Leta Blake

author. human. working hard to become stellar at life.

books

Help Will Come, But At What Price? Check out Guest Blog & Gift Card Giveaway & Fated by Indra Vaughn #gay #mmromance

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I’m so excited to have one of my favorite authors, Indra Vaughn, as a guest on today’s blog. I was lucky enough to beta read the first two books of her Shadow Mountain series, the first of which, Fated, is now available at Amazon, Dreamspinner, Barnes & Noble, ARe, and most other retail outlets!

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Hi everyone!

I’m so excited to be visiting with Leta Blake! *fangirls* We met last year during Rainbow Con, and I can tell you, she’s exactly as awesome as she seems.

As much as I love the holidays, I’m pretty pleased things will be returning back to normal now. And while winter will still be very long from here on out, it always feels like I’m already racing toward spring now. (Don’t accuse me of being an optimist, I have a reputation to uphold…) So! Fated, the first Shadow Mountain book. I can’t believe it’s actually here, all pretty and shiny. I mean look! *fondles cover*

Fated (Shadow Mountain Book 1)

It’s a three part series that will have its own mystery in each book, while the romance and the paranormal thread stretches over all three. Hart is a police Lieutenant in his early thirties, and he has sort of resigned himself to putting up with his younger neighbor’s endless flirting, at least until Isaac finds someone else to chase after. In the meantime he has to deal with the death of his father, dead bodies left right and center, a sassy (and awesome) Chief Inspector who he has to partner up with for a while, and some mysterious creature that haunts the Mountain. I can’t blame him for having an extra glass of wine in the evening…

Anyway, I hope you’ll check out the book if that sounds good to you, and in the meantime you can take a peek at the giveaway below.

I hope 2015 will be a good year for all of you!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

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[ETA from Leta: Dudes, that’s a pretty good giveaway. I’d go check that out. (Psst, it’s a gift card. For money. For BOOKS.)]

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Two towns flank the looming Shadow Mountain. A dark myth of the Predator drifts through the dense trees, a tale Police Lieutenant Hart never paid much attention to.

When one unresolved death follows another—some people dying without discernible cause while others are clearly, and often brutally, murdered—he can’t ignore it any longer. Truth may lie in myth, but this one is spread to deceive everyone. The Predator exists, but he’s not entirely human. Hart will have to find the connection between the mysterious figure and victims with only one thing in common: a faint tattoo on the backs of their necks, a mark left when someone healed their incurable diseases.

Isaac Lasko has been in love with Hart since he moved in across the street seven years ago. He’s been helping Hart renovate his home, and their friendship grows more intense with the years, but Isaac can’t help wishing for a deeper bond. When he finally breaks through the lieutenant’s armor, the mystery surrounding the Predator threatens them both. Help will come, but at a price.

Fated (Shadow Mountain Book 1)

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Confession: I Sometimes Really Don’t Think I Can #writerprobs #selfdoubt

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Wow, so I drafted the following in May of 2014 and never posted it. Well, here it is January of 2015 and I finished the book I was angsting about and am now in this exact same place with the next book. In a way, I find this comforting. In another way, I find it horrifying. Will this crippling self-doubt ever stop? It really sucks.

From the unposted draft archives:

Despite the fact that I’ve got four or five books out now, whenever I’m working on a new one, I always reach a point where the following thoughts go through my head:

“What the eff are you doing? Who do you think you are? You can’t write a book. You’re not even capable of writing a book. You don’t know what you’re doing and you will never know what you’re doing.”

That’s the worst part of writing. It’s the part that really gets me down sometimes.

For some reason, though, I keep on writing. I’m pretty sure it’s because I have to write to survive. So write I do. Hopefully I’ll be wrong and a book will come out of what I do. Still, that nasty little voice is there. Despite evidence to the contrary, there’s always part of me that thinks I can’t.

But I can.

And I will.

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I DID. Here’s Smoky Mountain Dreams, the book I was certain I couldn’t write.

Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

Leta Blake on what inspired her to write The River Leith plus excerpt from the book | Rainbow Gold Reviews #gay #amreading

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I’m not terribly excellent at keeping up with my blogging. Oftentimes, I’ll make a draft of a blog post and never manage to get it scheduled. I now have twelve pages of never published drafts of posts. My aim over the next twelve months is to get those posts…well, posted. 🙂 So some of the material might be dated, but it is still relevant to the books available over to the right on this blog.

First up, a guest post/interview I did at Rainbow Gold Reviews for The River Leith! 😀 Yay!

“I’m so excited to have Leta Blake on the blog today, talking about what inspired her to write her latest book The River Leith. You can read my 9/10 pots of gold review of the book HERE.

During my research of amnesia and memory for the writing of The River Leith I read through a number of extraordinary cases and it became clear to me that no one amnesia case is exactly like another.

read more of my interview over at Rainbow Gold Reviews via Leta Blake on what inspired her to write The River Leith plus excerpt from the book | Rainbow Gold Reviews.

The River Leith is available now at:

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B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

Memory is everything. After an injury in the ring, amateur boxer Leith Wenz wakes to discover his most recent memories are three years out of date. Unmoored and struggling to face his new reality, Leith must cope anew with painful revelations about his family. His brother is there to support him, but it’s the unfamiliar face of Zach, a man introduced as his best friend, that provides the calm he craves. Until Zach’s presence begins to stir up feelings Leith can’t explain. For Zach, being forgotten by his lover is excruciating. He carefully hides the truth from Leith to protect them both from additional pain. His bottled-up turmoil finds release through vlogging, where he confesses his fears and grief to the faceless Internet. But after Leith begins to open up to him, Zach's choices may come back to haunt him. Ultimately, Leith must ask his heart the questions memory can no longer answer.
Memory is everything.
After an injury in the ring, amateur boxer Leith Wenz wakes to discover his most recent memories are three years out of date. Unmoored and struggling to face his new reality, Leith must cope anew with painful revelations about his family. His brother is there to support him, but it’s the unfamiliar face of Zach, a man introduced as his best friend, that provides the calm he craves. Until Zach’s presence begins to stir up feelings Leith can’t explain.
For Zach, being forgotten by his lover is excruciating. He carefully hides the truth from Leith to protect them both from additional pain. His bottled-up turmoil finds release through vlogging, where he confesses his fears and grief to the faceless Internet. But after Leith begins to open up to him, Zach’s choices may come back to haunt him.
Ultimately, Leith must ask his heart the questions memory can no longer answer.

 

Christmas Tree Farms in Gatlinburg TN | Smoky Mountain Dreams #extras #bonusmaterial

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So, the Christmas Tree farm that Jesse and Christopher went to is a real place. I’m going to post some pics I might’ve stolen from their Facebook page.

I’ve never been to it, but I’d love to go. It seems dreamy and magical.

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Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

Writing Review 2014 – How’d I Do? What’s the Plan for 2015? #writing #goals

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I suppose it is the time of year when I should take stock of my writing career and decide how I did in 2014 and what I want to do going forward.

What I accomplished in 2014:

I released The River Leith and Smoky Mountain Dreams in 2014. I took TRL up from a 40k draft to a nearly 80k final product, and I took SMD from a two-year old start of 25k up to a finished product of almost 140k. That’s around 155k of new words on those books. Not bad. In addition, there is all the work around a release–promotion, blog posts, blurbs, seeing to covers and formatting, review requests. So, that’s a good start to the year’s wrap up.

In addition, during 2014 I worked on the four book Pictures of You series that I will begin releasing this fall. (Come hell or high water!) Book One, titled Pictures of You, didn’t really have any new words added (though it will shortly in order to make a few editorial changes suggested by Ajax Bell), but I did work on some edits there. Book Two, titled You Are Not Me, saw an addition of about 30k new words. Book Three, titled, You Make It Real, was written nearly entirely during 2014 and that brought in an additional 94k words. Book Four hasn’t been started yet and I will finish it in 2015.

