Crossing Nuwa: Escape by Sean Ian O'Meidhir & Connal Braginsky - Blog Tour with Author's Guest Post and Excerpt

Crossing Nuwa: Escape

Sean Ian O'Meidhir & Connal Braginsky

MM Urban Fantasy, Paranormal / Rescue, Innocence/Discovery, First Love

Release Date: 07.09.19

Cover Designer - Jay Aheer https://www.simplydefinedart.com

Blurb

For sheltered Robbie, one week of freedom leads to sexual awakening and adventure… but when his world intersects with Theo’s, they’ll need all their wits and Theo’s magic to fight for their future.

Rare male weresnake Robbie has had his whole life decided for him down to his meals. But when the time comes for him to perform an unspeakable duty to his clan, he runs.

San Francisco Pride is in full swing when technomage Theo spots a scared-looking young man with brilliant emerald eyes. He’s only looking for a hookup, but before he knows why, he’s taking Robbie home and introducing him to champagne and enchiladas. He doesn’t have any intention of falling in love.

Robbie doesn’t want to return to his clan, at least not without trying to fit a lifetime of experiences into a week, but every day he stays puts Theo in more danger.

Buy Link: http://bit.ly/CrossingNuwaEscape

Excerpt 

“Reality started to sink back in, and I was standing under the water, trying desperately to have the boiling spray chase away my ruminations from the previous night on the run. I don’t know how long I had been in there when a stir of air tickled across my back, alerting me that I wasn’t alone. I spun around to see him standing there. Naked! He was incredibly tall (which is saying something considering I’m six foot two and felt dwarfed), with his broad shoulders and a thick furry chest, bristly goatee, and the bright curly electric-blue hair that somehow shone in the fluorescents of the bathroom in a way that it hadn’t under the sun. His dark skin tone also shone differently with the indoor lighting, which seemed to illuminate the differences between us with my much paler skin. My eyes drifted down over his soft chubby belly to his manhood, which was sticking straight out at me! The burn of shame flowed over my entire head and shoulders as I almost lost my balance turning my immediate arousal away from him.

“Man, I hope you’re a bottom.” He exhaled as his huge arms encircled me. “I’ve never been wrong before.” His breath, warm against my ear, sent a cascade of goose bumps down my side.

My brain practically short-circuited. I was no longer thinking about Mother and my aunt chasing me. I was no longer worrying about where I was going to go or what I was going to do. The only thing I could focus on was the soft comforting pillow of his belly against my back coupled with the enticing hard pressure that slid against my rear and made my breath catch for reasons I couldn’t begin to process. I had never experienced anything like it in my life and was suddenly bombarded by too many emotions I couldn’t identify, had never experienced. Above all of them was exhilaration as every nerve felt electrified, alive. And then his hands were everywhere. He was holding… soap? The small knobbed bar of hotel soap slid across my chest and flat belly… lower, encircling me with a few gentle strokes that sparked sensations throughout my entire body, then back up over my shoulders, kneading gently but firmly.

On Plus Sized MC (and why Theo is not just a token…)

• by Sean Ian O’Meidhir

Bears. Chubs. Superchubs. BBW. BHM. Girth and Mirth…. So many terms, so little time.  It is common knowledge that in gay culture being Plus Sized is often frowned upon. Books such as Whitesel’s Fat Gay Men: Girth, Mirth, and the Politics of Stigma strive to shine a light on this and countless LGBT groups have worked hard to raise awareness about eating disorders and other mental health issues in the community.  The old adage that you are your own worst enemy is pretty spot on, but it’s also surprising how in-group cattiness and rejection is also so prevalent.  

But this perpetuation of gay men needing the perfect body is also so very apparent in the MM writer’s community.   Both Amazon and Google searches of MM novel covers showed quite an abundance of the classic “perfection, and a dearth of huge handsome men gracing the covers.  Don’t believe me… you try.  

Authors of MM romance, erotica, urban fantasy and more talk about hard bodies, ripped muscles, the perfect gym bodies.  And Connal and I are just as guilty. Yet… big guys find love all the time. Having fallen into one of the above-mentioned categories since I was about 10 years old and coming from a large-sized family, I realized that pretty early that I was a rebel.  As with many differences (both in myself and others) I embraced being bigger and always sought out partners who were same. Unapologetically, I enjoy my meals and cringe when friends use terms such as “being good,” “bad,” or “naughty” when talking about food.  To me, it’s all good.  

And I’m not alone.  According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 72% of adults over 20 years of age in 2015-16 were overweight with almost 40% meeting criteria for obesity.  And according to 2017 Gallup polls, approximately 10% of LGBT adults in the United States are married to same-sex partners. This suggests that at least some of the big guys are finding love.  And these aren’t the guys who are in supporting class-clown roles.  No, they’re finding their partners, falling in love, and embarking on journeys together.

