It's Update Time!

Hey there, ladies and gents! With ADAPTING INSTINCTS having recently been released, I thought it was time for me to give an update and let everyone know what's happening on my writing agenda now.

But first, I want to give a huge "thank you" to everyone who's bought ADAPTING INSTINCTS. If you're a friend or follow me on Facebook, Twitter, or Goodreads, you may have already seen, but ADAPTING INSTINCTS broke onto the bestsellers in gay romance on Amazon.com and earned a bestseller star on AllRomance eBooks. Now, staying on the Amazon list is hard, especially for a series book, but just seeing that it made it gave me a big smile. I know as series go on, sometimes interest can get lost in it. That so many of you have stayed with not only the Instincts series, but the Conquest series, too, means more than I can ever thank you all for, and I'm grateful.

So now you might be wondering what's next. When will my next book be out and what will it be. Well, my hope is that my next release will be my fantasy/contemporary crossover, TO THE OTHER SIDE. I sent it off to my editor to see if she thinks it'll be a good fit for the MLR Press catalog, so I'm just waiting on that at the moment. I do really love the story, and it was fun to stretch my writing muscles and trying something different. My main men, Bryson Summers, who is a witch, and Garrett Evergard, an environmentalist and biologist, are pretty special guys. There are a lot of other fun guys in the story, and lots of critters, too. I also foresee more stories set in this world ;-)

With that story sent off, I turned my attention to a project that's been lingering for a very long time...writing the expanded version of A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY. Now, not everyone may know this story. I wrote it about two years ago for the M/M Romance Group on Goodreads and their Hot Summer Days event. So it was never formally published or put out other than on Goodreads and in an anthology, Don't Read in the Closet Vol. 1, on AllRomance eBooks. Even as I brought that story to its concluding point for the group, I knew Ash (my lead singer of the band From Ashes) and Jackson (my sweet country singer) had more to tell in their story. But with other projects demanding attention...Conquest and Instincts...expanding A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY got put on the back burner. Admittedly, I didn't intend for it to be there as long as it has, but I'm not a very fast writer, so I wasn't able to get to it sooner.

Well, now I'm working on it. Yay! What I decided to do, since I know not everyone is part of the M/M Romance Group and many people may not have read the first short version, is I'm polishing up the original version and flowing it right into the new half. This will (hopefully!) create a seamless novel edition of Ash and Jackson's story. I'm trying to not tamper much with the original version, but there will be some changes to it. That's kind of unavoidable since it'll be going through a fresh round of editing. As it's sitting right now, the manuscript is at about 47,000 words, and there's still some more to go on it. I'm going to aim for having it released this year.

Since I'm already seeing The End on A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY, it's got me thinking what'll be the next project. I'm still going back and forth between that, but I'm leaning toward either a novella with Brandon and Shunichi from the Conquest series, or Instincts #5. For Instincts #5, I've been weighing between three possibilities for whose story it would be, and right now, I think the scales are tipping in favor of Renart Bellerose, but that could always change by the time I get to actually writing it.

And there you go, everyone! My long, rambling way of saying what's going on in my little writing world. Hope it's all sounding good! And my deepest thanks again to everyone for all your support <3

March 16th Reader Appreciation Day: The Prize List!

All right, ladies and gentlemen! Here's the awesome prize list for Reader Appreciation Day, which will be held this Saturday, March 16th, at The Sweet Spot! This wonderful collection of prizes has been donated by these generous authors as their way of saying "thank you" to the readers out there. To learn more about the author or book, just click their name.

Lily Sawyer - ebook copy of LOVE ON THE EAST END

Lori Toland - ebook copy of winner's choice from backlist   

Michael Mandrake - ebook copy of ONLY THAT NIGHT ANTHOLOGY

LM Brown - ebook copy of ONLY IN YOUR DREAMS

Kendall McKenna - ebook copy of NIGHTS IN CANAAN

Kendall McKenna - print copy of STRENGTH OF THE PACK

Jambrea Jo Jones - ebook copy of CLAIMED   

Sloan Parker - $15 in eBook Bucks from All Romance eBooks   

S.J. Frost (me!) - ebook copy of winner's choice from backlist   

S.J. Frost (me, again!) - $15 in eBook Bucks from All Romance eBooks

   

To the authors who have donated a prize for RAD, your generosity is so very appreciated, and we thank you! Any author who would still like to donate a prize is more than welcomed to. All you have to do is send out an email to: thesweetspotmm@gmail.com  Please include what you'd like to donate for the March giveaway, a link, and a cover art pic. All authors are invited to spot by the Yahoo group, share excerpts, and your latest news! Readers, make sure you swing by too and see what some of your favorite authors are up to.

