Virtual Book Tour: Beacon of Love

Good morning! Please welcome author Allie Boniface, who has bravely answered my infamous Rick Reed Beacon of Love!  Allie will be awarding a $10 Amazon or B&N GC and an e-copy of any book from her backlist to one lucky random commenter during her tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning! Go here to see where her other stops are.

The Questions

1)      You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have?

Hubby, of course – both for company and because he can build or fix anything...I imagine he would be a sort of McGyver of the island. And if there's  wi-fi, then I'll bring my laptop. If there's not, The Complete Works of Shakespeare. I figure that'll keep me busy and entertained for a while :)

  2)    What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?

We LOVE to travel, both in this country and abroad. A perfect romantic day is wandering through a town we've never been to before, stopping off in local pubs and restaurants, doing a little shopping, then sitting outside for cocktails and watching the moon on a warm summer night...

3)      When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?

Hmm, that's a good question. Usually plot. I'm a big "what if" person, so when I hear something on the news or a story from a friend, I tend to think "what if ______ happened next?" I almost always figure out the characters I want to plug into the situation afterwards. In this book, Beacon of Love, I definitely had the idea of a haunted lighthouse before I figured out who my hero and heroine would be.

4)      If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?

Oh, boy, tough one! I'll pick Sandra Bullock because people have said I look like her. I do like that she's

independent and not afraid to speak her mind – so yeah, let's go with her!

5)      Who’s your favorite horror villain and why?

I'm going to pick two here. First is Iago from Shakespeare's play Othello (though that's more a tragedy than a horror story, but still). I teach this play to my students each spring, and I always begin by telling them he's the best villain in all of Shakespeare, and quite possibly in all of literature. He's brilliant, he's manipulative, he's absolutely believable in his lies, and no one can exactly pinpoint his motives, even scholars who have studied the play for centuries. He has the best lines in the play, and though you hate how he leads everyone to slow but certain ruin, you almost have to admire the way he does it.

Second is the creature from Stephen King's horror novel It. I'm a big King fan, because he can tell a story

and turn a page like no other author. The "villain" in this story is so great because it takes the shape of each victim's greatest fear. To one person it appears as a clown, to another  a predatory bird, to another a werewolf. And it works so well because King realizes that we don't all fear the same kind of villain, but we do all have real, terrifying fears. I love this book!

Thanks so much for having me here today!

Beacon of Love

by Allie Boniface

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Welcome to Lindsey Point, Connecticut: suspicious of outsiders, loyal to tradition, and absolutely devoted to its local legends.

Enter Sophie Smithwaite, feisty travel show host, in town to film an episode about Lindsey Point’s haunted lighthouse. But digging into the story of a tragic murder-suicide and love gone wrong reveals startling connections to Sophie’s own past. When a gorgeous local handyman fills in behind the camera, Sophie’s life gets complicated by more than just her family history.

Part-time paramedic, handyman, seasonal Santa-Lucas Oakes does it all–except get attached. He’s still reeling from the death of his best friend ten years ago and the more recent infidelity of his ex-fiancee. Yet despite Sophie’s big-city nosiness, and her insistence on chasing long-dead ghosts, he’s drawn to her.

But mixing with an outsider means questioning people and traditions Lucas has always defended. When a series of attacks seem to be connected to Sophie’s investigation, both Sophie and Lucas must decide if they are willing to risk everything to uncover the town’s secrets…and their own.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT :

“Want something to drink? Water?”

Sophie shook her head.

“Not thirsty?”

“Lucas.”

He set the glasses down on the counter. “What?”

“Come over here and kiss me.”

His smile crooked. “Or what?”

She took two steps toward the kitchen, and he took one toward the living room, and they met in the middle. “Or I’m going to go crazy.”

He placed his hands on her cheeks and kissed her forehead.

Sophie closed her eyes, waiting for the slow, inevitable slip of his mouth down her neck. To her curve of her collarbone. Maybe lower.

“There you go,” he said. His hands went away.

Her eyes flew open. “That’s it?”

“You said you wanted a kiss.”

