The Hunt by J.M. Dabney and Davidson King - Blog Tour wtih Author Guest Post, Excerpt and Giveaway

The Hunt

J.M. Dabney & Davidson King

Gay Fiction, Mystery, Suspense, Romance

Release Date: 09.15.18

Cover Design: Morningstar Ashley @ Designs by Morningstar

BLURB

Disgraced detective turned private investigator, Ray Clancy, left the force with a case unsolved. Finding the killer was no longer his problem, but it still haunted him. How long would he survive the frustration of not knowing before he gave into the compulsion of his nature to solve the crime?

Server, Andrew Shay, existed where he didn’t feel he belonged, living behind the guise of a costume. Yet it paid the bills, and he refused to complain about the little things in life. One night he returned home from work to find his roommate dead and the killer still there. Afraid and alone, his life spiraled and he didn’t know what to do. Could a detective at his core and a scared young man join forces to bring down the killer in their midst?

Global link: mybook.to/JMDKHunt

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/2p7qwug

EXCERPT

Rudy had given me a strange look when I’d walked in a few minutes earlier and didn’t take my usual spot at the counter. I was still mentally processing the call I’d received from one Andy Shay. I’d done a quick search for him and found several social media profiles from different Mr. Shays, but didn’t take the time to do a more thorough investigation.

When he’d stated he’d witnessed a murder, I’d resigned myself to dealing with another crazy person, but then after Andy had explained, my tired brain had quickly put the pieces together.

Andy sounded young and justifiably scared. His voice was soft with slightly husky notes. I didn’t know why out of everything the kid’s voice is what I remembered most.

I raised my mug to my mouth and downed half of it, hoping the caffeine would wake me up. I should’ve slept. I’d spent most of the morning researching and hadn’t come up with one mention of similar crimes. Even if there was only one detail the same, I’d grasped at hope, only to be disappointed when the suspect was dead or imprisoned. I don’t know how I felt about that, but I didn’t have time to think too much about it.

I curved my hands around the mug and stared into the dark liquid. The bell going off over the door had me lifting my head. A thin man walked in with clothes that hung on his frame. As soon as I’d looked up our eyes met. There was no doubt in my mind that he was the one I was waiting for, and I slid out of the booth. I sensed the young man’s fear, so I patiently stayed still as he prepared to approach me.

Andy’s first few steps were cautious, as if he hadn’t made up his mind on whether I was an ally or foe. I knew that expression, I’d lost count of how many times I’d seen it over the years. Two decades of dealing with terrified and reluctant witnesses prepared me for anything.

“Mr. Clancy?”

I was slightly taken aback by the sound of that voice in person and blamed it on my lack of sleep. The kid was young, maybe mid-twenties.

“Call me, Ray. Please, take a seat.” I motioned at the bench and waited for him to slide into it. “Coffee?”

“Yes, please.”

“Rudy, refill for me and another for my friend here.” Rudy smirked at me from behind the counter, and I knew what he was thinking. That was the farthest thing from the truth. I was impatient to find out what happened the other night, but I waited for Rudy to approach with the coffeepot and an extra mug.

“Does your date need a menu, or are you planning on being cheap, Clancy?”

“Rudy, don’t fuck with me today.”

The words must have come out harsher than I’d thought because I caught the kid flinching in my peripheral. Skittish. I was going to have to temper my normally gruff nature.

“Cranky,” Rudy muttered, and I waited for him to drop off the menu, then return to the opposite side of the counter.

I watched in horror at the amount of sugar the kid doctored his coffee with and tried to hide my disgust behind my own mug of straight, black coffee. The way coffee was meant to be drank. Andy’s hands shook, and if I hadn’t paid closer attention, I would’ve missed that. I warred with the decision to let Andy take the lead and start the conversation or broach the subject myself.

My curiosity won. “Why did you contact me?”

“I researched the case. A crime reporter, I can’t remember his name right now, well, he did some stories and your name was mentioned. Your name came up in several articles.”

“But why are you here? I’m not a cop.”

Those four simple words still stung my pride. I should be on the case. Who’s to say that I wouldn’t have caught the guy sometime in the last six months.

Interview with Davidson King & JM Dabney

Tell us a little bit about yourself and what you're currently working on.

Davidson: I'm married and a mom of 3 living in Connecticut. When I’m not writing I run a promotional and review blog called Diverse Reader. I am currently working on my fourth book in my Haven Hart Universe Series, From These Ashes.

J.M.: I’m a writer of Body Positive/Diverse stories. I approach stories with an Every Body is Worthy philosophy and I can’t be happy with a book I write unless I know I can show readers themselves in every aspect. As for what I’m working on, I have several projects including book 3 in the Trenton Security Series which is about Gage. There’s also Killing him Softly which is a Demisexual Body Positive MF story. Yet my main focus is on a October story called Clipping the Gargoyle’s Wings.

What started you on your writing journey?

Davidson: I always wrote and wrote fanfiction for a few years but I ended up stopping due to a toxic environment. The LGBT community embraced me and I started a promotional and review blog and it was while doing this the itch to write became too much and I began again.

J.M.: When I was 13 I came across Burroughs’ Naked Lunch. It’s was such a messed up book, but even though I’d always wanted to be a writer since I was probably eight. It wasn’t until I read Naked Lunch that it clicked in my brain that I wanted to be a writer. His style wouldn’t fly today. His individuality and the way he wrote what he wanted shaped my attitude about how I would write my books.

