Fun Facts with JL Merrow

JL Merrow is my visitor today. She's not going to share ten fun facts about herself, but about my country: Iceland ^.^ While I was "icepicking" her Fall Hard manuscript, I was blown away by her understanding of Icelandic people and the details to the land and buildings (and that first sex scene? Crazy HOT with those two Icelandic dirty words!).  

Warning: some may be more factual than others! ;)

1. Not only does Iceland allow same-sex marriage, Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir, its Prime Minister until earlier this year, is in one! She was the world’s first openly lesbian head of state.

And the best part is that nobody cared ^.^

2. Icelanders are highly literate. Around 10% (yes, TEN PERCENT) of the population will publish a book in their lifetime.

I've become a statistic >.<

Alopex lagopus

3. Iceland’s only indigenous mammal is the arctic fox. All together now: Awwwwww.

Vicious beasts... Okay, not really. They're adorable ^.^

4. In Iceland, it rains sideways. This is because the wind never stops blowing. It’s death to hairstyles. If you visit, invest in a few scrunchies so you can wear a ponytail all the time and never, ever show the holiday photos to your hairdresser.

There's a joke about the part of Iceland that I live in: If the wind ever stopped blowing, people  would fall over face-first (because we always have to lean against the wind - okay, not funny when you have to explain it...).

5. Volcanic ash, which caused such a palaver a few years ago, is actually coarse, gritty black sand. It’s quite fun to scrunch your toes into when you go swimming in the Blue Lagoon. Less fun, obviously, when sucked into your aircraft engine.

Yeah, sorry, World. The Dutch and Brits wanted cash but we misunderstood and sent them ash :/

Elven graveyard (according to JL!)

6. There are elves in Iceland. So many, in fact, that in a hugely unpopular measure of 2007, the government enforced an official cull. Today, you can see the poignant sight of elven graveyards all over the country, the final resting places of the hidden folk marked by small cairns of stone.

Not true! The graveyards, that is - the elves are very real ;)

7. One thing I knew about Iceland before I went was that there are no trees there. This is a lie. THERE ARE TREES IN ICELAND! All right, there aren’t very many, and they’re mostly not very big, but they’re there. There’s a saying: What should you do if you get lost in a forest in Iceland? Stand up.

Damn, you stole my next joke :P That seriously is a joke that every Icelander knows (and we actually think it's funny, hehe).

No Sheep! 

8. Another thing I knew about Iceland was that it’s full of sheep. This is also a lie. THERE ARE NO SHEEP IN ICELAND! Nope, not one. I didn't see a single shake of a lamb’s tail while I was there. Of course, they could all have been hiding in the middle bit where the main roads don’t go… No, sorry, I don’t believe it. There are no sheep in Iceland.

So not a lie! They're as real as the elves!

9. On the other hand, there are MILLIONS of ponies in Iceland. Seriously. Everywhere you go, fields full of gorgeous, shaggy-coated, floppy-maned ponies. Which leads us to:

10. Those lovely Icelandic sweaters you see everywhere, with the thick wool and the yoke pattern around the neck? Sort of like Sarah Lund wears, only nicer? Knitted out of ponies. They shear them in the summer, bleach or dye the wool, and knit it into sweaters. Honest. It’s the only explanation.

Haha, maybe I should suggest to the farmers to collect horse hair to knit out of :P I couldn't wear one though because I'm allergic. We do make wallets out of fish skin though, so it's an idea ;)

  

***

Some memories are better off lost in the mist…

Eight months ago, British academic Paul Ansell lost his lover—and all the memories of their time together—in an accident at Iceland’s Gullfoss Falls. Returning to the misty island country to resume his study of the bloodthirsty Viking Egil Skallagrimsson is tough as he struggles to pull his life back together.

First, there’s his colleague, Mags, who treats him like glass, and summer student Alex, who peppers him with discomforting questions. Then there’s Icelandic jet-boat driver Viggo, a tattooed, modern-day Viking who won’t say much about how they know each other. Leaving Paul to wonder if their volcanic attraction is fuelled by a desire to make a fresh start, or desperation to forget the past.

As more fragments of his lost memories fall into place, Paul is unsure if he can trust himself, much less anyone around him. And he begins to suspect his accident was nothing of the kind.

Warning: Contains a modern-day Viking whose boat has V8 engines for oars, and a harsh land of hot springs and hotter passions that won’t forgive any false steps.

Samhain |  Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Giveaway:

I’m offering a free signed paperback copy of Pressure Head (I’m happy to ship internationally) to a randomly chosen commenter on the tour, plus a $10 Amazon gift certificate!

I’ll be making the draw around teatime on Monday 30^th September, GMT. Good luck! :D

JL Merrow is that rare beast, an English person who refuses to drink tea.  She writes across genres, with a preference for contemporary gay romance, and is frequently accused of humour. 

She is a member of the UK GLBTQ Fiction Meet organising team.

Find JL Merrow online at: www.jlmerrow.com

Fun Facts with Rhiannon Wellman

I'd like to welcome Rhiannon Wellman to my blog to share ten interesting facts about herself. 

