Tag: interview roulette

Today we have a two-fer! Alix Bekins and Connie Bailey spin the wheel.

1. Say you met your all-time favorite celebrity, would you play it cool? Or would you utterly humiliate yourself?

(Connie)

I have met an all-time fave celeb: Art Garfunkel. I tried hard to play it cool, but he saw right through me. I had done a sketch of him in hopes of getting an autograph. I gave the sketch to the guard at the stage door and he took it to Art. Art invited me backstage and talked to me for what seemed like hours, but was probably five minutes. He complimented the drawing and I gushed about my favorite songs. He asked what I particularly liked about the songs. He was terribly gracious and I got a memory that will last till I die.

(Alix)

I would like to think I’d play it cool, but if I was trapped in an elevator with Robert Downey, Jr., I’d probably hyperventilate from trying not to giggle for a few moments until I managed to get myself together.

2. What advice would you give your 17-year-old self?

(Connie)

Everyone is just as unsure as you are. Keep moving forward and don’t stress over all the small details.

(Alix)

Please ask your parents if you can see a therapist. It will help you so much. But if not, I can promise you that everything in your life will get better once you move away to college. Relax a little. Oh, and ice cream is not an acceptable source of protein; anemia is no fun. Eat properly, damnit.

 

3. Describe an annoying habit one of your characters has.

(Connie)

Annoying but (I hope) kind of cute, Seva Song deliberately mangles English sayings to irk his partner.

(Alix)

Keller never puts the top on the toothpaste. It drives Seva (and me) nuts.

 

4. One of your books is being made into a movie. Who would you cast for the major roles?

(Connie)

If I was allowed to cast Song and Key, Keller Key would be played by Chris Evans with the personality of Chris Pine as Capt. Kirk. The role of Seva Song would go to Lee Byung-hun.

(Alix)

I was sort of thinking of Liam Hemsworth for Keller. I’m fully on board with Connie’s casting for Seva, though – yum!

 

5. A 17-year-old girl has asked one of your characters for advice. What is she asking about and what advice does the character give?

(Alix)

Sweetie17 wants to know what Keller has to say about coming out in high school. Should she, or should she just wait until college, like her friends say? Or until she has a serious relationship with a girl? Being bisexual is confusing.

Keller says that being bisexual is FABULOUS. But haters are gonna hate, so you gotta take care of yourself. If you have a supportive family and friends, and think you won’t get hassled at school, be out and proud. If you want to wait until you’re a little more grown up and living life on your own terms, that’s cool too. If someone tells you bis don’t exist, tell them you’re fine with being an incredibly sexy hallucination.

 

6. What is your most dreaded household chore? Your favorite?

(Connie)

I hate cleaning up after cooking. I adore doing laundry.

(Alix)

I hate mopping. So much so that I’d rather clean toilets. I secretly love doing the dishes though, especially after a big holiday meal where everyone is grateful to have me do the washing up and—far more importantly—I get to hide in the kitchen and get some peace and quiet for a little while.

 

7. When you read, is there a trope you just can’t resist?

(Connie)

I love reading about a boy in disguise as a girl, or a girl in disguise as a boy. My favorite romance novel is The Masqueraders by Georgette Heyer.

(Alix)

I have a weakness for the fake relationship/engagement trope. Especially if the two start off somewhat hostile to each other, but are secretly super attracted to each other. I do love me some verbal sparring.

 

The Men from GLEN

Dreamspun Beyond | #11

So-called monsters won’t hold these spies back!

For two secret agents on a mission to a secluded Romanian village, the toughest fight they face may not be against the folktale monsters lurking in the foggy mountains and old ruins, but against their unlikely attraction to each other.

Keller Key is the top operative at the covert Global Law Enforcement Network—and boy, does he know it. Sexy half-Ukrainian, half-Korean Sevastyan Song is a close second. When the agents go undercover to investigate an old friend’s suspicious death, it soon becomes clear something sinister is afoot in the ancient forest and decrepit abbey. If an evil organization doesn’t spell the end of them, the angry locals might. But if they’re going to conquer their enemies, they need to keep their hands off each other and their minds on the case, in a rivals-to-lovers paranormal mash-up that gives new meaning to spy-on-spy action.

 

Available January 2, 2018 from Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/song-and-key-by-alix-bekins-and-connie-bailey-9155-b

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Song-Key-Dreamspun-Beyond-Book-ebook/dp/B078BXF1T9/

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Song-Key-Dreamspun-Beyond-Book-ebook/dp/B078BXF1T9/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/song-and-key-alix-bekins/1127661059?ean=2940158894169

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/song-and-key

 

Alix Bekins lives and writes atop a treacherous hillside in the Santa Cruz mountains. Her days start with a cup of proper British tea and end with knitting while watching TV. In real life, Alix is a no-nonsense, judgmental-eyebrow, whip-cracking admin whose turn-ons include glitter nail polish, hiking, dogs, chocolate, and sensual walks in the rain. Without the rain, because that sounds cold.

Alix is pretty sure she’s the only person in the world who wears a plastic Viking helmet as a thinking cap when she battles writer’s block. She always wins.

Connie Bailey is a Luddite who can’t live without her computer. She’s an acrophobic who loves to fly, a faultfinding pessimist who, nonetheless, is always surprised when something bad happens, and an antisocialite who loves her friends like family. She’s held a number of jobs in many disparate arenas to put food on the table, but writing is the occupation that feeds her soul.

 

SOCIAL MEDIA

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AlixBekins

Email: alixbekins@gmail.com

Blog: http://alixbekins.wordpress.com

 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/connie.bailey.587

Email: bailey.connie@gmail.com

 

 

 

Grace R. Duncan is here to play today!

