Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Come Meet TM Smith!


Have you met T.M. Smith? She's a friend of mine who writes M/M Erotica. She's a mom of three, and I don't know how she's managed it, but I think this is her ninth novel in three years. Check it out! Want to get to know her? Check out the interview! Did I mention she's doing a giveaway?

Dare to Hope
 an All Cocks Story book 4
Release Blitz


Tristan is the second oldest of the Brennan brothers and the odd man out. Most of the Brennan men have careers in law enforcement, but as a psychiatrist, Tristan chooses to help people in a different way. Quiet and restrained, he is content to hover in the background of his more gregarious brothers. Then he meets two men, each broken and damaged from losses beyond their control. 



Gabriel Simenson is mourning his lover’s death. The random act of violence that took Gio’s life has left everyone at All Cocks reeling. The only thing keeping Gabe from drowning in misery is the friendship he’s forged with Micah, the newest model at All Cocks. He continues to struggle, and at the urging of his All Cocks family Gabe agrees to counseling with Tristan under one condition: Micah t go with him. 





Micah Solo can relate to unbearable loss, having lost his leg and so much more in Iraq. The past two years he has been alone, adrift and vulnerable — the memories of war haunting his dreams, spilling over into his daily life. At All Cocks, Micah has found the acceptance he craves and the family he lost, but still he yearns for happiness and peace within. 




The friendship between the three is instant, the mutual attraction evident. They circle each other, wanting more, yet unsure if it is truly possible. Is life the mundane reality they’ve each come to accept for themselves or do they dare to hope? 

The All Cocks Stories is a series set within the world of online gay porn. 

*Warning* Micah’s PTSD is told in detail, including flashbacks to his time in Iraq. 

Grab your copy now! 


Buy links: Amazon | ARe | Smashwords


Read the other books in the All Cocks Series...

Gay for Pay - Book 1



 Fame and Fortune - Book 2

How to Deal - Book 3


 All Cocks Series Box Set 
 FREE ON KINDLE UNLIMITED 


A military brat born and raised at Ft. Benning Georgia;
TM Smith is an avid reader, reviewer and writer. A Texas transplant, she now
calls DFW her home. Most days she can be found curled up with a good book, or
ticking away on her next novel.

Smith is a single mom of three disturbingly outspoken and
decidedly different kids, one of which is Autistic. Besides her writing, she is
passionate about Autism advocacy and LGBT rights. Because, seriously people,
Love is Love!







Q&A with Author TM Smith

Where are you from, and where do you call home?

I was born and raised in Georgia until I was 24. I was born military and married military so when my ex got out of the Army, we moved to Texas and I’ve been here ever since.

What inspired you to start writing?

I love to read, and the more I read fiction and fantasy, I started coming up with different outlandish stories in my head. One day I decided to sit down and try to turn it into something. The rest, as they say, is history.

How long have you been writing?

I started writing Opposites in 2010. So, 6 years now.

What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

Be very sure that this is what you want to do, because for every fan you find, there will be a hater lingering in the background. Overall, the LGBT writing community is an amazing group of people. There has to be a few bad apples though, and the negativity occasionally hits you where it hurts. You just have to let it roll off and keep going. There is one rule to live by if you want to be an Author, never engage the crazy. Comment and leave praise for those positive reviews all day long. But do not, I repeat, do not comment on a negative review, ever! It never ends well.

Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, what do you do about it?

Oh hell yes, don’t we all? Sometimes I have to make myself write, I might trash 90% of it in the end, but that 10% I get to keep is pretty fucking amazing. Other times I have to walk away and recharge. I have hit a wall a couple of times trying to take the story in a direction it didn’t want to go, or trying to force a character into a story. I’ve learned that if the character stops speaking to you, you’ve probably pissed them off, so figure out why and fix it. And if you can’t, either scrap them all together or kill them off and make it intense.

What Author’s in the genre do you read?

That list would take all day to complete. Some of my very favorites though, I’m talking auto buy just because of who wrote it, or books I have re-read multiple times… Sandrine Gasq-Dion, Andrew Grey, Mary Calmes, Morticia Knight, AE Via, Cardeno C and Amy Lane… just to name a few.

What comes first, the plot or characters?

That is a trick question, both. Sometimes someone just starts talking and I start writing and I mold his or her part of the story around them. Then there are times I come up with an amazing storyline in my head and I have to work the characters into it.

