Author Archives: Kam Brook

About Kam Brook

#Reviewer #Proofreader - Yes, I'm a total #book addict & proud of it! #Authors: DM me & let me be your book pimp. 😉 #KamsPlace
September 24, 2015 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase/Interview and Review of “No Grits No Glory” – Elaine Calloway

 Welcome, Elaine Calloway!!
 
 
1. For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business?
 
(Elaine) Thanks, happy to be here! I’ve written since I was young. I’m one of those bizarre people who has every day of junior high and high school written down in journals. As I grew older, I began to write short stories and eventually novel-length fiction. While several of my paranormal/urban fantasy books are available, the main series I’m working on is my Southern Ghosts Series, which readers are enjoying.
 
2.  Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
 
(Elaine) I’m still learning how, LOL. One thing to note is that writer’s block is different from not being motivated. Or procrastinating because the author is afraid of failure/success/the reappearance of bellbottoms/etc.
I write my books on the computer. To combat a real block, I will hand scribble down notes of what I intend to write, what needs to happen in a specific scene. Somehow the freeness of handwriting breaks through the block. And that’s what it’s all about—tricking your mind into working for you, not against you.
 
 
3. Contrary to what some people envision about a romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
 
(Elaine) I enjoy reading (don’t we all?) but I admit I have the bad habit of Netflix binging. There are few truly amazing shows out there, so when the ones I love come on Netflix (LOST, Bloodline, Dexter, The Walking Dead), I get hooked and watch them. LOST was probably my biggest vice. There were a few days where that’s all I did. Laundry and watch 9 episodes of LOST. *looks around, waiting to be judged* That extreme is only for really, really good shows though, which I believe help me as a storyteller so it’s not all wasted time.
 
4. I know many writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts?
 
(Elaine) My friends and family know that I write and they have been wonderfully supportive. That being said, I don’t tell anyone at my day job that I write. I have a fortunate situation where I have freedom/flexibility at my day job. As long as deadlines are met, I can balance day job responsibilities and writing.
 
 
5. Will you share with us your all-time favorite authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.
 
(Elaine) In no particular order, with the exception of Dennis Lehane being first, here you go: Dennis Lehane, Cornelia Funke, Pat Conroy, Terry Kay, JR Ward, Deena Ward, Tiffany Reisz, Jennifer Weiner, Liliana Hart, and Diana Gabaldon.
 
6. If you could choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?
 
(Elaine) You should visit my Pinterest boards! I have photos all set up with who would play which character. (https://www.pinterest.com/elainecalloway/)
I would probably pick the first book in my Southern Ghosts Series, “No Grits, No Glory.” I set the book in Savannah, one of my favorite places on Earth, and I could see it doing well on the big screen.
Cast? Main heroine – Linda Fiorentino. Main hero – Tom Cruise. Heroine’s older brother Declan – James McAvoy.
I’m not one of those huge Tom Cruise fans, but the way he looked in “Rock of Ages” playing a musician is very close to how I pictured the character.
 
7. Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further.
 
(Elaine) I’m continuing to write books in the Southern Ghosts Series. Book #3 (Krewe of Souls) comes out Nov 18 and I’m putting the finishing touches on it before sending it to my editor. I have 8 books planned for the series, though I haven’t decided which state to do next. Maybe Tennessee. Or Kentucky. The characters for both those states are vying for my attention and I can only pick one.
My other series, The Elemental Clans, still has 1 more book I want to write. Likely in 2016.
 
8. Where can we find your stories, and is there a particular reading order?
 
(Elaine) My books are available on most major retailers like Apple, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. For buy links and to see the order, visit http://www.elainecalloway.com/books/
 
9. Would you please share how your present and future fans can contact you?
 
(Elaine) Yes! I love hearing from readers and fans.
My website has a contact form here: http://www.elainecalloway.com/contact/
 
Readers can also find me on Facebook here: https://www.facebook.com/authorelainecalloway
 
 
 
10. Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours.
 
(Elaine) Feel free to reach out to me with any further questions! I also speak to groups about indie publishing and the business aspects of marketing, so use the contact form on my website if you’re interested.
Thanks again for having me here!
 
 
 
Thank you, Elaine, for sitting down with me. It was truly a pleasure!! 
 
Ladies and gents, I want to also thank you for stopping by today. Your visits always warm my heart. Now before you run off to the real world, stick around a bit longer and check out The Southern Ghosts series. 
 