Her fists landed on her hips. “Ha ha. Funny guy. So funny, in fact, I think I’m gonna recommend that comedy special you were talking about to Lon. He’s looking for a new show, you know. Maybe you’re the next big thing.”

Lucas swung her off the ground. Her arms went around his neck and her mouth ended up a fraction of an inch below his. “Maybe I am.” He kissed her again, this time not on the forehead. And not sweetly. “What do you think?”

But she couldn’t answer, couldn’t think of anything at all except his tongue teasing hers, her legs wrapping themselves around his waist and holding on like she’d never held onto a man in her life. Fire sizzled up her spine, and the air in the room went hot. Her hands--God, her hands couldn’t get enough of him. They wanted to be everywhere, in his hair and on his face and unbuttoning that damn shirt and taking off her own dress that was so in the way right now.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Allie Boniface is a small-town girl at heart who's traveled around the world and still finds that the magic and the mystery of small towns make them the best places to fall in love and find adventure. From the New England coast to Rocky Mountain hotels to tiny European bars, she's found more character and plot inspirations than she could ever count. Currently, she's lucky enough to live in New York's beautiful Hudson Valley with her own "Hometown Hero," a guy who can fix, build, drive, and grill anything and is the epitome of the strong and silent type.

When she isn't writing love stories, Allie is a full-time high school English teacher who gets a kick out of helping her teenagers negotiate the ups and downs of writing along with the ups and downs of life (because, really, she's still trying to do the same thing!). And while she'll continue to travel far and wide, Allie knows there's really nothing like coming back to the place where the people who have known you forever welcome you home with open arms. 

ALLIE BONIFACE – ONLINE LINKS

www.allieboniface.com

www.allieboniface.blogspot.com

Twitter: AllieBoniface1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Allie-Boniface/213522468685926?ref=hl

Sexy Snippets #4: Be My Alien

Good morning and Happy Sunday! Welcome to another Sexy Snippets. I thought I would dip into Be My Alien again, book one of the Moonlit Skies series from M.A. Church and myself.  It came out May 8th from Dreamspinner, and I picked a scene where Reed and Taz are about to become intimate.  Enjoy!  And don't forget to visit the other participants of the Sexy Snippets - you can find them here:

“Throwing clothes at me, are you?”

Reed’s mouth dropped open.

Taz stood shirtless in the middle of the room, the soft light from the lamp falling over his body. A body that had stripes… stripes.

“Dude, are those tattoos?” he cautiously asked.

“What are tattoos?”

That’s what Reed was afraid of.

Don't forget to stop by my hop against homophobia post, you can win a copy of anything from my backlist, or maybe an Amazon GC!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie

Guest Blogger AR Von

Please welcome fellow author AR Von today, who not only answered my infamous questions, but is going to talk about her zombie release!  Yay, zombies! Let's hear what she has to say! And pay attention, she has a giveaway!

The Questions

1-You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have?

Oh man! Did you have to start off with a hard one? LOL- Ok, I’ll be a good wife and say my husband and my kindle fire. That way when I tire him out. I’ll have music and books to occupy my time until he’s ready for me again.

2-Which musical would you say best exemplifies your life – and which character in that musical are you?

There are no musicals out there that exemplify my life. But if I HAD to choose, I’d go with Grease - lol – Only reason being, I love it and it’s full of cool characters.

3-Take these three words and give me a 100 word or less scenario using them:  clinching, retrieving, mails.

It’s a very difficult task, clinching to your lover’s erection through his jeans. All while simultaneously trying to get retrieve your mails from your neighbor’s mailbox; ending up with everyone else’s mail but your own. Being completely focused on keeping the momentum going until you get indoors...

4-You’ve just been let loose in the world of fiction, with permission to do anyone you want. Who do you

fuck first and why? Ha! So very easy. Barrons from Karen Marie Monings Fever series. Why, he’s hot, dominant and knows a woman’s body. All of which I’d LOVE to experience.

5-What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other? Alone and nekkid. Nuff said. (Key word there is alone. We do not get that any more. I miss it so!)

