Leta Blake

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

romance

“Beautiful writing; wonderful, flawed characters; off the charts UST and enough uncertainty to keep me utterly gripped.” | Jay Northcote’s review of Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn

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“I’ll be honest here… they had me at priest in the blurb, because forbidden/repressed love is a trope I adore. I’m happy to report that the authors delivered in spades. I absolutely loved this story. Beautiful writing; wonderful, flawed characters; off the charts UST and enough uncertainty to keep me utterly gripped. I’m not going to lie, this is an angsty read. People who know me, know that I don’t often choose angst-heavy books. And yes there is a lot of pain in this book, and it made my heart hurt as I followed Jazz and Nicky’s story and learned how past mistakes had landed them where they are at the start of the book. But there is also hope laced in every page right from the beginning. I *knew* they’d get to their happy ending, I trusted and I longed for it and it was so completely worth the ride. Gorgeous, gorgeous book. Definitely one of my favourite reads this year.”

Source: Goodreads | Jay Northcote’s review of Vespertine

 

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Can a priest and a rock star obey love’s call?

Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.

Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.

As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.

Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.

Coming Soon! Will & Patrick Wake Up Married: Episode 1 | A Vibrant Rom-Com Serial by Leta Blake & Alice Griffiths!

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COMING SOON!

Join the fun in this vibrant first installment of the new romantic comedy serial by best-selling author Leta Blake and newcomer Alice Griffiths!

After a drunken night of hot sex in Vegas, strangers Will Patterson and Dr. Patrick McCloud wake up married. A quickie divorce is the most obvious way out—unless you’re the heir of a staunchly Catholic mafia boss with a draconian position on the sanctity of marriage.

Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Will and Patrick don’t like it, or each other, but they have to make the best of it until they can find another way out of their marriage. To ensure the trust fund Will’s charitable foundation relies on isn’t revoked by his mobster grandfather, he and Patrick travel to Will’s hometown of Healing, South Dakota, posing as a newlywed couple in the throes of true love at first sight.

Complicating their scheme are Will’s unresolved feelings for his all-too-recent ex-boyfriend Ryan, and Patrick’s desire to get back to the only thing that really matters to him in life: neurosurgery. Will they fool everyone? Or will the mafia get wind that their marriage is a fake? Throw their simmering attraction into the mix and all bets are off!

Episode 1 of 6 in the Wake Up Married Serial.

Add it on Goodreads now!

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Watch this space for more information will be out shortly regarding exact release dates for this new six part serial!

“I plan on rereading immediately. I’d give it more stars if I could.” Review: Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn #gayromance

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“Not gonna lie, I’m pretty much obsessed with everything Leta Blake writes (and I’m also a huge fan of Indra Vaughn’s Shadow Mountain series), so obviously I was chomping at the bit for this book to be released. It would be impossible for me to pick my favorite Leta Blake book, but this one was special. Nicky and Jazz are beautiful together – but their connection feels less based on attraction and more based on the kind of bone deep love that you can only feel about someone who came into your life and saved you. Nicky and Jazz saved each other when they were little, and I loved watching them do it all over again the second time around. I’ll be honest, individually, I didn’t feel a personal connection to either man. It was hard for me (and I’m Roman Catholic) to understand Jazz’s devotion to his faith and Nicky’s lot in life and the choices he made broke my heart. But together, these two men are beautiful. Their interactions are genuine and their affection for each other was palpable. I love the way Nicky shook up Jazz’s life – with his humor and irreverent nature. I love the way Jazz made Nicky want to become the best possible version of himself. I didn’t know what to expect going in, but I appreciated that the flashbacks were minimal and mostly told through reminiscing. This allowed the story to flow smoothly. As I was reading, I felt like I was witnessing Jazz waking up from a long slumber. He was an unreliable narrator in the beginning, and I liked that as he spent more time with Nicky and remembered his youth with greater clarity, he began to reevaluate his life. There are some scenes in this book that plain ripped out my heart and others that made me smile like a little kid. I plan on rereading immediately. I’d give it more stars if I could.”

