To Tempt an Angel SBB

This post is part of a virtual book tour organized by Goddess Fish Promotions. Patricia will be awarding a free eBook from Lachesis Publishing to a randomly drawn winner via the rafflecopter at the end of this post during the tour.

NOTE: this book is FREE everywhere!  Buy links are at the end of this post -- why not download your own copy today?

Blurb:
Angelica Douglas has no idea that she’s the Countess of Melrose. What she does know is that she needs to support her family as a card shark, while finding a way to seek revenge on the men who ruined her father and sent her family spiralling down into poverty.

Robert Campbell, Marquess of Argyll, heir to the Duke of Inverary, has no idea who Angelica truly is. He just wants to watch over her and make her his mistress.

Angelica thinks Robert is simply a dashing rogue who is far too dangerous for her peace of mind. Robert thinks Angelica is an angel except when she’s being a pain in the behind.

When Robert finds out that his own father may have been one of the men who ruined Angelica’s family, he vows to keep a careful eye on her. When Angelica finds out that Robert’s father may have been one of the men responsible, she vows to stay as far away from Robert as possible. But when danger threatens, both Robert and Angelica must face the truth and let fate take the upper hand.


Enjoy an excerpt:
London, 1812

He knew she was cheating.

Angelica read the suspicion in the man's alcohol-glazed eyes. She was confident of her talent, so being caught didn't worry her, but drunks almost always proved dangerous. With the exception of her own father, of course.

Eighteen-year-old Angelica Douglas wet her lips, gone dry from nervousness, and felt a droplet of perspiration roll slowly down the valley between her breasts. Reaching up, she brushed a wisp of golden hair away from her face and adjusted the wreath of fresh-cut flowers she wore like a crown on her head.

Angelica gave her intended victim a sunny smile and flicked a glance at the group of fairgoers gathered in front of her table. Seated on a stool, she began moving the thimbles around and around on the makeshift table that consisted of a board resting on top of a trestle.

“Stop,” the man growled.

Angelica looked at him expectantly.

He pointed at the middle thimble. Angelica lifted it to reveal nothing and laughed with delight.

“Yer cheatin',” he accused her, his foul breath making her stomach queasy.

Seemingly unruffled, Angelica looked him straight in the eye. “Sir, you are a poor loser,” she told him in an affronted tone. “Would you care to throw dice instead?”

“I ain’t throwin’ dice with no girl,” the man snapped, and turned to go.

“Afraid?” Angelica challenged him, making her audience laugh with approval. When the man kept walking, she shifted her blue-eyed gaze to those watching and asked, “Would anyone care to throw dice with me?”

“I would love to throw with you,” answered a voice in a tone suggesting intimacy.

The crowd parted for the handsomest man Angelica had ever seen. Older than she by ten years at least, the black-haired and dark-eyed English Adonis carried his tall, well-built frame with athletic grace. Though commonly dressed in black breeches and white shirt, the man had the bearing of an aristocrat.

Sacred sevens, Angelica thought, his devilishly good looks startling her. She felt as if Old Clootie, in all his sinful perfection, had stepped out of the crowd to lead her astray.

Author Bio:
I'm a dog person. Who lives with 10 cats. Get the picture?

My first brush with the romance genre happened in my high school junior year. I discovered Gone With the Wind and hid it behind my American history book to read during class. (The Civil War is American history.) The ambiguous ending left me dissatisfied, though. Rhett and Scarlet needed a happily-ever-after. Believing in happily-ever-afters positively screams romantic-at-heart.

On the other hand, I love murder and mayhem as much as happily-ever-after. My usual television fare is fiction and nonfiction crime shows, not love stories. Which accounts for the mysteries I sneaked into my historical romances. Now I'm trying my hand at writing a humorous mystery, sans historical and sans emphasis on the love interest. I even prepared for my mystery-in-progress by attending the local NRA's Pistol School. Shooting pistols is great fun. I adore the .22 semiautomatics.

After graduating from high school without distinction, I earned both Bachelor and Master degrees at a state college. Again, without distinction. I held several part-time jobs during my college days: file clerk in an insurance company, long-distance telephone operator, kimono-wearing waitress in a Japanese restaurant.

And then I began my teaching career, eighteen years in the eighth grade and thirteen years at the high school. Weary with the same old routine, I decided I needed a creative outlet. So I decided to write a romance novel but only managed to talk about writing one. After five years of listening to me, a friend said to stop talking and start writing.

