Showing posts with label MLR Press. Show all posts
Showing posts with label MLR Press. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 20, 2016

Divine Promotions presents Average Gray by A.C. Katt and a giveaway



Author Name: A.C. Katt
Book Name: Average Gray
Series: Sunset Club (You can read it as a standalone)
Book: Five
Release Date: July 19, 2016
Publisher: MLR Press
Cover Artist: Lex Valentine
Pages or Words: 58,550
Categories: Contemporary, gay, m/m, Jersey Shore

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Blurb
Grayson Grey spends all of his time working at the Sunset and taking care of his mother who has leukemia. He has a huge crush on Enzo Del Monte but Enzo seems to what to spend his time with the manager of the Sunset, Mike Green. Then Gray finds out that Mike is not gay, about to take Enzo for a large sum of money and is stealing from the Sunset. Gray attempts to ride to the rescue but winds up being rescued himself
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Excerpt
Gray put Bobby’s Heineken in front of him and shot a dark glare at Mike down the end of the bar. Bobby raised an eyebrow. Gray grunted in disgust. “All Mike wants is his money. He’s a poser.” Gray finished polishing the highball glass and held it up to the light to check for fingerprints. He placed the glass next to the others on the mirrored shelf. “He’s been trying to tap into Enzo’s wallet since he met him.”
“Why would you say that?” Bobby’s leg twitched. It always did that when he was upset. Up in everyone’s business as always, he was interested in why Gray disliked Mike.
“Because he’s straight. He’s the only bartender in the place who is and Keith and Zach don’t know.”
“Jason worked with the guy, he vouched for him.” Bobby’s leg twitched so hard he had to hold it down. Since his friend Jack married Carlo, Carlo’s extended family bonded with Jack’s adopted family. Bobby didn’t like the fact that Mike was playing games, not only with one of his husband’s customers, but with Enzo, Carlo’s cousin, who Bobby considered to be one of his own.
“When Jason told Mike that a job was available at the Sunset, he jumped at the chance. He knew how much money he could make here. Besides, Keith couldn’t have refused him the job just because he’s straight. But even though he had to know that, he lied to Keith’s face.” Gray washed another glass. “Mike would have pretended to be a Martian if that would have gotten him the job. He knew if he was gay, he’d get better tips.”
“How do you know all this, if Jason doesn’t?” Bobby’s voice switched to a lower, gruffer register and he tightened his grip on his glass.
“I’ve seen him around town with his girlfriend. When he introduced me, he said her name was Cathy, that was it, no point of reference. I saw them at the mall. I needed to pick something up for Mom. Cathy left us to go to a store when he dragged me aside and told me she was his sister. Why wouldn’t he plain introduce her as his sister? Why would he draw me aside?” Gray put the last glass on the rack with a little more force than necessary.
“Maybe his sister doesn’t know he’s gay.” Bobby’s brows drew together. At this point, his leg was banging against the rungs of the bar stool.
“Do you play tonsil hockey with your sister? I was waiting in line to get into the movies last Monday night when I saw them. My neighbor sat with my mom so I could get away for a few hours. I didn’t want to talk work so I avoided him and he didn’t see me. I sat on the other side of the theater to the back. They made out throughout the entire show. Somebody has to tell Enzo.” Gray’s fist clenched around the bar towel.
“Why don’t you tell Enzo?” Bobby asked with mistrust.
“You know damn well why.” Gray snapped the bar towel. “Enzo doesn’t know I exist. I like Enzo, a lot, and I’d love it if he noticed me, but even if I can’t have him, I can’t let Mike do him dirty. Mike needs money. He’s going to ask Enzo for a loan. He’s planning on skipping town once he gets the check.” Gray wiped at the bar furiously. “He’s been playing Enzo since day one.”
Bobby leaned over the bar, leg moving up and down like a carnival horse. “And you know this how?”
“No one pays me much attention. I’m average, nondescript, plain faced, medium height—people tend to overlook average. They see handsome, ugly, tall, short, but not average—gray. My name suits me, Grayson Grey. Mike didn’t notice I was there when he was on the phone with Cathy. He told her he’d get the money from Enzo and they’d elope to Las Vegas. He said he’s been setting Enzo up since the bachelor party and she shouldn’t worry. Enzo was chaffing at the bit and would give it to him without a question. From what I could hear, and I admit, I stood there and eavesdropped, she was pissed because he gambled away their savings.” Gray sighed and took Bobby’s empty glass off the bar. “Enzo doesn’t see me either, but I can’t let Mike do that to him.” Gray swiped at his eyes with the bar towel.
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Giveaway
First four books of series