 

1. What are you wearing right now?

My Dr. Who T-shirt, purple leggings, and socks. I actually get dressed every day, even though I work from home. I’ve worked from home with other jobs and found it actually helps me switch to a working mindset. Though it goes against my not-wanting-to-adult mindest of not putting on pants. 😉

2. If you were magically transported into one of your own books, which one would you choose and why?

Any of my Forbes books. I would so love to be a shifter. If nothing else, because in my world, my shifters don’t have the typical human health problems so I’d be nice and healthy and energetic.

3. Describe your ideal writing environment.

Uninterrupted. Seriously. I have a great desk, a beautiful computer… and constant interruption. If I could truly lock everyone out while I’m working, I think it’d be heaven.

4. Describe one especially fond childhood memory—for yourself or for one of your characters.

The one I remember most is actually not entirely fond, but it wasn’t exactly unpleasant, either. I was (according to my mother) only two at the time, but we took a trip to Atlantic City. I remember being terrified of the ocean. I also remember we went into a souvenir shop and while my mom was at the register checking out, I point out these milk-glass coffee mugs that my grandma would have liked. Years later, I realized those mugs were in my grandma’s cabinet, though I don’t remember my mom actually buying them, it was really cool to me that she did get one for my grandma.

5. If you were to become a street performer, what would you do to entertain people and earn some money?

I could probably sing. I have a weird talent for mimicry (it’s one reason I can pick up languages pretty well) and that goes for music. If I can hear the singer, I can (mostly) mimic it. I might scare potential listeners away, but… maybe not. 😉

6. Name a guilty pleasure you indulge in.
   I guess if there’s anything it’s my sweet tooth. It’s so bad for me, but I love sweets of all kinds.
7. Describe a memorable dream—or nightmare!
   I don’t remember a lot of my dreams. My nightmares usually involve losing one of my kids or my grandson so I try not to dwell on them.

   There was one dream that I recall parts of that involved a refrigerator at McDonalds stocked with lunchmeat, the yakuza at the meat counter in my favorite Pittsburgh butcher show, and pirates kidnapping all of use to make us sing bad sailor songs. I woke up laughing my ass off.

 

Today Matt Doyle takes a spin!

 

1. What’s one thing that inspired your latest book?

You know, it was more of a conglomerate of things than a single thing. The earliest inkling that I had that I was going to write Addict actually just came out of the blue. I was playing BlazBlue Central Fiction online – and by playing, I mean getting whupped by complete strangers for the most part – when the thought popped into my head that my next book was going to be a sci-fi mystery novel. After that, I left the idea alone while I was sorting out some other stuff, but once I was ready to begin work, I kinda thought that it would be interesting concept to work with. Most of my work fits broadly into the science fiction category, but it always takes some cues from other genres too, and mystery was something that I hadn’t really approached before.

So, I decided to get some inspiration by binge watching a couple of films: Blade Runner, The Maltese Falcon, and L.A. Confidential. The reason I picked those three is because I wanted a very specific feeling for the book; I wanted to take an old school hard boiled PI, and place them in a cyberpunk-y setting (albeit one that is more near future than far future) that had a ton of corruption running in the background.

And so, the basis for Addict was born. From there, I really just started sucking in different things as I went along. The tech that I touch on for example, is noticeably close to what we have now. Like I said, we’re looking at near future stuff here, so I basically took what we have and gave some thought to where it could end up if we didn’t take care to avoid some pitfalls. I mean, let’s be honest here: is the idea of VR addiction really that unrealistic? Of course not. With how immersive things are now in games like Resident Evil 7, it’s easy to see how people could get hooked. Add that in with the reliance of an online environment when it comes to business, and you have a bit of a volatile mix if both of those sides of the electronic world were to intermingle. And as for metallic animal suites used in Tech Shifting? That’s really just a tech-heavy extension for both the furry fandom and the pup play community.

 

2. When you read, is there a trope you just can’t resist?

Hmm … now, I had to look up the actual term for this – thanks TV Tropes dot org! – but I do seem to be quite partial to the ‘Action Girl’ trope. The thing is, I never really enjoyed the whole ‘damsel in distress’ storyline. I grew up in a household with a Mum that held her own when she had to, and a little sister who remains one of the toughest women I’ve known. As a result, the idea of sitting around and waiting to be rescued just seemed really odd to me.

So, when I was enjoying fiction, what female leads did I enjoy? Well, I was reading Terry Pratchett’s Discworld series from the age of about nine, and I always did love werewolf cop Angua von Uberwald. Then, when it came to live action stuff, Ellen Ripley in the Alien franchise always stood out to me. Cartoons were the same too. Growing up, I always enjoyed anime, and my favourites as a kid tended to be those like Rika (Digimon Tamers) and Sakura (Cardcaptor Sakura), neither of whom were the sort to sit back and wait for a prince.

As I’ve grown, the same thing still holds true in my reading (and other fiction based) habits. I still love Angua in Discworld. Urban Fantasy works well for me in a similar way – characters like Kelley Armstrong’s Elena Michaels or Cherie Priest’s Raylene Pendle for example. Oh, and don’t forget the comics! Give me an Alopex (IDW’s Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), or a Revy (Black Lagoon) as a lead any day!

 

3. Write a haiku poem about your favorite beverage.

Tea

Milk dashed, a true brew,

Strong in flavor and colour.

Ah, dear friend! Such warmth!