So I did.

I made every mistake known to man. Blunder would be a more appropriate word, but I did learn using the trial and error method. As well as studying the works of authors I admired.

After five years of writing for nothing but love, I sold my first novel. Since then, I've sold eighteen novels and won several awards--- National Readers' Choice Award New England Readers' Choice Award, Romantic Times Reviewers' Choice and KISS Awards, B. Dalton and Bookrak Awards for best-selling author. My novels have been translated into fifteen languages and sold in twenty countries.

If I had my life over, would I become a writer? Nope. I would enjoy being a Victoria Secret model. Perhaps in my next incarnation I won't be too old, too short, or too unphotogenic.

Website     |     Facebook

Buy Links:
B&N     |     Kindle     |     Kobo     |     iBooks 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

1: Bunny's Review
2: Romance Novel Giveaways
3: Louise Lyndon Blog
4: Katherine Givens
5: Buried Under Romance
6: Hope. Dreams. Life... Love
7: Aly's Miscellany
8: Margay Leah Justice
9: Erzabet's Enchantments
10: Bookgirl Knitting
11: Reviews by Crystal
12: Long and Short Reviews
13: Historical Fiction Obsession
14: Jen's Reading Obsession
15: Underneath the Covers
16: Hywela Lyn 'Romance That's 'Out Of This World'
17: MAD Hoydenish
18: Dawn's Reading Nook
19: The Snarkology
20: 3 Partners in Shopping, Nana, Mommy, and Sissy, Too!
21: Happily Ever After
22: A Book Addict's Delight
23: Two Ends of the Pen
24: BookSkater
25: Writer Wonderland
26: Urban Girl Reader
27: The Pen and Muse Book Reviews
28: Deal Sharing Aunt
29: Sarah Ballance
30: Linda Nightingale...Wordsmith
31: Wickedly Wanton Tales
32: It's Raining Books
33: You Gotta Read Reviews
34: Welcome to My World of Dreams
35: Straight from the Library
36: Sharing Links and Wisdom

Breakfall Tour

Breakfall
by Kate Pavelle
The Fall #1
Publication Date: June 27, 2014
Genres:Contemporary, Erotica, LGBT, Romance
 

Add to Goodreads.

Synopsis: Fall Trilogy: Book One

Sexual assault doesn't discriminate. Aikido instructor Sean Gallaway learns that when he falls prey to a violent stalker. Asbjorn Lund, a karate sensei on campus and a Navy vet, yearns to teach Sean how to survive. How to overcome. How to recover. Sean feels hunted and alone as the stalker escalates, testing his boundaries. With the entire dojo at his back, Sean resolves to play bait. He will catch the predator stalking him and reclaim his sense of self if it's the last thing he does. Yet Sean's hunger for justice clashes with Asbjorn's protective streak, and their budding romance might not survive their war of wills.

Excerpt:
Sean didn’t know. He never tried it. Burrows-sensei disapproved of contamination by other martial arts.

“Contaminating aikido by other arts would make it too easy to resort to violence,” he said, repeating the word he heard so many times. “If you are defending yourself, and if your timing is right and you keep the principles in mind, all you have to do is trust the technique to work.”

The response to his rehearsed words was action. Strong arms on his biceps and hips against his hip.

Asbjorn pushed him roughly against the brick wall of the building next to them.

“Do something, Sean.” Asbjorn’s voice was calm.

Sean was pinned.

He curled his wrists in and attempted to raise his arms, but with his hips immobilized, it was impossible to use his whole body. He could not simply curl a man like Asbjorn. Frustrated, he stomped on Asbjorn’s foot.

Asbjorn smiled. “Sometimes, your style will be incompatible with the style of somebody else. You can also be smaller or physically weaker.”

The stubborn set of Sean’s jaw told Asbjorn he tried to resist the impending feeling of humiliation and defeat. Sean said, “You’re saying there’s nothing I can do.”

“No. I’m saying you have to learn a few dirty tricks.”

“I can’t use my hands.”

“You can use your head, though. I’m close enough for a head-butt. If you hit my nose with your forehead, I’ll let go right quick.”

Asbjorn loosened his grip on Sean’s arms and slid his large hands onto the rough surface by Sean’s head. He kept his hips pressed forward, his face buried in Sean’s hair, and seemed disinclined to move.

“Sean.” Asbjorn’s voice was but a whisper.