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Meet the Author
AC Katt was born in New York City’s Greenwich Village. She remembers sitting at the fountain in Washington Square Park listening to folk music while they passed the hat.  At nine, her parents dragged her to New Jersey where she grew up, married and raised four children and became a voracious reader of romantic fiction. At one time she owned over two thousand novels, until she and her husband took themselves and the cat to New Mexico for their health and its great beauty.
Now, most of AC’s books are electronic (although she still keeps six bookcases of hardcovers), so she never has to give away another book. AC is a late bloomer, however, she claims to have found her niche writing LGBT romance.

Where to find the author:
Facebook: Mary Lynn Hansel & AC Katt
Twitter: @ackatt
Pinterest: A.C, Katt
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Friday, March 4, 2016

Pride Promotions presents Marking Kane by A.C. Katt and a giveaway



Author Name: A.C. Katt

Book Name: Marking Kane
Series: Werewolves of Manhattan
Book: Four
Series is best read in order – His Omega, Remy’s Painter, Scarred Mate, Marking Kane

Release Date: March 4, 2016

Blurb:
Gabriel Martin has hope. Three of the Alphas on the council have found mates in the past year and a half. Returning to New York from Atlanta, he comes across a human who has been raped in an alleyway. The human is his mate, Kane Brady.

Kane has been teaching at the local high school and refuses to rubber stamp the education of their star basketball players—almost paying the price with his life. He’s unusual as he’s a Human Omega but he can’t be intimate with Gabriel because of his horrific experience.

It’s up to the Alphas and their Mates to help Kane recover and accept all that it is to be with Gabriel.

Pages or Words:51,655

Categories:M/M Romance, Paranormal, Shifters (Wolf)