Is there a genre you haven't written in but want to? What genre would that be?

Davidson: I want to write a ménage but haven’t yet. I am working up to it though lol

J.M.: I have WIPs in every genre there is from contemporary to Sci-fi. Although, I do want to take on the challenge of writing a YA story at some point. With the body positive/diverse message in my books I think it’s something important for teenagers to see. I just haven’t made myself attempt it yet.

When you're working on a WIP do you work with an outline or does the story drive itself as you create it? Does it change from book to book?

Davidson: I write a loose outline. I don’t tie my characters into anything I like to leave enough room for creativity. However, I always know the end game.

J.M.: Unless I’m working on a book that requires a bit of world building, I let the story do what it wants. If I try to force my characters into outlines the pace of the story hits a brick wall and I get blocked. That being said, even with world building I avoid outlines.

Which of your couples or characters are your favorite and why? 

Davidson: Snow will always hold a special place in my heart since he’s the one that got me out in the world but if I’m being honest, Quill and Black the ones I’m writing now are the best couple I’ve written.

J.M.: Harper from Ghost will always be special to me. She was an amazing and layered character. I don’t think I’ll ever top the pride I felt in giving her the HEA she deserved.

What one story of yours would you want to revisit for an update on the characters and their lives?

Davidson: Well, I want to go back to New West where Ray and Andy are and give other characters there a story too.

J.M.: Like Davidson, I’d love to visit New West and see what other stories we can come up with.

J.M. Dabney is a multi-genre author who writes mainly LGBT romance and fiction. She lives with a constant diverse cast of characters in her head. No matter their size, shape, race, etc. she lives for one purpose alone, and that’s to make sure she does them justice and give them the happily ever after they deserve. J.M. is dysfunction at its finest and she makes sure her characters are a beautiful kaleidoscope of crazy. There is nothing more she wants from telling her stories than to show that no matter the package the characters come in or the damage their pasts have done, that love is love. That normal is never normal and sometimes the so-called broken can still be amazing.

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Davidson King, always had a hope that someday her daydreams would become real-life stories. As a child, you would often find her in her own world, thinking up the most insane situations. It may have taken her awhile, but she made her dream come true with her first published work, Snow Falling.

 When she’s not writing you can find her blogging away on Diverse Reader, her review and promotional site. She managed to wrangle herself a husband who matched her crazy and they hatched three wonderful children.

If you were to ask her what gave her the courage to finally publish, she’d tell you it was her amazing family and friends. Support is vital in all things and when you’re afraid of your dreams, it will be your cheering section that will lift you up.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17286464.Davidson_King

Twitter: @DavidsonKing11 https://twitter.com/DavidsonKing11

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Sky Full of Mysteries by Rick R. Reed - Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK | Dreamspinner

Length: 76,456 words

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Design: Reese Dante

Blurb

What if your first love was abducted and presumed dead—but returned twenty years later?

That’s the dilemma Cole Weston faces. Now happily married to Tommy D’Amico, he’s suddenly thrown into a surreal world when his first love, Rory Schneidmiller, unexpectedly reappears.

Where has Rory been all this time? What happened to him two decades ago, when a strange mass appeared in the night sky and lifted him into the heavens? Rory has no memory of those years. For him, it’s as though only a day or two has passed.

Rory still loves Cole with the passion unique to young first love. Cole has never forgotten Rory, yet Tommy has been his rock, by his side since Rory disappeared.

Cole is forced to choose between an idealized and passionate first love and the comfort of a long-term marriage. How can he decide? Who faces this kind of quandary, anyway? The answers might lie among the stars….

Excerpt

Cole patted his back pocket, making sure his wallet was still there. He hoisted himself up from his seat and left the train’s air-conditioning for the humid night. There were several trains in the station, all huffing and puffing as they idled, reminding Cole of dragons. Even this late, there were still people hurrying to and fro on the platform.

Cole headed for the stairs and hurried down. Home was only a ten- minute walk from the station, and Cole was now actually grateful for the nap. If that boy’s not up when I get home, he thought with a grin, I’ll just have to poke him awake.

Cole was certain Rory wouldn’t mind.

When he reached the courtyard of their building, the exhaustion Cole had felt on leaving work entirely vanished. He was ready to howl at the moon. He wished only he’d thought to stop off at a convenience store or something so he could have brought Rory a little surprise, maybe a box of Swedish Fish or a roll of SweeTarts. He’d have to find other ways, he supposed, to thrill his sugar-loving man. He’d give him some sugar, all right.

Cole unlocked the front vestibule door and headed into the cool tile lobby of their building. He loved the 1920s vibe of the lobby and the building in general, glad no one in all the ensuing decades since it had been built had decided the gem of a vintage building needed updating. He loved the mica-colored wall sconces and the Mediterranean floor tile. He even loved the battered brass mailboxes along one wall.

He stopped to check the mail, found the box empty, and headed for the elevator.

Out front, Cole hoped Rory had left the door unlocked for him. No such luck. He fished his keys from his pocket and quelled his first impulse, which was to shout, “Honey, I’m home!” at the top of his lungs. If the poor guy was asleep, Cole reasoned, let him sleep. There were subtler and much more pleasurable ways to wake him.

As he made his way through the living room and toward the bedroom, he dropped clothing as he went. He also shut off the lights Rory had thoughtfully left on for him. By the time he reached the closed bedroom door, he was smiling and sporting an erection.

