things that are drawn from my love of reading reference material. ^_^ (I'm waiting for someone to ask me where the V'Saar came from and I can show them pictures of a really cool helmet. LOL!)


Is there going to be a book #3 for the series? How far are you into it?

Yes, there will be a third book. Actually there will be seven books total. I had originally planned four books for the series. Two for Zeus and two for Prometheus, but when turning everything over I realized that for Prometheus to accomplish his task there would be too much telling. There were side stories and quests that impacted his story. After looking at what those side stories would be comprise of, I decided I would "show" instead of "tell" what happened. So three stories were added in the middle from characters the readers already know. I'm a pantser. But with the different plots and side stories I did have to sit down and bullet point what was needed in every book. Those points have to do with the plot arches and making sure the information across the board is consistent. The only one that I haven't completed an arch for is Legends because I know some things will change before I get to that point. It always happens when writing, especially when I discover that what I had in mind won't work for some reason and have to change the direction. Here's what's planned so far.

Bespoken (#3), which is about the Galactic Princes finding Prometheus.

Chosen (#4), is about the GyrFalconi navigator Axis. He's taken a liking to the Chimera triplets but go missing and Axis refuses to stay home and hope for the best. What he finds will affect all of Atlainticia.

Rebirth (#5), is about Canry and Nethus… and there really isn't any hints that I can give about this that won't give out spoilers. ^_^

Boundless (#6), is about the mission the Galactic Princes send Madux and Star Eater on. If they fail, the Grid will fall.

Legends (#7), we are back again with Prometheus, Vipre, and Malek. What they and their allies have to do, and what some will give up to protect the galaxies from the V'Saar hoard will bring an end to the series. *tissues required*

Right now I'm in the middle of completing the Sumeria's Sons series. The final book, Releasing Chaos, is the WIP I'm working on currently. Bespoken is next on my writing schedule and then I'll roll right into Chosen. I'm really, really excited about both. I had a difficult time trying to figure out where (when) to start Prometheus's story. The story doesn't flow correctly if started in the wrong place. I believe I know where to begin, but is it the right spot? I won't know until I start penning it.


Out of all the characters, who is your favorite? Do you have one?

That is such a hard question. When I was writing Alpha Trine, I was totally in love with the Orion, Rhee. (Not that I don't love the MCs!) He's a bad*ss and the background on his family pod (which won't be revealed until Bespoken) is really cool and no one knows but me. *sad face* At least for now. So it's really hard to talk about why I like them without people jumping to conclusion that it's all the tentacles. Don’t get me wrong. The tentacles are totally cool, but the Orion are so much more than their extra appendages.

While writing Striker, I became infatuated with Otho the L'Eema. He is such great fun to write and his story becomes so much bigger by the time I start Legends—Dudes, I can't wait to show you.


I love Alpha. How did you come up with him?
I adore Alpha, too. When I came upon the idea of Alpha, I was devising the reason why the Dar Massagas needed a symbiote. What did the Alpha-Zetamites glean from such a union? Why was it important? If I couldn't explained convincingly then Dargon and Alpha weren't credible characters.

Alpha's shape came before the why of it. I wanted Alpha to be old and versatile, but because the Alpha-Zetamites came upon the dying Dar Massagas and offered their help, the question became:  where were they from, how did they get there, what was their origin? With the lack of bone structure or cartilage, his form was perfect for birth in space. By the end of Striker, you know that Alpha is only small part of a huge Alpha. They are all connected but retain their own personality. I wanted him be the representation for "giving a piece of yourself to someone you love". Sort of corny, I know, but I liked the idea.


Didn’t you win a Rainbow Award for one of the books?

