Showing posts with label anxiety issues. Show all posts
Showing posts with label anxiety issues. Show all posts

Tuesday, September 10, 2019

Happy For You by Anyta Sunday - Release Blitz with Teaser, Author Q&A and Giveaway




Happy For You by Anyta Sunday

Series: Love & Family

Publisher: Anyta Sunday (self-published)

Release Date (Print & Ebook): September 10, 2019

Length (Print & Ebook): 60,000 words

Subgenre: Contemporary Gay Romance

Warnings: Depression (affecting a side character)

Order now: https://www.anytasunday.com/projects/happy-for-you/

Book blurb:

Mort wants his de facto family back. . . .

He knows he doesn’t deserve them. Not yet, anyway. Not without making up for leaving them in their time of need.

But it’s not easy to make amends. Mort must show how much he wants the Rochester family back in his life. When his best friend’s younger brother, Felix, has his license suspended, Mort jumps at the chance to play chauffeur and to win back the family he desperately wants to call his own.

Repairing his broken relationships—with all five Rochester siblings—becomes Mort’s personal mission. Especially with Felix. Felix, who used to follow him everywhere. Felix, who idolized him. Felix, whom Mort has not stopped thinking about . . .

Felix is just trying to keep it together. . . .

With a perma-smile as his armor, he’s determined to make his family happy. Determined to be a positive role model to his three younger sisters, while their mum struggles with depression after her kidney transplant.

Unfortunately, no amount of smiling can save his license when he gets pulled over for the umpteenth time, and he still needs to get his sisters to school, soccer, and dance classes.

The solution to his problem emerges in the return of their prodigal neighbor, Mort. Mort, who left their lives without a word. Mort, who was in love with Felix’s older brother.

Mort, who is the last guy Felix wants charging back into their lives. . . .

Mort and Felix. Two guys bound by a rocky past—
—a past they must come to terms with to find true happiness in the here and now.

~-~-~

Set in New Zealand, Happy For You (Love & Family #3) is an MM gay romance featuring two guys pitted together in a blue 1988station wagon—and there’s no doubt about it, Mort is going to drive Felix crazy.

Can be read as a standalone.

Tropes: brother’s best friend, second chances, family drama, friends-to-lovers, slow burn, found family
Genre: New Adult, light-hearted contemporary gay romance
Trigger warnings: Depression and generalized anxiety (of a side character)



Release Blitz Teaser 1:

Felix eyes me sleepily. “That’s one wild frown.”
I readjust my cap. “Tailored just for you.”
His cheeks dimple. “What’s the matter?”
“Are you in the mood to talk?”
Felix pushes himself upright, leaving a smear of condensation on the glass. “About what?”
“Everything.”
He squints, hesitant. “Define everything.”
“How’s your mum doing?”
A whimper-laugh drizzles out of him. “I’d rather talk about the sorry state of my love life.”
“How sorry are we talking?”
He stares at me blankly. “You first.”
I laugh. “Remember when I dragged you for coffee at Zealandia Café and we bumped into my colleague Jack and—”
“And Ben McCormick. Trust me, a week is not long enough to erase the embarrassment of almost toppling into them.”
“Jack’s the guy I’ve been flirting with at work.”
Felix gives me a standard cardboard smile. Those smiles are pissing me off. His days are littered with them.
I fight back a growl. “I’m fairly sure he’s a lost cause.”
“Considering he wedged his hand into Ben’s back pocket, I’d say he is.” Felix stares at passing cars. “Are you gutted?”
“He’s a decent guy. Hot and charming but mostly just a distraction.”
Felix whips his head toward me. “From what?”
I give him a pointed look.
“From missing us,” he murmurs.
Yeah. From that tiny ache that’s ripping me open.
“Do you miss us all equally?” Felix claps his mouth shut. “Forget it. That’s like asking a parent who their favorite child is. No matter how untrue, they’ll swear they don’t have one.”
I peer at him through the rearview mirror. “I missed you all equally.”
“You’ll make a good parent.” He drops back in his seat, and catches my eye, mouth twisted toward a smile. A real one this time.
I want more of his smiles. I want Felix to see what we could have together. Want to graduate from “chauffeur” to Guy He Has Fun With.
Felix clears his throat and clicks his seatbelt open. “I should get inside.”
“Tiffany has an hour left.” I eye the arcade. “We can use it.”
Felix hums. “Yeah, okay. We’re out of parchment paper and detergent. The Warehouse is still open. We can swing by.”
Parchment paper and detergent? That’s how he wants to spend a free hour? Felix doesn’t know how much he needs me. “Out of the car, sunshine.”
“What?”
“Hop out, or I’m coming around and making a show of opening your door.”






