Reading Update
Hockey fics. No surprise there. 🙂
Dead in LA (LA Paranormal 1 & 2) by Lou Harper. ebook. arc. Solid m/m paranormal romantic suspense about a prickly former construction worker who’s going back to school and advertises for a roommate. He really doesn’t expect to end up with an actually psychic roommate… or one he finds attractive. Looking forward to more in this series!
Inseparable by Chris Scully. ebook. Sweet holiday m/m romance about a guy who’s been hit by a car and wakes up in the hospital with amnesia and a guy who says they’re just friends, even though that doesn’t feel right.
Soups and Diners by Alex Whitehall. ebook short. arc. Good short m/m holiday romance about two refugees from a wedding reception who run into each other in a late night diner.

“Wait, wha….? Why were you taking my picture while I was asleep, Mom?!” -Chaos

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Last Stop by Lou Harper [CONTEST CLOSED]

May 31, 2012 Chris 72 Comments

Many thanks to Lou Harper for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming m/m romantic suspense, Last Stop, for a lucky commenter to win!Â Last Stop will be released on June 12 by Samhain Publishing.

When love drifts into his life, danger isn’t far behind.

Sam Mayne’s life is as dull as the dishwater in his small-town Montana diner, and that’s just how he wants it. Quiet, uneventful, safe from his shadowy past. The breezy young drifter who answers his help-wanted ad makes him uneasy in ways he dare not examine too closely. Except he can’t help but be pulled in by Jay Colby’s spunky attitude, endless stories, and undeniable sex appeal.

Fresh off yet another romantic disaster, Jay doesn’t understand his attraction to the taciturn line cook, but there’s no fighting the chemistry that lands them in bed together. Where Sam’s subtly dominant streak takes command, and Jay delights in discovering the pleasures of his submissive side.

Safe in the assumption their relationship is temporary, neither lover holds back when the heat is on. Until Sam’s deadly past catches up with them with a vengeance, forcing him to drop the life he’s built, pick up his lover, and run. As danger cuts closer to the bone, Sam and Jay are forced to face the truth. About themselves, about the depth of their love – and the newly forged bonds that are about to be tested to the limit.

Product Warnings
Contains enough sparks to ignite a sexual fire, ably fanned by the judicious use of some interesting props, as well as some butt-warming spanking. Sizzzzle.

Excerpt (scroll down and select tab)

Louâ€™s Other Books

About Lou

Under a prickly, cynical surface Lou Harper is an incorrigible romantic. Her love affair with the written word started at a tender age. There was never a time when stories werenâ€™t romping around in her head. She is currently embroiled in a ruinous romance with adjectives. In her free time Lou stalks deviant words and feral narratives.

Louâ€™s favorite animal is the hedgehog. She likes nature, books, movies, photography, and good food. She has a temper and mood swings.

Lou has misspent most of her life in parts of Europe and the US, but is now firmly settled in Los Angeles and worships the sun. However, she thinks the ocean smells funny. Lou is a loner, a misfit, and a happy drunk. You can find out more about Lou and her books at her website, her blog, and Goodreads.

Contest Rules

To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Monday, June 11.
By entering the contest, youâ€™re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
If you havenâ€™t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesnâ€™t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entryâ€¦
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 â€“ this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
Winners will be selected by random number.
You must leave a valid email address in the â€œEmailâ€ portion of the comment form.
Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
I am not able to reliably contact people with aol.com and netscape.com email addresses â€“ please use a different email address if at all possible!
If a winner doesnâ€™t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
If you win, please respect the authorâ€™s intellectual property and donâ€™t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
This contest is open worldwide!

“What is it now, Mom?! Once again, trying to sleep…” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity welcomes melted kitty season

May 18, 2012 Chris 19 Comments

Congrats to Mary F, who won her choice of Ervinâ€™s Dilemma (Wayne County Wolves #1) by Stephani Hecht or The Helpful Swan (The Cob Brothers #3) by Amber Kell and Stephani Hecht!

Congrats to Michelle, CursingMama, and Tracey D, who won King Perry by Edmond Manning!

Congrats to Peggy C, who won Still Waters (Sanctuary #4) by RJ Scott!Â Still Waters will be released by Silver Publishing onÂ May 19.

Congrats to Paula S, who won her choice of More Than Pride (Supernatural Mates #6) or Switching Payne by Amber Kell! Switching Payne will be released by Silver Publishing on May 19 and More Than Pride will be released by Total-E-Bound on May 28.

Contests

Joyfully Jay’s giving away an ebook from Cat Grant’s backlist. Contest closes 11:59 pm EDT, May 18.

Joder’s also giving away an ebook from Cat Grant’s backlist. Contest closes 11:59 pm CDT, May 18.

Joder’s giving away an ebook copy of Staring into the Eyes of Chance by Kay Dee Royal. Contest closes 11:59 pm CDT, May 23.

Bookity

New releases and more: Literary Escapism (PNR/UF) and Book Lovers Inc (romance of various sorts).

Book and publishing news from Dear Author.

Dear Author on why copyright terms should be shorter.

A new study suggests that Amazon reviews are as accurate as those by “professional” reviewers. Think about that the next time you see an author melting down about a negative review on GRs or Amazon and decrying the review because it’s not from a “professional”. 🙂

Household tips and recipes of famous authors from Brain Pickings. (via Largehearted Boy)

If you’re trying to spark your creativity and write more, check out 750words.com. (via Chrissy Munder)

Writing, publishing, and marketing – life as a self-published author.

Jordan Castillo Price shows how a book cover is put together from stock photography.

Becky Black with some reasons for authors to be on Twitter.

15 favorite GLBT romances from LoveRomancePassion.

Stephen King is writing a sequel to The Shining.

Very cool book sculptures in a small Swiss village. (Thanks, Juni!)

Birth of a book infographic.

Better book title for The Mill on the Floss.

Behind every great novelist is…

Ebookity

Infographic that provides an overview of ebook antitrust lawsuits worldwide.

Dear Author has an update on the DoJ lawsuit.

Do writers feel as if they need to write more/faster because of ebooks?

Do, Think, Make, Learn

All about introverts. This quote sums us up perfectly: “…introverts are people who find other people tiring.” (Thanks, Edmond!)

10 cat facts you may not know. (Thanks, Stephani!)

The statues on Easter Island have bodies. (via The Mary Sue)

Gem corn and genetics. (Thanks, Bron!)

If you’re prone to heart problems, you might want to avoid Zithromax.

New research suggests that coffee drinkers (serious ones) live longer.

What lies does everyone tell on dating sites?

Huh. Well, this might explain why women date jerks – but why do guys date jerks? (Baddest Santa Guy is in the featured photo!)

The history of the vibrator…

There’s not really a lot of water on our planet.

Cookity

15 slow cooker recipes.