Alpha Trine won the 2014 Rainbow Award in the Best Bisexual General Fiction category. I didn't think that Alpha Trine would win. I was simply tickled (you just don't know how I cried) when it received an Honorable Mention and thought that would be the end of the road. The announcement for Alpha Trine winning in that category came three weeks later, after my father the passed away. At times, our relationship was strained. He didn't approve of me writing gay romance, but he always told me that if writing gay romance made me happy, if this was my cause, he was glad that I found something in this world to fight for. Even though he didn't understand my choices he would've still told me he was proud of me for winning an award. I don't think I'll ever be able to think of the Rainbow Awards and not think of my dad.


Thank you so much for having me on the blog today!!

Friday, May 22, 2015

Feline Fridays

HAHABT post: click here





Behind the Eight Ball teaser:

Chapter One – Heller


Step.
Step.
Stop.
The rustling of dead leaves caught my attention, and I froze, with one paw still in the air. Not moving and barely daring to breathe, I waited. My whiskers twitched as a cool October breeze disturbed the scent of decaying leaves and rich soil. The foliage trembled again as something rooted around.
I slowly lowered my paw. The disturbance wasn’t very noticeable, except to my predatory gaze. The movement continued. Gradually, bit by bit, I crept forward, making sure my long fur didn’t disturb the surrounding mounds of dying leaves. It was times like these I wished my coat were short like Dolf’s. One thing was for sure—whatever was below those leaves was going to be mine shortly. All I needed was to cover a little more distance, and I’d be close enough.
Step.
Step.
Crouch.
Heart thumping, I watched as the movement continued. My muscles tightened, and my bottom started wiggling. Unable to wait, I sprang forward, claws extended. Leaves flew into the air as I landed on my target. Bugs scattered. Eyes narrowed, I searched for…. There! There was the little bugger. I growled at the big black beetle and trapped it with my paw.
Seconds passed. The bug wiggled under my paw, tickling me. Hunched down, I carefully lifted my paw and peeked. Dammit, can’t see. Unable to get a good look, I lifted my paw a little higher… and there it went, scuttling across the ground. Gleefully, I slammed a paw down, trying to trap it. Slap. Slap. Slap. Arrgh! What’s the deal? I keep missing.
Looked like I’d found myself in a game of whack-a-mole, except with a beetle. And off we went. The bug scurried away with me hot on its trail. Every time I thought I had a paw on it, I ended up missing. Stupid critter was fast. I bounded along behind as it raced across the ground. Then it suddenly cut back and ran straight under me.
Surprised, I leaped in the air, all four paws coming off the ground. Whoa! Zigged when I should have zagged. I landed and nonchalantly licked a paw. Hope no one saw that. I had to give the bug credit. That was a smart move. The shrill cry of a mockingbird caught my attention. I lifted my head, searching for the little tattletale.
Up in a tree it sat, its warning cries echoing around the yard. I eyed the tree. Hmm, I could climb it, but the stupid bird will probably just take off. Still, might be fun. Maybe after I finished playing with the bug… and damn. The bug.
My attention returned to where it had been, my tail slashing. Great. Lost it. Stupid bird. I sat up and threw a glare over my shoulder at the bird. Standing, I turned my back to the little menace, tail held high. And that’s what I think of you, buddy. I prowled around for a while, sniffing, enjoying the coolness of the morning.
In the early morning sunlight, the dew on the grass sparked like diamonds. Maybe it was pretty, but the stuff was also cold and wet against my paws. I was glad for my fur. As I wandered back toward the house my stomach growled. I was hungry and… I sniffed. Oh, was that a blue jay I smelled? Oh, oh, a blue jay. Yum.
The human side of me groaned, but the kitty part wanted to jump with joy. The noisy little shits were actually quite intelligent. Catching one was always a feat. Quick as I could, I hid in the bright fall foliage by the back porch. I stayed very, very still so the stupid bird three feet from me didn’t fly off in a panic.
I licked my lips, my whiskers twitching as I watched the little rascal across from me raise its head. Shit, shit, shit. What caught its attention? Come on, already. It’s all fine, nothing to worry about here. No cat hanging around. Just go back to pecking around on the ground. Everything’s good. See? I’m not moving, not even breathing.
Crouched low, I waited while my breakfast relaxed, and returned to looking for acorns. Other birds came and went, but I refused to get distracted. I knew the one I wanted. Inch by agonizing inch brought me closer, my prey completely unaware death hovered. My mouth watered, and my heart thumped.
The chatter of the birds around me was easy and relaxed, no distress calls sounding. That’s right. Just keep on eating. Soon I’m going to be eating you. My body tensed, back legs ready to spring me into action….