Source: Goodreads | Lauren Woods (Lumberton, NJ)’s review of Vespertine

 

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Can a priest and a rock star obey love's call? Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld's childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper's calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back. Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He's determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness. As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started. Jasper and Nicky's careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past's lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
Can a priest and a rock star obey love’s call?

Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.

Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.

As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.

Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.

“One of the best M/M stories I’ve read.” Reviews: The River Leith by Leta Blake

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“One of the best M/M stories I’ve read. I cannot even begin to imagine what it would be like to have the person you love most in the world forget everything you were together. That’s what happened to Zach, when the love of his life Leith suffers a blow to the head and forgets the last 3 years of his life. It was during those three years that Zach and Leith met and fell in love. But now Leith has no memory of Zach. For some reason that he can’t explain though, Leith still feels drawn to Zach. Can they rebuild their love, in spite of all that they’ve lost? I loved this story and if I could give it more than 5 stars, I would. Can’t wait to read more by this author.”

via Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: The River Leith.

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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.

Now Available! Levity by Leta Blake & Keira Andrews (Re-Release!) #fairytale #gay

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Once upon a time, in what now feels like a kingdom far, far away, Leta Blake had never published a book. Her pal, Keira Andrews, said, “Let’s do a series of re-imagined fairy tales together and sell them to a publisher!” And Leta said, “Oh, wow! That sounds super fun!”

Thus, Leta eagerly set about scribbling her very first book. (Well, her very first book that didn’t turn into a four book series that still isn’t done yet.) She found inspiration for her leading man in George MacDonald’s fairytale The Light Princess. The idea of a beautiful prince lacking in physical and emotional gravity seemed too fun an opportunity to pass up.

Leta named her little book Levity and even managed to keep it under the word count the publisher required for a novella. Keira added her bits, and they were both quite pleased with the outcome. The publisher seemed to like it, too. Except they didn’t like the title. They said Levity wasn’t sexy enough, readers wouldn’t like it, no one would buy it, etc. So with tears in her eyes, Leta agreed to call the tale Earthly Desires.

Then came the publisher’s cover. It was dark and brooding, with headless, muscled torsos, and an ominous vibe. The publisher said, “Too bad, so sad!” when Leta and Keira argued, “This cover is really inappropriate for the book. It sets completely wrong expectations about what will be inside.” It can’t be stressed enough that Leta cried real tears over that cover. Hot, angry, sad tears.

(Leta’s first experience with dealing with a publishing house wasn’t very awesome. *ahem* This might have something to do with why she self-publishes now.)

Cue the passing of three years and the publisher finally gave Leta and Keira their rights back to this little story! (And the other stories in this series, too! The second tale, Rise, based on Jack & the Beanstalk, has been out since last spring. The third tale, Flight, based on The Twelve Dancing Princesses, will be re-released in October!) And it is with great joy that we announce the new (old) title and brilliant new cover for this sexy, silly, whimsical fairy tale!

May it live happily ever after!

THE END

Now Available

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Cursed as an infant with a lack of physical and emotional gravity, Prince Efrosin can't keep his feet on the ground or his head out of the clouds. Laughing his way through life, he's never been weighed down by love and lust. Then one fateful day, his tenuous tie to the earth is severed and he blows away on the wind. He's rescued by Dmitri, a handsome young woodsman who suffers from a mysterious curse of his own, and the two strangers are irresistibly drawn together. Experiencing sex and love for the first time, they dive into a delightfully sensual and passionate affair. But the evil witch who cursed them is planning her ultimate revenge. Efrosin and Dmitri must fight to find their fairy tale ending and live happily ever after. Previously released in 2012 as Earthly Desires.
Cursed as an infant with a lack of physical and emotional gravity, Prince Efrosin can’t keep his feet on the ground or his head out of the clouds. Laughing his way through life, he’s never been weighed down by love and lust.
Then one fateful day, his tenuous tie to the earth is severed and he blows away on the wind. He’s rescued by Dmitri, a handsome young woodsman who suffers from a mysterious curse of his own, and the two strangers are irresistibly drawn together. Experiencing sex and love for the first time, they dive into a delightfully sensual and passionate affair.
But the evil witch who cursed them is planning her ultimate revenge. Efrosin and Dmitri must fight to find their fairy tale ending and live happily ever after.
Previously released in 2012 as Earthly Desires.

