Category Archives: Reading

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity’ll larn you

8 Comments

Congrats to Angela, who won Flashbulb (Flight HA1710 #3) by Clare London!

Randonymity

Bookity

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Cookity

Gluten Free

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
Art Journal Art Journey: Collage and Storytelling for Honoring Your Creative Process by Nichole Rae. Ok book probably best suited for someone getting started with art journaling who prefers a minimalist text and photograph style without much additional color. (So, not me.)
Bury Your Dead (Three Pines #6) by Louise Penny. The series continues with this slow-building story about fallibility, the power the past holds, and healing.
The Hangman (Three Pines #6.5) by Louise Penny. This novella was written for a series of books for Canadian adults with reading difficulties. So the fact that it isn’t written in Penny’s usual style and that it could be set at almost any time during the series makes a lot more sense now. Feel free to skip this novella entirely.
A Trick of the Light (Three Pines #7) by Louise Penny. This installment suggests there’s a lot of personal and emotional trauma coming in Book 8 for many of the main characters. I’m already feeling anxious about it! 🙁

“Can’t I be melted in peace, Mom?” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook giveaway: Dancing Days by Clare London [CONTEST CLOSED]

16 Comments

Congrats to Anke, who won Mapping the Shadows by Becky Black!

Many thanks to Clare London for donating an ebook copy of her recently released m/m romance, Dancing Days, for a lucky commenter to win!

The day Glen Carson loses his wallet is the day that changes his life. The wallet is returned by Aston Walsh, a man he hasn’t seen for twenty years. He and Aston had a passionate and intense romance when they were in their late twenties, and Glen thought their love would last forever. But his dreams were horribly shattered by a shocking confession from Aston, and they parted for good – or so Glen assumed. Now, two decades later, they’ve lived many years apart, created new histories, and built successful lives. Yet the spark between them is still there. Aston wants a second chance with Glen, but Glen is more cautious this time around. He has to decide if Aston’s regret is genuine, and if surrendering his heart to Aston again is worth the risk.

A story from the Dreamspinner Press 2015 Daily Dose package “Never Too Late.”

Excerpt (scroll down)

Other Books by Clare

About Clare

Clare London took her pen name 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 her other 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 three 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, Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment below stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Friday, July 17.
  • 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!

“What? Fighting? Us?!?!?” -Chaos & Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity hates trying to figure out if that was a firework or a gunshot

10 Comments

Randonymity

  • Tiny (the journal is 3″ x 5″) composition book stamped journal page:

  • Bright journal page:

  • Watery journal page:

Contest(s)

Bookity

Think, Learn, Do, Make

Cookity

Gluten Free

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
The Brutal Telling (Three Pines #5) by Louise Penny. Very good mystery which really shakes things up in Three Pines! 😮

“I disapprove of the number of pillows on this couch, as they greatly reduce the amount of space I have to sprawl out.” -Chaos

Contests, Reading

Ebook giveaway: Flashbulb (Flight HA1710 #3) by Clare London [CONTEST CLOSED]

16 Comments

Congrats to Emese, who won Played! (The Shamwell Tales #2) by JL Merrow! Played! is being released by Samhain Publishing today.

Many thanks to Clare London for donating an ebook copy of her freshly released m/m romance, Flashbulb (Flight HA1710 #3), for a lucky commenter to win!

Blythe Harris was taking his first flight to the USA and hopefully a whole new client base for his bespoke upholstery business. An adventure for him, he was both nervous and excited to attract the attention of a handsome steward. Things might have gone further – if Flight HA1710 hadn’t failed.

Marc Stafford is a self-confessed player, and he used his charm to seduce his cute passenger. But in the aftermath of the crash, he’s struggling to recover his confidence. The TV declares him a hero for saving passengers, but at night his nightmares trigger painful flashbulb memories of the crash.

