I have author, L.J. Longo, visiting with Freeing the Witch, an Editor’s Pick, Fantasy Romance Novel!

Freeing the Witch

L.J. is a queer author, a feminist, and a geek with an MFA in writing Popular Fiction. L.J. has an annoying tendency to ship everyone, disappear if no-one is supervising, and struggles with everything except making up stories.

Welcome, L.J. I’m happy to have you visiting my blog today. Please introduce us to Freeing the Witch.

I’ve written the entire Heart of the Mountain series to prove to my partner and roommate that I can write more than super dark m/m fantasies. So, if they’ve had to listen to me complain for six months about shy people in love, it’s their fault. The challenge was to take an Enemies to Lovers and explore it with genuinely sweet people. Watching this witch and wolf learn to love not just each other but themselves has made this one of my favorite stories (and probably my best to date).

Where did you find your inspiration for the story? Was it a person, a current event, something you witnessed, or something else?

Freeing the Witch: Heart of the Mountain 2, like most of my Evernight stories, originally came out of an anthology call. Evernight was looking for shifter stories and I brainstormed up a whole wolf pack. I ended up not getting in the anthology, but the first story, Hiring the Tiger, was published as a Romance-on-the-go. This opened me up to write the rest of the series and I started thinking about the rest of that shifter pack seriously.

Did you face any obstacles or challenges while writing the story and if so, what were they?

Three big obstacles. 

  1. I’ve never written a sequel or series book, so I wasn’t sure how to balance the amount of telling/world-building. 
  2. Since I got my erotic writing career started as a combination of fanfiction writer and explicit shorts for gay magazines, I have next to no experience in writing about ladies having sex. Writing F/M is a brave new world for me.
  3. Shy people suck at falling in love.

What have you learned from the main characters in your story?

Emaula and Porter are both people who have a lot of anxiety making their own decisions, either because they’ve had stronger personalities making the important calls for them or because they prioritize the happiness of the group over their own. Since I’m a contrary bitch who starts fights for the fun, this was a weird head-space to get into, but one that has helped me grow as a person. After writing these characters, I find myself listening more to my more… beta friends and trying to take their non-verbal cues more often. Unless I want to have my way, then I steamroll them as usual.

How much emphasis do you put on supporting characters to move the plot of your stories along? Have any of your supporting characters ever gotten their own story?

Yeah, this is a problem for me. I’m a huge anime fan, so I’ve gotten really into the idea of big sprawling narratives with total side-tracks into other character’s stories. Much of my process is honing down to just the main story and the main people. But with Heart of the Mountain, I finally get the chance to take each side character and fully explore their role in any situation. It’s been a blast taking a character with two or three scenes in one book and making them into the star of their own show.

Do you write in other genres and if so, what are they? What genres would you like to try that you haven’t already?

Under other pen names, I publish YA. As myself, I recently won honorable mention in the Writier’s Digest Pop Fiction contest for Horror. Someday I’d like to write a full length horror story, but knowing me it will end up being closer to an erotic thriller.

What is your writing process? Are you a patnser or a plotter, or a little of both?

I don’t begin writing a story until I know the end, but I will take notes and organize and outline (which often leads me to the end of the book). Many of my friends in NANOWRIMO and in workshop tell me this makes me a plotter.

However, that outline is stupidly detailed, often involving full written out scenes, dialogue blocks without any action or tagging, and only occasional sections that resemble and outline of plot (usually I follow either the hero’s journey or the five-act structure). Since these “outlines” take me weeks of frenetic work, the pantsers in my writer’s group insists I’m one of them, careening out of control, letting the characters dictate what happens, and relying on revision to make order of the chaos.

So, I believe the technical term for what I am is a planster.

I’m a fervent believer in rewrites and revisions. I rewrite a novel completely at least once during the process, which is a great way to cut out extra material.

What do you do in your down time to feed your soul?

Watch a ton of Anime, take long walks, explore wherever I’m living at the moment (I’ve moved seven times in the past nine years in such exotic locations as Wildwood, New Jersey, Philadelphia, PA, Galway, Ireland, New York, NY, and in January I move to Shanghai, China.)

