Recommendations

I've been reading some good books recently so I thought I'd get them together and give you some ideas. If you want to see a review on any of the books head over to 

Link

Angel End Road

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AUTHOR: D. J. Manley

PUBLISHER: eXtasy Books

LENGTH: 139 Pages

RELEASE DATE:  3rd April 2020

Freelance journalist Colton West can’t wait to finally end it with the rich and shallow Martin. Their relationship had been a mistake from the beginning. But just when Colton feels that he’s made it clear to Martin it’s over and he can move on with his life and career, he gets a phone call that will change his world forever.

Whitfield, Vermont, is the sleepy little town where Colton grew up, a town he couldn’t wait to leave. It’s also the place where his best high school friend was found murdered years before, left on a road outside town that goes nowhere. The killer was never caught, although a stoic old man named George Hill, who lived with his young grandson in the only house on that road, was considered by many to be the prime suspect and passed away several years later.

But now, another boy has been found dead at the end of that same lonely road, with his body eerily laid out in the same disturbing manner as Colton’s best friend. And this time, the victim is Colton’s fifteen-year-old nephew.

With the original murder suspect deceased, Colton knows the killer of both teenagers is still on the loose, perhaps preparing to strike again, and Colton won’t rest in his investigation until he unearths the whole, ugly truth.

Seeker of Truth

(This is the latest in a long series and you should read the whole series. It is seriously awesome!!! For this one to make sense you should at least read the previous two books in Series Three)

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AUTHOR: Jordan L. Hawk

PUBLISHER: Self

RELEASE DATE:  April 17 2020

Federal agent John Starkweather’s parents are dead. Or at least—the people he remembered as his parents. With his very identity in question, John must look elsewhere for answers.

The now-defunct Center for Loving Redemption may provide the clues he needs. But as John’s true memories begin to resurface, the answers prove worse than he ever imagined.

The Edge of The World

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AUTHOR: Garett Leigh

PUBLISHER: Fox Love Press

LENGTH: 223 pages

RELEASE DATE:  16 Jan 2020

Shay Maloney is living his dream—on tour with his pirate/folk-rock band. But you can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’re from, and that’s where moody filmmaker and researcher Ollie Pietruska comes in.

The band’s management persuades Shay to let a television company film a documentary about his roots beyond his adoptive Irish family, and Ollie comes into his life knowing more about Shay than Shay’s ever known about himself.

But while Ollie holds the key to Shay’s past, he’s also hiding deep scars. Even as the hardships of the tour bring them closer, Ollie’s demons threaten the blossoming romance. They might both reach the breaking point before Ollie realises he’s been standing on the edge of the world for too long, and it’s Shay who holds the key to his future.

A friends-to-lovers, rock star, road-tripping romance, with a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

What Happens After

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AUTHOR: Dennis Abrams

PUBLISHER: Harmony Ink Press

LENGTH: 181 pages

RELEASE DATE:  31 Mar 2020

Collin and his best friend, Nate, are high school juniors living in a suburb of Houston, where the politically and culturally conservative attitude makes coming out beyond difficult. One night they decide it would be a bit of harmless fun to sneak into a gay club in the city—a chance to dance, check out guys, and meet others like themselves.

They couldn’t be more wrong.

In minutes everything Collin took for granted is destroyed when a shooter’s bullets tear through the club. Collin survives, but that’s only the start of his ordeal. In the aftermath he has to face the loss of his friend, survivor’s guilt, the pain of his wounds, and judgment when he’s outed on a national level. Making it through his last year of school feels impossible when life as he knew it will never be the same.

For What It's Worth

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AUTHOR: S M James                        

LENGTH: 380 pages

RELEASE DATE:  02 27 2020

Rory García is terrible at making choices.

Dating Micah has been the best decision Rory’s ever made. Micah calms his wild side by bringing Rory back down to earth. They’re perfect for each other.