Available Now

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“This was, at its heart, an amazing and raw love story.” Review: Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn #gayromance

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“This was, at its heart, an amazing and raw love story. As is only fitting given the characters, there is a slow build to the sex, but when it hits the page, it was remarkable. This book kept me up into the night and it lingers in my mind days after it was done. I feel like Nicky and Jasper are there on their island, and I can’t help but wait to see the amazing journey their love is taking.

There is an excellent collection of secondary characters, and the plot is engaging and well paced.

Don’t miss this excellent read.”

Read more of this review at Watch & Word Society Romance Reviews. 

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Can a priest and a rock star obey love's call? Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld's childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper's calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back. Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He's determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness. As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started. Jasper and Nicky's careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past's lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
Can a priest and a rock star obey love’s call?

Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.

Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.

As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.

Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.

“Vespertine is a fantastic read! Marvelously done!” Review: Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn

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“Vespertine is a fantastic, challenging read, the romance is emotional and passionate. The pacing is excellent, the dialogue authentic and Indra and Leta’s writing style is warm and smooth, it’s like painting pictures with words. Marvelously done!”

Read more of Tina’s review at Goodreads.

 

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READ ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

Can a priest and a rock star obey love's call? Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld's childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper's calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back. Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He's determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness. As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started. Jasper and Nicky's careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past's lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
Can a priest and a rock star obey love’s call?

Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.

Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.

As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.

Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.

“This is an exceptional book, and I highly recommend it.” Review: Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn

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“I was a hard sell on the topic of this book. But, little by little, Nicky and Jazz won me over. They were riveting, compelling characters, drawn with such confidence and empathy. They gave me goosebumps. They made me cry. They made me cheer.

This is an exceptional book, and I highly recommend it.”

Read more of Vanessa North’s review at Goodreads.

BUY AT AMAZON

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READ ON KINDLE UNLIMITED

Can a priest and a rock star obey love's call? Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld's childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper's calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back. Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He's determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness. As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started. Jasper and Nicky's careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past's lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
Can a priest and a rock star obey love’s call?

Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.

Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.

As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.

Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.

“Leta Blake- remember her name and add her to your TBR list NOW!!!” Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake – Smitten with Reading #gay #romance

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“Wow…third time’s the charm. I think with this book, Leta Blake just made it onto my auto-buy-author list. This is the third book of hers that I’ve read and it’s the third book of hers that I’ve loved. 

The book was just plain good. It moved me and entertained me and I didn’t want to stop reading from the moment I started it. It’s a really beautiful story about letting go and learning to love. And ultimately it’s a story about two men finding a family within each other. I loved it! Leta Blake- remember her name and add her to your TBR list NOW!!!”

Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake – Smitten with Reading.

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:

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Can a Priest & Rock Star obey love’s call? 5 Stars for Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn! Coming Sept 10 #romance #gay

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“Normally I shy away from stories involving religion… but I love Indra Vaughn’s writing style and ever since I’ve heard she was writing a book in collaboration with Leta Blake I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.

What can I say without giving away too much? I fucking loved this book, I loved Leta & Indra’s writing style, how they created these two awesome guys. I absolutely adored Jazz and Nicky.

Vespertine is a fantastic, challenging read, the romance is emotional and passionate. The pacing is excellent, the dialogue authentic and Indra and Leta’s writing style is warm and smooth, it’s like painting pictures with words. Marvelously done!

I loved everything about this story, from the interesting plot to the amazing characters. I really tried to read the story slowly, leisurely, over a few days, to savor every word… and failed. Once started I couldn’t put the book down anymore.”

read more via Goodreads | Tina (Germany)’s review of Vespertine.

COMING SEPTEMBER 10, 2015

Can a priest and a rock star obey love's call? Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld's childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper's calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back. Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He's determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness. As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started. Jasper and Nicky's careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past's lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.
Can a priest and a rock star obey love’s call?
Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.
Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.
As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.
Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.

 

 

Diverse Voices Series: Showcasing Diversity Within the LGBTQ Community

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I’m over at Writer Unboxed today talking about the importance of LGBTQ representation in books.

