BOOK SPOTLIGHT: The Applicant @AideeLadnier #MFRWauthor @Dreamspinners

Aidee Ladnier released The Applicant, a GLBT Science Fiction Romance with Dreamspinner Press.
How can something so cuddly and adorable be so destructive? The teddy bear robot decimating his lab is only the first disaster of the day for roboticist Forbes Pohle. If he can figure out how to end its rampage, he still has to interview applicants for the position of research assistant and convince the time traveler on his doorstop that they should be making their future right now.

Oliver Lennox didn’t travel back in time to have a quickie in the blast chamber—but it certainly is fun. This younger Forbes is a sweeter, more innocent version of his lover. And it will be hard to leave him behind in the past.

REVIEW
"I love the time travel trope and how this brief story really captured the relationship between Forbes and Oliver and leaves us with perfect set-up into the second book in the Busted Labs series – “The Break In” – where Oliver and Forbes actually meet for the (real) first time. This is an impressive short story and I highly recommend it!" - Gay Book Reviews

EXCERPT
The teddy bear robot hadn't powered down when Forbes sent the command code.
     The tiny whirlwind of metal and fur was still running full tilt into one wall, extracting itself from the plaster and then turning to run the other way, taking out chairs, filing cabinets, and tables in its way. A sharp smell of mechanical smoke and damaged wiring permeated the air. Forbes swallowed, trying to cleanse his mouth of the metallic taste.
     They watched the bear plow into a workstation cabinet leaving a large hole at the bottom. The sound of wood splintering and glassware breaking ensued as it ran down the inside of the cabinet to burst out the other end.
     Forbes winced as he spied the mainframe monitor black and dead, toppled onto the floor. It was unfortunately in the path of the bear, who didn't hesitate to tread into the sparking electronics. A retry of the shutdown code was not going to be possible.
     ""Hey, your little doll is running into your stuff.""
     The applicant stepped around Forbes to stand in the route of the robot, reaching down to pick it up.
     ""NO!"" Forbes yanked the other man out of the way as the robot ran past. It still managed to clip his visitor’s leg with one of its fast pumping furry arms.
     ""Ow!"" The man hopped back, and Forbes grabbed his arm to keep him from falling on the splinters of a chair. The little bear pulled itself out of a skid on some broken glassware and headed back their way.
     ""In here."" Forbes pulled the limping man into the blast chamber where he'd tested the indestructibility of the bear the previous evening.
     He closed the door as the little robot clanged against it, a teddy bear-sized indention popping through on their side.

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ABOUT Aidee Ladnier
Aidee, an award-winning author of speculative fiction, began writing at twelve years old but took a hiatus to be a magician’s assistant, ride in hot air balloons, produce independent movies, collect interesting shoes, fold origami, send ping pong balls into space, and amass a secret file with the CIA. A lover of genre fiction, it has been a lifelong dream of Aidee's to write both romance and erotica with a little science fiction, fantasy, mystery, or the paranormal thrown in to add a zing.

Website: http://www.aideeladnier.com/p/home.html
Blog: http://www.aideeladnier.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/aideelad
Google+: https://www.google.com/+AideeLadnier
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/aideelad/
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/aideeladnier
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/AideeLad
Twitter URL: https://twitter.com/AideeLadnier

#MFRWauthor INTERVIEW: When The Band Came To Town @HLewisFoster

Meet H. Lewis-Foster

H. Lewis-Foster lives in the north of England and has always worked with books in one form or another. As a keen reader of gay fiction, she decided to try writing herself and is now the proud author of several short stories and a debut novel 'Burning Ashes'.

H. creates characters that are talented, funny and quite often gorgeous, but who all have their faults and vulnerable sides, and she hopes you'll enjoy reading their stories as much as she loves writing them. H. has also ventured into playwriting and was thrilled to see her first play performed last year.