What’s next on your literary horizon?

Writing the next Heart of the Mountain Book, and hopefully having a new M/M story in the new Evernight Anthology. 

Blurb:

Emaula Whispel thought she’d be happy if she could live outside her mother’s magical stone tower, but when Emaula starts working as a chef at her friend’s trading post, she becomes smitten with Porter, her co-cook. Now Emuala’s magic is obsessed with possessing this quiet, charming wolf, and the budding witch has to fight to control her powers and her lust, to prevent her new friend from becoming her accidental victim.

Porter was created to serve witches by opening doors into their dreams, and he is neither surprised by nor afraid of Emaula’s magic. What startles him is that this powerful witch genuinely seems to care for something as lowly as a wolf. Now all Porter has to do is prove his love for her is not an enchantment, before her mother takes away everything Emaula holds dear.

Excerpt:

Time was strange in the dreams. Minutes could be hours. Hours could pass in seconds.

And somewhere someone was trying to reach him. Someone wanted him and had taken measures to have him. Was is the little girl? The Munawn’s daughter. She’d be all grown-up now and remember him fondly. She must have extraordinary power to reach him.

A light came on under a door, hemming the edges with a low purple light and filling the room with that melancholic tint. The one who had shaved her hair and wore black gemstones that glowed purple. Porter knew her name, but he refused to think it. He wanted nothing to do with them. He had been turned out. He wasn’t allowed to think of them anymore. He didn’t have too.

The door creaked open, and Porter winced. Whether he wanted them or not, one of them was coming through. He didn’t have much choice. Or at least, he wouldn’t when he saw her.

The light poured into the room, flooded it with the scents of spring, vanilla, and lavender and bluebells. Intoxicating, lulling. The smell of a beautiful woman who wanted him. The fragrance of an herb sachet dropped into cold water on a hot day and stirred.

“Oh, Emaula.” Porter hadn’t smelled any magic in the tea he’d sipped as a sign of good faith. Just like him to misread a person and get bespelled. He wished Sock had come down with him. Sock wouldn’t make that mistake.

Porter struggled against the weight of her dream world and lifted himself slowly on one arm. She hadn’t fully opened the door, yet. Was just peering through, shyly.

Emaula was not a woman; she was the moon. The shadows of the world curled around and concealed half her face, leaving only the paleness around her starlight blue eyes and the soft darkness of the purple light.

Now was the time to stop her. To say something mean. To beg her to stop. To remind her of her oath. Or to … to—

Emaula divested the darkness. Unveiled her lovely face. Freed her hair, such a fine pale gold that it shone in this dream world, illuminated her thin pink lips. Porter had forgotten how beautiful the witches could be. How the sight of them stole breath, sanity, free will.

The woman could swear there was no harm in her. How could he be harmed by her? When now all he ever wanted in the world was her.

She met his gaze and smiled timidly. She stepped into the sea of sheets and pillows, delicately moving through the luxurious silks toward his body. The black silk wound around him shimmered under the radiance of her body. His stiff cock suffocated and strained under the sleek material.

The witch would get what she wanted. He had enough experience with witches to know they always did. These women could be cruel. They could be unbelievably kind, as well. And he honestly didn’t know which was worse.

He did know there was no point in defying her. No point in not taking what pleasure he could. No point in being mean to the mistress. Had that been one of The Munawn’s mantras? Or another wolf’s good advice?

Emaula knelt beside him in the bed, her hands modestly on her knees, her eyes big and earnest. “Porter, is this all right?”

He didn’t understand. 

Was she asking permission? No witch did that. Had to be a trick.

He wasn’t sure what she was so embarrassed about, but she was damned cute when she was. She twisted her hands through the sheets as if she had to keep herself from touching him. “Is … is this all right?”

Was it all right? What the hell kind of question was that for a witch to ask a wolf? He wasn’t going to upset her by saying no.

The witch stroked his thigh through the sheet. His cock, already damningly stiff, pulsed at the nearness of her hand. That ought to answer her question.