 

4. What’s one event in your life or on your travels that you wish you’d caught on film?

I’ve been lucky insofar as I did catch a lot of the fun moments on film. For example, when my youngest gave her first smile, my camera just happened to be on. I spent ten years as a professional wrestler too, and while we didn’t film too much at training, pretty much every show I’ve been on has been filmed by someone. Like I said, I’ve been lucky with catching stuff. As to something that we didn’t catch though …

Okay, so when I was younger, I used to love tormenting my Dad. There was one prank that my brother and I pulled that I would have loved to have caught on film, but we were too busy having fun to even consider doing so. You see, my Dad used to fall asleep in front of the TV a lot. Of course, if you turned it off, he’d immediately wake up with a cry of, “I was watching that!” As long as you left it running in the background though, he’d remain asleep through most things. So, this particular day, we decided to take advantage of his sleep routine by grabbing a few rolls of masking tape and attempting to mummify him while he slept. It sounds ridiculous, and truth be told, it was. We got a fair way up his body before we accidentally woke him though! The look of slow realisation dawning on his face, and the mix of bemusement and annoyance that crept in afterwards were priceless. That I would have loved to have captured on film.

 

5. One of your characters has a guilty favorite TV show. Tell us about it.

Heh. Our heroine in Addict, PI Cassie Tam, is a big fan of horror films. Most of the time, she’s happy to stick something spooky on, and huddle up on her couch with her robot gargoyle Bert. The funny thing is though, it’s really bad for her. Horror movies are virtually guaranteed to give Cassie terrible nightmares, but she just can’t get enough of them. Despite this though, we learn in the upcoming second book, that she does have a soft spot for slightly hammy stuff too. You see, she goes to a variety show at the local theatre that sees a Tech Shifter – someone who uses a metal exoskeleton to roleplay as an animal – performing a mix of stories and songs in the guise of a family of Japanese Kitsune spirits. By the end of the show, she’s actually considering looking for download purchases of previous shows! So, despite her tough exterior and love of scares, if Cassie were to stumble across anything a little fantasy based with a touch of cheesy romance, she’d no doubt get hooked within minutes. In that regard, and in keeping with her coming from a Chinese-Canadian family, I would say that he guilty pleasure TV show would like be the 2016 drama series ‘Legend of Nine Tails Fox’ (or 青丘狐传说).

 

6. What food would you only consider eating if you were stranded on a desert isle with nothing else to consume?

Grapes. It’s a simple answer, but seedless grapes are one of my favourite foods ever. Seriously, you give me a few packets of them, and they’ll be gone far quicker than is probably healthy!

 

Book blurb:

New Hopeland was built to be the centre of the technological age, but like everywhere else, it has its dark side. Assassins, drug dealers and crooked businessmen form a vital part of the city’s make-up, and sometimes, the police are in too deep themselves to be effective. But hey, there are always other options …

For P.I. Cassie Tam, business has been slow. So, when she’s hired to investigate the death of a local VR addict named Eddie Redwood, she thinks it’ll be easy money. All she has to do is prove to the deceased’s sister Lori that the local P.D. were right to call it an accidental overdose. The more she digs though, the more things don’t seem to sit right, and soon, Cassie finds herself knee deep in a murder investigation. But that’s just the start of her problems.

When the case forces Cassie to make contact with her drug dealing ex-girlfriend, Charlie Goldman, she’s left with a whole lot of long buried personal issues to deal with. Then there’s her client. Lori Redwood is a Tech Shifter, someone who uses a metal exoskeleton to roleplay as an animal. Cassie isn’t one to judge, but the Tech Shifting community has always left her a bit nervous. That wouldn’t be a problem if Lori wasn’t fast becoming the first person that she’s been genuinely attracted to since splitting with Charlie. Oh, and then there’s the small matter of the police wanting her to back off the case.

Easy money, huh? Yeah, right.

Book buy links:

• Amazon
• Ninestar Press        
• Smashwords      
•  Barnes & Noble        
• Kobo
• iBooks

 

Author bio:

Matt Doyle lives in the South East of England and shares his home with a wide variety of people and animals, as well as a fine selection of teas. He has spent his life chasing dreams, a habit which has seen him gain success in a great number of fields. To date, this has included spending ten years as a professional wrestler, completing a range of cosplay projects, and publishing multiple works of fiction.

These days, Matt can be found working on far too many novels at once, blogging about anime, comics, and games, and plotting and planning what other things he’ll be doing to take up what little free time he has.

 

Author contacts:

• Website: www.mattdoylemedia.com
• Blog: www.mattdoylemedia.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MattDoyleMedia/
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/mattdoylemedia
• Email: mattdoylemedia@hotmail.com
• Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/14173377.Matt_Doyle
• DeviantArt: https://mattdoylemedia.deviantart.com

It’s Rebecca Cohen’s turn at the wheel!

1. If you had to live in a movie, TV show, or book, which would you choose and why?

I’d like to be in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy.  Douglas Adams and his story telling were a major influence on my writing. I adore sci fi with humor and I’d love to have dinner at the restaurant at the end of the universe.

2. Describe a really bad decision you once made.

I don’t linger on mistakes, regrets aren’t something that help me move forward. Even a bad decision can lead to somewhere that will ultimately work out. There’s a part of me that thinks I should have left a particular job earlier than I did (it really didn’t help my mental health) but that in the end put me on the path to where I am now.

3. A genie pops up and offers to grant you one talent. What do you choose and why?

Patience. I have a 5-year-old little boy, and some days I need to count up to 100!

4. Who’s one of the most interesting people you’ve met?

An elderly gentleman who at one time been a professional actor, stage, screen and radio, and had story after story about both amateur and professional theatre. He was quite the character, once proclaiming that he believed in ghosts but not gravity.

