Friday, May 20, 2016

Book Tour ~ CHIMERA by Stephie Walls + Giveaway

Title: chimera
Author: Stephie Walls
Genre: Adult, Dark Romance
Published: May 11, 2016
I couldn’t be anything other than a romantic at heart — it’s my nature, it’s who I am. But this isn’t a typical story of traditional love. It isn’t a fairy tale. No happily ever after neatly tied up with a shiny bow. It’s a memoir of the reality left behind in the wake of grief — the desolation, the resurrection, and final culmination life offers to the fallen.

This is a journey through love…the love of self, love of a friend, and sometimes love is ugly, messy —destructive.

My name is Bastian Thames…and this is my story.


CHIMERA - Copyright © Stephie Walls 2016

Chapter One
When Sylvie died, it left a hole in my being that seemed prodigious. I adorn my face with the plastic appearance people anticipate from me, but internally, I weep. Continuing through the monotonous motion of my daily life, I increasingly find myself lost in what my friends—well, those who remain—refer to as a fictional world: novels, authors, artists, musicians, and the illusion of relationships on social media. The more time I spend on Facebook, the more entrenched I become in the fiction that exists on the screen. I believe these “friends” are truly concerned for me; they’re what relationships are in reality. Sadly, these seem to be the only things keeping me hanging on, but the thread threatens to break daily, frayed from top to bottom. The tightly woven fabric that was once my life has deteriorated beyond recognition.
That’s the crux of my juxtaposition. My life had value, it had meaning. It was everything I had ever imagined it could be. But without Sylvie, black clouds roll through my mind, hindering my ability to think, eliminating productivity, and stifling my creativity. My art is as dead as I am. But online…online I can be anything I want to be, whatever version of myself I decide to show to the world. I don’t have to be the pathetic artist who lost his muse. I don’t have to be the sweet, sensitive man Sylvie loved. I don’t know whom I want to reinvent myself as, but the idea of being whatever still exists in my soul doesn’t appeal to me. My craft has become recreating my persona, anything to escape the pain, the desolation, and the solitude. Surely there’s art in recreating an identity.
Most days, I find it difficult to even get out of bed. The colder it gets outside, the shorter the days are, the deeper I sink—sometimes only escaping the protection of my covers to take a piss or get something to eat or drink. Although frequently, I let those things go in favor of marinating in my misery. My laptop calls to me from my nightstand when the loneliness becomes too much to bear, the darkness too black to see through.
That recognizable blue-and-white screen brings me comfort, the newsfeed seemingly a link to real conversation, touching base with the people I’ve known for years—but it always introduces the possibility of newcomers. The “friend recommendation” is the online equivalent to a friend introducing you to someone new; at least it is in my mind. I always check out the recommendations. They’re often other painters or singers that might have known Sylvie—or people I barely recognize from high school or college. But every once in a while, some totally random person surfaces with no tie to my past.
Those are the connections I find most interesting, most appealing.
They also seem to be the safest, having no knowledge of the person I once was, or how all that remains of me is a fragmented shell. I have made several “friends” this way, people I would say I’m close to—even though we’ve never met and likely never will. Herein lies my fictional world, the one my real friends don’t understand and believe to be emotionally damaging to me. I’m not processing my grief…blah, blah, blah. If I hear that shit one more time, I may scream.
As soon as I log in, the familiar recommendations bombard me as if the universe is playing some cruel joke. There she is, my Sylvie…only her name is Sera Martin. She’s a perfect duplicate with the same striking green eyes, long chestnut-colored hair, high cheekbones, and luscious, pouty lips.
I realize I haven’t inhaled or exhaled.
I gasp and hold my breath until my lungs burn. I haven’t seen her in years. The day she died, I came home and stripped our house of any reminder—every picture, every video, every stitch of clothing, anything she loved. It all had to leave. I couldn’t bear the weight of what the world took from me. I imagined if I discarded everything, she wouldn’t haunt me, and maybe, somehow, I would manage to learn to live again if reminders of her didn’t surround me.
