Monthly Archives: May 2012

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Part the 119th (The return of ISSAYWMSSG)

20 Comments

Congrats to Helena and Maggie, who won Gambling Men: The Novel by Amy Lane! Gambling Men is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Tracy F and Beth C, who won Acrobat by Mary Calmes! Acrobat is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Yvette, who won Rogues (Brook Street #3) by Ava March! Rogues is being released by Carina Press today.

Welcome to another edition of the Misadventures in Stock Photography! Today we’ll be catching up with I Shall Stare At You With My Smoldering Stare Guy (ISSAYWMSSG).

After the

, it was

for the

to grow weary of being

, so he snuck up behind

and yelled, “

!” Poor Peter was so terrified he dropped the

he was holding, then scanned the room, searching fruitlessly for

. Alas, all he could see were

, although… “There!” exclaimed Peter. “There!

!” But it turned out to just be his glass of

, fizzing quietly away in the corner by the

. “Oh, for…” muttered Peter. “If my nerves are this shot, they’d better just

,

, because I’ve obviously been in this

long. There aren’t enough

or

here to keep me away from my

any longer.”

The end.

Erm. Is it too late for my “SoC staff not responsible for any permanent confusion caused by reading this Misadventure” warning? 🙂

“Sooooooo disappointed once again, Mom!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

That week when linkity didn’t have a title

15 Comments

Congrats to Pam B, who won One Small Thing by Piper Vaughn and M.J. O’Shea! One Small Thing is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Congrats to Helena and Maggie, who won Gambling Men: The Novel by Amy Lane! Gambling Men will be released by Dreamspinner Press on May 7.

Congrats to Tracy F and Beth C, who won Acrobat by Mary Calmes! Acrobat will be released by Dreamspinner Press on May 7.

Congrats to Yvette, who won Rogues (Brook Street #3) by Ava March! Rogues will be released by Carina Press on May 7.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
King Perry by Edmond Manning. ebook. Excellent gay fiction about taking chances, forgiving, and finding the self you lost along the way. I started reading feeling a bit resistant, because, well, it sounded kinda hokey to me from the blurb. Oh, how very wrong I was – and how very glad that I read this story. While it has romantic moments and is filled with love, it is not a romance per se, so you need to let go of your expectations about how the story will end. But rest assured that this is not like some of the other stories I’ve read in Dreamspinner’s BitterSweet line, which left me heartsick or upset about even having read the book. Highly recommended.
Out in the Field by Kate McMurray. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about a closeted baseball player nearing the end of his career who’s uncomfortably attracted to the new rookie star on the team… an attraction that turns out to be mutual.
Good Bones by Kim Fielding. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about an architect who hides his unwilling werewolfism from everyone except his brother and sister-in-law. Eventually he moves to the woods, figuring it will be safer than hoping he’s able to lock himself up in time every month… but he didn’t factor in his sexy next door neighbor.
Thank My Lucky Scars by Tia Fielding. ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about an injured bike messenger who starts to follow his favorite porn star on Twitter… and then they actually get to meet.
Manhandled by SA Reid & Rosemary O’Malley. ebook. Steamy short m/m romance about a cop who meets a young doctor in a most unusual way, giving a whole new meaning to “closeted”. Be aware that there’s dubious consent in this one.
Mind Magic by Poppy Dennison. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a mage who violates the rules of his people to save some werewolf cubs being imprisoned and slowly killed by a demon. Doing so changes his life more than he could ever have imagined… I suspect there’s a sequel planned, so I won’t complain about the things left open at the end of the story. However, I did have some niggles as I read, as there were several points where things were just too convenient or inconsistent with previously provided information.
Don’t Judge a Book… by Scarlet Blackwell. ebook short. Good m/m romance about a library assistant who’s quite put out over having to deal with an unfortunately attractive guy doing community service work at the library.
Amuse Bouche (Russell Quant #1) by Anthony Bidulka. Ok gay mystery about a PI who’s hired by a jilted groom to find his missing boyfriend. Pretty sure this is the only book I’ve read that was set in Saskatoon.
Chasing Shadows by Jez Morrow. ebook. Ok paranormal m/m romance that could’ve been a five-star read if it hadn’t jumped all over the place – to the point that I’m not convinced there’s not part of a chapter missing.
Loving Arms by Marie Medina. ebook short. Meh short m/m romance about two guys who are after the same evil woman, but turn to each other instead. Choppy, repetitive writing and all tell, no show made this a painful read.