He didn’t even think he wanted to say no, but how could he know the truth here? When she controlled the world? When just watching her come into the room had reduced him to nothing but a hard cock and the inner monologue of a scared puppy?

“Porter. Will you say something, please?”

Buy Links:

Evernight Publishing

Smashwords 

Amazon

Social Media Links:

Website: Gracefulindecency.com

Facebook: @L.J.Longo713

Twitter: LJLongo

I have Lea Bronsen visiting with her new release, Carnivora #1

Carnivora #1

Hello Lea. Welcome to my blog! What can you tell us about Carnivora #1!

Hi, and thank you for having me on your blog!

I’ve always been fascinated by dark psychological thrillers that mess with your mind and keep you on the edge of your seat. I toyed with the genre writing my debut novel Wild Hearted, but labeled it a crime drama. Its sequel, Carnivora, evolved over six years to become a full-blown hold-your-breath thriller that deals with grave issues such as kidnapping, child sex trafficking, and self-harm.

Telling five parallel stories with as many voices, it gives you the perspectives of a police informant, a hunted gangster, a mad avenger, an inconsolable girlfriend, and a psychotic kidnapper. I pull no punches weaving these stories, so be prepared for a dark, gritty, and graphic read – a little dirty on the erotic side – that I hope will play with your strings and stick with you for a long time.

Please note that this is part 1 of Carnivora and I am currently working on parts 2 and 3, so if those cliffhangers at the end are killing you, be patient. The continuation is right around the corner!

Carnivora #1 teaser

Blurb

Fight evil with evil.

TOMOR

Crime lord Tomor is serving a life sentence behind bars. Without warning, he’s abducted by mysterious men. A sick manhunt is on, with people around him dying like flies. He will need all his street flair and gangster skills to prevent his loved ones from ending up on the death list.

LUZ

Luz grieves the loss of her lover while striving to take care of their baby. The last thing she needs is to fall for the new neighbor.

DAVID

A year after he betrayed his adoptive father and sent him to jail, David is slowly rebuilding his life. Then everything falls apart again: he learns that Tomor has escaped, and his police connections lead him to a child sex trafficking ring involving cold, powerful men.

The cops are in over their heads with “Project Carnivora” … Perhaps the only one who can help bust the pedophile predators is an equally vicious devil: Tomor, the country’s most hunted criminal.

Available from

Books2Read / Amazon.com / Amazon.uk / Barnes & Noble / Kobo / iBooks / Smashwords

Put the book on your to-read shelf on Goodreads

See photos that inspired me to write the book on Pinterest

Lea Bronsen

You can buy my books (including print copies on Amazon) here:

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Print Copies

Print Copies

You can purchase copies (including print copies on Amazon) of all my books at the following:

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Kory Steed @ BookStrand

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Kory Steed @ Apple Books

Kory Steed @ Kobo

Today I have E. D. Parr visiting my blog. She’s sharing an interview with Saxon Dearing and some fun facts on Jon Palmer—the two characters from her new M/M romance, “Like a Thief in the Night.” There’s also a steamy teaser!

Like a Thief in the Night

Welcome E.D. Thank you for visiting my blog today with your heartfelt romance novel, Like a Thief in the Night.

Thank you for hosting my new release gay romance, Like a Thief in the Night.

Gorgeous, businessman, Saxon Dearing buys a pied de terre in the city where he works. Only using the place on three nights, he goes home to his beachside house for the rest of the week. At thirty-two, immersed in his work, he doesn’t know he’s lonely until delicious, twenty-five year old Jon Palmer literally drops into his life during a thunderstorm. 

Artist Jon struggles to sell his paintings from a tiny studio, and works in a city gallery to pay his rent. As the two men fall in love, Jon can’t overcome the idea his lack of success is a barrier to telling handsome, wealthy Saxon how he feels.

When his boss offers him a dangerous way of making money, Jon must make a choice.

Will he risk telling Saxon he loves him or let his lack of confidence lead him astray and away from the man who loves him, too?

Today we welcome, Saxon Dearing one of the heroes

I’ll make this interview fun…

Saxon, If you were a dessert, what would you be? 