But when Rory’s Australian crush randomly shows up to stay with him, Rory’s torn between the boyfriend he maybe loves, and the guy he thought he was over.

Micah Holtz is the most loyal boyfriend in history.

Since the day Micah first saw Rory, he fell hard. There’s never been a moment where Micah’s doubted his feelings and when they finally start to date, Micah plans to hold on with both hands.

But then Justin arrives from Australia and Micah finds his single-minded attention starting to slip…

Justin Anderson has a plan for everything.

Showing up on Rory’s doorstep is the most adventurous thing Justin’s ever done. He’s lowkey sick with nerves, but knowing Rory’s there makes it all worth it. Until he finds out Rory has a boyfriend. Which was never part of the plan.

Suddenly Justin’s back to his usual game of second guessing everything, including Rory’s flirting and Micah’s lingering looks.

When Micah’s childhood haunt is set to be torn down, the three of them join forces to try to save the historic building. But will the teamwork add cracks to an already unstable friendship, or bring them closer than they ever imagined?

A Dark Fairytale

My fairytale trilogy is a very new project. The first book is currently being edited, and I have no date, as yet, for release. I'm three-quarters of the way through the third book and the fourth is brewing. I thought I might share a few snippets here and there to whet your appetite for an entirely new and experimental fairytale.

As a brief background...
Tay is a sixteen-year-old boy who had his life turned upside down when a fairy called Willow turned up and told him he was a fairy prince and had to go back with him to save the fae world from demons. Cale is Tay's best friend who was possessed by a demon, and buzzers are...well, to everyone else in Faerie buzzers are annoyances, like clouds of flies who live only to annoy. They are brushed aside and barely tolerated. They are not considered to be people at all.

Tay’s voice rose until, in the end he was shouting in Cale’s face. 

Cale looked shocked. He opened his mouth to say something, then 

gasped. A little group of buzzers were hovering around his face. He tried to wave them away, but Tay stopped him.

“Wait. See what they’re going to do.”

Closing his eyes, Cale scrunched up his face as the buzzers cautiously approached, then hovered close.

“What are they doing?” Tay asked.

“I don’t know. They seem to be patting me.”

More and more buzzers swarmed toward Cale landing on his head and shoulders. Cale squirmed. “Some of them are kissing me. I’m sure. On the cheek.”

“Oh my God. They’re comforting you. They know you’re hurting and they’re trying to comfort you.”

“Do you think?” Cale sounded curious now.

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Some of them are singing in my ear now.” Cale smiled and closed his eyes.

“Singing? What are they singing?”

“Don’t know,” Cale said in a dreamy voice, “but it feels good.”

Tay leaned on the parapet with one elbow while he watched Cale with the buzzers. He was smiling softly, his eyes closed and his lips parted. He seemed a lot more relaxed than Tay had seen him since it all kicked off.

One of the buzzers landed on Tay’s hand, where it rested on the bridge. Startled, he jumped and the buzzer flew up, but settled again straight away. Tay leaned down to bring his face close to the buzzer. It was a woman, less than two inches high, with beautiful, pale blue iridescent wings, more like butterfly wings than dragonfly wings. Long golden hair fell loose over a flowing blue dress and there was a tiny garland of flowers around her head like a crown.

“You’re beautiful. I don’t believe you’re nothing more than a pest 

and I don’t understand why everyone treats you like you are. 

You’re really trying to help my friend, aren’t you?”

The buzzer nodded enthusiastically and it startled Tay. He hadn’t been an expecting an answer.

“Do you understand me? What I’m saying?”

Again the little creature nodded and Tay was delighted.

“Your friends are really trying to help Cale?” Enthusiastic nodding. 

“Aren’t you afraid of the demon?” The buzzer tossed her head in a silent snort, then shook her head. “Thank you. He’s feeling very alone.” Tay looked up to find Cale absorbed in watching the buzzers, with a bright smile on his face. The buzzers seemed to be playing with him, teasing, pulling his hair and flying away, or rubbing themselves against his cheek in a comforting manner.