“Hmph. That bird wouldn’t be so sassy if it was on this side of the window!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Absolutely Eric (Boston Boys #2) by Erica Pike [CONTEST CLOSED]

70 Comments

Many thanks to Erica Pike for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m romance, Absolutely Eric (Boston Boys #2), for a lucky commenter to win! Absolutely Eric will be released on May 11 by MLR Press.

Eric Wesley is short and snazzy, hot and happy. Or that’s what he thought. After three years of living on the wild side he’s tired of being a playboy and wants to find love.

Eric, however, has never been in love before and doesn’t see that the guy who’s been gazing at him all summer might be Mr. Right. Alexander Centauri isn’t only style-less and clumsy, but also terribly awkward. After a miserable date, Eric plants Alex on another guy’s lap and goes after Mr. Wrong…who looks so right.

When Eric realizes his mistake, it might be too late.

Excerpt

Erica’s Other Books

About Erica

Erica hasn’t been writing since she was in diapers, nor has she been an avid reader since she learned her ABC’s. She has, however, always been a daydreamer, spinning tale after tale in her head. Usually those dreams involve a tall, dark, and sexy man who doesn’t exist in real life. So far she’s been a vampire, a jungle nymph, a time-traveler, a ghost, a noblewoman, a survivor on a deserted island (that’s always fun), a witch and so much more that it’d take months to count out every occupation. After having exhausted every possible scenario of man-woman love, she started weaving stories of men who love men. This time, however, she wrote it all down.

She lives in Iceland with her adorable little twin boys, and is happy with what she has. She often says that her real name sounds like Klingon to foreigners so she doesn’t even bother to reveal it.

She’s been writing for several years now, shortly after reading became an obsession. Aside from that waste-of-a-time business degree, Erica has taken English courses at the university and basically anything that might help her in her career as an author. She takes great interest in studying English, but she’ll also break every single grammar rule for the sake of the voice.

Erica loves to hear from her readers. She’s a friendly, easy-going person who doesn’t mind talking about herself in third person, and not really a vampire or a witch (on most days, anyway), so there’s no real risk of being chomped.

You can find out more about Erica on her website, blog, Twitter, Facebook, or Goodreads.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Thursday, May 10.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Feedmefeedmefeedmefeedmefeedmefeedme.” -Chaos

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Bennie’s Wish (A No Pants Day Story) by Xara X. Xanakas [CONTEST CLOSED]

66 Comments

Many thanks to Xara X. Xanakas for donating an ebook copy of her No Pants Day m/m romance, Bennie’s Wish, for a lucky commenter to win! Bennie’s Wish will be released by Dreamspinner Press on May 4 (No Pants Day), of course.

And, because Xara doesn’t want anyone to be caught out on No Pants Day, the winner will also receive a swag pack containing a pair of instant underpants, an instant towel, a pocket mirror, screen cleaning cloth, a cup, and a bottle opener. Plus Xara’s willing to mail the swag pack internationally. 🙂

For years, Ally Theodisius has suspected his “friends” have been humoring him to stay in his good graces – and his wallet – so when a No Pants Day breakfast ends in his humiliation, he finally takes a stand.

When model Bennie Arnold runs into Ally, his first impression is of a cute, adorably dimpled writer in dire need of a real friend. Bennie would be happy to fill the role. There’s just one little problem: he’s going commando, and it happens to be No Pants Day. If he has any hope of getting his wish, Bennie will have to use his best assets to convince Ally he’s the real deal.

Excerpt (scroll down and expand)

Other Books

About Xara

Xara X. Xanakas decided years ago to embrace her weirdness. A friend first described her that way to the man who’s been her husband for over twenty years. That formula fits her, and she figures if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. Being Texan, her crush on cowboys comes natural, but the techie in her loves to show nerds a good time. She relishes all things different, and brings saucy style to her writing. Whether wrangling a wayward ranch hand or adding another critter to her were-menagerie, Xara strives to make the outlandish appealing. She’ll make you quirk a brow and snort with laughter, and that’s all right by her. Xara believes that unique is best and happily ever after is the icing on the cookies.

