Monday, December 7, 2015

Monday's Montage Mantlepiece: Wish Come True


Summary:
First love. Young love. Holiday love...

Wish Come True is a collection of contemporary, new adult, holiday short stories by some of our favorite authors!

Stories Included:
A Very English Christmas by Keira Andrews
Isaac and David have created a new life together outside the Amish world. Living “English,” they’ve left behind the rigid, isolated community where they discovered their forbidden love. Staying with Isaac’s older brother in San Francisco, they yearn for a home—and bed—of their very own. As they experience the bright lights and merry carols of modern Christmas for the first time, can they make their holiday wishes come true?

Mr Perfect's Christmas by Joanna Chambers
Sam Warren’s new job hasn’t been going so well so the last thing he’s in the mood for is the obligatory office Christmas party, particularly since Nick Foster’s going to be there. Nick–the guy whose shoes Sam has been trying to fill–seems to take very opportunity to point out where Sam’s going wrong. But when Sam receives an unexpected Secret Santa gift at the party, he’s forced to question his assumptions about his rival. Could it be that he’s been misinterpreting Nick’s actions all along? And is it possible that his reluctant attraction to Nick is reciprocated?

The Christmas Ship by Amy Jo Cousins
When a twink who's finally ready to grow up accidentally catfishes a college football player headed to the NFL, it's going to take a lot of honesty and all the faith they can muster in their own One True Pairing to set this Christmas ship sailing.

That Thing by Megan Erickson
Helping his wedding planner sister work an event is not Devin Master’s idea of what he wants to do on his winter break from college. But saying no to his sister isn’t in his wheelhouse, which is why he finds himself embedded in a drama-filled wedding. His first task? Babysit the “troublesome” best man.

Adrian Alvarez wants to do just about anything on New Year’s Eve except attending his best friend’s wedding. Ever since Adrian came out, he’s been shunned in his hometown. By everyone but his best friend, Tony. Which is why he finds himself trudging through the airport to fulfill his best man duties. He doesn’t expect to find out his ride to the hotel is a hot blond with a cocky grin.

Devin can’t get involved with a member of the wedding party, or his sister will kill him, and Adrian just wants to lay low and not draw attention to himself. But neither can resist the chemistry between them and they have to decide if they are willing to ignite or let their attraction fizzle out.

Just Like Heaven by Suki Fleet
One rainy night in December, David helps a busker with pretty eyes get his stolen money back. He doesn’t imagine the strong attraction he feels is mutual. But after overcoming his shyness, David discovers Jess is definitely interested.

Jess just isn’t interested in anything but a one night stand. Or maybe two. Falling for David is definitely not part of his plan. But when David gets trapped in a snowstorm the night before Christmas Eve, Jess realises a night or two is never going to be enough.

Not Your Grandfather's Magic by Kaje Harper
A month away from Zeb Crowe’s twenty-first birthday — just a month before the ceremony that will awaken his psychic heritage — Zeb’s grandfather predicts cryptically, “Hold your mind and heart ready, and something good will come to you.” Shortly afterward, Zeb meets Matt, a smart, gawky, unexpectedly appealing guy who might warm the lonely corners of his heart. But is Matt really the “something good” his grandfather predicted? And is it fair to get close to him, when very soon Zeb’s whole life will change? If Zeb’s dad wasn’t missing, or his grandfather wasn’t such an enigmatic old bastard, his path to love, or power, would be so much clearer.

Bottle Boys by Anyta Sunday
Benjamin Otto is a bottle of liquid luck. Good looks. Good brain. Whatever the challenge: good odds. Except, what happens when those odds change?

Dad’s had enough bankrolling Ben and requests him to get a job. The challenge: make enough money to finance Christmas or face telling his little brother the holidays are dead.