 

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Why is diversity important to Leta? In her words:

In the wake of the United States’ Supreme Court’s decision on Marriage Equality, it’s obvious that true change is on its way for LGBTQ rights. However, it would be premature to think that enough change has been accomplished and it’s a smooth road from here. We still have a long way to go before true emotional equality is achieved. Recently a child came out to his 6th grade teacher and she related to me that despite the child having accepting parents and peers, there were still layers of rejection: “It’s fine. Just don’t talk to me about the dudes you like.” “It’s okay, but don’t tell your grandma.” Breaking down these more subtle barriers and giving kids a future to look forward to are key goals if we truly want to impact the quality of the future lives of LGBTQ kids and adults.

Learn more about Leta and her works on her website, and by following her on Facebook and Twitter.

Diverse Voices Series: Showcasing Diversity Within the LGBTQ Community

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Book Review: The River Leith by Leta Blake | Awesome Book Assessment #gay #1click

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“Good:

plot
characters
writing
romance
Less than perfect:
not much”

Book Review/Blog Tour: The River Leith by Leta Blake | Awesome Book AssessmentAwesome Book Assessment.

The River Leith is available now at:

AMAZON
B&N
SMASHWORDS
iTUNES

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.

Guest Post and #Giveaway Training Complex by Leta Blake — Joyfully Jay

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I’m over at Joyfully Jay’s with one of my most personal blog posts and three copies of Training Complex. Comment at Jay’s for a chance to win!
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“*Trigger Warning for discussion of Mental Illness, Depression, Suicidal Ideation, and symptoms of such*

I can’t say it was unexpected when my husband said the words, “I want a divorce,” one summer day back in my late twenties. I was suffering from a severe, crippling, seemingly-endless depression that correlated with my Saturn Return.

I don’t talk much about my three-year long bout with depression anymore, not because I am ashamed, but because I’m a big believer in the power of stories and so Depression is no longer a story I want to tell about myself.

Speaking of stories, SPOILER ALERT FOR THIS ONE I’M TELLING YOU NOW, we did not get divorced.”

Read the rest of the story at Guest Post and Giveaway: Training Complex by Leta Blake — Joyfully Jay.

Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn! Coming September 10! #mm #goodreads

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Can a priest and a rockstar obey love’s call?

Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.

Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.

As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.

Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.

Add on Goodreads.

Le Retour de Leith de Leta Blake — Et c’est tout bonnement magnifique — #gay #mm

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Et voilà. Encore un coup de coeur pour moi. Je vous le dis, je crois que cette année va être  remplie de coups de coeur en matière de lecture.

Que dire si ce n’est que j’ai aimé cette histoire de bout en bout ? Leta Blake nous offre dans ce récit, un combat pour retrouver ce qui a été perdu. Et c’est tout bonnement magnifique.

— Laeletlo

 

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La mémoire est tout.
Après une blessure sur le ring, le boxeur amateur Leith Wenz se réveille pour découvrir que ses plus récents souvenirs ont trois ans de retard. Déconnecté et luttant pour affronter sa nouvelle réalité, Leith doit de nouveau faire face à des révélations douloureuses sur sa famille. Son frère est là pour le soutenir mais c’est le visage familier de Zach, un homme qu’on lui présente comme son meilleur ami, qui lui fournit le calme dont il a besoin. Jusqu’à ce que la présence de Zach commence à attiser des sentiments que Leith ne peut pas expliquer.
Pour Zach, être oublié par son amant est atroce. Il cache soigneusement la vérité à Leith pour les protéger tous les deux d’une douleur supplémentaire. Son désarroi réprimé trouve un exutoire dans le vlogging – un blog qui utilise des vidéos numériques au lieu de texte – où il avoue ses craintes et sa douleur à un Internet sans visage. Mais quand Leith commence à s’ouvrir à lui, les choix de Zach reviennent le hanter.
Au bout du compte, Leith doit poser à son cœur les questions auxquelles sa mémoire ne peut plus répondre.
Voici tous les autres liens pour vous procurer Le Retour de Leith de Leta Blake

Smashwords

Barnes & Noble

Amazon

Createspace pour la version papier 

Wild West, Boy Whores, More! — Interview re: A Hard Ride Home by Emory Vargas #mmromance #amreading

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I’m excited to have Emory Vargas on my blog today talking about her gay Western, A Hard Ride Home! She’ll be answering questions about researching boy whores, hurt/comfort, and the Wild West. Check out her interview and her book!

