Today I’m a guest over at author’s Lex Valentine’s 25 Days of Christmas Giveaway! To enter and learn more about Lex’s 8th Annual Book Giveaway click here!
Not one of the cold kids!
She looks like Elsa From Frozen!
That should have been my first clue!!!
You know those commercials about “the most interesting man in the world?” That dude has nothing on author Debra Holland, one of the amazing writers from #OCCRWA. She’s smart and funny and lovely and also a total badass, and in this picture she’s about to get into a cryo tank. Yes. To be Cryo’d.
Without getting into the reasons either one of us might get into one of those babies, specifically, there are a lot of reasons that people do.
And I’m an old hippie soul, gosh darnit. I was doing Transcendental Meditation at the age of 12. I have been a hundred different religions and also no religion at all. Before I was in college, I had experienced past life regression, had my astrological chart read by experts, memorized all the Christian Science tenets of faith, had energy work done and faith healing, and been rejected by prospective inlaws as being both too Jewish and too Christian–when not even theoretically, but actually I was neither.
So when Debra said, “Wanna try getting in a cryo tank?” I said, “I’m in.”
Because when life asks you if you are a goddess you say:
YES!
And I admit I’m easily led but I’m super, super smart about who I let lead me. I probably would have drawn the line somewhere. Electroconvulsive therapy, maybe. Heroin, definitely. I would have said no to heroin, had she offered it even if she’d said, this will make you feel good. So… You know. I can be led only up to a point. And it seemed like a good idea.
But Elsa up there has an obvious advantage, what with her being the goddess of ICE.
Hello yeah. I come from generations of people who lived in HAWAII.
Here’s a comparison:
You see what she’s doing? She’s DANCING. To a cute hit song. I shit you not. She is dancing to a song inside a machine that is freezing her alive. And it really looks like fun, doesn’t it? It looks like she is having a good time. Like she’s enjoying her own personal rave in there. Whooo. Spooky. Gotta get my groove on now. It’s cold.
But I ask you! How is a girl who was given up for adoption by four generations of Hawaiians and then adopted by five generations of Angelenos gonna know from cold?
She is not going to have a clue going in, that’s what. She is not going to have a single clue that she is about to get the abso-fucking-lutely worst headache of an entire lifetime of ice cream headaches and she’s going to think it’s never, ever, ever going away.
Behold, Le MOI!
I don’t think I’ve needed that particular expression since I gave birth to my second child. I swear, I really tried. I danced. I smiled and I acted as if. I placed myself in the hands of my higher power, and then I asked if I could please get out. Right now. Please. NO. I can’t seem to put on my robe, sir. I’m afraid I’ll have to run through your studio in my granny panties and bra, sir, what with my inability to imagine life after this moment…
Because yeah. No. Cold is cold. There’s a reason people wear clothing when the weather dips. And therapeutically speaking, we should probably have walked before running. Because I lasted slightly over one minute. And I really seriously think punching out was the right thing to do.
Maybe I’m just a hothouse flower. And maybe I’ll work up to it. I’ve always wondered what it would feel like to be one of those polar bear dudes, who leap into the frozen lakes and now I know. I will know more tomorrow.
Special thanks to Debra! They need to start making beer commercials about you!! Wow!
Guest: Lou Kelly’s The Alpha’s Prey Blog Tour
Meet Lou Kelly!
Q: You were named as Best Debut Author in the 2016 Rainbow Awards and your first novel, The Edge of Control, won Best Debut Gay Book. Was that exciting?
A: Absolutely! The Rainbow Awards are such a brilliant idea. What a great way to raise money for LGBT causes, draw attention to writers who don’t always have traditional avenues to celebrate their books, and provide excellent reading material to readers who adore this genre. I was completely honored to be chosen as Best Debut Author and so excited to have The Edge of Control named as Best Debut Gay Book.
Q: Have you always loved writing?
A: Yes, ever since I was a kid. I’ve always been a voracious reader, and when I can’t find the exact book I want to read… I write it!
Q: What inspired you to write The Alpha’s Prey?
A: I love shifter stories, but I don’t happen to enjoy the Mpreg trope. (Absolutely no judgement here! Everyone has themes they love and those that don’t hit their buttons. Love what you love!) I was craving a certain kind of book, and I couldn’t find what I wanted. So, I decided to write the story I wanted to read, and I came up with the idea of a wolf shifter having a human mate with a wolf phobia. I kept thinking that would be a fun set-up because they’d have so much to overcome in order to be together. The story took shape from there.
Q: What was the hardest part of the story to write?
A: Probably the skating scenes. I had to do a lot of research about the figure skating world in order to write Devon’s scenes in a convincing way, and it’s really hard to recreate what’s so visually stunning when you watch it into something that feels compelling on the page.
