Beach Balls is Released! Here's an Excerpt.

Hi everyone--

My new book, Beach Balls releases this coming Friday at Amazon and ARe. It's the third book in the Balls to the Wall Series after Volley Balls and Fire Balls but it is a stand-alone book. An enemies to lovers story, Beach Balls is another side of life in Laguna Beach and the area around it. Here's just a tiny nibble to give you a feel for the book:

Available FRIDAY  from Amazon, ARe

Adam James is so far in the closet he could find Narnia. But coming out would threaten all he’s built as the lead attorney for WMA Development, and the million dollars he can get when he finishes pushing  a big land remediation project through the City Council. Then on an early morning scuba dive, Adam meets a tall, lean rebreather diver named Sky who makes him want to live a different life. But Adam’s dreams are shattered when he walks into the council meeting and finds the fire-breathing environmentalist who’s screwing up  his chances of winning is none other than that same beautiful man. Sky Sea Mickeljohn doesn’t compromise, so how could he find himself lusting after a damned developer? And what happens when somebody open’s Adam’s closet door? These two better start telling the truth if they’re ever going to find world peace.

Adam walked up behind him. “Here ya go. As promised.”

Sky sat up and reached for a glass. “Thanks.” He took a sip. “Wow, good. Fancy too.” He lifted the cut crystal glass, clearly admiring it. Yeah, maybe that hadn’t been the best choice for the beach, but Adam had been in a hurry. A big hurry.

He grinned back, sat on the sand beside Sky, and sipped his juice. It really was delicious, with that tart-sweet flavor that only grapefruit had. He nodded toward the spot up the beach where they’d met. “Are you doing underwater research?”

“Yeah. That’s one of my locations.”

“Do you specialize in octopuses or something?”

“Among other things. Until you came along.”

Adam eyed Sky, who was smiling. Sky jerked his head toward the house. “Do you live there? It’s quite a house.”

“No. It’s just a friend’s house. I’m here for a weekend house party.”

Sky looked back toward the sprawling beach “cottage” spread out around its patio and lawn, which verged on the sand. Carly and two of his late-arrival guests were sitting in chairs on the patio eating breakfast. Adam didn’t see Gary, who was probably doing his vacuum cleaner imitation on someone else.

Sky stared back at the ocean and took another drink. “I don’t see any women.”

OK, so why had the guy made that observation? “That’s because there aren’t any.” Sky took two more sips. He seemed to be savoring every mouthful. He glanced toward Adam and then away so fast his eyes seemed to bounce. “You gay?”

Two could play that game. Adam took a slow sip of his juice. Was he going to share his carefully guarded secret with a stranger? Hell, why not? He was James today. He could be gay. “Yep.”

They both drank simultaneously. Apparently Sky was digesting the information with the citrus. Only the waves broke the silence.

. A standoff. So Adam would ask the obvious because, frankly, he was dying to know. “You gay?”

“Yep.”

Thank you so much for coming by. The Blog Tour starts on Friday but you can go sign up to win TOMORROW! Go to Beautiful Boys Books and leave a comment with your email. Hope to see you there! I love blog followers so if you'd like to follow just sign up and you can also sign up for my mail list. Check the right hand column of this blog.  :  )

Jessica Subject Brings Blue Aliens in "An Unexpected Return" with a Gift for You

Hi everyone--

I'm delighted to welcome Jessica Subject who is bringing us some very engaging aliens in her new release, An Unexpected Return. Leave a comment with your email and you have a chance to win a copy of her new book.
Here's Jessica --

Thank you for having me on your blog today!

I LOVE books, have all my life. They are able to transport me to new worlds simply with words.

I don’t remember the first book I owned, but I remember always having them around, from very old books with cracking spines and yellowed pages, to new ones with that smell readers everywhere can recognize. As a child, I read a lot of Robert Munch, Tomie de Paola, Judy Blume, Ann M. Martin, and Francine Pascal. I loved to visit the local public library, and those at my school to see what adventures I could find. And when the teachers sent home a Scholastic book order form, it was like giving me candy.

Before my kids were born, I read to them books like Guess How Much I Love You and Goodnight Moon. They still love their bed time stories, and often recite the stories back to me, or at least my youngest still does. When my daughter was learning to read, her opinion of books changed. She hated them. So, I set out to write her a book that she would enjoy, something that interested her. She now reads above grade level, and in another language, and I haven’t stopped writing since then.

My reading style has changed quite a bit over the past couple years. With the popularity of YA, I have gobbled down quite a few in the area of scifi and dystopian. I have also been reading short stories and novellas, where I used to only read full-length novels. When I received an ereader for Mother’s Day a couple years ago, I began buying ebooks. Wow! With the internet, I am able to get almost any book I want, and much quicker. I still visit book stores and libraries, mostly for the kids though. My daughter is only starting to read ebooks, and my son is too young yet. But there are still books where I have to have a print copy rather than an ebook.

Still, I read way more books than I used to, and even write some of my own along the way. J

And here is an excerpt from An Unexpected Return: 

Rushing down the corridor, [Aristides] ignored the lavish silks of purple and gold hanging on the walls, for the extravagance did not suit him. He wanted to rule his father’s kingdom on Tyto, the moon of Otaria, no more than he wanted Madelia as his queen. Not until he was ready to settle down. The excessiveness of this lifestyle had never held any appeal to him anyway. Even as a child, he’d preferred to explore the caves of Tyto with the common children, or stow away on a supply ship to visit other planets, only to be dragged back home by his guard.

Reaching his father’s study, he burst through the door. The warmth hit him like a brick wall. He drew in a quick breath. “Father, I need your help. Benignus is very ill. He’s been in the lavatory with the sickness. I believe he ate some tainted food.”

The king peered up, examining him. “No one else has shown any signs of the sickness. Seriously, at twenty-one star cycles, I would expect the two of you to have outgrown your antics. What kind of trouble have you gotten into this time?”

“No trouble at all, sir. Please help him. I have him resting in my bed now, but he is too ill to move to his own quarters.”

“Thornton!”

The stout man—and the only Terran friendly with his father—entered the room as soon as the king beckoned. “Yes, Your Majesty?”

“Fetch the doctor and bring him up to the prince’s quarters.” The king stood up, his purple robe billowing behind him. “Let’s go.”

Aristides hurried to follow his father, hoping Benignus had stuck to the plan.