6-When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot? So far it has been plot. It just works. The characters have always formed from there and I hope they always continue to do so ;)

7-If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?

 I’d say Megan Fox. She has the dark hair and light eye thing going on J

8-Who’s your favorite horror villain and why? Oh easy! Freddy Krueger. The reason why… He’s just so awesome! Blades, dream haunting, humor… Plus I got to harass my sister and mother with my addiction to the movies (they’re scaredy cats) hee hee

9-Do you have an historical crush and if so, who is it? Hmm, I’d say King Arthur. I blame it on Shannan Albright and her Knights of Excalibur series (WOW!)

10-Is there a story that you’d like to tell but you think the world isn’t ready to receive it? Not as of yet. I went to unleash all that comes to mind. It’s just a matter of getting it together. Ask me again in a few months. I might have something by then :)

For the giveaway, I’d like to give 2 Wunder prize packs of an ebook & swag pen. 

Title:  Wunder: A Semi-Erotic Zombie Series
Author: AR Von

Genre: Erotic Paranormal Romance (heat rating of 3)

Release Date: February 14, 2013

Where to buy: Amazon (everywhere) coming soon to other booksellers: http://www.amazon.com/Wunder-ebook/dp/B00BG1VMK4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1362097985&sr=1-1&keywords=wunder

Blurb:

Wunder isn’t your average girl; in fact, she isn’t even an average human. In a world ravaged by Zombies, she was born amidst the chaos. Where can a girl like her find the man of her delicious dreams? She has an idea and it leads her to the hottest new club in town, where she finds what’s been missing in her life.

Pete has his own secrets to tell, and when they come together, another story unfolds while the sparks fly.

Excerpt:

I’m swaying on my feet, looking into his eyes—at a loss for words. Finally, I find my voice. “Please.”

He takes my mouth with such fervor, my heart pounds harder than after I’ve just run for miles. My legs now feel like over cooked noodles. He holds me tighter while exploring every nook and cranny of my mouth and I answer with the same exploration. He’s making silent promises while grinding his hard length against my body. I bravely slide my hand from around his neck, down between us, past his chest to cup him through his tight jeans.

He groans into my mouth and slowly pulls back to gaze at me questionably, “Wunder?”

My eyes are still at half-mast, drooping as if they would close on their own accord. I gave his jean encased cock a firm squeeze, ‘Yes’ in answer to his question.

He takes my hand, tugging it as he walked toward the back of the club.

I go willingly. Oh—and how I go willingly!

Bio:

A.R. is a mother of two entertaining teen boys (as well as a lovely fawn Chihuahua, whom she considers her furry daughter.) She’s also a wife to a delightfully handsome and amazingly funny man-beast. She’s an avid reader of many genres which include (but are not limited to) erotica, paranormal, ménage, fantasy, YA, some historical and western (she has to have a hot cowboy, or two, here and there). She also loves to exercise, listen to music, hike, cook, dance and write (various genres). She writes to free her mind of its constant wandering and loves the fact she can share it with others that have the same passion for a great story.
She also loves to hear from her reader’s and chat away, so feel free to reach out to her any time.

Social Media connections, etc:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/AVonGiebel

Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6938994.A_R_Von

Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ArVonDreamzOfDragons
Personal Facebook Page: http://www.facebook.com/AvaR.von

A.R.’s Blog site:  http://dreamzofdragons.blogspot.com/

Amazon page: http://www.amazon.com/A.R.-Von/e/B00BGAHQ46/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_pop_1

Google +: https://plus.google.com/109873727319307722916/posts

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/arvon73/

Wunder Trailer

Direct link to trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sipAihP2MhQ

Hop Against Homophobia Blog Hop

TGIF and welcome to the Hop Against Homophobia Blog Hop.

Prejudice of any wrong is just wrong, and is usually based on fear and ignorance. Many people fear what they do not understand, or what they perceive to be a threat - either to themselves, or to their way of life. Many peoples have been targeted with such ignorance over the years - for their race, for their religion, and for their sexuality.

It's time to stop the madness.