You can find out more about Xara via her website, Goodreads, Twitter, and Facebook.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Thursday, May 10.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“No Pants Day?! That sounds even more scandalous than the naughty boys!!!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Signed paperback giveaway: The Talker Collection by Amy Lane [CONTEST CLOSED]

83 Comments

Many thanks to Amy Lane for donating a signed paperback copy of her forthcoming m/m romance, The Talker Collection, for a lucky commenter to win! The Talker Collection will be released by Dreamspinner Press on May 11. (Amy is willing to mail this worldwide, too!)

One day, Tate “Talker” Walker sits next to Brian Cooper on a track meet bus – and sees him like nobody else on the planet has ever seen him before. One day, Brian Cooper looks at Talker’s bright punk facade and listens past his constant chatter – and knows him like nobody else on the planet will ever know him again. One day, two boys meet, and even though they fall in love, it’s still a long and bumpy ride.

Tate needs to learn to listen, Brian needs to learn to speak up, and the event that teaches them both exactly what they need from each other almost destroys Tate and leaves Brian no recourse but violence. For their love to survive, Tate and Brian have to overcome the pain of violation and the repercussions of revenge. Even more difficult, they have to hold each other steady while one finds his peace and the other his voice, because a dream boy isn’t really a dream boy if he doesn’t know his own worth.

Talker (September 2010), Talker’s Redemption (January 2011), and Talker’s Graduation (October 2011) were previously published individually in ebook format by Dreamspinner Press.

Excerpt (scroll down and expand)

Other Books

About Amy

Amy Lane knits, mothers four children, and writes like she’s got a slave-driver with a whip and a cattle-prod standing behind her chair. She, her brood, and her beloved mate, Mack, live in a crumbling mortgage in Citrus Heights, California, which is riddled with spiders, cats, a really gassy dog, and more than its share of fancy and weirdness. Feel free to visit her at her blog and her website, where she will ride the buzz of receiving your e-mail until her head swells and she can no longer leave the house.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Thursday, May 10.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Why, yes, panther princesses are very glamorous – how did you know?!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Cleave (Cutting Cords #3) by Mickie B. Ashling [CONTEST CLOSED]

63 Comments

Many thanks to Mickie B. Ashling for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming kinky m/m romance, Cleave (Cutting Cords #3), for a lucky commenter to win! Cleave will be released by Dreamspinner Press on May 11. And if the winner hasn’t read the first two books, Cutting Cords and Vessel, they will be included in the prize!

On New Year’s Eve, Cole Fujiwara stands vigil at his father’s deathbed while his surrogate wife, Noriko, gives birth to twins. As Cole contemplates his future, he acknowledges that he’s living his father’s dream… and that he’s probably destroyed his chance at happiness with Sloan, the love of his life.

Finding harmony in an emerging D/s relationship has not been without issue for Sloan Driscoll and his Master, Trent Hamilton. Their journey has been littered with mishaps, but their powerful love and sexual connection continue to bind them together – until Sloan comes face to face with Cole for the first time in nine months.

The meeting means different things to each of them. To Cole, it’s the first step on the path to a reunion. To Sloan, it’s a terrible mistake, one he confesses immediately. As for Trent, the bitter realization that a connection between the former lovers still exists forces him to issue an ultimatum. Is Sloan willing to do anything to prove their relationship is worth saving, including becoming Trent’s 24/7 slave? And if Sloan stays with Trent, how can Cole ever hope to find happiness again?

Excerpt (scroll down and expand)

Other Books

About Mickie

Mickie B. Ashling is the alter-ego of a multifaceted woman raised by a single mother on a steady diet of melodrama and trashy romance novels. By the time she discovered her own talent for writing, real life had intruded, and the business of earning a living and raising four sons took priority. With the advent of e-publishing and the inevitable emptying nest, dreams were resurrected, and the storyteller was reborn.

She stumbled into the world of men who love men in 2002 and continues to draw inspiration from their ongoing struggle to find equality and happiness in this oftentimes skewed and intolerant world. Her award winning novels have been called “gut wrenching, daring, and thought provoking.” She admits to being an angst queen and making her men work damn hard for their happy endings.

Mickie loves to travel and has lived in the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East but currently resides in a suburb outside Chicago.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Thursday, May 10.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“You know you want to rub my tummy… Go on, I dare you.” -Chaos

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Home Sweet Home by Kim Dare [CONTEST CLOSED]

70 Comments

Congrats to Ann R, who won her choice Kissing Orion (A Vampire’s Kiss #1) or Protecting His Soul by Amber Kell!