That said, we really wanted our debut novel, Escape: Crossing Nuwa (book 1) to highlight this rather common phenomena.  Theo, one of the main characters, is not just a big cuddly bear cub chub, but Polynesian as well.  This is not a story of a man who is constantly on a diet or hating himself because of his body. Indeed, it’s the story of a Plus sized hero who sets out to rescue a guy who very obviously needs his help.  He’s smart, resourceful, powerful, kind, and funny. Everything you could want in a future partner. Not just a token funny guy to be forgotten. Indeed, Theo is here to stay (at least through the next few novels).  Body positive and strong, as I hope all readers are.  

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

Sean is a shrink who by day spends time in jails and prisons (evaluating criminals) and by night writes romantic fiction. Sean and partner live in San Francisco ruled by their three cats and can often be found trying new restaurants. With the understanding that they live in Heaven, Sean adores spending time sitting near the water with a laptop in hand, gazing at the bay and making daydreams a reality for others to enjoy. To read more about Sean's adventures, please visit www.dreamersworkshop.com.

Connal Braginsky is a tech nerd that has taken a leap of faith and took a chance on writing. Born to Russian immigrants, he came out as gay at 19, and was recently diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (Asperger's Syndrome).

He loves to read, and learn about Technology, Esoteric subjects and considers himself a transhumanist (the Russian Cosmism variety). His other pastimes revolve around philosophy which includes Panpsychism, Process Philosophy, Taoism, Buddhism and Gnosticism. He is also interested in various scientific fields, including Quantum Physics, Quantum Biology, Neurology, Psychology, and Sociology.

Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SeanOMeidhir/

Facebook group https://www.facebook.com/groups/439462953480874/?ref=share

Website http://www.dreamersworkshop.com/

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/19211564.Sean_Ian_O_Meidhir

Twitter https://twitter.com/SeanIanOMeidhir

Newsletter http://www.dreamersworkshop.com/newsletter/

Connal’s Blog: http://dreamersrefuge.com/blog/

Blood For The Spilling by TJ Nichols - Blog Tour with Excerpt and Giveaway

DSP Publications author TJ Nichols has a new MM paranormal book out in the Warlock in Training series: Blood for the Spilling.


Sheets of ice are spreading across the human world, ushering in an ice age as the magic drained from Demonside turns that world into a desert. Angus and reluctant warlock Terrance have defected from Vinland to the Mayan Empire—a land of dark and potent magic. But the Mayans aren’t offering sanctuary for free.


Nor is the world willing to stand back as Vinland attacks, and the backlash will affect all magic users.

Mage Saka has no tribe. He is now just another refugee fleeing the dying Demonside. He knows the conflict brewing now will be worse than the first demon war. Countries are banding together—not just against Vinland, but against all magic. Where will the powerful Mayan Empire stand?


Angus might have the power to fight Vinland and the Warlock College, but the cost will be terrible. Saka is torn between helping Angus and stopping him. And Terrance would do anything for Angus, but he’s terrified of the man Angus is becoming, even as Saka is warming to the idea of a relationship between the three of them.


No matter what choice they make, victory will be bittersweet, and when the ash settles and the snow melts, nothing will be the same.



DSP Publications | Amazon | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | iBooks | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

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Giveaway

TJ is giving away a $10 DSP Publications gift card with this post – enter via Rafflecopter.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d4743/?

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Excerpt


Angus had been returned to his apartment and ignored for the last few days. Was Cadmael hoping the isolation would make him more compliant?

The air hummed with insect life as though nothing were wrong with the world, but the sky was an odd, sickly green. Angus had been watching from his balcony as the sun set. He had nothing more pressing to do with his time, and he’d yet to work out how to escape from his tower prison.

Not that anyone called it that.

The magic dampeners were featherlight on his skin, not like the ones in Vinland, and he was tempted to experiment to see what would happen if he did some magic. Would alarms go off? Would he get a visit from Cadmael?

He was in no rush to see the priest.

He ran his finger along the balcony railing. Terrance was out there somewhere, Saka was unreachable, and every breath hurt. He’d lost the people he cared most about. What was the point? What exactly was he fighting for?

He didn’t give a shit about the correct use of magic, but he believed everything should be kept in balance. He didn’t really care who was in power in Vinland as long as they weren’t screwing it up for everyone else.

Maybe he was just fighting for himself and the right to live his life the way he wanted. In that case, he was doing a shit job of that too.

Suddenly the hairs on his arms drew tight and the temperature dropped.

He lifted his gaze to the green, boiling sky as a flash tore across. He shielded his eyes with his hand, and the familiar feel of magic tingled across his skin as though he were raising power. It had been so long that he gathered it to him just to feel the rush. The scar on his chest warmed and then burned.

Then the breath was taken from his lungs.

His back hit the glass door, and the building shook as though the magic-laced air were trying to pulverize him.

Panic made him throw up a circle in defense, but it wasn’t enough. Sirens and alarms were going off. Then as quickly as it had hit, the wave of magic started to recede and drag everything with it. The magic Angus had pulled to himself wanted to flow out of his body.