“Were you in those caves again? You know the black magic there causes the sickness.”

He sighed. The humid caves were filled with bacteria, occasionally causing visitors to become sick if they didn’t wash after returning from them. His father, though, preferred to live in his fantasy world. “No, Father, we went directly to my quarters after dinner.”

“Honestly, you two cause more trouble than any common child.”

************

Thank you so much for coming by. Remember to leave a comment for Jessica with your email! And i love blog followers! If you'd like to be on my email list, just go to the top of the right-hand column and sign up. 

Beach Balls is coming. Watch for it Friday June 1st!  Thank you again. : )

Erotic Romance Scavenger Event! Exclusive Author Content and Goodies

Hi everyone! Welcome to the Erotic Romance Scavenger Hunt! The Erotic Romance Scavenger Hunt is a blog hop featuring nineteen authors, a ton of exclusive material and fantastic giveaways, and an amazing grand prize for one lucky scavenger hunter.

Just joined the hunt? Click here to start from the beginning.

RULES: Hidden within each post on the hunt will be a single letter that is red. Jot those letters down because they're part of the following mystery phrase you'll need to unscramble:



_ _ _ _ I _ _     _ _ _ _ _ _ _     _ _ R     _ _ _ _

At the bottom of each post will be a link to your next stop on the hunt. Once you've completed the hunt, read all the fantastic exclusive material and entered all the individual giveaways, unscramble the letters you collected to reveal the mystery phrase. When you've uncovered the phrase, fill out the entry form in order to qualify for the grand prize. Grand prize is open internationally. You must be 18 or older to enter.

The hunt will only be open for 72 hours so play fast! Entries sent without the correct phrase or without contact information will not be considered. All entries must be received by May 28 at noon Central Time.

On with the hunt!

I have the pleasure of introducing you to Katey Hawthore who writes the most DELICIOUS superhero romances. Every one of her books is on my TBR pile and steaming for me to stop writing long enough to get to it. Remember the content below is EXCLUSIVE. Only members of this Hop get to see it, so enjoy. And keep scrolling to see the prize you can win here on my blog if you leave a comment.
-----
Katey Hawthorne is an avid reader and writer of dark fiction and superpowered romance, even though the only degree she holds is in the history of art. Originally from the Appalachian foothills of West Virginia, she currently lives in the D.C. Metro Area. In her spare time she enjoys comic books, B-movies, loud music, Epiphones, and Bushmills.

Find out more about Katey on her WEBSITE.



NOW FOR KATEY'S EXCLUSIVE MATERIAL!

Serious thanks to the lovely Tara Lain (and her lovely boys, of course) for letting me crash her blog for the Erotic Romance Scavenger Hunt. You're the best, Tara!

Once upon a time, I wrote this book called Riot Boy. The narrator is a sweet bookstore manager called Etienne, and his love interest is a punk ass called Brady. It doesn't take long for Et to figure out that Brady is running, or at the very least, hiding from something in his past. Or someone.

So today, without spoiling Riot Boy utterly, I'm bringing some Brady backstory to the party. This is a bit from an upcoming book (no contract, so no date yet, but hey, it works in re: Riot Boy!) told by Brady's cousin and former co-conspirator, Malory.

---

Brady sat down at the edge of my bed and gave me a little shake. "Mal. Malory. Wake up, man."

"Fuck off," I said. "It's like three in the morning."

"Two. Hey. Mal, look at me."

So I did. He was in full eyeliner-and-hair-gel getup. I sat up and shoved him over so I could pull my legs up under me, and said, "What?"

But I knew what, because his backpack was at his feet.

"I'm leaving," he said.

So I said, "Course you are. Look, just gimme a date I can give Dad to get him off my back. He's a pain in the ass when you do this."

He shook his head. "Not coming back."

"Whatever, fuck you." I tried to stretch out and put my head back on the pillow.

Brady grabbed my arm and held me there, made me look him in the eye. "Come with me."

I yanked my arm away from him. I wanted to beg him again. I always begged him, and even if he didn't always listen, he always came back.

But I couldn't that time. I don't know why. There was just something in me that was so fucking tired. The best I could do was, "Don't. Brady... just, don't. Please." And even then, I tasted sick in the back of my mouth.

"You want me to stay and watch him kill you little by little? That it?"

"Don't be a queen."

He grabbed me again, this time hard enough that long, freezing cold fingers made little indents in my arm. "Fucking listen to me. You remember how we used to talk about when it was our turn? When we finally got to take over, how it was going to be different? Well, you think that's gonna happen so long as he's around?"

"So pray for another car accident."

He shoved me, and I let him, then leaned against the wall.

He growled, "I already did. No one's answering."

"Maybe we should find the fucker cut Vic's brakes and get him to do Dad's, then."

"You don't believe that paranoid bullshit any more than I do."

"Then I guess it's too bad. Jesus, Brady, don't pull this shit right now. We can talk about it tomorrow."

He shook his head again. "That miserable old bastard is never gonna let you go. We been busting our asses for him these last months, and he keeps coming back at us with 'one more time, boys, one last job' now we've got it down. It'll never end. You'll waste your whole life trying to make him happy. You have to leave."

The other times, he hadn't done that. Hadn't shoved how pathetic I was in my face like that. Maybe I deserved it, but it was a goddamn slap in the face. "Yeah, well, now I see why you were working so hard for once, I guess. Leaving us with a clear conscience. Mighty big of you, Brady. I sure do appreciate the thought."

"Malory --"

"I'm not gonna leave him, dickhead. You don't leave people you love. You just -- you fucking don't. You ever loved someone, you might know that. Now fuck off and let me sleep."

Malory by Astro

Brady, that asshole, he made those big puppy dog eyes and I felt like shit. I slid back down in the blankets and rolled over again so I wouldn't have to see them.

He didn't move. "Please come with me, Mal. I'm not gonna sit here and beg you all night, but I really want you to. If you don't..."

"What?" I asked into the pillow. "What happens if I don't, Brady? I'm fucking dying to know."

"I'm not calling. I'm not writing. I can't risk him finding out where I am, because I'm not coming back."

I don't think I ever really believed him, the other times. This time, there was just more sick in the back of my mouth. "Yeah, well I guess I don't want you to, if that's how you feel."