14 recipes with six ingredients (plus salt).

10 spring slow cooker recipes.

10 light spring soups.

10 vegan dinners.

10 recipes that will leave you with plenty of leftovers.

10 recipes for take-out foods at home.

10 beet recipes.

10 tasty ways to cook chicken.

7 light meals.

5 more ways to use up leftovers.

Five-ingredient chili.

Cambodian-style spring rolls.

Vegetarian pho.

Grilled fish tacos. (via The Kitchn)

Kahlua bundt cake. (via CRAFT)

Slow cooker Nutella crunch cheesecakes. (via The Kitchn)

Chocohotopots. (via The Kitchn)

One-minute microwave chocolate cupcakes. (via The Kitchn)

Now I’m really hungry.

Gluten-Free

Gluten-free zucchini quinoa breakfast cake.

10 recipes to get you started on the gluten-free diet.

Domino’s Pizza now has a gluten-free crust… that they don’t recommend for celiacs.

Chuck E. Cheese is testing gluten-free pizza and cupcakes in Minnesota.

There’s a link between undiagnosed celiac disease and obesity.

Amusing tumblr called “When I Went Gluten Free”. (via The Kitchn)

Crafty

Use old maps to make a woven map notebook. (via CRAFT)

Hone your origami skills by turning a dollar bill into a tiny camera.

Cool

Crocheted Star Wars mini amigurumi. (Thanks, orannia!)

Another TARDIS cat house. (via The Mary Sue)

Have tea with Alan Rickman.

Sweet short film about a crayon dragon.

Cool or Wha…?

18,000 pound chocolate Mayan temple.

Wha…?

Free gingers?!

Chocolate cat tongues?!

Eat a chocolate replica of your own brain.

Wisdom tooth ring.

Don’t rob an internet cafe when you’re logged in to Facebook there.

“A custom-made, data-driven butt plug for each GOP presidential candidate.“

9 weird coffins.

Crocheted pizza rug.

LOL

Shit my kids ruined. (Thanks, Bron!)

How to pose like a hot guy with a cute dog. (Thanks, Bron!)

If IKEA made the Large Hadron Collider…

Avengers compared to Star Wars. (Thanks, Bron!)

Computer icons that don’t make much sense now.

13 funniest autocorrected texts with a mother.

A scene from my neighborhood.

Find out Australia’s dark secret!

Excellent kitty hiding.

Make sure you recognize your cat’s importance.

I’m a sucker for this, too.

Poor Basement Cat!

Teh Cute

Baby lions! Baby snow leopards! Kitten! Kitten! Kitten! Kitten! Swan and cygnets! Lion and baby! Lioness and baby! Ducklings! Otter and baby! Penguin and baby!

Reading Update
Last Stop by Lou Harper. ebook. arc. Very good kinky m/m romantic suspense about a guy who’s hitchhiking to Seattle, paying his way with sex or a friendly ear. When his latest ride dumps him at a truck stop in Montana, he sees a help wanted sign and decides to stick around for a bit after he meets the sexy, mysterious, older owner of the cafe. And then things start to get more and more complicated…
Where You Hurt the Most by Anne Brooke. ebook short. arc. Very good short m/m romance about an escort who’s asked to spend some time with a young man and perhaps help draw him out of the shell he’s been in since an accident left him terribly scarred. Written in a lovely, literary style, this story was a pleasure to read. My only complaint was that, while the story of the escort and the young man was evocatively told, I wanted to know at least a few more details about the merely implied back story in order to better understand a scene near the end.
Pricks and Pragmatism by JL Merrow. ebook short. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s almost done with his university degree. He has no money, so he’s been staying with various guys, basically exchanging sex for food and lodging. But what’s up with the nerdy engineer he’s just moved in with, who doesn’t seem interested in him in that way?
Into the Bermuda Triangle (Turbulence #1) by Jordan Castillo Price. free ebook short. Very good short m/m paranormal setting the stage for future episodes of this serial about pilots who fly into the Bermuda Triangle. You are definitely left wanting more! 🙂
The Amethyst Cat Caper by Charlie Cochet. ebook. Very good mystery and romance set in Manhattan in the 1930s, in which the owner of a teahouse purchases a cat statue that he assumes is a forgery until a Pinkerton’s man comes knocking on his door…
Still Waters (Sanctuary #4) by RJ Scott. ebook. arc. Good m/m romantic suspense in which a Sanctuary operative, former FBI, is thrown together with his ex (still in the FBI) who believes he was on the take.
She’s Come Undone by Eric Arvin. ebook short. Sad short story about being trapped, be it by your body or by your fears or by the actions of others.
Home Sweet Home by Kim Dare. ebook short. Sweet short kinky m/m romance about a submissive who returns home to discover that his master’s contribution to their home’s decor is not at all what he suspected. (I took the picture that inspired said contribution. Hee hee.)
Glitter (Beach Duo #0.5) by Diana DeRicci. ebook. Good m/m romance about a college student who slowly realizes, over four years, that he’s not actually homophobic but rather the opposite.
The Charlie Factor (Beach Duo #1) by Diana DeRicci. ebook. reread. Very good m/m romance about a former firefighter slowly recovering after nearly dying in a murderous fire. He’s befriended by a straight guy who finds himself developing very confusing feelings for his new friend.
Popping the Question (Beach Duo #1.5) by Diana DeRicci. free ebook short. Sweet short m/m romance about a couple celebrating the second anniversary of their meeting. Really, this should be #2.5, as it contains spoilers for the second book.
Doing Love Right (Beach Duo #2) by Diana DeRicci. ebook. reread. Pretty good m/m romance about a wedding planner, recently dumped, who wakes up after a party to discover a strange man in bed with him… a strange man who knows an awful lot about him. This would’ve been better without the near-purple prose during the sex scenes.
Sparks Fly by Clare London. ebook. reread. Pretty good m/m romance about a successful entrepreneur who gets around, but finds himself thinking about the prickly programmer who helped launch his first venture, an online dating service. This suffers from an excess of exclamation points and… I know Clare’s a much more polished writer now than she was when this was written. 🙂
Mark’s Opening Gambit by Lee Brazil. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a high school dropout who’s helping his mom support his younger brothers by working nights. When he meets the snooty owner of a chess shop where one of his brothers is in a tournament, he’s unprepared for the attraction between them.
My First But Not My Last by Leigh Jarrett. ebook short. Ok, but very short, m/m encounter between a guy who’s just been dumped by his girlfriend and a guy he meets at the beach.
The Stars on My Arm by Leigh Jarrett. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a high school senior who’s at first repulsed and then fascinated by the heavily pierced and tattooed guy who moves in next door, much to his girlfriend’s dismay. This book was hampered by a number of things: too much telling and not enough showing, being several times longer than it should have been for the amount of actual story, and a lack of editing (giving someone the finger is rather different than fingering said person).