That was not a good thing.

Nails scratched the inside of his veins trying to tear all magic from him. It hurt worse than Demonside slowly draining him, but the result would be the same. He resisted and used everything he had to keep the magic within him. When his body wasn’t strong enough anymore, he reached out to the building, to the magical dampeners and the wiring beyond. Light bulbs hissed and cracked, and the building shook as though it were being ripped in two.

His teeth were going to be pulled from his head, and his nail beds ached, but if he let go, even for a breath, he was dead.

Whatever was happening was trying to kill him by taking the magic that was part of him. He hadn’t survived for this long to be taken out by some kind of storm. He pressed his nails into his palm deeply enough to cut. Drawing blood didn’t bother him anymore. His own had been spilled so often. He peeled himself off the door long enough to run his palm and his blood over the railing to create another line of defense.

The dragging sensation faded. The building still quaked, and other buildings did too. It was as though the ground were trembling.

Was there a spell in the storm to harvest magic?

His breath came in hard pants, and he was on his knees by the time everything went still and the sky brightened to pink. Alarms echoed across Uxmal, and his apartment was ringing as the dampener screeched its warning.

His head was ready to split open, and red stained the front of his shirt. He peeled it away from his skin to see that the mark Saka had carved into him had been torn open as though the wound were fresh.

Around him, the metal and stone glowed as though lit from within. He should go inside, but it was too noisy in there. He’d be better off trying to heal himself outside. Something hot and sticky hit his lip. He wiped it away with the back of his hand, not surprised to see more blood staining his skin.

He lay down on the warm, glowing patio to rest.

That he was alive seemed amazing, but if that storm happened again tonight, he would be fucked.

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Writing Influences

Authors often get asked what books have influenced their work. Honestly, I couldn’t tell you because I read so much and so widely that it could be anything.

But I do know what my favorite books are.

Here are a few of them in no particular order

:

The Deverry series by Katherine Kerr. There has a huge amount of world building, multiple past lives and karma interacting with the present day thread and a hero who is a hot half elf (also a disgraced son of a lord and a mercenary—also my first literary crush.) And there’s magic. If you haven’t read this series you should. I would really like to do a reread because its been a while. Book 1 is Daggerspell.

Dresden Files by Jim Butcher. In the early books there was a lot of potion mixing which I really enjoyed. I like the way Harry always has two bad choices and he always ends up resolving the issue but personally ending up in more trouble.

This year I read the Magpie Lord series by KJ Charles. Historical paranormal romance is very much my thing, world building on two levels. I think there should be more of it. It should be the next big thing. Of all the books though I loved Jackdaw the most.

Aaron Falk by Jane Harper. This is an Australian set crime series (2 books at the moment). But I really love the twists and turns. There’s just enough police stuff and plenty of people drama.

Housemates series by Jay Northcoat. I don’t read a whole lot of contemporary romance, but I glommed these books up. I don’t know why. But they were fun and I liked the way previous character got to stick their head in and say hi. These books are really focused on the characters and their issues.

There’s a few of the fiction things I like to read. I also read nonfiction I like military biographies and books about history. In that vein I totally recommend Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed by Jared Diamond and also The Crossroad by Mark Donaldson, VC.

My reading list is always a bit eclectic. But I believe in reading widely and feeding by imagination a very varied diet.

Author Bio



TJ Nichols is an avid runner and martial arts enthusiast who first started writing as child. Many years later while working as a civil designer, TJ decided to pick up a pen and start writing again. Having grown up reading thrillers and fantasy novels, it’s no surprise that mixing danger and magic comes so easily. Writing urban fantasy allows TJ to bring magic to the every day.


With two cats acting as supervisors, TJ has gone from designing roads to building worlds and wouldn’t have it any other way. After traveling all over the world and Australia, TJ now lives in Perth, Western Australia.


Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/cO-YRz
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/TJNichols
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Author Website: http://tjnichols-author.blogspot.com
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Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/TJ-Nichols/e/B01B463R6W/

Euphoria by Jayne Lockwood - Blog Tour with Exclusive Excerpt and Giveaway

Jayne Lockwood has a new queer sci fi book out:


It might take the arrival of an alien being to remind an isolated man what it means to be human.


With a stressful job, his boss breathing down his neck for profitable results, and an estranged wife and daughter, scientist Kurt Lomax doesn’t think life can get much harder. Until a nonbinary extraterrestrial with an otherworldly beauty, captivating elegance, and a wicked sense of humor inconveniently shows up at his apartment.


Vardam watched the destruction of their own world, and they don’t want to see the same thing happen on Earth. They are lonely, and feelings soon develop between them and the supposedly straight scientist—feelings Kurt reciprocates, much to his confusion.


The arrival of cheery interpreter Tom Soames—whose Goth appearance belies a gentle heart—is like a ray of sunshine in the somber lab. He acts as matchmaker for man and tentacled extraterrestrial, unwittingly instigating a national crisis when the news breaks out.