“What are you doing?”

There was a pause before Asbjorn broke the silence. “I’m wondering that myself.”



Review Posted Here

About the Author:

Just about everything Kate Pavelle writes is colored by her life experiences, whether the book in your hand is romance, mystery, or adventure. Kate grew up under a totalitarian regime behind the Iron Curtain. In her life, she has been a hungry refugee and a hopeful immigrant, a crime victim and a force of lawful vengeance, a humble employee and a business owner, an unemployed free-lancer and a corporate executive, a scientist and an artist, a storyteller volunteering for her local storytelling guild, a martial artist, and a triathlete. Kate’s frequent travels imbue her stories with local color from places both exotic and mundane.

Kate Pavelle is encouraged in her writing by her husband, children and pets, and tries not to kill her extensive garden in her free time. Out of the five and a half languages she speaks, English is her favorite comfort zone.

Website • Twitter • Facebook • Goodreads

Buy Links:

Amazon     |     B&N     |     KOBO     |     Dreamspinner Press

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sunrise Over Brasov NBtM

Blurb:

Rosa Getzi lives a life of intrigue at Poiana Brasov with Clement, a werewolf, and Cassandra, the witch. Her past doesn't matter to her – until she discovers what it holds.

Prince Michael Sigmaringen joins his sister-in-law, Caroline, and the vampire prince, Darius, in a daring rescue, igniting Rosa's desire to find her family. However, all is not as it appears. Rickard, Rosa's friend, escapes with her. Clement will go to any lengths to get Rosa and Rickard back.

At Darius' fortress, Michael soon discovers Rickard is a new breed of werewolf – one who can control the change, and Clement hopes to exploit Rickard's abilities.

Michael's courage, strengths, and convictions will be tested like never before. Can Michael and Rosa find true happiness and the rid the lupine haunting of the Sigmaringens once and for all?

Excerpt:

He raised his hand and lowered his hood. An inherent strength filled his profile. Confidence. Concern. Relief.

Rosa's breath jammed in her throat. He looked familiar. He smelled familiar.

"Rosa, it's Michael. Let's go."

"I'm not going anywhere with you."

A frown set against his rugged features. "I don't have time to argue -- now put on a warm dress and cloak."

"No." She was not going anywhere with him despite the relief in his voice.

He sighed and shut the door. Moving with fluid grace, he crossed the room, jerked the door to her closet open and threw the items he wanted her to wear on her bed. "Get. Dressed."

"No." She was determined not to budge, despite the danger outside.

"Rosa, we're leaving."

"I'm staying."

"Why would you want to stay? Clement kidnapped you."

Disconcerted, she pointedly glanced away from his hard stare. What did he mean by kidnapped? Clement didn't keep her behind bars and feed her only bread and water. Rosa could even go into Brasov to shop as long as Lucien or one of the bodyguards went with her.

"I'm going to take you back to your mother."

Her head snapped toward his direction. Mother? Of course she had a mother -- a family, even -- only she had no recollection of them. So why did her body fill with warmth at the mention of her mother by a man she hadn't seen before, but was hauntingly familiar? She pursed her lips, torn by conflicting emotions.

"Caroline and Darius can't keep this up. Now get dressed or I'll dress you myself."

"You'll find me an unwilling subject."

He drew in a deep breath and raked a hand through his thick ebony hair. "You are exasperating."

"So I've been told."

Question: Welcome Stephanie, thanks for stopping by. So why don't you tell us a little about yourself.

Steph: I was born and raised in New Hampshire. When I turned 18, I joined the U.S. Army as an MP looking for a great adventure and money for college. Regan was president when I joined, but the 1^st presidential election I voted in was 1988. I spent 7 years in Germany, earned a B.S. in Political Science from California Baptist University out of Riverside, CA, and I was married in Denmark. I love chocolate and enjoy coffee.

Question:  How did you get started writing?

Steph: I've been writing for as long as I remember. I was 6 and making Spiderman comics at the kitchen table. I've always enjoyed writing a good story.

Question: What was the inspiration for your book?

Steph: I needed to tell Michael's story. He's been through a lot in the series and there's no happy ending for him. Michael has to fight hard for what he wants. What inspired the opening sequence was a scene from a book I read where the heroine rescues the hero from jail. I thought that was a very brave moment and I wanted to show Michael acting bravely right off the bat.

Question: What's the one genre you haven't written in that you would like to?