1) In real life I have five names. Rhiannon Wellman is made up of a combination of the three.

Interesting. Now I'm curious!

2) When I was growing up I was bullied very badly. I spent all my lunches in the library reading. I loved to read and loose myself in books.

*Sigh* I was bullied, too...but we didn't have a school library. Small town.

3) I'm severely dyslexic. I have literacy numeracy and concentration dyslexia.

4) One of my earliest memories is hiding behind my grandparent's sofa with a tape recorder making up stories. I think the ending went along the lines of a princess saving the handsome prince and flying off to live happily ever after.

Hehe, the princess saving the prince is definitely the making of an author ;)

5) When I was 13 I was diagnosed with a rare condition called neurofibromatosis. They found a lump next to my spine and removed it, thankfully. but when they did it was the size of a football and they said if they left it a day or so longer it would have snapped my spine.

Wow...

6) When I was in labor with my son I didn't swear once but I did ask if you could eat pink spiders.

You sure you weren't high? ^.^ I once had surgery where I was given heroin (the only time I've taken such a drug) and I saw blue poodles. I even tried to pat them.

7) I've watched "The Princess Bride" so often I could probably quote it all back to you. Same goes for reading "Pride and Prejudice."

Mmm, yes, we all seem to have one of these. Mine is Interview With a Vampire ^.^

8) I can't just write one story at a time, I always have at least 3 or four on the go at any one time. My brain just won't work that way.

I wish I was like that...

9) I never know what's going to happen in a story when I start it; it's just as much of a surprise to me as it is to everyone else when they read it. I think it's going to turn out one way and it turns out completely different.

10) Perhaps my very biggest deepest darkest secrete ever is that I still blush when I write sex scenes.

That is so cute ^.^

Rhiannon has a story in the Ad-Dick-tion Volume 3 anthology called Animal Magnetism:

When Simon took his beloved dog for a walk he had no idea what it would lead to. With wild animals, sexy land owners, and a psychotic ex-boyfriend, he's in for a wild ride. But boy will it be worth it.

Harvey has spent years locked away from everything, the fences around his land just as high as the ones around his heart. Simon is like a light in the dark. Will he be just what Harvey didn't know he needed?

Both men need to learn to love again, but will their animals' budding friendship be the catalyst for everything that follows?

Ad-Dick-tion can be bought on Amazon, All Romance eBooks and other places :)

Rihannon can be found on her blog, Facebook page and Goodreads.

But wait, there's more! Rhiannon's also written tons of fan fiction, so you Harry Potter, Glee and CSI fanfic fans out there (and people curious about fanfics) should definitely check that out.

Fun Facts with K-Lee Klein + Giveaway

I'd like to welcome my friend and fellow co-founder of Hop Against Homophobia and Transphobia, K-Lee Klein, for a round of fun facts! 

Hello, y'all, I'm K-lee. Welcome to the book tour for my newest release, Unbreak My Heart. It's my first book from Amber Quill and just came out on August 25. Here's the blurb.

UNBREAK MY HEART

Brett Taylor has been doing just fine living in his own little world for the past three years, thank you very much.  Losing someone special is life changing, and Brett doesn't understand why everyone and their damn dog thinks they can get all up in his business about him needing to move on. He managed to make the transition from musician to rancher without relying on anyone else's opinion or help, and he certainly doesn't need some city kid coming into his life to disrupt his routine--one that involves grief, isolation, and a whole lot of Jack Daniels.

Moving from one meaningless job to the next, JT Campbell is on a quest to escape his old life and figure out who he is and where he belongs.  He's not looking to save anyone, let alone a secretive, hotter-than-hell rancher who wears his heart on his sleeve.  JT likes working for Brett, but Brett's made it perfectly clear that any relationship between them other than a professional one will never see the light of day.

But when JT's lust turns to love, and he gives in to his desire to find out what makes Brett tick, will his interest push Brett away?  Or will he, through his patience and support, be the one who can finally unbreak Brett's heart?

~~~

Erica has asked me to take part in her awesome game of 10 Fun Facts About Myself, so here we go.

http://redhotchilipeppers.com

- My cat's name is Chili and she's named after the Red Hot Chili Peppers whose logo was also my first tattoo.

- I've been on crutches for a year and a half because of my knee, but there is still no conclusion as to what's wrong with it. (Okay, maybe that's not such a fun fact)

- I'm a sneakers kind of girl – Rocketdogs being my shoe of choice. I can't wear heels (not even when I have two good knees) because I guess you could say I'm a bit of clutz and heels are very hazardous to my health. Rocketdogs are the most comfortable shoes I've found for my delicate little feet.

I expect we'll see them at GRL2013!

- My newest tattoo (#7) is sort of Hobbit themed – it has the official runes of the heirs of Durin—Thorin, Fili and Kili—and it has a quote from the movie.

- I don't read any much favorite f/m books anymore but Jamie, from Outlander by Diana Gabaldon, will forever be my greatest hero.

I don't read any f/m books either. Actually, I never did...

- When my daughter was in junior high she told me I was more boy-crazy than she was, and I guess I still am.

- I was a Thirty Seconds to Mars groupie in 2010. I followed them around Canada and the US and was in the pit for 12-14 shows—can't remember exactly. It was a whirlwind of a road trip and I have no idea how I survived it. Lol.

You were a groupie?? That is so cool ^.^

- I become obsessed with movies, TV shows, characters, actors, etc. very easily. (lol, you'd never know it from my blog at all) It can end up being all-consuming, for example my husband will ask me which dwarf (shirt) will be joining us for dinner since he knows that's all I've been wearing lately. ;)

No, we can't tell at all, hehehe.

- I name my electronics and my truck. I have a Fili-phone, a Kili-pad, a Thorin-top, and my truck's name is Kiedis.

- Long-haired men are my weakness, AND for myself, I'd go back to big 80's hair in a heartbeat.

They're my weakness, too. *Sigh*

Well, I hope there were a few entertaining facts that I chose. Thanks for joining me and thank you, Erica, for having me.

Thanks for being here, K-Lee, but we're not done yet. Continue reading this post to find information on how to win a copy of Unbreak My Heart, and read a touching excerpt from the book.