Excerpt: 
First Week in December Friday
The faculty room at New York City’s McClellan High School reeked of industrial strength cleaner, sweat socks, and chalk. The walls were made of dirty beige concrete blocks and the linoleum was beginning to crack. Today it was empty save for Coach Tom Hughes and Kane Brady, the junior year English teacher, who were involved in a heated exchange.
“Neither Johnny Sanders nor Deon Jackson did the work. They didn’t turn in one homework assignment all semester, they refused to take all of their tests and didn’t even bother to do their term papers. I have to fail them.”
“Do you realize that Johnny is the power forward and Deon is the point guard for McClellan High School’s basketball team? This year’s team has a shot at the state championship.”
“Tom, they’re not here to learn to play basketball, they can do that on the street or at the Y. They’re here for an education and they won’t get one if we continue to pass students along without them doing the work required to get a passing grade.”
“Are you telling me physical education isn’t important?” Coach loomed over Kane, who was only five-foot-six.
“Physical Education is as important as English is to their development. If they failed to show up for your class, sat on the sidelines for every exercise and disrupted the class on a regular basis what would you do? I know you’ve failed students.” Kane’s eyes blazed.
“I didn’t fail our two, star basketball players,” the Coach huffed.
“Talk to them about what happened. I didn’t want to be unreasonable so when I realized they were on the team and failing my class, I told the boys in November what they had to do to pass. I also told their parents. They didn’t do it. They didn’t turn in one missed homework assignment or the term paper I assigned in September.”
“They don’t have time for all that shit, they have to practice. The other teachers go along. This is your first year here. You fail Deon and Johnny and you’re out on your ear.” Coach drank the sludge they called coffee and stared at Kane pointedly.
“And I’m out on my ear if these kids don’t pass the standardized tests at the end of the school year.”
“There are ways of getting around that.” Coach Hughes was trying to physically intimidate him, and Kane wasn’t buying it.
“So which do you suggest, do I sacrifice their education so they graduate without being able to read passed a sixth-grade level? Or do you suggest I fail them and give them the incentive to pass next semester so they can play ball?”
“These boys can get scholarships for college if they play,” the coach said belligerently.
“And if they don’t do the work here, their professors will fail them because they can’t keep up and they won’t be able to play or pay for the education they were promised.” Kane was practically begging the coach to put the kids and their futures first.
“They have difficult lives at home.” The coach got sanctimonious.
“No, they don’t. They have both of their parents and both sets of parents work. Deon’s father is a policeman and Johnny’s mother is a nurse. I’ve spoken to them and they agree with my decision. Their boys have gotten out of hand. They are aware that their sons have not done any school work for the past two years, with the school turning a blind eye. As I said, I have their full support. The parents would rather have their sons educated than have them only know how to play basketball.”
“They don’t have the mental capacity to do the work.”
“I’d like to see you tell that to their parents.  If they were incapable of doing the assignments, I’d suggest putting them in a remedial class, but they can do the work, they just refuse to do it.” Kane glared at the coach.
“One way or another, you’ll pay for this. Those kids were my ticket to coaching college ball and I’m not going to lose out because of you”,” Tom shouted. Kane shrunk back. The coach was six foot six and about two-hundred fifty pounds to his one-forty soaking wet.
“Get them another student to tutor them. If they catch up, I’ll change their grade,” Kane offered.
“Fuck you, Brady. Either you pass both Deon and Johnny, or you’ll pay the consequences. This is what happens when you let fags teach school.”
“I could have you fired for that remark.”
The coach pushed him up against a wall, shook him and said, “Buddy, you’re not going to be around long enough to complain.” He let Kane go and Kane slipped to the floor.
Tom Hughes tore out of the faculty room and down the corridor.
Kane had stood his ground but was shaking in his boots. He wished he had someone to talk to about this, but this was his first year teaching and since he came in August from Indiana, he hadn’t had time to make friends. The coach had been at the school for five years. What is my word worth against his?
***
The coach approached Johnny and Deon in the locker room. “He won’t budge. If you get your papers in, he’ll pass you, if you don’t you fail. You should have made a token effort.”
“Why should we have to be in class with a fag? Why would I want to do work for a fag? He needs schooling of a different kind. By the time Deon and I are through with him, there’ll be a new teacher in English three who gets how to play the game.” Johnny’s smile boded no good for Kane Brady.
“Yeah, let’s see how much he really likes to take it up the ass.” Deon poked his friend in the ribs. “We’ll make it a team effort.” Deon laughed out loud.
“Yeah sort of like a class project,” Johnny smirked.
“I didn’t hear you say that. Remember, if you get caught, it will go worse for you than if you fail,” Coach told them. “You’re courting jail time and then no college or pro team will have you.”
“You’re just as guilty as we are for encouraging us not to participate in that fag’s class and you’ve threatened other teachers before this.” Deon spat. “This one is the first one to face you down. The fag has balls, who knew?”
“If he fails us, you don’t get to coach college ball. If we get caught, you don’t get to coach college ball. It would be in your interest to let us know where he lives so we can take care of business, and to provide us with an alibi if we need one.” Johnny stood waiting for the requested information.
“He sometimes stays late to review papers and make up his lesson plans. You can follow him home. If you get caught, you’re on your own.”
“No, we’re not. You’re right there with us. We told you what we’re going to do, if you don’t report us, you’re as guilty as we are. But, we all know you won’t make any waves because you want that college coaching position.”
“All right, go, do your worst. If you get caught, I know nothing.”
“Right…” said Deon as he elbowed Johnny in the ribs and smirked.