(Laughs) A dessert … well I know Jon likes ginger cookies, but that’s not really a dessert, huh? Okay I know, lemon meringue pie, yeah.

What do you do when you need to blow off steam? 

If I’m in the city I go to the gym and beat the crap out of a punch bag. If I’m at the beach house, I run on the beach, although I do keep to the wet sand and I like to wear my iPod

What do you look for in a man?

Nothing now I’ve met Jon. He’s perfect for me. I love him. He’s intelligent, creative, good-looking, sexy, sweet … I could go on all day about him.

What is in your refrigerator right now? 

In the city, steak, lettuce, cherry tomatoes … a half pack of beer, what else … a red pepper. There’s not that much because Jon and I are going up to the beach house tonight.

What’s on your bedroom floor?

In the city, my old baseball bat, that’s under the bed.

What do you wear in bed?

Depends what I’m doing (smiles) so it ranges from a t-shirt and boxers to nothing … (smiles again) mostly nothing now

Light on or off?

Either, both

Chocolate or vanilla?

Is that for licking off Jon’s abs? Has to be chocolate. 

What’s your biggest fear?

Oh, well, I have to think about that for a second. I could say spiders or losing on the stock market but truth is it’s losing Jon’s love. It would break my heart.

What is your most treasured possession?

After the last question … Jon’s not my possession but I treasure him. If it has to be a possession, then it’s a drawing Jon gave me … he’s an artist.

What’s your favorite outfit?

I have some old faded levis and beaten up leather boots that I rely on when I’m not in suits. I usually throw on a t-shirt and my battered leather jacket over the top. I have to wear suits for work. I like my black one best.

What do you like to see Jon dressed in?

Anything he likes, (his eyes mist a little) although I do like him in the tux he wore for our wedding, and in his ripped jeans, because there’s a frayed bit high on his thigh…

Do you have a favorite music track?

My taste and surprisingly Jon’s too, is eclectic. We’re listening to old Coldplay stuff right now … love them.

Tell the readers something you’ve never told anyone before.

(Grins) What? You mean spill a secret? You do. (Takes a deep breath) I have nothing for you, nope not a thing…

We’ll make that the last question. Thanks for visiting. Where are you off to next?

(Smiles) You know that’s another question, right?

We have a story teaser for you from, Like a Thief in the Night

Jon struggled into a sitting position. “What time is it?”

Saxon shook his head. “I don’t know, but maybe nine or ten.” Saxon sat up.

“Hell, not ten please.” Jon leaped from the bed and dashed to his backpack where he snatched a smartphone from the front zipper pocket. He ran his hand through his sleep-ruffled hair. It stood on end at the front. He cast a glance at Saxon. “It’s nine. I start at nine-thirty. I’m sorry, I have to dash.”

“It’s okay. Will I make you a coffee while you dress?” 

“Thanks for thinking of me, but I’ll make a cup at the gallery.” He ran into the bathroom and came out moments later in the jeans and sweater Saxon had seen him wearing the night before. He dropped a pair of boots to the floor and zipped up his fly as he pushed bare feet into them.

Saxon gazed at the spectacle. He got out of bed and walked rapidly to the kitchen remembering Jon’s jacket was draped over the back of a chair. He brought it to Jon.

Jon rewarded him with a smile. “Thank you. Is it okay to leave my pajamas in the bathroom?” He slipped his jacket on and grabbed up his backpack. 

To Saxon’s surprise and delight, Jon kissed him by the side of his mouth.

“See you tonight. Thank you so much.” He strode to the door, opened it, and left.

Saxon went to the bathroom and picked up Jon’s pajamas. He hung them from a hook on the door and dragged on his robe from the other hook. Jon’s socks lay in a damp bunch on the floor next to the shelf housing towels. His boots must leak. Concern furrowed his brow. He put the socks in the laundry hamper. They can go in the wash. I’ll get coffee first. I’ve missed early trading. Perhaps it doesn’t matter this once. Saxon hummed as he heaped coffee grains into the filter. An unfamiliar deep happiness bubbled in him.