Yet, her loss possesses me daily.
This girl. This Sera. Could this be Mother Nature returning my Sylvie to me in a strange twist of fate? The notion there’s a doppelganger roaming the world has always been a thought I believe in. It’s possible after years of suffering, dying inside, barely hanging on, that my savior has come. Without hesitation, I click “add friend.”
Sera responds to my request with a private message.
Sera: Wow! Are you really Bastian Thames?
Me: Yes. Have we met before?
Sera: Once, but I doubt you’d remember. It was at a gallery down on the West End where your work was being featured a couple years ago. Is this the real Bastian? Not some lurker claiming to be the famous artist?
Me: Far cry from famous, but yes, one and the same. Are you certain we met that night? I remember the opening and can assure you I would have remembered you.
Sera: Yes, you were with your wife. She’s quite lovely. I’m not sure which was more beautiful, her or the nudes you had in the collection. That showing was the talk of the art community for months around here.
Me: That was the last opening I did. Seems like a lifetime ago.
Sera: Are you not painting anymore? I hate to admit that I lost track of your work when I went off to college but for years, I was a huge fan.
Me: Life happened. I haven’t painted in some time.
Sera: I can’t imagine you quit painting. Surely you just quit putting them out for the public.
Me: No. I haven’t so much as held a brush in five years.
Sera: That’s a shame. Hey look, Bastian, I have to run out but I accepted your request. I hope maybe we can talk some later. Maybe you’ll let me pick your brain about a project I’m working on?
Me: Certainly. I hope to hear from you soon.
Sera: Bye
Me: Later
My mind races with possibilities. I immediately go to her profile to see what information I can garner on her before our next conversation—assuming one comes. Jesus, she’s twenty-five, went to the Rhode Island School of Design, graduated with her Masters in Fine Arts, and holy hell, she’s a sculptor. If these pictures are of her work, then she has phenomenal talent. Scouring her profile provides only surface-level information. There’s almost nothing personal. The pictures all seem to be with other artists or at galleries or in a studio. Moving to her wall, I find tons of posts by other local artists, memes about artwork, jokes…the proverbial Facebook bullshit.
I almost quit scrolling when I see a post that grabs my attention. There’s a picture of two beautiful women, scantily clad, one bent over, the other yielding a paddle, and the words, “Someone’s been a bad girl.” Jesus Christ. There are one hundred forty-seven comments and two hundred fifty-three likes on the thread posted by a Maria Martin.
I click on Maria’s name first, assuming it will be a sister or cousin, not expecting it to be her mother. Holy shit, whose mother posts this kind of profanity on their daughter’s Facebook wall? Making my way back to the thread, I find myself enthralled by the dialogue.
It’s cheeky and playful but talk about insight. This one picture, one conversation, tells me scads about who she is personally, not about her work, but seemingly what she enjoys—intimately. Reading her responses to the comments ignites a fire in an area of my anatomy I thought had died with Sylvie. As my cock starts to twitch, that old, familiar heat seeps through my crotch.
I stop myself, realizing I’m staring at dialogue—about a woman who could be my dead wife’s twin—between people I don’t know. It’s morbid, really. Backing out of the comments and Sera’s profile, then I set the computer aside. I don’t close the laptop for fear of missing a message from her. Lying back, I stare at the all-too-familiar ceiling. I know every blemish on the drywall with aching familiarity. There have been hours of loneliness and isolation. The depth of pain is so fathomless, I often wonder how I made it to the next day without feeling the cold steel in my hand, without pulling the trigger.
I've lived all over the country but have made Greenville, South Carolina my home for the last 20 of my 37 years. I have a serious addiction to anything Coach and would live on Starbucks if I could get away with it. If you follow me on Facebook you'll also find that I'm slightly enamored with Charlie Hunnam. I'm an avid reader (literary whore to be more precise) averaging around 300 novels a year. I have a penchant for great love stories, sensual poetry and am a romantic at heart.