Spread the word. Prejudice will not be tolerated any more. Usually, those who are ignorant enough to believe in these things do so because they think they have someone else's backing. Let them know that they are wrong. Explain why they are wrong. Because people are people, and love is love. And no one should be allowed to tell you who to love.

There have been great strides since last year at this time, more states taking a stand and legalizing same sex marriage, because it is the right thing to do. But there is still a ways to go. DOMA needs to be stricken from the books. Then it won't matter if every state allows same sex marriage - they'll be legal in all, regardless. And maybe then the states that say no will realize there's no point, and they may as well do what's right.

Last year, I told you about my experience with homophobia. I'm going to repeat that story here. Homophobia can affect anyone, and it does.

When I grew up, there was a lot of prejudice against black people. Even though segregation was over, it was still there. People don't change overnight and they don't change easily. I grew up in white neighborhoods, and didn't see a black person in my school until I was in the fifth grade. Why? I don't know, that's just how it was. What I remember from then is my father telling my mother that her sister, my aunt, could not bring her current boyfriend to our house. Why? Because he was black.

Prejudices are just stupid and they're wrong. And yet they exist because too  many people are content to say nothing and do nothing, either from ignorance or from fear. Or because they think it doesn't concern them.

But it does. It concerns everyone. Intolerance of someone is an intolerable situation, and one we can rectify.

But you have to want to do it, and you have to be willing to open your mind, and heart - and use your brain.

Homophobia is far too rampant in this country. The far right will tell you homosexuality is a choice, but it isn't. It's how you're born. It's hardwired into you, like eye color, hair color, etc. The bottom line is that you love who you love.

So what are they afraid of? I've noticed that it's more often the men that bear the brunt of the displeasure, although not exclusively. Men seem to have a higher "tolerance" for women who love women. In fact, it often fuels some of their fantasies. But let it be two men and watch the denials start to roll. What are you afraid of? That perhaps you too could love a man? Is that such a bad thing?

The problem has only gotten worse in recent years because these ill-conceived attitudes are being handed down to the children, at a time when more and more young people have found the courage to speak out, to question and accept and deal with their own sexuality. And they are being bullied for it by narrow-minded young bigots who parrot their parents' unadulterated messages of hate. Too many of our children have died, taken their own lives because of the bullying.

It has to stop!

Being homophobic is every bit as wrong as being prejudiced against people of color, or people of a different faith, or  people of a different race. You can dislike someone for who they are as an individual, but don't hate because of something like sexual orientation.

There are some people, such as the wrong Reverend Fred Phelps, who preach messages of hatred and carry them to extremes. There are members of Congress who also spew messages of hate. They think they are conveying the word of God - I'd love to be a fly on the wall when they arrive at the Day of Judgement and realize just how wrong they've been. When did they decide that God hated people? What right do they have to spread their lies and prejudices under His name? Somehow, I don't think He'd be amused.

And then there are people like my brother. I worked for him for over thirteen years. I did payroll, bookkeeping, billing, scheduling - everything but income taxes, and I even helped with those. I made it possible for him to spend little time in the office. When he got married (for the third time, I might add) and he and his new bride were on their two week honeymoon, traveling around the eastern seaboard and Canada, I didn't even tell him I got very sick, I still went into the office and took care of business so I wouldn't disturb him. I knew he was born-again Christian, but I didn't let it bother me. We had gay clients, and he acted like he liked them. But the signs were there, which I chose not to see, I guess. Like when I told him on the phone I'd gone to see Brokeback Mountain and he started to lecture. It all came to a head when my first published book, To the Max, was released. Silly me, I was so proud of holding my book in my hands. I took it to the office and showed it to him, held it out to him. I didn't want or expect him to read it, but just to wonder at what I had done, to admire it, and to have nice things to say. He wouldn't even touch it. Like it was the lowest form of human excrement. It wasn't long after that he "laid me off" because of having less work. While it's true we lost our biggest client, that was his fault, not mine, for something he didn't do.

Update: I started working for a temp agency last June, but the work is sporadic and not stable. However,

I've been at my current job, with National Elevator Inspection Services, for five weeks now and it looks like I could be there for a while. So things are looking up. I still have not spoken to my brother since he fired me, which is almost three years ago now.

