Monthly Archives: December 2014

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Part the 223rd (The return of the Hand-Holding Hands)

11 Comments

Congrats to DebraG, who won Even the Score (Knight Errant #3) by KD Sarge!

Congrats to choccygrl, who won Dear Alex (2nd ed) by Clare London!

Congrats to AlbertaGirl, who won Brit Boys: On Boys by Clare London, Ashe Barker, MK Elliott, Lucy Felthouse, KD Grace, Lily Harlem, Sarah Masters, & Josephine Myles! Brit Boys: On Boys will be released December 30.

Welcome to another edition of the Misadventures in Stock Photography! Today we’ll be catching up with the Hand-Holding Hands (HHH).

who was stuck in a

was wary of revealing

, but

, he was already

and if he wanted there to be

after

, he would need

to help him with

and getting free from this stupid door.

It has the illusion of almost making sense. 🙂

“Hmph. You’re trying to use socks on the floor to distract me from those naughty hands!” -Mayhem

Maybe… 😉

Without Mayhem:

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Holidayish linkity

8 Comments

Make sure you enter the contest for Even the Score (Knight Errant #3) by KD Sarge! Closes 7 pm CST, December 29.

Stop by and enter the contest for Dear Alex (2nd ed) by Clare London! Closes 7 pm CST, December 29.

Don’t forget to enter the contest for the Brit Boys: On Boys box set by Clare London, Ashe Barker, MK Elliott, Lucy Felthouse, KD Grace, Lily Harlem, Sarah Masters, & Josephine Myles! Closes 7 pm CST, December 29.

Contest(s)

Bookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Cookity

Gluten Free

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Ghost of a Chance (Ghost Finders #1) by Simon R Green. Made it to page 66, then put it down for a few weeks and have no interest in going back to it. Elspeth’s review nails it.
The Atrocity Archives (The Laundry Files #1) by Charles Stross. Good paranormal thriller about Bob Howard, a guy who works for a secret British intelligence agency, the Laundry, in a world where mathematics can open portals to other, far less friendly, universes. Inspired by HP Lovecraft and the Cold War-era British spy thrillers (and acknowledges such). This edition also contains The Concrete Jungle [The Laundry Files #1.5].
The Jennifer Morgue (The Laundry Files #2) by Charles Stross. Good paranormal thriller as Bob teams up with a partner from another secret agency and is caught up in a very specific hero archetype geas… This edition also contained the short story PIMPF, which I’d subtitle Bob Gets an Intern and Almost Lets Said Intern Die…Whoops. (Because of the book’s title, I had “27 Jennifers” by Mike Doughty stuck in my head for a few days.)
The Fuller Memorandum (The Laundry Files #3) by Charles Stross. Good paranormal thriller, leaning toward horror as Bob learns an awful lot about his boss after his boss goes missing. And then he has to deal with fanatical Elder Gods’ cultists, leading to Bob’s Very Bad, No Good, Completely Horrific Day.
The Apocalypse Codex (The Laundry Files #4) by Charles Stross. Good paranormal horror thriller in which Bob, our computational demonologist, heads to America to check out an evangelist who’s taken an interest in the British Prime Minister.
Hockey Confidential: Inside Stories from People Inside the Game by Bob McKenzie. Good collection of true stories about an assortment of Canadians related in some way to the NHL, from Karl Subban (PK’s dad) to Connor McDavid to a skating coach.

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook box set giveaway- Brit Boys: On Boys by Clare London, Ashe Barker, MK Elliott, Lucy Felthouse, KD Grace, Lily Harlem, Sarah Masters, & Josephine Myles [CONTEST CLOSED]

28 Comments

Congrats to Pati, who won Kim Dare‘s Resplendence Publishing Gems short stories!

Congrats to Mammarella, who won Finally Fallen (The Dark Angels #3) (2nd ed) by Z Allora!

Many thanks to Clare London for donating an ebook copy of the forthcoming m/m romance box set, Brit Boys: On Boys by Clare London, Ashe Barker, MK Elliott, Lucy Felthouse, KD Grace, Lily Harlem, Sarah Masters, & Josephine Myles! Brit Boys: On Boys will be released December 30, but you can preorder it for $0.99 until then.

From east to west and north to south, these British boys are having a blast in and out of the bedroom with the men of their dreams. They’re topping and bottoming from London to Cardiff, living out fantasies in the wildest fells and hooking up while serving HRH Queen Elizabeth II.