I currently work full-time in the Greenville area and fill my "extra" time with writing contemporary romance novels with a hint of erotica. I couldn't do it without the support of my family and friends who push me to keep going when I don't have the confidence or patience.
Hosted By: 
 

★★ Sale Blitz ★★ #99cents The Angel Set - Summer Spirit Novellas 1 - 3 by Samantha Jacobey @SamJacobey

The Angel Set banner  
Sale Blitz
Title: The Angel Set
Author: Samantha Jacobey
Sale Dates: May 19th- May26th
The Angle Set ebook
synopsis
No one EVER had a summer romance like this. When Charlie visited another plane parallel to our own, he discovered that Summer Angels and Dark Angels battle over the fate of man. Faced with choices no one should ever have to make, his adventure has been fraught with twists and turns, with life and death hanging in the balance. His guardian, Clarisse, is the half that makes him whole, but sinister forces conspire to do more than simply keep them apart. Find out if they can stand up to the powers that be in this THRILLING MAGICAL ADVENTURE!!! (New adult) Summer Angel - A Summer Spirit Novella… What would you do if you discovered Guardian Angels are real?
Charlie and his parents had planned a fabulous summer vacation; the last one before he heads off to college. Things go mysteriously awry when the young man meets Clarisse; he finds himself separated from his parents and on a different sort of holiday. Caught up in a strange adventure with the slender blonde, Charlie learns right away that things are not what they seem. She easily convinces him that her magical powers are real, and introduces him to a world mankind has only dreamt of. Promising to have him reunited with his family soon, the girl takes him on a gallery walk of life, using her abilities to give him a summer vacation he will never forget... and then again, may not even survive. Dark Angel - A Summer Spirit Novella… Can your Guardian Angel simply walk away? Charlie and his girlfriend met last summer, after his awakening from a near death experience. Their love grew while his body healed, and after a few short months, he had come to believe she was the girl of his dreams. But Donna has a secret; one she had never intended to share with the love of her life. While Charlie’s physical being had lain in a hospital, his spirit had traveled to another dimension - her world - where the forces of light and dark collide. When he had returned to the living side of consciousness, Clarisse stole Donna’s body, claiming it and giving herself a second chance at life and love. Of course, people who die are meant to stay dead, and there will be rough times ahead as Keeper, head of the angels, decides how to put things back in order... Forgotten Angel - A Summer Spirit Novella… Can love transcend death for a Guardian Angel? When Clarisse took her own life, she wanted to spare Charlie’s suffering at the hands of Gous. He watched her die in a most gruesome fashion, and had to learn to live without the girl of his dreams in the physical sense. Instead, he managed to maintain contact with her, and brought new meaning to the term ‘long-distance relationship.’ In the weeks following their separation, Charlie returns to his home town. A commanding presence, the temptation to meddle in the lives of those around him becomes overwhelming. as does Clarisse’s desire to interfere with his. Tempers flare, and the girl flees, leaving him at the mercy of Gous and the dark path that lays before him. By a twist of Fate, Charlie’s world spins further out of control, and he sets off to find her on what could be his road to redemption. Will their love survive when he discovers the truth about his abilities? Or will the powers that be finally claim their forgotten angel...
Add to Goodreads
theangelsetpromo
buynow
authorbio
samantha
Samantha Jacobey is a middle aged woman who earned a BS in Business Management and has worked in half a dozen fields. With a relentless zest for life, she enjoys action and adventure, as well as all the love and romance it has to offer. Creating stories in her mind for many years, she has put some of them into print for the world to share, and hopes you will enjoy reading them as much as she did creating them. What drives her most is the love of a good story and is confident you will enjoy her latest creation.
Social Media Links
Other books by Samantha Jacobey
pink banner
the end of the world
CC ebook
TWA
Teach Me to Prey ebook cover
hosted by
jomppromotionsx
--

★★ RELEASE BOOST ★★ - All the Waters of the Earth by @LeslieMcAdam @givemebooksblog




Title: All the Waters of the Earth
Series: Giving You... #3 
Author: Leslie McAdam
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
 Release Date: May 15, 2016



Blurb

Romance novelist Lucy Figueroa lives a life of the imagination. While her stories are filled with fictional alpha male heroes, her real life is filled with nothing but Mr. Wrongs. As a sassy, strong, single mom, she doesn't need anyone... except maybe a new book idea. And to forgive herself for the mistakes of the past.

Lucy's sexy new neighbor, Jake Slausen, looks like one of her characters come to life. While he fits the heartthrob part, he doesn't act it, too distracted by his cell phone and his job for any relationship. Damaged by his childhood, he's ignored his true calling and goes through his days on autopilot...until he meets Lucy.

First drawn together by chemistry, then by a fierce need to protect each other even from themselves, will Jake and Lucy learn to accept their pasts or will they convince themselves that happily ever afters only exists in romance novels?



Purchase Links







Also Available


AMAZON US / UK



AMAZON US / UK






Author Bio

Leslie McAdam is a California girl who loves romance, Little Dude, and well-defined abs. She lives in a drafty old farmhouse on a small orange tree farm in Southern California with her husband and two small children. Leslie always encourages her kids to be themselves - even if it means letting her daughter wear leopard print from head to toe. An avid reader from a young age, she will always trade watching TV for reading a book, unless it's Top Gear. Or football. Leslie is employed by day but spends her nights writing about the men you fantasize about. She's unapologetically sarcastic and notoriously terrible at comma placement (that's what editors are for!).

Always up for a laugh, Leslie tries to see humor in all things. When she's not in the writing cave you'll find her fangirling over Beck, camping with her family, or mixing up oil paints to depict her love of outdoors on canvas.



Author Links

★COVER REVEAL★ Blue Moon by Sydney Jamesson @SydneyJamesson

The conclusion of the epic love story, The Story of Us, is only five weeks away and we are proud to present the cover reveal for Blue Moon by Sydney Jamesson!