The buzzer flew up and hovered in front of Tay’s eyes, almost standing on the tip of his nose. He drew back his head when his eyes crossed, but the buzzer followed, so he stopped and let it flutter in front of his face. He didn’t know what he was expecting but it certainly wasn’t to be blasted between the eyes by what felt like a bolt of lightning. With a cry, he stumbled backwards and landed on his bottom.

A flash of white appeared in the corner of his fizzing vision and the buzzers rose in an angry cloud as Willow appeared, waving his arms and threatening dire vengeance.

“Are you alright?” Tay blinked and found Willow crouching beside him.

“I…um…yeah. I think so.”

“What happened?”

“I don’t know. I was talking to a buzzer and she… I don’t know. I 

think she hit me.”

“You were talking to a buzzer?”

“Kind of.”

A groan drew Tay’s attention to Cale, who was flat on his back. He pushed Willow aside to crawl to his friend.

“Cale, are you okay?”

Cale seemed totally dazed as he blinked up at Tay. “Aw,” he said in a small, trembling voice. “What did they do to me?”

“Pretty much the same as they did to me, I think,” Tay said, allowing Willow to help him up, then holding out his hand to Cale.

“I don’t understand,” Willow said. “As far as I’m aware, buzzers have never done anything like that before.”

“I don’t think she meant to hurt me.”

“They what do you think she meant? To telepathically converse?” 

Tay opened his mouth to answer before he realized Willow was being sarcastic.

“We’re sorry.” Tay jumped and looked over his shoulder.

“What’s wrong?” Willow asked.

“That voice. It startled me. Where did it come from?”

“What voice.”

“The one that said ‘sorry’,” Cale said. “Where do you think it came from?” He pointed to a spot above Tay’s head. When Tay looked up he saw the tiny woman he’d been talking to.

“Did you speak?”

“Yes, Lord.”

Chapter Fifteen

“Did you hear that?” Tay asked.

“I did,” Cale said.

“I heard nothing,” Willow said.

“That must be what they did to us, blasted the ability to understand their language into our heads. Can you do it to Willow, too?” Tay asked the little fairy.

“He is not our Lord. He is not kind to us like you are.”

“Well, Cale isn’t your Lord either and he’s not been particularly nice. Not that he’s been nasty either,” he added hastily at Cale’s indignant glare.

“He is Lord’s friend and he is hurting bad. We want to help him; help Lord.”

“That makes sense, I guess, but Willow is my friend, too. He’s my protector.”

“Is he worthy? Does he have a gentle heart?”

“I don’t know that his heart is very gentle; he’s a deadly killer. Can 

killers have gentle hearts? But he is lonely. People are afraid of him so he doesn’t have many friends. It would be nice for him to be 

friends with you.”

“Oh no. Spare me. Please.” Willow rolled his eyes, but a tiny smile tugged the corners of his mouth and he stood still as the buzzers swarmed. They patted his face and pulled his hair and then, when he didn’t slap at them, they zapped him. Willow didn’t fall as Tay and Cale had, but he did reel against the parapet and shook his head to clear it, looking as dazed as they had been at first. The buzzers flew up in a cloud, giggling.

“He is sworn to protect you?”

“Until we return to…um….” Tay struggled to remember the name Willow had used, “the Queen.”

“Heart’s Home,” Willow supplied.

“Yes, that’s it. He’ll protect us until we’re safely…um…home.” He had a lot of difficulty saying that word. As if anywhere he’d never even been could be home. Still, he’d probably better start getting used to it. It’s not as if he had much choice and it wasn’t going to do anyone any good if he pissed of his…the Queen and princesses. 

He guessed they could make his life a misery.

“You are going on another journey. You seek help for your friend.”

“Yes. His name is Cale.”

“Are we permitted to use it?”

“Of course you are,” Cale said. “In fact, it will be a relief that someone does. Most people seem to want to call me ‘demon kin’, as if that’s all I am.”