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Academic Pursuits by Lou Harper [CONTEST CLOSED]

February 1, 2012 Chris 63 Comments

Congrats to Crissy M, who won All the Gear, No Idea (I Blame Brett #2) by Kim Dare!Â All the Gear, No Idea is being released today by All Romance eBooks.

Congrats to Rita S, who won Sacrifice and Blood (Drone Vampires #14) by Stephani Hecht!Â Sacrifice and Blood is being released today by eXtasy Books.

Many thanks to Lou Harper for donating an ebook copy of her freshly released m/m romance, Academic Pursuits, for a lucky commenter to win!

Jamie Brennan is putting “cad” back into academia!

The son of a well-to-do family and blessed with both dark good looks and buckets of confidence, Jamie lives for the chase. He has a well-deserved reputation around college as a seducer of straight frat boys. No man is off-limits to Jamie – he’s happy to help fellow gay students out of the closet, too. He even has lustful designs on his oblivious English professor, so it’s no surprise that his amorous pursuits often land him in sticky situations.

There’s just one flaw in Jamie’s perfect world – Roger Hunt. The hunky grad student, who dresses more like a lumberjack than the talented artist he is, gives Jamie hostile looks every time their paths cross. Jamie tries to ignore Roger, but they can’t seem to stop running into each other, and Jamie’s beginning to wonder if it’s more than chance that continues to steer them down the same halls…

Excerpt (scroll down)

Lou’s Other Books

About Lou

Under a prickly, cynical surface Lou Harper is an incorrigible romantic. Her love affair with the written word started at a tender age. There was never a time when stories weren’t romping around in her head. She is currently embroiled in a ruinous romance with adjectives. In her free time Lou stalks deviant words and feral narratives.

Lou’s favorite animal is the hedgehog. She likes nature, books, movies, photography, and good food. She has a temper and mood swings.

Lou has misspent most of her life in parts of Europe and the US, but is now firmly settled in Los Angeles and worships the sun. However, she thinks the ocean smells funny. Lou is a loner, a misfit, and a happy drunk. You can find out more about Lou and her books at her website, her blog, and Goodreads.

Contest Rules

To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Friday, February 10.
By entering the contest, youâ€™re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
If you havenâ€™t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesnâ€™t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entryâ€¦
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 â€“ this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
Winners will be selected by random number.
You must leave a valid email address in the â€œEmailâ€ portion of the comment form.
Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
If you have an email account with AOL or Netscape, I will not be able to send email to you.
If a winner doesnâ€™t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
If you win, please respect the authorâ€™s intellectual property and donâ€™t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
This contest is open worldwide!

“No, you can’t seal up this box and wrap it! Why would you give away such a nice box?!” -Mayhem

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Leave it to linkity

January 27, 2012 Chris 16 Comments

Congrats to Tracy F, who won A Life Without You (Boston Boys #1) by Erica Pike!

Congrats to Elisheva CN, who won The Yearning by AJ Rose! The Yearning is being released today by MLR Press.

Contests

Joyfully Jay is giving away an ebook copy of Tailor Made by Josephine Myles. Contest closes 11:59 pm EST, January 27.

Devon Rhodes is giving away a copy of the His Hero anthology. Comment by midnight EST, January 28, for your chance to win.

AJ Rose is giving away an ebook copy of The Yearning. Answer his question in the comments by 9 pm EST, January 29, for your chance to win.

Pants Off Reviews is giving away winner’s choice of an m/m romance from the backlist of Josephine Myles. Comment by 12:00 am EST, February 1, for your chance to win.

Blodeuedd’s giving away a copy of Dreaming of Mr. Darcy (Jane Austen Addicts #2) by Victoria Connelly. Contest closes February 3. US & Canada.

Bookity

New releases and more: Tor.com (UF, genre benders, scifi, fantasy), Book Lovers Inc (a little of everything), and Literary Escapism (UF/PNR).

Turn old books into planters. (via CRAFT)

Use a bookshelf door to make a hidden closet. (via Bron’s Pinterest)

Nerd words.

Book and publishing linkity from ReadReactReview.

This week’s author meltdown… (Thanks, Stephani!)

Becky Black provides some food for thought for authors who feel a little melty…

“Better” title for Bel Canto.

Literary agent snark. (Thank, Bron!)

Jenre wonders why there are so many m/m romance sex scenes in which the guys leave on their socks.

LA Witt’s tips on how not to drive authors insane.

Ralph Fiennes reading m/m Harry Potter fanfic out loud while dressed in pajamas.

Ebookity

Coffee and P0rn in the Morning is celebrating its one-year anniversary with contests and free reads from numerous m/m romance authors. (Site is NSFW.)

January 28 is free fiction day at Clare London’s LiveJournal.

Tam’s got some mostly m/m romance linkity at her shiny new blog.

The free iPhone “Best Romance” app comes with 15 free Harlequin romances loaded.

ManyBooks provides free public domain books in an amazing number of formats.

A bit of followup on that article about plagiarism in the self-published books at Amazon.

The American Library Association is going to talk to publishers about ebook lending.

Tablet and ereader ownership nearly doubled over the holidays (to nearly one in three Americans)- but how many are actually being used?

Do, Think, Make, Learn

“The G-spot does not exist, but…“

Prolonged sitting is killing us, but… there’s hope!

Yes! The perception of we singletons is changing for the better, at least in the US. 🙂

Google is changing its privacy policy. What does that mean for you? How to go Google-free.

Cookity

I love Pad Thai. (via The Kitchn)

Claypot fish curry with coconut milk. (via The Kitchn)

Fresh spring rolls. (via CRAFT)

Southwest seafood chowder. (via The Kitchn)

Rainbow roasted root veggie salad. (via The Kitchn)

Roasted eggplant salad with smoked almonds and goat cheese.

5… breakfast salads?!

8 ways to use frozen fruit

10 ways to eat more vegetables

10 light desserts

Five-minute, two-ingredient chocolate mousse. (via The Kitchn)

Chocolate turtle cookies. (via The Kitchn)

Bourbon chai. (via The Kitchn)

Crafty

Knit some fingerless gloves. (via CRAFT)

Get rid of those stairstep shoulders with short rows on the next sweater you knit.

Make a cool kitty hideaway by sewing together two GOSIG baskets from IKEA. (via Moderncat)

Sew some fleece-lined wool felt mittens. (via CRAFT)

Cool

Mmm… planet truffles. (Thank, Bron!)

Highest-resolution image of the Earth yet.

The Symphony of Science: The Greatest Show on Earth.

Origami cat necklace.

Tiny dragon.

Linkity from Kristi and from MrsPao.

Lord of the Rings LEGOs. (via Tor.com)

Indiana Jones-inspired engagement ring.

Star Wars: A New Hope remade by fans.