"You're my brother. I love you. But --"

"I love you but ain't the same as I love you. So spare me the bullshit and get out of here, if you're going. Let me sleep, for Christ's sake."

What I meant was, "Don't you dare leave me here alone to rot in this dirty fucking cage."

And that motherfucker knew it. He knew it as he walked right out the basement door with nothing but a backpack and a guitar and never looked back.

In retrospect, I know that if I'd somehow kept him there, he would've broken his wings banging off the bars. The part of me that couldn't help loving him was secretly glad that he had the guts -- no, the brains to do it before that happened.

But that didn't make it hurt any less.

---

WAIT, THERE'S MORE!

If you want to win some extra prizes in addition to the AMAZING Grand Prize which is a bundle of fantastic books (see the link at the top of this post), here’s what you can win:

• A $5.00 Amazon GC
• A copy of any book from my backlist. Your own Beautiful Boy!

Here’s what you do to win it!
• Leave a comment
• Leave your email
• If you don’t want to be on my mail list say No in your comment
• Follow this blog
• This isn’t required, but I’d love it if you Liked my Facebook Page
• If you are a fan, please Fan me on Goodreads (not required to win)

Ready to move on? The next stop on the Erotic Romance Scavenger Hunt is... Augusta Li!

Good luck!

Alanna Blackett Brings an "Unsecured Connection" -- Tracking the Hacker!

Hi everyone--

Today i'm welcoming Alanna Blackett with her new release, Unsecured Connection. If you'd like to leave a comment, Alanna is giving away a copy of the book during the blog tour. Be sure and leave an email address. Here is a Q&A for you to get to know Alanna. You can prpbably tell, i didn't make up the questions but i think you'll enjoy it.

 Thanks for joining us today.

Your new release is called Unsecured Connection. How long did it take you to research and write?

It’s cyberpunk set in far future New York, so I didn’t do much research. I wrote it in 3-4 weeks, which is fairly quick for me. I initially wrote it for an anthology, so there was a deadline.

Do you have a set idea of how your work will turn out before it’s completed?

I’m not an outliner, so I usually just have a vague idea. I knew there was a hacker who was a bounty hunter, stalking other people through virtual systems. Then I got the idea that he had a past, and was not happy about what he was doing. Then I knew it was a romance, and these two characters were not going to trust each other at first. It sort of went from there.

Can you tell us about your muse? Does he/she have a name? Can you always call upon them to help you?

Ha. I don’t have one. My muse is Sit Your Butt in the Chair and Stop Playing on the Internet, and it’s basically just me that has to tell myself that.

How did you come up with the title for the book?

Because unsecured wireless connections are, like, anyone with a laptop’s favourite thing. And my characters are hackers. It should actually be unsecured connection with a –ed. But I didn’t do it like that because it’s not what I and most people I know say in real life. It’s an on purpose grammatical error. When I was writing it, the computer would always try to correct it to Insecure.

If the heroine in Unsecure Connection was a cocktail, what would she be and why?

Something strong and blue. (She has blue highlights in her hair.)

Did you listen to music when you were working on the book?

I did. I always make a playlist for every project I do. This book feels kind of 90s-cyberpunk to me. So, a lot of ambient stuff with weird industrial noises. Like the X-Files soundtrack (X-Files reminds of me of paranoia, and my characters are both really paranoid) and some other similar music.

Who has the best line in the book and what is it?

Everyone who’s read it liked it when my male character CJ makes the joke about how he’s going to make an altar to the Gods of Sake. (He and Riley, my female character, have been drinking sake, and she’s just agreed to go home with him.) So I guess that one.

What is your desk area like?

Extremely neat. This is not because I’m a neat person—I’m the exact opposite. I know from my past experience that if I keep anything on my desk, it’ll turn into keeping everything on my desk. So two years ago I made the decision not to keep anything on my desk on purpose. My office is painted lime green. I love it.

What is your favourite alcoholic beverage?

Dirty martini.

What would you say is your one addiction?

The internet. It was love at first sight back in 1994 when I first used it in my dad’s office.

How many cities have you visited and which was your favourite?

I’ve been all over the US. I love New Orleans (obviously, because I decided to stay there), but other than that, New York. The South is just a little too slow and chatty for me sometimes, so I like to get to New York at least once a year and walk around loving how everyone walks super fast and completely ignores each other. I just love it.

Bio:

Alanna Blackett writes science fiction and fantasy with a side dish of romance. Growing up, it annoyed her that she always had to be Princess Leia when they played Star Wars, because there weren’t any other female characters. She would much rather have been Han Solo or Indiana Jones. She immediately set out to fix that through her writing. She lives in New Orleans with her husband and two cats, and has a weakness for video games, NBA basketball, and books about chicks who blow stuff up.

Website: http://alannablackett.com

Twitter: @AlannaBlackett

Blurb:

Riley is one of the best hackers around. She’s always kept her online identity separate from her real life… mostly because she doesn’t have much of a real life. But someone is stalking her through the network. Someone who knows about the big job she just pulled off and won’t stop till he finds out who she is.

Two years ago, CJ was a hacker at the top of his game, until he got caught. Now the prisoner of a ruthless corporation, he is forced to hunt down his former friends and colleagues. He finds himself irresistibly drawn to the woman he knows only by her alias, Samantha, as he traces her from virtual nightclubs to the dark streets of the Manhattan sprawl.

But when Riley and CJ’s relationship crosses over into real life, things get dangerous.

And here's an excerpt from Unsecured Connection. Leave a comment to be entered to win a copy at the end of the Tour. 

CJ grinned as she signed off. He still had the trace on her connection. She had disconnected from their chat and was logging into something that looked like...he didn’t know what, specifically. Some part of interspace. It was a server with a massive number of connections. He checked the numbers. 240,000 users were currently logged in. A city simulation? The server had a name he didn’t recognize, but that wasn’t surprising. There were so many of the things. Maybe, he thought with a sudden flash of heat, it was where she had her apartment in interspace. He wouldn’t say no to that, although it was no comparison with the real Samantha.

He followed her, connecting to the server. His vision went dark and three cycling blue lights appeared in the center. Then the area finished loading and the world sprung up around him.

Except he wasn’t in an apartment. Or a club. He didn’t know where the hell he was. Or he did, but only sort of. There was something definitely not right about it. He recognized the street signs illuminated in the pavement, and the dingy advertisements on the sides of the buildings. He recognized the damp chill in the air.