Steph: I would have to say historical, circa the 1700's. I can't seem to find my voice for it, but I keep reading and researching. Maybe one day.

Question: What are you working on now?

Steph: I'm between stories now. I'm prepping to write a short contemporary paranormal story for Halloween about a witch who is afraid to fall in love. In June, Book 3 of my steampunk series, The Windsor Diaries comes out. It's called "A Lady Never Lies." I'm exploring promotional opportunities for it.

Question: Favorite color?

Steph: Blue.

Question: Favorite movie?

Steph: Sound of music.

Question: You have one superpower. What is it?

Steph: The power to stay a lean, mean fighting 135. Okay, Super strength. Wonder Woman is my hero.

Question: Which of your characters are you most like and why?
Steph: I'd like to think I'm like Lady Jocelyn Ridgecroft from "A Lady Never Lies." (The Windsor Diaries book 3). She's smart, quirky, willing to follow her heart, yet strong enough to stick up for her beliefs and convictions in the face of adversary.

Stephanie will be awarding a $25 Amazon GC to a randomly drawn commenter during the tour. So the more you comment, the better your chances of winning.

June 11: Queentutt's World of Escapism
June 18: Long and Short Reviews
June 18: The Crafty Cauldron
June 25: Lisa Haselton's Reviews and Interviews
July 9: Lessons from My Reading
July 16: Books and Other Spells
July 23: Sexy Adventures Passionate Tales
July 30: The blog of C.R. Moss
July 30: Booker Like a Hooker
August 6: Sharing Links and Wisdom

Author Bio and Links:

Stephanie Burkhart is a 911 dispatcher for LAPD.  She was born and raised in Manchester, New Hampshire.  After serving 11 years in the US Army she currently calls Castaic, California her home. Stephanie was married in Denmark in 1991 and has two young sons. She adores chocolate, is addicted to coffee and enjoys early morning walks.  She's also an assistant den leader for her son's Cub Scout den and is a Boy Scout mom. She writes paranormal, contemporary, and steampunk romance and has two children's books published with 4RV Publishing.

FIND ME ON THE WEB AT:

Website     |     Twitter     |     Facebook 

Goodreads     |     Youtube Channel     |     Pinterest

Buy Links:

Amazon     |     Barnes & Noble     |     AllRomanceEbooks

Desert Breeze Publishing

Blog Update

So, I just got back from vacation, and I realized that it's been a while since I've just stopped to chat with y'all, so I wanted to take the time to just update y'all since a lot has been going on.

I was finally able to get Blogger to fix my emails so now those of you who are subscribed should be getting the posts emailed to you. However, now I need to figure out how to get them to send when the post goes live, and not at random times of the day, or several days late like they have been, so please be patient with me while I try to work it out.

I am also finishing up my degree right now, and will hopefully be graduating by spring of next year, which does take up a lot of my time, so I have been cutting back a little in the past few months. But, I now have more time on my hands since adding a new reviewer, Trix, which I am super excited about. You may have already seen several of her reviews posted here, and she's a great addition to the blog. I'm also still looking for others who would be interested in reviewing as well, so if you're interested, just email me at tiger-chick-1@hotmail.com and let me know.

I am also hoping to be able to redesign my blog in the next few months or so, and I will definitely keep you updated on those plans. I also plan to be featuring more authors and reviews along with the blog tours, and I am currently planning a Halloween celebration, so keep your eyes out come this October.

So, that's everything in a nutshell right now. Thanks to all of you for supporting me in my blogging journey and for sticking with me as I try to figure this all out. Your support means the world to me, as I wouldn't have gotten this far without y'all. 

Well, I'm off now to finish taking my last final, so I'll see y'all!

Forever Man VBT

Blurb:

A bond forged in Catholic school, an unspoken attraction that outlasts years of separation and other relationships.

Ren and Cole never acted on that thing that always bubbled beneath the surface of their friendship, not until a chance encounter in a Santa Fe bar and a song that would tip the scales forced them to confront their feelings. Will the influence of a music superstar, a New York socialite and a mystical property manager finally bring them together, or will a history of missed opportunities, their own fears and an impending wedding keep them apart? Can they just have one night, and then walk away?

Forever Man is a story of the consequences of the choices we make, and how the courage to change can last a lifetime.

Excerpt:

Ren turns to see Cole standing not five feet away, a bit out of breath.

"Did you mean it?" Ren asks.

"Yes."