He opened the door slowly. It took his eyes a moment to adjust. They had, in fact, thumb-tacked a sheet over the sole window, so the room stayed pretty dark.

Cole groped his way to the bed, suppressing a giggle.

But when he got there, the giggle died on his lips. He felt around the surface, up, down, left, right, as though his own hands deceived him. He frowned and then turned to the light switch on the wall and flicked it. The room filled with warm yellow light. No Rory. Cole hadn’t expected that, and he cocked his head. Absurdly, he looked around the room, thinking maybe he’d find Rory sitting on the chair they used to pile their clothes on before hopping into bed for the night. Maybe he’d rolled out and was fast asleep on the braided rug they’d positioned beneath it.

But the room was empty. Unusually neat—the bed made and no clothes lying on the chair in the corner. Cole crossed the room and opened the door to the single closet. Maybe Rory was hiding from him? One of the things they both loved about the apartment was the size of the bedroom closet. It was walk-in, with rods on either side, shelving above, and even a window that looked outside. Rory could be weird. Maybe he lay within, naked and waiting, ready to pull out all the stops on yet another fantasy.

But the empty closet mocked him. Where was he?

Cole retreated from the bedroom. “Rory? Babe?” Cole made a quick tour of the small apartment, knowing as he did it that the search would be wasted effort. And it was. Rory wasn’t in the living room, the dining room, kitchen, or bathroom.

Cole returned to the bedroom and ran his hands along the top of the dresser. Rory usually left his wallet and keys on top of it. But just like the rest of his search, this maneuver was only an empty gesture. Rory’s keys and wallet were gone, indicating he was still out there somewhere.

That was odd. Cole glanced at the alarm clock on the nightstand and saw it was approaching twelve thirty. Cole knew Rory had to be up early for work in the morning—he had flex hours at his job and liked to work the earlier spectrum—usually seven thirty to four. And Rory loved his sleep! Sometimes he dragged Cole to bed as early as nine o’clock. Cole never complained.

So what was he doing out so late on a school night?

Cole plopped down on the bed, head in his hands. Don’t panic. Don’t even worry. It’s most likely nothing at all. Maybe he got over his aversion to gay bars and is down on Halsted Street, living it up, downing shots backed up by beers. The thought made him chuckle, as that scenario was about as likely as Cole being on a jet bound for Paris, France. Still, in spite of its improbability, the notion did cause a stab of jealousy to jab at Cole—right in his solar plexus. Sure, Rory might be one of the few gay men their age Cole knew who actually didn’t like to go out to bars, but he still could have. It was possible, as he might say if queried on a witness stand in some court of law. Cole felt sick to his stomach as he allowed himself to think what was lurking at the back of his mind, like some black shadow. It was also possible that Rory had gone out and hooked up with someone and lost track of time.

Cole licked his lips, mouth suddenly dry. He had a lot of gay male friends and acquaintances and knew fidelity was a fairly rare thing, even among the ones who claimed to be in committed, monogamous relationships. Why, some of those fellas had even come on to Cole when the boyfriend was out of town or just out of the picture.

Maybe their relationship wasn’t as solid as Cole thought? Rory could have been tempted. It was possible. He was a cute guy who didn’t know it, which made him even cuter. He could see him being hit on— and maybe if he was lonely or bored, he might have given in? Are any of us truly immune to temptation?

No. Not Rory. Cole knew in his heart of hearts that Rory would never cheat. He just didn’t have it in him, literally or figuratively.

So where are you? Cole stood and began pacing. He pulled aside the sheet tacked up over the window to look outside, hoping against hope he’d see Rory down there on the beach. He did see someone, a guy, sitting on the sand at the edge of the beach, his feet pushed into the waves. But even from up there, Cole could tell the guy had at least fifty pounds on Rory, if not more. And he was smoking....

A woman walked by. A big dog, maybe a pit bull, dashed ahead of her, splashing at the edge of the surf. Cole could see the leash in her hand. She called the dog back, and it sounded to Cole like its name was Pashmina.

There was no one else on the beach this late.

Real Men. True Love.

Rick R. Reed draws inspiration from the lives of gay men to craft stories that quicken the heartbeat, engage emotions, and keep the pages turning. Although he dabbles in horror, dark suspense, and comedy, his attention always returns to the power of love. He’s the award-winning and bestselling author of more than fifty works of published fiction and is forever at work on yet another book. Lambda Literary has called him: “A writer that doesn’t disappoint…” You can find him at www.rickrreed.com or www.rickrreedreality.blogspot.com. Rick lives in Palm Springs, CA with his beloved husband.


FIND RICK ONLINE
Facebook Page: www.facebook.com/rickrreedbooks
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Blog: http://rickrreedreality.blogspot.com/
Website: www.rickrreed.com
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/rick-r-reed
Email: rickrreedbooks@gmail.com

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The Fox, The Dog, and The King by Matt Doyle - Blog Tour with Excerpt and Author Guest Post

Matt Doyle has a new lesbian sci fi book out:


New Hopeland City may have been built to be the centerpiece of the technological age, but some remnants of the old world still linger. The tools of the trade have changed, but the corruption remains the same, even in the criminal underworld …


When PI Cassie Tam and her girlfriend Lori try to make up for their recent busy schedules with a night out at the theatre to watch the Tech Shift performer Kitsune, the last thing they expected was for Cassie to get a job offer. But some people are never off the clock, and by the end of the evening, Cassie has been drawn into a mundane but highly paid missing pet case. Unfortunately, in New Hopeland City, even something as simple as little lost dog can lead you down some dark paths.