With passion and lust the name of the game, nothing is off limits. Throw in honed muscles, high-strength testosterone and an accent to die for and there is nothing they can’t do and no one they can’t get in this world or another.

Don’t miss Brit Boys: On Boys – a smokin’ hot box set, containing 147,000 words/440 pages of unforgettable M/M erotic romance from eight popular British authors.

Bodywork by Ashe Barker
Alex is doing okay. His body repair shop makes enough to live on, he has a decent apartment, life is fine. That all changes when he runs into Graham in a supermarket car park – literally. He offers to fix the damage to Graham’s car free of charge. The sparks soon fly, and the heat between them has nothing to do with welding equipment.

Breaking the Marine by M.K. Elliott
Brandon Rosen hadn’t planned for his final night before enrolling in the Royal Marines to involve a hot stranger and a pub car park. And he certainly hadn’t planned for that same hot stranger to turn up at the barracks in the form of his Drill Instructor, Corporal Will Stewart. In the testosterone fuelled environment of the training camp, can Brandon and Will overcome past pains and face up to what they really want? Or will the Royal Marine Commando School break their relationship before it even gets started?

Love on Location by Lucy Felthouse
When Theo Samuels heads off to film on location in the village of Stoneydale, he’s expecting drama to take place on camera, not off. But when he meets gorgeous local lad, Eddie Henderson, he struggles to ignore his attraction. A relationship between the two of them would be utterly impractical, yet they’re drawn together nonetheless. Can they overcome the seemingly endless hurdles between them? Or is their fling destined to remain as just that?

Landscapes by K D Grace
Alonso Darlington has a disturbing method of keeping landscaper, Reese Chambers, both safe from and oblivious to his dangerous lust for the man. But Reese isn’t easy to keep secrets from, and Alonso wants way more than to admire the man from afar. Can he risk a real relationship without risking Reese’s life?

The Chase by Lily Harlem
Steve’s killing time working in a comedy club. Why not? It makes him laugh and both the clientele and the comedians are not just fit but also great company. One stand up joker decides to create a wild goose chase for Steve and his ex Robert. Cavorting around Cardiff on a frosty night, however, does more than just show them the way to a threesome, it also reveals the reasons why they should give each other one more shot.

Dish of the Day by Clare London (Excerpt)
Richie’s sunk all his hopes and savings into a new restaurant in south London promoting British ingredients and recipes. His best friends Craig and Ben should be around to help him celebrate the grand opening, but it looks like it’s all heading for disaster – until his friends step in to tell him some home truths. Then they’ll help him relax and enjoy their loving, intimate menu instead.

E2 by Sarah Masters
When Archie meets Dan after The Change, he realises there is no such thing as a random meeting of soul mates, it’s all mapped out in the stars. Now all he’s got to do is hope those orbiting planets stay in alignment and true love finds him again.

Locked Out by Josephine Myles
Getting accidentally locked out of his hotel room on Valentine’s Day night is embarrassing enough for teacher Martin Cooper, but the fact he’s stark naked makes it even worse. It doesn’t help that the one person he runs into is Rod, the gorgeous man he’d been checking out earlier in the hotel pool. But when Rod offers Martin a refuge, the night heats up. Now if only Martin could get the hang of this seduction business…

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment below stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Monday, December 29.
  • 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 luck and counterintuitive espionage 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.)
  • Winner 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!

“Clean foot, clean foot, I’m going to have a clean clean foot!” -Chaos

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Part the 222nd (Loves His Own Abs Santa Guy [LHOASG])

9 Comments

Make sure you enter the contest for Even the Score (Knight Errant #3) by KD Sarge! Closes 7 pm CST, December 29.

Stop by and enter the contest for Dear Alex (2nd ed) by Clare London! Closes 7 pm CST, December 29.

Congrats to Kate, who won Holding the Edge (Cold War #2) by Keira Andrews!

Welcome to another edition of the Misadventures in Stock Photography! Today we’ll be meeting Loves His Own Abs Santa Guy (LHOASG).

Eve when

realized that

and that he didn’t care at all if he ended up on

after he

the

present his

had left for him.

O.O

*silently radiating disapproval of naughty boys* -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity’s guide to yet more gift guides

5 Comments

Congrats to Nancy, who won Blood in the Water (An Act of Piracy #1) (2nd ed) by Tami Veldura! Tami is releasing Blood in the Water today.