R2-D2 throw rug.

Wall o’ Scrabble.

Lovecraft-inspired rugs. (via The Mary Sue)

Cool or Wha…?

Batman bed pillow. (via The Mary Sue)

Send the kids to Hellboy summer camp this year!

Alice in Wonderland themed wedding photos.

Vespa workstation.

Jello origami.

Wha…?

Gah! (Thanks?!?, Jeanne!)

Dress pant sweatpants.

Scratch’n’sniff jeans?!?!

Fashion… I guess.

Grass lined flipflops.

I suppose no one wants a corporate car at L.L. Bean, if this is what they get. 😉

Shove bacon up your nose to stop a bloody nose?!

Ewww – a literally red river in Texas.

I’m not sure how you can shoot yourself in the head with a nail gun and not notice.

EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!

An iPad case you can have sex with, courtesy of Fleshlight.

A gum ball made of 92,000 pieces of chewed Nicorette…

LOL

An illustrated guide to cat breeds…

Talk about origami skillz…

“Can you find the hidden mothers in these old photographs?“

Texts from Middle Earth. (via The Mary Sue)

10 autocorrect food fails.

10 funniest things texted by parents.

The difference between how kitties see things and how people see things.

Beware cheapo health insurance…

Things cats eat that they shouldn’t.

Hmm. The cat has a point.

Very good question…

Poor out-of-work spokeskitteh!

Teh Cute

Cat and kitten! Dormice! Kittens! Penguin and baby! Cat and kitten! Cygnets! Kittens! Baby panda! Tiger! Tiger and baby! Baby puma! Jaguars! Cat and kitten! Lion and baby!

Reading Update
Something Different by S.A. Reid. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about a guy in a loveless marriage who’s merely going through the motions of life. When he goes to the park in search of a prostitute because he desperately needs something different to happen in his life, he’s surprised yet strangely intrigued to be picked up by a young man. (Because this story starts with infidelity, it isn’t going to be to everyone’s taste.)
Texas Winter (Texas #2) by RJ Scott. ebook. Very good m/m romance continuing the story of Jack and Riley, in which Riley gets some life-changing news.
Academic Pursuits by Lou Harper. ebook. arc. Very good humorous m/m romance about a slutty but goodhearted college student who’s just realizing that his habit of seducing straight guys has gotten him a bit of a reputation. Maybe it’s time for a change…
Tomfoolery by Lou Harper. free ebook short. arc. Cute free short paranormal m/m romance about a computer programmer who thinks he’s going crazy because his stuff isn’t in exactly the same place when he gets home from work as when he left in the morning…
Permanently Legless by JL Merrow. ebook short. Funny yet sweet short m/m romance about a guy who came back from Afghanistan without his legs and runs into a gorgeous young man he’d screwed right before shipping out.
After Dark (After #1) by Luisa Prieto. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a guy who’s unable to mourn his brother’s death for various reasons – particularly since his brother doesn’t seem to be completely dead…
After Midnight (After #2) by Luisa Prieto. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance continuing the story of the mage and the werewolf started in After Dark. Please note that this ends with a mild cliffhanger and the next book is still in draft form. Also, Luisa is working on revised and expanded versions of this and the first book.
Choices by Penny Brandon. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy who’s shown the love of his life in a magical mirror and is shocked to discover that the love of his life is a man, seeing as he isn’t gay…
Relearning the Ropes by DC Juris. ebook short. Good short kinky m/m romance about a dom who inherits a fulltime sub when his friend dies and finds he has to reevaluate how he deals with the young man. This really needed to be longer for the amount of potential story!
Deconstruction by Kit Zheng. ebook. Good kinky m/m mystery about a stripper who lives with his cop boyfriend and turns tricks on the side to help make the mortgage. But things aren’t going the greatest for them right now as secrets build up between them…
All Bets Are Off by Marguerite Labbe. ebook. Good m/m romance about a college professor who gets involved with a student before he knows the guy is a student. Will he be able to resist temptation as his department head tries to get rid of him and someone keeps rummaging through his stuff? I’m not exactly sure why, but I never got emotionally invested in this book.
Broken by Jessica Freely. ebook. Good m/m romance about a naive, closeted, yaoi-loving enforcer who works for his mobster brother. Things start to fall apart for him when he becomes entranced by a prostitute his brother has just purchased from China.

“…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity of the Doomed

December 2, 2011 Chris 18 Comments

Congrats to Fehu, who won Crescendo (Song of the Fallen #2) by Rachel Haimowitz!

Congrats to SueM, who won Men Under the Mistletoe by Ava March, Josh Lanyon, Harper Fox, and KA Mitchell!Â Men Under the Mistletoe will be released on December 5 by Carina Press. (The stories will also be released separately.)

Congrats to Tracey D, who won While Under the Influence (Perfect Timing #8) by Kim Dare! While Under the InfluenceÂ will be released by Total-E-Bound on December 5.

Not enough linkity for you today? You could check out last week’s poor neglected linkity… 😉

Contests

Brief Encounters Reviews is giving away an ebook copy of A Lie I Can Live With (Match Before Christmas #3) by Eden Winters. Contest closes 11 pm GMT on December 3.

Janna’s giving away an ebook copy of Amor Prohibido by Ellis Carrington. Comment before December 4 for your chance to win.

Joyfully Jay’s giving away an ebook from LA Witt’s backlist. Contest closes 11:59 pm EST on December 5.

Blodeuedd’s giving away an ebook copy of Shadow Magic by Donna Grant. Contest closes December 8.

Joder’s giving away a $20 Wild Rose Press gift certificate and a $20 Amazon gift certificate. Contest closes 11:59 pm CST on December 9.

Kaetrin’s celebrating reaching a followers milestone by giving away a $10AUD gift certifcate to the Book Depository, plus ebook copies of Tigers and Devils and I Fell in Love with a Zombie by Sean Kennedy. Contest closes December 10 (Australia Time).

Blodeuedd’s giving away two copies of Darn Good Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown. Contest closes December 11. US & Canada.

Bookity

New releases and more: Elisa Rolle (LGBT), Tor.com (UF, SF, fantasy, genre-benders), and AAR (romance audiobooks).

Book and publishing linkity from ReadReactReview.

SB Sarah muses on the “mantitty” romance book cover.

KC Burn explains why she likes headless guys on her covers.

Mandi wants to know what you think of the “rushed declaration of love” in romance novels. (Hate it. Don’t bother.)

Now that you’ve finished your NaNoWriMo novel, it’s time to revise and polish!

Writing linkity from Becky Black.

The movie Breaking Dawn might be causing seizures.

Tor.com looks at how scifi has portrayed books.

Watch The Simpsons episode “The Book Job” – it featured Neil Gaiman! If you’re not in the US, TunnelBear might help.