It was his street. And it had a giant robot on it.

The robot’s head whirred toward him as it identified him with a vague mechanical interest. It was at least twelve feet tall, a towering boxy thing with multiple arm cannons. Its eyes were old-fashioned LED screens that glowed yellow. It lifted one arm.

The impact slammed him across the sidewalk into the side of a building. “Get down!” someone shouted as the air exploded into rapid stuttering gunfire. He heard the sound of glass blowing out and pressed himself against the closest large object he saw. It was a set of stairs. He lifted his head, disoriented.

Wisps of blue hair stuck out from under Samantha’s bandana as she opened fire on the robot, half-crouched behind a nearby trash can. She wore some kind of dirty military pants and a grimy T-shirt with a logo he didn’t recognize on the shoulder. She’d just blown out the window of the building across the street from his. He gazed up from his hiding place against the side of a concrete stair railing and took in the detail of the street. Unbelievable. It was a near-perfect replica.

Except for the giant robot.

Samantha’s gun blasted one more time, and he heard the whine of failing electronics. There was a pop, and sparks flew out of the robot’s neck. Its yellow LED eyes flickered off, then came back on again. Samantha hit it again, this time right in the eyes. Headshot. The robot toppled to the street, its limbs screeching and creaking as they folded up on each other.


Samantha pointed her black automatic rifle into the air and surveyed the damage with a satisfied grin.

Thanks everyone. Don't forget to check out Beautiful Boys Books for all the upcoming fun with the release of Beach Balls on June 1st! Join my mail list if you are so inclined (see the top of the right column on this blog) and i love blog followers. Thanks so much for visiting. 

Thank You for Your Wonderful Thoughts!

Hi everyone--

I want to thank everyone who came out for the Hop Against Homophobia. Hundreds of people came by and a lot of folks left wonderful comments. Take a look at the previous post if you missed the event. I hopped around among the many great authors who participated and was touched, moved and inspired by their stories. Here are a few samples of the comments people left during the Hop:

Renee said: I believe everyone deserves to be Openly Happy in Life, to be with the Person who Loves & Completes Them, without having to be subjected to the ignorance of some close-minded people. True Love does not see Race, Gender, Socio-Economic Status, etc….if people understood that, there would be so much more Happiness in this World….We Could Hope, Right???


Darcy said: I too grew with gay friends, but never saw them any different than anyone else other than they were in love with who they loved. They have made my life richer and i have been ever so blessed to have them in my life....*S*


Jessica said: Loved your post. I think it's telling that everyone has a connection of one kind or another to the gay community. So important to remember that.

RB said: We are all supporting an important thing. I’m from Czech Republic. I live in an apartment building with lesbians neighbors who met with homophobia and animosity from one of the neighbors on daily basis.


Emily said: When I was in high school, only one of my teachers made the accommodations I needed. He also was one of the only teachers who saw how much I was hurting at that time. I respect him and his husband greatly; they are an inspiration.


Nona said: We all know someone who's gay, but because of homophobia, people can't be who they really are. If more people realized that someone they care about is gay, maybe they wouldn't be so quick to judge. Thanks for taking part in this blog hop!


Sally said: Thanks, as always, for sharing - not just your personal story, but your published stories as well! Today has been such an adventure, with such a wide range of experiences, it's refreshing to see how many different ways there are to deal with the hatred that's out there.


Sandra said: This was a touching blog Tara. I am so sorry to hear of your friend's passing. As they say, The Show Must Go On, but we go on honoring those who have passed, letting the world know what fantastic friends they were. I am glad that through your writing, you are giving someone out there the hope that one of these days they'll have their Happily Ever After...


Pauline said: What a great cause! My local PRIDE is coming up next month. As I sit here now, typing away, I'm wearing my rainbow PRIDE tank top! I also enjoy writing and reading gay romance. It's not only hawt, but necessary for every person to have their happily ever after no matter who they love. Thank for shedding light on such a worthy cause.


Sara said: A great cause. I can't imagine what it must be like to hide yourself from people. And how tiring it must be, too. It's something I take for granted, I guess. Hopefully, one day people will just let others be and not judge those who are unlike them. I think the world needs more variety, not less.

And there are MANY more! Thank you again everyone for sharing yourselves.

The winner of a $10 GC and a copy of either Volley Balls or Fire Balls is Elin Gregory. I'm waiting to hear back from her now. Congratulations!!

Tomorrow on this blog, Alanna Blackett will be visiting with a new release and a giveaway for you so plan to come back! Thank you again everyone.  Talk soon.  : )

Over 250 Authors Gang Up on Homophobia!

Hi everyone--
Thank you so much for coming today to support our very serious cause and have some fun at the same time. This is the Hop Against Homophobia and i'm Tara Lain. I write The Beautiful Boys of Romance. My novels focus on the loves of gay and bisexual men and even an occasional lesbian sneaks in there. Like many writers of gay romance, i'm a heterosexual woman married happily to the man of my dreams for many years. I was completely free to meet, fall in love with, and marry my guy and i can't imagine why any other person should not be allowed to do the same.

When i was a very young woman, i barely knew what gay was but i discovered that two of my dearest friends were gay. One of them, my best pal from high school who took me to the senior prom when i was a sophomore, went into the military and became a male nurse. Talk about hotbeds of homophobia! I think back now and shudder at the torture his life must have been hiding who he was from everyone around him. I used to go to his military balls with him so he would have a "girlfriend". He finally met the man of his dreams but, of course, he had to hide that too. I cry now realizing how little i knew then. My friend died from cancer and i miss him so much.

The other gay man in my young life was my brother's best friend. He was like something out of one of our novels -- handsome, athletic, a man of few words. I had a terrible crush on him although he was a few years younger than i. After high school, he married. He did all the things that a man from his blue collar, Pennsylvania upbringing was expected to do. I never knew when he discovered he was gay. But years later he came to California to visit my mom and me bringing his beautiful, flamboyant, fashionista boyfriend. I wish i had really talked to him about what his life had been like. But i was too "polite" and he was, after all, a man of few words.

 Today, i'm not too polite. Today, i'm honored to get to write about gay men and women who get their happy ever after -- just like i did.