“We don’t fear demons. They cannot hurt us.”

“That’s true,” Willow said, in a thoughtful voice. “I’ve never heard of a buzzer being possessed.”

“Do you know how to protect yourself from demon possession? Do you know how I can protect myself?”

“Yes, Lord.”

Waves of relief washed over Tay. At least that would be one huge thing to cross off his list of worries.

“Can you teach me?”

“No, Lord,” the buzzer said, looking sad.

“But you said….”

“We know how, but we cannot teach you how.”

“I don’t understand. Why can’t you teach me?”

“It is not something that can be taught. It is something that has to 

be found.”

“Okay, where do I find it then?”

“Inside you.”

Tay ground his teeth. He forced himself not to show his irritation. 

“How do I find it?”

“We cannot tell you. You must find it for yourself. You must find where your power is bound and release it.”

Tay deflated. “I can’t do that yet, can I?” he asked Willow who shook his head.

“Not until you’re eighteen.”

“You told me that already, didn’t you? That I’ll be immune from 

possession when I’m eighteen and can use my powers.”

“Yes.”

“Well, thank you anyway. Oh, I don’t know your name.”

“It is Aria. I am leader of the ethen of the forest.”

“Ethen? Is that what you call yourselves? Not buzzers?”

“No, Lord, not buzzers. We are ethen.”

Writing Fantasy

Whether it's a fairy rising in a cloud of fairy dust from a flower, or a water elemental dancing on a fountain. Whether a gnarled gnome gazing out of a window in the bark of a tree, or an alluring naiad beckoning from a forest glade. Fantasy sets the mind free and allows it to create the most wonderful creatures in mind-bending environments.

I have rarely tried my hand at fantasy, and what I have written was purely experimental. The one book I have published that is fantasy in any form, even though grounded in the real world (a fairy who crosses into our world with comic and tragic results) is Fairies at the Bottom of the Garden which is currently on sale with NineStar Press.

I had never written a full-on fantasy and thought I never would. Then Willow hit me between the eyes, and I agreed to try a fairytale (a dark fairytale of course). It was supposed to have been one book, just to see if I could get into that mindset. That one book turned into two. Now I'm on the third with a possible fourth coming along.

So what is the appeal of fantasy? For me, it's the ability to let loose and throw off the conventions and limits I usually impose on myself. Want people to fly? Easy? Want a castle to be built on the back of a sleeping dragon? Of course - although there are consequences when the dragon awakens. Want all fire to be alive? Why wouldn't you?

I can create and destroy entire races, with their own characteristics, voices and stories. I can have people possessed by demons, meeting skink wizards and double-ended snakes, or read by flying winged panthers. And the character options are endless. I have an ordinary seventeen-year-old boy, in love with an air elemental, who had a fling with the High King of the fae, who is almost a hundred-thousand years old (due to an accident of time), looks like he's twenty and wears outlandish clothes that mix various centuries with modern. His favourite apparel is brocade frock coats in various pastel shades, paired with tight leather trousers. He's an arrogant son-of-a-bitch but he's going to save the world - possibly.

I am having so much fun writing this, but I have to keep a tight set of notes, to remember what creatures go where and where all the fairy villages are, not to mention what powers are being awakened and how they can be applied.

What's the point of this post? Okay, a little bit is to promote my own works (watch out for the Dark Fairytale series coming very soon from eXtasy) but also to encourage you all to dream of fairies and dragons and to bring your dreams to life on the page. I look forward to reading them.

New Release. Pirates of Romance by Asta Idonea.

Pirates of Romance

Asta Idonea

7 April 2020

10,500 words

MM/Contemporary/Short Story

Cover Art & Formatting by Alina Popescu

Universal Buy Link: https://books2read.com/piratesofromance

Audio Excerpt: https://soundcloud.com/nickijmarkus/pirates-of-romance-by-asta-idonea-audio-excerpt

YouTube Excerpt: https://youtu.be/7AKfp-9sU38

Lost in the Wilderness Of Marketing and Promotion. Are Publishers Helping?

