Leta Blake

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

olympics

TRAINING SEASON AUDIOBOOK! EXPERIENCE MATTY ALL OVER AGAIN! #gay #romance

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Whooooo!!! NOW AVAILABLE! Training Season on AUDIOBOOK! Buy it Amazon & Audible. And now at iTunes!

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“Does Training Season by Leta Blake live up to all it’s crazy hype? IT SO DOES!” – Breann, Boy Meets Boy Reviews

Michael Ferraiuolo, known for narrating the Five Borough books by Santino Hassell, did a fantastic job. Check out the sample! Absolutely thrilled with how the audiobook turned out!

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Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.

When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.

But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

This book contains BDSM elements.

Rainbow Award Runner Up! Best Gay Erotic Romance 2015! Training Complex by Leta Blake #gay #yay

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I’m so honored and excited to announce that the Training Complex, the critically acclaimed sequel to fan favorite Training Season, was a runner-up for Best Erotic Romance in the 2015 Rainbow Awards hosted by the amazing Elisa Rolle.

This judged annual awards competition not only help to promote LGBT books across all genres, but help to raise funds for LGBT charitable organizations. In 2015 the Rainbow Awards raised over $17,000, going to a variety of LGBT charities worldwide. I couldn’t be prouder to be associated with these awards and to have had Training Complex do so well overall.

Thank you, Elisa and judges, for your efforts in the LGBT literary community!

 

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"I don't think any fans of Training Season will be disappointed in [Matty & Rob's] continued journey. Leta Blake is a story goddess!" - 3 Chicks After Dark Reviews "I just can't get enough of Matty and Rob and love them so much." - Jay, Joyfully Jay Reivews "These two love like no others. Leta brings that all consuming, old fashioned, From Here to Eternity feel to the love they have. Of course on a hotness scale it just explodes. SO HOT!" - Diverse Reader Reviews "This sequel gave me a book hangover of the best kind!" - Rainbow Gold Reviews

Buckle up – Matty’s back!

Figure skater Matty Marcus didn’t capture Olympic gold, but he won rancher Rob Lovely’s heart.

After Rob sold his ranch and Matty hung up his skates, they started a new life together in New York City. Now Matty has taken on a fresh challenge as a figure skating coach, and Rob’s second career as a physical therapist should be everything he’s dreamed of. But in the brutal heat of their third summer in the city, Rob yearns for the wide-open country, and the intensity of city life awakens Matty’s demons.

Matty asks for increasingly intense BDSM scenes, and his disordered eating and erratic behavior ramp up the stakes. Rob struggles to stay in control, and after a well-intentioned anniversary gift goes awry, he still thinks he can handle the fallout. But the concrete jungle is closing in and his coping skills are unraveling.

Their love is deep, but Rob will have to admit the truth about what he really wants before they both tumble into chaos.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Autumn Sale! .99 for Training Season by Leta Blake – November at Amazon ONLY! #mmromance #gay

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Head on over to Amazon to get fan favorite, Training Season, for only 99 cents!

Only .99 at Amazon for the month of November. (Starts October 30, though, because I'm jumping the gun for fun.)
Only .99 at Amazon for the month of November. (Starts October 30, though, because I’m jumping the gun for fun.)

Homophobia on Ice? What’s the problem? The judges. #figureskating #gay The Frozen Closet – #lgbt

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“The issue with figure skating is the judge/athlete environment and relationship is completely uncontrolled and chaotic… There is no other sport where the judge holds so much power outside of the arena, and the relationship with the athletes and coaches can seemingly affect the overall outcome of the competition. Figure skating judges offer input on costumes, personal life, hair and makeup, music choice. With so much interaction, impartiality becomes increasingly challenging.”

via The Frozen Closet – Newsweek.

Truthfully, this is a great article that sums up so many issues with the male figure skating world. I liked another similar article slightly better, and I’ll be posting about it over the next few weeks, too, with pulled quotes. But, in the meantime, I think this article is a good place to start.

All of these issues played into the figure skating storyline of my novel, Training Season. It’s sad how these problems play out in real life, too.