It's hard enough returning to his birthplace to replace a dead man as sheriff. The last thing Emmett needs is to find himself smitten with Jesse, the whore he arrests almost immediately upon arrival. Especially since Jesse works for his half-sister and at her thoroughly disreputable saloon. But being smitten with a whore is only the beginning of Emmett's troubles. Silver Creek is a town full of secrets and people too terrified to talk. Why does Emmett's father, the mayor of Silver Creek, have such a strong hold on the town—and on Jesse?
It’s hard enough returning to his birthplace to replace a dead man as sheriff. The last thing Emmett needs is to find himself smitten with Jesse, the whore he arrests almost immediately upon arrival. Especially since Jesse works for his half-sister and at her thoroughly disreputable saloon.
But being smitten with a whore is only the beginning of Emmett’s troubles. Silver Creek is a town full of secrets and people too terrified to talk. Why does Emmett’s father, the mayor of Silver Creek, have such a strong hold on the town—and on Jesse?

1) Let’s talk about the setting for A Hard Ride Home. The Wild West is always an exciting place to set a story. Did you do much research into the setting or did you rely on the Westerns of movies and books for your inspiration?

As a young teen, I became obsessed with Larry McMurtry’s Lonesome Dove book series and with the less historically accurate but highly entertaining film Tombstone, about Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp. Both stories feature loving male friendships at the core. Both of those settings served as a foundation for A Hard Ride Home, but I spent a great deal of time researching for this book. I didn’t want to use a realistic setting, but I wanted to capture the language and feel of the Wild West. I barely scratched the surface when it comes to historic Western slang. The language of that time period was absolutely fascinating, and so very descriptive.

2) I noticed that there isn’t any/much homophobia in A Hard Ride Home. Jesse, the town’s boy whore, is universally loved, and no one seems to look askance at his existence. Yet, it doesn’t seem entirely free of homophobia because the other MC, Emmett, seems a little ashamed of his sexual attraction and others also seem a little skeptical of it. Did you purposely walk a line there or did it just come out that way?

I wanted to tell a love story about the Wild West without the conflict of historically-accurate homophobia. (This story has plenty of conflict as it is.) I deliberately strayed from many of the cultural norms of the time while drawing inspiration from true stories of cowboy love and unabashed affection between men in that time period.

3) Let’s talk about Jesse! He’s a boy whore in a predominantly female whorehouse in a small town in the Wild West. Was this a common occurrence historically? Obviously, male prostitution is as old as the ages, but did small town whorehouses regularly provide boys for outlets? Or did you take some liberties with that in terms of history?

I took a lot of liberties — the biggest being the fact that despite the conflict with Warren Grady, the Weeping Willow is a pretty positive place. (All things considered.) Sex work can be a very sobering subject, especially in a historic context. I deliberately created a world where these young sex workers feel somewhat empowered. It’s not a fluffy happy whorehouse, but it isn’t a terrible place either. Along those lines, I slipped Jesse into that world as if gay male prostitutes were just as socially acceptable as female prostitutes. The reality of male prostitution in the Wild West was much more grim.

4) There’s a great deal of hurt/comfort in the book. A historical Wild West story seems the perfect place for that trope and you do it well! What was your favorite part of writing the hurt/comfort? The hurting? Or the comforting?

Thank you! My favorite part of hurt/comfort, as a writer and a reader, is the emotional state of the person who is worrying and comforting. It gets me right in the gut.

Wait, I also like tapping into the raw emotion of a character in distress.

I may be a bit of a hurt/comfort junkie.

Jesse’s pain — emotional and otherwise — is a huge element of this story, and that’s due to me writing what I enjoy reading. I’ve always preferred stories with some action and peril and elements of danger. In the context of a relationship, danger creates a sense of urgency and desperation that I find as satisfying as and sex scenes. I’m attracted to characters who remain resilient and retain a grim sense of humor in the face of intense trials. Jesse embodies that for me. (Sorry, Jesse.)