Copyright E. D. Parr 2019, Evernight Publishing

Seven things about character Jon Palmer from new release gay romance, Like a Thief in the Night.

  1. He wears an Armani jacket for work.
  2. He prefers to wear ripped jeans and a t-shirt
  3. He’s used to heights since he’s had to scale the roof of an apartment block all summer
  4. He likes hot chocolate before bed
  5. He owns a pair of blue rubber toe post sandals
  6. He has a tiny art studio in a beach suburb
  7. Circumstances force him to quit his city job

Like a Thief in the Night 

Gorgeous, businessman, Saxon Dearing buys a pied de terre in the city where he works. Only using the place on three nights, he goes home to his beachside house for the rest of the week. At thirty-two, immersed in his work, he doesn’t know he’s lonely until delicious, twenty-five year old Jon Palmer literally drops into his life during a thunderstorm. 

Artist Jon struggles to sell his paintings from a tiny studio, and works in a city gallery to pay his rent. As the two men fall in love, Jon can’t overcome the idea his lack of success is a barrier to telling handsome, wealthy Saxon how he feels.

When his boss offers him a dangerous way of making money, Jon must make a choice.

Will he risk telling Saxon he loves him or let his lack of confidence lead him astray and away from the man who loves him, too?

Read a teaser:

Be Warned: M/M SEX +18 Readers Only!

The invitation to kiss lured Jon in a second. The delicious feel of his lover’s lips mingled with the emotion that swished in his stomach. He clung to Saxon, sharing heated kiss after kiss until his heart raced. He drew away trying to cool the moment.

Saxon traced a finger along Jon’s cheek to his jaw. It left delectable sensation in its wake.

Jon took a deep breath. He returned to sitting in the shelter of Saxon’s arm and stared at the screen where the movie played on.

Moments passed before Saxon spoke softly.

“I know you go home Saturday after work, but can I see you tomorrow night? Will you come to the beach house? I know it’s clingy, maybe even surprising, but I feel like I don’t want to let you out of my sight.”

The sentiment sent a wave of warmth into Jon’s heart. If only things were different, we’d fall in love. I already feel safe with him. I want to love him and have him love me. He won’t love a felon. Jon sighed.

Saxon must have mistaken the sigh for a refusal. “You probably have plans, of course.”

Jon hurried to correct the idea. “No. I’d love to see you, Saxon.”

“Where’s your phone? I’ll put my address and both my numbers in your contacts.”

Jon couldn’t help smiling. He likes me a lot, for sure. He stood and went to his jacket. He brought his smartphone back to the couch and sat beside Saxon. “Here you go.”

Saxon bent his head to key in the information.

Just watching him gave Jon a soft glow of affection for the man. When Saxon gave him the phone, Jon held onto his hand. “Do you want my number?”

“Naturally. I’ll fetch my phone from my desk.” He slipped his hand from Jon’s grasp, his fingers sliding along Jon’s.

The feeling translated into pure sex for Jon. When Saxon returned to the couch with his phone, Jon traced the shape of his lover’s toned muscles in the t-shirt stretched across his chest with a hungry gaze. Desire gripped Jon and he muffled a sigh. He longed to feel Saxon’s skin beneath his palms. He ached to press against Saxon’s hard body.

Saxon held out his phone.

Jon keyed his number into Saxon’s contacts and slipped the phone next to his own on the adjacent cushion. He turned to Saxon sitting beside him and ran his hand around Saxon’s waist. He leaned to kiss Saxon’s ear and neck.

Saxon shifted his head and found Jon’s mouth. Kissing him and smiling, he murmured, “I might not be able to stop at kisses.”

A smile crept onto Jon’s lips as he recognized his own phrase. He pulled Saxon’s t-shirt up and over his head. “Sounds perfect.” He drifted his fingers in circles over Saxon’s chest as he kissed his lover. An aura of sex fell over him as he opened Saxon’s pants and trailed his fingertips over the shape of Saxon’s cock, rock hard, the tip reaching to the top of his boxers. A low moan escaped him as he touched his tongue to Saxon’s. He pushed his hand into Saxon’s underwear and grasped his lover’s dick.