But will a misunderstanding ruin Kurt and Vardam’s chances for happiness together—along with the hope for peace between humanity and the Var?



DSP Publications | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon Canada | Barnes & Noble | Kobo | QueeRomance Ink | Goodreads

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Giveaway

Jayne is giving away a $10 Amazon gift card with this tour – enter via Rafflecopter for a chance to win.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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Excerpt


Three hours later, they were still none the wiser.


“Any joy with communications?”


Nic shook her head. “None. They don’t seem to respond to any spoken language. I’ve tried binary code, sonar, whale music, radio waves. Not a flicker. I’m not sure how well they can see or hear. They won’t let me near enough to do any examinations. They just keep staring at me like I’m the one who isn’t getting it. It’s really frustrating.”


When Kurt looked again, Vardam was there. With a graceful tilt of the head, they watched him as he approached the glass.


“What about the forensics on that note?”


“Just got them,” Troy said, looking up from his computer. “The note was written with an old-style Bic ballpoint pen by a human female….”


“Human? Are you sure?”


“I can’t argue with the evidence. There was a trace of fingerprint on the paper but nothing I can analyze. The paper looks like any A4 copy from a twentiethcentury printer or photocopier. The only thing is, I think it might have been written by someone in distress. The handwriting is very jerky, like they weren’t sure what to write and then just dashed it down. But….” Troy shrugged his wide shoulders. “That last bit’s a hunch. Could be totally wrong. Still waiting on the DNA.”


“Thanks, Troy. Let me know as soon as you get it.”


He turned back to where Vardam was standing, staring at him with those unnerving gemstone eyes.

“Who are you?”


Vardam raised their hand, running the back of it down the glass close to Kurt’s face. He jerked away. It was too close for comfort, even with three inches of glass between them. Vardam backed away as well, as if alarmed by his sudden movement. For reasons he didn’t understand, he was irritated beyond measure by their wounded expression.


“Talk to me, damn it! What do you want with me?” He smacked his hand against the glass. The sharp slap shocked Vardam into stepping back. They bared gold teeth at him and made a gesture that looked almost obscene. Then they dropped into a crouch. Immediately, a smooth iridescent shell closed over their hunched body, covering it completely.


Kurt and Nic exchanged glances, then looked back at the pod. It was completely smooth, devoid of any seams or openings. Every few seconds it quivered. Kurt could almost feel the waves of disapproval emanating from the gleamingsurface.


“Well, that’s new,” Nic said. “Get some rest. I’ll babysit until ten. Troy will take the graveyard shift.”

Kurt tore his angry gaze away from the strange pod. The way it hunched reproachfully in the corner didn’t improve his mood one bit. He knew he was more than tired. He felt emotionally and physically drained and couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten a proper meal. Not that he was hungry. He just wanted sleep.


In his apartment, he lay naked in his wide bed. He was thinking about his continued feud with James Dyer. The issue dangled over his career like a sword of Damocles but all he could see was the beautiful creature. Those eyes, staring into his ragged soul. What did they want?


The telephone by his bed rang, waking him from an unnerving dream. Glancing at the clock, he saw it was 6:15. The last eight hours had passed frighteningly quickly.


“Hello?” His voice sounded faded.


“Sorry to wake you, Professor, but I’ve got the DNA results back. You need to see them.”


“I’ll be right down.”


He stumbled out of bed and into the shower. Twenty minutes later he was down in the lab, a fresh white coat over his shirt and tie.


In the isolation room, Vardam had emerged from their shell. The melon had been eaten, apart from the rinds, neatly scalloped with teeth marks.


“What’s happening?”


“It was just as I thought it would be. There’s human DNA on that note. Female. I took the liberty of cross-checking it against the National DNA Database and found a match. Whoever wrote this note is related to you. Not just distantly, but directly of your bloodline.”


Kurt looked closer at the screen. It was policy to hold the medical details of everyone at the Bunker, including himself. Even so, he wondered why he wasn’t more surprised.


It was impossible but saying so would have been redundant. The evidence was right there in front of him. He walked over to the glass and beckoned to Vardam. They gave him a withering look and turned away, presenting a bony back to the window.


“I think we’re going to have to use the softly-softly approach,” Troy said. “They’re not going to tell us anything until they’re ready. And I’ve got another hunch. I think they’re using BSL.”


“British Sign Language?” Kurt was skeptical.


“I know it sounds weird, but there’s a guy who works at Tesco in Wycombe. He uses it with some of the customers. It looks the same. It’s worth a try, isn’t it?” Troy prodded buttons on his iPad. The official website came up with a finger-spelling option. “Not all words have signs, obviously, so each letter has a sign, right?”


“I know the principles of sign language,” Kurt said irritably. The alien was an inconvenience, however beautiful they were.