***
Kane hadn’t realized it was after nine. He was grading papers. It was easier to do that at school. Here he could spread out unlike in his efficiency apartment. However, his apartment was only two blocks from work on the edge of New York’s trendy SOHO and convenient to shopping. It also had huge windows which let in more light than the usual city apartment. His was a neighborhood in flux. He lived in an old tenement and there was a pricey new high-rise down the block at Ten Sullivan. It was the tallest building in SOHO.
Kane sighed, gathered up his papers, put them in his satchel and closed up his classroom.
“Good night, Ernie,” he called to the janitor as he left the building.
“Good night Mr. Brady. You be careful. There’s a lot of snow and ice outside and they’re predicting another storm. Schools will probably be closed tomorrow.
“I’ll be careful. Thanks.”
***
Kane shivered in the cold. The walk home seemed more difficult tonight, feet dragging through the snow piles with the wind gusts almost picking him up off the ground. He kept on looking over his shoulder. Kane was sure someone was following him. Every time he glanced backward he saw shadows in doorways.
He looked around again and watched five boys in ski masks come out of an alley. They were walking quickly toward him, with seeming purpose. As they got closer, he realized that they were following him. He began to walk faster. They also picked up speed. Kane started to run.





Meet the author:

AC Katt was born in New York City’s Greenwich Village. She remembers sitting at the fountain in Washington Square Park listening to folk music while they passed the hat. At nine, her parents dragged her to New Jersey where she grew up, married and raised four children and became a voracious reader of romantic fiction. At one time she owned over two thousand novels, until she and her husband took themselves and the cat to New Mexico for their health and its great beauty.

Now, most of AC’s books are electronic (although she still keeps six bookcases of hardcovers), so she never has to give away another book. AC is a late bloomer, however, she claims to have found her niche writing LGBT romance.

She hangs out at ACKatt.com and ackattsjournal.com; where she keeps her blog. To get snippets of new releases and Works in Progress subscribe to AC Katt’s Kattery by sending an e-mail to mlhansel@gmail.com.


Where to find the author:

Twitter: @ackatt
Website: www.ackatt.com

Goodreads Link:
Publisher: MLR Press
Cover Artist: Lex Valentine

Tour Dates& Stops:March 4, 2016

Rafflecopter Prize: Full set of ‘Werewolves of Manhattan’ by A.C. Katt

Rafflecopter Code:

Friday, December 18, 2015

Pride Promotions presents Wildness by Mario Kai Lipinski and a giveaway



Author Name: Mario Kai Lipinski

Book Name: Wildness

Release Date: December 18, 2015

Blurb:
Dr. Åke Jörgensson is a scientist from Sweden whose invention of almost instant travel to any part of the universe will revolutionize space flight.

Khitain is a N’tari, a panther-like alien serving aboard a human space ship, and Ã…ke’s boyfriend of three months.

On Christmas, they visit Ã…ke’s parents for the first time. As if meeting his in-laws weren’t stressful enough, feelings of inadequacy and fear haunt Khitain. His N’tari descent makes him a killing machine, and one wrong move could wipe out what is dearest to him. Ã…ke, however, has to deal with his family’s ignorance and Khitain’s reluctance to let go of his restraint.

When something terrible happens during their Christmas Morning walk, the situation gets out of hands.

Can love span even light years?