I started Training Complex, the sequel to 2013’s Training Season, and have 62k there. I will finish that in 2015 and hopefully release this spring. (I always say hopefully because the muse is a slippery thing.) I did 5k of a silly, mainly sexy “virginity loss” novella that I hope to finish one day. I wrote 2k of some Middle Grade things I wish I had time to toy with…we’ll see.

I suppose that’s all I worked on this year. Wow, that seems pretty shoddy. Let’s add it up.

Tally:

155+30+94+62+5+2 = 348k

Yeah, I need to do better next year. That’s just not enough words. *sigh*

Still, I won’t spend much space beating myself up. This is supposed to be a positive post and word count isn’t everything, right? So let’s talk about the fact that Smoky Mountain Dreams was #1 on the Gay Romance and/or Gay & Lesbian Romance charts at Amazon for over a week and remains even now (at the writing of this blog post on Christmas Eve, at least, if not the actual posting of it) in the Top Ten. Wow! So freaking unexpected and totally amazing! Thank you, readers, for making the end of my year extra-especially spectacular!

And let’s talk about the fact that The River Leith was an I Heart Indies! finalist, and that Training Season was nominated in the Goodreads M/M Romance Member’s Choice awards for Best Book of the Year! Let’s talk about the fun I’ve had getting to know readers and other authors alike, and the validating and fulfilling trip to Florida for Rainbow Con. It’s been a lovely and strong year even if I didn’t get close to my word count goal. (Which, to be even more fair to myself, I didn’t realize I had until I found myself disappointed with the total. I’d like to get 600k next year.)

What I hope to accomplish in 2015:

1) Get Training Complex out this Spring

2) Get Pictures of You out this Fall

3) Write Rock Star/Priest novel with Indra Vaughn

4) Complete Book Four of Pictures of You series

5) Finally decide what to do with my quirky/weird angel novella and the god’s plaything dark erotica novella, both of which I wrote a few years ago. I need to add what needs added and release them, come what may.

6) Finish Stalker Book 1

7) Start the Smoky Mountain Dreams sequel now that some key pieces fell into place and I know what I want to do with it

8) Start the third (and final) Matty & Rob Training Season book

And though I want to add even more that’s probably realistically too much as it is. Working a job and being a mom and yadda keeps me from cranking out the books, but I always like to overshoot because, hey, what if I actually managed to accomplish it all somehow? Wouldn’t that be cool?

So, here’s to 2014! You were a pretty good year to me, pal. Thanks for everything! And, welcome, 2015! I look forward to knowing you! 😀

5 Stars! As it should be! :D Boy Meets Boy Reviews: A Proper Lover (Ganymede Quartet #2) by @Darrah_Glass

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“Ms. Glass and I need to come to an understanding. A quartet is no longer sufficient. I’d like something in the twenty book range so I can see these two as adults because Henry is going to be an outstanding adult. Outstanding, I say! So, name your price Glass. Let’s get this thing done.”

via Boy Meets Boy Reviews: Review: A Proper Lover (Ganymede Quartet #2) by Darrah Glass.

AVAILABLE AT AMAZON and other outlets.

“I don’t know how Leta keeps doing it!” Roger Grace’s review of Smoky Mountain Dreams #mmromance #gay

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“I don’t know how Leta keeps doing it, each time I read one of her books, I have a new favorite by her. I just can’t stop getting pulled into the story and enjoying it so much. This book should be read and enjoyed. can’t say enough just know that the origami swan on the cover is there for a reason. there is a lot of pain and a lot of redemption in this moving story. And each of the stories are different from each other.”

read more via Amazon.com: Roger G Grace’s review of Smoky Mountain Dreams.

Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

“My first Leta Blake book, and I’m so glad I read it.” Alan Katz’s Review of Smoky Mountain Dreams #gay #romance

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“My first Leta Blake book, and I’m so glad I read it.