Ebookity

KMont shares her Kindle Fire experience. (Amazon says they’ve sold lots, but don’t provide any actual numbers.)

Dear Author reviews the Kindle Touch.

Nook Color tips and tricks from Dear Author.

Go vote for the next round in Kris’ Choose Your Own M/M Story!

This post about digital versus physical goods really resonated with me.

One reader explains how ebooks and quality (or its lack) have changed how she reads.

Library usage in Canada is up due to ebooks.

Finding legitimate free ebooks for your ereader.

Some Carnegie Mellon professors researching e-piracy have discovered that the main cause… is consumers being frustrated by having to wait.

Fahrenheit-451 is going digital.

Think, Do, Make, Learn

The Mary Sue discusses some of the, erm, odd responses from Apple’s Siri when asked about contraception and more. NSFW.

You might want to stop feeding your dog jerky treats.

How to tell if a video game is being sexist.

“Marketing science to girls by reinforcing gender stereotypes“.

Back to the Middle Ages?! Maybe we should be using toads and snakes to predict earthquakes.

American adults are an average of 20 pounds heavier now than in 1990.

Earlier this week, it was reported that many smartphones have a rootkit called CarrierIQ that’s logging virtually everything you do on your smartphone.

How to send international text messages for free.

Per an agreement with the FTC, Facebook privacy changes are now going to be opt-in.

If you’re unhappy with the new Yahoo Mail, here’s a trick to revert back to the previous version.

Based on discoveries that apple and grape juice often have high levels of arsenic and lead, Consumerist has some recommendations for parents.

Chewing gum makes you smarter, temporarily. Until I smack you for chomping loudly.

Holidity

Crochet some snowflake ornaments.

Put together some LEGO ornaments. (via Gizmodo)

Bake melted snowman cookies. (via The Kitchn)

Make really cute Christmas cards if you have (small) kids.

Christmas linkity from MrsPao.

LEGO Santa Yoda.

Needle felted Star Wars ornaments.

Gingerbread AT-AT. (via The Mary Sue)

The eleven most white trash Christmas trees.

Gift Guidity

Things you can make by hand in 4-40 hours.

Power tools (for crafting and beyond).

10 best treats to make and gift.

Quirky kitchenish gifts.

For the urban farmer.

For carnivores.

For beer lovers.

For design junkies.

For people whose wrists get sore when they read. (Put it on a pillow on your lap, set this book stand on it, and you’re set!)

For fans of Elder Gods and/or cephalopods.

Cookity

Cranberry-walnut pumpkin toasting bread.

Gluten-free banana nut bread.

Ground cherry coffee cake.

Pumpkin pie fudge brownies. (via The Kitchn)

All sorts of snickerdoodle recipes.

Tangled Thai salad. (via The Kitchn)

Bacon, kale, and turkey stew.

Stacked roasted vegetable enchiladas. (via The Kitchn)

5 hot drinks with booze

10 cranberry desserts

10 lighter meals

Crafty

Fancy up your earbuds. (via CRAFT)

Amazing knitted periodic table of the elements. (via KnittyBlog)

Cool

LEGO recycling bins. (via The Kitchn)

LEGO Freddie Mercury. (via The Mary Sue)

A short scifi film made by students the University of Huddersfield.

Cool or Wha…?

I like Nutella, but really…

Carbonite-frozen Han Solo chocolate.

Star Wars retold with unicorns on a t-shirt. (via The Mary Sue)

Octopus coffee table. (via The Mary Sue)

Tipping tea cup.

Spokeless ferris wheel?!

Wha…?

An insect big enough to eat a carrot?! Plenty more scary photos in the comments on that post, too.

Mosaic made from sprinkles…

Nuclear taco hat.

Blood donation bags shaped like Christmas stockings.

No clue. That fashion thing again. Oh, that poor guy.

Batman Snuggie?!

R2-D2 folding chair. (via The Mary Sue)

Can’t say I’ve ever seen skunk panthers before.

LOL

Well, I’m putting it in LOL, but… it might hit a little close to home. 😉

Lazy craft-themed haiku from Franklin.

Humorous wishlist to Santa from Paperback Writer.

Instructions FAIL.

IKEA instructions for houses, babies, and drug manufacturing…

Toilet paper personality types. (Hmm. I have to keep the toilet paper in the cabinet under the sink, protected by a childproof lock, or Chaos turns it into confetti.)

14 Thanksgiving autocorrect fails.

Decisions, decisions.

The Mary Sue takes a look at stock photos of women with laptops.

I always end up with enough fur to make another cat, too.

This makes me even more glad that the kitties aren’t allowed in my bedroom at night.

Teh Cute

Cat and kitten! Sugar glider! Kittens! Baby galago! Kittens! Baby capybara! Kitten! Galago! Kittens! Giraffe and baby! Kitten! Hedgie! Kittens! Baby fossas! Baby black jaguar!

Reading Update
Men Under the Mistletoe by Ava March, Harper Fox, Josh Lanyon, & KA Mitchell. ebook collection. Another exceptional collection of holiday-themed m/m romance from Carina Press. Ava March’s historical was very good. (Poor Sasha! Then… poor Thomas!) Harper Fox’s story drew me in slowly, then seduced me utterly. So good! Its excellent epilogue should serve as the standard to which all other epilogues should strive. Josh Lanyon’s story was a pretty good read, but left me with too many unanswered questions to be truly satisfying. Finally, KA Mitchell’s story kept me wondering how things were going to turn out until the absolute end.
Winter Warmers by Clare London, Chrissy Munder, Lou Harper, Josephine Myles, & JL Merrow. ebook collection. This m/m romance holiday collection is perfectly titled – these are heartwarming, cozy tales that will help you find your holiday spirit as you curl up on your couch with your ebook reader. (Yes, they are also sexy tales. I know you were wondering!) 😉
Simple Gifts (Cornwall Novellas #2) by LB Gregg. ebook short. Very good short m/m holiday romance about an emotionally closed off bar owner who’s dragged to a holiday party, where he runs into the guy who loved and left him for the military without a word ten years ago.
Dudleytown (Cornwall Novellas #1) by LB Gregg. ebook short. reread. Very good Halloween-themed m/m romance about some college students taking a “shortcut” on their drive home for the weekend. Things go a bit more spectacularly awry than is usual for such shortcuts… Plenty of trademark L.B. humor and insight make for an entertainingly suspenseful read.
Trompe L’oeil by KC Burn. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a history professor who’s been a bit of a hermit since he dumped his cheating boyfriend six months ago. When he moves into a new apartment, his sister gives him a mysteriously compelling nude portrait of a Depression-era artist…
“A Calling for Pleasure” (Lars & Rael #1) by JL Merrow (from The Care and Feeding of Demons). short from ebook collection. I just read “A Calling for Pleasure” because it’s the first story in an m/m paranormal romance series by J.L. Merrow about two detectives for the Paranormal Enforcement Agency. In this short, the detectives are after a succubus who’s leaving a trail of dead guys behind her. The male detective (non-romantic detective pairing, not to worry) becomes fascinated by a male succubus (why didn’t they just call him an incubus?!) who’s picked up during the investigation…
A Blast from the Past (Lars & Rael #2) by JL Merrow. ebook. Good short paranormal m/m romance in which the detectives are trying to catch a demonic firestarter.
A Wish Too Far (Lars & Rael #3) by JL Merrow. ebook. In this one, our detectives are after a mysterious person who’s making and pushing pills that grant wishes… slightly twisted.
Broken Memories (In the Shadow of the Wolf #2) by Diane Adams & RJ Scott. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about the wolf shifter rescued at the end of the last book, who’s terrified of shifting and can’t remember much from before his rescue. I don’t think this book was long enough for the amount of story being told. At times, things seemed to jump ahead inexplicably, as if parts were missing.
Someone Special by TC Blue. ebook. Good holiday m/m romance about a photographer working as a Santaland elf who gets involved with a somewhat prickly, time-crunched guy also working as an elf. This started out much stronger than it finished – the last 1/4 of the book got painfully sugary and repetitive.
Tribe (Todd Mills #2) by RD Zimmerman. Pretty good gay mystery in which an old friend of Todd’s reveals secrets kept since their college days as some creepy fundamentalists with nefarious intent close in. I didn’t like this as much as I liked the first book – way too much time spent with the creepy fundamentalists.
Working It Out by Sara York. ebook. Meh m/m romance about a gym owner whose partner died six months ago. He’s surprised to find himself with feelings for a handsome closeted doctor. Such a frustrating read! The main characters’ intentions and emotions seemed to flip flop on every page. There were not one but two psycho women intent on seducing the gay main characters. The writing was choppy and simplistic. *sigh*