Are you working on anything at the present you would like to tell us about?

I am actually, lots of goodies for 2016! Gay for Pay is out now in audio, but I’m also having it translated in French through Juno Publishing. My editor is pouring over the Opposites series books as I type, helping me clean them up and I’m going to re-release that series. Opposites was the first book I wrote and I did it without an editor, don’t do that people. I think that cleaning them up is going to give the series new life and that makes me happy, I love the dichotomy of that series so much.

Describe the perfect writing space.

Sitting at my desk with my headphones in and a Mimosa next to me. I think I might like sitting on the beach with my laptop and a drink with an umbrella in it as well though. 

Do you do research for your books? If so, what does that entail?

I do actually. I like to have an element of reality in my stories. For the Opposites series I had to research high points of elevation, water lines, fault lines, different cultures and economies. For the All Cocks stories I have had to endure hours upon hours of sexy, sweaty, hot man sex. I know, it’s a dirty job, but someone has to do it. Then there are aspects to some of my stories that aren’t as much fun to research, but I’m afraid if I don’t, someone that has lived through it would be offended at my ignorance.

How many books have you written? Which is your favorite?

5 novels and 2 novellas. You might as well ask me to pick my favorite child, that is a no win scenario.

Do you hear from your readers much? What do they say?

I do actually, I love to stay in touch with my readers. 99.9% of my emails from fans or messages on facebook is hearing what they liked or didn’t like about the books, asking when the next book is out, things like that. I remember about a week after Fame and Fortune released, I got an email from someone that was a survivor of sexual assault and she was telling me how impressed she was with the reality of the situation that I got right while not going too far or downplaying what happened in the book. She said while it was hard for her to read, it was very well written and conveyed. Brought a tear to my eye it did.













Wednesday, April 6, 2016

Have I Crashed my Plane?

I used to dream of airports. I often dreamed about long rows of plastic chairs lined up on smooth gold floors with hundreds of people rushing by with luggage. Jets screamed past massive windows, and voices echoed over PA systems. The airports are always gold, with statues, moving sculptures or spiral staircases.

Sometimes I found myself strapped into one of those blue economy seats, pointed straight up at the sky. Why do my airplanes always have an open fuselage? No matter the size of the aircraft?

Photo by: Whaldener Endo
I never quite understood what those dreams meant, until the other night.

I was dangling from a parachute, watching as my banana yellow biplane glided away from me, its Bear engine smoking and sputtering. I twisted in my sleep, disturbing my husband.

"What's wrong, Honey?" he asked.

I distinctly remember telling him: "I need to learn how to fly in airplanes again." before going back to sleep.

I haven't been writing much lately. The ITIN still isn't here, and with each passing day, I grow more anxious.

What happens if it isn't approved? How many times must I keep trying? SHOULD I keep trying? Is it worth all this stress? Will Her True Name and Chasing Monsters ever come to print? Or is all the time and money spent all going to go to waste?

I come home from work, thinking about yard work, washing walls and how very little energy I have to do either, never mind write. Is this all there is? To spend hours everyday in a tiny windowless kitchen while I suppress my dreams? Have I forgotten how to fly?

A year, maybe even six months from now, I'm going to look back at this with a smile on my face. I'm going to chuckle at my own doubt. I'll have my muse at my shoulder and another completed novel and/or novella. What's the use of telling new writers to persevere if you can't live by your own words?

Don't worry. As soon as that ITIN is in, the novella will be out. In the meantime, I'll still be writing, even if I have to do it in tiny, exhausted increments. Stand by for take off.





Friday, March 18, 2016

Hellooooo GLITCH!!

Cover by Anima Black
Hi Peeps! Remember awhile back, I published this beautiful picture and proclaimed it my brand new cover? For my brand new novella? Due out before the end of February? Yeah, hold that thought...

I was all set to launch, I pretty much just had to set a date. But wait...What's this?  An alert on my Createspace dashboard? It's about TAXES. Oh, goodie.

Turns out, that since I am a Canadian, (Non-US Resident) I require a host of different rules from the average American citizen. They're important too. I could be taxed twice  Who would want that?

I mean, with piracy, glutted markets, and limited marketability it's hard enough for writers to make a buck. Let's throw a roll of red tape in there, shall we?