As always, feedback – comments- questions- or a simple howdy is all welcomed and appreciated. *big smile*
 
 
 
 
 
Brianna fled to Savannah to escape the voices of the dead. Just when she thought she’d left all paranormal things behind, she discovers her house is haunted. Not just haunted, but haunted by Southern ghosts. These persistent beings not only hide her white shoes after Labor Day, but they leave grits-caked dishes in the sink, and swear to wreak havoc on her life – – unless she helps them.
Steven put Savannah in his rearview mirror years ago to follow his passion for music. When his band splits up and he can’t reach his little sister for weeks, he races home—only to learn his whole family died in a mysterious house fire. The house Brianna now lives in.
Together, Brianna and Steven learn who murdered Steven’s family and become caught in a web of intrigue.

 

 

—–> REVIEW <—–
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
 
When I first started reading this story, I kept hearing in my head “I See Dead People”. Man, I really want to watch The Sixth Sense again. That movie, like this book, was awesome! 
 
Virginia was, by far, my favorite ghost. Gotta love a woman (ghost) who sings off key just to irritate someone. That’s gonna be me one day (if ghosts are real and I become one). 
 
However, the best parts of the book came towards the end. 
 
Two tear jerking reunions. I mean, I didn’t actual cry, but for softies out there —- grab a tissue. Very sweet!! 
 
I must mention why I gave this story 4❤  instead of 5. Unless I missed it, I don’t think Elaine explained how Begley knew Brianna broke into his office. Did he have cameras setup? If she explained it and I missed it, please let me know. 
 
 

Heart Rating System 
 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤

 
 
 
 
 
 
WANT MORE !!
 
Book 2
Kindle
Paperback

 

Book 3
Kindle

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September 22, 2015 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase/Interview and Review of “King Stud” – Liv Rancourt

Danielle’s got three months to make her grandmother’s rundown Craftsman house livable. Her game plan is to get in, get grubby, and get back home to L.A. She needs a carpenter, and her best friend’s younger brother is a good one. It’s hard to ignore the buffed body under Ryan’s paint-splattered sweatshirts, but her friend declares he’s off-limits so Danielle reluctantly agrees.

Ryan doesn’t have the cleanest record, anyway. His recently ex-ed girlfriend wants him back, and he has a reputation for brawling. He’s also had a crush on Danielle since he was a kid. Despite their nine-year age difference, he knows she’s worth pursuing.

Soon the paint under Danielle’s fingernails starts feeling more natural than the L.A. sunshine. She’ll have to navigate plumbing disasters, money problems, and one seriously cranky best friend to find something she hasn’t had before: a real home, and a man who loves her.

Excerpt
“Right.” He flipped the ice
pack from one hand to the other. “Why’d your grandmother leave you the house?”
 “Because I’m cute.” She scraped back a stray
hank of hair, her smile as blank as she could make it. Danielle suspected her
grandmother had left her the house because it had always been her safe place,
but Ryan didn’t need a rehash of her poor-little-rich-girl saga.
His eyes still held a
question, but after a moment he nodded and stepped farther back. “Let’s get
those boards.”
“Cool.”
They carried in the
two-by-sixes, silence buffering their actions. Over the weekend, Ryan had
widened the doorways on either end of the dining room, though the rough edges
needed to be enclosed in trim. Once they carried in all the supplies, Ryan
stroked the molding she’d sanded. “Nice work with these.” A half grin showed
off his dimples. “This place is going to be sweet when we get it done.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
She went over to the kitchen sink, looking out over the old wooden porch to the
Sound. A single light moved across the blackness. “Was it hard to open up the
doorways?”
“Just had to work around the
king studs.”
I bet I could work around your king stud just fine. “The what?” Danielle broke
out a super-plastic smile, hoping Ryan couldn’t guess what was on her mind.
“The extra support beams
framing the doors and windows.” He glanced at her, doing a quick double-take.
“What?”
She dredged up willpower from
some deep internal source, in need of every shred to keep pretending he was
just a remodeling buddy. “Nothing.”
“The homeowner’s always
right.” He chuckled and headed back into the living room. “If you’re happy with
my work, next summer you can hire me to rebuild that nasty old porch out back.”
Danielle’s feet stuck as she
got a sudden visual of Ryan, shirtless and sweaty, working in her backyard
under the sun. By the time she could move again, he had his jacket on and was
headed for the front door.
“Well, thanks for dropping
stuff off,” she said.
“Need more ice on my
shoulder.” He paused with his hand on the doorframe, assessing her with that
perfectly controlled heat, an expression way too grown up for only twenty-four.
“I’ll swing by tomorrow and work on the trim.”
Her fluttery response demonstrated
all the maturity of a teenager.
“Oh, and while I’m thinking
about it, Mom said to make sure you know you’re welcome to join us for
Thanksgiving dinner,” he said.
Since she couldn’t hug Ryan,
Danielle hugged herself. “Really? That’d be awesome.”
“Maeve didn’t mention it, did
she?”
“No, but it’s not the night
before.” She laughed, because Maeve had always sucked at planning things in
advance. Her laugh made Ryan laugh, and then things were better. 
Almost.