Website - http://hlewisfoster.wix.com/books
Twitter - https://twitter.com/HLewisFoster
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/HLewisFoster

How long have you been writing? About five years.
Have you always wanted to be a writer?
Secretly, yes, but it took me a long time to finally put pen to paper.
Where do you see yourself in five years?
Still writing romance, because I enjoy it so much, and maybe doing more play writing.
How many books have you written, how many have been published?
I’ve written one novel, two novellas and ten short stories. They’ve all been published.
After you've written your book and it's been published, do you ever buy it and/or read it? 
I sometimes read a story a year or so after it’s been published - it’s good to go back and experience it as a reader.
Do you have a favorite among your books? 
My novel ‘Burning Ashes’. I loved writing about the intense romance between Nat and Scott, and following their relationship over the years.
Favorite hero or heroine?
My current favourite is Archie in ‘When the Band Came to Town’. He’s intelligent, handsome, physically and emotionally strong, and he’s always there for his friends.
What book for you has been the easiest to write? 
Northern Relations, a regency romance.
The hardest? My current novel – more details soon!
The most fun? In the Blue Moonlight, a funny, quirky short story.
Which comes first, the story, the characters, or the setting?
My stories are very much character-led, so characters definitely.
What is the hardest part of writing/the easiest for you?
To be honest, I enjoy the whole process of writing, but I guess that editing is the hardest part – although if you have a good editor, it can be very rewarding.
Are you in control of your characters or do they control you?
I like to think I’m in control, but sometimes characters take the plot in unexpected directions.
Have you experienced writer's block? 
I’ve been very lucky and haven’t been stuck for ideas so far.
What is the most rewarding thing about being a writer?
It’s fantastic to read a lovely review - knowing that someone has enjoyed your writing makes it all worthwhile.
What is the single most important part of writing for you?
Rewriting is the most important part of writing. Finishing the first draft of a story is just the beginning.
What do you enjoy most about writing?
Getting that initial idea, then seeing where the story takes me...

When the Band Came to Town
Dreamspinner Press
In the swinging Sixties, life gets rockin’ for Jeff McInnery when a new band plays at the local pub. Caught up in lead singer Danny Speed’s cool, Jeff sneaks a kiss. But being found out as homosexual could stop Danny’s hot career fast, and even land him in jail. With harsh words, Danny leaves to head for fame and fortune while Jeff starts university. On campus, Jeff meets Archie Ballatine, a history student living as openly as possible. It’s an exciting new world of sex and friendship for Jeff, but then the band comes back to town.
BUY LINK

MM Good Book Reviews - 5 hearts - https://goo.gl/LpAXzx
This is a nice, short and exceedingly charming story which I realised once I got to the end is actually meant to be more like a memoir of Jeff McInnery. In a time where in the UK one could get arrested and gaoled for being homosexual, it’s a bit like a journey of discovery into love for Jeff and his two love interests – rock star Danny and fellow student Archie. It’s a very light hearted/rose coloured view of this time in history but the ending is just perfect!

EXCERPT

“Have you never had a girlfriend, Jeff?” 
Jeff shook his head, hoping Danny would assume his abstinence was due to failure rather than choice. His pulse quickened as Danny walked toward him. 
“We’ll have to do something about that, won’t we?” 
“It’s not a problem.” Jeff stuttered the words, and his racing heart nearly stopped when Danny seized his clammy hand. “You need to learn how to slow dance, man.”
Jeff’s knees trembled so much he could barely stand as Danny slid his other hand round Jeff’s waist.
Danny’s voice was affably self-assured. “Now the young lady will expect you to take the lead, Jeff.” 
“Oh yes?” They were the only words Jeff could extract from his brain. 
“You hold her in your arms like this.” Danny pulled Jeff to him, his lean torso pressing against Jeff’s shirt. “You see?” 
Jeff nodded. The proximity of Danny’s body now made speech impossible. 
“Then you move your feet in time with the music. Just little steps like this.” 
Danny’s thighs brushed against Jeff’s trousers as they shuffled around the wooden floor. Jeff was sure Danny must be able to feel the quivering in his muscles, the quickening of his breath, and the growing hardness in his underwear. 
“And if you’re very lucky, she’ll nuzzle your neck, and her hair will tickle against your cheek.” Jeff held his breath as Danny’s faintly stubbled chin rested against his shoulder. He was certain he must be dreaming, but he’d never had a dream as vivid as this. 
Danny’s biceps were hot against Jeff’s shirtsleeves, and his fingers tightly curled round Jeff’s hand. His tobacco-scented breath was warm against Jeff’s ear as he spoke. “That’s it, Jeff. You’ve got the hang of it. You’ll have those posh university girls eating out of your hand.” 
Girls, posh or otherwise, were the furthest thing from Jeff’s mind when Danny pulled away slightly and smiled. Jeff had never seen a smile like it, or at least not outside of a cinema screen. Danny’s teeth were beautifully even and white, his lips the pink of a freshly picked plum, his eyes green and twinkling in the low light. Then the music stopped, and Jeff expected Danny to step away with a jokey comment about his dancing, but Danny stayed where he was, his face only inches away. Danny’s smile faded uncertainly, but he didn’t move away.

