Tag Archives: Kate McMurray

Contests, Reading

Beat Your Winter Blues Blog Tour: Favorite Winter Movie

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Welcome to the April 4th stop on the Beat Your Winter Blues Blog Tour! Make sure you leave a comment for your chance to win the tour’s grand prize: a $200USD gift certificate to the e-tailer of your choice.

Don’t forget to check out Ethan Stone’s Subject 13, Clare London’s Ambush, JL Merrow’s Camwolf, or SA Meade’s Orion Rising

Coming Soon: Andrew Grey’s Legal Tender

Favorite Winter Movie

Kate McMurray
When I was thinking about all of my favorite movies, I realized almost all of them take place during the summer and/or in California (and, glancing over my DVD shelf, it looks like a lot of them are teen movies from the 90s, hmm). One of my favorite movies, though, may not count as a winter-themed movie per se, but it takes place during a time of year when it’s certainly cold enough to wear coats and scarves. It’s the musical Once, which came out a few years ago. If you’ve never seen it – stop what you’re doing and go rent it! Okay, I’ll tell you about it: it’s the story of a guy who busks on the streets of Dublin and a girl who is down on her luck; they meet and literally make beautiful music together. The music is amazing – one of the best movie soundtracks ever, if you’re into folksy acoustic music, which is kind of my sweet spot – and the story is heartbreaking, and the whole thing is beautiful. I heartily recommend it.

Heidi Cullinan
My favorite winter movie is Mystery, Alaska. It stars Russell Crowe before he was RUSSELL CROWE and is about this local hockey team that ends up playing a game against a pro team. It’s so small town and quirky and so full of winter that I watch it in the summer whenever it’s too hot to think.

Lara Brukz
My favorite winter movie let me think…Die Hard. No it’s not a porn movie could make a great title though. I’m talking about the one with Bruce Willis. Yes it’s a winter time movie – they were celebrating Christmas. You remember: “Now I have a machine gun. Ho ho ho.” John McLane a super-hero-cop who fears nothing (except heights), takes on the villains, armed with one handgun and plenty of balls. I still remember sitting in the theater with my mom and Bruce Willis busting out that window swinging down on a fire hose and smearing that blood all down the window. Hell yeah!! Not only is it a thrill-a-minute ride, but it has one of the best villains who hums “Ode to Joy”, dialogue that crackles with wit, and a lot of very impressive pyrotechnics. Just pop me some popcorn baby and serve me up some Die Hard! “Yippee-ki-yay, motherfucker!”

Josephine Myles
It’s hard to choose an absolute favourite – I adore It’s a Wonderful Life and look forward to watching it every year around Christmas time. James Stewart is one of my all time favourite movie stars and the film always brings a tear to my eye. My other favourite would have to be Groundhog Day – I watched that film back in 1993 when it first came out and have adored it ever since. Yes, Andie MacDowell is pretty irritating, but Bill Murray steals every scene away from her anyway, so I don’t mind. Not only is the plot concept genius, but the film is by turns hysterically funny, life-affirming and moving. I also love the way my enjoyment of the film has grown with each rewatching – there is always something new to notice going on in the background. I want my own Groundhog Day experience, so I can learn how to play honky tonk piano like Bill does! I’ve just realised I’ve chosen two films where the main characters attempt suicide. Hmmm… they’re still uplifting, though!

Andrew Grey
My favorite winter movie has to be the classic White Christmas. I watch it every year and I’m always fascinated by how beautiful the women are and by the incredible dancing. Of course it’s a movie, so everything is faked, but the music is wonderful and I always seem to immediately get into the spirit of the season after watching Bing Crosby trying to woo Rosemary Clooney.

***

Kate McMurray: Is there anything better than snuggling under a blanket with a book, a cup of tea, and the cat? I love to bake, too, so my kitchen sees a lot of action in the winter. (You gotta have cookies and pie to go with that cup of hot tea!) I also relieve stress by knitting, so it’s nice when the cold weather rolls in and I can finally wear all the handknit sweaters and scarves I’ve accumulated over the years. Plus, my winter wardrobe is pretty cute if I do say so myself.

Heidi Cullinan: Well, I’m an outlier because I love winter, but maybe that’s because I love our survival techniques so well. Winter at our house means watching a lot of TV with my husband and daughter, snuggling in chairs under blankets with cats draped all over me, and snuggling under the down comforter. That said, the bane of my existence in winter is cold toes. My solution? Two layers of socks, the top one fuzzy, and thick house slippers one size too large to accommodate the socks.

Lara Brukz: Another lover of winter, no blues here. Summer in the south keeps me inside more than winter does. When it actually gets cold enough I have my husband go chop up fire wood. I demand that we need extra wood just so I can watch his muscles flex as he is cutting. So getting busy in front of a nice blazing fire in the fireplace is an excellent way of beating my winter blues.

Andrew Grey: In order to break up the winter months, Dominic and I host a number of small dinner parties with friends. We both have a tendency to try to hibernate through the snow and cold, so hosting these small parties forces us to spruce up the house, get out the good china, and fill our home with some winter warmth and cheer. It’s also an excuse for Dominic to try new concoctions on people other than me.