Purchase Links:

Amazon – Evernight Publishing  – Barnes & Noble

 
 
 

(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 

 

I understand the “no dating my brother” rule when you’re in high school, but when you reach your 30’s, shouldn’t you have put that childish behavior behind you. It’s time to act like adults. Right?
Unfortunately, I found Danielle, Ryan, Maeve, and Cherry acting more like teenagers than the mature adults. 
Maybe if I ever coveted any of my friends’ siblings or had one covet mine I would understand their behavior better. For me, it all seemed ridiculous. 
Now, I could see where the age gap might be a factor. It is for some, but the real issue stemmed from the rule. 
As for Danielle and Ryan’s exes, I didn’t feel anything was truly resolved there. Maybe in a follow-up story, we shall see the resolution or maybe more drama will unfold. 
Only time will tell. 
 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score:❤❤❤
 
 

 

 

Let’s Meet The Author, Liv Rancourt!! 

 
 
1.     Welcome,
Liv Rancourt. For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a
dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your
start in the writing business?
 
(Liv)I
always told myself I’d be a writer someday, but it wasn’t until I turned 47 or
48 that I realized, ‘hey, if I’m going to do this, I better, like, do it.” So I
started drafting short stories and taking classes on-line, and one thing led to
another…
 
2.    
Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
(Liv) My
approach toward writers’ block is pretty much informed by nine years spent as
cantor for my church’s Saturday evening Mass. Every week I showed up with the
hymns planned and the Psalm rehearsed and a solo piece for Communion. I rarely
took a Saturday off, and if I didn’t feel like singing, I just…sang. Because it
was my job. And with rare exceptions, I found my way to a reasonable place by
just doing it.
Now
writing is what I do, and while there are times I’m scrambling for ideas, I’ve
never truly been blocked. I take a one-word-at-a-time approach, and it all
seems to work out.
 
3.    
Contrary to what some people envision about a
romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority
of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how do you
spend your time?
      (Liv) My
day job as a nurse practitioner and my husband and kids take up most of my free
time. We also recently started a kitchen remodel, and like all good projects
its drawing my attention to the Next One On The List.
4.    
I know many writers, such as myself, keep their
pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are
their thoughts?
 
(Liv) My
family and close friends do know I write, and they’re proud of what I do. Some
people at the day job know, but not all. I write under a pen name because when
people do a google search for the nurse practitioner, I don’t want them getting
hits about vampires. (lol!)
(Kam) OMGoodness, that made me snort!! 
 
5.    
Will you share with us your all-time favorite
authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.
      
(Liv) This
is a tough question – even when you make it a top ten list – because there are
so many amazing authors out there, but if I read something I love, I don’t
necessarily go out and get everything else the author has written. I’m weird
that way. I could probably come up with thirty five authors (50? 150?) whose
work I really like but wouldn’t necessarily count them as ‘favorite’.
      So
with that as a preamble, I can think of two authors whose work I love, and who
have taught me a whole lot, both about writing and about how to be a good human
being. They are Alexis Hall and KJ Charles. Alexis is a magician with words,
and KJ has a fantastic sense of romance (and I am in awe of her mad plotting
skills). They both are thoughtful, intelligent people who stand up for what
they believe in and use their literary profiles to support the things they care
about. Look them up. They’re worth it.
 
6.    
If you could choose one book to go to the big
screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?
      (Liv) Oh…I
kinda suck at the ‘who would you cast’ thing, but I’ll give it a go. I would
love to see KJ Charles’ Think of England made into a movie, with a young Russell Crowe (maybe?) as Archie and a
young Adrian Brody as Daniel. The story’s a murder mystery of a sort, set in an
English country house right after WWI, and it counts King Solomon’s Mines by Henry Rider Haggard as a strong source
of influence. I love this book so hard, and there’s so many nuances a good
director could play with, that I think it would make an amazing movie.
 