#MFRWauthor BOOK SPOTLIGHT: Tarnished Gold @BritaAddams @Dreamspinners

Tarnished Gold
Brita Addams
Erotic Historical GLBT Romance
Dreamspinner Press

In 1915, starstruck Jack Abadie strikes out for the gilded streets of the most sinful town in the country—Hollywood. With him, he takes a secret that his country hometown would never understand.

After years of hard work and a chance invitation to a gay gentlemen's club, Jack is discovered. Soon, his talent, matinee idol good looks, and affable personality propel him to the height of stardom. But fame breeds distrust.

Should he follow his heart or will his shining star fade to tarnished gold?

BUY LINK

This book won a Rainbow Award in 2013 for Best Historical.

EXCERPT
"The restaurant was packed, and by the looks, it’d be a late night. Jack tucked the note into his pocket and served one of his tables. Then he took the note out again and reread it. Something clicked in his head, and he had to get out of the place. He told Tommy he was ill, and he walked right out the front door.
He stood on the sidewalk and stared at the gleaming smile that greeted him, conceding that he’d missed it.
“Don’t just stand there, my friend. Get in.”
Jack looked back at the bustling restaurant, ablaze in electric light. “I really shouldn’t. I could lose my job.”
“That doesn’t matter. Come on.”
Jack stood firm. “But it does matter. It’s how I make my living.”
“Not anymore.”
“What does that mean? You know it’s all I have. How many times have I served you and your friends?” He planted his hands on his hips.
“Get in. I have something to tell you.”
Jack didn’t want to go back into the restaurant, so he shook his head, shrugged, and got into the car.
“Trust me, you’ll be glad you did.” Eric pulled away from the curb and remained silent for several minutes, which piqued Jack’s interest even further.
“So tell me. I don’t understand.”
“It’s time you got out of the restaurant business. You need to move up in the world.”
“Something I’ve been telling myself for years, but it’s rather difficult to look for other work when I only get one day a week off and it is Sunday.”
Eric reached over and squeezed Jack’s thigh. “That’s what you have me for.”
“Have you?”
“Well, I’d like that to be so. You like me, don’t you?”
“Well, sure, but….”
“Then it’s settled. I have a surprise for you, and I hope you’ll take it in the spirit in which it’s given.”
“A surprise? What is it?”
Eric stared out over the road for several moments as he tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. “Well, you talked about loving the flickers, and I got to thinking. You’re so handsome and that’s what brings people into the movie houses. I think you might be perfectly suited to work at the studio. Would you like that?”
“Me? I won’t lie. When I came out here, all I wanted to do was get into the movies. But in reality, it seems so impractical.”
“Again, that’s where I come in. You love the movies, and that’s all it takes to do what I have in mind. That’s the beauty of it.”
“The beauty of what?”
“How would you like to work as an extra?”
The words hit him like a thunderbolt. “Me? How? Where?”

ABOUT Brita Addams
Born in a small town in upstate New York, Brita Addams has made her home in the sultry south for many years. In the Frog Capital of the World, Brita shares her home with her real-life hero—her husband, and a fat cat named Stormee. All their children are grown.