***

Sixteen authors are here to do their best to make your winter brighter in January, February, March, and April. (Unless you’re south of the equator, and then we’ll just be jealous of your summer.) Every Wednesday will be a new stop on the tour (see schedule below). Be sure to leave a comment at each stop for up to sixteen chances at the grand prize: a $200 USD gift certificate to the e-retailer of your choice. Also keep an eye out for links to individual authors’ sites on their release dates for a chance to win some free books.

January 11: How We Beat the Winter Blues (hosted by Coffee & Porn in the Morning)

January 18: Favorite Wintertime Activities (hosted by Josephine Myles)

January 25: Join us for a January getaway (hosted by Andrew Grey)

February 1: Winter in My Backyard (hosted by Lou Harper)

February 8: “If I could get away right now, I’d go to…” (hosted by Ellis Carrington)

February 15: Valentine’s Day (hosted by J.L. Merrow)

February 22: Authors by the Fireside (hosted by Kate McMurray)

February 29: Join us for a February getaway (hosted by Z.A. Maxfield)

March 7: Things to Do in a Blizzard (hosted by S.A. Meade)

March 14: St. Patrick’s Day (hosted by Clare London)

March 21: Spring Break (hosted by Blaine Arden)

March 28: Join us for a March Getaway (hosted by Tales from the Writing Cave)

April 4: Favorite Winter Movies (hosted byStumbling Over Chaos)

April 11: Signs of Spring (hosted by J.P. Barnaby)

April 18: Join us for an April Getaway (hosted by Marie Sexton)

April 25: Farewell (hosted by Joyfully Jay)

April 30: Grand Prize Announcement (hosted by Heidi Cullinan)

***

“What makes you think I’m slee… zzzzzzz…” -Mayhem

Congrats to arzu, who won A Hole in God’s Pocket by KZ Snow! A Hole in God’s Pocket is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.

Congrats to Judi P, who won Daybreak for a Stolen Child (Stolen Child #4) by Anna Mayle! Daybreak for a Stolen Child  is being released today by Resplendence Publishing.

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity for a new year

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Congrats to Jen B, who won Melting by VJ Summers!

Congrats to Gina, who won Blind Space by Marie Sexton! Blind Space will be released by Silver Publishing on January 7.

Congrats to Azure J, who won The Gallows Tree by RJ Scott! The Gallows Tree will be released by Silver Publishing on January 7.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Camp Hell (PsyCop #5) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic experiences some personal growth (beyond his paranoia, even!), and both Vic and Jacob have unexpected professional growth.
GhosTV (PsyCop #6) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook. reread. Excellent m/m paranormal romantic suspense in which Vic and Jacob head to California to find their friend Lisa, who’s vanished without a trace. Definitely looking forward to the next book!
Turnskin by Nicole Kimberling. ebook. Very good m/m fantasy romance about a young half-blooded man who grew up in a small town in a world split between Shifters and Skins. When his lover abandons him, he tracks down his cousins in the big city who own an impoverished theater.
Cherish Your Name (Warder #6) by Mary Calmes. ebook. Sweet paranormal m/m holiday romance about Warder Malic visiting his hearth Dylan’s family for Christmas and things getting off to a rough start because Dylan’s family thinks Malic is too old for their son.
Where the Heart Is by Kaje Harper. ebook short. Sweet short holiday m/m romance about a vet who’s been running his father’s remote practice for the past few months since his father died, while his boyfriend is far away in the city.
I Dare You…Again (Dare #2) by Tam Ames. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m New Year’s Eve romance in which Steven needs to decide whether or not to take his roommate’s dare and tell Cory he loves him…
In December My Heart’s Full of Spring by Kate McMurray. free ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about two guys who find themselves on top of the Empire State Building together on New Year’s Eve.
Six Degrees of Lust (By Degrees #2) by Taylor V. Donovan. ebook. Pretty good m/m romantic suspense about an emotionally unavailable FBI agent who can’t get a one-night stand out of his head, even as he’s trying to track down a serial killer targeting gay men. This book was heading toward a solid four-star rating before a nasty cliffhanger ending. Pretty much nothing at all was resolved. That makes me really, really cranky.
FUBAR (EMS Heat #12) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about a nurse who gets attacked outside of a gay bar and is rescued by an off-duty cop.
Dragma’s Tavern: Where Every Good Bar Comes by Bryl R. Tyne. free ebook short. Good short, trippy m/m story about a guy who ends up in a very odd bar on New Year’s Eve.
NYPD Night Shift by Eden Cole. ebook short. Meh short m/m story about a cop who’s being a jerk to everyone around him – turns out that he just needs to get laid. This wasn’t easy to read because of how much I was rolling my eyes. Definitely skip this one if you prefer stories with condoms, lube, realistic dialogue, or plausible plots.

“I know you’re all jealous of my lovely kitty bed!” -Mayhem

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It’s beginning to look a lot like linkity!

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Congrats to Sammy2006, Yvette, and Heather K, who won Simple Gifts (Cornwall Novellas #2) by LB Gregg!

Congrats to Morgana, who won My True Love Gave to Me by Ava March, which is now available from by Carina Press. It’s also available in the Men Under the Mistletoe anthology.