As usual, the prize list will be posted throughout the day at The Sweet Spot Yahoo group, starting at 8:00 am EST. Reader Appreciation Day wraps up about 8:00 pm EST, with the winners announced shortly thereafter. Authors who have donated a prize will be contacted at about the same time with their winner so they can send their prize personally. To enter in the giveaway, just reply to any of the giveaway threads on the group. The Yahoo group is open to all M/M authors to post excerpts of their work on Reader Appreciation Day.

Hope to see everyone tomorrow at The Sweet Spot!

New Release: ADAPTING INSTINCTS

Ladies and gentlemen, it's with great pleasure that I announce the release of my newest novel, and also my 10th novel, ADAPTING INSTINCTS! Woo hoo! ADAPTING INSTINCTS is Book 4 of my vampire novels in the Instincts series, and I'm so happy and excited to see it go live! And a day early, at that! It's currently available on the MLR Press website, and will be branching out very soon to Amazon.com, Barnes & Noble, AllRomance eBooks, and many more booksellers. It'll be available in print, as well. I'm also very excited to be sharing a release day with the lovely and talented, Kendall McKenna, and I wish much luck and success to her vampire story, NIGHTS IN CANAAN!

To view ADAPTING INSTINCTS at MLR Press, please click HERE. It's available in all ebook formats, prc/mobi for Kindle, epub for Nook, and pdf.

To everyone who's stuck with the Instincts series this far, my sincere thanks and appreciation to you. I hope very much that you'll enjoy this new addition to the stories. And to everyone thinking about giving the series a try for the first time, if you do decide to pick it up, I hope you'll enjoy the books!

And now, I'll give a big welcome back to my vampires!

Blurb:

A single soft kiss, just a gentle brush of lips…but was it meant as a beginning, or a good-bye?

Every day, Carl Anderson wondered if the man…the vampire…who gave him that kiss would appear in his life again. In that time, he’s worked to come to terms with the existence of vampires, and the dangers they and their enemies pose. Always looking over his shoulder for a vampire or hunter stalking behind him, Carl wishes he could feel safe again, like he did when Egill was at his side.

As a Viking warrior and member of vampire society’s ruling body, the Tribunal, Egill Dalgaard is used to being in control of all things. But months ago, he did something that started to unravel his orderly life. He gave a kiss to a man who he was drawn to, and now, he hasn't been able to stop thinking about. He has his reasons for keeping his distance, but when he sees Carl again, all logical thoughts begin to fade.

When Carl’s actions inadvertently put Egill’s immortal life in danger, Carl must decide which path to take; whether to walk deeper into vampire society, or turn his back on the only man who’s ever made him feel secure.

March 16th Reader Appreciation Day!

Hello, everyone! Over at The Sweet Spot, we're getting ready for another Reader Appreciation Day! Here's the official announcement for March 16th's RAD!

                                                     *              *            *


It's almost time for Reader Appreciation Day at The Sweet Spot, the Yahoo Group run by Sloan Parker, Jambrea Jo Jones, and me! This fun event is held on the third Saturday of every month. The list of prizes donated by generous authors will be posted this Friday.

Sloan, Jambrea, and I are thrilled to announce M/M Reader Appreciation Day at The Sweet Spot. This is one day every month for authors of M/M romance to say "thanks" to all you readers out there who support our writing efforts.

This month's Reader Appreciation Day will be held on Saturday, March 16th. On that day, we'll post a giveaway thread throughout the day featuring a full list of all prizes available in the group. Just respond to one of the giveaway threads on the Yahoo Group between 8am and 8pm EST to be included in the drawing.

Readers, stop by the Yahoo Group  to chat with authors and enter for a chance to win free books and other prizes from a variety of M/M authors.

Authors, if you're interested in participating in the giveaway, send an email to: thesweetspotmm@gmail.com
Please include what you'd like to donate for the March giveaway, a link, and a cover art pic. Other than books, gift certificates, swag, and other prizes are also welcomed! In the future, we'll include you in our monthly announcement for a chance to donate. You can participate as little or as often as you'd like. Reader Appreciation Day is also an Open Excerpt Day, and authors are welcomed to post to blurbs and excerpts of their work, and of course, share any other fun news you've got going on!

Hope to see you all at The Sweet Spot!

My Bandslash Blog Tour Interview!