 Here's what you can win on my site:

• A $10 gift card to Amazon
• A copy of Volley Balls or Fire Balls (if you haven't already read them)

Here's what you have to do to win:

• Leave a comment
• Leave your email address
• I'd love it if you would follow this blog
• Like the Hop Against Homophobia Facebook Page 

Now, the next thing to do is go HERE to check out the list of hundreds of authors and publishers who are supporting this Hop. Go visit them ALL!

Below, i posted a scene from my LGBT novel, Fire Balls. This scene shows a perfect response to homophobia! Thank you again for visiting!

Fire Balls by Tara Lain -- MM Contemporary

Available at Etopia Press  Amazon ARe   B&N   and other retailers

Rodney Mansfield is tiny, flamboyant and, oh yeah, a black belt in karate. He is also one of southern California’s greatest artists. Too bad the work of art he really wants is firefighter, Hunter Fallon. But the gorgeous “straight gay” guy could never want the Runtback of Notre Dame, so when Rodney’s handsome, surfer friend, Jerry, develops an unexpected passion for the beautiful firefighter, Rodney breaks his own heart by helping Jerry land his man. And then Rod makes it worse by embarrassing Hunter when he protects him from a firehouse bully. Hunter hates gay guys like Rodney – doesn’t he? Then why can’t he get the powerful pipsqueak’s face out of his mind… and cock out of his ass? And why does he risk his job and his life to rescue Rod from a burning building? Isn’t it time for him to admit he’s not an alpha male after all and that he is the property of the artist?

Jerry was coming across the lawn pushing a man in a wheel chair, an older guy with a husky upper body. He looked tall though his legs appeared shrunken. Handsome, though. Hunter walked behind with a beautiful woman, probably in her late forties, who looked so much like Hunter she had to be his mother.

So this was the fabled father for whom Hunter lived his life. Shit.

Jerry bounced up breathlessly, pushing the chair.

“You should have gone around the lawn, Jerry darling. That must have been a bumpy ride.” Might as well beard the tiger in his den. He stuck out a hand. “Hi, I’m Roman.”

“Hey, Roman, this is Matt Fallon. Hunter’s dad.” Jerry stepped back. “I’m gonna go get us some Cokes, OK? Then I’ll show you my pictures.”

Mrs. Fallon smiled absently. “Yes, dear.”

The older man gave Rodney an appraising look, but shook hands firmly. “Matt Fallon.”

“Delighted to meet you. And you must be Mrs. Fallon.” Again he extended his hand. Yeah, he knew she should offer first, but he and Emily Post were only kissing cousins.

She took his hand but kept gazing past him. “Hello.” She shook. “Hunter, that’s you,” she whispered.

Hunter stared at the painting like he had seen a rattlesnake. “I didn’t know you were going to show it here. Dammit, Rodney. I wouldn’t have come, and I certainly wouldn’t have brought my parents.”

Well, hell. “I didn’t know you were going to be here, Hunter. And if you’re so damned ashamed of it, why the hell did you pose in the first place?”

The high cheekbones colored. “I didn’t know it would be so—”

“Beautiful,” Hunter’s mom whispered, smiling. “Roman, it’s simply gorgeous. I can’t begin to tell you how extraordinary I think it is.”

Matt Fallon gazed at the painting with an unreadable expression.

“I knew that damned picture looked familiar. Moonlighting for a little porno, Fallon? Make some movies too?” The snarky voice came from behind the Fallons.

Rod looked. Ah. The asshole from the fire station.

Hunter spun, his face flaming. “Leave it, Mick.”

“Leave what, fag? Your cock? It’s all over the place.”

Hunter’s parents had turned to stare at the big blond with the pugnacious jaw. The idiot was bad news. Rod couldn’t stand him and they hadn’t even met.

Mrs. Fallon’s eyes were wide, and Mr. Fallon appeared confused. “Excuse me, young man. I thought you were a firefighter. I saw you at the station.”

“Yeah, I’m a firefighter. But I joined up when there were just real men on the force. Not homo queers.” That fucking guy didn’t seem to respect the fact that the man was in a wheelchair or that there were women present. The pissant. OK, bloodshot eyes, but the guy wasn’t drunk enough to justify being this big a reptile.

The drunken ass stepped closer to the painting. “I always figured you had some profession you were better suited for than firefighting. And here it is. Porno model.”

Hunter’s eyes shifted from his abuser to his parents and back.  His fists clenched; he looked like he wanted to hit the guy but didn’t want to make a show in front of a crowd.

OK, my turn. Rod stepped past Mr. Fallon’s wheelchair and looked up at the drunken idiot. “This is my space and you’re not welcome in it. Go elsewhere, darling, or I’ll ask the guards to remove you.”

The man called Mick looked like he had seen something repulsive. “And what have we here? Is this your costar in the porno movies, Hunnnn-ter?”

The statement was a little too close to home, which made him madder. “Please leave!”

The big idiot stepped toward Rod, hands balled into fists. “Suck my cock!”

OK, he’d had enough. Deep breath. Mawashi geri. One upper roundhouse kick. Tobi geri. One jumping kick. The satisfying connection of foot to softening tissue. Wap! Oof.

The asshole wavered, his head cocked to the side, then went down like an axed tree. Lookie loos scattered behind him. Mrs. Fallon and her husband stared open-mouthed.

Quick and efficient. Rod took a deep breath. “Sorry, darlings. I so hate violence.”

Two security guards rushed up. The smaller man, Hank, asked, “What happened, Roman?”

“Sorry to make a scene, dear. He was more obnoxious than a body could bear.” People around nodded and murmured in agreement. “Will you get him out of here and call the police, please? I don’t know what they’ll do since he’s a firefighter and I’m a fag, but I’ll file a complaint if necessary.”

Gender doesn't make me who I am - Andrej Pejic tells CityNews

Hi everyone--

Congratulations to the winner of the TRR Erotic Romance Madness Hop -- bn100candg, who was chosen by random number to win a $10 GC and a copy of Deceptive Attraction.

I admit to being quite enthralled with the lovely Andrej Pejic. He so embodies the intrasexuality and androgyny that i find fascinating. I have even written a character that is a bit of an homage to Andrej in my novel, Genetic Celebrity, that comes out on July 24th. In this video, the well-spoken young person discusses the issues of gender identity. It's a long clip but very appropriate in light of the Hop Against Homophobia that is staring here on this blog on Thursday. I hope you'll come join us as a big bunch of authors gang up against homophobia. Meanwhile, enjoy Andrej.