"You're in love with me?"

"Yes."

Ren doubles over again, trying to catch his breath. Cole crosses to him, rubbing his back but saying nothing. After a moment, Ren straightens out and asks, "How long?"

"I want us to be together—”

"No. How long have you been in love with me?"

The answer to this one question is all Ren needs to know. Because this man, this friend, this lover of his has always given in to whims and drama and intensity, and Ren has to be sure that he is not that. He has to be sure that this is not new.

Cole steps into Ren's space, tilts his chin up and kisses him. The kiss is firm, an answer, a promise.

"I can't remember a time when I wasn't in love with you."

AJ, thanks so much for stopping by. So, how did you get started writing?

I started writing very young—in grade school--because my mom was studying for her Ph.D., and brought me with her to the library. There was nothing else to do but roam the stacks and read books. It wasn’t long before I started writing my own stories. Then, a teacher took an interest in my writing. After that, there was no other profession for me.

Oddly enough, it was that same teacher who suggested I would be a better playwright than novelist, and so I pursued playwriting for many years. I was a ghostwriter of motivational, inspirational and business books for many years. But writing other people’s books for a living is soulless work. Writing Forever Man has renewed my desire to write my own books again.

What was the inspiration for your book?

I’m a bit embarrassed to admit that it started with one of my sexual fantasies about running into an old lover while away on business. It was more about stepping outside of your life for a weekend, and giving in to old temptations. I’m happily married, and I think most people in long-term relationships have similar fantasies.

Though the book started from a sexual fantasy, it became so much more than that. I wanted to explore an age-old love that had never been admitted, or acted upon. What would happen if two people secretly in love with each other for years bumped into each other by chance in a romantic city? Would they finally take a chance and go after what they want? It became an opportunity to not only explore the rush of giving in to a persistent longing, but also how loving authentically helps you live authentically.

So, what are you working on right now? Got any releases planned, or still writing?

I’m working on a new series set in a small town on the North Shore of Lake Superior. It features two young men, childhood rivals, who return to their hometown the summer after college and fall in love. There are side stories, interweaving with the main story. I’m super excited about it.

Favorite movie?
The Philadelphia Story starring Katherine Hepburn, Jimmy Stewart and Cary Grant. I’m a sucker for old Hollywood, classic films. The characters in Forever Man talk about Casablanca, another classic film. There are a few similarities in that, just as Ingrid Bergman’s character has to choose between Rick and her Nazi resistance husband, my character Ren has to decide between staying with Cole, the love of his life, or continuing on with his plans to marry Paul, a good man with whom he has built a life that inspires the GLBTQ community.

Book that inspired you to become an author?
“Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott. Her character, Jo March, was a huge inspiration to me. I wanted to be like her, to move to a big city and write books.

Alright, you have one superpower. What is it?
I would love the ability to stop time. I have so many stories I want to write, and not enough time in the day to write them!

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?

I am most like Ren because I too have struggled with finding the courage to ask for what I want, and trust that I’m making the right decisions. We’re different in that I’m lucky in love—my decisions have to do with my career.

Reviewed by Trix:

3.25 stars

Disclaimer: I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is one of the first releases by Interlude Press, a publisher featuring LGBTQ books written by fan fiction authors. FOREVER MAN is based on DeWall'sfan fiction SOMEONE LIKE YOU, based on the Kurt/Blaine fandom from TV's GLEE. Some people have strong feelings about books that are retooled fan fiction, so I won't get into that debate here. I hadn't read the earlier story (though a brief look on DeWall's LiveJournal page shows that some chapters cleave pretty closely tothe fanfic in plot, if not in character names), but I admit that once I learned it was based on fanfic, I immediately tried to figure out the fandom. Then, once I foundout it was based on GLEE (I'm not a huge fan these days, but I know it fairly well), my brain was trying to fill in the blanks of what was inspired by the show and what wasn't as I read. So, I did find it somewhat of a distraction. That said, DeWall "files off the serial numbers" well enough that if you didn't know it was fanfic-derived, it probably wouldn't be an issue. (Plus, there are some red herrings: while Alegra is obviously an older version of pop star Adele, Diedre, who I assumed was GLEE's Rachel Berry, is actually an original character.)