Don't be afraid to stand up for what you believe in. The Power of Love is a wonderful thing, stronger than those who hate.

Contest

I will give to three winners a copy of anything from my backlist. And one winner will receive a $10 Amazon GC. What do  you have to do? It's simple - follow my blog, and tell me the name of my first published book. See?  Easy. And don't forget to include your email address, otherwise your entry won't be valid. If I can't reach you, I can't very well give you a prize, can I?






To learn more about the International Day Against Homophobia and Transphobia, go here
To follow the rest of the Hop, go here..



The hop will continue until the 27th.  I have some guests lined up during this time, so I hope you come back

and see what they have to do. I will be posting on this topic again.

Now, get out there and take a stand!

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie

Virtual Book Tour: From the Ashes

Please welcome author Kayla Jameth today, who has bravely answered my infamous Rick Reed questions, and is going to talk about her newest release, From the Ashes. During her tour, Kayla will be awarding a $25 All Romance e-books GC to one random commenter. The more you comment, the better your chances. Go here to find out where the other tour stops are.

The Questions

1)      You’re marooned on a small island with one person and one item of your choice—who is that person and what item do you have?

Nathan Fillion and a cornucopia. If he's a good boy, I'll share.

  2)    Which musical would you say best exemplifies your life – and which character in that musical are you?

I don't think there are any musicals about a farm girl who becomes a veterinarian and moves to the big city. So I guess I will choose The King and I. I'll be Anna, an outspoken champion of what is right. I also usually play the paladin in any role playing game.

3)      Take these three words and give me a 100 word or less scenario using them:  profile, blasting, congratulation

"Well, congratulations!" Jake jerked and blushed. His roommate Amanda had snuck up behind him. "Is this what you created that second profile for? Blasting some poor writer-wannabe's baby?"

She leaned forward. "Hiding behind some..." She turned to him, stunned. "A woman's name? You're hiding behind a woman's name?"

"They don't let men on here!"

"Well, maybe there's a reason." She peered intently at the screen. "Mpreg? An Mpreg forum. No wonder no men. You've never been pregnant so how can you possibly have an opinion?"

"Well..."

"Here. I'm deleting this account."

"You can't!"

"Oh yes, I can." Click.

4)     You’ve just been let loose in the world of fiction, with permission to do anyone you want. Who do you fuck first and why?

Captain Malcolm from Firefly and if you have to ask why, you've obviously never watched the show. Sexy, funny, go-getter who doesn't leave anyone behind. And speaking of behinds, he has a nice ass.

   5)    What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?

Romantic time with my hubby? I've been married for twenty years and have a 10 year-old and a 7 year-old. What's romance?

I guess my ideal would be candle lit dinner and a nice suite with one of those giant Jacuzzis, preferably glassed in under a star-filled sky. Glasses of wine and candles around the rim.

Now for real life. Kicking back on the couch together with a glass of wine and a good book after the kids have gone to bed.

6)      When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?

I start with a plot. I don't know what kinds of characters I need until I've got the rough outline sketched out. And even then, things are subject to change without notification.

7)      If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?

Katharine Hepburn because she is feisty, bold, and elegant.

8)      Who’s your favorite horror villain and why?

I don’t watch horror films, so I have no idea.

9)      Do you have an historical crush and if so, who is it?

Leonidas will do nicely. He's buff and one hell of a commanding man. Plus the Spartans treated their women almost as equals, nearly unheard of in that time period.

  10)  Is there a story that you’d like to tell but you think the world isn’t ready to receive it?

I don't really have anything too controversial to tell. Just tales of m/m romance in different settings and time periods.

Thanks for inviting me to join you today.

FROM THE ASHES

by Kayla Jameth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Cinder never thought that he could rise from the ashes of his life, but an unexpected encounter with a woman claiming to be his fairy godmother may be just what he needs. Finding himself flung into his very own fairy tale, she sends him off to meet his Prince Charming. But was the gown really necessary?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT:

Dancing couples parted effortlessly around them as the elegant man escorted him to the center of the floor. Cinder's cumbersome skirts swayed and swept the floor, threatening to entangle his feet past any hope of grace.