5. You’ve just met an alien from a planet where there’s no such thing as fiction writing. Explain to him/her/it/them why humans read made-up stories.

Because sometimes life is hard, and we want to escape – whether that is being swept up in a romance or questing as a knight. Reading can take you on a journey away for the immediate issues of real life

6. Which (living) celebrity would you most want to have dinner with?

Mark Gatiss – I think he would be fascinating to talk to and discuss which was his real love, the writing or the acting, and which he would chose if forced to do so

7. Cats or dogs? Discuss.

Growing up I’ve always had cats as pets. I like dogs, but cats are what I know. I love it when then curl up and purr, their attitude that they are godlike, and there’s nothing like kitten tummy fur to run your fingers through.

Not All Chocolate and Cuckoo Clocks

Neither of them wants to fall in love, but getting exactly what they don’t want might be the best thing to ever happen to them.

Mark hopes his boredom with his current job will be alleviated by a short stint in Basel, Switzerland. When he meets Steffen, who struck out on his own from an old-money family to establish an IT firm, Mark expects some fun, great sex, and a clean break when his job is done. The arrangement is perfect for Steffen, who has been content with casual after a betrayal—and has a taste for British men after attending university in the UK. But as they explore the city’s rich history and traditions, Mark begins to see Steffen as much more than a tour guide with benefits. If he isn’t careful, the trip meant to break the lull in his career might end up breaking his heart instead….

World of Love: Stories of romance that span every corner of the globe.

 

Book buy links:

ebook Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Author bio:

Rebecca Cohen is a Brit abroad. Having swapped the Thames for the Rhine, she left London behind and now lives in Basel, Switzerland with her husband and young son.

Author contacts:

• Website/Blog: http://rebeccacohenwrites.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rebecca.cohen.710
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/R_Cohen_writes

Today is Jamie Lynn’s turn!

 

1. If you could be granted instant virtuosity on a musical instrument you don’t now play, which one would it be, and why?

The drums, hands down! I wanted to play them as a kid but my parents said no (gee, wonder why! LOL!) but I’ve still always wanted to learn, thanks to my love (to this day!) of 80’s hair bands. 🙂

2. Pretend you’re a character in your latest book. Give us the paragraph in which the reader is first introduced to you.

Everything about Shawn was dark. His thick, dark hair just brushed the base of his neck, with an ever present lock that fell over his forehead. His skin was a shade of golden brown, with a dusting of dark hair on his muscular chest. Even his eyes were a dark cobalt blue, off-set by the shadow of dark stubble across his jaw. Then there were Shawn’s tattoos—one on each arm and a larger one across his right side—symbolizing stories of his dark past. His favorite things were drinking, smoking, sex and seeing how many times he could use the word “fuck” in a day. He was a bold, brash, loud American, walking into the Unit like he owned the place, and the Brits disliked him on sight.

(from Broken Soldier – Shadow Unit Book 1)

3. What are three books in your keeper pile?

Singularity by William Sleator

Flight Dreams by Michael Craft

The Catch Trap by Marion Zimmer Bradley

4. What is your favorite time of day?

Afternoons after I get home from work. I can relax, let go of the stress of the day and spend time with my husband and my cat.  A close second would be when I climb into bed and close my eyes, the time before sleep claims me when my thoughts drift and story ideas tumble through my head. Which usually means good dreams. 🙂

5. What were your favorite books when you were a teenager?

The Hardy Boys Casefiles series. I’d been reading the Hardy Boys since I was a kid, but back in the late 1980’s this series came out that was much more mature. These books are what prompted me to start writing my own stories, that then led me down the path to professional writing to where I am today! I owe a lot to Joe and Frank. 🙂

6. Who’s one of the most interesting people you’ve met?

Since Star Wars is hot in the movies right now, it would be Mark Hamill. I met him when I was a teenager, absolutely star struck. His bodyguards tried to push me away when I walked up, as Mark was walking off stage at a convention, but Mark was having none of it. He stopped to talk to me, a real conversation. I’ll never forget how nice he was to me. Even signed my Star Wars book I’d had since I was 7 years old. He was a delight to talk to—my hero, Luke Skywalker!—it was an experience I’ll always remember. J

 

Book blurb:

Broken Soldier – Shadow Unit Book 1

Sergeant Connor Finley and Sergeant Shawn Weller are dedicated soldiers working covert ops for Shadow Unit — a joint UK/US anti-terrorism task force.

Partners in the field and out, they had been through hell together for the last four years and made it through standing side by side. But when their latest undercover op to bring down an arms dealer plunges them into a world of drugs, sex and violence, Shawn must literally get in bed with the enemy in order to complete the mission. And Connor is forced to watch, helpless, as his partner is broken into pieces.

Will love be enough to put them both back together or will this be their final mission

WARNING: Contains scenes of drug use, graphic sex and realistic situations

(Rainbow Awards Runner Up)

 

Book buy links:

PAYHIP: https://payhip.com/jamielynnmiller

AMAZON: http://tinyurl.com/zbbwpue
KOBO: http://tinyurl.com/job8hge
SCRIBD: http://tinyurl.com/ze6nm5l
B&N: http://tinyurl.com/zghkqyr

SEA TO SKY BOOKS: http://bit.ly/2CQoZkL

 

Author bio:

Jamie Lynn Miller has been writing fiction since childhood and decided to take the plunge and go pro in 2008, finding to her amazement that people truly enjoyed her love stories. She’s a romantic at heart, and her tales reflect the desire we all have to find “the one,” persevering through trials and heartache for that happy ending.