Now, to the actual story. Ren and Cole's long-suppressed attraction produces a story filled with longing, which occasionally sparks into sweetly euphoric love scenes when the two give in to their desires. This means that the level of angst is steady but low-burning, and sometimes I wanted more highs and lows in the storytelling. This is compounded by DeWall's very romanticized writing style here, which uses a lot of poetic rephrasing and repetition. This can be very lyrical, like a love letter, while at other times it just feels like it's needlessly drawing out the story. The guys also read a lot younger than they are because of all the back-and-forth hand-wringing. (There's a moment where Diedre is ranting that pining does not necessarily translate into true love, and it's a moment that's clearly supposed to be seen as bitchy and harsh. Yet, my first thought was "You know, she really makes a lot of sense.") There are some moments of humor, mostly in the cute text exchanges between the guys. The side characters are minor players but generally well-drawn (though I worried for a while that Antonio would fall prey to my pet peeve "mystical ethnic person" trope, but luckily DeWall backs off from that), and DeWall does well by portraying Ren's boyfriend Paul as a thoroughly sympathetic guy, which adds emotional weight to the scenario. My advice would be to read a sample chapter or two before buying and decide that way: for some the story and style will be an instant five-star no-brainer, while others will be annoyed. For me? 3.25 stars.

The author will be awarding a $25 Barnes & Noble GC to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. A free download of an Interlude Press eBook title or an author/book swag pack (US ONLY) will be awarded to one randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter at each stop during the tour.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

August 4: Sharing Links and Wisdom

August 4: It's Raining Books

August 5: Prism Book Alliance

August 6: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess

August 7: Long and Short Reviews

August 7: Behind Closed Doors - Promo

August 8: Romance Novel Giveaways

August 11: Mia Downing

August 11: Booklover Sue

August 12: Carly's Book Reviews

August 13: ScatteredThoughtsandRogueWords

August 13: Dawn's Reading Nook - Promo

August 14: Erotica For All

August 15: Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock

August 15: We Love Kink

Author Bio and Links:

A professional writer for more than 20 years, A.J. DeWall began her career as a playwright. She is the ghostwriter behind dozens of nonfiction books, including several award-winning bestsellers. As a writer of fan fiction, her online titles have hundreds of thousands of reads. Forever Man is her first novel. She lives in New York with her wife and son.

Website     |     Twitter

Buy Link

Bleeding Heart VBT

Blurb:

While the public struggles to live side-by-side with vampires, medical student Brian Preston has dedicated himself to their care and study by working in a government-run clinic that monitors and feeds the resident vampire population. He has learned to expect the unexpected in his job, but his life takes a surprise turn late one night when a young, struggling vampire named Kyle stumbles into his clinic and his heart.

 As they draw closer, can Brian come to grips with loving the elusive vampire, and can Kyle find the strength to share the secret that can separate them forever?

Bleeding Heart is the story of love, blood, political intrigue and the secrets that can spell the difference between life and death.

Excerpt:

 “It’s the husband,” Erica says, jabbing a finger at her iPad. “It’s always the husband.”

 “Oh, come on,” Brian replies, laughing at her insistence. “He’s such a nice guy.”

“That is exactly why it’s him,” she counters, tossing up a hand in frustration at his apparent inability to see what is so very obvious to her. “Besides, he slept with her sister.”

  

“Before they were dating; that doesn’t even count, and it doesn’t make him a murderer. Geez.”

  

“Lunch at the taco truck says it’s the husband.”

  

“I see your angle,” Brian replies, smirking. “You’ve got a deal.” He taps the iPad, pausing the television show they’ve been watching. “We should keep an eye on the door.”

    

She brushes back her glossy black hair. Her almond-shaped eyes and petite frame show a weariness that matches his own. “It’s been a long week. Besides, it’s just past four-thirty; the rush is over.”

  

Can’t deny that, Brian thinks, and thank goodness. They’d had no less than six unidentifieds, and one volatile who’d done serious damage to the counter and the security doors before the police had arrived with their chemical spray and herded the poor guy off into custody.

  

Working the graveyard shift at a blood service center in downtown Chicago, Illinois is a job that could never be called boring. It’s not that the vampires can’t go out during the day—the fact that they can is one of the reasons they’ve been able to hide for as long as they have—but that they are stronger at night. They tend to handle their business and socializing between dusk and dawn and getting free blood at the center is often the first stop for many of them.

  

Coming on later in the evening means that Brian usually sees the more mature vampires—those who can wait, those who prefer to avoid the younger crowd that shows up as soon as the sun goes down. The downside to this is that he also sees, at times, the unpredictable ones—the ones who aren’t regulars, the ones who wander in at all hours of the night. Between he and Erica, they have plenty of crazy stories to tell.