And the phone in the house rang.
The birds took off in a wing-flapping mad rush. I turned back to the house, snarling. Unbelievable! I should’ve shut the damn window in the house. I should’ve known better, but I just had to raise the windows this morning. I’d never stopped to think about a ringing phone messing up my stalk.
I darted back inside and shifted just as my cell stopped ringing. I needed to check that since the ringtone was the head beta of our clowder, Dolf. One didn’t ignore any more than one ignored our Alpha. I was one of four betas now, but up until a few years ago, I’d been the clowders hacker.
My main job was protecting our Alpha, even though I ran a lawn service for the clowder members. I also did website design for many paranormals and fixed computers on the side. I was a regular jack-of-all-trades who really, really needed to find his clothes before my nuts froze off. Now that I was furless, I noticed the bite to the fall air even more.
I hurried to my bedroom. The hardwood under my bare feet sent shivers up my spine. As I dressed, I heard my cell beep from the kitchen, letting me know I did indeed have a message. I returned to the kitchen where my cell sat. At least that couldn’t fly off. 

* * * 
So, I *still* haven't heard anything on 8 Ball. I was hoping to announce a release date, but that's a no go. I *should* be hearing something just any day now. (Yes, I'm climbing the walls lol. This is the 10th week. Rarely does it go this long.) 
Anyway, let's talk about Remi a little. You first met him in Trouble Comes in Threes. He's the one who didn't act like an ass when Dolf told all the betas about Kirk, his other mate who happened to be human. Remi is easy-going and fun-loving. He's not one to get mad often. But don't be fooled. Out of the four betas, Remi is the strongest. Just because he's laid back, don't assume he's a pushover lol. He's not. 
Now, in Behind the Eight Ball, Remi meets his mate near the end of the book. Surprise, surprise, he's not a human. It certainly caught me by surprise lol. No, Remi's mate is actually a paranormal, and a damn strong one to boot. Remi's story will be book #3 called It Takes Two to Tango. 
One of things I noticed about Remi was his love for funny T-shirts. So of course I had to go find a site that sold these kinds of things. Oh man, some of the sayings cracked me up. Matter of fact, both of my kids are getting some of these shirts for birthdays and other holidays lol!
Here are a few saying you might see mentioned in either upcoming book. *wink*




























Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Pride Promotions presents Piece Us Back Together Tour and a Giveaway!

If you're looking for the HAHABT, click here






Author Names: Raine O’Tierney, L.J. LaBarthe, Cate Ashwood

Book Names: All That Shimmers (Raine), Swimming With Elephants (L.J.), Red Runs Through (Cate)

Release Dates: May 6, May 13, and May 20
Blurb(s):

Piece Us Back Together:
Life can seem bleak for people suffering devastating injuries or illnesses of the mind and body, and every day can be a struggle. But sometimes, when hope seems in short supply, they find a reason to keep up the fight. The men in these stories face some of the most difficult challenges imaginable, but fortunately they won’t be facing them alone, because when everything seems darkest, a point of light appears. With compassion, understanding, and love, these hurt souls have a chance to piece the broken parts of their lives and themselves into something strong and beautiful. Love might even be able to mend the most serious wounds of all—those of the heart.