Over the past few years, many small presses have got into severe difficulties or even closed, and I've been wondering why. I don't think it can be blamed on a shrinking market, because from what I've seen the market is not shrinking. In fact, I see new authors every day.

I also see many posts, articles etc that suggest many authors, new and existing, are struggling with marketing and promotion. It is a problem that spans genre and is prevalent in all shades of the rainbow. New authors, in particular, struggle. Those, like me, with added difficulties, are entirely lost.

As an autistic author, I cannot possibly navigate social media, let alone excel in such things as blogs, websites and promotional campaigns.

This brings me back to publishers. What are they doing to help their struggling authors? With some exceptions, from what I can see, very little. Sure, we get editing and book covers - which vary vastly in quality and some promotion around a book release, but by and large, it appears they focus most of their marketing expertise and resources on established and/or successful authors. What assistance can be found, is impersonal, often handing out information-heavy, non-personal leaflets or handbooks, instead of being individual to the abilities and needs of each particular author - individualized marketing plans, for example.

The marketing model of focussing resources at the top of the pyramid, ultimately don't work. By throwing almost everything you have on the top of the food chain, the highly successful authors, who often have little interest in, no time for, and even derision for their lowly brethren, they are setting themselves up to fail.

In my opinion, the highly successful authors require the least effort, resources and energy as they already have momentum and an extensive fan base. The real value for a publisher lies in the small fry. By boosting them, and helping them become successful and well known they are ensuring more revenue (as the top tier will still be generating the same) and evening out, or even reversing the pyramid. At the very least, they will be bringing in more money because they have a greater number of successful authors.

Am I saying this because I am still a little autistic fish swimming in a huge neurotypical pond? Maybe, and maybe I'm looking at it from a different viewpoint as autistic minds tend to take different paths than neurotypicals. Also, I am not a business person, never will be and have no desire to try to be, as the anxiety simply isn't worth it. I simply know that whatever is happening appears to not be working.

Another thought. With so many authors struggling, a publisher offering an individualized, custom marketing package would surely attract a lot of interest, and perhaps become a market leader in promoting a practical, working model for success.

Or maybe I'm just talking out of my ar... discontent.

Re Release: Innocense and Carnality by J Alan Veerkamp

Happy Re-Release! 

It’s official! Innocence & Carnality is back up for sale!

  

It was a difficult decision to self-pub my book. Pulling my rights back after Dreamspinner Press’ lack of payment—I’ve been paid only approximately 10% of everything they owe me—was one of the hardest things I’d ever done. The financial trouble they were having only came to light for me after I & C originally released last year.

I wanted to believe they were making strides to make things right. Pay back past due royalties, rebuild author relationships, and get back to proper business. Dreamspinner was one of the big boys, so of course things were going to right themselves.

Unfortunately, they didn’t. The situation depressed me so badly, I barely wrote last year. Another author had gotten legal advice and shared how if Dreamspinner went bankrupt (which was a definite possibility) the contract language to revert rights wouldn’t supersede bankruptcy law when they seized assets. For a publisher, assets are the books. I wasn’t going to lose my book for however long it took for the courts to unwind the mess we were in, so I asked for my rights back in December.

It didn’t take long, but I was able to re-publish Innocence & Carnality through Amazon as the sole owner of my story, and it’s now available to read through Kindle Unlimited, or you can purchase your own ebook or paperback copy.

Blurb:

Innocence is his only currency.

The gilded cage of propriety where Nathan grew up as a member of the Deilian aristocracy became a true prison when, at fifteen, his homosexuality came to light and created a terrible scandal. His parents see only one way to preserve their reputation amongst the other noble families: fit Nathan with a chastity belt to increase his value to a potential partner and marry him off as soon as possible.