Release Blitz Q&A with Anyta Sunday:

What is the significance of the title “Happy For You”?

AS: This book’s all about happiness – where to find it for ourselves, how to make others happy, and how to live with the fact that we can’t make everyone around us happy.  Mort and Felix have to learn it the hard way: if they’re both only trying to make others happy, they’ll lose sight of themselves. They have to find their own happiness first to finally be happy together.

What were the key challenges you faced when writing this book?

AS: While every book has its own challenges, this one was special because it features a large family that wanted to have ample space on the page. To give all of them their rightful place was not easy, but they all demanded to be heard ☺ This spring and summer, when I worked on “Happy For You”, was also a time of transitions for my family – from my son changing schools to me transitioning to a new diet, so finding time for the book wasn’t always easy.

Are you working on anything at the present you would like to share with your readers about?

AS: I am always working :D At the moment, I’m diving back into astrology and star signs, and tackling book 5 in the “Signs of Love” series. A Cancer and an Aquarius are the lucky couple in this one, and I’m already having so much fun with them. It’s quite emotional, but just like all the other SoL books, also full of banter and romantic comedy!

Where do you draw inspiration from?

AS: Inspiration is all around – walking the streets, seeing a couple interact at the café, getting a lovely message from my husband. So many things can spark an idea, like a smell that brings back a memory or a piece of music that becomes alive in my head. I try to soak it all in and scribble it down as soon as possible.
Do you have any new series planned?

AS: There are a few ideas currently swirling in my head, and I never know how they’ll finally arrive on the page. One series idea I just cannot stop thinking about is what I call the “Love Shack” in my head. A beachside house that brings different roommates together, always sparking new misadventures and love stories! Another idea is a cozy, super sweet and romantic mystery. But whatever series comes next, you can be sure it’ll be full of slow burn romance!

About Anyta Sunday:

I'm a big, BIG fan of slow-burn romances. I love to read and write stories with characters who slowly fall in love. Some of my favorite tropes to read and write are: Enemies to Lovers, Friends to Lovers, Clueless Guys, Bisexual, Pansexual, Demisexual, Oblivious MCs, Everyone (Else) Can See It, Slow Burn, Love Has No Boundaries. I write a variety of stories, Contemporary MM Romances with a good dollop of angst, Contemporary lighthearted MM Romances, and even a splash of Fantasy. My books have been translated into German, Italian, French, Spanish, and Thai.

Connect with Anyta:

Author website: http://www.anytasunday.com/

Giveaway:

Prize: Enter to win one complete paperback set of the Love & Family series: Taboo for You, Made for You, and Happy for You, or, one of three e-books of Happy for You. Prizes are open internationally. Must be 18 to enter and win.

Wednesday, August 21, 2019

Mason's Run by Mellanie Rourke - Blog Tour with Excerpt and Author's Guest Post

Mason's Run Tour Banner

Mason’s Run
A Twin Peeks Bookstore Romance
Mellanie Rourke
M/M Romance
Release Date: 08.01.19

Mason Run Cover


BLURB

Mason:

I've escaped a past that would have destroyed most men: used, abused and sold for sex from a young age by those who should have protected me, an unexpected moment of compassion from a stranger gives me a chance at a new life.

Though I've started over, my scars run deep; I'm an LGBTQ fantasy graphic novel writer and artist with a huge following, but I'm terrified of the world. When I discover that the stranger who saved me from a life of abuse is the same man who has finally awakened my body to desire, I realize the truth: Can I ever really be free if I'm still afraid of my past and the people who shattered me?

Lee:

Serving as a medic in the Middle East, I felt the life of my fiancée slip away under my hands and was powerless to stop it. Discharged with physical and emotional wounds I can't heal, I go home to my crazy, geeky family and try to learn to live with the damage.

Pain and grief lead me to some acts I'm not proud of, including paying strangers for sex. I'm determined to keep it strictly business, no emotions involved, but when I discover that Mason Malone isn't a high-end escort, but a battered young man forced into a life of pain and degradation, I'm frozen in indecision. Then the man with the raven curls and blue-gold eyes whispers ""Please..."" and the barriers I built around my heart shatter.