7.    
Would you care to tell us what you’re working on
now? That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my
ear. I swear it’ll go no further.
(Liv) No
secrets. J I’m finishing up edits on a story for a
charity anthology that will be available just in time for the holidays. The
proceeds will benefit the Ali Forney Center, an agency that works to support homeless
LGBTQ youth. You can keep an eye on my
blog for info on when it will be
available.
I’m
also working on my very first co-writing project with my friend Irene
Preston. Our working title is
“Vampire Porn”, and I’m going to let you draw your own conclusions from that.
So far – and this may be because I’m an alto so all about the harmony – working
with someone else on a writing project is the most fun I’ve had in a long, long
time.
8.    
Where can we find your stories, and is there a
particular reading order?
(Liv) So
far all of my books have been stand-alone stories, although my newest,King
Stud, is the first in a series. You
can find them all on my Amazon Page.
9.    
Would you please share how your present and
future fans can contact you?
 
(Liv) I can be found on-line at all hours
of the day and night at my website & blog (www.liv-rancourt.blogspot.com), on Facebook(www.facebook.com/liv.rancourt), or on Twitter (www.twitter.com/LivRancourt). Come find me. We’ll have fun!
 
  
10. Before
we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like
to share? The stage is all yours.
 
(Liv)I
just want to say thank you, Kameron, for having me as a guest on your blog and
introducing me to your readers. Those were some great interview questions!
 
And thank you partaking in this questionnaire and for introducing me (us) to your work. I know others will be chomping at the bit to read King Stud. So come on folks, buy this book but before you do, drop us a line below. We just <3 our fans being vocal!!  
 
 

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September 20, 2015 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase/Interview and Review of “Innocence” – Holly J. Gill

 
Welcome,  Holly J. Gill!
 
 
 
1. For those who might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a little about yourself? How did you get your start in the writing business?
 
(Holly) I am a wife, mum and a nana to twins. I live in England and work as a care assistant in a residential home. I write whatever genre takes my imagination, currently I have an erotic series out now called Desires and a sweet adult romance called Innocence all published with Secret Cravings Publishing. In my spare time I enjoy camping with hubby, spending time surrounded by my family socializing with friends, and reading. I also enjoy travelling around the stunning English countryside and visiting stately homes and castles.
 
I started writing back in my childhood and written in my spare time ever since.  
 
 
2.  Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
 
(Holly) I rarely suffer with writers block and if it occurs I listen to the tunes that I have used to inspire me for the story, and in time my imagination soon re-boots.
 
3. Contrary to what some people envision about a romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and glam. Well not for the majority of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
 
(Holly) Spending quality time with my family, sitting and reading, chilling out when able.
 
 
4. I know many writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts?
 
(Holly) Most people are aware I write, their reaction is ‘wow’. I have in the past come across jealous people who try to humiliate me, but for me I just walk away I don’t have time for those people.
 
5. Will you share with us your all-time favorite authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long list so give us your top ten.
 
(Holly)
Jane Austin
Jason Luke
Lilly Harlem
Silvia Day
Gosh there are so many more fantastic authors out there!
 
 
6. If you could choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?
 
 (Holly) Innocence and this because of the heart-wrenching scenes littered in disbelief. Pepe Toth would have to play himself, as he was the guy I used for the main hero/ heroine of Calvin Edwards
 
7. Would you care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top-secret information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further.
 
(Holly) Book Two in the Innocence series called ‘Innocence Of Love’
 
8. Where can we find your stories, and is there a particular reading order?
 
(Holly) All my books come in the series needing the correct reading order, I haven’t yet managed to write a series as stand-alone. I never actually start a book and think this is going to be so many books long, I truly never know until getting close to the end of the book. Innocence was only going to be one book…ended up four. And my erotic series Desires, the first two books were written side-by-side and the third and fourth were written two years later and book five came to me five years after the original. I just never know where the characters will take me. That is the fun about being a writer.
 
9. Would you please share how your present and future fans can contact you?
 
(Holly) 
Facebook author page: https://www.facebook.com/hollyjgillauthor?ref=hl
Erotic Holly: http://hollyjgill.blogspot.co.uk/?zx=b9ccabad8f15e367
Romance Holly: http://hollyjodygill.blogspot.co.uk/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/HollyJGill
Google +: https://plus.google.com/u/0/107879443337932231480/posts
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6860426.Holly_J_Gill
Pinterest: http://uk.pinterest.com/gill0839/
 Tsu: http://www.tsu.co/hollyjgill
 
10. Before we conclude this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The stage is all yours.
 
(Holly) I would sincerely love to thank all the people who have supported me through all these years of writing and encouraging me to never give up in the publishing world. I would love to thank my readers and fans for all their support and I hope they enjoy Innocence as much as I did writing it.
 