Until now, Cassie wasn’t aware that there even was a rabbit hole, let alone how far down it goes.



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---

Excerpt


“I’m sorry, but did you want to get changed before we speak? We’d be happy to leave the room while you get ready. It must be hard work performing in both the TS gear and a kimono thick enough to house projectors without them moving out of line with each other, even if they are the smaller, lightweight models.”


“You don’t know the half of it,” Kitsune sighs. “There’s a wireless motion detection system in each hand too,” they add, waving two metallic, clawed paws. “You’ll note that my tails are missing. They don’t yet make multi-tailed suits, you see, and the number is important within the folklore, so we had to find other solutions. The projector tucked under the obi sash keeps the back open nicely, and it allows movement, both in animation and in the actual device, but it’s a bit stronger than the main ones.”


“Meaning that it’s heavier,” I reply.


“Indeed. The way the system works is identical to the tail guidance in regular suits though.”

I frown and Lori clarifies, “Regular Tech Shift gear uses two small wireless touchpads to control tails, one for the bottom half, and one for the top half. They’re embedded in the hand rest of Ink’s front legs. For hybrid-style gear, they usually sit inside the thumb of each hand. It’s the same concept in each one, but animal-style gear allows for bigger movements, while hybrid gear measures micro movements.”


“Which would be rather fiddly, given the level of movement that I require. These are built into the paw pads and are set to register larger movements so that the tails can move in time with the different dance routines and my more flamboyant gestures,” Kitsune explains, demonstrating one of the hand flourishes from the show. They pause then and chuckle. “Ah, but I’m rambling. I am afraid that changing is, contractually speaking, impossible. Will my appearance be a problem?”


“No, I’m used to Tech Shifters…”


Lori laughs and cuts in with, “You are sonot used to us yet.”


I laugh quietly, despite myself. The miserable old loner that still lives in my head says I should be angry about that; I’m working after all. But the part of me that was enjoying the evening is far more prominent and reminds me that this was supposed to be Lori’s evening too. I can allow her a small jab or two on that basis. “My early experiences with Tech Shifters were notpositive,” I say, addressing Kitsune. “I’m getting better, though. What do you mean by ‘contractually speaking,’ if you don’t mind me asking?”


“Not at all. It is essentially as it sounds. The Kitsune brand is a joint venture between myself and Kevin, and there is a lot of paperwork involved dealing with how the whole thing is to be played out in every mundane situation that you could imagine. What it means is that I can boss Kevin about and make him my dogsbody as much as is required, but at the same time, I must respect his rather brilliant marketing strategies. Part of that means that the mystery of the Kitsune’s true identity is to be protected at all times. As such, I do not meet with anyone without my professionalface on. It seems a little strange, I know, but he was previously a historian of certain old-world sporting brands by trade and thought that applying a degree of what he called kayfabewould help give the whole thing a new edge. I can’t say that he was wrong.”


“So, are you Kitsune when you’re around family too?” Lori asks. “Or partners?”


“Oh, I have no time for partners, not with mytouring schedule. With family, I can be myself, though Kevin did insist upon them signing a gagging order to prevent them from revealing my identity to anyone who hadn’t signed a similar contract. You should have seen my mother’s face when he brought that up. I honestly thought that the rolling pin she was holding was going to be put to nefarious use. Outside Kevin, even my oldest friends do not know who resides beneath the mask.”


“That must be hard to maintain,” I say.


“Oh yes, I have cover stories and everything. It’s somewhat akin to witness protection if television is to be believed. As far as most know, I am simply a touring stagehand for the great performing fox spirit.”


I nod. “Kitsune, as pleasant as this is, I assume there was a reason that you wanted to see me?”


“Oh yes, of course. I saw the news coverage of your recent success with that Gary Locke character,” they say, and Lori flinches slightly. “As far as local detectives go, there are plenty of them about, but you are certainly the most well regarded. I have actually been in town for a week now, and I am due to remain here for a further two. I am afraid that, over that initial period, I was subject to a crime of the nature I am led to believe the police do not take overly seriously.”


“The police wouldn’t be happy about not knowing your identity, regardless of the crime. If it’s one that they won’t usually touch, that doesn’t leave many possibilities. What are we talking about?”


“It is rather lonely on the road,” they sigh wistfully. “A few months ago, we stopped in Toledo, and I was awoken from a post-performance nap by a clattering outside the tour bus. I wandered out, expecting to find a fan or two hunting autographs, and instead found this charming little thing skulking around the bins. I named him Fish.”


Kitsune produces a phone from their kimono, loads up a photo, and passes it over. It shows a snow white American Shepherd dog sitting on one of the tour bus seats and giving the camera a suspicious look. It’s too big to be a puppy, but certainly not big enough to be fully grown.


“You named your dog Fish?”


“It seems strange, doesn’t it?” Kitsune laughs. “There’s a reason, though.” They take the phone back and enlarge the picture, revealing that the dog’s tail is about half the length it should be. It was easy to miss at normal size because the single colouring made it seem like it was tucked under its legs.
“When I was young, my parents had some rosetail betta fish. One of them was pure white, and it had a habit of nibbling through its tail fin. When we took Fish to the vet, they said that the tail damage, judging by the angle of the marks, was likely self-inflicted. I couldn’t remember what my parents called the fish, so I just stuck with Fish.”