Ms. Blake is a talented author – in other hands, all the heartache might have turned into melodrama, which it did not. In fact, the book was very moving, the characters highly empathetic and it grabbed me from the very first page. I read it in a single sitting.”

via Amazon.com: Alan Arthur Katz’s review of Smoky Mountain Dreams.

Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

Santa Wishes from Characters – Jesse & Christopher – Smoky Mountain Dreams

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Now it’s Jesse and Christopher’s turn!

From All About the Writing:

It’s that glorious time of year when everyone whispers sweet nothings in Santa’s ear, hoping for a little extra something in their Christmas stocking. Fictional characters are no different.

So this is what I posed to my writer friends:

One of your characters is sitting on Santa’s lap, and whispers something in Santa’s ear. Who is it, and what did they say to ole Saint Nick?

(- See more at: http://www.allaboutthewriting.com/donna_j_cummings/2014/12/santa-baby.html#sthash.yzR7PW7c.dpuf)

Jesse: I’m not a big believer in Santa Claus but if I could have anything this Christmas it would be some sort of legal way to take over my wife’s care from my sister-in-law. The lack of resolution for everyone is still hard, though having Christopher in our lives makes it easier.

Christopher: I got everything I wanted for Christmas, Santa. Thank you. You really delivered this year. You’re the best. Now, if you’d maybe fix my family up a little that would be–no, never mind. I’m good. I don’t really need any of them nosing around in my life. So thanks anyway. I hope you have a nice holiday break, Santa, after all the presents get delivered. Thank you again. You’ve been so good to me.

Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

SERIOUSLY SPOILERY Deleted Epilogue for Smoky Mountain Dreams #bonusmaterial #deletedscenes

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Here is a VERY SPOILERY epilogue for my book Smoky Mountain Dreams. I wrote it and it just didn’t fit as an ending, so, snip! It was cut from the book itself. But as a Christmas gift, I’ll share it here on my blog for those who might be interested.

I’m going to put it behind a Read More cut. Hopefully that will work, so those who don’t want to be spoiled can look away now.

Okay, here we go, everything below this? SPOILERY!!!

 

[Read more…] about SERIOUSLY SPOILERY Deleted Epilogue for Smoky Mountain Dreams #bonusmaterial #deletedscenes

Can a Master Belong to a Slave? – A Master’s Fidelity (GQ Book 2.5) released! | Darrah Glass #free #gay

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“Can a master belong to a slave?

It’s a season for celebration, and Martin is falling in love. Henry has always been adamant he won’t share Martin with any other master, but when Henry accepts an invitation to a friend’s New Year’s Eve party, Martin wonders if Henry has changed his mind. Certain that this will turn out to be one of the masters’ notorious swapping parties, Martin resolves to do whatever Henry asks of him, with whoever Henry chooses, without question. But faced with the idea of Henry being intimate with any other slave, Martin despairs, wanting Henry all to himself. A good slave would never ask for a master’s fidelity, but that’s just what Martin wants to do.

This story is told from Martin’s point of view and runs parallel to events that take place in the final scenes of A Proper Lover, the second book in the Ganymede Quartet.

PLEASE NOTE: It is my intention to offer this story for free, but some retailers don’t allow authors to set a price of zero. If you want to pay $0.99 for this story, I won’t stop you, but I do encourage you to let Amazon know it’s available elsewhere for FREE. If they get enough requests, they should eventually match that price.”

via A Master’s Fidelity (GQ Book 2.5) released! | Darrah Glass.

AMF @ Amazon

AMF @ B&N

AMF @ Smashwords

AMF @ Kobo

AMF @ Scribd

“Leta Blake is not afraid to take risks in her storytelling” Review: Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake – Im With Geek

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“Leta Blake continues to be an author who both surprises and delights, and is not afraid to take risks in her storytelling. This book tackles controversial topics with ease, and this is what makes it stand out from others in the genre. Quite frankly, Smoky Mountain Dreams is a must-read for romance fans everywhere.”

Review: Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake – Im With Geek.

Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

Santa Wishes from Characters – Matty & Rob – Training Season #gay #sequel

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A few days ago I saw this on All About the Writing:

It’s that glorious time of year when everyone whispers sweet nothings in Santa’s ear, hoping for a little extra something in their Christmas stocking. Fictional characters are no different.

So this is what I posed to my writer friends:

One of your characters is sitting on Santa’s lap, and whispers something in Santa’s ear. Who is it, and what did they say to ole Saint Nick?

(- See more at: http://www.allaboutthewriting.com/donna_j_cummings/2014/12/santa-baby.html#sthash.yzR7PW7c.dpuf)

Matty jumped up and down in my mind saying, “Oh, me! Me! I want to tell everyone what I want for Christmas.” And then all the other characters that that would be fun, too. So, here’s Day One of Santa Wishes! We’ll do Matty first since he’s impatient to tell all. Imagine him sitting in Santa’s lap–glitter, feathers, a tiara?–whatever he’s wearing it’s definitely shiny.

Matty: Dear Santa, I have been very, very, very naughty. I’ve blown our budget, lost my best skater, failed to eat lunch kind of a lot, fought with my employer and been a dick to Rob because I’m in a panic-spiral. I think that a punishment is definitely in order. Truly. I really deserve it. *taps glitter-polished fingernail against front teeth* Let’s see, I like horse whips and restraints and spankings and anything kind of rough. Oooh, being gagged is good. And a blindfold is never wrong. Of course, we already have all of those items. So, be creative, Santa. I love a good surprise! Just send me something deliciously naughty and kind of painful and I’ll be happy. Or, um, punished. Probably both. Psst, also, if you’d turn back time and make me win the gold at the Olympics, either time really, that’d be excellent and I’d swear to be a better boy next year. Maybe. But in the meantime, bring me something kinky! And really fucking difficult! *dreamily* Yes, that would help keep me in line.

Author’s note: Stay tuned this spring and you can find out what Santa brings because Matty’s kinda serious. 😛

Matty’s idea of a good present. Himself.

Rob: Dear Santa, I’ve been good this year. Again. And Matty’s been better than he thinks he has. For example, he’s been very good for me in bed. The budget thing…yeah. That’s a problem. The rest? Problems, too. But we’ll work it out. We always do. I guess if you really want to bring me anything, a winning lottery ticket so I can keep Matty in the style he aspires to would be great. *chuckles* But I guess that’s pretty damn unlikely, so just making Matty happier-than-not would do it for me. So bring him whatever he asked for and I’ll consider us square.

I think Matty would die of Christmas joy if Rob wanted to use a length of sleigh bells on him in some aggressive, sexy, strappy manner.

Training Season is available now at:

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And now at KOBO.

Look out for Training Season’s sequel coming Spring 2015.

” I am just amazed by this book.” DiverseReader’s review of Smoky Mountain Dreams #gay #romance #amreading

by

“Brilliant! The love I have for this story is gigantic. Right from the start I was pulled in. Christopher broke my heart. Tore it to shreds, then dipped it into lemon juice. Then he met broken Jesse. They pulled through all the darkness because they had each other. They experienced loss and they are true fighters. I loved how Leta Blake took all these avenues and placed them perfectly so when they met it was a smooth road in the end. There are always battles, whether it be not only falling in love with someone but falling in love with their kids, or realizing the road to forever is paved in shards of glass only true love can heal. I am just amazed by this book.”

via Amazon.com: DiverseReader’s review of Smoky Mountain Dreams.

Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

Can a Slave Ever Really Be a Proper Lover? Book Two of Ganymede Quartet Begins to Ask #gay #amreading

by

What does it mean to belong to someone?

Henry Blackwell is the happiest he’s ever been, and it’s all because of his companion slave Martin. Every experience, whether it be mundane or spectacular, is improved by having Martin at his side. The better Henry gets to know his slave, the deeper his feelings grow. Though the physical attraction between them is undeniable, Henry’s sure there’s more to their relationship than just sex. He can’t be certain, as it’s never happened before, but he believes he might be falling in love.