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Training Season can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ARe, and Smashwords. And also on iBooks.
Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

Romance Lives Forever: Character Interview: Matty Marcus from Training Season @LetaBlake #RLFblog #LGBT

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Romance Lives Forever: Character Interview: Matty Marcus from Training Season @LetaBlake #RLFblog #LGBT.

Today I’m over at Romance Lives Forever doing a character interview with Matty. He was in a subdued mood when answering the questions, apparently, but hopefully he’s still interesting! 😛 Click the link above to read the interview!

cover-web-copy
Training Season can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ARe, and Smashwords. And also on iBooks.
Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

Like Hate Sex and Figure Skating? Read Cold War by Keira Andrews #mmromance #gay #figureskating

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Review: Cold War by Keira Andrews — Joyfully Jay.

Read the above review of Keira Andrew’s novella, Cold War! 4 stars! Or click on through to buy below!

After an explosive locker room confrontation with his Russian rival ends in the most surprising and intense sex of his life, American pairs skater Dev Avira needs to refocus. He’s worked for years to win Olympic gold, and he can’t let himself—or his partner—down. Distraction in the form of steely and smoldering Mikhail Reznikov is the last thing he needs as he prepares for the biggest competition of his life. But with the Games only days away, they can’t keep their hands off each other. Dev soon learns that beneath Mikhail’s arrogant and aloof exterior is Misha, a passionate man who warms Dev’s heart and scorches his bed. They’re both determined to win, but for Misha his freedom could be on the line. Can Dev put his deepening feelings on ice as he goes for gold?

Will figure skating ever be fair? – Romancing the Jock #figureskating #olympics #sochi2014

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Will figure skating ever be fair? – Romancing the Jock. <– Keira asks and answers a great question about figure skating. Read her awesome post and give her your opinion.

I can tell you right now that Matty from Training Season doesn’t think it will ever be fair, but he’s not sure that’s what matters most about skating.

cover-web-copy
Training Season can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ARe, and Smashwords. And also on iBooks.
Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

Gay Figure Skating – #Olympics – The Frozen Closet – #Newsweek #JohnnyWeir #sochi2014

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Timothy Goebel, the 2002 Olympic bronze medalist, agrees. “I’d like to see progress. People doing harder stuff and going faster – that’s the whole Olympics theme. Not prettier outfits and more theatrical.” Goebel was the first figure skater to land a quadruple Salchow in competition as well as three quadruple jumps in a single program.

via The Frozen Closet – Newsweek.

But….who watches for that? Really? I mean, that’s not going to win them more audience/viewers. Sorry, but figure skating fans like pretty things, and they don’t mind pretty boys. And let’s just face it, bro dudes don’t see enough balls or blood or dudes rubbing up against each other, or smashing into each other, or copping feels that are known as “fouls” in figure skating. Sorry.

So give figure skating fans more of what they actually want instead of more of what you want them to want! If I could count the number of times I’ve seen an iteration of “I miss Johnny Weir” or “It’s just not as exciting without someone like Johnny Weir” since this Olympic season started…well, let’s just say I’ve heard it a lot. And which name will be remembered longer? Weir or Lysaceck? I promise it will be Weir.

cover-web-copy
Training Season can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ARe, and Smashwords. And also on iBooks.
Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

How does the new Olympic #figureskating team event work? Here’s the answer!

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How does the new Olympic #figureskating team event work? Here’s the answer! 

Click the above link to read Keira’s explanation of the figure skating team event in Sochi! How, when, where, why, etc! If you’re not even sure what we’re talking about–team event? What? Welp, go have a read and find out. I, for one, am totally excited for it.

cover-web-copy
Training Season can be purchased at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, ARe, and Smashwords. And also on iBooks.
Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.
When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.
But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

Get Your Gay Olympics Fix Right Here! #figureskating #mmromance

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Gay Olympic #figureskating romance! (via http://www.keiraandrews.com)

Cover reveal! I love sports romance — especially when it features hot guys getting it on in the locker room. My new m/m sports romance is coming February 4, just in time for Sochi. Two pairs skaters: one American, one Russian. Bitter rivals on the…

[Read more…] about Get Your Gay Olympics Fix Right Here! #figureskating #mmromance