Finally, I would like to offer some advice to want to be writers, to be a writer you need to write, even if it’s a paragraph a day. To get published give it all you have, never be afraid to ask for help or advice we don’t bite!
 
 
Holly, you’ve given some sound advice which I hope others will act upon. Thank you!
 
Now though, we’ve come to the part of the show where I give my two cents on Innocence. I hope you decide to stick around and read it. I also added a trailer for your entertainment. 
 
Enjoy! <3
 
 
 
 

Calvin Edwards, has everything he could dream about, perfect lifestyle, running the family real-estate company back in London. He takes a holiday up North to visit his parents, only when out walking on his parents land, he finds a young pregnant woman attempting to take her life. Calvin wishes to help, becoming a friend through her troubles, only fears he’s out of his depth, let alone discovers his past comes back to life, sending his life crashing.

Kacey is pregnant and her life is out of control, with nowhere left to go. She descends on her mum for one last chance for help, only the door is slammed in her face. At her wits end, alone, scared and helpless until Calvin comes along. He becomes a dear friend giving her kindness. Only what she’d pushed to the back of her mind through selfish pain, is back. Her past has come back to life!

 
 
 
images-17
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
If you ever wished a man would NOT bottle up his emotions, then you’re going to love Calvin. I truly believe I’ve never “seen” a man cry as much as him. Yeah, some of his tears were justified. Ok, about 90-95%. However, when he finally wiped those tears away and snapped —-Holy Moly!! 
 
He sure let Kacey have it and rightfully so. Lead a man to believe one thing and then disclose another. The first was heart wrenching enough but the latter was just as hard to process. 
 
Yes, I’m being vague on purpose. After all, Holly and I want you to read the book. 
 
Warning: Cliffhanger ending. 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤❤
 
 
 
I’ve notified Holly the various sites/links she sent me are now invalid. I’m sorry for this. Hopefully, this feature will be updated soon so sales can be made.

 
(Updated 9/28 w/new purchase link)   
 
 
 
Book 2. Innocence of love COMING SOON
Book 3. Breaking Innocence
Book 4. Return To Innocence
 

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September 18, 2015 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase / Interview and Review of “Rite of Summer” (Treading the Boards) – Tess Bowery

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Welcome, Tess Bowery!! 
 
1. For those who
might not be familiar with you, would you be a dear and tell the readers a
little about yourself? How
did you get your start in the writing business?
 
(Tess) Hello, all, and
thank you so much, Kam, for having me here today.
I’m probably
less interesting than my books – I’m a history buff with a little house by the
seaside, a long-time partner and two school-age kids. I cut my reading teeth on
the old masters of sci-fi, but I much prefer fantasy and historical fiction
these days.
 
I’ve been
writing purely for my own entertainment for a long time, primarily for online
roleplaying games and fanfiction, I’d done some work as an editor off and on,
but never had the guts to send something in for proper publication. My better
half has been bugging me for literally the better part of two decades to do
something formally with my fiction, but I would always argue that I didn’t have
a good story of my own to tell.
 
I stumbled on a
book, about five years ago, that talked all about a group of people I knew very
little about – the active gay community in Georgian England. That book, ‘Mother Clap’s Molly House,’ by Dr.
Rictor Norton, completely changed the way I had been thinking about the long
eighteenth century.
 
Finally I had a
notion in mind of a story I wanted to tell – that I needed to tell! – and I
started working on Rite of Summer in the summer of 2013. It was originally
called ‘the Country House,’ incredibly creative, I know! I submitted to Samhain
in the early summer of 2014, and was lucky enough to be picked up by my first
choice of house. It’s been non-stop ever since!
 
Rite of Summer was released on June 2nd this
year, and the first sequel, She Whom I
Love, will be out December 29th.  
 
2.  Do you ever suffer from writer’s block? If so, please share how you handle it.
 
(Tess) The fastest way
to shake things loose is to get up out of the chair and go do something else
for a while, preferably something manual and repetitive. I’ve had so many
epiphanies in the shower that I keep a notebook on the back of the toilet tank
now, and a lot of laundry gets folded
while I’m chewing over problematic or complicated plot points. Gardening’s also
a good one, or going for a run – anything that keeps my body moving and my brain
free to wander.
 
3. Contrary to
what some people envision about a romance writer’s life, it’s not all glitz and
glam. Well not for the majority of us. With that bubble sadly busted, when
you’re not writing, how do you spend your time?
 
(Tess) I have two school-age
kids, so there is a lot of laundry, lunch-making, running them from one event,
birthday party or activity to another, and cleaning up injuries (and bodily
fluids). And that’s my leisure time!
 