Hello, everyone! I wanted to put up a quick little reminder post that today is my turn on the Bandslash Blog Tour and my interview is now live at BL Morticia's place. Woo hoo! Just click HERE to be taken over to the interview. I talk a little about myself, the Conquest series, and also share a few music videos. It's a very fun interview, and my thanks goes out to BL for having me at her place and once again to Melanie Tushmore for organizing the blog tour.

Hope everyone who stops by, enjoys it!

The Romance Reviews Giveaway!

Hey, guys! I just wanted to post a quick reminder for those who are interested. Today, March 6th, is my question day at The Romance Reviews for their HUGE 2 year anniversary party. Along with the other questions posted today, you'll find one about CONQUEST and Jesse and Evan. Get it right, and you'll be entered to win a title from my backlist...which is about to grow in a few short days with ADAPTING INSTINCTS releasing on the 15th :-)

Besides my question and giveaway prize, there are over 400 other prizes being offered! Tons of great authors and publishers have chipped in for this, so be sure to stop by. You just might win something! The giveaway is running all through the month of March, so you'll get lots of chances to win.

#MusicMonday #Bandslash Blog Tour - Special Guest: BL Morticia

Hey, everyone! I'm very pleased to welcome a special guest here on my humble little blog, author BL Morticia! BL and I are both contributors to the #Bandslash Blog Tour that's been going around, featuring many awesome authors of gay romance stories with rockers. Each author gets to host another, and it's been organized by the lovely, Melanie Tushmore. I'm happy to be a part of it, and thrilled to feature BL's interview!

Next week, on March 11th, I'll be hanging out at BL's place answering these same questions, so do be sure to drop by there. If you'd like to see the full list of authors who are participating, click HERE. Also, there's a great giveaway going on! Full details on that are on the previous link, but you'll have a chance to win some awesome books at the final Wrap Up Party hosted at Melanie's blog on March 25th!

And without further ado, I present BL Morticia!

5 Questions About the Author

1. Who are you, and where do you come from?

BLMorticia, wicked gal hailing from the complex mind of Sharita Lira

2. What inspires you?

What doesn’t? I mean, I love heavy metal music, some liquor, hot men, not necessarily in that order. Oh and I love to read.

3. Describe your writing style in three words:

Snarky, erotic, tension

4. What style of music do you like, and who are your favourite bands?

I love heavy metal of all kinds. Top 3 metal bands right now are Opeth, Lamb of God, and Death Angel.

Devildriver "Clouds Over California" - I love this video because they have the kids portraying the band and the song f*ckin’ rocks!

Lamb of God "Walk With Me in Hell" - I picked this one because it’s a behind the scenes look at the band on tour with the crowds and mosh pits! \m/ \m/

Death Angel "Seemingly Endless Time" - Death Angel I’ve loved since I was in high school. This video was on regular rotation on Headbangers Ball and I couldn’t stop staring! It’s a great b&w shot of the band. Kick ass!

5. Been to any good gigs recently?

Lamb of God and In Flames at the Congress in Chicago Illinois. Great show, crowd was very responsive to both bands. Don’t ask me who played before these two because it’s all a blur. The mosh pit was killer, people were getting hurt all over the place! \m/

5 Questions About the Book

Title: The Wretched Tales #1.1 Corey’s Debut

Series: The Wretched Tales part of the Metalrotica Collection

1. Who is the story about?

Corey Patrick is the main character. A young man in his early twenties hailing from Boston to play bass for one of the biggest bands in the world. Corey takes you through all his emotions as a pansexual man just trying to fit in with his bandmates, keep his sanity, make his money and fall in love.

2. What inspired the idea for this story? Any real bands, music, or places from your experience?

Yes, it is, but I have to keep it top secret. Shar is a journalist for the Emag www.fourteeng.net The Wretched is based on the bands she’s met, interviewed, and seen up close. Real metal fans might be able to draw a comparison to actual bands but we ain’t tellin’! *winks*

3. What is it about musicians that make them irresistable?

Hmm, *thinks* Everything. The fact they can play their instruments, hopefully in tune. *laughs* Most of them are sexy in one way or another. Notice I said ‘most’. *laughs* Lead singers and guitarists have stage personas. A lot of them very appealing, some not so much.

4. As a story comes in three parts, and this is a music story, pick me three music videos that reflect how you feel the story goes.

Devildriver – “Clouds Over California” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ySpk3ErFd0 This video fits because Corey is still a kid compared to his bandmates. This is a chance in a lifetime for him to perform with a band he’s admired.