In an Irish hospital, Bly realises that although his broken leg will recover, his career may not. And in Chicago, Marc can’t face returning to work. Neither of them can shake off the memory of their brief, sexy encounter. Both of them need to be with someone who understands exactly what they’ve been through. And on a middle ground they can make all their own.

Excerpt (scroll down)

Other Books by Clare

About Clare

Clare London took her pen name 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 her other 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 three 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, Facebook, Twitter, and GoodReads.

Contest Rules

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

“I demand treats and I demand them now, dammit!!!!!!!!” -Chaos

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Part the 241st (The return of the return of the return of Prison Stripes Guy)

8 Comments

Welcome to another edition of the Misadventures in Stock Photography! Today we’ll be catching up with Prison Stripes Guy… AGAIN. Thanks to everyone who sent me links to covers! 🙂 And don’t forget that you can hover your cursor over the cover (or long-press on the cover if you’re mobile) to see how I used the title in the Misadventure.

With

for the day, as

in the canyon below him,

is

and that

he’d met while

, then challenged to a

playing

.

Only a leeeetle bit convoluted, right?! RIGHT??? 😉

“It was so nice when there weren’t any naughty boys last week. Alas, they have returned.” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity warns of melted cats on the floor

6 Comments

Randonymity

Contest(s)

Bookity

Think, Do, Make, Learn

Cookity

Gluten Free

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
A Rule Against Murder (Three Pines #4) by Louise Penny. Good continuation of the series – the Chief Inspector and his wife are staying at a lodge to celebrate their anniversary when death visits the unhappy family reunion also at the lodge.
Aspertools: The Practical Guide for Understanding and Embracing Asperger’s, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and Neurodiversity by Harold S. Reitman. DNF @ 33%. I really wanted to like this book. I liked some of the information in it, but unfortunately I found the author’s style too annoying to continue reading. YMMV.
Doodles Unleashed: Mixed-Media Techniques for Doodling, Mark-Making and Lettering by Traci Bautista. DNF at 43%. Maybe the formatting of the ebook made this seem kind of chaotic? Maybe the paper book is less a nonstop and thus somewhat overwhelming list of prompts? YMMV.

“BoredBoredBoredBoredBoredBoredBoredBoredBoredBoredBoredBored…” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook giveaway: Mapping the Shadows by Becky Black [CONTEST CLOSED]

21 Comments

Many thanks to Becky Black for donating an ebook copy of her freshly released m/m science fiction romance, Mapping the Shadows, for a lucky commenter to win!

Ash Bowman is lost. Two years ago he and his cop partner, Evelyn, walked in on a murder in progress that left her dead and him maimed. He left the force and became a private investigator, but business is suffering because of his obsession with mapping the Core of the space station Fraxin Yari, where Evelyn’s ghost haunts him as he prowls the dark corridors.

Journalist Gabe Whitfield is on a mission to learn the truth behind that same murder. He doesn’t expect to stay on Frax after he finishes the job. But meeting Ash Bowman changes his plans. He came to the station a man without ties. He isn’t going to leave the same way.

Despite initially mistrusting him, Ash can’t resist his attraction to the fiery Gabe. Gabe responds, though knows he shouldn’t when Ash is one of the subjects of his investigation. But they come to trust each other and join forces to find the answers Ash had almost forgotten he was still seeking. If they are to have any chance of happiness, Gabe must help Ash lay the ghosts calling him back again and again to the deep darkness of the Core.

Excerpt (scroll down and select “Excerpt” tab)

Becky talks about the history of Mapping the Shadows.

Other Books

About Becky

A long time science fiction fan, Becky thinks there are few story ideas that can’t be improved by the addition of the words “in space”. If the story also includes two gorgeous men unable to keep their hands off each other then so much the better. She’d happily go into space herself, but being English would insist on there being a reliable supply of tea available.

She likes nothing more than trapping her characters in tricky no-win situations and watching them figure a way out. When not chasing her characters up trees and throwing rocks at them Becky can be found working in an office – where she’s usually thinking about the next rock to throw.