Congrats to Kate, who won Holding the Edge (Cold War #2) by Keira Andrews!

Bookity

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Even MORE Gift Guides

Cookity

Gluten Free

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
The Magicians (The Magicians #1) by Lev Grossman. DNF at 65-70%. Pretentious. Feels like Harry Potter and The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe crossover fanfic. I hate everyone in the book and can’t be bothered to pick it up again.

“No, no, nothing’s wrong. Why do you ask?” -Mayhem, whose superpower is looking pathetic – she makes the vet feel guilty for just entering the exam room!

Contests, Reading

Ebook giveaway: Dear Alex (2nd ed) by Clare London [CONTEST CLOSED]

38 Comments

Congrats to Laura R, who won The Working Elf Blues by Piper Vaughn! The Working Elf Blues is being released today by Less Than Three Press.

Many thanks to Clare London for donating an ebook copy of her freshly re-released m/m romance, Dear Alex (2nd ed), for a lucky commenter to win!

Alex Palmer writes the Agony Uncle column for Meant for Men – a magazine aimed at gay men, for their life and issues. What started as a genuine and ground-breaking feature has become a snark fest, due to Alex’s boredom and personal cynicism. His respect for the correspondents has dwindled away in direct relation to his own self-respect as a journalist. He no longer believes in his readers’ search for a soulmate, or in the column’s headline: “Is He Really the One?”

In the early days, Robbie Cooke was Alex’s co-presenter of the column. They’d been lovers, too. But that’s now all in the past. Unlike Alex, Robbie still sees the anguish and need behind the letters received by the magazine. He wants to help the writers, rather than turn their situations into journalistic entertainment. He and Alex may still work as partners on the magazine, but their fundamental disagreement on style means they’re no longer partners off.

A life of excess and casual lovers is wearing Alex out, yet he’s in denial. He’s determined he doesn’t need Dear Alex to set him straight about what’s wrong with his life. But gradually he comes to realise what he’s really missing: Robbie’s sense and compassion, and his love back in Alex’s life. The problem is, by the time Alex is desperate to make amends, Robbie may have already moved on.

This story was originally published as “Dear Alex” in the Dreamspinner Press anthology Make Me a Match.

Excerpt (scroll down)

Other Books by Clare

About Clare

Clare took the pen name London from the city where she lives, loves, and writes. A lone, brave female in a frenetic, testosterone-fueled family home, she juggles her writing with the weekly wash, waiting for the far distant day when she can afford to give up her day job as an accountant. She’s written in many genres and across many settings, with novels and short stories published both online and in print. She says she likes variety in her writing while friends say she’s just fickle, but as long as both theories spawn good fiction, she’s happy. Most of her work features male/male romance and drama with a healthy serving of physical passion, as she enjoys both reading and writing about strong, sympathetic and sexy characters.

Clare currently has several novels sulking at that tricky chapter 3 stage and plenty of other projects in mind… she just has to find out where she left them in that frenetic, testosterone-fueled family home.

All the details and free fiction are available at her website. Visit her today and say hello!

You can also visit Clare at her blog, website, Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment below stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Monday, December 29.
  • 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 luck and counterintuitive espionage 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.)
  • Winner 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!

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos & Mayhem, being a lovely warm catghan on my legs

Contests, Reading

Ebook giveaway: Even the Score (Knight Errant #3) by KD Sarge [CONTEST CLOSED]

23 Comments

Many thanks to KD Sarge for donating an ebook copy of her freshly released scifi m/m romance, Even the Score (Knight Errant #3), for a lucky commenter to win!

A novel of the Dream’verse

One, two, three,
How many will my victims be?
One, two, three, four,
How many more to even the score?

When Taro Hibiki leads a survival class into the backwoods, he has two goals: to prove himself as an instructor, and to propose to his beloved Rafe before he loses his nerve completely. In the wilds might seem a strange place for that, but it’s where Taro feels most at home – and the only place the couple can escape all their other responsibilities.

On BFR, proud colonists say the name stands for “Big Effing Rock,” and brag about their planet’s dangers. More treacherous than bomb bugs or sight scamps, though, is a human seeking vengeance. Soon Taro’s students are dropping one by one, and no matter what Taro does, the killer stays a step ahead. Worst of all, Taro comes to suspect that the students are targets of opportunity – that the ultimate goal is Rafe.