Congrats to Dianna, who won Winter Warmers by Josephine Myles, JL Merrow, Clare London, Chrissy Munder, and Lou Harper!

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Make, Do, Learn

Holidity

  • Gift Guide: Food (including adorable rainbow cake earrings, which are sold out)

Cookity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

  • Truth (as someone who works from home three days a week…).

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Bad Boyfriend (Bad in Baltimore #2) by KA Mitchell. ebook. Excellent kinky m/m romance about a teacher who’s dumped by his closeted boyfriend of ten years, then picks up a hot younger guy at a bar to take along to the baptism of his ex’s baby.
While Under the Influence (Perfect Timing #8) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky m/m romance about a guy who’s in denial about being gay. He foolishly mentions it to his cousin when he’s drunk, thus setting in motion her plan for him to find out definitively whether he is or isn’t.
Paper Planes by M. Jules Aedin. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a photographer whose partner died in a plane crash a year ago and who isn’t really moving past that until after he becomes friend with an older pilot. I particularly liked that this book didn’t go in for quick fixes – recovering from a significant loss takes time – and that one of the main characters had a disability. Perfect main characters get boring!
Search Me (Cover Me #3) by LA Witt. ebook short. Good short m/m romance following up on Andrew and Nick from Cover Me, who we saw were having problems in Trust Me. I got a little sniffly when things didn’t look too promising for the guys…
The Winter Courtship Rituals of Fur-Bearing Critters by Amy lane. ebook. Very cute holiday m/m romance about a grumbly Colorado alpaca rancher who takes a liking to the cute younger guy who moves in next door.
Let It Snow by Devon Rhodes. ebook short. Good short kinky holiday m/m romance about a professional house sitter who’s feeling lonely and a little sorry for himself on Christmas Eve as he falls asleep making a wish…
What Can Be by Mary Calmes. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance about a guy who hasn’t seen his father or brothers for 13 years, since his mom took him and left. Since then, he’s avoided getting close to people… except he has and now he’s running away from that.
Happiness for Beginners by Zahra Owens. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about two guys, one gay and one presumably straight, who used to play a gay couple on a tv show but haven’t seen each other for ten years. And then the straight one shows up at the other guy’s front door out of the blue…
Winter Rescue by Dawn Kimberly Johnson. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a guy trying to make it home for the holidays after not seeing his family for a few years, but he ends up in the ditch during a bitterly cold and snowy night and almost doesn’t make it home…
A Walk in the Dark by Kate McMurray. ebook short. Good short holiday m/m romance about a guy with a crush on his roommate’s boyfriend. This needed to be just a bit longer to be a satisfying read.
Prey Time by Sue Brown. ebook short. Steamy m/m/m encounter between a guy in a bar and a couple he picks up… or do they pick him up?
Cherry Pie by Samantha Kane. ebook. Pretty good m/m romance about a wealthy guy who recently moved to a small town in North Carolina from San Diego. One morning, he discovers the son of his house’s former (deceased) owner sitting outside. Alas, I never got fully invested in the main characters as a couple.
No One Should Be Alone by Tinnean. ebook. Ok holiday m/m romance about two operatives in a top-secret government agency who hook up. This one just didn’t work for me – not only could I simply not get into the story, it was told in alternating first-person with insufficiently distinct voices, so I kept getting confused.
Feels Like Home by Rowan McAllister. ebook. Sweet m/m holiday romance about two guys who end up spending a couple of days together because of a snowstorm. Editing inconsistencies kept annoying me and pulling me out of the story. (Really, that spare tire that got run over by a Hummer H2 at the beginning of the story? You’re not going to be putting it on and driving on it later in the story…)
Bringing Home the Ice Prince by Jana Downs. ebook short. Meh short m/m holiday romance written in the sort of flowery, over-the-top style that annoys me no end.

“Can’t… quite… hit… the… itchy… spot…” – Mayhem

Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Halloweenity Linkity Booity

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Congrats to Melanie M, who won More Than Anything by Shawn Lane! More Than Anything will be released by Amber Allure on October 30.

Contests

Books

Ebooks

  • If you want an Android tablet for reading, but think the Kindle Fire sounds too locked into Amazon, check out the Kobo Vox.

GayRomLit

Think, Do, Make, Learn

  • What number human were you on the planet? I was (roughly) the 3,429,463,820th person alive on the planet when I was born, and the 77,402,259,003rd person to have lived since the beginning of human history.

Halloweenity

Cookity

So, The Kitchn’s gone a little crazy on recipe lists… which I can’t resist. Brace yourselves. 🙂

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

  • Top 50 autocorrects from Damn You Autocorrect’s first year: Part 1.