“What a long week! I’m exhausted!” -Mayhem

Contests, Reading

Ebook Giveaway: Winter Warmers by by Josephine Myles, JL Merrow, Clare London, Chrissy Munder, & Lou Harper [CONTEST CLOSED]

December 1, 2011 Chris 61 Comments

Congrats to Hissy, who won Coffin Dodger (Night Wardens #2)Â by Stephani Hecht! Coffin Dodger is being released today by eXtasy Books.

Many thanks to Josephine Myles, JL Merrow, Clare London, Chrissy Munder, and Lou Harper for donating an ebook copy of their freshly released m/m seasonal anthology, Winter Warmers, for a lucky commenter to win!

Mulled wine. Butterscotch kisses. Hideous sweaters. Candy at the beach, or a trip to a sex shop in Amsterdam. And the man of your dreams, wrapped around you…

Winter warmers come in many shapes and sizes, from the tongue-in-cheek to the hot-as-hell. Enjoy a quintet of heart-warming tales of men loving men that are guaranteed to leave you with a smile on your face.

One thing’s for sure – it’s going to be a red-hot Christmas!

Lucky Dip by Clare London
Andy Jackson always knew that class 2C’s help in preparing for the annual Christmas Fair would be a mixed blessing. Then he’s paired up on the Lucky Dip with Greg, the man who dumped him but now can’t keep away, the pupils are either lecturing him on his lovelife or losing bladder control, and no one’s fixed the broken handle on the storage room. It may all be one whoopee cushion too far for him.

Butterscotch Kisses by Chrissy Munder
Matthew Morrison is determined to conquer his fear of heights and achieve a winning outcome. At least, that’s what the best-selling, self-help book he’s listening to promises. Being stuck on a three-story tower in the middle of a snowstorm wasn’t part of the plan. With no St. Bernard in sight, it’s Cute Ticket Guy Adam to the rescue, and an outcome Matthew never anticipated.

Wintertide by Lou Harper
May meets December when Jem and Oscar chance on each other at the Santa Monica Pier, only weeks before Christmas. The two men are separated by age, social status, and their taste in candy, yet if they are both naughty and nice, they might just find holiday cheer together.

When in Amsterdam… by Josephine Myles
Brandon is on his first visit to new boyfriend Jos’s home country, just in time for their Sinterklaas celebrations. But an unexpected detour into a sex shop leads Brandon to new discoveries about himself, and a whole new dynamic to their relationship. The weather may be cold and damp, but Brandon and Jos soon heat things up!

A Pint of Beer, a Bag of Chips, and Thou by JL Merrow
What’s the best gift a young man could get for Christmas? Mohawked saxophonist Liam wouldn’t have picked the hideous collection of knitwear he’s presented with by his mum and his aunties. He’d rather have the gorgeous older man he sees every day while busking at King’s Cross. But with a little Christmas magic in the air, maybe those garish garments are just the thing for attracting a silver fox…

Contest Rules

To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CST, Friday, December 9.
By entering the contest, youâ€™re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
If you havenâ€™t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesnâ€™t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entryâ€¦
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 â€“ this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
Winners will be selected by random number.
You must leave a valid email address in the â€œEmailâ€ portion of the comment form.
Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
If a winner doesnâ€™t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
If you win, please respect the authorâ€™s intellectual property and donâ€™t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
This contest is open worldwide!

“Hey!!!! Dinner is 0.2 seconds late, dammit! The service in this place sucks.” -Chaos

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Limber linkity learns better

August 5, 2011 Chris 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

Book Lovers Inc is giving away a copy of Only Mine by Susan Mallery. Contest closes August 6.

Desert Island Keepers is giving away an ebook copy of a book from the backlist of Sandy James. Comment by 7 pm PDT, August 6, for your chance to win.

You can win PT Michelle’s Brightest Kind of Darkness at Desert Island Keepers. Contest runs through August 6.

Tracy’s giving away an ebook copy of A Good Prospect (Going for the Gold #3) by Karen Mercury. Comment by 7 pm PDT, August 12, for your chance to win.

Bookity

New releases and more: Rarely Dusty Books (August m/m romance releases), Elisa (LGBT), AAR (romance audiobooks), Book Lovers Inc (romance and more), and Literary Escapism (UF/PNR).

A professor in Missouri got Kurt Vonnegut’s Slaughterhouse Five banned from the school curriculum in his town.

How authors and authorial personas are blurring online.

Kris shares some thoughts on the slippery slope of saying het women shouldn’t be writing m/m romance.

How to skim text with decent comprehension.

Bookshelf and bike rack…

What do authors like to snack on? (via The Kitchn)

The story of a pencil unhappy with its lot writing romantic fiction. (via Paperback Writer)

Love a library with a sense of humor! (Thanks, Seanna!)

Ebookity

Two major publishers have reported that ebook sales make up about 15% of their total sales.

Some more thoughts on how “DRM only impedes the honest”.

Self-publishing and invisibility.