My main day job
is academic. I’m working on my PhD, so my days are spent in the library, in
class, writing or editing articles for publication, or fighting with my
research databases. One way or another, I’m always writing something.  
 
I do try and
take some time for myself once in a while, but that’s a lot more likely to
involve a YouTube yoga class in my pajamas than any kind of jet-set champagne brunch. 
  
4. I know many
writers, such as myself, keep their pastime/career a secret. Do those close to
you know you write? If so, what are their thoughts?
 
(Tess) I’ve told a few
people, primarily my partner and my brother. My kids know that I write ‘stories
about love,’ but they’re definitely not allowed to read them yet! I only just told my mother my pen name, and
she’s got a copy of Rite of Summer, but she still hasn’t told me what she
thinks. I did make her pinky-swear never, ever to talk to me about the sex
scenes, so that may limit the conversation somewhat.
 
My better half’s
been after me for eons to write, and has always been my biggest and most vocal
supporter. So that’s been really affirming, and probably the reason I’m even
doing this at all. Having someone who believes in you and in the power of your
work is one of the most important things to any creative type.
 
 
5. Will you
share with us your all-time favorite authors? If you’re like me, it’s a long
list so give us your top ten.
 
(Tess) Oh gosh. I don’t
even know if that is enough! And there are so many whom I love for very
different reasons – I can give you my top two or three off of each list, but
there’s no way I can put them in any kind of fixed order.
 
For lyrical writing and intricate story
structure that drive me crazy, because I’ll never be able to emulate their
beauty:
Guy Gavriel Kay
Ursula K Leguin
 
Offbeat as hell but makes me think:
Kurt Vonnegut
Terry Pratchett
Margaret Atwood
 
Old favourites that I read at exactly the
right time in my life:
Jane Austen
Gordon Korman
(middle-school humour – MacDonald Hall
especially)
Gordon Kendall
(I think he only ever wrote one sci-fi novel, White Wing, but it was the first book I had ever read with a poly family as protagonists. It changed the entire
way I thought about love. I read this thing until the spine split.)
 
Newer authors I’m watching like a hawk
because I was so impressed with their debuts:
Leah Bobet
(urban fantasy)
Lillian Marek
(historical romance)
 
 
6. If you could
choose one book to go to the big screen, yours or otherwise, which book would you choose and whom would you love to see cast in the parts?
 
 
(Tess) I’m going to
cheat, because it’s a graphic novel rather than a purely text book, but I would
kill to see any kind of movie made
from Young Avengers.
 
It hits every
mark I crave in a coming of age story – the fantasy of having special powers,
discovering that you have the ability to change not only your life but make
others’ lives better, and not only that, but having a group of your best
friends fighting right alongside you. Better yet, the cast of Young Avengers is incredibly diverse,
and includes Billy Kaplan and Teddy Altman, my favourite fictional couple of
all time.
 
There have been
a number of story arcs and versions of the team over the years, of course, but
if any one of them was going to be made into a movie, I’d like to see a
much-simplified version of Children’s
Crusade. It’s a storyline where two of the team members, the twins Billy
and Tommy, go on a quest to find their mother. She’s been accused of murder and
has gone into hiding. Their team comes along and the authorities chase after
them, determined to bring the Scarlet Witch to justice.
 
Keeping the
fancasting to just the core characters, I’d love to see a list something like
this:
Billy Kaplan: Quentin
Merabet
Tommy Shepherd:
Lucky Blue Smith
Teddy Altman: Mason
Dye
Kate Bishop: I
always used to say Crystal Reed, but I’m going to switch allegiances to another
Teen Wolf actress – Arden Cho would be awesome,
and add some more racial diversity.
Eli Bradley: Michael
B Jordon – he deserves another shot at a better superhero franchise.
Cassie Lang:
Elle Fanning
Jonas Vision: Jake
Austin
Wanda Maximoff: Zrinka
Cvitesic
Erik Lensherr: Michael
Fassbender
 
(Kam) I adore your answer. I, too. am a fan of comics/graphic novels. 🙂
 
 
7. Would you
care to tell us what you’re working on now? That is if it’s not top-secret
information. If so, just whisper it in my ear. I swear it’ll go no further.
 
(Tess) Like any author,
I’m always happy to ramble about things I’m working on! I’ve got the third book
in Treading the Boards underway – I’m
about a third of the way through my first draft, with a potential publication
date of September 2016. This is a M/F romance about Isaac, a machinist and
stagehand at London’s famous Surrey Theatre, and Grace, a dancer and actress we
meet in She Whom I Love.
 