Jamie has a degree in fine arts and has spent the last twenty years working as a graphic designer, though she’d much rather be writing. She was born in Chicago and still lives there today with her husband and their furry, four-footed children, er… cats.

If she’s not brainstorming story ideas, you can find Jamie at a sci-fi convention, in front of a furnace doing glass blowing, or on a mat twisted into a yoga pose.

Author contacts:

Website: http://www.jamielynnm.wordpress.com

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/jamielynn.miller.3

Twitter:  @JamieLynnAuthor

Email: jamielynnmiller@live.com

Guess what! It’s Sean Michael’s turn at the wheel!

 

1. What’s your writing style—slow and steady or full speed ahead?

I’m definitely full speed ahead.

 

2. Write a short ode to your favorite virus or bacterium.

Ah, the plague with your black death and spores

Ah, the plague with your posies in pockets and mores

Ah, the plague with your bring me your dead whores

Ah, the plague thank god you’re no mores.

 

3. What are three books in your keeper pile?

Just three? That’s cruel. Can I pick three authors?

Sephen King, BA Tortuga, Timothy Findlay

 

4. Your letter from Hogwarts never arrived. Now what?

Now I join Star Fleet!

5. Share an awkward teenage memory—your own or one of your character’s.

Almost all of my teenage memories are awkward! I had the same two boys sitting behind me in almost all my classes and when they were bored, they would try to get me giggling, and once I got giggling, I couldn’t stop. They disrupted classes this way all the time – to my great embarrassment!

 

6. One of your characters has an allergy that’s proved problematic. Tell us about it.

Hmm, well Rock of the Jarheads is allergic to talking about his feelings. Lucky for him Rig and Dick both speak Rock and usually can figure things out without Rock having to say a word.

 

7. If you could make anything edible, what would you choose?

Wouldn’t it be great if dirt was edible and was delicious? That’s what I would choose.

 

8. Which of your characters is going to Vegas with you and why?

I think King and Dusty from Protectin Detail would be great fun to take with Vegas. First of all those guys are bodyguards so I wouldn’t have to worry about being safe. Secondly, I think they would both have a great time there, so that would enhance my time.

 

9. What is your least favorite writing trope, cliché, or character archetype, and why?

Hmmm… If I answer this, some character’s going to come along and insist I write exactly that. So I’m going to plead the fifth on this one.

 

Book blurb:

Tenor Abriole has just finished his stint as nanny for the Wilsons. He was with the family for twenty-one years, ever since he was eighteen. Now he’s looking for a new family, but finding that at thirty-nine, many people think he’s too old, and those who don’t think that’s a problem are balking at the fact that he’s a man, or that he’s gay, or both. He finally turns to Mannies Inc. for help finding a new position.

Daniel Thorpe is a well-known composer who lives and breathes music. He very much wants to be a father, so he goes the surrogate route, and winds up with triplets on the way. He turns to Mannies Inc. well before his girls are born, but so far has not been happy with any of the men who have applied, until Tenor shows up for an interview. Tenor’s experience being nanny to five children, as well as the fact that he stayed with a single family that long are both pluses in Daniel’s book.

Could it be that Tenor is the last note Daniel needs to compose his greatest work yet – his family?

 

Book buy links:

Evil Plot Bunny: http://www.evilplotbunny.com/index.php/composing-family-mannies-incorporated-novel-book-6-mm/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B078H9VJ7Z/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1513700628&sr=1-1&keywords=composing+a+family+sean+michael

 

Author bio:

 

Best-selling author Sean Michael is a maple leaf–loving Canadian who spends hours hiding out in used book stores. With far more ideas than time, Sean keeps several documents open at all times. From romance to fantasy, paranormal and sci-fi, Sean is limited only by the need for sleep—and the periodic Beaver Tail.

Sean fantasizes about one day retiring on a secluded island populated entirely by horseshoe crabs after inventing a brain-to-computer dictation system. Until then, Sean will continue to write the old-fashioned way.

 

Author contacts:

• Website: http://www.seanmichaelwrites.com
• Blog: http://seanmichaelwrites.blogspot.ca
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SeanMichaelWrites/
• Twitter: seanmichael09
• Email: seanmichaelwrites@gmail.com
• Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/seanmichaelpics/

 

 

 BD Roca joins us today!