Then there’s Sebastian. The guy from his politics class who is always coming in second after him. The guy who steals Ben’s idea to collect bottles for quick cash. The guy who makes Ben wonder if any amount of luck will be enough to win him what he really wants…

Edited by Lenore DiTrani
Cover by KaNaXa

Proceeds will be donated to Lost-n-Found Youth, an Atlanta-based nonprofit corporation whose mission is to take homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender youths to age 26 off the street and transition them into more permanent housing.

Author Bios:
Keira Andrews
After writing for years yet never really finding the right inspiration, Keira discovered her voice in gay romance, which has become a passion. She writes contemporary, historical, paranormal and fantasy fiction, and—although she loves delicious angst along the way—Keira firmly believes in happy endings. For as Oscar Wilde once said, “The good ended happily, and the bad unhappily. That is what fiction means.”

Joanna Chambers
Joanna Chambers always wanted to write. She spent over 20 years staring at blank sheets of paper and despairing of ever writing a single word. In between staring at blank sheets of paper, she studied law, met her husband and had two children. Whilst nursing her first child, she rediscovered her love of romance and found her muse. Joanna lives in Scotland with her family and finds time to write by eschewing sleep and popular culture.

Amy Jo Cousins
Amy Jo Cousins lives in Chicago, where she writes contemporary romance, tweets more than she ought, and sometimes runs way too far. She loves her boy and the Cubs, who taught her that being awesome doesn't necessarily have anything to do with winning.

Megan Erickson
Megan worked as a journalist covering real-life dramas before she decided she liked writing her own endings better and switched to fiction. 

She lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, two kids and two cats. When she's not tapping away on her laptop, she's probably listening to the characters in her head who won't stop talking.

Suki Fleet
Suki Fleet currently lives in the heart of England. Her childhood was quite unconventional and she spent some time living on a boat and travelling at sea with her family. Since she was very small she has always dreamed of writing for a living, but though she has written original fiction online for years and encouraged many new writers to keep going and follow their author dreams, it is only recently she got the courage to make her own dream a reality and actually send something off to a publisher.
By day she runs her own business selling fabric (her second love) and juggling family commitments, by night she weaves the stories that the characters in her head dictate. These stories often start with pain or longing but always end with love.

Kaje Harper
Kaje Harper grew up in Montreal and spent her teen years writing. But as life got busy, the stories began to just live in her head. The characters grew, met, endured, loved, but rarely made it to paper. Serious authorship got sidetracked by ventures into psychology, teaching, and a biomedical career. And by the challenges of raising children.

When the kids were more independent, her husband gave her a computer she didn't have to share. She began putting words down in print, just for fun. Hours of fun. Lots of hours of fun. The stories began piling up, and her husband suggested it was time to try to publish one. MLR Press accepted her first book, Life Lessons, which was released in May 2011. Kaje now has several novels and short stories in print. She currently lives in Minnesota with a creative teenager, a crazy little omnivorous white dog, and a remarkably patient spouse.

Anyta Sunday
A born and raised New Zealander from Wellington, Anyta Sunday loves reading and writing, and trying to convince everyone else they love it too. Stories have been piling up in her head since she was a wee girl, and after moving to Berlin, Germany, in 2006, she started putting them to paper.

Her genre of choice is romance, both adult and YA, gay and straight. When not pushing her characters deeper into adventure, she chases her son around the house or dabbles in some stick-figure art. Yes, son, that is a cat.


Keira Andrews
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
NEWSLETTER  /  GOOGLE+  /  KOBO
ITUNES  /  GOOGLE PLAY  /  ARe
EMAIL: keira.andrews@gmail.com

Joanna Chambers
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
GOOGLE PLAY  /  KOBO  /  AMAZON
SMASHWORDS  /  ARe  /  GOODREADS
EMAIL: authorjoannachambers@gmail.com

Amy Jo Cousins
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
PINTEREST  /  KOBO  /  ARe  /  AMAZON
EMAIL: amyjo@amyjocousins.com