Blue Moon Cover Reveal Banner.jpg

Blue Moon by Sydney Jamesson Series: The Story of Us: Into the Blue #3 Release Date: June 21, 2016 Genre: Contemporary Romance Cover Designer: Michele Catalano, Catalano Creative

BLUE MOON-Full Cover_FINAL

Synopsis:

“If anything happens to Beth, I’ll cease to breath; the sky will fall and time will stand still, but not before those responsible for ending our lives are six feet under and en route to hell.” ~ Ayden Stone.
As The Story Of Us comes to a climactic conclusion, Ayden and Beth come face to face with their worst nightmare—losing the one person who means more to them than life itself.
Parted by a thousand miles across land and sea, they prepare to fight back; the clock is ticking, dark forces are edging closer and their chances of surviving are becoming less with each day that passes.
But nothing is as it seems...
They are knee deep in danger and deceit, and enemies remain too close for comfort. Will they be able to weather the storm of secrets, family feuds and broken bonds?
After a lifetime of waiting, Ayden and Beth Stone are so close to fulfilling their destiny, but will they get to live out the fairy-tale they promised each other over twenty six years ago?
A love like this comes along once in a blue moon—it’s worth fighting for.
But is it a love worth dying for?

Add to your TBR on Goodreads

TSFP SALE NEW COVER

To celebrate the release of the epic conclusion, Touchstone for Play is on sale for only 99₵.

Catch up on the Series:

US
The Story of Us Boxed Set Touchstone for Play (Story of Us Trilogy Book 1) Touchstone for Giving (Story of Us Trilogy Book2) Touchstone for Ever (Story of Us Trilogy Book 3) Blue Genes (The Story of Us Series: Into the Blue 1) Blue Hearts (The Story of Us Series: Into the Blue 2)
UK
The Story of Us Boxed Set Touchstone for Play (Story of Us Trilogy Book 1) Touchstone for Giving (Story of Us Trilogy Book2) Touchstone for Ever (Story of Us Trilogy Book 3) Blue Genes (The Story of Us Series: Into the Blue 1) Blue Hearts (The Story of Us Series: Into the Blue 2)

About the Author:

7074207
Sydney Jamesson is an English teacher by day and a USA Today bestselling author of romance, suspense by night. She is nocturnal by nature and loves nothing more than staying up late, listening to music and being inspired to write. She has always scribbled things down; in her home is one enormous waste paper basket full of discarded phrases, opening lines and pieces of dialogue that have hit her like lightning in the middle of the night or whilst parked up at a set of traffic lights. Her bestselling trilogy, The Story of Us is available worldwide, and she's thrilled to continue Ayden Stone and Beth Parker's epic love story in The Story of Us Series: Into the Blue, comprising: Blue Genes, Blue Hearts, Blue Moon.

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Amazon / Goodreads / Newsletter Join Sydney’s Reader Group

Blue-Moon-1

BOOK TOUR / REVIEW~The Spiral Down by Aly Martinez @AlyMartinezAuth

SPIRAL_DOWN_BOOK_TOUR.jpg

SPIRAL_DOWN_LIVE.jpg


Henry Alexander's story in The Spiral Down by Aly Martinez is NOW LIVE!  


Download your copy of this M/M Standalone TODAY!
iBooks: Pending
Nook: Pending
The Spiral Down FOR WEB.jpg
Blurb
I was afraid to fly.
He made me soar.


After years of climbing the ladder of success in the music industry, I finally had everything I could want.
Yet I still found myself wandering through life alone.


Captain Evan Roth was the one man I never saw coming.
Tall, dark, mysterious… Straight.


We were both damaged beyond repair and searching for something so elusive we weren’t sure it even existed.


But, when two broken souls collide in midair, falling is a given.


I just never expected to crave the spiral down.