I nod. “And I assume that Fish is now missing?”


“I am afraid so. It happened yesterday, during the early hours. I was woken by a loud bang and found that Fish was gone, and the tour bus door was open.”


“Could Fish have run away?”


“It would have been difficult for him to open the door, but not impossible. I don’t think that he would have run, though. We were lifelines for each other, you see. He kept me company during the day, and when he had nightmares, I comforted him. If he was spooked, he would usually run and hide near my bed. I heard something else too, a van door being slammed shut maybe? And then an engine.”


“So you’re thinking that he was stolen.”


“Honestly? I don’t know. Do you think that you could take the case? How much would it cost?”

---

The animals we become – The origins of the Tech Shifting concept

By Matt Doyle

The Fox, The Dog, and The King is the direct sequel to Addict, and the second book in The Cassie Tam Files. Now, I know that people say you shouldn’t read reviews of you work, but I can’t help it. The truth is, I enjoy seeing what people enjoyed in the books. One thing that that really made me smile with Addict was how much people embraced the concept of Tech Shifters.

If you’re not familiar with the term, it represents a group of people who use elaborate metal exoskeletons to roleplay as animals. People have all sorts of reasons for doing so, ranging from jobs to embracing a form of pup play. The process to obtain the gear is quite a long one, with a full psychological evaluation taking place before the process begins in earnest, followed by an operation to insert ‘plugs’ along the Tech Shifter’s spine and head so as to allow the suits to lock into place, so it’s not something that people can enter into on a whim.

Since readers were interested in how the suits work, I decided to add some back matter to the The Fox, The Dog, and The King in the form of an illustrated guide to how the TS Gear is operated. It’s designed to be read as though you were a potential Shift Source Ltd customer considering whether or not to go through the process, so I’m hoping that will be pretty interesting for everybody. In keeping with this theme though, I wanted to speak a little today about what inspired Tech Shifting, and how it integrates into society at large in the Cassie Tam universe. So, let’s begin with the formulation of the idea.

I have been a fan of shapeshifters ever since I was a kid. I loved werewolf stories growing up, and I still enjoy them now. With the rise of Urban Fantasy too, I was very quickly introduced to a whole myriad of different visions of how shapeshifters would work and act. It always fascinates me to see how different creators integrate things like that into their worlds, and I wanted to do the same when I had the chance.

Though I knew that this was a sci-fi/crime noir series, I realized very quickly that I could make the concept fit pretty easily, especially if I worked from within my own experiences. You see, I’ve been a furry since the 90’s, so my mind went immediately to fursuiting. To fit with the technology-infused aesthetic of New Hopeland City, all I had to do was to integrate the same thinking to costume work. The great thing with that is that it’s already happening to a degree. For one, we have Beauty of the Bass, a UK fursuiter who has a speaker system built into their fursuit, allowing them to play music and voice clips during performances. Then there’s Kaiborg Studios, who make fursuit heads with fully animated LED display faces. I love the innovation in both those examples, and wanted to emulate that thinking in some way.

So, I came up with the idea of suits that are entirely tech-enhanced. The idea was to take the concept of stilt based fursuits and quad-suits, and figure out how they would work if they were built in a tech focused society. As you’ll see in the back matter in the book, the suits make use of a lot of different things, ranging from hydraulic safety systems to wireless tail control that the wearers operate from within the hand sections. In many ways, TS Gear is set up in a very similar way to the costumes that we have now, but with some future-modern trappings to enhance the experience.

The question is, how does it all fit within the world shown in the books? Well, New Hopeland City is credited as being the birthplace of Tech Shifting, so they got to see the system evolve into what it is now. And there really was some evolution required. When the suits were first released, anyone with a big enough wallet could buy one. The problem with that was that, while most buyers were perfectly reasonable people, some took them on for nefarious reasons. What happens if you give a metal werewolf suit to someone with murder in mind? I’m sure you can guess. Those early days were scary for those in the city, which is why there is such a focus on psychological testing prior to purchase now.

With the system now far more workable, Tech Shifting has actually become pretty common place. The most prominent Tech Shifter character in the books so far is Lori Redwood, Cassie’s client in Addict and now girlfriend in The Fox, The Dog, and The King. She uses a quadrupedal TS suit to roleplay as a black panther named Ink. For her, Tech Shifting is a way to escape from the stresses and troubles of her normal life, and represents a non-sexual form of pet-play for her. This isn’t the only reason to wear the suits though. In this book, we meet Kitsune. They wear a bipedal suit inspired by Japanese folklore and have created a successful career by performing a one-person variety show based around the concept. Meanwhile, once book three comes out, we’ll also get to meet Donal O’Brien, who runs the New Hopeland Police Department’s Tech Shift Unit and uses a modified suit that’s built for combat.

With hobbyists, lifestylers, performers, and other professionals all taking to the idea of Tech Shifting, the system has become one of the things that the city is most synonymous with. It makes sense too, I think, as the idea of being able to become something other than what we are has appealed to people for centuries. We may not ever be able to physically shift form, but with the way that technology advances, TS Gear isn’t an unrealistic potential option.