Fumbling as he tried to remember which hand went where, Cinder placed his right hand on a broad velvet-covered shoulder. Strong, warm fingers enfolded his other hand and gave a reassuring squeeze. The man seemed to sense his unease. The awkward way he held himself, all tense and tight, had to be unmistakable.

Cinder corrected himself several times as he either stepped off with the wrong foot or tried to lead. How was he supposed to do this without harming either one of them? Why couldn't it have been a pavane?

The blasted slippers were so slick that Cinder had to hang on to the other man more than he wanted to just to remain on his feet. He had the distinct impression that the noble got the wrong idea from that.

The man caught his eye and smiled, somewhat more predatorily than Cinder was entirely comfortable with. What was going through the aristocrat's mind? Cinder began to feel like one of the small cakes the footmen carried on silver trays.

Did he want this man to gaze on him in that fashion? Cinder blushed and turned his face awkwardly away. He needed to concentrate on the dance. He didn't have the luxury of sharing soulful glances and chattering like a magpie.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

A bit of a tomboy, Kayla Jameth grew up pretending to be a Native American brave on her family's farm. Somewhat eclectic, she can weld, make maple syrup, and even earned a knighthood making medieval costumes. Although she is now a veterinarian, her love of all things ancient led her to minor in Classical History. Now she spends her free time writing m/m erotic romance.

Find me at:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Author.Kayla.Jameth

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/KaylaJameth

Twitter: https://twitter.com/KaylaJameth

Blog: http://kaylajameth.blogspot.com/

Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/Kayla-Jameth/e/B0054SNO4C/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_2?qid=1363308908&sr=8-2

Buy Link: http://www.amazon.com/Ashes-Naughty-Nursery-Rhymes-ebook/dp/B00AWGDDOW/ref=pd_sim_kstore_3

Wednesday Briefs: No Way Out #4

Happy Hump Day one and all! Mid way through another week, where is the time going? If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the authors of the Wednesday Briefs, right?

This week, I drew my inspiration from a picture:

As you may recall in last week's episode, Wyatt wondered what took so long to wash one luxury sedan, so he crossed the street and met Shylor and Randy, much to the latter's chagrin. Then he invited them over for drinks! Will he take the not so subtle hint and go away and leave them alone? Find out in this week's installment of No Way Out. Then don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's going on in their world!

No Way Out #4

Shy fought to control the trembling that threatened to overtake his limbs and exacerbate his current situation. The moment of hope had passed. Wyatt would go and that would be the end of that. Randy would never allow him near again, that much Shylor knew. But he had other things to think about.

 Like enduring whatever punishment Randy chose to inflict.

So caught up was he in thoughts of Randy’s retaliation that the sound of Wyatt’s voice startled him, and he froze in place.

“Well, another time then, Shylor.”

Didn’t he understand no when he heard it?

“That is, if your dad doesn’t mind.”

Oh. My. God.

Shy was conflicted. Part of him wanted to giggle so badly he could taste it—what he wouldn’t give to sneak a look at Randy’s face, which was undoubtedly very sanguine. The other part was appalled. A bad situation had just become worse.

Let Randy explain the truth. Shy wasn’t about to touch the subject for love or money. If asked, the best answer he could offer was “it’s complicated.”

“I’m not his father.”

Oh yeah, Randy was upset. His voice had just assumed glacial proportions, of the Titanic variety.

“Oh, sorry. I just assumed.”

That was bound to help. Not.

Shylor didn’t think Wyatt sounded sorry at all. In fact, he sounded rather amused. Shy wanted to see for himself. He knew better than to look, knew it wasn’t in his own best interest. But, at this point, he was pretty well fucked anyway, so why not? He cocked his head slightly, and peeked. Sure enough, Wyatt was grinning at him. Shy did not offer a smile in return.

A fist bump was certainly out of the question.