Pages or Words:19,000

Categories:M/M Romance, Science Fiction 


Excerpt:
December 24, 2267
“So much water.” Khitain looked down at the fuzzy blue ball of Earth. “Your home world is beautiful.” As beautiful as his mate, but Ã…ke didn’t like to hear such praise, so Khitain kept it to himself.
“I thought N’tar was also rich in water.” Ã…ke stepped forward and pressed his forehead against the window of the landing pod. As always, some strands of his hair stuck out at the strangest angles.
What was the human name for that color again? Oh yes, blond. The blueness of Ã…ke’s irises flowed into the slightly darker shade of the water that reflected in the whites of his eyes.
“It is, but most of our water runs in subterranean rivers. Those are the oceans you told me about?”
“Yes, they are. See that landmass over there?” Ã…ke pointed at the northern hemisphere. “That’s Scandinavia. Sweden’s over there.”
Sweden. The land of Ã…ke’s ancestors. The land of Ã…ke’s parents. Khitain didn’t fear his enemies. So these people couldn’t be his enemies.
“If you strain your ears any more, they’ll fall off.” Ã…ke grabbed Khitain’s hand. His tiny human fingers stood out so white from the grayness of Khitain’s fur. “You don’t have to be nervous. They’ll like you. And Emilia? She’ll simply adore you. Emi loves cats more than anything else.”
“It’s you who keeps telling everyone that I’m not a cat.” Khitain had seen holo vids of tigers, panthers, and lions. Of course, humans compared him with those. One of the panthers had even resembled his Second Aunt Eritruin, though the animal had looked friendlier. Much friendlier.
“Because you aren’t, but for Emi, you’ll be a walking, talking pussycat.” Ã…ke bared his teeth.
Why did humans think that doing so was an amicable gesture?
“And for your parents?” Khitain closed his hand around Ã…ke’s, his tri-Kevlar claw protector rubbing over Ã…ke’s knuckles.
“For them, you’ll be the guy their son loves.”
Or a disgrace to their family. A warrior and a scientist. Love goes strange ways. He snuggled up against Ã…ke, whose head rested on Khitain’s lower ribs. “Your love honors me. May my love honor you.”
Ã…ke pecked Khitain’s flank and nuzzled the fur until his nose grazed the skin beneath. When Ã…ke’s parents saw how much their son and he loved each other, maybe they’d refrain from chasing him out of their home and at least tolerate a lowly soldier.
The pod decelerated and the counterforce of the inertia damper tugged at Khitain’s fur. The claw shape of Scandinavia filled the whole window now.
“We’ll land in Stockholm any minute. A glider will take us to KÃ¥rböle, and the house of my parents lies a little outside of the town.” Ã…ke still leaned against Khitain, and his voice resonated in Khitain’s body. “Pappa offered to pick us up by car, but I thought you’d prefer a little walk.”
Khitain wouldn’t fit into that thing, that car. At least not into the models the ship’s computer had shown him, and moreover, he weighed more than those transports could load. Yet Ã…ke wrapped Khitain’s shame up in a way that allowed him to save face. “I’d love to see the wilderness of Sweden.” He buried his nostrils in Ã…ke’s hair and inhaled its smell, reminding him of mature Garrajfruits.
The city soared by beneath them, and the shiny facades of the new buildings reflected the stony images of the old. Human settlements reached so high into the sky, much higher than the low huts on N’tar. The pod came to a halt, hovered in the air for some seconds, and descended onto the landing platform. A jolt rocked the ship as it touched the ground. With a hiss, the hatch of the shuttle opened. Khitain inhaled. They had landed in the center of the city, and yet the air smelled of nature and life. How much he had missed those odors in the artificial atmosphere of the Charon’s Boat, and how much he yearned to return to the safety of the ship, a hundred light-years away from Ã…ke’s parents. 



Buy the book:



Meet the author:
Mario K. Lipinski (born in November, 1975, in Germany) lives in Herne, Germany.

He is a spare-time author and, in "real" life, is a mathematician teaching at university level. Does it show in his books? Yes, it does.

English is not his native language, and a frequent question is why he does write in English. For more than 15 years, most of the books he has read have been in English. So, it felt natural for him to write in English, too.

He is into romance with a capital R.


Where to find the author:





Publisher: MLR Press

Cover Artist: Kris Jacen


Tour Dates& Stops:

Rafflecopter Prize: E-copy of ‘Wildness’ by Mario Kai Lipinski

Rafflecopter Code:

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