Author Bio


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


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

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As Sure As The Sun by Elle Keaton - Release Blitz with Excerpt and Giveaway

Buy Links: Amazon US | Amazon UK

Length: 64,000 words

Cover Design: Cate Ashwood

Accidental Roots Series 

Storm Season (Book #1) Amazon US | Amazon UK
No Pressure (Book #2) Amazon US | Amazon UK
Spring Break (Book #3) Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

The universe is trying to tell Sacha Bolic something. A fire escape collapses under him, he lands in crap, and a killer barely misses his target... all in the same few seconds. And that's on top of a long list of mishaps and job dissatisfaction. Not one to ignore signals when they're shoved in his face, Sacha retires and uses his savings to buy an old building in Skagit, Washington. With a little help from DIY videos, he’s going to bring it back to its former glory. And, yeah, it’s a metaphor. If he makes one change, others will follow…

Seth Culver avoids entanglements, romantic or otherwise. Who needs them? He’s learned the hard way that people betray you or leave. Still, Seth finds people compelling. He kind of collects them, learning their secrets before letting them go their own way. His commitment to no commitments may have met his match in Sacha. Handsome and hot, Sacha seems to offer a permanence that scares Seth more than anything ever has. Seth will have to decide if he’s going to grab it by the balls or keep watching from the sidelines.

The old building harbors a secret from the past. A box of inconsequential belongings hidden for decades hints at lives imagined but not lived, reminding them both there are no guarantees in love, or this thing called life.

A standalone in the Accidental Roots series.

Excerpt

“I brought treats,” Seth said after admiring the results of Sacha’s overnight labor’s. He held up a small white paper bag, the kind pastries come in. “Fresh out of the oven.” In his other hand he held a dented silver thermos. “And coffee. Lots of it.”

“Danish?” Sacha reached to snatch the bag out of Seth’s hand, but the asshole jerked it out of range.

“Ah, ah, ah. You must want these pretty bad. What are you willing to do for one?” Seth teased, a wicked gleam in his eyes.

Seth looked good enough to eat, and Sacha was a starving man in more ways than one. Without thinking, Sacha moved toward Seth. Their chests were touching while Seth still held the bag of pastries out of reach. Seth’s breath was hot against Sacha’s cheek; his pupils dilated, reducing his irises to a strip of chocolate brown.

“Oh yeah?” Seth cocked his head to the side, exposing more of his neck. Seth smirked and the pink tip of his tongue swept out, moistening his lips. “I dare you.”

Fucking hell, he’d never backed down from a dare in his life. Sacha growled under his breath before inhaling deeply, worshipping the lingering scent of sweat and maleness that was Seth-specific. The striation of browns that made his eyes appear caramel when the light hit them right was easy to see and impossible to look away from. A week of this man in his dreams and he had no self-control.

Seth was playing a dangerous game. Sacha’s hands dropped of their own volition to rest on Seth’s hips. Seth’s lips parted. Sacha didn’t miss the invitation. Ignoring the cacophony of voices in his head telling him this was a bad idea, he pressed his mouth against Seth’s.

Fucking hell, it was perfection. Like a confection, sugary, hot, and sweet. It was impossible to resist sweeping his tongue across Seth’s lips.

Author Bio

Author, photographer, rare Pacific Northwest Native, Elle grew up in Seattle, WA., with the Cascade Mountain range to the east and Olympics to the west. Less than two hours northwest lie the majestic San Juan Islands. To the northeast is the Methow Valley and the scrub deserts of Eastern Washington. Geography ripe with material.

A graduate of Western Washington University, Elle has a BS in biology which taught her to be tenacious. The closest she has come to biology since then is having two kids. Like an experiment or something. She’s lived in four states (none of which were gaseous), London England, and Hong Kong; always knows what time it is, and has no problem finding parking even in the most difficult places. Cannot balance a checking account.

Elle's series Accidental Roots, mostly set in the Skagit Valley of Western Washington, will make its debut spring of 2017. Storm Season is tender, sometimes irreverent, full of nosy neighbors and help when the hero didn’t think he needed it. Writing has always been a passion but not something she was able to take seriously until recently. Now her head is full of ideas and not enough time in each day.

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Mai Tais and Murder by J.C. Long - Blog Tour with Excerpt, Character Interview, and Giveaway

Title:  Mai Tais and Murder

Series: Gabe Maxfield Mysteries, Book 1

Author: J.C. Long

Publisher:  NineStar Press

Release Date: June 12, 2017

Heat Level: 3 - Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 53000

Genre: Contemporary, contemporary, mystery, gay, romance, Hawaii

Goodreads - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/35099855-mai-tais-and-murder

Synopsis

Gabe Maxfield never wanted to be a detective or a policeman or anything of the sort. The closest he wanted to come to the law was writing legal briefs and doing research for a big-shot law firm. Nice and safe, and without all the stress. No unanswered questions, just well-defined legal precedents.

When he moves to Hawaii in the wake of a disastrous breakup and betrayal by an ex, a murder investigation is the last thing he expects to get wrapped up in, but he can’t help himself when a dead body, a hunky cop, and his best friend get involved.

So much for sipping Mai Tais on the beach and admiring the well-tanned bodies around him.

Excerpt

Mai Tais and Murder

J.C. Long © 2017

All Rights Reserved

The sound of banging drew me from the nap I’d fallen into on the uncomfortable, lumpy couch I’d inherited in my new condo. I looked around, confused until I realized someone was knocking at my front door rather impatiently.