Fortunately, and thanks to Google, this isn't going to be as hard as it sounds. Even I was able to figure out what to do.If you're a Canadian writer, you might want to pay attention.

First of all, go here:How to get an ITIN

From there, you need to get your passport certified. I had to google that too. See Here: Passports Canada, and go to "Find a Form". Near the bottom of the page is a link called "Request for a True Certified Copy of Your Travel Document." It will give you a form to print and fill out. You take that, and your passport to your local Passport Office. (The ones in Edmonton are GREAT! I've never seen such efficient government workers!)

Then you take your Createspace letter, your certified passport and your W-8, and mail it off to the IRS. Voila!

Or so it would seem...I'm still waiting. When that letter comes in, I'll have more information. Until then, I'm still writing.

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Femmuse#1 And Deservedly So

I've saved the best for last. MALALA inspires me as no other woman in the world can.

What can you say about a fourteen year old who defies her government to exercise her right to an education? Though it almost cost her life? Her bravery and determination astound me.

I'll be the first to admit, when I was going to school it mattered...but not enough. I took it for granted. I was late, absent, and spent more time at work than school. I did try. But not hard enough.

Then came this small girl in a country where education for girls, among other human rights, is frowned upon. She not only overcame obstacles to GET to school, but she braved her society and made speeches about why it was the right of every female child to get schooling. She knew full well what the Taliban was, and that they would try to stop her. Did she know they would go to such extreme lengths?

I read the book 'I am Malala'. Here's the link to Amazon: I am Malala I learned how her government's politics worked, and how her father, a public speaker himself, not only created schools for girls, but encouraged his daughter to speak her mind. She became an orator as well.

I can't imagine what she felt when that man boarded her bus, and shot her in the head. Just because she wanted an education for herself and the girls of her country. Because the Taliban wants to treat their women like livestock. What kind of madness compels men to shoot children for wanting to better themselves?

She was rescued. Flown to England so that they could perform life-saving surgery on her. Why? Because the world NEEDS Malala. She was too valuable to the world to lose.

And what does she do once she recovers? Right back to school. Back to making speeches. Business as usual. Gobsmackery right there.

I read how she saw the clothes she was wearing when she got shot in a display case, and burst into tears. She was with the man who she shared the Nobel Peace Prize with. ( Also deserving of the Nobel Prize. I am ashamed to admit I didn't know of Kailash Satyarthi until I learned of Malala's sharing of it with him. Also an inspiring person.) I'm guessing the enormity of her mission, and its consequences finally hit her.

But she's a brave soul. I intend to keep up with her. She's only 18 now. She's already done all this, and she has her whole life ahead of her. Imagine what she'll do with it...

Malala-1, Taliban-0. Give 'em Hell, girl. This is why Malala is the number one Fem-Muse.

Sunday, February 21, 2016

DARE TO SHINE COVER REVEAL!

It's here! The beautiful cover Emma Hibbs has worked so hard on is finished! Soon, the book we ALL worked so hard on will follow and I can't tell you how proud I am to be a part of this.

THIS is the Anthology I mentioned a few months back. The fundraiser for S.O.P.H.I.E. and the crusade against bullying.

A lot of writers, AND editors put their time, effort and hearts into this. All for a good cause. Would you like to meet us?



COMING TO PAPERBACK AND E-BOOK
SUNDAY 22 MAY 2016
WORLD GOTH DAY

SYNOPSIS

In August 2007, Sophie Lancaster was viciously attacked and later passed away from her horrendous injuries. The only reason she was targeted was because she looked different.

Now, authors from across the world have come together to present an anthology of stories inspired by the joy of individuality.  From science fiction and paranormal to fairy tale reimaginings, fall into a celebration of life and difference, all to benefit ​The Sophie Lancaster Foundation.


 Registered charity number - 1129689
Website: http://www.sophielancasterfoundation.com/


THE AUTHORS

E. C. Hibbs





E. C. Hibbs has lived all her life in Cheshire, north-west England. A lover of stories from an early age, she wrote her first 'book' when she was five, and throughout school was a frequent visitor to the younger classes to read her tales to the children.

Living so near the coast, she loves anything to do with the sea. She studied Animal Behaviour at university and longs to work with marine mammals in the future. As well as nature and animals, she also has a soft spot for history, and loves paying visits to castles, cathedrals and museums. She also runs Elphame Arts; creating unique portraits in both digital fantasy and graphite mediums, as well as book and CD covers.