1. What is your favorite footwear? Boots. As Nancy Sinatra sang, they’re made for walking (& other purposes). Boots or not, I always feel better with black nail polish on my toenails. Barefoot is definitely okay once I’m wearing it.
2. One of your characters writes a poem to his beloved. Broken Sun’s Luc would definitely write one to Morgan. He knows what a true, utter romantic Morgan is under all the surface toughness. Luc being Luc though, it would be a bit like a Sex Pistols song only with more anarchy, mentions of how good Morgan looks in his biker leathers but how much better out of them, creative and obscene use of rhyme, and images for a new tat for Morgan drawn in around the words. The tat would definitely have to be inked on a portion of Morgan’s skin not generally seen in public. And as for Morgan’s reaction, well, the poem would provoke exactly the response Luc desired. He knows exactly what makes Morgan tick 😉
3. Which of your characters is going to Vegas with you and why? Nick from Happy Birthday, the first in the City to City stories. His days as an enforcer for a bikie gang are long behind him, but he can still turn on the threat. Because he’s a buddy, he’s going to pull someone into line for me. And his partner Jake is going to teach me how to play poker because I am seriously bad at it. Both of them have their own brand of stone-cold cool and I need some of that!
4. What is your favorite mythological creature? An honest politician.
5. What is your favorite procrastination method? ‘Research’ on the net. Because it matters so, so much at first draft level about the detail of a car/piece of music/what exact cologne some guy might wear—wait, the cologne does matter! It really, really does, people! In Romance Land and in real life. I personally have a preference for colognes and perfumes with a dry leather undertone to them… you see what I did there? Is wandering off-topic a form of procrastination? Really, I can’t stop myself. Apologies.
6. Warm weather or cold? Cold.
7. What is the oddest thing on your music playlist? I don’t know if it’s exactly odd, but Willkommen from the Cabaret soundtrack (Alan Cumming’s version). It’s funny and filthy and he’s total sexy genius. Musicals don’t do it for me but I’d kill to have seen Alan Cumming playing in that role. YouTube footage just gives a tease of how great that production would have been.
8. Pick a politician and give him or her one piece of really good advice. OMG. Take a wild guess on both scores. It’s too depressing to even begin to answer, but I’d tactlessly (and fruitlessly) suggest try walking a mile in the shoes of those very people they’re pissing on. It would be a soggy experience for them, but a game changer. Anyway, I’m the kind of really awful dinner guest who gets cranky and argues politics across the roast chicken and 3 veg. Bread rolls get thrown, wine spluttered. You know the deal. It’s not pretty, but it’s not boring.
9. If you could go back in time and change something in your life, what would it be? I’d leave home in my mid teens. Absolutely.
10. What is a positive personality quality you share with one of your characters? A sense of humour. Even the worst situations often have a darkly funny edge to them. Sometimes finding that dark edge is about the only thing that makes it tolerable, and when wonderful things are happening, well, that just makes the moment even more joyful.

 

 

 

A City to City novel:

James Morgan: outlaw in a ruthless biker club, the Bastard Legion. Willing to do whatever he must to claw his way to the top of the club’s hierarchy.

Two things stand in the way of his ambitions: his heroin-addicted brother and his bisexuality. In Morgan’s world, his attraction to men is a death sentence, and he has no desire to pursue it… until he tangles with Luc Sinclair.

Luc Sinclair: fellow Bastard Legion biker. Tattoo artist. Rebel who wants out of a club he’s grown to despise.

Luc has a sister he’s protecting from a Legion ex-boyfriend. Saving her makes him a target. Morgan intervenes, and all bets are off. The sex is as fierce and passionate as it is dangerous. But when Morgan’s junkie brother learns of the relationship, he sees a way to advance in the Legion and take out a brother he hates. Their three worlds collide—one is left for dead, another fighting for life, and the bond between them broken.

In a dark and violent world where it’s every man for himself, finding their way back to each other and the only truth they’ve ever found will be a long, hard fight.

 

Book buy links:

https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/broken-sun-by-bd-roca-9020-b

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076XYY2VS

https://www.kobo.com/au/en/ebook/broken-sun

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/broken-sun-bd-roca/1127309363

 

Author bio:

BD Roca loves flawed, gritty characters and smartass one liners. She spent her early years in Brisbane, and between the crumbling houses, feral cats, steamy heat and quirky characters around her, it was pure Australian gothic. Naturally her first stories were all about the dark and mysterious until she discovered writing romance, which is a lot more fun even with a touch of the wicked stirred in.

Author contacts:

https://twitter.com/bd_roca

https://bdroca.wordpress.com/

https://www.goodreads.com/BDRoca

Today Jaime Samms spins the wheel!

Don’t miss the giveaway at the end!

 

1. If you had to become a character in a cartoon, which cartoon would you like to exist in?

Howl’s Moving Castle. Or maybe Totoro. Studio Gibli has some of my very favourite animations, and who wouldn’t want to live in a world where there’s such cool magic? Of course, I’d prefer Howl’s universe after the war, because that’s just common sense.

2. Recommend 3 books by other authors that everyone should read.

Temeraire, by Naomi Novik. I have so many dragon shifter romances in my head after reading the first few books in that series, you don’t even know. http://www.naominovik.com/temeraire/

The Imperfection of Swans by Brandon Witt. It’s as sweet a romance as any you’ll find, with the added bonus of truly wonderful characters with a lot of depth and real-life stakes rather than manufactured berries to getting together.

Anything by Clare London. I have never read a Clare London book that didn’t give me a fun or fractious glimpse of love and romance from a new and memorable angle. No cookie-cutter romance for her, and I love that so much.

3. Paper or plastic?

Canvas. I am an environmental vigilante. Nothing goes in the landfill, if I can help it. Well. As little as possible. I recycle Christmas wrap. I am that hippie.

4. Invent a roadside attraction you’d like to run (like the World’s Biggest Ball of String).

The world’s most elaborate tree village. Like, think some kind of cross between the realm of the wood elves and an Ewok village. Everything grown out of the treetops, interlinked and magical, and high above the ground. You never said it had to be an achievable goal.

5. Which of your characters is going to Vegas with you and why?

Since Vegas is really not my scene at all, I expect Laurie, from Stained Glass, and his crew, because a) they seem like the type of people to do a group excursion like that, and b) since Laurie is a recovering alcoholic, he wouldn’t mind exploring other aspects of the city off the strip with me.

6. One of your characters is attending a Halloween party. What’s their costume?

Mac, from Still Life dressed as his best, fem, frilly, lacey self. He could go to anyone’s Halloween party, feel like himself, completely comfortable, and not get a lot of strange looks or questions because he’s wearing the shortest, flirtiest skirt in the room.

 

 

Book blurb:

Overcoming past hurts and letting love back in sometimes means reinventing everything about yourself, and sometimes means loving who you already are despite the jagged edges.