The recipient of that prize is Lord Rother Marsh Delaga III. After a hasty wedding, Rother whisks Nathan away to the strange and seductive land of Marisol, where Nathan will begin a new life, free to explore the pleasures of the marriage bed, though his life is still not his own.

But Rother’s Delaga House is a place of secrets, dangers, and depravity Nathan can scarcely comprehend. Where friends are few and peril waits around every corner, Nathan must employ all the manipulation he learned from high society, along with his talent for clockwork. Most of all, Nathan must adapt, compromise to survive, and cast off the preconceptions of his homeland.

Because only he can orchestrate his freedom, and it’ll come at a cost.

Buy Link:

Available as ebook, paperback, or read for free as part of Kindle Unlimited.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B084VDPVJR/

About the Author:

While spending years more focused on visual arts, J. Alan Veerkamp never let go of his innate passion for storytelling, wanting to write and draw comic books when he grew up. Once he discovered M/M fiction, a whole new world opened filled with possibilities. Why couldn’t you have fantastic and dynamic sexy tales with an M/M cast? He started reading the online tales of authors like Night Tempest, Rob Colton, and Alicia Nordwell, which only fueled his need to create. Eventually he found GayAuthors.org, and with a little coercive nudge, started sharing his tales with an unexpected level of positive response. The experience and support gave him the courage to cross his fingers and aim for the world of M/M publishing.

Born and raised in Michigan, J. Alan continues to type away, wishing it was practical to use a noisy old-fashioned keyboard that clacks with each strike, if only to annoy his loving partner and spoiled miniature dachshund.

REVIEW The Edge of the World by Garrett Leigh

Buy Link

BLURB:

Shay Maloney is living his dream—on tour with his pirate/folk-rock band. But you can’t know where you’re going until you know where you’re from, and that’s where moody filmmaker and researcher Ollie Pietruska comes in.

The band’s management persuades Shay to let a television company film a documentary about his roots beyond his adoptive Irish family, and Ollie comes into his life knowing more about Shay than Shay’s ever known about himself.

But while Ollie holds the key to Shay’s past, he’s also hiding deep scars. Even as the hardships of the tour bring them closer, Ollie’s demons threaten the blossoming romance. They might both reach the breaking point before Ollie realises he’s been standing on the edge of the world for too long, and it’s Shay who holds the key to his future.

A friends-to-lovers, rock star, road-tripping romance, with a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

REVIEW:

I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s easier to review a flawed book. There’s plenty to pick apart, comment on and explore. With a good book, it’s harder because what more can you say than it was flawlessly written, and I loved it. Well, I’ll give it a try.

I got hooked on Garrett Leigh when I read her Roads series and nothing I’ve read since has disappointed. The author has a knack for writing flawed but beautiful characters that are so easy to slip into. Ash from Roads is a character that has lived with me for years, and I think both Shay and Ollie will be joining him on the list of characters who have taken over my life for the time I’ve been reading them, and beyond.

The book was flawlessly written, and I didn’t notice any faults in grammar, style or editing. That might have been because I was so enthralled by the story but if there are small flaws, I’m sure any reader who notices would forgive just because the story and these characters are so absorbing.

This is one of those rare stories that takes you on a journey of amazing scope. Ollie has been researching Shay’s past and the story of his ancestors takes us all over Europe and through many trials and traumas. Through it all is their own story of heartbreak and recovery, which is slow but steady.

Sometimes, when you have two characters who are obviously meant for each but keep bouncing back and forth between attraction and rejection, for whatever reason, it can be frustrating. You can find yourself metaphorically yelling at the page for God’s sake just get over it and get together. In this case there was less frustration and more heart-in-the-mouth praying that this time they’d get over their hurdles and allow themselves to be together. I’ve rarely read two characters with so much personal growth. The Ollie and Shay we end up with are not the Ollie and Shay we were introduced to and the journey has been one partly spent together and partly on their own. It wasn’t an easy one, but true self-development never is, and these boys have a lot to get through and get over.