All That Shimmers by Raine O’Tierney
Beau Bell is a former Olympic hopeful, left paralyzed from the waist down after a car accident. He has every reason in the world to be pissed off and miserable, yet he’s training for the Paralympics Men's 100m—S6 division. The chair? Just a part of who he is now. Beau's attitude is golden. If only he could contend with this one little issue: errant erections and no way to relieve them!
Nikša Meríc is a lonely scientist and really bad poet living underneath the old building where he does his research. Every night he watches his neighbor through his basement window as he undresses in his wheelchair. Although there is no apparent reason for Nikša to be unhappy, he’s struggled with depression his whole life and has tried to kill himself on multiple occasions.
When Beau proposes that his “voyeur” come over and help him experiment with the erections he can’t actually feel, the relationship they build is a sexual one. But the relationship they need is one that will heal each other’s heart as well.

Available May 6th, 2015


Swimming With Elephants by L.J. LaBarthe
After suffering a torn rotator cuff in his left shoulder, Garrett believes his life is over. Depressed, bereft, in pain, and unable to return to the career he loves as an arborist, he sees no hope or future for himself. But a trip to Havelock Island in India turns his world upside down. He meets Jai, an Indian nurse, and becomes smitten with him. Near the end of his trip, while swimming with an elephant, he tells Jai how he feels.

After Garrett returns to Australia, he wonders if he can ever be healed of all his pain—physical, emotional, and mental—and fears that love and romance will never be his again. But then Jai turns up in Perth and brings with him astonishing news.

Available May 13th, 2015


Red Runs Through by Cate Ashwood
Carter McClintock’s life is uncomplicated. For the past five years, he’s spent so much time in hospital scrubs that one day bleeds into the next, and that’s just the way he likes it. That is, until he meets Matthew Nolan. Carter has never had a patient affect him the way Matthew does. During Matthew’s stay in the hospital, the chemistry is unmistakable, and once he is discharged, Carter asks him out.
Despite the obvious attraction between them, Matthew’s HIV status keeps him from handing Carter his heart, refusing to believe anyone could ever truly want him. When Matthew’s past comes to light, their budding relationship is threatened before it has even begun. But Carter isn’t one to give up without a fight and he will do anything to show Matthew the lengths he will go to keep them together.


Pages or Words: Varies by book

Categories: Contemporary, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance

Excerpt: (Attached to the mail)

Sales Links:
Piece Us Back Together Anthology:

All That Shimmers:

Swimming With Elephants:

Red Runs Through:



About the authors:

Raine O’Tierney
Raine O'Tierney lives outside of Kansas City with her husband, fellow Dreamspinner Press author, Siôn O'Tierney. When she's not writing, she's either asleep, or fighting the good fight for intellectual freedom at her library day job. Raine believes the best thing we can do in life is be kind to one another, and she enjoys encouraging fellow writers! Writing for 20+ years (with the last 10 spent on M/M) Raine changes sub-genres to suit her mood and believes all good stories end sweetly. Contact her if you're interested in talking about point-and-click adventure games or about which dachshunds are the best kinds of dachshunds!

L.J. LaBarthe
L.J. LaBarthe is a French-Australian woman, who was born during the Witching Hour, just after midnight. From this auspicious beginning, she went on to write a prize-winning short story about Humpty Dumpty wearing an Aussie hat complete with corks dangling from it when she was six years old. From there, she wrote for her high school yearbook, her university newspaper, and, from her early teens to her twenties, produced a fanzine about the local punk rock music scene. She loves music of all kinds and was once a classical pianist; she loves languages and speaks French and English and a teeny-tiny smattering of Mandarin Chinese, which she hopes to relearn properly very soon. She enjoys TV, film, travel, cooking, eating out, abandoned places, urbex, history, and researching.
L.J. loves to read complicated plots and hopes to do complex plot lines justice in her own writing. She writes paranormal, historical, urban fantasy, and contemporary Australian stories, usually m/m romance and featuring m/m erotica. She has won a Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention and another award for Best Historical Gay Novel.
L.J. lives in the city of Adelaide, and is owned by her cat.