Q: What was your favorite part of writing this book?
I loved the dynamic between Aaron and Devon. Aaron is such a strong alpha, but he’s also nurturing, patient, and kind. In some ways, Devon is broken, but he’s also incredibly strong. He’s a survivor who doesn’t have it in him to give up. I loved watching these two characters come together and complete each other. Both characters offer exactly what their partner needs.
Synopsis
If there’s one thing Devon O’Leary hates, it’s wolves. Everyone thinks the wolfman he remembers as his abductor is a figment of his imagination, but Devon knows the truth and he has the scars to prove it. Wolf shifters are real; they have sharp claws, horrible fangs, and show no mercy to their victims. And one of their Alphas has claimed him as its prey.
Can two men overcome impossible odds to claim the love that was meant to be theirs? Or will Devon’s past cause him to reject the mate who would do anything to keep him safe?
Purchase
Meet the Author
Lou Kelly loves a great romance. Having honed her skills as an author through a decade of writing and publishing, she discovered m/m fiction and fell in love. What does she like best? The slow burn.
“No insta-love for me. I adore a well-developed full-length novel with characters who are believable and sympathetic. My favorite relationships are the kind where suppressed desire sizzles with sexual tension struggling for release. Give me a strong Alpha male who has to fight for his mate, or enemies who are shocked when hate turns into love, or a mysterious stranger who doesn’t want his secrets revealed … I crave books that keep me up past my bedtime.”
When she isn’t writing, Lou Kelly loves to travel. Sadly, most of her traveling these days happens between the pages of books, but top on her wish list is a trip to Greece. Followed by New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, and Iceland. *sigh* Someday she hopes to explore them all. Until then, you can find her reading! – Lou Kelly is a member of RWA (Romance Writers of America), and a proud member of RRW (Rainbow Romance Writers).
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads
Giveaway
Twenty-Five Days of Giveaways – Day #25 – Guests: Amy Lane, Lloyd Meeker, Lex Valentine
Good morning, everyone!
Merry Christmas! I hope you’re all having a fabulous day, whether you celebrate or not. I’m writing this post up on Christmas Eve, waiting for the kids to all fall asleep before Santa arrives. This is my first Christmas away from my family and my first one having pseudo-kids, so tomorrow is definitely going to be an interesting day for me!
I hope you’re all excited for today’s prizes, because we’ve got some awesome ones! First up, ZAM has donated her biggest prize yet! Today’s winner will receive not just one audiobook, but FOUR of them! She’s offering up the entire St. Nacho’s series in audiobook format!
Our first guest, Amy Lane, has offered up an awesome prize as well! She’s offering a signed paperback of Summer Lessons, as well as an e-book collection of both Summer Lessons and Winter Ball.
Llyod Meeker is second up today! He’s offering copies of my two holiday shorts, A Cape of Good Hope Christmas (2014) and Stone and Shell (2016). It just keeps getting better!
And last, but certainly not least, we’ve got a copy of Extraction, donated by Lex Valentine!
Look at all those wonderful prizes! Aren’t you excited? I sure am!
Good luck, everyone!
Twenty-Five Days of Giveaways – Day #24 – Guests: Tara Lain, Marie Sexton, Jaime Samms
Good good morning, everyone!
Today is a big day for a lot of people! Not only is it Christmas Eve, but Hanukkah starts this evening as well! Whether you’re religious or not, I hope everyone had a wonderful day!
Once again, it’s in the 70s here in Texas. It’s a wee bit chillier out in California where ZAM is, but still above those freezing, snow filled temperatures I grew up with! I hope you guys are all having some beautiful weather today. =)
Today, we’ve got lots of prizes up for grabs! We have THREE guest authors joining us for giveaways!
ZAM is offering up TWO prizes for you guys today. The first is the Audiobook for Gasp! The second is an audiobook for Rhapsody for Piano and Ghost.
Our first guest has offered an ebook copy of Cowboys Don’t Come Out offered up by Tara Lain! The second is a backlist title by Marie Sexton! And last, but certainly not least, Jamie Samms is offering up an ebook of one of his Dance, Love, Live series books!
There are lots of fun prizes today! Good luck, everyone!
Twenty-Five Days of Giveaways – Day #23 – Guest: Josh Lanyon
Good morning everyone!
So much for that bright, sunny, and warm December! It’s still pretty warm out there, but now it’s cloudy and drizzling. Talk about a mood buster! Oh well, I guess I’ll just have to give away some pretty awesome prizes to make up for it!
First up on the block is another ZAM audiobook! This time it’s Fugitive Color!
Second, Josh Lanyon has donated THREE signed print copies of Fair Game! That’s exciting, huh?
I hope that cheers everyone up! Good luck.
- 1
- 2
- 3
- …
- 18
- Next Page »