There are many things she could be without, but writing isn't one of them. She carries a pen everywhere, in case an idea appears, and takes pride in still seeing the world as brimming with magic. Besides writing, she reads obsessively, her favourite genres being the classics and all kinds of fantasy. She enjoys Disney and horror films, practising Shotokan karate, drawing, archery, hiking up mountains, and playing with her very cheeky cat Millie-Moo. She also models for the UK Alternative Fashion Fest in aid of local charities and S.O.P.H.I.E., and is an avid supporter of WWF.

Website: http://www.echibbs.weebly.com/
Facebook: http://facebook.com/echibbs
Twitter: https://twitter.com/echibbs
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbjx3A43ygTUWxr3EyFjQTg
Instagram: https://instagram.com/e_c_hibbs/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6571427.E_C_Hibbs
Elphame Arts: http://www.elphamearts.weebly.com/


Donna Milward


Donna Milward lives in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada with her troll and two cats. She is a proud old-school headbanger of 30 years who has always embraced her individuality with determined ferocity.  She loves Iron Maiden, Megadeth, Skinny Puppy, Sepultura, Rammstein and anything unique and abrasive...like her. Besides writing, she likes gardening, canning, and all things to do with cats, mythology and the paranormal. She is the author Thoeba and Aphrodite’s War.

Blog: http://www.earthtothoeba.blogspot.com/
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/donnamilwardauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/donnamilward


Mystell Oshay


Mystell Oshay is a 24 year old from Fife in Scotland. She started writing when she was nearly in her teens and always enjoyed reading books as a child. Her other hobbies include gaming and listening to music. She loves to escape reality and travel to other worlds and has even made her own world. Music inspires her to create things and gaming is a great pass time as well as writing to escape everyday life. She is an animal lover and has gerbils. Her favorite genre of book is fantasy.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MystellOshay


Rose Titus


Rose Titus works two jobs to support her writing habit. She exists somewhere in cold, dreary New England, with two manipulative cats and a very out of date Macintosh with which she creates horror and fantasy fiction. She also has a restored classic car to ride around while in search of adventure.

For travel she has stayed for the night in an allegedly haunted castle, has taken a boat ride on Loch Ness, and has visited the fabled Bermuda Triangle without getting lost.

Her work has previously appeared in Lost Worlds, Lynx Eye, Bog Gob, Mausoleum, Midnight Times, Blood Moon Rising Magazine, The Bugle, Weird Terrain, Descend, Wicked Wheels, The Dead River Review, and other literary magazines. Her novella Night Home has been published with Bathory Gate Press and is available with Amazon, Barnes and Noble.com and Smashwords.

​When she’s not writing or working or messing around with her old Buick, she waits by her mailbox for the next issue of Fortean Times to arrive.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorRoseTitus?ref=aymt_homepage_panel


Bobbie Palmer


Bobbie Palmer is a Delaware Author who is very involved in her local writing community.  She currently has three novels out and has short stories in two anthologies.  She writes Young Adult, Fantasy, and Murder Mysteries.  In addition, she has a full-time job, but in her spare time she enjoys hanging out with her family and reading.

Website: http://authorbobbiepalmer.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Bobbie-Palmer/304444518542?ref=hl
Twitter: https://twitter.com/bobbie_palmer



Mari Brown


Mari has been writing as far back as she can remember. She spent most of her teen years writing short stories for her friends, it was a hobby for her even though she was published in the school newspaper.

She met and married her very own Alpha male 20 years ago and they have a 19 year old daughter, and two sons ages 16 and 15. They have 4 dogs and 2 cats. There is never a dull moment around the house. They live on the beautiful Gulf Coast of Alabama and are blessed to have a home on the river and to have the beach just 20 minutes away.​​

Over the years she wrote a few short stories in-between raising babies but it wasn't until 2012 she decided she needed to pursue her dream of writing a full novel. It took a while but in January of 2014 her debut novel was self-published. There is always a story in her head and characters talking to her. She enjoys being able to share her characters with others.

Website: http://www.maribrownauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/maribrownauthor
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/maribrownauthor
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Mari-Brown/e/B00JND6YO6


Lilly Rayman


First and foremost I am a wife and mother.  I was born in England where I had a dream at the age of 14.  That dream was to chase cattle on horseback across the Australian Outback.