Henry’s friends are ready and willing to put their own slaves aside in favor of female companionship, and they’re beginning to wonder why Henry isn’t interested in girls. Henry only wants to be with Martin and doesn’t know how much longer he can use “late bloomer” as an excuse. The holiday season approaches, along with the promise of parties with friends and family. Henry doesn’t want to share Martin with his friends, but he doesn’t like being left out. Will he stand up for himself—and Martin—when it counts?

This is the second of four installments in the Ganymede Quartet, continuing Henry & Martin’s story from A Most Personal Property (Ganymede Quartet Book 1).

**

A Proper Lover by Darrah Glass begins where Book One, A Most Personal Property, left off. The book begins to ask and explore the question of love between a slave and his owner. Can either man be a proper lover when one owns the other? This is a question to be fully explored later in the series but begins to be touched on in this book when Henry begins to investigate his deeper emotions for his slave Martin against a backdrop of other boys who want girls and a society where being queer just isn’t ever acceptable.

This alternate universe of 1900 New York City is so thorough and accurate to the time-period, including the style of the time, and so well-drawn that many times while reading I forget that this isn’t an actual historical book.

The Ganymede Quartet books are some of my desert island reads. They are so incredibly thorough and wonderfully long that I would want them with me to roll around in for ages and ages while I waste away on my desert isle. 🙂 I’d scribble fanfiction for them in the sand! I’d write an AU piece about Henry and Martin on a desert island! 😀 I eagerly await the next installment!

Available on:

Amazon

Kobo

Smashwords

Scribd

and soon to come at Barnes & Noble.

Great discussion on choosing a genre: Can you tell what it is just by looking? | Ajax Bell #gayfiction #genre @flickerjax

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“The defining factor of so many books is Genre. It’s an excellent way to find the stories you want to read, to find community who shares your literary wishes. You know how it is, you’re talking to a co-worker and discover you both love reading. Giddy with the connection you ask what they are reading, and then it’s crashing disappointment when you discover their deep love is True Crime and you’re all about hard Sci-fi. Sure your Aunt May reads constantly, but it’s all Mysteries and you’re not interested in those so much, even if you’ve read a few you like.”

read more about the difficulties of branding a book with a particular genre via Can you tell what it is just by looking? | Ajax Bell.

WILL SEATTLE MAKE A MAN OF HIM YET? It’s 1991 and Steven Frazier has danced away half a decade in the Seattle club scene with his beautiful-but-poisonous best friend, Adrian. Two glittering princes against the world, too high above life to care about what they might be missing. But everything changes when a chance meeting with older—not to mention handsome—businessman John Pieters, reveals a cosmopolitan world and possible futures Steven’s never considered. Flashy club clothes won’t impress John, this charming man who knows so much about many things. Motivated by fantasies inspired by his crush on John, can Steven finally fight Adrian’s sick hold? As he steps out into the larger world, supported by new friends, Steven must prove to John—and to himself—that he’s not a hedonistic rhinestone club kid, but a true diamond in the rough. CLICK TO GO TO AMAZON TO BUY!
WILL SEATTLE MAKE A MAN OF HIM YET?
It’s 1991 and Steven Frazier has danced away half a decade in the Seattle club scene with his beautiful-but-poisonous best friend, Adrian. Two glittering princes against the world, too high above life to care about what they might be missing.
But everything changes when a chance meeting with older—not to mention handsome—businessman John Pieters, reveals a cosmopolitan world and possible futures Steven’s never considered.
Flashy club clothes won’t impress John, this charming man who knows so much about many things. Motivated by fantasies inspired by his crush on John, can Steven finally fight Adrian’s sick hold?
As he steps out into the larger world, supported by new friends, Steven must prove to John—and to himself—that he’s not a hedonistic rhinestone club kid, but a true diamond in the rough.
CLICK TO GO TO AMAZON TO BUY!