Teh Cute

Reading Update
With a Kiss by Kim Dare. ebook. Excellent kinky paranormal m/m romance loosely based on Sleeping Beauty. A young man who’s being mentally, physically, and sexually abused by his boyfriend comes to the hospital every week for three years to read to a vampire in a mysterious coma. And then the vampires is awakened… This book shines in not trivializing the process of recovering from abuse.
I Just Play One on TV by AL Turner. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about two actors in a suspenseful science fiction tv show with a lot of “subtext” between their characters. One actor is out, although it doesn’t seem to be public knowledge, while the other is deeply closeted and in denial… Let’s just say I spent the last part of the book crying.
Across the East River Bridge by Kate McMurray. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about two academic rivals with an unfortunate chemistry who work together to solve the cold case mystery of two men murdered together in late 19th century Brooklyn.
Guarding Morgan (Sanctuary #1) by RJ Scott. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about a guy being kept in an FBI safe house so he can testify about a shooting he witnessed. When the safe house is compromised, he ends up in the care of an intriguing agent for a special organization dedicated to keeping witnesses alive… Definitely looking forward to the next book in this series!
Private Eye (Liaisons #1) by SE Culpepper. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about a PI who gets involved in the case of a missing teenager when he’s contacted by a cop who’s a friend of the family. Too bad the extremely hot cop is straight…
Just Desserts (Petit Morts #14) by Josh Lanyon. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a guy confined to a wheelchair after his drunken cousin crashed their car. Unfortunately, this story didn’t provide any additional insight into Chance and his own journey.
Loose Change (Petit Morts #15) by Sean Kennedy. ebook short. Very good short m/m paranormal focused entirely on Chance, set up as a series of brief scenes.
Media Naranja (Petit Morts #16) by Clare London & Jordan Castillo Price. ebook short. Very good short paranormal m/m romance about a young man who accompanies his dying grandmother and her friend to a tropical resort.
Immortal Coil (Petit Morts #17) by Jordan Castillo Price. ebook short. Excellent short paranormal m/m romance about a high school teacher and former coach whose life changed dramatically several years ago. When he wanders into a small street carnival, he doesn’t know that it’s about to change again. (This story is also the culmination of Chance’s story arc.) I loved this quote: “If everything were anything,” Chance said softly, “the barriers would break down, and we’d all lose ourselves to chaos. And then there would be no cotton candy.”
Independence by Clare London. free ebook short. Steamy, kinky short m/m scene between an established D/s couple.
Learning To Walk (City Hospital #3) by Drew Zachary. ebook. Sweet m/m romance about a guy, seriously injured in a motorcycle accident, who develops feelings for his physical therapist. Since there’s not much conflict in this one, I think it’d be a good read to help recover from an angst-fest book.
Cycle-pathic by Stefan Seabourne. free ebook short. Steamy short m/m scene between a bike courier and the lawyer whose car he dented… with a surprise ending.
Sugar on the Mountain (Mountain #8) by PD Singer. free ebook short. Cute short m/m scene between Allan and Mark in Allan’s catering kitchen.
Blood on the Mountain by India Harper. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about a security firm co-owner who goes to Rio to protect a client doing nonprofit work there. This ended with plenty of unanswered questions, although I fear the sequel might be m/f, featuring the other (female) co-owner of the security firm.
Gambling on Love by Jane Davitt. ebook. Good, slightly kinky m/m romance about two guys who fell in love with other in high school. When they were caught kissing in the locker room, one of them left town and didn’t return until 11 years later. He’s very different and he doesn’t want to stay… but the one who stayed doesn’t want to leave. While I’m a fan of Jane Davitt’s work (particularly that written with Alexa Snow), this book never fully came together for me – I couldn’t get invested in the characters or the story.

Missed out on GayRomLit, but still want part of the experience? Read on!

I came back from GayRomLit (GRL) with lots of swag – not only swag that I’d picked up for myself, but also swag I’d accumulated from people who didn’t have enough space in their luggage, or who didn’t want to deal with hassles in Customs. In fact, I came back with enough extra swag to have a GRL Swag Giveaway Contest!

Wanna see? Ok.

*sniff sniff sniff* -Mayhem

*sniff sniff sniff* -Chaos

“Why are you giving away these great kitty beds and toys, Mom?!” -Mayhem

*sniff sniff sniff* -Chaos

Um. Well. You can’t see if very well, huh? But you get the idea!

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment below stating that you are entering the contest. Leave your comments by 7 pm CST, Monday, November 7. CONTEST CLOSED.
  • By entering the contest, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
  • Cats not included in prize.
  • 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.
  • This contest is US only, due to shipping costs. Sorry. 🙁
Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Across the East River Bridge by Kate McMurray [CONTEST CLOSED]

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Many thanks to Kate McMurray for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m paranormal romance, Across the East River Bridge, for a lucky commenter to win! Across the East River Bridge will be released by Loose Id on October 11.

When Finn’s boss sends him to a museum in Brooklyn, the last person he expects to see is his old rival, Troy. Finn still blames Troy for sending his career off the rails, but Troy has research Finn needs. Troy also has an intriguing story; the museum he curates is haunted by the ghosts of two men who died under mysterious circumstances in 1878. Troy strikes a deal: he’ll help Finn if Finn helps him find out what happened to the men who died.

From diaries, police reports, and newspaper articles, Finn and Troy piece together the lives of the two dead men – and the romance that bloomed between them – and it becomes clear that the men were murdered. It also becomes clear that the ghosts are real and are capable of manipulating the dreams, thoughts, and actions of the living. When Finn and Troy start falling for each other, Finn worries that it’s all an illusion concocted by the ghosts to keep them working together to solve the mystery, but Troy is convinced the love between them is real. But how can he get rid of a couple of ghosts and prove it?