Rikki’s past is ugly, painful and full of blood. Simon is getting over a lover who only saw him for his uses, but had no use for his heart. From the outside, they seem like a disaster waiting to happen.

From the moment Simon moves into the same house, they seem to be exactly what the other needs. Except for one small detail. Simon has never been—or wanted to be—the one in charge in the bedroom. And Rikki doesn’t trust himself to keep Simon safe. So when Simon demands independence in all other things, Rikki is sure he’ll have to accept a life of solitude and hold himself inside his cold shell.

Meanwhile, as Simon waits for Rikki to bring the heat, his old lover is still hoping to use him one more time. Rikki is going to have to trust his instincts—and all the deadly skills he’s grown to loathe and fear—to keep his Simon safe.

 

Book buy links:

https://www.pride-publishing.com/book/safe-and-sound

Author bio:

Jaime has been writing for various publishers since the fall of 2008, although she’s been writing for herself far longer. Her Stories about men falling in love are the stories that she loves to read, so it seemed to make sense if she was going to write, they would also be the stories she wrote.

These days, you can find plenty of free reading on her website. She also writes for Various Publishers.

Spare time, when it can be found rolled into a ball at the back of the dryer or cavorting with the dust bunnies in the corners, is spent crocheting, drawing, gardening (weather permitting, of course, since she is Canadian!), or watching movies. She has a day job, as well, which she loves, and two kids, but thankfully, also a wonderful husband who shoulders more than his fair share of household and child-care responsibilities.

She graduated some time ago from college with a fine arts diploma, and a major in textile arts, which basically qualifies her to draw pictures and create things with string and fabric. One always needs an official slip of paper to fall back on after all . . .

 

Website: http://jaime-samms.com

facebook: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100000982219151&ref=tn_tnmn

Twitter:https://twitter.com/#!/JaimeSamms

Deviantart: http://dontkickmycane.deviantart.com/

Amazon Author page: amazon.com/author/jaimesamms

 

One lucky commenter will win an e-copy of the first book in the series, Hotwired Heart, and a print copy of the second book, Finder’s Keepers. Just leave a comment here for a chance to win. Winner will be randomly chosen on Jan 19.

Pat Henshaw spins the wheel today!

 

Interview Roulette questions:

1. What is your favorite appliance?

I can’t decide between the refrigerator and the microwave, but since I love iced tea so much, I’ll have to go with the fridge. Besides the fridge has the extra benefit of the freezer, and I’ve been on a kick of having a cup of ice cream after dinner lately. So, yes, definitely, the answer would be the fridge.

2. What’s your perfect day, time-wise?

I’d get up late by most people’s standards, around 10-ish, stumble around for an hour or so eating a cereal and milk breakfast while thinking about my current writing project, and finally make my way into my office. I’d work there until 1-ish when I’d take a break and go out to lunch for a couple of hours. Returning home, I’d take a nap of an hour or so. Then I’d work on the writing project for a few hours and then have dinner around 7 or 7:30. After dinner, I’d go back to the writing room and finish my day around 11. That’s my perfect day. Oddly, that’s most days for me now that I’ve retired. Sigh.

3. You’ve just met an alien from a planet where there’s no such thing as fiction writing. Explain to him/her/it/them why humans read made-up stories.

Earthlings are curious beings. We want to know not only about our own lives and the lives of those around us but also about the lives of others whom we will never meet in person. We want to know what core qualities make us human and why we act the way we do, all the while knowing that we are all very, very different. While through non-fiction we can learn about others, fiction—made up stories about others—explores our interpretations of the core qualities and helps us make sense of ourselves and others around us. We read fiction in order to understand ourselves.

4. What’s one event in your life or on your travels that you wish you’d caught on film?

My husband and I visited Egypt with a wonderful guide, and I wish I’d been able to catch that tour on film. We toured Cairo, visiting museums, a mosque, a synagogue, and other amazing places. We had dinner with an extended Egyptian family and got to get to know them. We toured down the Nile, stopping at ancient cities and ruins along the way. And we flew to the incredible Abu Simbel where a temple carved into a mountain was moved before the Aswan Dam was built. I took photos, lots of photos, but on film I would be able to remember what the guide said about each place and be able to relive the history overload until I could absorb it properly.

5. In your opinion, what should be the Seven Deadly Sins?

The classic list is Gula (gluttony), Luxuria/Fornicatio (lust, fornication), Avaritia (avarice/greed), Superbia (pride, hubris), Tristitia (sorrow/despair/despondency), Ira (wrath), Vanagloria (vainglory), and Acedia (sloth). I’d keep avarice/greed, pride, wrath, and sloth but also add hypocricy, malevolent hatred, and disloyalty. I’d have to come up with names for them that are as interesting as the classic ones. But that is a chore for another day. (Hmmm, is that sloth in action?)

6. One of your characters has just been arrested and calls you to bail him out. Who is it and what did he get busted for?

Guy Stone and Jimmy Patterson (from What’s in a Name?) were picked up for wildly careening around mountain roads in the Sierra Nevada foothills on their motorcycles. Guy says that they were just letting off a little steam as Jimmy had purchased a building in a nearby resort town to establish his third coffee shop. I’d call my daughter, Becca, who’s an attorney, to advise them on preparing their case. If nothing else, she and I would have a great time hanging out with Guy and Jimmy and trying to get them out of jail.

7. What is your theme song?

“Don’t Talk about Me When I’m Gone” by Arlo Guthrie. It kind of says it all in my case. I’m hoping it and “Closing Time” by Leonard Cohen are played at my memorial service.