I hurried across the room, threw open the door, and was greeted with the sight of a burly Islander pulling a dolly loaded up with boxes. The movers were there, finally. I glanced at the watch I wore on my wrist. It was nearly noon, so only, oh, two hours late.

“Aloha, we’re with the movers,” the man said unnecessarily.

“I thought you were going to be here by ten,” I said, stepping out of the door and allowing the man to wheel the dolly inside.

“Yo, you got choke boxes, braddah.” It sounded like it was meant to be an explanation, but if it was, I didn’t understand it. I’d been in Hawaii for two weeks, and I had not come close to catching on to the local pidgin. I understood what was being said around me about seventy percent of the time, and then suddenly I had no idea. Perhaps he saw the confusion on my face, because he added, not unkindly, “You got a lot of boxes.”

I nodded my understanding, deciding not to press the issue of the lateness; I’d learned in my brief time living on the island of Oahu that things in Hawaii ran differently, as if time followed different rules there. Things that would be done at a quick pace back in Seattle just happened slower here—the whole aloha, relaxed island attitude to blame, I supposed. It definitely wasn’t a bad thing—in fact, I found the lifestyle here to be worlds better than what I experienced on the mainland. It was just an adjustment. Grace assured me I’d get there eventually, and I was mildly successful already, becoming way more relaxed than I had been in Seattle, but when it came to things like this, I couldn’t help but get a little irate.

Didn’t people in Hawaii want their packages on time, too? At least pizza delivery still ran on time.

I stood back and allowed the man and his companion to wheel in more boxes. They were about halfway through unloading when the second man stopped and pulled the door down on the back of the truck, leaving the rest of my boxes inside.

“Hey, what are you doing? Those are my boxes!”

“Nevah mine, braddah. Try wait, yeah? We come back bumbye. We gone go grind.” The bigger guy came out of the condo behind me, patting my shoulder with a beefy hand.

I ran a hand through my hair. “I’m sorry, I don’t quite understand…”

“He said they’ll come back in a bit. They’re going to get lunch.”

I looked over and saw a tall, dark-skinned Islander, bulging muscles all but ripping out of the tight maroon V-neck T-shirt he was wearing. He was about an inch over six feet, with dazzling white teeth and short-cut, dark hair. His eyes were a surprisingly light shade of hazel that contrasted his skin.

“Oh, uh, yeah, okay. Thanks.” God, I sounded like a stammering idiot.

If the hunk of an Islander noticed, he didn’t say anything. “You’ve been here a few weeks, right? Why are you just getting boxes? Not that I’m stalking you or anything,” he added quickly, eyes widening a bit as he probably processed what he said. Saying you weren’t stalking someone made it sound like you were stalking someone. I hadn’t taken it that way, but when I thought about it, I could see how it could sound stalker-like. “I live in the condo next to yours.” He pointed over my shoulder at the door to his place.

I had my suspicions that he was blushing, but with his face as tan as it was, it was hard to tell. It did look like the skin on the exposed, smooth expanse of his chest and neck had reddened a bit, but was likely just wishful thinking.

That’s when I realized I was staring at his chest. Goddamn it, here I was, a twenty-nine-year-old man acting like a fifteen-year-old. “I’m Gabe Maxfield.” I introduced myself to establish that I was not,  in fact a bumbling idiot. “Nice to meet you.”

The guy took my hand and shook it firmly. His touch was surprisingly soft despite the few calluses I could feel, and a warmth spread through me that had nothing to do with the blazing sun. “I’m Maka Kekoa. Hauʻoli kēia hui ʻana o kāua. That’s nice to meet you in Ōlelo Hawaiʻi, the Hawaiian language.”

I tried to repeat it, and he smiled at the way I stumbled over the words. “To answer your question,” I said quickly, trying to move past the embarrassment of butchering the language, “I wasn’t in a rush to get everything since this place came mostly furnished. I shipped them from Seattle at the cheapest—and slowest—rate.”

“Oh, you need these guys back here at a certain time?” he asked, gesturing toward the movers, who still hadn’t driven off, much to my surprise. They were standing close together, watching our interaction with quite a bit of interest.

“I’m supposed to meet a friend today at three, so they need to be here and finished before then.”

Maka nodded and walked to the passenger door of the truck, rapping on it with his knuckles. The door opened and some words were exchanged that I didn’t hear—not that I was paying attention. My eyes were too busy traveling over the nice muscles of Maka’s arms and the very pleasing shape of his ass.

This was, I realized, the first inkling of physical attraction toward another man I’d felt since things had gone so bad with Trevor two months before. Since then I’d been living in a bit of a fog on many levels, including my libido. I just didn’t feel the drive—I couldn’t even remember the last time I’d jacked off. Seeing Maka seemed to have poked the bear, so to speak, and I felt myself begin to harden.

I was surprised when the two movers hopped out of their truck, rolled up the back door, and once again started moving boxes. One of them shot a glare at Maka as he went by and muttered something under his breath, but Maka didn’t seem to notice.

“How did you do that?” I demanded when he rejoined me

Maka shrugged, once again flashing those pearly whites. “I have a way with people.”

“Clearly. I need to get you to teach me.”

“Maybe that can be arranged sometime.” Was he flirting with me? Or had I been out of commission so long that I was misreading a simple conversational reply? Why was interacting with a man so complicated? My mind had to go running off in three directions at once, and I didn’t even know if this guy played for my team, so to speak. “It was nice to meet you, Gabe. I’ve got to get going. Tell Pako and his boy that if they have any trouble with anything, they should give me a call, okay?”