It's Erotic Romance Madness! With Stuff for YOU!

Hi everyone--

Welcome to The Romance Reviews Erotic Romance Madness Blog Hop! You have come to the right place. I'm Tara Lain and i write the Beautiful Boys of Romance. I love all my characters, but especially my gorgeous guys!

Here on my blog, you can win:

• A $10 GC to Amazon
• A copy of Deceptive Attraction, the MMF menage i am featuring on this blog.(if you have read it, we'll work something out LOL)

To Win, here's what you have to do:

• Leave a comment
• Leave your email address
• Follow this blog if you don't already
• Write "No" in your comment if you DON'T want to be on my mailing list
• If you feel like it, "Like" my page on Facebook
• If you are a Fan, please Fan me on Goodreads

After you have done all these things, please click on the icon at the top of this page and it will take you to the other Blog Hop Hosts!  

I am supposed to tell you why i like Deceptive Attraction. Okay, here goes. Deceptive Attraction is the third book in the Genetic Attraction Series (the three books were runner-up for Best Series of 2011 in the LRC Awards). The main character, Caleb called Cal was introduced in The Scientist and the Supermodel. He is young, big, handsome and confused about his future. He's also confused about his sexuality. He considers himself gay and has a passionate one night stand with Eli, a man as pretty as a girl. But when he wakes up, Eli is gone. Then Cal meets Angel, a girl who looks like a pretty boy! And, in spite of himself, he's attracted to her. She reveals to him that he loves to submit. Needless to say, the three of them end up together but in a complex story of deception and coercion. It's almost a romantic suspense. I love the complexity of the characters and the intricacy of their deceptive little dance. I also love to play with androgyny and this book has it to the max! Just to give you a little taste, here is an excerpt from Deceptive Attraction. 

Excerpt: Deceptive Attraction by Tara Lain; M/M/F Contemporary

Available from Loose Id  and Amazon and all other retailers

Caleb Martin faces a life crisis -- and he’s pretty embarrassed about it. A talented soccer star, he has the chance to sign a lucrative five year contract and be rich and famous. Two problems -- Cal is gay and signing the contract means he has to stay in the closet, maybe for life. Plus, he’ll have to spend his years diving for soccer balls when he’d like to be helping people like the rest of his family. A one-night stand with a beautiful man rocks Cal, but the guy vanishes only to reappear where Cal is house-sitting. Too much coincidence? And then a cute tomboy throws Cal’s life choices into confusion. How could he wind up with a commitmentphobe and a woman dedicated to her work in Africa? Oh yeah, and then there’s a big surprise in a snowstorm. Cosmic joker strikes again.

 She’d talked him into it.

Walking toward the Blade gay bar, Angel bobbed ahead of him, apparently oblivious to the cold, and bouncing with enthusiasm. He had to admit she looked seriously cute. Actually the word was hot, but he wasn’t going there.

She’d traded the baggies for a trim pair of skinny jeans. It was a testament to her boyishness that she still didn’t look feminine, despite the way the denim hugged her hips. She’d worn a slightly baggy T-shirt, and what breasts she had were squashed under some kind of camisole thing she’d revealed while they were in the kitchen by pulling her T-shirt up to her face. Over it all, she wore a trim leather jacket that was definitely unisex. And it was green, kind of a yellowy green color. Really pretty with her hair and creamy skin, but not too girlie for a fashionable gay guy to pick. She topped -- or maybe bottomed -- off the whole outfit with cool Converse sneakers. A perfect little twink.

What about her voice? Would guys immediately know she wasn’t a boy? He hadn’t. Lots of young guys had higher voices, and so did lots of gay guys. Like Elijah. He winced and shied from the thought. Get a grip, Martin. You’re supposed to be looking for sex, not worrying about Angel -- or Eli.

She’d gotten to the entrance first and waited for him. The place was pretty subdued. Just a small sign and a pleasant country-home exterior. Very Connecticut. But he saw what he expected was cigarette smoke coming from a driveway at the side of the club. Probably some outdoor action going on there. She pulled open the door before he could do it. Yeah, had to remember not to treat her like a girl.

Inside? Not so subdued. A live band was playing pop music fronted by a girl with a gravelly, sexy voice. Interesting. There was a bar along the wall, not quite as big as the one at the Flamingo, but a much bigger dance floor. Male couples and a few female pairs filled the floor, hugging tight, but with no overt grinding. Good. For Angel, at least.

A man who looked like he’d be more at home in a political campaign than a gay bar stood behind a small reception podium. He surveyed the two of them and pointed a finger toward Angel. “Is he old enough?”

Oh shit. He hadn’t thought about the carding thing.

Angel laughed. “Sure. See.” She held out a license. Had she been holding it all along? Fortunately the host glanced but didn’t take it. Somewhere on that card, probably under Angel’s finger, was an incriminating F for female. The host looked Angel up and down. “You’re a pretty boy.” He nodded at Cal. “This your boyfriend?”

She smiled. “Just a friend.”

The preppy guy leaned toward her. “Look me up before you leave.”

“Thanks. But I’m just here to dance.”

“I like to dance. Maybe when I get off at two?”

Cal grabbed her arm. “C’mon, Angel.”

She looked back at the host as Cal dragged her away. “Thanks. That’s past my bedtime.”

He gave her arm a little jerk. “What was that all about?”

“Just making friends.”

He hauled her toward a small table that was opening up as two men, clearly intent on things that topped Cal’s priority list, moved toward the entrance.

Angel wouldn’t be hauled. As they passed the dance floor, she just started bobbing and weaving. Cal couldn’t hold her, and she slipped onto the floor by herself. In seconds two guys had split their couple and were dancing around her. She threw her head back and laughed, tight butt wriggling.

Cal hurried to grab the table, sat, and looked back. He could just make her out in the middle of the moving crowd.

Okay, time to do some serious scoping. He turned in his chair so he could survey the men at the tables and the bar. A few were alone. A couple of nice-looking men. His come-hither look was a bit rusty. Maybe if he just looked available.

A harried waiter leaned in to the table, and Cal ordered a beer. What did Angel want? Hell, make it two beers.

The beer arrived pretty quickly, although Cal couldn’t figure how the waiter moved that fast in the crowd. He took a sip. How does an available man look? Alone. Yeah, that’s what he was.