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BUY LINKS:
Amazon
Less Than Three Press

“Well worth the 3.99. WELL WORTH IT.” Review of The River Leith by Leta Blake | 4 girls are talking about you. Your books. Our reviews. #gay

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“I couldn’t have spent a finer Sunday morning with the  birds and my coffee.

This book just gave such amazing good feels.

Well worth the 3.99. WELL WORTH IT.”

via Slitsread | 4 girls are talking about you. Your books. Our reviews.

The River Leith is available now at:

AMAZON
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.

“[Ms. Blake] gets love, and gets it both deeply and movingly. Which leaves The River Leith not just a good book, but a beautiful one.” #gay #mmromance

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“The River Leith” is a perfectly lovely book. The title is a play on the Greek myth of the River Lethe, the “river of forgetfulness”, the river that takes away the memories of their lifetimes from the dead as they move on. And it’s an appropriate name. Leith was a promising young boxer, on his way to the New York State Boxing Championship, until an illegal blow from his opponent sent him, instead, to the ICU with brain damage. His critical faculties remained intact, but his memory not so much. He has completely lost the last three years of his life. It’s called Retrograde Amnesia and robbed him of the knowledge of his father’s death, his friends, his career aspirations, and the man he loved more than life. In fact, when asked during his intake exam, he informed his doctors that he’s 100% heterosexual.

A questionable decision by his doctors and friends comes back to haunt both Leith and his lover, Zach. The wisdom of the day was that, since Leith has lost all memory of Zach, they would wait to tell him that the two were a committed couple until he might be able to handle it better. When he finally does “meet” Zach (Zach had been by his side during the worst of it, but not in the early stages of recovery), he doesn’t remember him at all. For Leith, he’s meeting someone for the first time. He can’t quite understand why he constantly wants to touch Zach, why he checks out his butt every time he bends over, why Zach’s presence brings him the first and only peace and joy he’s known since his brain was damaged.

Ms. Blake spends a lot of the book walking the reader through the recovery process. Perhaps “recovery” is not a good word, as he will never regain his memory. However, he needs to learn how to deal with other people, how to deal with the great gaps in his history and knowledge, and how to control the violence that rears its ugly head as Leith deals with the frustration of “knowing he should know” things and people he cannot remember. Most important, Zach and Leith have to fall in love again – from scratch.

Zach is, of course, devastated that his lover doesn’t even recognize him. Yet there is something growing between the two men – as though the brain has forgotten Leith’s lover, but not his love. All he knows is that Zach and only Zach can put a smile on his face, bring joy to his heart, and he misses him terribly when he’s not around. He’s about to leave the hospital and he’ll have to deal with the real world, the people, places and events he’s forgotten, and plot out a new future for himself – or better, one for himself and Zach.

Ms. Blake does a wonderful job plumbing the psychology of victims of brain damage, thinking about the big picture, the known and unknowable universe, and the very nature of love. It’s wonderful to read, to experience vicariously, and her writing is more than up to the task. She has Leith’s hospital psychiatrist wax philosophical and metaphorical, which gives Ms. Blake the opportunity to show how beautifully creative her thinking and writing are. In offering Zach a different way of looking as his missing years:

“Not lost, but found. In wonder.”

These words are one of the best descriptions of love I’ve read in a very long time:

“…the crazy feeling that overwhelmed him – the thing that was like happiness and comfort and want and need and God-so-good all in one – made them both feel whole again.

I originally intended to give “The River Leith” only four stars. Yes, I loved it, but it didn’t initially strike me as a very important or exceptional addition to the M/M genre, just a good book. When I went back to the two lines I quoted above, I changed my rating to five stars for the engaging characters, the realistic and charming dialogue, the unique concept, the depth of Ms. Blake’s understanding of the brain, but most of all, for the sheer beauty of her writing. She “gets” love, and “gets” it both deeply and movingly. Which leaves “The River Leith” not just a good book, but a beautiful one.

My highest recommendation.

via Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: The River Leith.

The River Leith is available now at:

AMAZON
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.