“You write in your name, and the finger shapes come up.” Troy typed rapidly. Kurt’s surname appeared on the screen in sign.


Troy gently tapped on the glass. “Hello?”


Vardam turned around, saw it was Troy, and ambled over. Troy showed them the diagrams on the iPad screen. The alien nodded, repeated the signs, and pointed at Kurt. Then it signed, “I am….”


“I can’t tell what they’re saying,” Troy said. “They’re too fast. Hang on.” He typed again. “I’ve found a YouTube video for learning phrases. Ah! This one is easy.” He put the iPad down and signed, making a sad face, swirling his fist on his stomach, then raising both hands over his head, shaking it at the same time.


“What are you doing?”


“Telling him I don’t understand. It’s ‘way over my head.’ Get it?”


Vardam seemed to. They signed “okay,” then turned to Kurt and made another gesture, flattening one hand and punching up into it with the other.


“My instincts are telling me that isn’t good,” Troy said. “Looks like we need to find ourselves a sign language expert.”


“We can’t bring anyone else in at the moment. Certainly not in a professional capacity. The government will be all over us before we know it.” As Kurt said it, the seed of an idea was forming in his mind. “Where did you say that BSL user worked again?”

EUPHORIA BLOG TOUR – Exclusive Excerpt

By Jayne Lockwood

Hi everyone, and very many thanks for letting me take over your blog for this post. My new novel, Euphoria, has just been released by DSP Publications. The story is about what happens when one alien being decides to travel back in time to save Earth from human destruction.

Here’s an excerpt from the book. Previously, Vardam had requested to intervene in Wingnut (Room 17’s) treatment and had been refused. They decide it is time to show what they can really do, and uses their advantage to make a few requests. It’s safe to say that Kurt isn’t happy…

Var beckoned to Tom and took his injured hand, then began to remove the dressing. “Tom trust Vardam.” It was a statement, not a question.

Tom watched nervously as his raw knuckles came into view. He winced as the stained sterile pad was peeled away. The cuts still looked a mess, for all of Nic’s expert treatment.

Vardam dipped a slender finger into the liquid in the agar plate. As they moved to smear the substance over the wound, Tom jerked away.

“Hang on a minute. What’s it going to do?”

“Help Tom heal.” Vardam grasped Tom’s wrist and pulled his hand firmly back, stroking a fluid-covered fingertip over the wound. Tom cringed, then relaxed.

“Ooh,” he said, as the most amazing warmth wrapped around him.

 “What’s happening? How does it feel?” Nic asked. She avidly watched his hand as if expecting something to happen.

“Ooh, it feels… weird. Like, my whole body is floating!” Tom sighed. “Wow, that’s….”

“Awesome,” Vardam said, flashing a golden grin.

Tom nodded, then looked disappointed. “Oh, it’s gone. What the hell is that stuff, and please can I have some more?” He flexed his fingers. His knuckles were covered in small, shimmering scales that changed color as he moved. He looked up at Vardam. “Is that… going to stay like that?”

“Yes.” Vardam inspected the healed wound. “Not change. Tom part Var now.”

Kurt grabbed Tom’s hand and ran his thumb over the smooth, unblemished knuckles.

“How is that possible?”

Tom was grinning widely. “That’s so cool. I’m like the fucking Terminator! Is this….?”

“Yes. Protect from heat, blunt force trauma.”

“Yeah?”

“But not human part. Just this.” Vardam circled the patch with their finger.

Kurt seemed to realize he still held Tom’s hand. He dropped it rapidly.

“What happens if humans have too much?” Nic asked. “Tom looked like he was tripping for a moment.”

“Felt like it too,” Tom agreed. “I’d have some more though.”

“Is it addictive?” Kurt asked.

“No. Vardanium good product. No human side effects.”

Tom was showing his hand, stretching the fingers, bunching the knuckles, admiring their metallic skin. He was grinning widely, saying it was “awesome” again.

“I think, based on what we’ve just witnessed, it’s worth a shot trying it in the other volunteers,” Nic said carefully.

After a long pause, Kurt nodded. “I admit I’m curious, but this stuff isn’t any good to us if we can’t reproduce it. It’s a party trick. That’s all.”

Tom was watching Vardam’s face. The Var had obviously been expecting a different response. They shimmered with indignation.

“Are all humans as foolish as you?”

Kurt whipped round to face them. “Unless you can confirm otherwise, you’re the only Var on this planet. How much Vardanium can you produce? Enough to save the whole damned world? That’s nine billion people, Vardam. Nine billion. Let that sink in for a moment.”

“If Var people have safe haven on Earth, Vardam is willing to trade.”

“Jesus Christ.” Kurt cast his gaze to the ceiling. “I can’t guarantee that! No one can. You don’t know how things work here.”

“Vardam fast learner.”

Kurt compressed his lips, thinking. “Nic, do a full analysis on this….”

“Vardanium,” Vardam said helpfully.

“See if there’s any way we can reproduce it.”