Megan Erickson
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
ARe  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS
EMAIL: megan@meganerickson.org

Suki Fleet
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  BLOG
KOBO  /  TUMBLR  /  SMASHWORDS
ARe  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS
EMAIL: sukifleet@gmail.com

Kaje Harper
FACEBOOK  /  BLOG  /  KOBO  /  iTUNES
GOOGLE PLAY  /  SMASHWORDS  /  ARe
MLR PRESS  /  AMAZON  /  GOODREADS
EMAIL: kajeharper@yahoo.com

Anyta Sunday
FACEBOOK  /  TWITTER  /  WEBSITE
KOBO  /  SMASHWORDS  /  ARe
EMAIL: anytasunday@googlemail.com



KOBO  /  SMASHWORDS  /  ARe


Pirate Princess by Catherine Banks

Title: Pirate Princess
Author: Catherine Banks
Series: Pirate Princess #1
Genre: YA/NA Fantasy
Release Date: November 2, 2015
Summary:
As the daughter of the Pirate King, Tilia Swanson has an unusual upbringing learning skills that aren't often available to women. As the heir apparent for the Kingdom of Crilan, her skills set her apart as she is trained by the best in the land and taught to harness her magic. However, piracy is in her blood, and draws danger to Tilia in the way that treasure draws pirates. Some treasure are more valuable than others. Will this lesson be learned in time or will the betrayal of those around her be her undoing?


“Ready?” Jared asked me with a wide smile.

“Ready for what?” I asked.

Esmeralda and Jared clucked their tongues and their horses shot off ahead, racing together. “Cheaters!” I yelled, clucking to Duke and squeezing my legs to urge him forward. He reluctantly took off at a canter and then lengthened his stride into a gallop. We caught up and then pulled ahead of them both by a neck.

“Your horse’s size is not fair,” Esmeralda called.

“Your small horse should be faster than this lazy giant,” I called back.

We continued galloping for a little ways farther and then slowed the horses to a walk. I pet his neck and praised him. “What a good boy,” I crooned, “I’ll make sure you get spoiled in Markleville.”

“That horse can really move when he needs to,” Jared said.

“He’s a perfect horse,” I said with a genuine smile and heartfelt appreciation.

“I’m surprised you can even mount him,” Esmeralda teased.

“You should have seen her trying to climb up him the first day I gave him to her,” Jared said with a laugh.

“Well you wouldn’t pick me up and put me on him,” I complained.

“It was worth it to watch you scramble up his front leg and almost pull out the poor guy’s mane to get onto his back.”

“I apologized and gave him three apples that night,” I said as I pet his neck again. “He forgave me.”

“Most men forgive you if you give them something to eat,” Esmeralda teased.

“Don’t put ridiculous thoughts like that into her head,” Jared reprimanded her.

“It’s going to be interesting to see who you end up with,” Faxon said with a smirk at me.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” I asked defensively.

“You are equal parts your uncle and aunt,” he said, “I always knew they were meant to be together because of how they interacted, but seeing you as both parts makes me wonder who could possibly counteract your attitude and personality.”

“Are you trying to imply that by being a little bit of both of us that she is unlovable?” Esmeralda asked with venom in her voice.

“Not unlovable, just…difficult,” he said with a wide smile.

“I’ll show you difficult,” she said, her hands moved and then a fire started on the top of Faxon’s saddle pad. His horse bolted ahead of us, bucking as he tried to dislodge the fire and Faxon.

Faxon somehow held his seat and used his magic to put the fire out. “See what I mean?” Faxon called back to us, “Difficult.”

“I’m not difficult,” I said.

Jared reached over and pet my hand. “You’re right; you’re only difficult eighty percent of the time.”

I let my mouth drop open and then glared at him. “You’re the most stubborn man in the Realm of Olanze and you’re telling me that I am difficult?”

“She has a point,” Esmeralda said.

“Don’t you team up with her against me. I’m your husband,” he growled.