Many thanks to Kim Dare for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming kinky m/m romance, Home Sweet Home (Stand Alone Short Stories #5), for a lucky commenter to win! Home Sweet Home will be released on May 9 by Resplendence Publishing.

Jay’s a good submissive. Richard has never regretted taking him under his protection. He’s never regretted deciding that it was time for them to move into their first house together either. The only thing Richard doesn’t understand is why Jay’s been so damn determined to nag him into choosing something for the house.

When Jay comes home to a find a shock in their hallway, he’s about to find out exactly what his master thinks of his nagging…

Kim’s Other Books

About Kim

Kim Dare is a twenty-eight year old full time writer from Wales (UK).

First published in December 2008, Kim has since released over fifty BDSM erotic romances. That means that well over one hundred characters have chattered away inside her head during that time – and that’s not even taking into account the fact that there are over three times that number of people clamouring in the wings for a chance to tell their stories. It’s no wonder she loses track of what’s happening in the “real” world at times…

While Kim’s stories range over male/male, male/female and all kinds of menage relationships and have included vampires, time travellers, shape-shifters and fairytale re-tellings, they all have three things in common – kink, love and a happy ending.

You can visit Kim at her website and her blog.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Tuesday, May 8.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the authors, intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebooks for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Whatcha doin’ there?” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Fallen Angel (Angel of 13th Street #2) by Eden Winters [CONTEST CLOSED]

81 Comments

Congrats to Ann R, who won her choice Kissing Orion (A Vampire’s Kiss #1) or Protecting His Soul by Amber Kell!

Many thanks to Eden Winters for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m romance, Fallen Angel (Angel of 13th Street #2), for a lucky commenter to win! Fallen Angel will be released on May 9 by Torquere Press.

Ten years of rescuing lost youth from the streets wear a man out, and Noah Everett buckles under the pressure of being “The Angel.” What began as a two-man mission is now going corporate, meaning rules, regulations and inexperienced volunteers needing guidance in a field Noah makes up as he goes along. On top of this, his latest prospective rescue doesn’t seem to go to plan. Is he losing his touch? Normally he’d turn to his mentor, Doc, in times of trouble, but the old man’s strength isn’t what it used to be. Noah’s lover would be the next most obvious choice to share this burden with, but Jeremy Kincaid is about to leave for college. After all Jeremy’s endured to achieve this goal, Noah won’t stand in his way, even though he fears losing the man to the joys of student life.

Jeremy may be young and caught up in his own fights, but he’s not blind to Noah’s plight, and now questions his own choices. Four years at State with a full ride will launch his future, but his present includes Noah – and a meth addict who’s become Jeremy’s own personal mission.

When a physical attack sends Noah spinning out of control, Jeremy must reevaluate his life and plans before the man he knows and loves disappears forever.

Deleted Scene

Other Books by Eden

About Eden

Our heroine sits quietly in her cube, just one of many, typing, filing, and breaking the occasional nail, hiding her true identity beneath her clever disguise of nerdy glasses and business suits (with sensible shoes!). Frantic eyes watch the clock as she waits impatiently for the ruse to end and her true calling to begin.

With eager anticipation she drives her average car to her average home, and eats her average (vegetarian and completely healthy!) meal alone. The minutes tick by, and when the sun finally sets she leaps tall sofas in a single bound, shedding her disguise to take on her true super heroine persona! Is she in such a rush to save the world? Save the city? Save the neighbor’s kitten from a tree! No! She liberates her laptop from the evil clutches of arch villain, Hall Closet, and flings it open to free the worlds hiding within its depths. There are lonely werewolves searching desperately for mates, spoiled rich boys just waiting for her gentle caress of the keyboard to create someone who’ll truly understand them, and futuristic soldiers, gunning across the universe to save the men they love… No scenario is too bizarre! A time traveling pirate? No problem! Violin playing specter haunting a Scottish castle? You betcha!

When she’s not busily creating happy-ever-afters for fictional hotties, our heroine enjoys music, the great outdoors, and cruising down the highway on the back of a Harley Davidson.

You can visit Eden at her blog, website, and GoodReads.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Tuesday, May 8.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

*sunbeam bliss* -Chaos & Mayhem