Nic looked doubtful. “We did some analysis already. Only 1 percent of its composition is available on Earth. The rest is unrecognizable.”

The Var seemed to sense their advantage. “Vardam have one more request.”

“What is it?” Kurt crackled with irritation.

“Vardam bed too small. Vardam live in apartment. Like humans.”

“What? We don’t have one available!”

“Vardam stay in Kurt’s apartment. Discreet. Leads to U4. No one will see.”

Tom covered his mouth to hide his grin. Kurt’s pale face became flushed.

“I’m not moving out of my apartment.” His voice was mild, but he radiated fury.

“Not necessary. Vardam in spare room. With view. Keep out of sight. Keep Kurt healthy. No negotiation.”

“No,” Kurt said, now visibly shaking with anger. “Why are we even having this conversation?”

Tom looked at Troy and Nic, both staring at the ceiling or at the floor, their faces immobile. Vardam tossed away Kurt’s protests with an elegant hand.

“Vardam decide. We waste time talking.”

“Then don’t fucking talk to me,” Kurt snapped and turned smartly away. He went inside his office, slamming the door.

The humans were agape, Tom letting out the snort he had desperately been holding in.

“The first time I’ve ever heard him swear,” Nic said. “Got to hand it to you, Vardam. You bring out the best in him.” 

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Author Bio





Jayne Lockwood has always wanted to learn to fly. Spending free time honing her Peter Pan skills on an aerial hoop, she also creates flights of fancy in her books, mingling sex and romance with angst and a healthy dash of dark humor.


Since she was a small child, Jayne has always sympathized with the villain. It all began with Alice Cooper, even though she was banned from listening to his music by her mother. From wanting to sail away with Captain Hook or redeeming the Child Catcher, the antihero has been an enduring fascination ever since.


After a two-year sojourn in New Jersey and two decades of child-rearing, Jayne is an outwardly respectable member of an English village community. She also is one of the founder members of WROTE podcast, which is dedicated to showcasing LGBTQA authors and their work, and now writes book reviews as well as diverse fiction.


She is also in a sub/dom relationship with a cat called Keith.


Website: http://hollowhillspublishing.blogspot.co.uk

Facebook (Personal): https://www.facebook.com/jayne.lockwood.71

Facebook (Author Page): https://www.facebook.com/hollowhillspublishing/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/ladyjAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6893372.Jayne_Lockwood

QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/jayne-lockwood/

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Jayne-Lockwood/e/B00AAXXA6I/ref=dp_byline_cont_ebooks_1

The Stark Divide by J. Scott Coatsworth - Blog Tour with Review and Exclusive Excerpt

Publisher: DSP Publications

Author: J. Scott Coatsworth

Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson

Length: 284 Pages

Format: eBook, Paperback

Release Date: 10/10/17

Pairing: MM

Price: 6.99, 16.99

Series: Liminal Sky (Book One)

Genre: Sci Fi, Space, Gen Ship, Apocalypse, Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer

Blurb:

Some stories are epic.

The Earth is in a state of collapse, with wars breaking out over resources and an environment pushed to the edge by human greed.

Three living generation ships have been built with a combination of genetic mastery, artificial intelligence, technology, and raw materials harvested from the asteroid belt. This is the story of one of them—43 Ariadne, or Forever, as her inhabitants call her—a living world that carries the remaining hopes of humanity, and the three generations of scientists, engineers, and explorers working to colonize her.

From her humble beginnings as a seedling saved from disaster to the start of her journey across the void of space toward a new home for the human race, The Stark Divide tells the tales of the world, the people who made her, and the few who will become something altogether beyond human.

Humankind has just taken its first step toward the stars.

Book One of Liminal Sky

Excerpt:

“DRESSLER, SCHEMATIC,” Colin McAvery, ship’s captain and a third of the crew, called out to the ship-mind.

A three-dimensional image of the ship appeared above the smooth console. Her five living arms, reaching out from her central core, were lit with a golden glow, and the mechanical bits of instrumentation shone in red. In real life, she was almost two hundred meters from tip to tip.

Between those arms stretched her solar wings, a ghostly green film like the sails of the Flying Dutchman.

“You’re a pretty thing,” he said softly. He loved these ships, their delicate beauty as they floated through the starry void.

“Thank you, Captain.” The ship-mind sounded happy with the compliment—his imagination running wild. Minds didn’t have real emotions, though they sometimes approximated them.

He cross-checked the heading to be sure they remained on course to deliver their payload, the man-sized seed that was being dragged on a tether behind the ship. Humanity’s ticket to the stars at a time when life on Earth was getting rapidly worse.

All of space was spread out before him, seen through the clear expanse of plasform set into the ship’s living walls. His own face, trimmed blond hair, and deep brown eyes, stared back at him, superimposed over the vivid starscape.