You can find out more about Becky and her books at her blog, Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Monday, July 6.
  • 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!

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

In which linkity suffers a fortunately non-fatal cute burn

6 Comments

Congrats to Courtney S, who won Collusion (Diversion #2) (2nd ed) by Eden Winters! Collusion will be released by Rocky Ridge Books on June 20.

Contest(s)

Bookity

Think, Learn, Make, Do

Cookity

Gluten Free

Crafty

Cool

Cool or Wha…?

Wha…?

LOL

Teh Cute

Reading Update
No Excuses Art Journaling: Making Time for Creativity by Gina Rossi Armfield. So-so – perfect if you’re looking for a very structured approach to art journaling at $50-$97/year. No thanks, although I did enjoy some of the sample journal pages in the book.
A Fatal Grace (Three Pines #2) by Louise Penny. Very good continuation of this series. The Chief Inspector and his team return to the magical village of Three Pines, where a nasty interloper has been murdered. Lots of setup for the next book, too – have I mentioned how much I hate foreshadowing?!
The Cruelest Month (Three Pines #3) by Louise Penny. Good mystery continuing the series with a return to Three Pines after someone dies at a seance. All the foreshadowing from the previous book culminated near the end of this one, but felt a bit too pat.

*being adorable* -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook giveaway: Played! (The Shamwell Tales #2) by JL Merrow [CONTEST CLOSED]

57 Comments

Many thanks to JL Merrow for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m romance, Played! (The Shamwell Tales #2), for a lucky commenter to win! Played! will be released by Samhain Publishing on June 30.

Tristan’s in Shamwell for one last summer of freedom before he joins the family firm in New York – no more farting around on stage, as his father puts it. But the classically trained actor can’t resist when members of the local amateur dramatics society beg him to take a role in their production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Especially as he’ll also be giving private acting lessons to gorgeous local handyman, Con, who’s been curiously resistant to Tristan’s advances. Tristan’s determined to get Con in his bed – not only is the man delicious, there’s fifty pounds riding on Tristan’s success after a bet made with his drama school chum Amanda.

Con’s never dared to act before. A late-diagnosed dyslexic who had a hard time at school, he’s always been convinced he’d never be able to learn his lines – but with Tristan helping him, he might just be in with a chance. Trouble is, the last time Con fell for a guy, he ended up getting his heart broken, and with Tristan due to leave the country in a matter of months, Con’s determined not to give in and start anything that’s bound to finish badly.

Just as Tristan thinks he’s finally won Con’s heart – and given his own in return – disaster strikes. And the curtain may have fallen forever on their chance of happiness.

Warning: contains a surfeit of Bottoms and asses, together with enough mangled quotations to have the Bard of Avon gyrating in his grave.

Excerpt (scroll down and select Sneak Peek)

Other Books

About JL

JL Merrow is that rare beast: an English person who refuses to drink tea.  Having grown up by the seaside, she also loathes fish and chips.  She read Natural Sciences at Cambridge, where she learned many things, chief amongst which was that she never wanted to see the inside of a lab ever again.  Her one regret is that she never mastered the ability of punting one-handed whilst holding a glass of champagne. She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporaries and the paranormal, and is frequently accused of humour. You can find out more about JL at her website, blog, Facebook, Goodreads, and Amazon.

Contest Rules

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

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Covers, Reading

Misadventures in Stock Photography: Part the 240th (Possibly Passing Out Guy)

8 Comments

Congrats to MarMight, who won The Champion’s Secret (Red Dragon #4) by Becky Black!

Welcome to another edition of the Misadventures in Stock Photography! Today we’ll be meeting Possibly Passing Out Guy (PPOG).

Once upon a time, there was a

who had

: “Everything, everywhere, was really

, and all of it will be my

because I am actually an ancient

!”

Well then.

*Judging Eye of Judginess* -Mayhem

I think Amazon’s Minions box is quite flattering to Ms Mayhem, judging or not!