He saw an attractive blond over at the bar, looking at him. Hmm. Likely candidate. But the blond hair wasn’t curly, and he bet those eyes weren’t gold. He glanced again toward the dance floor. That sure was one cute butt.

* * * * *

Oh merde, when was the last time she’d had this much fun? Angel circled the two dancers who were partnering her. Both cute. Thought she was a boy, obviously, because they were flirting like mad. They must not be a couple. But at the moment, it was all about the dancing.

She looked over toward the table. Oh. Yeah, well Caleb had found himself some really attractive company. They were sitting together, heads close, sipping beer. She wanted to be happy for him. She’d try. But this was one gay guy she wished wasn’t. First, gorgeous. Way prettier than he realized. Tall and lean, with that wild, brown and blond mixed hair that looked like he spent his life in the sun. And the clear blue eyes that crinkled at the edges when he smiled. Plus, he was nice and smart and fun despite the fact that she’d pretty much wrecked his vacation. Oh well. She did a spin, and one of the men grabbed her hand and circled her just as the song ended.

She fell back a couple of steps. Bam, solid wall. Warm wall. Hands grabbed her shoulders. She looked up into black eyes that shone with naughty intent.

The dancer smiled, revealing a row of even, white teeth. Yeah, the better to eat you with. “Hi, pretty.”

“Hi.”

“I’m Carlos. You want to dance with me?” His voice danced with a smooth Latino accent.

The music had changed to slow and sultry. Hmm. Maybe not such a good idea. “Okay.”

She slipped into his arms. He was tallish, maybe five-eleven, and the hair was as black as the eyes. Pret-ty. “I’m Angel.”

He cocked his head. “Angel?” He pronounced it “Ahn-hel,” in the Spanish fashion.

“Yeah, I guess. But it’s Americanized.” She neglected to mention that it was short for Angelica.

He pulled her in close. Okay, need to keep a little distance here. It felt nice to be close to a man, even if he was gay. She’d broken up with Mitchell months ago, and her crazy schedule made a social life -- read sex life -- pretty sparse.

She felt soft lips against her ear. “You really are a pretty one.”

“Thanks.” She gulped a little. This guy was so sexy. She wasn’t used to such overt sensuality.

He pulled her a little tighter, and she could feel his stiff erection pressing on her abdomen. Again, she tried to pull away without being insulting, but she was about to get outed, and not in a good way.

His lips were on her ear again. “Don’t worry, Ahn-hel. I know your secret, and it’s safe with me.”

She pulled back. What the --

He smiled at her with those teeth again. “I know you’re a girl, pretty, and I like it just fine.”
***************************
Thank you so much for visiting my blog. Remember to click on the icon at the top of the page for where you should go next and you have until through Monday to visit everyone!  :  )

Hopping, Hunting and Partying! An Author's Advantage

Hi everyone--
I hope you got to participate in the Men of May Blog Hop this weekend and in the amazing Cinco de Mayo Party that thirteen of us threw at The Romance Studio. Both events were great fun and, from an author's point of view, great promo.

Why do author's participate in Blog Hops? Blog Hops are one of the easiest and most fun ways to get exposed to new readers. (Easiest, that is, unless you're running the Hop!) The principal of a Hop, in case you have been hiding out, is that a group of authors sign up and each posts the Hop symbol on their blog, lists a prize for commenters on the blog, and posts the other authors in the Hop so people can visit all of them. The great thing is that other authors readers will participate and they get to see your site just as your readers get exposed to other books and authors. It's always best to give a generic prize at a Hop (like a gift card) in case people have read all your books or don't think they want to read them at all. Why is a hop easy? You post a fun blog and leave it. The readers do the rest. You can check in from time to time to say hi, but on Hops readers don't necessarily expect replies so a Hop is a great way to have your blog churning with activity while you are off writing your new book!Here are upcoming Blog Hops on this site!


The Romance Reviews Erotic Romance Madness Hop --May 10-14 right here on this blog. This one will be HUGE and extremely FUN!

Hop Against Homophobia -- May 17th - 20th -- A lot of great authors banding together for a wonderful cause. Do Not Miss It! Over 220 authors.


Blog Hunts are similar to Blog Hops -- just a bit more mysterious. A Hunt usually has some special badge or information that the participant has to find when visiting the authors' blogs or websites. It's fun, more complex than a Hop, and sometimes has even bigger prizes.For the author, preparation may be a little more complicated but during the hunt the author just sits back and enjoys!  Night Owl Reviews runs some really fun hunts. A fantastic Hunt coming up on this blog is listed below:

Romantica Scavenger Hunt--May 25-27 -- On this Hunt, participants will receive not only prizes but also exclusive content from the authors--bits you have never seen before. I will be hosting another authors content and someone else will have mine. Plus, there will be "mystery letters" that must be found. Winners will get a big bunch of great books plus all the individual prizes.

Parties are another great way for an author to meet new people and chat a little. The Romance Studio has the very best Party Site on earth where participating authors can post little mini-blogs of content--whether book excerpts, recipes, fun facts, all the things you might do in a blog-- and post them many times during the party time. Sometimes parties are one day like our Cinco de Mayo Party and sometimes like the one coming up on May 26th, they are multi-day parties. This Anniversary Party will be 6 days!! Don't miss it. Parties, if the author does them right, are more complicated than a Hop but less taxing than a chat. The authors can post as many times as they want to on their own schedule but it's good to show up often. Go to http://trsparties.com

Do you get the feeling that this blog is going to be blazing with activity in May?  You are right. Show up on almost any day and you'll find exciting events! Hope to see you HERE!  Then on June 1st, we start the Blog Tour for Beach Balls!  And don't forget to sign up for my newsletter in the upper right hand column of this blog. I'll be letting you know about all the fun. Thank you for coming by! : )

Yummy Men of May! Goodies for You are Right Here!

Hi everyone-- Welcome to the Men of May Blog Hop! Stop for a moment and fully appreciate our delicious Blog Emblem provided by my pal, Sharita Lira! This hop has dozens of authors all with prizes for you -- and we're all talking about men so how can you lose? In my case, i'm talking about the Beautiful Boys of Romance! That's what i write  -- erotic romance mostly MM and MMF menage. I love all my characters but most of all my gorgeous guys!