Melissa, thanks so much for stopping by. So, why don’t you tell us a little about yourself?

The pleasure is all mine!  Thanks for having me—this is my first book tour, and I'm so excited to get to share my first novel Bleeding Heart with you all.  It's a fun, fast-paced, erotic story about a young, troubled vampire and the human medical student who falls in love with him, and how that meeting changes both of their lives forever.

How did you get started writing?

I discovered the world of fantasy/sci-fi in my early teens and never looked back.  I read a lot of X-Files fan fiction, because the show was a big deal at the time and I was always looking for more.  I role-played generic fantasy characters in Internet chat rooms at the same time as I began to write The Nightworld (by L.J. Smith) fan fiction—vampires, witches, and shape shifters enthralled me, and I wanted to explore romantic themes in that kind of a world.  From then on my obsession with fantasy worlds and the stories they might hold drove me to constantly write.

What was the inspiration for your book?

I have read vampire fiction and vampire erotica for most of my life—I've read every combination of genres (classical, horror, fantasy, sci-fi, modern), but I had never read a book where the main characters were two guys who fall in love and one of them happens to be a vampire.  There's an odd lack of queer-themed vampire fiction, so I thought: why not?  I wanted to write something interesting, romantic, and explicitly sexual—so often vampire novels choose to be just one of those things, and I wanted to offer something with all of the above.

What’s the one genre you haven’t written in yet that you’d like to?

I definitely would like to dabble more in the sci-fi genre.  I'm a sucker for fantasy (if you made me choose between Lord of the Rings and Star Trek, it would be Lord of the Rings all the way, though I love them both), but sci-fi opens up a whole world of space travel and gadgets and science themes that would make a romance so compelling.  Aliens in love—what's not to like?

Are there any genres you won’t read or write in? Why?

Nope. You’ll never know if you really like or dislike something until you’ve checked it out.

So, what are you working on right now? Got any releases planned, or still writing?

Always writing!  But specifically: the next step of Brian and Kyle's journey.  For fans of Bleeding Heart, have no fear...the end of that book is not the end of their story by a long shot.  They have a lot ahead of them, in terms of both their relationship and their individual lives, and it remains to be seen whether or not they're ready.  Elisa and Clara are definitely going to be putting them to the test.  Stay tuned!

Alright, now for some totally random, fun questions. Favorite color?         Purple.      

Favorite movie?
The Lord of the Rings: Fellowship of the Ring.  One of the most amazing film adaptations of all time, of one of the most beloved stories of both my childhood and adulthood.

Book that inspired you to become an author?
Interview With A Vampire, by Anne Rice.  Her prose and eroticism gives me chills to this day.

Alright, you have one superpower. What is it?
Shape shifting—who wouldn't want the choice to be anything or anyone at will?

Last question: Which of your characters are you most like and how/why?
I'm a weird blend of Kyle and Elisa—I'd say that if I was a Gemini, they would be my two halves—Kyle because he's forever young and forever trying to catch up and he wants so badly to find the acceptance that he never found growing up, and Elisa because she's a hardcore realistic who has found success and acceptance but never really trusts in it, because she's smart enough to know better.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

July 21: Decadent Delights

July 21: A Little Bit of Naughty - Review only
July 22: Romance Novel Giveaways
July 23: Carly's Book Reviews
July 24: Wicked Wolves and Dreaming Dragons - Review only
July 25: The Reading Addict
July 28: Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess
July 29: We Love Kink
July 29: Wickedly Wanton Tales
July 30: Erotica For All
July 30: Dawn's Reading Nook
July 31: The Purple Fantasy Den
August 1: Sharing Links and Wisdom
August 1: Paranormal Romance and Authors That Rock

Author Bio and Links:

A veteran writer of fan fiction known as MissBeizy to her online readers, Melissa Graves’ stories have thousands of followers. At age 13, she wrote her first work of fan-based fiction, and by age 16, had met her future husband in an online vampire fiction chat room. A fan of science fiction/fantasy, she has a degree in anthropology and a passion for good chocolate, amateur erotica and fan worlds that celebrate diversity. She is mother to two cats.

Follow Melissa Graves and learn more about her work at http://msmelissagraves.com/

Twitter     |     Goodreads

Buy Link