Two Marines risk everything for love in WWII gay romance SEMPER FI #gay #1Click

by

“The idea for this gay romance came about when my dad lent me a book on the Guadalcanal Campaign, and I started wondering about the Marines who fought there. Were any of them gay? What were their lives like after the war? Did they find happiness even after the horrors of battle?”

find out and read more via Two Marines risk everything for love in WWII gay romance SEMPER FI.


Click the above picture to go to Amazon to read reviews and buy!

“I loved Smoky Mountain Dreams & highly recommend it.” — Joyfully Jay #gay #mmromance

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“There is just such a quiet beauty here in this slowly building relationship filled with such warmth and love.  These guys are so great individually and in need of so much love and companionship, it is so rewarding seeing them find happiness together. Not to mention they are crazy hot together OMG, the scene with the pearls! Trust me.  So this one just made me want to curl up by the fire and enjoy.  Perfect for a cold winter’s day.  I loved Smoky Mountain Dreams and highly recommend it.”

via Review: Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake — Joyfully Jay.

Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.

Playlist for Smoky Mountain Dreams | 3 Chicks After Dark | Bonus Material #spotify #music

by

“Over the years, I’ve discovered that a major key to reaching the varying levels of emotional intensity I hope to reach in a novel is to have a really strong soundtrack to listen to as I write. This was no different for Smoky Mountain Dreams.The following Spotify list has the eight most important songs I listened to when writing Smoky Mountain Dreams.”

Head on over to listen to the playlist if’n ya are curious!

Guest Post: Leta Blake for Smoky Mountain Dreams | 3 Chicks After Dark.

Sometimes holding on means letting go Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he's still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him. There's more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He's raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There's no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn't want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn't want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.
Sometimes holding on means letting go
Christopher Ryder and Jesse Birch are two men hanging on to the past. While Christopher has let go of his failure as a country singer in Nashville, he’s still trying to please his narrow-minded, non-accepting family. His beloved Gran loves him the way he is, but Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. He’s happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee, but even when Christopher is center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.
There’s more than meets the eye when it comes to bisexual Jesse. He’s raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother. There’s no room in his life for dating, his kids are his priority, and he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

“I loved every bit of this book and found myself longing for more!” 5 stars – Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake #mmromance #bestseller

by

Wendy at Hearts On Fire Revews says:

This book is set in the fall of the year leading up to Christmas. It’s my favorite season leading to my favorite holiday. I love the scenery that Mother Nature puts on display – the vivid hues of reds, oranges, and yellows of the leaves on the trees and bushes. Not everything is beautiful because there are also the darker browns and almost colorless debris that can be found as well. It all seemed kind of symbolic of the depth and complexity, the bright spots and struggles that can be found in this story. And just like my favorite season, I loved every bit of this book while it lasted and found myself longing for more in the end.

The reds, oranges and yellows:

• Christopher – humble and good to the core. He’s a man who adores his Gran and hears her advice in his head when he needs a little reality check. He has reconciled himself to always being second best (in life and in love). He puts others first even if it means heartache for himself. He secretly longs to belong in a family and to have someone really “see” him and actually make him their first choice. I would so totally make him mine if I could (or hug the stuffing out of him trying).
• Jesse – devoted and loyal. He’s open and honest and sincere about trying to do the right things whether it’s caring for and advocating for his wife, guiding his children or speaking openly with Christopher (I loved how Chris and Jesse could actually communicate and share their true thoughts with one another). He may have been bi-sexual, but it really seemed to be a one-off with his wife. He was a man’s man in all other respects.
• Strong women – Christopher’s Gran and Jesse’s sister Amanda were both awesome in their ability to give the best advice and guide their respective men with a swift kick in the ass when needed!
• The passion and the sex – reds, oranges and yellows definitely represent how hot and colorful these guys were when getting down to business. From the exceptional love of rimming (so very intimate), to down and dirty talk, to the creative use of, um, pearls, to their own special post anal sex soothing ritual, I loved being privy to their private moments and very glad they were quite plentiful!

READ MORE OF HER REVIEW AT HEARTS ON FIRE!

Smoky Mountain Dreams is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES
SCRIBD
OYSTER

And now at KOBO.