At thirty, Colin was in the prime of his career. He was a starship captain, and yet sometimes he felt like little more than a bus driver. After this run… well, he’d have to see what other opportunities might be awaiting him. Maybe the doc was right, and this was the start of a whole new chapter for mankind. They might need a guy like him.

The walls of the bridge emitted a faint but healthy golden glow, providing light for his work at the curved mechanical console that filled half the room. He traced out the T-Line to their destination. “Dressler, we’re looking a little wobbly.” Colin frowned. Some irregularity in the course was common—the ship was constantly adjusting its trajectory—but she usually corrected it before he noticed.

“Affirmative, Captain.” The ship-mind’s miniature chosen likeness appeared above the touch board. She was all professional today, dressed in a standard AmSplor uniform, dark hair pulled back in a bun, and about a third life-sized.

The image was nothing more than a projection of the ship-mind, a fairy tale, but Colin appreciated the effort she took to humanize her appearance. Artificial mind or not, he always treated minds with respect.

“There’s a blockage in arm four. I’ve sent out a scout to correct it.”

The Dressler was well into slowdown now, her pre-arrival phase as she bled off her speed, and they expected to reach 43 Ariadne in another fifteen hours.

Pity no one had yet cracked the whole hyperspace thing. Colin chuckled. Asimov would be disappointed. “Dressler, show me Earth, please.”

A small blue dot appeared in the middle of his screen.

“Dressler, three dimensions, a bit larger, please.” The beautiful blue-green world spun before him in all its glory.

Appearances could be deceiving. Even with scrubbers working tirelessly night and day to clean the excess carbon dioxide from the air, the home world was still running dangerously warm.

He watched the image in front of him as the East Coast of the North American Union spun slowly into view. Florida was a sliver of its former self, and where New York City’s lights had once shone, there was now only blue. If it had been night, Fargo, the capital of the Northern States, would have outshone most of the other cities below. The floods that had wiped out many of the world’s coastal cities had also knocked down Earth’s population, which was only now reaching the levels it had seen in the early twenty-first century.

All those new souls had been born into a warm, arid world.

We did it to ourselves. Colin, who had known nothing besides the hot planet he called home, wondered what it had been like those many years before the Heat.

Buy Links Etc:

DSP Publications (paperback): https://www.dsppublications.com/books/the-stark-divide-by-j-scott-coatsworth-416-b

DSP Publications (eBook): https://www.dsppublications.com/books/the-stark-divide-by-j-scott-coatsworth-415-b

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Stark-Divide-Liminal-Sky-Book-ebook/dp/B074G2NJP6/

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-stark-divide-j-scott-coatsworth/1126901106?ean=9781635338324

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/the-stark-divide

iBooks: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-stark-divide/id1266474103?mt=11&at=1l3vtqV

QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/book/the-stark-divide/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35834187-the-stark-divide

5 out of 5 stars

The Stark Divide is the first in a new science fiction series. While this story does feature LGBTQ characters it is not a romance.

Can we talk classic science fiction? Because that is exactly what The Stark Divide reminds me of as I read it... well no I didn't just read it, I devoured it, pretty much in one sitting.  I grew up reading classic sci-fi and fantasy before I even discovered romance. So how I judge most books is along the lines of what my favorite elements are in a sci-fi or fantasy story. This story combined all those elements of my favorites like Pamela Sargent's Earthseed, and especially Anne McCaffrey and Elizabeth Scarborough's Ship Who Sang series. 

First we have a dying Earth and a people who need options to survive, setting up that classic dystopian/post-apocalyptic world feeling. Then we have space exploration with a twist in these large ships that fuse both sentient systems with mech and bioware, and then they take it to another level by crafting the beginnings of a new planet that is also a sentient being. A FULLY aware sentient being who has feelings, and emotions, and knows what is going on. Lex completely and utterly grabbed me.. a PLANET became one of the main characters of the story and that's when I about vibrated off my chair because that is my kind of science fiction story. There are so many other elements that make this story so good and so very addictive, at least for this reader. 

So I raved a bit about the non-human aspects of this story first... Now I'll delve into the human aspect just so you know that the story is more than space and sentient planets. As I said above this isn't a romance, but it does have a strong LGBTQ element and at least one long term m/m couple. The human aspect is more about telling the story of a dying planet, finally destroyed by war, and learning to live with the bare bones that is a new society on a new planet. They are the catalyst for many of the events that happen throughout the story, including the creation of Forever. That is another one of those things that make a good science fiction story highly readable, to have a strong human element that moves the story forward along with the incorporation of the tech and space discovery, etc.

I'll admit that when the author was telling me about the bones of this story I was excited because it sounded like a perfect read for me.  I was definitely not wrong there and I really can't wait to see what's will happen next in this world.  I'll stop raving there and highly encourage you to read this book. 

This one I am highly recommending for all those that love classic well written science fiction stories. 