 

Book blurb:

When recent horticulture graduate Dr. Fenton Miller arrives in Stone Acres, California, he thinks his only concern is which job offer to accept after spending the holidays working at his cousin’s plant nursery. But after he rents a room from another shorter-than-average man, sous-chef John Barton, Fen falls in lust.

While he’s attracted to Fen, John’s got bigger concerns when two men from his past arrive in town and pressure him to return to San Francisco. Although John tries to stop Fen from getting involved, Fen realizes his lover is in trouble and is determined to protect him.

As the holidays get closer and Fen makes his own enemy, the joy of the season gets lost in the ill will around them. To ensure love triumphs, Fen and John must stand tall to show that short, dark, and handsome is a recipe for love.

Book buy links:

Dreamspinner Press: https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/short-order-by-pat-henshaw-9143-b

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/36603793-short-order?ac=1&from_search=true

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Short-Order-Foothills-Pride-Book-ebook/dp/B077SHHRGG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512002567&sr=8-1&keywords=short+order+by+pat+henshaw

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-Order-Foothills-Pride-Book-ebook/dp/B077SHHRGG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512002912&sr=8-1&keywords=short+order+by+pat+henshaw

Amazon Australia: https://www.amazon.com.au/Short-Order-Foothills-Pride-Book-ebook/dp/B077SHHRGG/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1512002963&sr=8-1&keywords=short+order+by+pat+henshaw

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/short-order

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/short-order-pat-henshaw/1127548169?ean=2940158833687

Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Pat_Henshaw_Short_Order?id=d-E8DwAAQBAJ

Author bio:

Pat Henshaw, author of the Foothills Pride Stories, has spent her life surrounded by words:  Teaching English composition at the junior college level; writing book reviews for newspapers, magazines, and websites; helping students find information as a librarian; and promoting PBS television programs.

Pat was born and raised in Nebraska where she  promptly left the cold and snow after college, living at various times in Texas, Colorado, Northern Virginia, and Northern California.  Pat enjoys travel, having visited Mexico, Canada, Europe, Nicaragua, Thailand, and Egypt, and Europe, including a cruise down the Danube.

Her triumphs are raising two incredible daughters who daily amaze her with their power and compassion.  Fortunately, her incredibly supportive husband keeps her grounded in reality when she threatens to drift away while writing fiction.

 

Author contacts:

Website: http://patbooked.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pat.henshaw.10

Twitter: https://twitter.com/phenshaw

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Pat-Henshaw/e/B00BPDEDEA/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1436131610&sr=8-1

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6998437.Pat_Henshaw

Google+: https://plus.google.com/+PatHenshaw

Email: patoisca@yahoo.com

 

Please join CC Dado at the wheel!

 

1. Which of your characters would you most like to be romantically involved with?

Out of all of my characters Levi from ‘Say it with ink’ is the one I am most drawn to as a character. Hot guys with tattoos and emotional love secrets…. Mmm…

 

2. If you had to live in a movie, TV show, or book, which would you choose and why?

Dazed and Confused. Nights like those are an amazing, and scary rite of passage.

3. What advice would you give your 17-year-old self?

• When someone suggests you get tattoos together just hang up the phone… like seriously, for the love of god, hang up the phone.
• Life choices made drunk in a bar aren’t always bad… just go with it.
• Apply for scholarships or find a semi legal, well-paying side job, cause I’m literally still paying for our education and it sucks.

 

4. The letter E has been made illegal. Write a description of your latest book without running afoul of the law.

L#vi can r#m#mb#r th# #xact mom#nt th# proj#ction of his lif# chang#d #ntir#ly, from hom#l#ss dropout to coll#g# graduat#. It was th# day h# found Jami# Donovan standing on his front porch—th# boy L#vi had s#cr#tly drool#d ov#r from afar would b#com# th# b#st fri#nd h# s#cr#tly drool#d ov#r up clos#.

Wh#n L#vi g#ts a full rid# scholarship but Jami# do#sn’t, Jami# b#com#s an #xotic danc#r to h#lp pay his tuition. Watching Jami# p#rform is pur# tortur# for L#vi, and hiding how h# r#ally f##ls starts to tak# its toll. And wh#n th# hot n#w guy from his #con class hits on him, L#vi has to d#cid# just how long h#’s going to stay d#vot#d to his straight b#st fri#nd.

 

5. If you could instantly learn another language, which would you choose and why?

Swiss-Italian, it is the language spoken in the small village on the border of Sweden and Italy that my ancestors came from.

 

Book blurb:

Levi can remember the exact moment the projection of his life changed entirely, from homeless dropout to college graduate. It was the day he found Jamie Donovan standing on his front porch—the boy Levi had secretly drooled over from afar would become the best friend he secretly drooled over up close.

When Levi gets a full ride scholarship but Jamie doesn’t, Jamie becomes an exotic dancer to help pay his tuition. Watching Jamie perform is pure torture for Levi, and hiding how he really feels starts to take its toll. And when the hot new guy from his Econ class hits on him, Levi has to decide just how long he’s going to stay devoted to his straight best friend.

Book buy links:

https://www.dreamspinnerpress.com/books/cc-dado-528-a

Author bio:

I write about painfully awkward, usually embarrassing, romance because long confident gazes followed by sexy dancing never happens to me. I am a native of the Pacific Northwest, and will probably never leave. I’m like a hypochondriac sundae, with claustrophobic sprinkles, and a big cherry of anxiety on top, so I don’t travel much. I read to relax my mind, so I love getting lost in someone else’s story, even if it is only for a little while.

Author contacts:

• Twitter: @C_C_Dado