Book Trailer (and additional info)

Other Books

About Kate

Kate McMurray is a nonfiction editor by day. Among other things, Kate is crafty (mostly knitting and sewing, but she also wields power tools), she plays the violin, she has an English degree, and she is maybe a little obsessed with baseball. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. You can find out more about Kate at her website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Monday, October 10. (More or less – I’ll be on the road, so if you can still leave a comment on this post, you can still enter the contest.)
  • 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, I am not broken! I am perfect!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Limber linkity learns better

25 Comments

Congrats to Jennifer, who won Packing Leather (Sun, Sea & Submission #1) by Kim Dare! (I never heard back from the original winner, so…)

Congrats to Maya, who won Ashton and Justice by Stephani Hecht! Ashton and Justice will be released by Amber Allure on August 7.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Cookity

Drinkity

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
His Faithful Servant (Knight Errant #2) by KD Sarge. ebook. Excellent m/m scifi romance continuing the story of Taro and Rafe as they leave Taro’s sister’s ship in order to make their own way. While Knight Errant was told from Taro’s point-of-view, this one’s told from Rafe’s… and he’s not quite as focused as Taro. 🙂
Gathering Storm by Lyn Gala. ebook. Excellent kinky m/m romance about the submissive son of a wealthy man who’s been fascinated by one of his instructors since he was in military school several years before. But in his insecurity and neediness after not getting what he wants, he makes a very poor decision… that could cost him his life.
Swept Away by Sloan Parker. free ebook short. Excellent free short m/m romance about lawyer, part of a couple who’ve celebrated their anniversary the same way for 15 years, who’s dreading this year’s anniversary celebration.
Surrender by K. Piet. ebook short. Very good kinky m/m short about a Dom who finds himself very drawn to another Dom doing a public scene at a club party… and then finds his core assumptions about himself challenged. If you’ve ever been annoyed by a smug Dom story, you’ll appreciate this chance to see a smug Dom shaken to his core. 🙂
Blind Items by Kate McMurray. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a liberal gay journalist who finds himself attracted to and then involved with the deeply closeted son of an ultra-conservative, anti-gay Senator running for President. Since he’s not willing to go back into the closet and the Senator’s son is too terrified to come out… The only thing I didn’t like about this one was the somewhat abrupt ending, although I appreciated that there wasn’t an epilogue. Perhaps a sequel? 🙂
Wanting by Piper Vaughn. free ebook short. Very good free short m/m romance about college student Laurie who’s taken by surprise when his best friend’s younger (18-year old) brother informs him that he wants Laurie to take his virginity.
Hourglass by Jane Davitt. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a Hollywood producer whose 11-year old daughter falls in love with his tv series Hourglass, which only lasted two seasons, ten years ago. Under pressure, he agrees to make a follow-up movie, then has to get the estranged stars to agree to be in it… and hope that they’ll get over hating each other and recapture some of their previous chemistry.
Prise de Fer by AR Moler. ebook short. Very good short m/m paranormal romance about a chemistry professor who’s attracted to one of his former students, with no clue that the student is a werewolf. And there’s fencing in this story, which was a fun flashback.
Hanging Loose by Lou Harper. ebook. Good m/m romance about a straight guy from the Midwest who moves to LA after college to escape winter. When he ends up stranded overnight at Venice Beach, a friendly surfer gives him a place to sleep for the night and changes his life.
Appearing Knightly by JM Cartwright. free ebook short. Fun short free m/m story about Batman rescuing a naked guy and being strangely excited by him…
Packing Leather (Sun, Sea & Submission #1) by Kim Dare. ebook short. Good kinky short m/m romance about a guy who wins a weekend away at an exclusive resort and invites his office mate to join him.
Modeling Death (Hidden Magic #2) by Amber Kell. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a centuries-old wizard who runs into a model at a club and realizes the model is his fated mate. Too bad someone’s out there, killing models…
Hitting It Big by Shawn Lane. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about Billy, whose brother drags him to a party celebrating his brother’s friend Mitch winning the lottery… Mitch, the guy to whom Billy lost his virginity to years ago in a one night stand. I had a couple of niggles about this one.
CatNap (Middlemarch Mates #8) by Shelley Munro. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about an amnesiac tiger shifter who’s rescued by two other tiger shifters (brother and sister) and becomes part of their family. But what if his bloody, fragmented dreams are actual memories?
Del Fantasma: Toasted Almond by Sharon Maria Bidwell. ebook short. Ok short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who always feels cold arriving at the bar Del Fantasma and running into a guy who suddenly makes him feel warm. I found the writing frustratingly dense.

“Why do you say I have anime eyes, Mom? I have Mayhem eyes!!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Blind Items by Kate McMurray [CONTEST CLOSED]

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Congrats to Rogier, who won Momentos: Mick’s Journey (Loving Edits #3) by Mickie B. Ashling! Momentos: Mick’s Journey was released by Dreamspinner Press on July 18.

Many thanks to Kate McMurray for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m romance, Blind Items, for a lucky commenter to win! Blind Items will be released by Dreamspinner Press on July 29.