“I’m only speaking the truth,” she said.

“You are rather difficult sometimes,” Griffin agreed with Esmeralda.

“Not you too!” Jared groaned. I stifled my laugh, but he saw me covering my mouth and glared at me.

What Others Are Saying:
“Sometimes a girl just needs to read a book with a strong female character and a fun fantasy twist that is both exciting and daring. Pirate Princess is a fantastic young adult story that will appeal to readers both young and old. This story has a fantastic set of people and exciting adventures that will take you on a ride that you did not see coming.” ~ Readingteeners

“I had never really read a book about pirates before, but now that I have, I am totally planning on making it a habit!”~ Amazon Reviewer

“A pirate princess with deadly skills with a dagger, rival pirates, dashing pirate captains, and life threatening adventures. What could go wrong?  I was so excited when Catherine asked me to review her book, Pirate Princess for her because I love her books.” ~ Amazon Reviewer

Author Bio:
Catherine Banks is the author of the Artemis Lupine Series, Little Death Bringer Series, Ciara Steele Novella Series, and the novel Daughter of Lions. She began writing fiction stories when she was only four years old and finished her first full length novel at the age of fifteen.

Catherine is a Northern California native and has lived within a twenty mile radius her entire life. She plans to travel to as many places as possible in her thirties to make up for her lack of traveling experience. She is married to her soulmate and best friend, Avery, who blessed her with two amazing children. After her full time job she reads books, plays video games, and watches a lot of anime shows and movies with her family to relax.


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AMAZON CA  /  AMAZON AU  /  B&N

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Jinxed by Sandrine Gasq-Dion

Title: Jinxed
Author: Sandrine Gasq-Dion
Series: The Rock Series #2
Genre: M/M Romance
Release Date: October 29, 2015
Summary:
Jinx Jett is a rock superstar. As such, the hunky Skull Blasters drummer thoroughly enjoys the many perks of willing groupies, earning him a reputation as the band slut. Making it big and scoring hot women is something Jinx never expected. There's a little voice in the back of his mind constantly reminding him of how he used to be -- shy, overweight and acne prone. One night in a gay bar turns life upside down when Jinx runs into Jayden Dempsey, a kid he's been fantasizing about since giving him his autograph at a mall. Long-held insecurities keep Jinx from fully committing to anyone, and he may lose Jayden if he can't put his past behind him.

Jayden Dempsey always wanted out of his life in small-town Alabama. When his parents kicked him out after he told them he was gay, Jayden decided the time was right to move on. He crosses the country to try out for 'Singers!', a show that propels unknowns to stardom. In a twist, producers choose him and three others as winners and form a boy band called London Boys.This season, the show brings Jayden and the guys back for the finale. Surprise! The contest's heavy metal finalist will be singing with Skull Blasters.

Jinx and Jayden's initial meeting doesn't go so well, and Jayden's stunned when the guy he's crushed on for years turns out to be a total jerk. It doesn't stop him from falling into Jinx's arms every time they're alone, but Jayden didn't sign on for one nighters. He wants Jinx Jett, baggage and all.

Can a former teen outcast put rejection behind him and embrace the acceptance standing right in front of him? How much will one boy bander put up with from his rock idol before enough is enough? Can they make it work? Or are they jinxed in love?


“Jayden? What are you doing here?”

“I’m in the show.”

“Oh, are you a finalist? I didn’t see you in the lineup.”

“Nope. I’m last season’s winner.”

“Last season?” Jinx furrowed his brow. “I missed last season.”

Evander and the guys came back, trailed by Sebastian, Jericho, and one of the other finalists whose name I couldn’t remember no matter how many times I was reminded. Jericho winked at me and I smiled.

“Well!” Sebastian’s voice boomed over the empty stage. “I see you guys are all getting to know one another. This is Jericho, our first heavy metal finalist, and this is Scott,” Sebastian motioned to the other guy. “He’s more of an alternative kind of guy. Gareth, where are the rest of your guys?”