More on the
completed-and-into-edits side, I have a second series coming out from Samhain,
starting this spring. Evolution Ink
is a contemporary new adult romance series about the owners and artists at an
NYC tattoo and piercing studio. The first book, High Contrast, is an M/M romance, and I’m so excited to see it
coming into print!
 
High Contrast releases May 3rd, 2016.
 
 
8. Where can we
find your stories, and is there a particular reading order?
 
(Tess) You can find Rite of Summer available online anywhere
books are sold! Samhain has me listed on all the Amazons, Barnes and Noble, and
of course through samhainpublishing.com.
 
Rite of Summer is the only book out so far, so I
recommend starting there, but all of my books are standalone stories that
happen to be in a shared universe.
 
If you’re not a
fan of M/M, for instance, you can easily pick up She Whom I Love (which is F/F/M poly triad) and dive right in
without needing to know anything about what came before. The same will be true
with all the following books, as well as for the Evolution Ink series.
 
My goal is to
have every book be its own contained, powerful love story for those picking it
up as their first read of mine – and to deepen the shared world a stage for
readers who have been with me from the beginning.
 
 
9. Would you
please share how your present and future fans can contact you?
  
(Tess) Absolutely! My
main social media hangout is Tumblr, and you can find me there at
tessbowery.tumblr.com. I do have a facebook page, as well as a twitter account
at @tessbowery, but I’m on those less often.
 
And no matter
what network you prefer, you can always keep up with news and releases (and the
occasional flash sale!) at www.tessbowery.com. Hit me up by email at
tess.bowery@gmail.com
 
 
10. Before we conclude
this enlightening interview, do you have anything else you’d like to share? The
stage is all yours.
 
(Tess) Only that I am
so excited, such a nerd, and so blessed to be part of this wonderful community
in romance-land. I have such a love for found families and stories of
broken-but-still-good, and here is where I’ve really found my people. I would
love for folks to come hang out on tumblr with me, or just drop me a line via
email to shoot the breeze.
 
 
Thank you, Tess, for sparing me a few (ok maybe more than a few) minutes out of your hectic day to share a bit more about yourself. I always love learning more about authors and what inspires them to write what they do. No two stories (answers) are ever the same. 🙂
 
Now folks, lets move on to the second half of this feature. The other reason Tess has joined us today — Rite of Summer and my critique of it. 
 
Enjoy! 

 

 
(Book one, Treading the Boards)

There are terrors worse than stage fright. Like falling in love.
 

Violinist Stephen Ashbrook is passionate about three things—his music, the excitement of life in London, and his lover, Evander Cade. It’s too bad that Evander only loves himself. A house party at their patron’s beautiful country estate seems like a chance for Stephen to remember who he is, when he’s not trying to live up to someone else’s harsh expectations.

Joshua Beaufort, a painter whose works are very much in demand among the right sort of people, has no expectations about this party at all. Until, that is, he finds out who else is on the guest list. Joshua swore off love long ago, but has been infatuated with Stephen since seeing his brilliant performance at Vauxhall. Now he has the chance to meet the object of his lust face to face—and more.

But changing an open relationship to a triad is a lot more complicated than it seems, and while Evander’s trying to climb the social ladder, Stephen’s trying to climb Joshua. When the dust settles, only two will remain standing…when they’re not flat on their backs.

 
(request submitted by author for an honest critique) 
 
Two men shagging – Three men – Masturbation: Tess didn’t falter in delivering some rather heated scenes. For me, Joshua masturbating was more erotic than all the other scenes combined. However, I’m just a gal who enjoys self-loving and watching others pleasure themselves. *winks* 
 
As stimulating as those moments were, I have one small complaint — the overuse of the word, “PRICK”. In erotica tales, it’s hard (no pun intended) to create elaborate love scenes and not use words repetitively. However, I would have preferred she changed up the name a bit – use manhood, staff, dick – in some instances. She did use cock a few times but again PRICK was the prominent word of choice. 
 
With that said…..
 
If you like historical erotica, you’ll gobble this story up and hunger for more. 
 
If you like gay erotica, again, I know you’ll enjoy it.  Seriously, how could you not with all the nakedness at your disposal.
 
 
Heart Rating System:
1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤❤
 
BUY NOW @ AMAZON — > Kindle – Paperback
 
  
Coming December 29, 2015, from Samhain Publishing!!
 
(Book two, Treading the Boards)

 

 Love would be simpler if it came with a script.

Marguerite Ceniza dies on the London stage each night, but her own life has barely begun. The ingénue is on the prowl for a lover, but while she burns with desire for Sophie, a confession could ruin their decade-long friendship. In the meantime there are always men vying to be her patron, and square-jawed, broad-shouldered James Glover can’t help but catch her eye.