In 2008, I had the opportunity to follow that dream, and found myself travelling to Australia on an Outback working holiday, and I've chased cattle, on horse back, across the Outback.  I met my soul mate, whilst on my working holiday, married him, and we have two beautiful daughters, and I'm still loving life in Australia.

I love to read, much to my husbands dismay sometimes when I have my head metaphorically buried in the pages of a book (I mean, how can that be literal since the dawn of e-books?)!

I love fantasy, I used to take myself away from my nasty world of bullies and appear in some wonderful land of dragons and magic! Pern was my all time favourite hide out world, God bless Anne and Todd MacCaffery.

When I immersed myself in my fantasy worlds, I used to re-write the plots in my head, starring myself as some great, sword drawn character who wouldn't give two hoots what the local bully thought! That eventuated in my actually writing down my own stories.

More recently I was inspired to start writing again, and I picked up on the whole craze of werewolf and vampire. I have had the most enjoyment writing AN UNEXPECTED BONDING, and the two books that will follow it!

Website: http://www.lillyrayman0007.wix.com/lillyrayman
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/lillyrayman0007
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/lillyrayman0007
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lillyrayman0007
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/lillyrayman0007


MP Ashman

MP Ashman debuted in 2012 with Black Hollow, a fantasy fiction novella about Jessica Bannerly, a girl who believes herself to be far from special, until she is whisked away into a magical kingdom, where an ancient wizard believes her to be his only way of escaping a mystical prison. This was followed, a year later, by Black Hollow Part II, in which the wizard uses Jessica's best friend Ciara, and her brother, Justin, to finally win his freedom.

In 2014, Ashman turned to science fiction, with the novella Time's Child, following Nina Summer, a technophobic 21st century teen who discovers that the life she has is not the one to which she belongs.​

With The Water Tower, Ashman begins a whole new saga in the Time Twins science fiction series for young adults.

MP Ashman lives in Toowoomba with his family, including his cat, Prue.​​

Author Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MpAshmanAuthorNews
Time Twins: https://chaseandstaceyblog.wordpress.com/
Time Twins Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ChaseandStacey
Twitter: https://twitter.com/Mpashmanauthor
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-zCGbcvFP10eXt7p7IK9cQ


Allana Kephart & Melissa Simmons

Allana Kephart

Allana Kephart has been making things up and bending people to her will from a very young age. She loves animals and reading and spends a large amount of time thinking up ways to torment her characters. When not writing she can be found walking one of her many furbabies, working at a local pet supply store, or jamming out in her car. She lives south of Denver, CO with her six fur-babies.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.%20com/author/show/7376577.Allana_Kephart
Amazon: http://www.amazon.%20com/Allana-Kephart/e/B00JOVDOF4/ref=ntt_athr_dp_%20pel_1

Melissa Simmons

Melissa Simmons loves music, reading, her cat and her husband-not necessarily in that order, of course. She is obsessed with all things Disney, Supernatural (TV show) and comic book TVshows/ movies and doesn’t care who knows it. Her favorite superhero is Batman and she will defend his awesomeness to her last breath. When she isn’t writing and plotting, she loves to bake and spends her days helping other authors promote their work. She resides in upstate NY with her husband and their adorable cat.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.%20com/author/show/1639094.Melissa_Simmons
Amazon: http://www.amazon.%20com/Melissa-Simmons/e/B00JOLW9J6

Blog: http://melandlanawrite.blogspot.com/
The Dolan Prophecies: http://%20dolanpropheciesseries.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/%20MelandLanaWrite
Twitter: https://twitter.com/MelandLanaWrite
Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/%20melandlanawrite/


Fiona Maher


Fiona Maher is the author of the dark fantasy The Last Changeling and also the ‘Horror in a Hurry’ series of novellas. She also co-organises The Legendary Llangollen Faery Festival and loves anything fae and fantastical.

Legendary Llangollen Faery Festival: http://www.northwalesfaeryfestival.com/
The Last Changeling: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Last-Changeling-Enigma-Wars-Book-ebook/dp/B00B90EIRQ/
Horror in a Hurry: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Salem-Strategy-Horror-Hurry-Book-ebook/dp/B00RHW14AY

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