Rainbow Snippets: a painted wagon

As I mentioned earlier today, my sweet 1950s set m/m romance Run Wild, Run Free is on special offer from JMS Books all this weekend. So for my #RainbowSnippets offering this week, here’s a teaser from soon after Joey has met his new traveller friend. Of course, things don’t quite go to plan after this, but you’ll have to grab a copy of the book to find out why!

He knew the man was teasing him but he didn’t mind, not like he’d minded the taunts from the kids at school. The stranger’s smile was kind, and those wonderful eyes twinkled mischief at him, and he found his tongue at last. “Have you got a painted wagon? With steps that let down at the front?”

It had seemed like the most important question to him, but the gypsy stared at him for a second. Then he grinned. “Yeah. Want to come and see it sometime?”

“Oh, yes please.” He’d heard the tales, and seen the wagons in the distance in previous years, and couldn’t imagine anything more romantic. The thought of living in something as impermanent as that, of being free to go wherever you chose, whenever you chose, sounded like heaven compared to the family’s squashed little house. “That would be amazing.”

The gypsy’s grin faded, although his eyes still twinkled. He leant forwards and brushed one finger down Joe’s cheek. The tip was work-roughened and caught against his new beard-growth, sending a wild thrill through his nerves that he didn’t yet understand. “We could go now if you like.”

If you like that, pop along to JMS Books to get the book for only $1.64 (until Monday). And don’t forget to check the Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook for more lovely rainbow-y excerpts!

Book sale alert!

Busy day today but there’s just time to dash in to let everyone know that my publisher JMS Books are holding a special Memorial Day sale all this weekend, with all their books on special offer.

My m/m 1950s romance Run Wild, Run Free is reduced to just $1.64 until tomorrow (Sunday) and there are loads of other books by loads of other authors to choose from, so why not head over to the JMS Books site and grab yourself a bargain?

Mothers’ Day sale

Dashing in to say that JMS Books are having a (US) Mothers’ Day sale all this weekend with a massive 45% off their books!

This includes my own m/m romance Run Wild, Run Free so if you’ve been wondering whether to try it, now’s your chance. Head to the JMS Books website where you can pick up a copy for only $1.64, for this weekend only.

There are also loads of other great books by a wide range of authors so while you’re there you might want to poke around – you’re sure to find something you like.

New book alert

Great news – the book I’ve just finished writing has been accepted by JMS Books for publication later this year.

‘Feathered Friend’ is a tongue-in-cheek contemporary m/m retelling of the old swan maiden fairy tale and features (wait for it…) a shapeshifting pigeon! It sounds bonkers and in some ways it is, but it’s also sweet, angsty and romantic so I hope my m/m romance readers will love it.

I’ll post more news on a potential release date as soon as I have it, together with blurb and cover art. Until then, watch this space and don’t trip over the feathers…

Recent Reads: K J Charles’ A Thief in the Night

This little book featuring a thief, an earl, a decaying house, highwaymen and tallow candles is an absolute gem that kept me reading night after night with a grin fixed firmly on my face. I particularly loved the first scene/chapter where the thief steals the earl’s pocket watch, only to accidentally rock up at his home shortly afterwards…

I guessed the mystery bit of the plot (involving a fabulously valuable necklace) well ahead of the characters which made me feel particularly clever and superior (aka smug).

I see it’s the first in a new series so I’ll be keeping my eyes open for sequels and hope there’s much, much more about Toby and Miles to come.

Not one but two new reviews!

I’m delighted to say the review that seemed to have vanished into a black hole earlier has reappeared. Presumably the owners of Love Bytes Reviews fed the hamster that powers the wheel that runs the site… or something. Anyway, you can now see their reviewer Sadonna’s lovely and very detailed write-up about Run Wild, Run Free here. I’m very grateful to them for taking so much time and care over their review.

And I’d no sooner re-discovered that one than another new review for the same book suddenly popped up on Goodreads – and this one is, if possible, even better.