All-in-all this is one of the best books I’ve read in a long time. As usual Garett Leigh does not disappoint. When you pick up a Garrett Leigh book you know you’re going to get a gritty, earthy, well told story about characters who bite back. This one is not the exception. I heartily recommend to anyone who wants something beyond the fluffy bunny romance with characters who grip you by the throat and don’t let go until four a.m. when you have work the next day and finally run out of just one more pages.

BLOG TOUR - RENEWED by Maggie Blackbird

Renewed 

The Matawapit Family Series Book 4 

by Maggie Blackbird 

Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance 

ABOUT THE BOOK

When two former enemies fall in love, family secrets threaten to destroy their fragile union and everything they hold dear. 

With their extreme ideas about traditional Ojibway life, the radical Kabatay clan have made enemies in their fight to rid the reserve of Western culture and its religion. Disowned by her family for daring to love the church deacon’s eldest son, Jude, Raven Kabatay longs to put an end to the feud started by her mother, brother, and sisters against the Matawapits…people she’s come to think of as her own since Jude changed her life. 

Jude Matawapit suffered a humiliating divorce after his wife left him for another man, but with Raven, he’s created a beautiful, new sanctuary after losing his previous one, and his new haven is everything he’s ever wanted for himself and his children. Only two things could destroy his pristine bliss: the secret he holds close to his chest, and the vengeance Raven’s family wants to exact on the Matawapits. A secret and vengeance that could cost the unlikely lovers their hard-won, much longed for happily ever after. 


Goodreads * eXtasy Books

GUEST POST

It is so nice to welcome Maggie Blackbird to my blog. She has been so very kind to me, and now it's time to return the favour. Maggie has written a quite amazing series of books about the Ojibway, the largest First Nation tribe in Canada. 

Maggie is going to tell us about how she decompresses after she has been busy writing.

I use a laptop and desktop to write.  Once I shut off the computers, I’m done.  My phone is devoted to my personal life.  There is nothing writing-related on it, and I prefer it that way.  My down time is important for me.  I dedicate a lot of hours to writing, whether drafting a new MS, editing a MS, working with my editor, my publisher, marketing, blog posts, etc.  When I’m done, I want to get away from that world and delve into another.

I read that my favourite romance author, the late Johanna Lindsey, unwound after turning in her manuscript by playing a video game for twelve hours.  For me, it’s golf.  Since I live in a seasonal climate, I can’t very well golf in the winter haha.  So I record my golf tournaments (I watch the PGA, European, and Asian tours), sit back, relax, and watch.  Okay, not watch.  I get a bit crazed, heh.

I play fantasy golf, so I make my picks every Tuesday morning.  Come Thursday, I begin watching to see how my picks are doing.  And I get too involved LOL, whining when my picks are playing poorly, hissing if my fave golfers aren’t making birdies, and some ranting if an easy putt is missed.  Yes, I get worked up watching golf, but it’s a fun worked up because I enjoy the game.

When the majors are airing, my writing wanes LOL, because those are four special times of the year that are must-watches.  Y’see, sometimes I do watch golf while I’m writing.  I’m doing that right now.  The Sentry Tournament of Champions is on, and I’m multi-tasking because I’m writing this blog post.  I always stop writing when a golfer is making a shot.  If it’s a golfer I’m not a fan of, I keep typing haha.

As for summer, I can hardly wait to take my sticks to the links.  I even schedule time away from writing to enjoy hitting the links.  Down time is a must, or I’ll burn out.

Thank you, Maggie. I can't say that I have any interest in golf myself, I have no interest in any sport to be honest, but it's great you have a hobby to help you unwind and to remind you that there is more than writing out there. For myself, I favour the playing games for twelve hours approach, whether they be computer or tabletop.

Now, let us take a look at the previous books in the series. If you haven't yet read them all, I would strongly suggest you do, not only because they make sense of the final instalment, but also because they're all damn good.