Get out of here now, while the getting’s good. A feeling of panic welled in his breast. He wasn’t sure what Randy might do to Wyatt, provoked in that way. He knew Wyatt had no idea what Randy was capable of, or he wouldn’t taunt him like that.

“We have to go. Thank you for stopping by, Mr. Finley. Now, if you’ll excuse us.”

This time, no doubt, the mispronunciation was deliberate.

Shy didn’t need to be told twice. He scrambled to his feet, ignoring the vibrations from the butt plug;  they raced along his nerve endings. At least he could excuse the wet state of his shorts on his occupation, and none the wiser.

“Have a nice day.” Wyatt’s voice was so cheerful, so good-humored. But why shouldn’t it be? He could come and go as he pleased, couldn’t he? Make his own rules. “See you later, Shy.”

Shy warmed inside, but he never looked, never responded. He kept his eyes cast down, knowing Randy watched. Even so, he felt Wyatt’s withdrawal, saw his shadow as it ebbed from view.

“Inside! Now!”

“Sh-should I put everything up first?” Even Shy’s voice trembled.

“Yes! And be damn quick about it!” Randy snapped. “I’ll be timing you.”

For just a moment, Shylor dared to hope that Randy would restrict himself to verbal recriminations. Being yelled at, he could deal with. But Randy’s next words put an end to that idea.

“I’ll be in the blue room.”

That did not bode well.

But there was nothing to be done for it. Before Randy had time to stalk to the front door, Shy was in motion, emptying the bucket he’d been using, rinsing out the rags and laying them out to dry. Rolling up the hose. He knew the drill and he didn’t dare deviate from it.

Shy wasn’t sure what to expect when he opened the door to the blue room. Anything was possible. Taking a deep breath, he walked into the barren room, empty at the moment but for a single chair.

Randy was pacing back and forth across the room, a sure sign of his agitation. “Father? Ha! If he only knew... if he could only see.“  He stopped and pointed one well-manicured finger toward Shy. “You know the rules. You do not talk without permission.”

Shylor nodded. He’d discovered years ago that debating only produced more pain.

“How dare he? How dare you? Ungrateful little bastard.” Randy darted toward him, his slap landing full across Shy’s cheek. Unprepared, Shy’s head bounced back. His long blond hair flew into his face, but he made no move to brush it aside.

“Strip,” Randy commanded in a heated voice and Shylor hastened to obey, carefully setting every piece of clothing aside. He didn’t want to give Randy any more of an excuse for violence than he already had. While he got undressed, Randy left the room, returning quickly, and not empty handed.

It was going to be one of those nights, Shy knew, when he spotted the rope. The only question was what position would he be tied in, and what would Randy choose to do to him then?

Randy wound the rope around Shy’s wrists, then dragged him to the chair, yanking on the rope. He suspended Shy’s hands over the back of the chair, until they just touched the edge of the seat. Shy’s back strained across the back of the chair as Randy trussed him, running the rope in a loop about his neck, and then down the front of his body.

Shy wondered what Randy had in mind. Usually, he tied him the other way, to allow himself access to Shyor’s hole. This way, even with his ass suspended over the seat, Shy didn’t see that working. So what then?

Randy reached beneath Shy and pushed against the plug. Shy shivered. So he was leaving that? Randy slid a cock ring over Shy’s hardness, stroked it ungently. Then he slid the blindfold into place and Shy’s world went dark.

Now it would come. The beating... the whipping... the fucking... whatever Randy decided to mete out, even if he couldn’t see it coming. He held his breath and counted...

“Think about your transgressions. I’m going out.”

The door slammed, and silence fell.

to be continued

Now go see what the other Briefers have done!

Nephylim    

Andrew Gordon 

Lily Sawyer     

Cia Nordwell     

Ava 

Michael Mandrake     

Renee Stevens 

MA Church    

J.A. Harmon 

Until next time, take care!