Brita writes both het and gay historical romance and many of her historicals have appeared on category bestseller lists.

 A bit of trivia—Brita pronounces her name, Bree-ta, and not Brit-a.

CONNECT with Brita
Website/Blog  http://britaaddams.net
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/britaaddams
Facebook  https://www.facebook.com/BritaAddamsEroticRomance
Pinterest http://www.pinterest.com/britaaddams/

Author @AideeLadnier Tells #MFRWorg All About THE BREAK-IN

MFRW Author Aidee Ladnier answers our Questions.
Aidee Ladnier began writing fiction at 12 years old but took a hiatus to be a magician’s assistant, ride in hot air balloons, produce independent movies, collect interesting shoes, and amass a secret file with the CIA. A lover of genre fiction, it has been a lifelong dream of Aidee's to write both romance and erotica with a little science-fiction, fantasy, mystery, or the paranormal thrown in to add a zing.

Generally, how long does it take you to write a book? 
It depends on the length of the book. A short story under 10,000 words can sometimes be drafted in a weekend. And I did win Nanowrimo one month by finishing 50,000 words in one month. That said, those are rare occurrences. I generally write between 1,000-3,000 words a day comfortably.

Do you have a set schedule for writing or do you just go with the flow? 
My favorite time to write is at 5 a.m. I have to set my alarm since my body does not want to get up at that time. But it's wonderful to be up and tapping away at the keys while the rest of the house is asleep. I try to do this everyday.

Tell us about your latest book, including its genre. Does it cross over to other genres? If so, what are they? 
My new ebook, ""The Break-in"" is predominantly a contemporary LGBT story. However, it has elements of science fiction and time travel in it.

Sounds exciting! How do you come up with story ideas? 
Some of my best stories have been dreams. I tend to dream like I'm watching a movie. Then I just have to wake myself up enough to write everything down!

What does your husband think of your writing? 
My husband is a writer as well and even collaborates with me on some of my stories. So he's pretty okay with it. :)  He's my first critique partner for all my books. He has a literature degree and a love of early 20th century pulp novels, so his contributions are often fun and a good counterpoint to my knowledge of standard romance tropes.

What can we expect from you in the future? 
My next book out will be a Lawrence & Myrna mystery/thriller--the series I write with my husband. It's going to the editor later this year and we hope to have it out sometime early next year.

How do we find out about you and your books? How can readers/fans contact you? 
I have a website and a blog. All my news goes up there first. I'm also on several social media outlets, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Tumblr, Pinterest. I hope to hear from you soon!

Aidee released The Break-in (Busted Labs Book Two), a Contemporary GLBT Sci-Fi, with Dreamspinner Press in June 2014.

Ten years ago, roboticist Forbes Pohle received a visit from time-traveler Oliver Lennox. “Wait for me,” Oliver said. Now a decade has come and gone, and Oliver has returned. However, Forbes never dreamed Oliver would reappear as the point man for a gang of technology thieves breaking into his lab. He finds the younger Oliver just as sexy and even more annoying; still, he must convince him their happily-ever-after is meant to be—but he only has the time it takes his robotic cat Jeepers to thwart the thieves to do it. After waiting so long, he could lose everything in the span of seconds.

BUY LINK

Excerpt

"Oliver pulled the sleeve up on his jacket and checked the cheap watch strapped to his wrist. He needed to get the door to the lab open before Wilson did something stupid.
“Is your cat gonna give me back my gun?”
The metallic chunk drew his gaze back to the robot cat as it bit through the gun’s cylinder, and the two pieces of the revolver clattered uselessly to the floor.
Oliver smacked the ground, sending a burst of pain up his arm.
“Come on. Guns don’t grow on trees. That was an expensive piece. I had to trade two laptops and a password for it.”
“What was the password to?” The Doc toed the gun pieces to the side, away from the robot pretending to wash its whiskers.
Oliver sighed. “Porn site. ’Course, he didn’t realize it was a gay porn site.”

