Cover Reveal: How to Save a Life (Howl #4)

Today I'm on Diverse Reader with a cover reveal for "How to Save a Life", which is the fourth "Howl at the Moon" book. This series features a community of dog shifters in Mad Creek, California and the humans who love them. Each book features a different couple, but there's a lot of community stuff, so it's probably best to read them in order. This book will be out by end of August!

I love humorous paranormals like Molly Harper's werewolf shifter series. My "Howl at the Moon" series is written in that tongue-in-cheek style.

"How to Save a Life", featuring the love story of Rav and Sammy, will be out at the end of August. You can see the cover reveal, read the blurb, and enter a giveaway to win any book on my backlist at the link below.

CLICK HERE FOR COVER REVEAL, BLURB, AND GIVEAWAY

Eli

Hosting on Queer Romance Freebies - Giveaways!

Happy Monday, y'all. I'm hosting this week at the Queer Romance Freebie group. You can join it here. Today I want to post about a soft spot of mine -- folksy historic Western romances. Years ago, I loved reading Maggie Osborne ("Silver Lining" is my favorite) and Pamela Morsi ("Simple Jess", "Here Comes the Bride"). I love humor in my romances and especially in Westerns, where there is the potential for crazy characters and tongue-in-cheek humor of a folksy sort.

I decided to write something in this vein in m/m romance and the result was "A Prairie Dog's Love Song" and a sort-of sequel, "The Stolen Suitor". Both are set in Clyde's Corner, Montana and they feature two different couples.

Whenever anyone asks me what I think is my most under rated work, I say these two. I think they're really funny! But maybe I have an odd sense of humor. That Midwest upbringing, I suppose.

For today's giveaway, I'm offering a free e-copy of both to a winner I'll pick randomly from the commenters on the Facebook Group here.

You can check the books out at the links below. A Prairie Dog's Love Song: https://www.amazon.com/Prairie-Dogs-Love-Song…/…/ref=sr_1_1…

The Stolen Suitor: https://www.amazon.com/Stolen-Suitor-Dreamspu…/…/ref=sr_1_1…

More giveaways will occur this week on the group!

Eli

Eli is Interviewed by Airship Ambassador

I recently was asked to do an interview with a site called Airship Ambassador, a steampunk site. They had found me via my story, "Caress", which is a steampunk mm romance that was published in Dreamspinner's "Steamed Up" anthology and again in Wilde Stories 2014: The Year's Best Gay Speculative Fiction. Check out the cool interview here:

INTERVIEW - PART I

INTERVIEW - PART II

Eli

 

 

"Five Dares" cover reveal!

The cover reveal for "Five Dares" (Riptide, Oct 2, 2017) is now up with RT Book Reviews. CHECK OUT THE COVER HERE! This is a New Adult m/m romance with two best friends who just graduated from college.  Here's the blurb:

Andy Tyler has been the class daredevil since middle school. Over the years, he’s convinced his best friend, Jake Masterson, to perform some dangerous-looking stunts with him. But the dare they attempt on the night of their college graduation goes sideways. The firecrackers explode too soon and both of them end up with badly burned palms.

But hey, nothing gets the “terrible duo” down for long, and they recuperate in style at Andy’s family cottage in Nantucket. As the weeks go by, both Andy and Jake grow frustrated over the inability to use their hands for all sorts of daily activities—including getting off. So Andy begins a new series of dares that don’t just cross the friendship line, they obliterate it.

But what might be mere sexual relief to Andy is serious business to Jake, who only recently got over years of secret pining for his straight best friend. Inevitably, the burns heal, summer ends, and hearts are broken. To fix things, Andy will have to face the greatest dare of all.

If you liked my other NA romances like "Blame it on the Misteltoe" and "Unwrapping Hank", you'll love "Five Dares".

You can pre-order here.

Eli

Five Dares - now up for pre-order!

 

Announcing Five Dares! This 70K word novel is coming out from Riptide on Oct 2, 2017. It's a light, fun, NA romance. If you liked my "Blame it on the Mistletoe" or "Unwrapping Hank", you'll love this one.

BLURB:

Andy Tyler has been the class daredevil since middle school. Over the years, he’s convinced his best friend, Jake Masterson, to perform some dangerous-looking stunts with him. But the dare they attempt on the night of their college graduation goes sideways. The firecrackers explode too soon and both of them end up with badly burned palms.