TSDTEASER2IMGcover.jpg
Excerpt
Henry
“How about you and one of your girls come out to my show in L.A. next week? My treat. Dinner, drinks, the whole deal. Evan and I would love to take you two beautiful ladies out for an evening.”
“Excuse me?” he exclaimed, cocking his head to catch my gaze.
I leaned back into my seat and lifted a hand to massage his shoulder. I was barely able to suppress a moan when the angle of his firm trap muscle met my palm.
Fuck, this guy was built like a brick wall. And I was going to love every second of watching him crumble for me.
“Oh, come on, Evan. It’s the least we can do. Double date.” I winked at Jessica. “You can fly them out! My plane should be ready by then.”
Jessica’s eyes jumped to Evan’s. “You’re a pilot?” Her smile spread irritatingly wide.
Back off, Ginger Spice.
Snapping my fingers in her direction, I corrected, “He’s my pilot.”
Subtlety was not a virtue I possessed. Was subtlety a virtue at all?
“Your temporary pilot,” he amended before shaking his head and then tipping his beer to his lips for a long pull.
“Anyway. Do we have a date?” And, by date, I meant feeding her dinner while I attempted to work my way into Evan’s pants.
She pressed one finger to her lips and then nervously flashed her eyes around the cabin.
“Oops. Sorry.” I shrugged sheepishly. Lifting my drink to my mouth, I discreetly passed her my cocktail napkin and then not-so-discreetly brushed my forearm against Evan’s chest as I pulled away.
He offered her a tight smile just before she disappeared.
I grinned proudly.
“What the fucking hell was that?” he whisper-yelled at me.
“That was me getting a woman’s number.”
He arched an eyebrow. “A woman. Really?”
“What? Is that not allowed?” I feigned innocence.
He clenched his fist in his lap, and it made me suddenly aware that my own hands had stopped trembling—and in record time, I should note. Evan seemed to be quite useful in the art of distraction.
He leaned closer. “Don’t bullshit me. I looked you up. You’re…” He stopped, unwilling to say the big, bad “G” word.
“I’m what?” I taunted.
He rolled his eyes and chugged the rest of his beer.
We went back to silence until Jessica came back by with another drink, complete with her phone number written on the napkin.
“I’m not going on a double date,” Evan said as I tucked the napkin into my pocket. “You want me to fly them out? Not a problem. Schedule it with Jackson. But that’s the extent of my professional responsibilities. And, since I’m off the clock right now, I’d also like to mention that I think whatever play you’re planning to run on that woman is fucked up.”
My head snapped to his. “I’m sorry. Play?” I asked with more attitude than I had originally planned.
“Yes. Play,” he sneered.
I stirred my drink. “Let me get this straight. I’m offering to fly her out in a private jet, feed her dinner at one of the best restaurants in the city, and put her front row at a concert that has been sold out for over a year. That doesn’t seem like a play to me. It sounds like I’m trying to do something nice for a woman I was rude to earlier.” I casually leaned back in my seat. “My conscience doesn’t ‘play’ when it comes to apologies.”
“Right. Well, maybe you should have a chat with your conscience, because she looks like she just won the date of a lifetime. Meanwhile, you don’t even like women.” He stalled, no doubt looking for just the right word to express his disgust without sounding like a bigot. Judging by his gentleness when we’d taken off, he wasn’t the type of guy to go for the fag bomb.
I watched him intently, excited to see how he was going to handle this.
“You’re gay.”
I frowned at his lack of creativity. “Not that it’s any of your damn business. But I’ll have you know I love women.”
It wasn’t a lie. I adored women. Especially Levee and Robin.
I just didn’t like pussy. Meh. Semantics.
He gaped. “You’re bi?”
“And I’ll repeat: None of your damn business. But yeah. Do you have a problem with that?”
Again, it wasn’t necessarily a lie.
Was I bisexual? Fuck no. My cock was in no way an equal opportunity employer.
I was somewhat bilingual though. I knew how to ask for a blow job in English and Spanish. I pretended that was what he meant.
Chupame la verga.
the spiral down teaser 2.jpg
5 Fabulous Stars 
YES !! This is the kind of M/M stories I like to read. I am a new reader to Aly Martinez and holy hell did she ever get my attention. This book is fantastic!!! Super hot with the perfect amount of angst. It is a beautiful heartfelt read about two men trying to find courage to go after what they want regardless of their past. The characters grew as the story went on. Henry Alexander and Evan Roth I loved how they met. I loved the chase, and I enjoyed watching their relationship grow. The story kept me interested throughout the entire book. I really enjoyed the writing style. Overall, I loved it, it was a exceptional read. Highly Recommend.. Christy Radical Reads Book Blog


About the Author:
Aly Martinez
aly martineez.jpg
Born and raised in Savannah, Georgia, Aly Martinez is a stay-at-home mom to four crazy kids under the age of five, including a set of twins. Currently living in South Carolina, she passes what little free time she has reading anything and everything she can get her hands on, preferably with a glass of wine at her side.
After some encouragement from her friends, Aly decided to add “Author” to her ever-growing list of job titles. Five books later, she shows no signs of slowing. So grab a glass of Chardonnay, or a bottle if you’re hanging out with Aly, and join her aboard the crazy train she calls life.


GIVEAWAY
$50 Amazon Gift Card









TRSOR_PROMOTIONS.jpg