♥ Julie

Virtual Book Tour: The Cowboy's E-mail Order Bride

Please welcome author Cora Seton, who is here to tell us about her latest release, The Cowboy's E-mail Order Bride. Full Moon Dreaming is but one stop on her tour. Don't forget to check out the rest. Cora will be awarding a $50 Etsy gift card to a random commenter during the tour. The more you comment, the better your chances of winning! Find the other stops here

The Cowboy’s E-Mail Order Bride

by Cora Seton

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BLURB:

Ethan Cruz should be mending fences on his Montana ranch, but instead he’s driving to the Chance Creek, Montana, airport – to pick up the bride he didn’t know he had. This latest salvo in his ongoing practical joke battle with his best friend, Rob Matheson, has gone too far, and Ethan plans to send his “bride” right back home, then get busy plotting his revenge. One look at Autumn Leeds changes his mind, however. Perhaps he needs a bride, after all. A breathtakingly beautiful city bride.

Autumn Leeds needs a story – fast – or she’s going to lose her lucrative contract with CityPretty Magazine, so when she sees the crazy video plea for a modern mail-order bride for a cowboy, it sounds like the story of the century. Making a video of her own, she casts herself as the perfect mail-order bride for a rancher, but when she finally reaches Montana, she’s surprised to find Ethan’s the perfect cowboy husband-to-be. Against her better judgment, her plan to keep her handsome groom at arm’s length disintegrates into a night of passion spent in his arms.

Ethan knows he can’t keep playing this game – he has to come clean with Autumn and tell her the truth; about the practical joke and about the state of his ranch. He’s about to lose it all because of the debts his mother racked up before his parents’ deaths. Now his sister, Claire, wants to sell the ranch and collect what little money they can. He’ll be out of a home and a job, and in no shape to support the bride he desperately wants to marry, after all.

Autumn’s in bigger trouble than ever. Not only has she fallen in love with the subject of her expose – she might be carrying his child. If she doesn’t write this article and secure her job for another year, she’ll lose everything – her career, her apartment, and more importantly, her family’s approval. The only alternative is to stay and marry Ethan. But how can she trust a man she’s just met when she knows too well that men always let you down?

Can a love based on lies last?

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EXCERPT:

She glanced up at Ethan to find him glancing down, and the warm feeling curved around her insides again. Surely New York men couldn’t be shorter than this crew, or any less manly, but she couldn’t remember the last time she’d been around so much blatant testosterone. She must be ovulating. Why else would she react like this to a perfect stranger?

Ethan touched her arm. “This way.” She followed him down the hall, the others falling into place behind them like a cowboy entourage. She stifled a sudden laugh at the absurdity of it all, slipped her hand into her purse and grabbed her digital camera, capturing the scene with a few clicks. Had this man – this…cowboy – sat down and planned out the video he’d made? She tried to picture Ethan bending over a desk and carefully writing out “Sweet. Good cook. Ready for children.”

She blew out a breath and wondered if she was the only one stifling in this sudden heat. Ready for children? Hardly. Still…if she was going to make babies with anyone…

Shaking her head to dispel that dangerous image, she found herself at the airport’s single baggage carousel. It was just shuddering to life and within moments she pointed out first one, then another sleek, black suitcase. Ethan took them both, began to move toward the door and then faltered to a stop. He avoided her gaze, focusing on something far beyond her shoulder. “It’s just…I wasn’t….”

Oh God, Autumn thought, a sudden chill racing down her spine. Her stomach lurched and she raised a hand as if to ward off his words. She hadn’t even considered this.

He’d taken one look and decided to send her back.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

Cora Seton loves cowboys, country life, gardening, bike-riding, and lazing around with a good book. Mother of four, wife to a computer programmer/eco-farmer, she ditched her California lifestyle eight years ago and moved to a remote logging town in northwestern British Columbia.

Like the characters in her novels, Cora enjoys old-fashioned pursuits and modern technology, spending mornings transforming a neglected one-acre lot into a paradise of orchards, berry bushes, and market gardens, and afternoons writing the latest Chance Creek romance novel on her iPad mini. Visit www.coraseton.com to read about new releases, locate your favorite characters on the Chance Creek map, and learn about contests and other cool events!

Website: www.coraseton.com

Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/coraseton/

Twitter: @coraseton

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