Lifehacker readers voted on their five favorite ebook readers.

Humor about the demise of the physical bookstore.

Think, Do, Learn, Make

Infographic of LGBT demographics in the US.

Energy-saving myths.

If your mom was stressed during pregnancy, you could experience “accelerated aging”…

A discovery that could improve the lives of people living with chronic illness.

It will be at least another year before any gluten-free labeling law goes into effect in the US.

I would love it if our food labels looked like this!

What does CNN think the world’s 50 most delicious foods are? (via The Kitchn)

Was our moon formed when two moons smashed into each other?

Cookity

S’Mores Pop Tart S’Mores…

Bacon strip pancakes…

Turn a loaf of bread into cinnamon roll pulls. (via The Kitchn)

Ice cream sandwich recipes.

Uses for lemons.

Drinkity

Elderberry shrub.

Clever way to chill beverages without diluting them as ice would.

Crafty

A TARDIS that holds sewing supplies.

If you’ve been lacking kraken craft inspiration…

Steampunk softies.

Knit a lacy swimsuit cover-up.

Cool

Three LEGO minifigs are going to Jupiter.

Doctor Who inspired crafts. (via The Mary Sue)

Quilled Starry Night.

Starry Night cake. (via The Mary Sue)

Amazing storm photo.

Tiny worlds in tiny bottles.

Linkity from MrsPao.

I want a treehouse office! (via Lifehacker)

Cartoon character color wheel. (via The Mary Sue)

Harry Potter characters done Disney style.

Tiny steampunk minions.

Cool or Wha…?

Dalek dress.

TARDIS dresses.

Death Star dress.

Duct tape Princess Leia dress.

Chainmail gear bag.

Leopard print house.

If you’ve ever wondered how Disney princesses or Abe Lincoln would look with tattoos…

iPad stylus shaped like a match.

You can buy cereal marshmallows in bulk…

Stay cool with… frozen baby food?

Wha…?

Urinal dress.

Worst bedhead ever.

Glow-in-the-dark jeans.

Completely NSFW ladyparts bag.

Castle made of human hair.

Faucet iPad stand.

Creepiest iPhone case ever.

Taxidermy dioramas.

Angry Birds bra.

Beer ring.

Digital dating emotional abuse simulator…

Mayor drives tank over car parked in bike lane.

LOL

The Justice League, with the boys sans pants… (via The Mary Sue)

What meds should the Winnie-the-Pooh characters be taking? (via The Mary Sue)

An amusing Ben & Jerry’s flavor that doesn’t exist. (via The Mary Sue)

Spock is not impressed. (via Marsha)

Are your bananas talking to you?

How cats see things.

Basement Cat’s film career starts slowly. (And beware!)

Basement Cat helps around the farm…

Order carefully if you suspect your waiter is Basement Cat…

Basement Cat and fuzzy dice.

Teh Cute

Kittens! Awwww! Baby penguins! Kitten! Cygnet! Kitten! Cheetah and cheetah tot! Kitten! Jaguars! Baby mouse! Baby penguin! Baby tiger! Owlet! White lion cub! Otter!

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

Linkity linkity link, Reading, Reviewettes

Linkity lacks comprehensible weather

June 10, 2011 Chris 28 Comments

Congrats to Courtney S, who won Becoming His by Shawn Lane!

Contests

Renee’s giving away Nightfall by Ellen Connor to someone who answers her question in the comments. Contest closes June 12, 11:59 PDT.

Lynn’s celebrating her blogiversary with a contest – your prize to be determined by whether you knit, quilt, cross stitch, or none of the above. Answer her question in the comments before June 12 for your chance to win.

Carolyn Crane’s giving away your choice of some recently released books (romance and PNR). Comment by June 14 for your chance to win.

Book Lovers Inc is giving away two copies of Hunter Raines’ new m/m/m romance, Paradise Found. Comment through June 19 for your chance to win.

Leontine’s giving away your choice of a romance title released this month. Answer her question by June 21 for your chance to win.

Bookity

New releases and more: Renee (various types of romance, including m/m), Book Lovers Inc (UF/PNR/romance), Katiebabs (various types of romance), and Literary Escapism (UF/PNR).

Books news and links: Vacuous Minx and Dear Author.

Erotic Horizon highlights some publishers who put out GLBT audiobooks.

Tam on cowboys in m/m romance.

Robot-shaped bookcase. (via The Mary Sue)

Bookcase for typography fans.

iPad apps for readers.

Book paintings!

Check out Kris’s 140 characters (or less) book reviews.

Ebookity

AAR wonders if free ebooks are devaluing books.

Dear Author looks at the effects of Amazon’s Sunshine Deal promotion.

On ebooks and the right of first sale. (Thanks, trek!)

Where does print beat ebooks?

Apparently the Nook Touch has a hidden web browser.

Queerty has free m/m romance books.

Think, Learn, Do

Minneapolis set a record high temperature for June 7: 103F. Today’s high (Friday, June 10) is predicted to be… 60F.

Chile’s volcano – eep!

Chrissy Munder shares some resources for fans of Great Lakes freighters.

If you’ve ever wondered whether the X-Men movies had GLBT subtext, wonder no more.

How to become more photogenic.

How to stay creative.

You can brew coffee in an emergency with only a coffee filter and two paper cups.

The science behind the now famous kitten hug.

Cookity

Rainbow popsicles.

A s’mores buffet sounds fun – especially since I saw gluten-free “graham” crackers at the co-op the other day.

Ernie and Bert fruit snack.

Chocolate, peanut butter cookie dough, and toasted marshmallow cupcakes.

Thin mint cake.

Blueberry recipes.

Petri dish jello (probably guarantees you’ll never have to bring anything to a potluck again).

Crafty

Knitting-related tutorials.

Make magnetic silly putty!

Store yarn in your coffee table or wine rack.

How to store a fabric stash.

Periodic table of sewing elements.

How to translate clothing patterns to doll sizes.

R2D2 quilt.

TARDIS cross stitch pattern (among others, including It Gets Better). (via The Mary Sue)

Moleskine covers.

Cool

A PFLAG mom notes that it shouldn’t be considered unusual to accept and support your GLBT child. (Thanks, Stephani!)

Steam Wars is an absolutely amazing steampunk take on Star Wars. (Thanks, Bron!)

If the Muppets made Firefly…

Grand Rapids, Michigan, does an amazing video in reaction to being named one of the largest dying cities in the US.

Minimalist cord detanglers.

Instead of carrying a separate little Swiss army knife on my key chain, I could just put my keys on this clever carabiner.

TARDIS magnets! (via The Mary Sue)

Tetris post-its! (via The Mary Sue)

Yeah, this is why I didn’t go to Hogwarts, too. How ’bout you? 😉

A lovely little film starring buttons.

Darth Vader at Disneyland!