Sophie Armand has been a lady’s maid for too long, and she’s sick of keeping secrets. Her hidden scripts and the story of her birth are only the beginning. Her nights are haunted by desperate thoughts of the beguiling Marguerite, and of James, the handsome tradesman who whispers promises of forever into her ear.

James has the kind of problem a lot of men would kill for—two women, both beautiful, both sensual, and both willing. Sophie wants marriage, while Marguerite’s only in it for fun, and choosing between them isn’t easy.

What’s the worst that could happen if he secretly courts them both?

Their romantic triangle is complicated in the most delicious way, until a shadowy figure from Marguerite’s past threatens to destroy the budding relationship—and their lives.

Warning: Contains a lady’s maid with secret desires, a corset-maker who knows his way around a woman’s body, and an actress who never has to fake it. Rated for adult audiences only.

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September 16, 2015 · 5:00 am

Author Showcase/Review of “Digging of the Past (Tales From Atlantis) ” – Sandi Brackeen

 

bookcover

 

The Spade of Apocatequil can raise the dead and grant immortality—and it’s been stolen!

When supernatural agents Riley Perez and Jason, her partner at the clandestine government agency DUE, are given the task of tracking down the magical artifact, they discover that the culprit may be one of the workers at an archaeological dig at Shady Shores. Is it John Braden, the head archaeologist on-site, who was involved in the original discovery of the spade? Or is it Danny Roget, the anthropologist, who claims that there have been strange sightings? Riley and Jason’s hunt for the spade is endangered by a rash of sudden, unexplainable deaths of people involved in the dig. Together with Cameron Delaney, the intriguing alpha werewolf who runs Cerberus Security, the company in charge of protecting the archaeologists at the dig, Riley and Jason must find the spade before it can be used to destroy the world!

 
 
 
 

Immortality? Now that’s tempting. Throw in an army of the dead, and hey, any evil overlord would kill for that package.

 
When the Homeland Security Service’s Department of Unusual Events, or DUE, assigned my partner, Jason, and me to this case, the file said the spade we’re looking for was valued at eighteen million dollars and belonged to the Peruvian Government. Stolen during shipment from Peru to the local University, the spade was scheduled for study, along with a number of the other artifacts uncovered on a dig site in Peru. According to our file, the HSS believed it had been stolen for financial gain or, perhaps, to cause an international incident. Not our usual type of case, but not unheard of either.
 
What the file didn’t mention was that this wasn’t just any gold spade. This was the Spade of Apocatequil. Peruvian legend has it that anywhere Apocatequil stuck this spade in the ground people sprang up. Now, the spade is believed to grant the holder immortality…

 
 
PURCHASE LINKS – Kindle – Paperback
 
 
(review request submitted by the author for an honest critique) 
 
We’ve all encountered books that we didn’t 100% love or hate. For me, this is one of them. 
 
Since this story included a demon, were, shifter/empath, I expected more action. More suspense. 
 
Just more. 
 
Let me describe my feelings as such…..
 
Think of the build-up, the excitement you feel when a rollercoaster climbs higher and higher. You can’t wait for the sudden drop. You’ve been waiting for it. The rush it brings you.  
 
Now imagine you get to the peak and instead of the powerful descent, the coaster creeps down the slope. There’s no screaming; arms raised into the air. No, there’s just a slow, easy decline back to ground zero. 
 
There were parts of “Digging of the Past” I found quite enjoyable. Jason, for one, was a very likable demon. I enjoyed how he made assignments fun. Plus, he adored pizza and so do I. Nuff said. 
 
One scene in particular was very humorous. The altercation between Cam and the guard. I guess when dealing with a were, “Sit Fido,” just won’t do. 
 
Heart Rating System – 1 (lowest) and 5 (highest) 
Score: ❤❤1/2
 

PURCHASE LINKS – Kindle – Paperback

 

 
Website
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I live in Texas with a roommate, two Yellow Labs, a Shepherd/Border Collie mix, and two terrier mixes. The animals were all rescues, and I’m a strong supporter of rescue and the fostering program.

 
I have always been an avid reader of mysteries, fantasies, and romances, and I like being able to combine the three into one story. My full time job is as the Public Information Officer for the local Sheriff’s Office, and I teach English part time at the local Community College.
 
I have a couple of degrees lying around somewhere, and I’ve been writing ever since I can remember. I took time off for work and school, and previously my writing has been more geared toward short stories and academic papers. I have now switched to writing fiction and currently have several more books in the works. 

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