“Right behind us,” Gareth answered.

“Oooh, I sense some chemistry over there,” Scott crooned. “Heavy metal is joining the boy band? I didn’t know you liked them so … pretty, Jinx.”

“Wait, what?” Jinx spun around.

“Oh yeah,” Scott continued maliciously. “Jayden and his merry band of mates make up London Boys.”

Jinx spun back to me, a look of absolute horror on his face. “You’re in a boy band?” he almost whispered.

“Guilty.” I held up my hands.

“You like ’em, huh, Jinx?” Scott leered.

I wanted to slap Scott in the face. No wonder I couldn’t remember his name — it wasn’t worth remembering. Jinx backed away from me and I took a step forward.

“Don’t.” Jinx lowered his voice so that I only I could hear him. “I can’t believe you’re in a fucking boy band! You guys barely sing, you just go na-na-na-naaaa, and you don’t even play instruments!”

I recoiled as if I’d been the one slapped. Jinx was staring at me as if I were a serial killer. The anger boiled up and I lashed out.

“Fuck you, Jinx!” I stomped offstage, Evander hot on my heels.

What Others Are Saying:
“This book was one that I couldn’t put down once I started reading, and I absolutely loved the storyline, and it actually changed how I thought of Jinx too, he is not a shallow person at all, in fact he is the complete opposite. I also look forward to seeing how Jayden and Jinx get on together in future books too.” ~ Gay Media Reviews 5 Star Review

“Well, Sandrine Gasq-Dion has done again by banging out another winner with Jinxed, her second book from her Rock Series.” ~ Goodreads Reviewer 5 Star Review

“I am quite anxious for the next book in this story, Gasq--Dion has been teasing it for two books now. Definitely a must read series, full of sexy rockers that are passionate about every aspect of their lives, personal and professional.” ~ Author T.M. Smith 5 Star Review



Author Bio:
Best selling author, Sandrine (Sandy) was born in Inglewood, California. Raised by "Old School" French parents, she later moved to Tucson, AZ. It was there that writing became a hobby. Always told she had a great imagination, Sandy wrote short stories for her friends in High School. In college, she took more writing classes while working on her Criminal Justice degree, but it wasn't until a soap opera caught her eye that she got involved in male on male romances. On the advice of a friend, Sandy dipped her toes into the world of M/M Romance. Sandy takes the writing seriously and has had countless conversations with gay men as well as hours of research. She's been involved with the military in one way or another for over twenty years, and has a great deal of respect for our men in uniform. She's traveled the world, but has finally returned to Arizona.


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Jinxed #2

Fret #1




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Alert the Media by Mia Fox

Title:  Alert the Media
Series: Hollywood Hotties #1
Author: Mia Fox
Genre: Chick Lit/social satire
Release Date: June 13, 2013
Publisher: Evatopia Press
Cover Design: Eden Crane Design
Summary:
When you’re an entertainment publicist, there’s no better cure for a broken heart than to Alert the Media...

April and Ryan Monahan are the perfect Hollywood couple. He’s a handsome actor on the rise; she’s a high-powered entertainment publicist. Her job becomes more demanding, however, when Ryan announces he is gay and wants a divorce.

Believing that her persuasive power over the press will give Ryan the publicity he craves, April launches a swift media campaign to make him realize that he can’t live without her. But Ryan has decided that he likes the dating scene and April’s boss insists that she keep him happy as his account is important to the firm.

To her dismay, April is forced to protect her firm’s bottom line by maintaining Ryan’s status as a Hollywood heartthrob while enduring her own heartbreak. As she picks up the pieces of her destroyed marriage, April is determined to compete with Ryan for power, publicity, and true love -- even when her imagination takes her from the board room to the bedroom.

To save her sanity, her corner office, and her two dogs from becoming caught up in an ugly custody battle, April constructs a plan to use her media savvy skills to her advantage.