First, serious business! What can you win here? :

• a $10. GC to Amazon
• Your choice of Beautiful Boy (otherwise known as a download from my backlist!)

How do you win?

• Leave a comment
• Include your email so i can find you!
• Follow this blog if you don't already
• If you feel like it, Like my page on Facebook
• If you are a Fan, would you Fan me on Goodreads? (these last two steps are not required to win but are appreciated!)

That's all there is to it!

A few words about alpha males. I am currently reading a MF werewolf story. Unusual for a MM contemporary writer, but it's written by a friend. In the story, the alpha male werewolf stalks around with muscles rippling and he is large and in charge, baby. I love the guy, but it got me thinking that i have never written a traditional alpha male -- one who both looks and acts as we expect an alpha to act. My most alpha looking heroes always have some other agenda than acting dominant. Caleb Martin, the 6'6" soccer star in Deceptive Attraction is a submissive in bed. My hunky fireman, Hunter Fallon in Fire Balls doesn't feel authentic in his role and yearns to be a teacher. He also likes to bottom! The real alpha male in that book is a tiny, pink-haired, flamboyant artist named Rodney Mansfield who is a black-belt in karate and a top if ever there was one. Maybe my two big volleyball players in Volley Balls, Gareth and Edge, come the closest to alpha male status -- but Gareth has a sweetness that is hard to deny. I guess i like the unexpected and i really appreciate nerds and beta males. I love seeing them rise to the top! Maybe one of these days i'll break out and write a full-on alpha! But meanwhile, i'll enjoy them in other people's books.

To give you a better idea of what i mean, i have posted an excerpt from my MMF menage, Deceptive Attraction. This scene is MM and Adult! The guy doing the bending is a big, strong, handsome soccer player and the guy on the other end of the blindfold is smaller and as pretty as a girl with blond ringlets and huge amber eyes. Remember, this is an adult excerpt:

Cal bent down and opened the dishwasher door, grabbing a few plates and arranging them in the racks. He felt hands caressing his hips.

“Mmmm, I like that pose a lot. Would you like me to take advantage of it?”

Cal closed the dishwasher and rose halfway, putting his hands on the counter. It still left him bent at the waist, ass sticking out, legs wide. “Do you have to ask?”

“Hell no.” Cal waited for his sweats to come down. Nothing. He’d raised his head from his arms to glance back when a hand came in front of his face.

“Hold still.” The command in Eli’s voice snapped him to attention. He froze. A napkin appeared in front of his face. What the hell…? He started to look back. “I said don’t move.” The napkin covered Cal’s eyes, and he felt it tied tightly behind his head. He gasped. Panic or excitement? He wasn’t sure of the difference. “Just do as I say. Do you understand?”

Chills skittered up Cal’s spine. He’d always been a top. Why did he love this so much? “Yes, yes, I understand.”

He strained to hear Eli moving around. It sounded like he left the kitchen for a minute. Then strong, rough-skinned hands pulled up his shirt, grabbed his sweatpants, and yanked them down to his ankles in one motion. Oh man, this was getting better and better. He spread his legs a little more. Crap, he wanted it so bad. He tried to widen his legs, but the sweatpants pulled tight. He started to reach down to pull them away, but Eli grabbed his hand and slapped it back on the counter. “I said don’t move, boy.”

Cal obeyed instantly. Soft lips caressed his ear. “You want this bad, don’t you? You can’t wait for this hot cock in your tight ass, can you?”

Cal shook his head. A rough hand in his hair yanked his head back. “Answer me. Tell me how much you want it.”

“I want it so bad, Eli. Jesus, I can’t wait. Put it in me, please.” It was true. Every nerve ending tingled. His butt was on fire just wanting.

“That won’t do it, baby. That’s not nearly enough to get this cock in you. Let’s hear some real begging.”

“Please, please put it in me.”

“Put what in you?”

“Your cock. Your beautiful cock.”

“You think it’s beautiful?”

“God, yes. I dream about it. I want it all the time.” Shit, it was true. “I want you, Eli. Take me, please. Take me hard, please. I’m begging, please.”

One long, hot, hard slide, and his ass was full. It hurt, and yet it felt better than anything in life. “Holy shit!” He hoped his cries didn’t wake Angel, but man, there was no help for it. Jesus H.

Eli pounded into him. “You love it, don’t you? You love having this pretty, girlie-boy’s cock ramming your ass, don’t you?” He grabbed Cal’s hair, then wrapped his other hand around Cal’s throbbing, bobbing cock. With deep, hard pulls, he milked him.

“Yes, yes. Harder, please. Please.”

Eli just kept pounding and stroking.

Oh, God. Perfect. So right. He loved this. He’d never known anyone so perfect for him. Had to come. Had to. Yes. The heat started down around his knees. Like a molten river of flame, it spread faster and faster up his groin, into his spine, and blazed up into his head and out his cock. He felt like his head came off. “Shit! Baby, baby, I love…” He panicked. No, can’t say that. Stop. He hauled back those three little letters that would end it all. “This, this, I love this.” And he felt his cock spout cum like a fire hose all over the dishwasher door. 

Hope you enjoyed it! Now, here are all the wonderful authors you can visit between now and Sunday night. Get hopping and thank you so much for visiting me! I hope you'll look for my new release, Beach Balls, coming June 1 to Amazon and ARe. 

Cinco de Mayo!! Cool Authors with Hot Excerpts and Goodies

Hi everyone--

The big day is coming. On Saturday, Cinco de Mayo, 13 cool erotic romance authors are gathering to give a hot party just for you at The Romance Studio Party Site. Do not miss this fun event --

• Two $50. gift cards will be up for grabs
• Every author will have goodies of her own to share

We'll be posting excerpts and answering comments for a full 24 hours!! Different authors will be there at different times so be patient since we're all in various time zones. 

Here's the link! http://trsparties.com

If you've never partied at TRS, go on over and check it out. Figure out how to get to the party site. Then drop in as many times as you want on May 5th. Most of us will be giving prizes to those who comment, so be sure to say hi. Just to whet your appetite, here is a video of the MM authors (me included) who will be at the Party!

And for all you MF fans, here are the authors and some of the books that will be there for you.



Put the date on your calendar now. Recipes for margaritas are sure to be included. Thank you for visiting the blog. See you on Cinco de Mayo!