Years later, fate brings us back together. He has a new name and career, but I could never forget those eyes. Mason, unfortunately, doesn't recognize me. Every day I find myself more and more drawn to him, but I'm terrified of what will happen when our secrets are discovered.

As both of our pasts threaten our future, can we find a path to redemption? Can love and forgiveness overcome soul-shattering pain? Or will the discovery of our shared past create a chasm too wide to bridge?

Warning: PTSD, major anxiety issues, and sexual abuse, including rape, the aftermath of child molestation, and human trafficking.


mason

1

EXCERPT

I couldn’t have found a better person to help get Mason out of his own head. He saw her freeze outside the door to the alcove where his signing table was located. As soon as Mason saw Jeri, he smiled. Jeri was very slim, just starting that gangly phase of adolescence that let you begin to glimpse the person they would become in five or ten years. 
“Hi!” Mason said, sending a small, shy wave her way. 
“…Hey,” she squeaked, her voice breaking, and I could see her hand was shaking where she held a dog-eared copy of Mason’s book.
“I’m Mason,” he said softly.
“Of course, you’re Mason. I mean, you look just like him.” She lifted the graphic novel in her hand, which held a small photo of Mason on the back of it. “Not that you have to look like this, of course, because, who knows how real things are with Photoshop and all, but I did see some pictures in the Comics Guide a few months ago, but I didn’t know when the photos were taken and you could have looked completely different by now. I mean…” she continued, barely pausing for breath. “I change my hair color like, all the time, so why couldn’t you? And I’m really babbling, aren’t I?” She stopped suddenly and clamped her lips together tightly. “I do this. I babble. When I’m nervous. I’m Jeri.”
“Well, you want to know a secret, Jeri?” Mason aske-d, leaning forward on the table. Her eyes were wide, and she nodded jerkily.
“I’m nervous, too.” Her eyes got even wider at the disclosure. “Terrified, actually. I’m not really good around groups of people, so the thought of meeting everyone out there…” Mason gestured at the line of people outside the store. “…makes me kinda sick to my stomach.”
“But…” she looked him up and down, puzzlement in her expression. “But why? They… we… are all here because we like you. Like your work, I mean” she said, her hand jerkily waving at the stacks of books and artwork.
“Good question. I wish I knew the answer to it. I think maybe it’s because I’m afraid I’ll never live up to their idea of me. And the thought of meeting this many people scares me, but…” He glanced over at me as I glared at a couple of agitated and excited teens waiting in line, quelling their exuberant spirits with a look. “…a smart man once told me to take it one step at a time. One person at a time. I figure the only way I’m going to get over being scared of people, is to meet more of them,” Mason replied. “Because once you get to know most people, it’s hard to be scared of them. Take Lee over there…”
He nodded toward me, and Jeri’s eyes flitted over for a moment, her posture relaxing and her lips not quite so tight anymore. We had spent a lot of time working on the store together.
“I was scared to death of him a day ago, but today, I know he’s a pretty nice guy who is obsessed with tiny robots.”

Mason grinned at me and Jeri smiled. She had seen my Transformer collection when I’d moved it from my parents’ house to mine. “Kind of hard to be afraid of a guy who likes tiny robots,” she agreed.


For me, writing is a funny thing.

I generally don’t start writing until after the sun goes down. I don’t know if it’s because things are quieting down, there are fewer distractions, or if it’s just easier to let my imagination run wild in the dark.

When the kids are tucked in bed (okay, they’re sixteen now, so no “tucking” is really involved anymore!) and hubby is immersed in his art or an online game, I find myself at my desk sharing a world with some incredibly fun, loving and crazy people.

I’m a “pantser” as it’s called: I write by the seat of my pants. I don’t generally have anything planned out ahead of me, just the knowledge that I have a story to tell, and a world I want to set it in. Outlines and scripting are anathema, though more power to you, if that’s your thing!

Personally, I love the magic of waking up the next day, re-reading some of what I wrote and going, “Damn! That’s good! Did I really write this?”

My characters have voices in my head (strangely, they all sound like Michael Pauly!) and they all try and tell me what they want to do. I generally go with whoever is yelling loudest at that moment and write their story until we both feel wrung out.

Some days, the well goes completely dry. Everyone’s quiet, no stories come to mind, and the word count stays ridiculously low. On those days, I work on refilling my writer brain. I go to movies, read books, talk with friends and family. Slowly, my mind refills with thoughts, dialogue, new direction to take characters, and the words flow again.