Columnist Drew Walsh made his career by publicly criticizing conservative, anti-gay politician Richard Granger. So when a rumor surfaces that Granger’s son Jonathan might be gay, Drew finds himself in the middle of a potential scandal. Under the guise of an interview about Jonathan’s new job teaching in an inner-city school, Drew’s job is to find out if the rumors are true. Drew’s best friend Rey is also Jonathan’s cousin, and he arranges the meeting between Jonathan and Drew that changes everything.

After just one interview, it’s obvious to Drew that the rumors are true, but he carefully neglects to mention that in his article. It’s also obvious that he’s falling for Jonathan, and he can’t stay away after the article is published. Still, Jonathan is too afraid to step out of the closet, and Drew thinks the smartest thing might be to let him go – until Jonathan shows up drunk one night at his apartment. The slow burn of their attraction doesn’t fade with Jonathan’s buzz, but navigating a relationship is never easy – especially in the shadow of right-wing politics.

Excerpt

Other Books

About Kate

Kate McMurray is a nonfiction editor by day. Among other things, Kate is crafty (mostly knitting and sewing, but she also wields power tools), she plays the violin, she has an English degree, and she is maybe a little obsessed with baseball. She lives in Brooklyn, NY. You can find out more about Kate at her website, on Facebook, and on Twitter.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Thursday, July 28.
  • 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!

“I’m hot and miserable. Woe!” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity for the snowy first week of spring

31 Comments

Congrats to Nikyta, who won Looking for Adventure by Valentina Heart!

Congrats to Sandy Jay, who won Wrong Number, Right Guy by Mia Watts! Wrong Number, Right Guy will be released by Amber Allure on March 27.

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

Make, Think, Do, Learn, Help

Crafty

Cookity

Cool

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
The Morning Star (Shadow of the Templar, Book 1) by M. Chandler. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense, heavier on the suspense than the romance, about an FBI agent and an elusive jewel thief. I’ve definitely read books that cost a lot more than this ($0.95) that weren’t anywhere near as good! Also, make yourself a post-it to keep track of the team’s names and codenames – thanks for the tip, Kassa!
Double Down (Shadow of the Templar, Book 2) by M. Chandler. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about a jewel thief who’s hired by the FBI to help solve a string of industrial prototype heists by someone with a style eerily similar to his…
With a Bullet (Shadow of the Templar, Book 3) by M. Chandler. ebook. Excellent m/m romantic suspense in which an old enemy gets out of jail and comes after the team. Each book in this series is a bit longer… I stayed up until 2:30 am because I had to finish this one.
High Fidelity (Shadow of the Templar, Book 4) by M. Chandler. ebook. Excellent m/m romantic suspense in which our FBI agent ends up in his jewel thief’s world for a while. I cried an awful lot near the end, even though I was pretty sure it would turn out ok, and stayed up to late because I absolutely had to finish. While I had a complete immersion experience in this series and it just really worked for me, that’s not the case for everyone – check out the discussion on Kassa’s Goodreads review of The Morning Star for another perspective.
Assorted Shadow of the Templar free fiction that fits before, during, and after the four main books.
With Abandon (With or Without, Book 4) by J.L. Langley. ebook. Pretty good, yet somewhat disappointing paranormal m/m romance about a closeted alpha werewolf who’s convinced himself that he can secretly enjoy his male mate for a few years, then let him go with no one the wiser. I never warmed to the alpha… and there was a stalker, which is what, the second or third in this series already?! Definitely time to find something else to add external tension.
The Boy Next Door by Kate McMurray. ebook. Good m/m romance about a designer who moves from NYC back to his small Connecticut hometown to keep an eye on his mom after his dad dies. He discovers that the house he just bought is next door to the guy he had a crush on in high school, who’s now divorced with a six-year old daughter.
Two-Man Advantage (Seattle Marauders, Book 1) by Riley Shane. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a guy who gets dumped via text message as he’s supposed to be heading off on a romantic weekend getaway with his boyfriend. Going on his own, he discovers there’s a naked man asleep in the bed in his cabin. This story suffers from insta-love, and perhaps got some of its inspiration from Ethan Day’s Sno Ho…

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Bountiful linkity abounds

38 Comments

Thank you all so much for the birthday wishes on Wednesday! 🙂

Contests

Bookity

Ebookity

  • It’s now possible to autograph ebooks! As someone who would prefer to only procure ebooks, I’ve had to continue buying paper books when it’s something I’d like signed – so I hope the technology is adopted.

Learn, Make, Think, Do

Linkity Peeps

Thanksgiving

Pottermania

Gift Ideas

Cool

Huh

LOL

  • Kitties in sweaters… but no photos of the injuries the owners sustained because of said sweaters.