Lamb of God – “Walk With Me in Hell” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QWkhCxCcWSE This video because Corey is going through traumatic times while being in this band. Drugs, lewd sex, liquor, the pressure of playing in front of thousands and he’s doing this while trying to hide the fact he likes men as much as women.

Stone Temple Pilots – “Sex Type Thing”

Throughout the series Corey will experience sex on almost every level and play out his wildest fantasies. ;P

5. If your book was a music video, how would it go? Talk me through it.

If it was a music video it would start with his trip to California for the audition, then on the road with the band, show his relationships and or hook-ups with the people he fancies, a down moment or two then triumph at the end with Corey getting what he wants. 

Thank you again to Melanie Tushmore for organizing this awesome blog tour and hooking me up to share BL's work! Many thanks to BL for playing here today! I'm looking forward to visiting your place next week! 

For more information about BL Morticia's work, please check out the following links:

Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/rawiyamikembl

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/TheLiteraryTriad

Kindlegraph - http://www.kindlegraph.com/authors/rawiyamikembl

BLMorticia is currently a published writer with Naughty Nights Press and Rebel Ink Press. She entertains her readers with hot and smexy sex, humor, and lots of swear words. She attempts to incorporate metal music or the military in most of her works. Nothin’ sexier than metalheads or military servicemen and women! She also writes a biweekly column on Blak Rayne Books and blogs on the First Thursday of the month at NNP Blog. For more info, please visit, Erotica With Snark

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Book link: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-thewretchedtales11-1048265-150.html

Book title: The Wretched Tales 1.1

Series: The Wretched Tales - Metalrotica Collection

Book blurb: Corey Patrick has arrived, fresh out of Boston to perform with the Wretched, one of the biggest bands on the planet. Immediately, the bass player takes advantage of the perks provided including hobnobbing with members of the press!

Excerpt

Over the loudspeaker…

“Ladies and gentlemen, crowd surfing and/or moshing will result in immediate dismissal from the venue. Enjoy the show.”

In a drug filled haze, I stood on the stage with my new band mates. The lights dimmed, the crowd chanting, “Wretched, wretched,” in unison, throwing up the horns as if in a similar trance. I’d been with several acts, toiling in the background as the spare, the fill in, the resident head banger while others gained the spotlight. Now was my turn to be the one. And even better in the most sought after metal act from the west coast of North America, The Wretched.

“You ready Corey? You better play your ass off tonight so they’ll forget about Randy’s stupid butt,” yelled Nicolai Zander with a wry smile.

Excited as a pig in shit, I responded with a nod and gave my bass a couple of plucks.

Once he turned his attention back to the crowd, he changed his expression immediately from smirk to scowl. The short, pudgy runt everyone came to know and love stalked the stage like Napoleon with a microphone in hand. As per usual, Nicolai donned baggy black trousers with pockets down both sides, chains hanging from every loop and hole. His Testament t-shirt and his trademark cowboy boots had both seen better days, but it made up the persona known as Nicolai Zander. The, ‘I don’t give a fuck ‘cause I’m the leader of this bunch of misfits’ kind of look. Glassy greenish blue eyes peered at his minions, and he returned their adulation with his own one finger salute and tongue wag.

Damn.

“Wretched, wretched, wretched…” the swarm of metal heads chanted, the spotlight shone on me, then Nicolai one after the other. Within seconds, the background music faded, and drummer Bryan started the first beats of our legendary song Devil’s Isle.

“YEOOOHHHH…” Nicolai screeched like a cat in heat and threw his gloved fist up in the air. True metalers formed a circle pit, running into one another, arms up, the looks on their faces, pure aggression. Others leapt on top of various shoulders, attempting to surf closer to the stage causing the security guys a lot of headache, but I fucking loved it.

This is what I’ve wanted other than a steady lay I could call my very own. This is my fucking life! This is what every young man dreams about from puberty in mom’s house to grown ass man living in mom’s basement.

I am Corey from the Wretched, and I have arrived!

© BL Morticia

NEXT WEEK!
BL Morticia hosts SJ Frost

Check out the #bandslash blog tour dates here: http://cocktalesandhotsauce.blogspot.co.uk/2013/02/bandslash-blog-tour-dates-for.html

Hot Blood Month at MLR Press

Hi there, guys and girls! In my talks about the upcoming release of ADAPTING INSTINCTS, Book 4 in the Instincts series, I've mentioned that MLR Press is the place to be in March in you love vampire stories. This month is dedicated to hot and sexy vamps with stories by fantastic authors. So if you're looking for new reads, here's the list of titles releasing this month over there. And yep, things are still on for ADAPTING INSTINCTS to release on March 15th!

Happy reading!