That doesn’t mean that it always goes well, it doesn’t. I’ve changed character’s personalities with a few keystrokes, accidentally turned a hero into a villain, and given those who didn’t deserve it a happily ever after. The thing I always try and remember is that, just because it’s in writing, doesn’t mean it’s permanent. Nothing’s final until you hit “submit”.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mellanie Rourke lives in Akron, Ohio with her loving (and long-suffering) husband, two snarky children, and furry menagerie.

She has been writing since she was a child but never had the impulse to publish until she was introduced to the world of M/M Romance. Now her husband has to put up with a variety of new ways to describe a penis, and her children aren't allowed to tell their teachers what she writes.

For more information on Mellanie's upcoming work, join her Facebook group "Misfits & Malcontents” at https://www.facebook.com/groups/MisfitsandMalcontents/

To stay informed about upcoming releases, special events and fun contests, join her mailing list at: https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/2hWdMxT/MelRourke


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Friday, August 9, 2019

Relationship Material by Jenya Keefe - Blog Tour with Giveaway



Hi, I'm Jenya Keefe. Welcome to my blog tour! I've been writing for my own pleasure for too many years to count, and now my first novel is being published by Riptide Publishing! It's called Relationship Material, and I'm delighted to talk with you about it.

Relationship Material is about a guy who had a terrible childhood and suffered a violent assault when he was a teenager. He suffers from PTSD and chronic anxiety, and though he functions well enough in society, he doesn't feel worthy of the love offered him. It's about Portland, the love of a good dog, learning to be brave, and being open to joy.
About Relationship Material
It's not always possible to meet in the middle.
Registered nurse Evan Doyle doesn’t consider himself fit for more than occasional hookups. He has a good life, but the emotional aftermath of a horrific crime makes him feel too damaged to date. So when his sister’s hot bestie, Malcolm Umbertini, comes on to him, he turns him down flat. Mal is Relationship Material: the kind who thinks in the long term. What would Evan do with a man like that?
As a prosecuting attorney, Mal’s learned how to read people, and he knows there’s more to Evan than meets the eye. Mal has faced his own hardships since his family kicked him out as a teen, and he respects Evan’s courage and emotional resilience. More than that, he wants Evan—in his bed and in his life. But can he weather another rejection?
Both wary, they agree to a no-strings fling. Mal knows that Evan wants things to stay casual, but he’s falling in love a little more with each encounter. With health, happiness, and bruised hearts on the line, Mal and Evan must risk everything for love.

About Jenya Keefe
Jenya Keefe was born in the South. She has an advanced degree in European history, and has spent much of her life working the kinds of jobs a history degree qualifies you for: gift shop employee, lumber grader, classifieds clerk, hot glass artist. She currently lives in the Seattle area, where she works at a library. She has always written stories. 
Twitter: @JenyaKeefe

Pre-order Jenya’s next release, The Musician and the Monster, coming September 30th from Riptide Publishing!
Giveaway
To celebrate this release, Jenya is giving away a $15 gift card to Powell’s City of Books! Powell’s is an independent bookseller located in Portland, the setting for Relationship Material. Those not in Portland can shop online. Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on August 10, 2019. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following along, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

Thursday, August 1, 2019

Mason's Run by Mellanie Rourke - Release Blitz with Excerpt

Mason's Run RDB Banner

Mason’s Run
A Twin Peeks Bookstore Romance
Mellanie Rourke
M/M Romance
Release Date: 08.01.19

Mason Run Cover


BLURB

Mason:

I've escaped a past that would have destroyed most men: used, abused and sold for sex from a young age by those who should have protected me, an unexpected moment of compassion from a stranger gives me a chance at a new life.

Though I've started over, my scars run deep; I'm an LGBTQ fantasy graphic novel writer and artist with a huge following, but I'm terrified of the world. When I discover that the stranger who saved me from a life of abuse is the same man who has finally awakened my body to desire, I realize the truth: Can I ever really be free if I'm still afraid of my past and the people who shattered me?

Lee:

Serving as a medic in the Middle East, I felt the life of my fiancée slip away under my hands and was powerless to stop it. Discharged with physical and emotional wounds I can't heal, I go home to my crazy, geeky family and try to learn to live with the damage.