Teh Cute

Reading Update
His for the Holidays by L.B. Gregg, Harper Fox, Z.A. Maxfield, & Josh Lanyon. ebook advance review copy. Excellent collection of four m/m holiday romances. From LB Gregg’s trademark madcap romp to Harper Fox’s angst-filled tale of a detective inspector possibly beyond redemption, each story shines. Highly recommended and very satisfying read.
Kindling Fire with Snow by Kate McMurray. ebook. Very good short m/m romance about two guys, who’d been each others first boyfriends in high school, who run into each other at a bar during a blizzard and have the chance to reconnect.
Handcuffs and Trouble (Rawlings Men, Book 4) by Kim Dare. ebook. Good kinky m/m romance about a rookie constable who thinks he must be getting hazed or something when he ends up in a dangerous dive bar with no idea who he’s supposed to find. Good thing he’s found first. 🙂
A Realistic Romance by Andi Anderson. ebook. Good m/m romance about a closeted rock star who agrees under duress to be on a reality tv show to help bolster his faltering career, but is alarmed to discover that the guy he’ll be sharing a small cabin with is very cute and very out. A little bit more editing attention would really have helped this book a lot.
Friday Night Jamie by Bren Christopher. ebook. Good m/m romance (that turns into romantic suspense along the way) about an accountant from a rough background who works diligently during the week, then goes out to pick up a different guy every Friday night.
A Tempting Distraction (Lost Shifters, Book 7) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about Owen, a tiger shifter who was rescued in the previous book and is trying to adjust to life in the Coalition, where he’s not trusted because of his criminal past.
Pride and Joey by Devon Rhodes. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a gay lion shifter, hiding his nature from his pride and its homophobic alpha, when he runs across a tranqed cougar shifter. Hopefully Devon will write a bit more in this world!
Once Upon a Dragon by Jambrea Jo Jones. free ebook short. Cute free short m/m fairy tale reminiscent of Sleeping Beauty, with dragon shifters thrown in to make things more interesting.
Twenty Years Until Yes by Cindy Rosenthal. ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about a long-term couple that takes place in three parts (1984, 1994, and 2004), following changing attitudes about gay couples.
The Hitch-Hiker (The Tomcat Line, Book 1) by Stevie Woods. ebook. Ok m/m romantic suspense about an archeologist who’s made a huge discovery and is now on the run from his jealous colleagues looking to claim the glory for themselves. When he hitches a ride with a handsome trucker, neither of them has any idea what’s ahead of them.
The Lost Temple (The Tomcat Line, Book 2) by Stevie Woods. ebook. Ok m/m romantic suspense continuing the adventures of our trucker and our archeologist/professor. Think gay Indiana Jones, plus bonus stalker. 🙂
Halfway by K.I.L. Kenny. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a college student who’s in the process of pledging the same frat his dad had been in. He falls for a crossdressing townie, but his status in the frat causes problems. Be prepared for an abrupt HFN (I guess) ending and a bit of a plot hole.
Use Your Illusion by Jade Falconer. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about a college student with a crush on a straight jock who doesn’t know he exists. (Wait, what are the odds of reading two books about college students and crossdressing in the same week?)
The Rosebud by M. Raiya. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Very good short m/m romance about a guy who can heal with touch… but at a personal cost that’s kept him on the road for years.
Going Home by C.B. Conwy. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Very good short m/m romance about a guy who’s been staying at home in the States while his boyfriend works throughout the world, providing medical aid. But now the distance thing isn’t working so well anymore…
The Pavilion by Tracy Rowan. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Good m/m romance about a British doctor who shuts down emotionally and moves to the US after his lover dies.
The Boyfriend Line by Avery Zeno. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Very good short m/m romance about a guy who’s just learned that he might have cancer, but isn’t sure he should discuss it with his “friend with benefits” since it might be crossing “the boyfriend line.”
Take It Slow by Taylor Lochland. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Good short m/m romance about an injured runner who finds himself very attracted to the orthopedic specialist.
Have Hope by Emily Moreton. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Decent short m/m story about a double agent whose current mission does not go at all as planned. Be aware that this has no HEA or even HFN.
Ask the Fire by Dennis Paddie. ebook. I think this was spy thriller with delusions of literary grandeur… Trying to read it hurt my brain – I made it through the Prologue and a chunk of the first chapter, but I just couldn’t wade through the byzantine language and plot any more. DNF.

“Remember, Mayhem, if we don’t make eye contact with Mom, we can’t actually be in trouble for being on the table.” -Chaos

“Lalalalalala, I can’t see you, Mom!” -Mayhem

Contests, Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

In which the linkity thing gets incredibly out of hand (yes, even more so than usual)

39 Comments

Congrats to Nancy, who won the copy of Stephani Hecht’s Man Down (which was released today)!

Contests

Reading & Books & Lions, Oh My! (Ok, I made up the lions bit)

  • All sorts of book news, interview links, new release info, and more: Lily (m/m romance), SciFiGuy (urban fantasy, paranormal romance, etc),  Literary Escapism (urban fantasy, paranormal romance), Smexy Books (contemporary & paranormal romance), and Katiebabs (assorted romance genres).

Learn Things, Make Things, Do Things

  • Have you voted in the Webbys yet? Goodreads is nominated in Websites – Connections – Social Networking… and voting closes April 29. Thanks for the heads up, Ralph!

Things That Made Me Happy or Amused Me

  • Colin. Really. You must read it.
  • Oh, Hyberbole and a Half, how I do love thee! Favorite recent quote: “As a grammatically conscientious person who frequents internet forums and YouTube, I have found it necessary to develop a few coping mechanisms.”

Ewww

Squee!