Saxon barely broke the kiss to murmur. “Let’s get naked. I need to feel your body clasped to mine.”

Jon didn’t need asking again. He stood and pulled off his sweater. He levered off his boots and dragged off his jeans and underwear in one move. His heart pounded. His eyelids felt heavy with lust as he turned to Saxon and saw him naked, his clothes lying on the floor around him.

Jon grabbed him close. He crushed Saxon to him, the feel of his lover’s hard cock pressed on his own sent tingles through every part of his body. He rocked his hips so that their dicks rubbed together. He grasped Saxon’s ass and kissed his mouth hard. His balls tightened and desperation made his stomach clench as he felt the first stirring of orgasm. “Fuck, Saxon, you drive me nuts. I need to come so bad I feel like begging.”


Buy the Book

Save on new release special discount price Evernight Publishing only

https://www.evernightpublishing.com/like-a-thief-in-the-night-by-e-d-parr/

Amazon

http://mybook.to/LikeAThiefInTheNight

SOON available on

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NOOK

Siren Bookstrand

Find the author

https://parrx.blogspot.com/
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East Coast Author Convention

Kory Steed ~ Official Author 2019
ECAC

ATTENTION BOOK LOVERS!

I will be signing books at #ECAC19, a 70 Author Book Fair on October 5, 2019 and you’re invited!
Tickets are only $10 and anyone can attend!
Shop autographed books, meet some of the hottest romance authors on the book scene, get pictures, and win prizes! First 300 guests get a gift bag!
The Sheraton Bucks County Hotel400 Oxford Valley Rd.Langhorne, PA 19047

Book Fair

12:00-4:00pmSaturday, October 5, 2019Grab your tickets here >>> http://bit.ly/BookFair_ECAC19_Tickets

Want to come to the After Party?

Join authors and readers on the Red Carpet for a Masquerade Ball later that night! Get your picture on the red carpet with your favorite book celebrities and join us for desserts, dancing, and cash bar cocktails! Must be 21 to attend. Alice and Wonderland theme, and don’t forget your mask!
Masquerade tickets include EARLY VIP admission into the Book Fair so you can skip the lines and upgrade your gift bag to include some extra special VIP swag!

VIP Book Fair Admission:

11:00amMasquerade Ball: 7:30 (Red Carpet)-11:00pmSheraton Bucks County Hotel **GREAT DATE NIGHT!**VIP Tickets Here >>> http://bit.ly/ECAC19_VIP_Ticket

Buy links for Love My Children First

Love My Children First Reader

If you’re interested in purchasing a copy of my latest M/M novel release, Love My Children First, it can be found at the following retailers:

Buy Links:

Amazon US – https://www.amazon.com/Love-Children-First-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B079Q89K9V/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon UK – https://www.amazon.co.uk/Love-Children-First-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B079Q89K9V/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8

Amazon CA – https://www.amazon.ca/Love-Children-First-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B079Q89K9V/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1518981716&sr=1-1

Evernight Publishing – http://www.evernightpublishing.com/love-my-children-first-by-kory-steed/

Smashwords – https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/787970

Bookstrand – http://www.bookstrand.com/love-my-children-first-mm

Barnes & Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-my-children-first-kory-steed/1127923729?ean=2940155121206

iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/love-my-children-first/id1345004529?mt=11

Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-my-children-first

 

Want to read an excerpt from the novel? Click on the image below!

 

Love My Children First is a TOP 100 SELLER on BookStrand!

I’ve just learned Love My Children First is a TOP 100 SELLER on BookStrand!

http://www.bookstrand.com/bestsellers

Love My Children First – 82 on Bookstrand Bestseller List 2-20-18

It’s also a top 30 M/M Bestseller!

Love My Children First – 30 on Bookstrand Bestseller MM List 2-20-18

Two of my other titles are also Best Sellers!

Kory Steed Bookstrand Bestseller Book Titles 2-20-18

From Lightning to Love – http://www.bookstrand.com/from-lightning-to-love-mm

When Lightning Strikes Twice – http://www.bookstrand.com/when-lightning-strikes-twice-mm