Taro would die for Rafe in a heartbeat, but who’s going to take care of Rafe if he does?

As it happens, the killer has a plan for that, too.

Excerpt

Other Books

About KD

KD Sarge writes for joy and hope, and works for a living. She has tried her hand at many endeavors, including Governess of the Children, Grand Director of the Drive-Through, and Dispatcher of the Tow Trucks. Currently KD loves her job at a private school for children with autism.

Past accomplishments include surviving eight one-year-olds for eight hours alone (she lasted about ten months), driving a twenty-foot truck from Ohio to Arizona by way of Oklahoma, and making a six-pack of tacos in twenty-three seconds.

Writing achievements include the Weightiest First Draft Ever, as well as eleven other, much lighter, completed novels. She has somewhere between five and ten universes under construction at any given time, writes science fiction, fantasy, steampunk, smut (in many genres), and means to one day undertake a cosy mystery. A widow, KD lives in Arizona with her biological daughter, her internet daughter, two cats, and a hermit crab named Bob.

You can find out more about KD and her books at her website, blog, Twitter, Tumblr, Facebook, Goodreads, and Turtleduck Press.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment below stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Monday, December 29.
  • 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 luck and counterintuitive espionage 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.)
  • Winner 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!

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

I have no idea how he can breathe when he sleeps on his face like that.

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Part the 221st (Straw on Crotch Guy)

10 Comments

Congrats to Irene, who won Fire and Water by Andrew Grey! Fire and Water will be released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Welcome to another edition of the Misadventures in Stock Photography! Today we’ll be meeting Straw on Crotch Guy.

promised not

after

he’d had under the

, but the reindeer shifters

,

and

,

and

and

, promised to cheer him up with

.

Looks like a prickly photo shoot, eh? 😀

After all of that, horrible puns. I’m almost sorry.

“You should feel great shame for those naughty boys, Mom!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity’s guide to even more gift guides

6 Comments

Congrats to Irene, who won Fire and Water by Andrew Grey! Fire and Water will be released by Dreamspinner Press on December 15.

Bookity

And More Gift Guides…

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Cookity

Gluten Free

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Hockey Prospectus 2013-2014 by Timo Seppa, Ryan Schwepfinger, and Jesse Spector. Ok preview of the 2013-2014 NHL season, with a detailed section on each team. Probably most useful for serious hockey number crunchers or for those with a fantasy hockey team.
What If? Serious Scientific Answers to Absurd Hypothetical Questions by Randall Munroe. Delightful, humorous, and thought-provoking read in which Munroe answers a wide array of “what if…?” questions sent to him by blog readers and proves, yet again, that science can be fun. Now, if only Munroe would write a high school physics textbook…

“It is good to be free of the cone.” -Chaos (His cornea is completely healed!)

*creepin’ in the background* -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook giveaway: Finally Fallen (The Dark Angels #3) (2nd ed) by Z Allora [CONTEST CLOSED]

21 Comments

Many thanks to Z Allora for donating an ebook copy of her freshly re-released m/m romance, Finally Fallen (The Dark Angels #3) (2nd ed), for a lucky commenter to win!

What’s the use of being a rock legend if you have no one to share the fame and fortune with? Not that Dusty Davis is looking. He’s content taking care of himself, his bandmates, and his rambunctious younger brothers.

And while the rest of The Dark Angels are happily paired with men, Dusty can’t be gay. A night in a club brings him face to face with the woman of his dreams. J is articulate, well-read, witty, and smart. How could Dusty not finally fall?

J didn’t mean to deceive Dusty; he introduced himself as Justin, after all. He didn’t realize the drummer heard, “Justine” and missed the other cues. Dusty’s declarations of love sounded too good to be true. After all, who could possibly want someone as broken as Justin?

But the heart wants what the heart wants, and love knows no gender.

Excerpt

Other Books

About

Every one deserves a happy ending… (and I make sure they get one). I have written about hot rockers, sexy zombies, and Thailand club performers. My stories are about love, romance and are tied together with erotic sex. I utilize my time overseas and my travels to bring you to places you’ve yet to visit. I introduce you to cultures you’ve yet to explore. But with every word I write I hope to convey love is love. I look forward to hearing from you, my Pretties! Facebook. Blog. Website.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Monday, December 22.
  • 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!

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos & Mayhem