Pain and grief lead me to some acts I'm not proud of, including paying strangers for sex. I'm determined to keep it strictly business, no emotions involved, but when I discover that Mason Malone isn't a high-end escort, but a battered young man forced into a life of pain and degradation, I'm frozen in indecision. Then the man with the raven curls and blue-gold eyes whispers ""Please..."" and the barriers I built around my heart shatter.

Years later, fate brings us back together. He has a new name and career, but I could never forget those eyes. Mason, unfortunately, doesn't recognize me. Every day I find myself more and more drawn to him, but I'm terrified of what will happen when our secrets are discovered.

As both of our pasts threaten our future, can we find a path to redemption? Can love and forgiveness overcome soul-shattering pain? Or will the discovery of our shared past create a chasm too wide to bridge?

Warning: PTSD, major anxiety issues, and sexual abuse, including rape, the aftermath of child molestation, and human trafficking.

mason

1

EXCERPT

“Well, who knew? All it took was a little murder to get him back,” I said, digging my fingers into my head, trying to get rid of the headache that was growing. 


“It wasn’t murder, Lee,” Bishop insisted, his voice brooking no argument. “And you know it. You were saving that him. That’s what you do: defend the helpless, protect the innocent, just like you always swore to do. Like you always did for me.” 


I looked up at him and shook my head, even if he wouldn’t acknowledge it, I knew it was different.


“It wasn’t the same, Bish. There was no ‘brotherly’ love involved,” I said wryly. “Just lust. I went there to use him, just like all the other men had.”


“But you didn’t. You thought he was a consenting adult. When you found out differently, you ould have walked away,” he said implacably. “You could have stayed out of it. Pretended not to see. You could have left him there. Then what would have happened?”


“Fuck that! You know I couldn’t have, Bishop! They would have killed him!” I said, my voice getting louder as anger starting to replace my guilt. How could he not understand? 


“God, I’ll never forget the smell of his burned skin…” I shuddered. “I lived through Afghanistan, but it wasn’t until I came back here that I found something that made me physically ill to think about.”


“So, again,” he continued, “You could have walked away, right? You called the police. They would have saved him, right?” he demanded.


“I couldn’t leave him,” I whispered. “I promised him I would save him. I had to.”


“So, you saved him. Saved him from the man assaulting him. Saved him from a life that was pure hell. How, exactly, is that a bad thing?” he asked, his eyes piercing.


“I didn’t go there to save him, Bishop. I went there to use him, just like all the other men did,” my voice broke as I yelled at him. “He fears becoming the same monster his tormentors were to him, but I already am.”


I realized suddenly that I was yelling, on my feet, my chair pushed back, hands balled into fists on the table as I leaned on them.


“Really? So why didn’t you?” Bishop asked, still seated, his face blank, his eyes quiet as he spoke. “You’d gone hundreds of miles for him, killed this bastard, Ricky, for him. You could have fucked him then. No one would have known. He certainly couldn’t have stopped you. After all, you spent your hard-earned cash to fuck him, right? But you didn’t do it. Why not?” Bishop stood now, also leaning forward on the table, his face tipped up toward mine in challenge, his eyes flashing like lightning.


I looked at my brother in disbelief. How could he even think of such a thing? Rape Mason? The mere thought of it had me diving for the trash can as the pastry and soda came back up. I coughed and spat, eyes streaming as another wave of nausea hit me. After a moment, a wet washcloth was laid gently across the back of my neck, and I looked up to see Bishop staring down at me, a soft smile on his lips. 


“That’s what makes you different,” he said quietly, pointing to the mess in the trash can and I raised an eyebrow at him. “The mere thought of forcing another human being to have sex makes you vomit. Those men who hurt Mason had long ago lost whatever reflex it is that lets us keep evil out of our souls.”


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mellanie Rourke lives in Akron, Ohio with her loving (and long-suffering) husband, two snarky children, and furry menagerie.

She has been writing since she was a child but never had the impulse to publish until she was introduced to the world of M/M Romance. Now her husband has to put up with a variety of new ways to describe a penis, and her children aren't allowed to tell their teachers what she writes.

For more information on Mellanie's upcoming work, join her Facebook group "Misfits & Malcontents” at https://www.facebook.com/groups/MisfitsandMalcontents/

To stay informed about upcoming releases, special events and fun contests, join her mailing list at: https://lp.constantcontact.com/su/2hWdMxT/MelRourke
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