“Will do,” I said with an awkward chuckle. “Nice to meet you, Maka.”

“Aloha.”

“Aloha.” I waved at him as he left. He’d rounded the corner into a second section of the parking lot when I heard sniggering behind me.

Purchase Links

NineStar Press: https://ninestarpress.com/product/mai-tais-and-murder/

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B07176M4XZ

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/726459

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/mai-tais-and-murder-jc-long/1126466078

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/mai-tais-and-murder-1

Character Interview

Hello, everyone, and welcome to this stop of my Mai Tais and Murder blog tour! I’m very glad you’ve joined me, and today I’ll be bringing you a character interview. We’re going to get the scoop on our leading man from someone who knows him better than anybody else: his best friend! I hope you enjoy, and don’t forget to pick up your copy of Mai Tais and Murder today!

Without further ado: the interview!

Pierce: Hello, everyone, this is Garrett Pierce with Gay Honolulu Magazine! Today we’re sitting down with Grace Park of Paradise Investigations to chat about her handsome—and gay—partner, Gabe Maxfield. Thank you for joining us, Grace.

Grace: I’m pleased to be here. I’d be happier if we were here to talk about me, of course, but I’ll take what I can get.

Pierce: First and foremost, I have to say that I hope Mr. Maxfield is doing alright? When he told us he was too sick to do the interview you can imagine how worried we were.

Grace: Oh don’t worry, I’m sure he’s going to make a rapid and miraculous recovery.

Pierce: Good, good. Alright, well, let’s get to the questions! I know this is something plenty of our readers here at Gay Honolulu are going to want to know, so I’ll ask it first: is Mr. Maxfield single?

Grace: Gabe made me promise not to talk about his personal life. However, if someone told you that there may or may not be a gorgeous police officer in his life, they would be correct. About the “may be” part. There is, you see.

Pierce: Would this be Detective Maka Kekoa of Honolulu PD?

Grace: I will neither confirm nor deny this. Actually, I’ll not be denying it. Take that for what it’s worth.

Pierce: Okay, then. Next question: what would you say is Gabe’s best attribute?

Grace: His best attribute? That’s a tough one. He has such few good attributes. I’m kidding, I promise. I’d say his best attribute is his loyalty. If you earn Gabe’s friendship, he would do anything for you—absolutely anything.

Pierce: What about his worst attribute?

Grace: That’s easy. He has without a doubt the absolute worst taste in men. There was this time in college that he dated this guy that was really into puppet shows. How creepy is that?

Pierce: Yeah, that is pretty weird. Okay, let’s move on to the next question. Boxers or briefs?

Grace: I think boxers are pretty comfortable to sleep in. Of course, I’ve never really worn briefs before…

Pierce: Not you. Gabe. Is he a boxers or briefs kind of guy?

Grace: Oh. Briefs, I’m pretty sure. Not that I’ve ever paid that much attention.

Pierce: Yeah, sorry. We wrote these questions when we thought Gabe would actually be doing the interview. I guess the top or bottom question is out the window.

Grace: Ew, gross. Yes. I don’t want to think about my friend having sex. Although if I had to guess I’d say bottom. Maybe vers bottom? Definitely something to do with bottoming.

Pierce: Could you stop saying bottom?

Grace: Yeah, I felt it getting a little weird.

Pierce: Yes, so let’s just forget about it. Let’s go for one more question. What’s something that Gabe has done that has impacted others?

Grace: Well, he did give me pointers on blowjobs back in college, and I’m sure there’s a few guys that would be very grateful to him for that.

Pierce: I meant in terms of charity! You know what? Never mind. Thank you so much for joining us, and we’ll resume this interview at a moment when Gabe can actually be here.

Meet the Author

J.C. Long is an American expat living in Japan, though he’s also lived stints in Seoul, South Korea—no, he’s not an army brat; he’s an English teacher. He is also quite passionate about Welsh corgis and is convinced that anyone who does not like them is evil incarnate. His dramatic streak comes from his life-long involvement in theater. After living in several countries aside from the United States J. C. is convinced that love is love, no matter where you are, and is determined to write stories that demonstrate exactly that. J. C. Long’s favorite things in the world are pictures of corgis, writing and Korean food (not in that order…okay, in that order). J. C. spends his time not writing thinking about writing, coming up with new characters, attending Big Bang concerts and wishing he was writing. The best way to get him to write faster is to motivate him with corgi pictures. Yes, that is a veiled hint.

Author Links

Website: http://www.jclong.org/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorjclong

Twitter: https://twitter.com/j_c_long_author

Email: jclongauthor@gmail.com

Tour Schedule

6/12     Out Of My Head - https://midnightamie.wordpress.com

6/13     Butterfly-o-Meter Books - http://butterfly-o-meter.com/

6/14     Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews - http://wickedfaeriesreviews.blogspot.com

6/14     Love Bytes Reviews - www.lovebytesreviews.com

6/15     Sharing Links and Wisdom - http://sharinglinksandwisdom.blogspot.com

6/15     MM Book Escape - https://mmbookescape.com/

6/16     Bayou Book Junkie - http://bayoubookjunkie.blogspot.com

6/16     Happily Ever Chapter - https://www.facebook.com/happilyeverchapter

Giveaway

One lucky winner will receive an ebook of their choice from NineStar Press

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