Cool or Wha…?

Gross/weird facts. Think twice before clicking through! (Thanks, Jase!)

Epic beer commercial!

You can get your PhD in manga studies.

I had no idea how overused “You just don’t get it, do you?” was in cinema.

Wha…?

Yet another crazy law comes out of Tennessee: offensive online pictures are now illegal. Since everything offends someone…

Cicada ice cream?! (No longer in production, due to health department concerns.)

New Zealand gone wild with lawn penis prank!

LOL

Geek meditation. (Thanks, Jeanne!)

Did you know that Cthulhu knits? (Thanks, PD!)

What’s your unicorn name? Mine’s Poppy Celestial Pony: “Poppy is quick-witted and bright as a spark. She is as dark as the night sky, and she brings the sunshine and chases away clouds.”

Tired of Lorem Ipsum? Try Bacon Ipsum!

Don’t forget to Wave at the Bus! (Thanks, Bron!) (You should definitely check out Bron’s semi-regular blog feature, Riding in the Car with Boys.)

Do you have a cold, or are you a clown?

Cruel, cruel wrong number text.

xkcd on the cloud. (Make sure you hover your cursor over the comic for additional text.)

Jedi squirrel!

Have you watched the commercial for the Ferd Fteenthousand?

Awful Library Books on cat dependence.

Cats playing charades.

Your boy kitty might have some lingering resentment about being neutered…

Basement Cat takes on a Dementor!

Caterpillar.

Teh Cute

Kitten! Lion cub! Kitten! Baby elephant! Kittens! Sugar glider! Kitten! Otters! Cat and kitten! Fox and kit! Kitten! Baby snake! Kitten! Baby otter! Kitten! Young cheetah! Kitten! Albino wallaby and baby! Wild cat kitten! Kitten! Lynx and baby! Kitten!

Reading Update
What Happened to Larry Alan? by Dawn Kimberly Johnson. ebook. Excellent m/m romance about a guy who gets hit in the head with a soccer ball and has a chance to change some pivotal events from his past.
Any Closer by Mary Calmes. ebook. Feel-good m/m romance about a good-hearted guy who owns a construction company and finds out something sordid about the past of one of his employees/friends.
The Love of a Mate (Pack Discipline #4) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about the pack troublemaker, who’s incredibly suspicious when the beta’s brother begins a subtle pursuit.
The One that Counts by Chrissy Munder. ebook short. ï»¿Very good short m/m romance about a guy who’s feeling introspective after his father’s death and shares some things from his past that his partner didn’t know.
Just-You Eyes by Clare London. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy, accompanying his sister to a heterosexual speed dating night to even out the numbers of men and women, who meets a hotel employee and has an uncharacteristic one-night stand.
Cherries on Top by Rowan McAllister. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who doesn’t do relationships, but finds himself unable to resist the sweet, previously straight bartender who takes him home.
Between Friends by Lou Harper. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about two guys who’ve been friends since they were kids. One’s closeted, in deep denial, and the other’s not willing to be his dirty little secret.
We’re Both Straight, Right? by Jamie Fessenden. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two straight college guys who have been best friends for years. When one of them learns how much money they can make doing a “straight guys’ first gay experiences” porn shoot, he convinces the other to do it with him.
A Deadly Kind of Love (Deadly Mystery #6) by Victor J. Banis. ebook. Very good m/m mystery in which Tom and Stanley head to Palm Springs to help a friend who found a dead man in his hotel bed. I must confess that it was refreshing to read a nearly angst-free installment of their story!
Long, Lonely Howl by Lyn Gala. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a YMCA youth counselor who inadvertently finds out about werewolves and has to make some life-changing decisions. Be aware that the ending’s a bit abrupt and is definitely HFN.
Shades of the Past (EMS Heat #9) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Good m/m romance about an EMT whose partner and cousin died on the job because she wouldn’t listen to him. He blames himself for her death and isn’t doing very well at all. (I wanted just a bit more in each of the later scenes in the book.)
Bad Company by KA Mitchell. ebook. Good m/m romance about two guys who were friends when they were kids, but haven’t spoken for years… until one decides to piss off his homophobic father and “go gay”. Strangely, he wasn’t the person who needed to be smacked in this book.
About Damn Time by Elizabeth Jewell. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about two guys, close friends and both gay, who’ve never gotten together – but will a bet change that? I was doing ok the story until the sex scene – someone who’s just spent nearly six months restoring a classic car is probably not going to be ok with having sex on the car’s hood, especially with belt buckles flopping all over the place…
Hairy, Horny, and Over Here by J.L. Merrow. ebook short. Very funny m/m story about a photographer and a hunter out looking for jackalopes in the woods on the Isle of Wight. I’d suggest reading this book in conjunction with I’ll Tell You a Secret, Jackalope. 🙂
Pearls Before Swine by Vic Winter. ebook short. Very steamy short paranormal m/m romance about a guy who considers himself very civilized and proper, but has to reconsider after he runs into (literally) a shifter at the museum and invites him over for coffee…
What You Wish For: The Nine of Cups by Alex Marcus-Jacobs. ebook short. reread. Ok short m/m romance about a college student who gets a disconcerting tarot reading, just prior to a life-changing event. The conversations were my main reason for not rating this higher – they were awkward and didn’t feel realistic.
Obsidian (What You Wish For #2) by Alex Marcus-Jacobs. ebook. Ok kinky m/m romance continuing the story of the college student and his older lover/Dom. Like the previous book, this seemed stilted and awkward to me.
Layoffs by Dallas Coleman. ebook short. Ok short m/m romance about two guys who get laid off from the same company because others took credit for their work.
Neon Yellow: Obsessive Adhesives by Andy Slayde & Ali Wilde. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a player who starts to see the appeal of the quiet guy from Accounting. Only… who keeps leaving those unnerving post-it messages on the guy’s computer monitor?! I would’ve rated this higher if there hadn’t been some real TSTL moments in it. You know there’s a stalker. You know he’s been following your new boyfriend; in fact, he broke into your boyfriend’s house and completely trashed it (besides leaving those increasingly threatening post-its at work). Why would you decide to get away from the situation and go camping (ie, isolated)? And most especially, why wouldn’t you be completely freaked out when the axe and other items disappeared from the campsite?!?!?
Rushing Towards Perfection by Mya. ebook. Ok kinky m/m romance about two guys who are rushing into a relationship without knowing a lot about each other. This one just didn’t quite work – it felt like sections were missing.
Run With Me by Eden Cole. ebook. Meh m/m romance about the son of a crime boss who keeps running away from his father, even though his father always sends brutes to beat him up and drag him home. But maybe the latest guy who’s tracked him down will be different…
Sex Scene: Take One by Lee Avalone. ebook. Incoherent trainwreck. Any sex scene that has “his large log” in it… no. Just no.