I entered the office conference room to find my assistant, Bebe, busily applying a green tea, mud mask to our Creative Director’s neck. Thus far, my assistants have either needed extensive training, or have just reached the point where they are well-trained and realize they are too advanced to be an assistant. Bebe was thankfully at the in-between stage, good for at least another six months before the threat of quitting would arise unless given a raise. She had also recently relocated to Los Angeles from Atlanta so hopefully she didn’t have enough connections for me to worry about her being poached by another firm. The only obvious health benefit I could discern from Bebe bathing Josh Cohen in this green goo was he couldn’t request anything from me for fear of cracking its cakey exterior.
The firm’s president, Bruce Lindsay, was the only person senior to Josh. My three years at Cohen & Lindsay Creative revealed that Bruce brought forth the money, while Josh supplied an element of peculiar that the media and our clients interpreted as “genius.”
I stepped over Josh’s supine figure and leaned down to where Bebe was kneeling amidst bowls of slime. “I don’t suppose you could give me a hand?” I asked.
“Of course. Just as soon as Josh has been thoroughly cleansed.”
“Send him to church,” I whispered. “I need you more.”
Another ten minutes passed before Bebe appeared. “What took you? I’m on the verge of a life seizure.”
Within the hour I had Bebe retrieve that day’s edition of Hollywood Reporter and Daily Variety before Josh retreated into the bathroom with them. I never liked reading the mags after someone else had folded and fiddled with the different sections, disrupting their natural order and creasing the pages. The thought of going through a paper that had been exposed to Josh’s bathroom air was even worse.
“Are they fresh?” I asked.
“Of course, they’re pre-prune,” she said knowingly.
I grabbed for the papers and began feverishly turning the pages until I found what I wanted.
“Ooh, news about Ryan? Hurry, I wanna see, too,” she said leaning over my shoulder.
I fumbled with the papers a minute, turning to the “First Look” and “Talent Watch” sections, trying in vein to find any news about Ryan that might give me a sign as to who or what had brought on this epiphany. “Bebe, I don’t think we’re in luck this morning.”
“Okie dokie, I’ll just check on Josh if you don’t need me.”
I waited until Bebe skipped across the hall to Josh’s office before returning to the section that would really give me an answer...my horoscope.
Aries: Love relationship on tender hooks while moon is in Jupiter; give partner space for personal growth. Focus on quiet solitude to promote healing.
I understand the theory of planetary pull, but in my experience, the planets never pull for me. The realization has forced me to discover my own astrological solution. If I find anything remotely negative with my horoscope, Aries (March 21-April 20 to be exact), I search for another sign more suitable. I figure with rising signs, birth signs, moon signs, and sun signs we’re all somehow related to nearly every sign. When the planets are completely ignorant of my needs, I form a sort of horoscope soufflé, gently folding in portions of one reading to add to another.
My mother, a devout horoscope follower and Hints from Heloise reader, is convinced my practice can only lead to heartache and poor investments. My sister, Melissa, fears horoscopes reduce spontaneity by causing unnecessary consideration of one’s actions. In the continuum of my family, I fall somewhere in between.
“Give partner space for personal growth.” Right. As if I could sit idle and allow Ryan to nab more boyfriends than my life’s total. I had to do something to correct this injustice. Ryan was obviously insane, and I was meant to be with him!

Author Bio:
Mia Fox is a Los Angeles-based novelist who writes across varied genres including Young Adult/New Adult Paranormal Romance, Steampunk, and Chick Lit. She received her Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communications from U.S.C.

Before writing full time, she worked as an entertainment publicist, a career she chronicles in her novel, “Alert the Media.” However, she is happy to leave that world behind her, preferring that any drama in her life is only that which she creates for her characters.

She lives in Los Angeles with her husband, three children, Casey, the Wonder Westie, and Bean, his brother.


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