But hey, nothing gets the “terrible duo” down for long, and they recuperate in style at Andy’s family cottage in Nantucket. As the weeks go by, both Andy and Jake grow frustrated over the inability to use their hands for all sorts of daily activities—including getting off. So Andy begins a new series of dares that don’t just cross the friendship line, they obliterate it.

But what might be mere sexual relief to Andy is serious business to Jake, who only recently got over years of secret pining for his straight best friend. Inevitably, the burns heal, summer ends, and hearts are broken. To fix things, Andy will have to face the greatest dare of all.

PRE-ORDER LINK:

http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/five-dares

Eli

Excerpt & Give away - Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles

I'm hosting the Queer Romance Freebie Fan Club on Facebook this week. If you aren't already a member, you can join below. The group is manned by more than a dozen mm authors who regularly give stuff away: https://www.facebook.com/groups/queerromance/

This week I'll be giving away a few books, audiobooks, an ARC of my upcoming "Five Dares", and an Amazon gift certificate.

To kick off the week, I offered a chance to win any of my Christmas novellas in ebook or audiobook (includes "Blame it on the Mistletoe", "Unwrapping Hank", "Midwinter Night's Dream"  and "Merry Christmas Mr. Miggles"). To enter to win you just need to comment on that thread in the facebook group above.

Today's giveaway is for one copy of the audiobook of "Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles".  To enter, comment on this post on the Facebook group. You can listen to a sample and check out reveiws here:

AUDIBLE: MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. MIGGLES

Today's post is an excerpt from "Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles".

Excerpt (from chapter 2):

 

The next day when I arrived at the library at 8 o'clock, Mr. Miggles was already there. He was in Santa's Headquarters. Christmas tunes played over the library's speaker system, and he was swathed in an apparently infinite strand of gold tinsel.

He fought against the tinsel's stranglehold harder when I walked into the room, embarrassed to be caught out. It was hilarious and precious at the same time, like a video of a kitten falling off a sofa, but I kept a straight face. I plopped my backpack down and helped him unwind. He was dressed in his usual gray suit pants and starched white button-down shirt. Today his tie was navy and yellow and had subtle smiley faces on it. The tinsel strand had gotten itself entwined on a button on his back suit pants pocket. I couldn't help noticing, as I freed it, that he had a decent ass.

Did I mention that I'm twenty-four?

"I was, um, trying to judge the length of the strand," he said with strained dignity.

"By pole dancing with it?"

"Don't be cheeky." He gave me a warning glare that looked amused at the same time. "I'm glad you're in. I wanted to discuss the Christmas Surprise Box before the library opens."

"Okay. But why are you here so early? You shouldn't come in early like this."

The library ran on a very tight budget. There were only two paid employees—Mr. Miggles and me. We had a few volunteers, but either he or I had to be there at all times. So I worked 8 to 5 and he worked 10 to 7.

He waved away my concern. "Needs must. Now. The Christmas Surprise Box." He picked up his pen and notebook from the table. "We'll have the traditional chocolates, of course, but I want something new. You're young. What latest trend might we be able to afford?"

I leaned against the table and crossed my arms. "What's the budget this year?"

"Same as every year. Fifty dollars."

I gave him an incredulous look and sighed. "Well, that leaves out a smart phone."

"What about a smart phone case? Or another accessory?"

I shook my head. "There are too many phone sizes to do a case. No way to know what the winner would have. Besides, they're expensive." I thought about it. "Earbuds?"

He hummed and wrote it down. "Possibly. You're sure most people would have a mobile communication device?"

I opened my mouth to accuse him of being a hopeless Luddite, but then I saw the suppressed smile on his face. He was yanking my chain. Of course he was. He had a cell phone, I reminded myself. I even had his number in case of emergencies.

"You're not the least bit funny," I grumbled.

His grin broadened. "Just making sure you're awake, Toby. What else might be an option?"

"iTunes Gift certificate?"

"Too impersonal."

"But flexible."

Clearly this was a teaching moment to Mr. Miggles. He gave me a serious look. "A gift says as much about the giver as the receiver. How much thought went into it? Does the giver truly know the recipient’s heart? Did the giver put time and care into the selection, or was it merely a chore to be ticked off?"

"Chore," I said decisively. "Oh… you meant hypothetically."

Mr. Miggles looked rueful. "Of course, if you're the sort of person who prefers to put the minimum amount of effort into a thing…."

I rolled my eyes. "We don't know who's going to win the surprise box, so how personal can it be?"