#MFRWorg presents our August Featured Author @LloydAMeeker

Let's find out more about Lloyd Meeker

"Lloyd Meeker can't help what he writes – stories arising from the between places, the mystical overlapping between the worlds of matter and spirit, and the eldritch beauty that dwells there. It’s his natural habitat.


He's in love with the adventure and magic of living there, loves plunging into stories full of both, and wants to take you along. Mostly he's in love with love, and believes deeply in the power of love to overcome any challenge. He’s known it in his own life, and seen it in the lives of others.


In addition to his written work, which includes novels, essays, poetry and short stories, he has served since 2008 as a judge in the Queer Foundation’s annual National High School Seniors Essay Contest, which promotes effective writing by, about, and/or for queer youth, and awards scholarships to the winners. Finalists are selected from schools across the United States by members of the National Council of Teachers of English.

Happily ensorcelled by music, subtle energy healing, and the wonders of nature, he lives with his very understanding husband in southern Florida, among friends and family, orchids, and giant hibiscus that take his breath away every morning.

The Companion is his fourth novel."

Why did Lloyd started writing?

"In 2003 I lay in a hospital bed for the first time, recovering from a pulmonary embolism and surgery for stomach cancer. I'd been sober four years. I realized that if I was serious about writing novels I'd better finish one because I was now on bonus time.
Eleven years and four novels later, with another in the works, I write or do writing related work every day, grateful to have this chance to share the stories that are mine to tell. My husband is incredibly supportive, the stories keep coming, and I've had a clean bill of health since 2004. Life is good, and writing books is what this chapter of my life is all about."

Connect with Lloyd

Website | Facebook | Twitter

Win a copy of Companion

Lloyd is giving away 3 digital copies of The Companion in Kindle, epub or pdf formats.

The Companion, by Lloyd A. Meeker
Dreapmspinner Press - 220 pages
Genre: Mystical romance with strong murder mystery elements
Heat level: some explicit on-page sex, not erotica
Release date: July 23, 2014
Buy link :
Digital | Print

Blurb:
Shepherd Bucknam hasn’t had a lover in more than a decade, and doesn’t need one. As a Daka, he coaches men in the sacred art and mystery of sexual ecstasy all the time, and he loves his work. It’s his calling. In fact, he’s perfectly content—except for the terrors of his recurring nightmare, and the ominous blood-red birthmarks on his neck. He’s convinced that together they foretell his early and violent death.
When Shepherd’s young protégé is murdered, LAPD Detective Marco Fidanza gets the case. The two men are worlds apart: Marco has fought hard for everything he’s accomplished, in sharp contrast to the apparent ease of Shepherd’s inherited wealth—but their mutual attraction is too hot for either of them to ignore.
Shepherd swears he’ll help find his protégé’s killer but Marco warns him to stay out of it. When an influential politician is implicated, the police investigation grinds to a halt. Shepherd hires his own investigator. Marco calls it dangerous meddling.
As their volatile relationship deepens, Shepherd discovers his nightmares might not relate to the future, but to the deadly legacy of a past life—a life he may have to revisit before he can fully live and love in this one.

Book Spotlight ~ A Man's Sword

Author:  W.M. Kirkland

Book:  A Man’s Sword

Release Date:   06/2012

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

ISBN: TBA

Buy Link:  http://dreamspinnerpress.com

Genre: Paranormal, Alternative Lifestyle

Warnings: Explicit Sex, M/M

Heat Level: R+

Format: E-Book In Multiple Formats

Author Website:  http://www.wmkirkland.com

When Gabriel Woodweiss brought home an ancient sword to display as his latest antique treasure, he didn’t imagine that its original owner would show up in his basement to claim his property. One moment Marius was praying to his god to save him from servitude in the gladiator ring; the next he’s in a room where the only familiar object is his sword. The fact that a handsome man claims ownership of Marius’s beloved weapon—and knowledge of the strange and wonderful world in which he now finds himself—is proof to Marius’s mind that sometimes the gods do answer the faithful. Now Marius just has to convince Gabriel that keeping the sword is fair and just—as long as he keeps the man who comes with it.