Excerpt – Seedling

For my guest post, I thought I’d share a scene from “The Stark Divide”:

Ana clipped her tether to the cord that towed the seed and pulled herself hand over hand toward it, well aware of her precarious position connected to the superstrong cable, woven from carbon monofilaments. That alone gave her a small degree of confidence, but this whole thing was way outside her job description.

She tried not to look at the overwhelming vastness of space all around her and instead concentrated on that cable.

Behind her, the Dressler continued on through empty space on its way toward a rendezvous with the asteroid. If she lost contact with the line, there would be no way for the ship to come back for her.

Especially with the ship-mind currently deposited in a work bin in the ship’s hold. Damn you for that, Hammond.

She had to be careful.

The stars shone steady and brilliant around her, and ahead she could see the small pinpoint of light that was Earth, so far away.

She approached the seed as quickly as she could, and soon it loomed before her, a dark, richly textured brown hull where the sun shone on its rough surface and pitch-black on the other side. It was shaped like a huge football, round in the middle and tapered at each end.

Inside it, a whole new world was genetically encoded.

At last she reached it, stopping her forward momentum with her hands, imparting negative velocity to its mass. It wasn’t enough though. She’d need to use her suit propulsion to slow it further. She positioned herself parallel to its bulk and triggered a slow burn.

The seed had halved the distance since she had started off from the ship. She didn’t have much time.

Its advance slowed almost imperceptibly. She ratcheted her suit propulsion up to max, and at last she seemed to make a dent in its forward momentum.

She was cutting it close.

Then her suit ran out of propellant. It wasn’t made for a sustained thrust like this.

The mass of the Dressler loomed up behind her. It wasn’t going to be enough. “Buckle up in there,” she called over the comm system. “This thing is coming in hot!”

She let go of the seed, scrambling to unclip the tether.

She couldn’t get a grip on it, and time was running out. If she couldn’t free herself, she would be crushed by the weight of the seed as it pushed into the air lock wall. It might not have any weight out here, but it still had all its mass.

She pulled the cutter from her belt and went to work on the tether, making short work of it.

Relieved, she pushed away from the seed as it glided into the lock, bumping the side and settling down perfectly.

Only now she was slowly drifting away from the ship as it continued on ahead of her.

There was nothing to grab onto.

Desperate, she grasped for the edge of the lock, but it floated away from her, ever so slowly receding. She started to hyperventilate. I’m going to die out here.

“Keep calm, Ana! Deep breaths.” Hammond’s voice came to her over the comm system.

“I can’t….”

“Keep calm and throw the cutter. Throw it backward!”

She stared at him through the platform bubble, uncomprehending for a moment, forgetting to panic. Then she realized what he meant.

For every action, there was an equal and opposite reaction. Basic physics.

She turned and threw the cutter away from her, back the way they had come, with all her might.

She inched closer to the ship. Oh please, let this work.

Determined now, she began stripping things out of her utility belt, throwing them one by one behind her—her all-purpose tool, her pistol grip tool, and finally the rest of her tether.

“That’s it,” Hammond called. “Almost there.”

She needed one more thing.

All that was left was her air tank. All or nothing.

She held her breath and detached the shiny metal tank and thrust it away from her, twisting back to grasp the edge of the air lock.

Contact. Her hands caught the edge of the air lock. She heaved herself inside and slammed her hand on the button to close the air lock’s outer door.

It slid smoothly three-quarters of the way and then jammed.

A piece of wood from the seed had lodged in the track and was blocking the door.

No closure meant no air.

The world was starting to swim around her as she ran out of oxygen.

She kicked at the offending debris, once, twice, three times, her breath rushing out of her with the effort.

At last it dislodged, spinning out into the blackness of space.

She was out of air. She couldn’t breathe.

The door snapped shut.

Ana passed out and collapsed as oxygen slowly began to fill the chamber

Author Bio:

Scott spends his time between the here and now and the what could be. Enticed into fantasy and sci fi by his mom at the tender age of nine, he devoured her Science Fiction Book Club library. But as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were in the books he was reading.

He decided that it was time to create the kinds of stories he couldn’t find at his local bookstore. If there weren’t gay characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends.

His friends say Scott’s mind works a little differently – he sees relationships between things that others miss, and gets more done in a day than most folks manage in a week. He loves to transform traditional sci fi, fantasy, and contemporary worlds into something unexpected.

Starting in 2014, Scott has published more than 15 works, including two novels and a number of novellas and short stories.

He runs both Queer Sci Fi and QueeRomance Ink with his husband Mark, sites that bring queer people together to promote and celebrate fiction that reflects their own lives.

Author Links:

Website: https://www.jscottcoatsworth.com

Facebook (personal): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworth

Facebook (author page): https://www.facebook.com/jscottcoatsworthauthor/

Twitter: https://www.facebook.com/jscoatsworth/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/8392709.J_Scott_Coatsworth

QueeRomance Ink: https://www.queeromanceink.com/mbm-book-author/j-scott-coatsworth/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/J.-Scott-Coatsworth/e/B011AFO4OQ