"We know the winner will be a human being with all the needs and frailties that implies. Also, it's someone who lives in Sandy Lake and comes into the library. There are scores of information in those few data alone."

"So no alien technology then. Or dog biscuits."

Mr. Miggles gave a “this is what I have to put up with” sigh. "Something about the town, perhaps. Something for a reader."

"What about a Sandy Lake bookmark? We might be able to get something custom done on Etsy fairly cheap. We could use a photo of the town clock."

"Excellent!" Mr. Miggles wrote it down. "Is there anything I might get at the mall? I'm planning on a hike near Columbus on Sunday, so I could make the dreaded mall run."

My face must have given me away, because Mr. Miggles blinked at me. "What is it?"

I tried to downplay my frustration. "Nothing. Justin and I were supposed to go to Columbus on Sunday, but now he has to work."

"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I suppose you were quite looking forward to it. Do you…."

He trailed off, stopping himself. And I thought. Do I… what?

Mr. Miggles looked at me and I looked at him. In a flash, the room was full of this weird frizzle of… something. It was definitely tingly. And awkward. He clenched his jaw as if he wanted to say something. Was he going to invite me to go with him? That would be weird.

I suddenly wanted him to ask and… I didn't. The idea of having company for a trip to Columbus, not to mention going for a hike on a nice November day, sounded righteous. Why shouldn't I go out and have fun since Justin had bailed on me?

But Mr. Miggles was my boss. We didn't socialize. And there was the gay thing too. Would he think that, because I was a gay man, any invitation would be misconstrued as a come on? Mr. Miggles wasn't gay. At least, I didn't think so. Come to think of it, I had no idea what he was or even if he was anything at all. Possibly, he was asexual or he’d been kidnapped by white slavers during his formative years and castrated. That would explain his “tragic past” vibe. Hey, anything was possible.

"So, um, have fun, you know, with that," I stammered. "If I think of anything you could pick up at the mall, I'll let you know."

"Yes. Fine. Good." Mr. Miggles nodded adamantly.

I looked at the clock on the wall in desperation. The second hand edged toward 8:30, when the library officially opened. I had a few things to do to prep for that and a cup of coffee was definitely high on the list.

"I'd better…." I jerked my thumb at the door.

"By all means. Get to it."

 

See you tomorrow!

Eli

Spring Catch-up

Hi, everyone! I hope your spring has been as beautiful and exciting as mine has been. I wanted to "decloak" my typical invisibility garb (sigh) and give you an update on what I've been writing and what you can expect and when. LATEST RELEASE

My last book published is "Snowblind" from Dreamspinner in Feb 2017. It's a romantic suspense story, sort of spy vs spy, with some steamy snowed-in hyjinks in a cabin in Alaska and then quite a lot of suspense action!  The plot has a lot of twists and turns. "Snowblind" is also out now in audio. Click below to see my page with links and excerpts.

FIVE DARES

This full-length novel was written in Jan-Feb and is a contemporary NA with bffs becoming something more. Andy and Jake are pretty much nuts. They love doing dares and stunts. They're just graduating from NYU and are about to go their separate ways for the first time in their lives. At their graduation party, Andy pulls one dare too many. It leads he and Jake to spend the summer in Andy's family cottage in Nantucket recuperating from bad burns to their palms. Two risk-taking, hormone-fueled guys alone all summer without the use of their hands. What could go wrong?

The boys in my story were inspired, physically, by my favorite TV show of last year, Eyewitness. This title will be published by Riptide in the fall.

TENDER MERCIES

I just finished writing book #2 in the Men of Lancaster County series. Book #1 was "A Second Harvest" and I was thrilled that it won Best Contemporary in the Rainbow Awards last year.  "Tender Mercies" can be read as a stand-alone and is about an entirely new couple but set in the same area. Here's the temporary blurb:

Eddie Graham had a dream to create a sanctuary for rescued farm animals. When his long-time partner dumps him just before their move to Lancaster County, Eddie is stuck with a 25-acre property to manage and big bills to pay on half the income he anticipated. He fears his dream has failed before it even got started. He needs help, and he needs money, but most importantly, he needs to find his power to believe again.

Samuel Miller worked hard all his life to fit into his Amish community despite being born with a club foot. But when his father learns Samuel is secretly gay, he is whipped and shunned. Alone, with just a few hundred dollars to his name, Samuel is desperate for a job and a place to stay. He responds to an ad for a farmhand and finds himself employed by a city guy who has strange ideas about animals and no clue how to run his small farm.