Reading Update
The Prayer Waltz by K.Z. Snow. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a writer who returns to the Wisconsin town in which his lover had been a priest (before he left the church), looking for understanding and closure, but finding so much more. A gorgeous and highly recommended read.
The Darkling Thrush by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Very good m/m fantasy romance about a finder of magickal books who’s interning in England from the American Confederation and gets drawn into something more complex than he realizes. I did spend the first quarter of the book with my usual “I am reading a fantasy” frustration of trying to remember all the specialized details, but I enjoyed the story enough that I got beyond that. Recommended.
Colliding in Free Fall by Vivien Dean. ebook. Good m/m romance about a closeted Midwestern firefighter who, in his early 40s, wants to keep doing his job, no matter what the doctor thinks.
Of the Clan O’Grady by A.M. Riley. ebook. Good m/m urban fantasy about the (male) banshee of the Clan O’Grady who befriends a naive young fae lost in New York City.
Son of a Gun by A.M. Riley. ebook. Very good m/m romantic suspense about a writer who returns to the small Texas town where he grew up. He’s there for the funeral of his best friend, but why won’t anyone give him a straight answer about what happened? Highly recommended.
The Nest by G.S. Wiley. ebook. Good m/m romance about a young man struggling to take care of his three younger siblings and keep them out of the hands of Social Services while living on the wrong side of the tracks.
Mightier (The Seven of Swords) by G.S. Wiley. ebook short. Good m/m romance about a writer who’s staying at a friend’s Irish cottage trying to get past his writer’s block.
Heart Song by Sara Bell. ebook short. Nicely done m/m romance about a guitar player who’s forcibly outed and the impact it has on the rest of the band. What I really like about Sara Bell? She can write a sweet story without making it sappy.
The Lovers by Sara Bell. Another good m/m romance from Sara Bell about a soap opera star whose drug addict mother threatens to out him unless he pays her off (again).
Making Lemonade by T.C. Blue. ebook. A sweet m/m romance about a guy whose partner just died, but whose blossoming friendship with his partner’s nephew helps ease his grief.
In Hot Pursuit by Kate McMurray. ebook. Good m/m romantic suspense about a closeted NYPD cop, whose boyfriend was killed by a shot meant for him and who has been working too much in the years since then, is sent by his captain to a timeshare in Tampa on vacation to avoid burnout. Oh, the excitement he finds on his vacation…
Lynx by Joely Skye. ebook. Pretty good paranormal m/m romance about Trey, a werewolf who hides his nature and works for a blacks ops group in the US government. When running as a wolf in the Canadian Shield, he encounters a giant lynx shifter, and life will never be the same for either of them. While I enjoyed this book, I had trouble with how large, critical parts of it occurred offsides… and it distanced me from the story. The author’s note at the end of Lynx actually explains the offsides bit. Trey has been in Skye’s books Monster, Zombie, Minder, Marked, Feral, and The Strength of the Wolf and it was finally time for his story. Since Lynx was occurring at the same time as those books, with much of the critical stuff happening in other books, it ends up being sort of an odd read.
Bi Now, Gay Later (Perfect Timing, Book 5) by Kim Dare. ebook. Good m/m romance about a dominant who doesn’t believe that bisexuality exists, which causes a problem for his bisexual submissive.
Sandalwood and a Potato by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde. Enjoyable m/m romance about two guys who work at a mall – one owns a New Age shop and the other’s a banker who’s sworn off relationships. The best part? Finding out how the potato fit into the story!
Finding Chandler (free), A Test of Love, Switching Gears, and Stardust (The Solitary Knights of Pelham Bay, Books 1-4) by Claire Thompson. ebooks. These m/m romances are decent reads and remind me quite a bit of a Carol Lynne series. The Solitary Knights of Pelham Bay are a group of extremely cynical guys who’d given up on love and get together to bitch and moan about fools who believe in love. Then the bartender issues them a challenge…
Balance by Zahra Owens. ebook. So-so m/m romance about a desk jockey whose fascination for being tied up leads him to an introductory session at a kinky club, at which he meets a very intriguing tattoo artist.
Devil and the Deep Blue Sea by M. King. ebook. Interesting m/m romance about a guy working in advertising who becomes involved with a guy who works in the adult film industry. Usually this particular dynamic feels completely unrealistic to me, but in this book, it felt more plausible because it addressed the emotional complexity of the situation.
The Perfect Pumpkin Pie by Aaron Michaels. ebook. Cute m/m romance about a guy whose obsessive roommate keeps sending him to the store for very specific items – good thing the assistant manager of the store is so helpful, hmm?
Finding the Words by Terry O’Reilly. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a speech therapist who finds himself increasingly drawn to one of his patients.
One Good Turn (Turner & Turner, Book 1) by Amber Green. ebook. M/m romantic suspense that’s really too complicated for me to even attempt summing up. Not sure if it was my state of mind while I was reading or what, but this felt disjointed. Plus I really disliked the abrupt ending – I think this book needed to be longer or more tightly edited or both. (Yes, very good, that is Candy Cane Guy with the smiley face!)
Never Say Goodbye (Slippery When Wet, Book 3) by Jenna Byrnes. ebook. Ok m/m romance about an ex-con who’s been hired as a live-in lover by a wealthy and unscrupulous man. Had the insta-love thing, which is never a favorite of mine.

*bathing in the sunshine sounds* -Chaos