Sanctified 

The Matawapit Family Series Book 3 

Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance 

ABOUT THE BOOK

In the midst of a battle for leadership at their Ojibway community, two enemies of opposing families fall in love… 

After suffering a humiliating divorce, infuriated Catholic Jude Matawapit bolts to his family’s Ojibway community to begin a new job—but finds himself thrown into a battle for chief as his brother-in-law’s campaign manager. The radical Kabatay clan, with their extreme ideas about traditional Ojibway life, will stop at nothing to claim the leadership position and rid the reserve of Western culture and its religion once and for all, which threatens not only the non-traditional people of the community, but Jude’s chance at a brand-new life he’s creating for his children. 

Recovering addict Raven Kabatay will do anything to win the respect and trust of her older siblings and mother after falling deep into drug addiction that brought shame and anger to her family. Not only does she have the opportunity to redeem herself by becoming her brother’s campaign manager for chief—if he wins, she’ll have the reserve’s backing to purchase the gold-mine diner where she works, finally making something of herself. But falling in love with the family’s sworn enemy—the deacon’s eldest son, Jude—will not just betray the Kabatay clan. It could destroy everything Raven believes in and has worked so hard for. 

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Redeemed 

The Matawapit Family Series Book 2 

Genre: Contemporary Inspirational Romance 

ABOUT THE BOOK

A single woman battles to keep her foster child from his newly-paroled father—a dangerous man she used to love. 

Bridget Matawapit is an Indigenous activist, daughter of a Catholic deacon, and foster mother to Kyle, the son of an Ojibway father—the ex-fiancé she kicked to the curb after he chose alcohol over her love. With Adam out on parole and back in Thunder Bay, she is determined to stop him from obtaining custody of Kyle.

Adam Guimond is a recovering alcoholic and ex-gangbanger newly-paroled. Through counselling, reconnecting with his Ojibway culture and twelve-step meetings while in prison, Adam now understands he’s worthy of the love that frightened him enough to pick up the bottle he’d previously corked. He can't escape the damage he caused so many others, but he longs to rise like a true warrior in the pursuit of forgiveness and a second chance. There's nothing he isn't willing to do to win back his son--and Bridget.

When an old cell mate’s daughter dies under mysterious circumstances in foster care, Adam begs Bridget to help him uncover the truth. Bound to the plight of the Indigenous children in care, Bridget agrees. But putting herself in contact with Adam threatens to resurrect her long-buried feelings for him, and even worse, she risks losing care of Kyle, by falling for a man who might destroy her faith in love completely this time. 

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Blessed 

The Matawapit Family Series Book 1 

Genre: Contemporary M/M Inspirational Romance 

ABOUT THE BOOK

It’s been ten years since Emery Matawapit sinned, having succumbed to temptation for the one thing in his life that felt right, another man. In six months he’ll make a life-changing decision that will bar him from sexual relationships for the rest of his life.

Darryl Keejik has a decade-long chip on his shoulder, and he holds Emery’s father, the church deacon, responsible for what he’s suffered: the loss of his family and a chance at true love with Emery. No longer a powerless kid, Darryl has influence within the community—maybe more than the deacon. Darryl intends on using his power to destroy Deacon Matawapit and his church.

Hoping to save the church, Emery races home. But stopping Darryl is harder than expected when their sizzling chemistry threatens to consume Emery. Now he is faced with the toughest decision of his life: please his devout parents and fulfill his call to the priesthood, or remain true to his heart and marry the man created for him.

This is very erotic book about a spiritual journey. 

**On Sale for only 99 cents at eXtasy Books for the month of February!!**

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

An Ojibway from Northwestern Ontario, Maggie resides in the country with her husband and their fur babies, two beautiful Alaskan Malamutes. When she’s not writing, she can be found pulling weeds in the flower beds, mowing the huge lawn, walking the Mals deep in the bush, teeing up a ball at the golf course, fishing in the boat for walleye, or sitting on the deck at her sister’s house, making more wonderful memories with the people she loves most. 

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