Tender Mercies is currently under review at Dreamspinner, but will hopefully be coming out in the fall as well. Below is an image that inspired my idea of what Samuel looks like (only, ya know, Amish).

HOWL AT THE MOON #4

I just started working on Howl at the Moon #4. This will be a self-pub, so I hope to get it out in June.

Personal Stuff

A few weeks ago, my husband and I attended my step-daughter's wedding. She's been a true daughter to me since I've been in her life since she was two-and-a-half years old. It was a gorgeous wedding in Marin County, CA and so romantic!

That's all for this update. Have a wonderful May.

Eli

RELEASE DAY - SNOWBLIND
 
I'm very excited. This is my first true romantic suspense book. Here are some links:
 
 
 
My desktop post with images that inspired the story:
 
My book page with except and links to reviews:
 
Goodreads:
I hope you enjoy it!
Eli

Desktop Post: Snowblind

Mar 1, 2017 is the release day for "Snowblind". This is a contemporary m/m romance suspense story published under the Dreamspun Desires line by Dreamspinner Press.

Here's the blurb:

Snow, steam, and secrets.

The latest snowstorm carries something unexpected to the doorstep of Hutch’s secluded Alaskan cabin: a stranger named Jude, the most beautiful man Hutch has ever seen. Jude says he’s in the area for a ski trip and that he fled a domineering lover, thinking he could make it into town. But Hutch is a suspicious SOB and treats his unwanted guest warily. The problem is Jude isn’t just gorgeous, he’s funny and smart and flirtatious.

Two gay men snowed in for three days—things happen. Really good things. By the time the storm clears, Hutch finds himself a little too attached to Jude Devereaux, San Francisco-based male model. But is Jude what he claims to be? Or is he entangled in the secrets Hutch moved to Alaska to escape?

<Note: To avoid spoilers, the blurb doesn't go very deeply into the plot.>

DESKTOP POST

This is a very plot-intense romantic suspense story with two hot alpha males. I don't want to give any of the plot away, so I'm going to stay very vague with my descriptions. This will probably make the most sense to those who have already read the book.

Here are some visuals to go along with the story that I researched or used for inspiration while writing. These are Googled images and they don't belong to me, nor are they published in the book.

HUTCH

Hutch is an ex special forces guy living in a remote Alaskan ski town. He's a big guy, very tough, sort of like the larger man in this photo below. I didn't really have a specific face in mine when I wrote him, though I can see him in my head. He's a bit beaten up, like an older boxer.

JUDE

Jude was inspired by Cillian Murphy in Peaky Blinders. Peaky Blinders is a BBC drama about a family of gangsters in Birmingham (UK) in the early 1900's. Cillian Murphy plays the head of the family. It's a terrific show if you haven't watched it.

ALASKAN CABIN

The first third or so of the novel is set in a cabin in Alaska during a snowstorm. The photos below show cabins in about the right size with steep roofs, like in the story. (Yes, the roof is important. You'll see.)

Hutch's Alaskan cabin is in an area with spectacular aurora borealis.

Weapons

I'm not much of a gun person (or at all), but for this story I had to research lots of weapons, because Hutch definitely is a gun person. Here are some goodies from his arsenal.

Flash bangs

Hand gun and clip

Mini grenade launcher

M41 rocket launcher (used in the story when Hutch wants to make a big impression)

Hutch's "Whites" -- military uniform to blend into snowy landscapes

 

Spanish Villa

Later in the story, there's a Spanish-style villa on the coast in Brazil. It's of new construction and fairly ostentatious. Some visual inspiration I used:

Epilogue

Here's a quiet beach in Cuba that helped inspire the epilogue.

 

That's it for this desktop. I hope you enjoy the twisty-turny plot and suspense in Snowblind as well as the very hot Hutch and Jude!

Here's a link to the Amazon Page.

Eli

Snowblind releases tomorrow!

Mar 1, 2017 is the release day for "Snowblind", my new romantic suspense novel from Dreamspinner.

Check out the excellent early reviews on Goodreads.

You can pre-order on Amazon or Dreamspinner and get it delivered to you after midnight tonight!

You can read the first chapter here (end of the page).

My desktop post about the book will go live on this site tomorrow morning at 8am EST. I also have a few blog tour stops arranged, which I'll post here.

Exciting! This book is a bit different for me as it's the first time I've written two very alpha males and a romantic suspense plotline. I hope you all like it.

Eli