Cate Ashwood
Cate Ashwood wrote her very first story in a hot-pink binder when she was in the second grade and found her passion for writing. Her first successful foray into romance writing came five years later when she wrote her best friend, who was experiencing a case of unrequited love, her own happily ever after.
Cate’s life has taken a number of different and adventurous roads. She now lives a stone’s throw from the ocean, just outside of Vancouver, British Columbia with her husband, her brand new little boy, and her two cats. Her life is filled with family and friends, travel, and, of course, books.



Goodreads Link:

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Artist: Paul Richmond

Tour Dates & Stops:
6-May

7-May

13-May

14-May

20-May

21-May


Rafflecopter Prize: One e-copy of each book in the anthology (to one winner)
Rafflecopter Code:




And now for the interview!


Cate:
How do you come up with the titles to your books?

I am absolutely terrible at titles! I've even forced LJ to name my books for me before. I spent an obscene amount of time tonight trying to come up with a title for the first book in my new series, and I'm still drawing a blank. I got lucky with Red Runs Through. It actually came from a snippet of a line of a song and I thought it fit perfectly. The story revolves around Carter, who does blood tests on Matthew, and Matthew, who has HIV, but ultimately, it's about heart, so Red Runs Through. :) 


Say your publisher has offered to fly you anywhere in the world to do research on an upcoming book, where would you most likely want to go?

Oh, God, wouldn't that be amazing? Right now, the book I'm working on takes place in Vancouver, which is very close to where I live, so that wouldn't do. I'm also working on another collaboration with LJ, this one taking place in Adelaide, Australia, where she lives. I'd LOVE to visit her there! She's shown me photos and it looks gorgeous.

Really, though, there are so many places on my travel list. I'd love to visit the places I wrote about in Thirty Things. I was only able to see them through Google Maps a lot of the time, so it would be amazing to actually follow the road trip Nate and Finn took. I'd love to go back to France and England and Ireland as well. I think that there are very few places on this planet that I wouldn't want to see.


What is a talent you wish you had, but don't?
The art of avoiding procrastination. Seriously. I think I spend half my day doing things that aren't necessary at all.



L.J.:
Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb. 

There is a term that I've heard used quite often in my own life situation, and it is "invisible disability." That is, a disability that is a definite impairment but isn't immediately obvious. This long-novella is about one of these sorts of disabilities. I have intimate experience with how people treat you when they discover that no, you're not doing X, Y or Z because you're a killjoy, you're not doing it because you physically canNOT, and it ranges between accepting and kind to insulting and depressing. 

Dealing with that on top of the disability is very frustrating. This story features one of these "invisible disabilities" and how people react to it or treat the character who has it, as well as him finding love and acceptance not just with a wonderful man but in himself. That latter is particularly important, I think, because being at peace with yourself isn't an easy thing.


What is your most embarrassing moment? 

I find this funny now, but at the time, I was mortified. It makes a great story, though! When I was 14, I was a huge fan of the band The Damned. They were playing a show in Adelaide (my home city, the capital city of the state of South Australia), so my mum rang up the club and asked if we could go in early and get a poster. The club said yes, so we did. When we got there, mum asked if we could go upstairs and look at the club, and they said sure. It was closed at the time, doors opened for the show at 10pm. So we went upstairs and lo and behold, who was there? The Damned. 

I promptly forgot how to speak, and mum did all the talking. The band gave me their autographs and mum happily told them they were  lucky not to go swimming that day as someone got attacked by a shark. Then we left the club and I staggered around the corner in this fit of fangirl ZOMG!ness, and promptly walked smack into a tree. 

My mortification was extreme because right behind us, having decided to go and get some dinner, were The Damned. So I met the band, got their autographs, listened to mum tell them about shark attacks and then I walked into a tree. Good times, good times!


When writing descriptions of your hero/ine, what feature do you start with?

Eyes. Personally, I'm an eye person. Eye colour is really remarkable—there's such a depth and complexity to it, no one has single colour eyes, they're a combination. For instance, brown eyes are a mixture of shades of brown, blue eyes are as well. So it's always the eyes have it first.