I’ve never read anything by Fiona Glass before, she’s a new-to-me author, and I’m definitely going to be looking at more of her books after reading this!

As you can imagine, I’m glowing/overcome/knocked into a cocked hat. It’s so nice to find readers who enjoy my books.

Do pop along and read the reviews, and if they entice you into giving my book a go then you can find it at JMS Books here, or Amazon UK here. And thank you!

Recent Reads: Hiding Place by Jackie Keswick

I loved this book about two men, both dealing with different types of grief, coming together over their shared love of a very remote but very special house in Northumberland.

The setting, the mystery of the house and its secrets, and the romance all reminded me quite strongly of a couple of my favourite Mary Stewart romance books, which is no mean feat. However, Hiding Place is never a slave to Stewart as the main character is a rock musician and the central romance involves two gay men. And (dare I say it) the dialogue is a whole lot less stilted and more believable than Mary Stewart, too!

The two main characters felt utterly real, and the attraction they felt to one another in spite of their problems, a disinclination to share their emotional upheavals, and their general tetchiness was beautifully handled.

I gave the book 4 stars on Goodreads and BookBub, but if either of them did half stars I’d have easily rounded it up to 4.5.

Rainbow Snippets: Embers of Bridges

It’s the middle of another Saturday morning which means it’s time for a new Rainbow Snippet. Don’t forget to check back on the Facebook group for loads more lgbt excerpts from all your favourite authors.

For a complete change this week I’m focussing on one of my non-romance (but still lgbt) books written under my other pen name, Tess Makovesky. Embers of Bridges is a breathless comedy noir set in Birmingham and featuring hapless robber Mickey, who just happens to be falling for the irrepressible mischief of his best friend Gaz.

In this particular snippet, they’re hiding out in a hot tub, with some rather unfortunate (for Mickey’s peace of mind at any rate) results…

            He dared to let out the breath he’d been holding since time began. ‛Phhff. Think we lost them?’

            ‛Maybe. Give it another few minutes, eh?’      

The water might be cooling, but Gaz was a warm presence at his side. And now the immediate danger had passed he was aware of a reaction of a different kind. An unwanted reaction, totally inappropriate. It must be the heat. Or Gaz’s snogging jokes. Or the adrenalin, or the relief. It couldn’t, under any circumstances, be linked to Gaz. He couldn’t—the horror—have a stiffie, sitting right here next to his mate. He couldn’t want to throw his arms round Gaz’s neck and kiss him on those endlessly laughing lips.

There’s plenty more where that came from as the rest of the book is written in the same tongue-in-cheek style – although it gets a lot darker towards the end. If you like it, why not check out Embers of Bridges, which is available on Kindle for only $4.74 or free on KU.

Run Wild, Run Free: the historical bits

My latest book is a bit of a departure for me. Most of my books are contemporary, and the historical bits are woven in via ghosts or memories or secondary characters. But in this case I set the whole thing slap bang in the mid 1950s. So, where did all the history come from?

Well, if you wander over to my fellow romance author and good friend Ellie Thomas’s blog today, you can find out. She’s very kindly hosted a guest post where I explain exactly where I got the history for Run Wild, Run Free – and it may not be where you’d expect!

Check out Ellie’s blog here and see if you agree that recent history can be harder to write about than the distant past…

Note: Ellie has also made the gorgeous graphic at the top of the post, which sums up the book absolutely beautifully!

A new review that made me glow!

There’s a spiffing new review of my latest m/m romance Run Wild, Run Free on Bookbub today. As a writer, one of the nicest things is when a reader lets you know they enjoyed your book, so having read this one I’m absolutely glowing.

“…a delightful quick-read novella set in 1950s rural England… with a sure love and a nice HEA.”

You can find the rest of the review here, and if you fancy giving the book a go then you can buy it from the publisher JMS Books here, or on Amazon here.

And I hope you enjoy it too!