~~~

Unbreak My Heart is available at Amber Quill/Allure and All Romance in ebook form right now. It'll also be available in the Kindle store, B&N, Rainbow e-books, and eventually Kobo. Then mid to late September it will come out in print, as well. I'll have a few copies with me at GRL too. ;)

http://www.amberquill.com/AmberAllure/UnbreakMyHeart.html

https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-unbreakmyheart-1271285-149.html

Finally, for a chance to win one of three draws just fill out my Rafflecopter form below and you'll be entered to win one of three prizes—two ebook copies of Unbreak My Heart, and one print copy. You can have another chance if you leave me a comment here—what's your favorite trope or subject matter in what you read?

I'll leave you with an excerpt from Unbreak My Heart:

The first shot went down like he was gargling with glass. The second burned just as bad, but by the fifth, the whiskey was smooth as silk. Brett pushed the bottle to the corner of the desk as he scrubbed his hand over his face. He should have gone to bed, or cranked up the hot tub and spent the rest of the night looking at the stars. Instead, the yellow pad of paper sat in front of him—the page still blank.

He knew he had something to say, but the words wouldn’t come. Usually the alcohol helped. Usually the fog in his head cleared and he was able to concentrate by the third shot, but he still felt stuck, still felt like there was something hidden in the gray of his brain—something important.

He picked up the pen, letting it hover over the page, twisting it between his fingers, willing the damn thing to write on its own. He didn’t know why he was so wound up. He’d even dropped his goddamn beer bottle in the sink because he couldn’t control the shaking of his hands or the force of the need to shut himself away in his office with a different bottle altogether, the photo in the frame, and his words on the page. He studied the happy couple staring back at him in the frame, barely recognizing himself as he purposely drew his gaze to Walt.

“Gonna help me out here, Darlin’? Don’t seem to have the mind to help myself tonight so I sure could use the assistance.”

Pulling the bottle so it sat smack dab in the middle of the daunting yellow page, Brett caressed the shape, fingers running the full length, then down again. He’d never even liked the damn stuff until Walt died. The first bottle he’d finished had been Walt’s, and he’d downed it in an attempt to feel closer to him—like drinking the damn stuff would somehow make Walt stick to his insides. But all it had done was send him running into town the next day to get another bottle, and only The Good Lord himself knew how many more there’d been after that.

His anniversary blues didn’t generally last more than the day itself, but today had been different. He’d already assured himself he’d been productive so it hadn’t been a complete waste, and he’d even made that damn phone call he’d been fretting about for over a week. Supper had gone better than he’d expected, too, and talking to the kid afterward had been pleasant enough, but something still felt unsettled inside him.

Maybe he’d revealed too much about himself when he’d actually been planning on saying as little as possible. But the kid was comfortable to be around, and the conversation hadn’t been one-sided by any means. They’d both talked and listened, and it had been nice.

Nice. Familiar. Safe. All those things were good, but there was still a leftover confusion in his head. He was generally a forthcoming type of man, not hemming and hawing about things that could be said outright, but now he couldn't remember a time when he’d blatantly told someone he barely knew that he was gay. He didn't consider it to be a secret or anything to be hidden…at least not anymore, but once JT started stealing glances at him, he’d suddenly felt like a trapped animal.

The last thing he wanted was for the kid to get some weird idea in his head about seducing his boss, and Brett definitely didn't want to lead him on. Not that JT looked the type to be interested in forty-year-old ranchers with bad dispositions. The idea would have been funny if it weren't so damn nice to think about holding someone close again. Brett knew that person was not JT though, and he’d have to nip any ideas to the contrary in the bud before they flowered up into something neither of them could handle.

By the time JT had run his eyes over him for the fourth time, Brett hadn't been able to get the damn bottle in his hand fast enough. It just wasn't right—not JT’s interest, not the alcohol, not the stir of warmth in his groin, and not the pang of guilt in his heart. It wasn't something he’d given into with such determination in a while. Yet there he was with five shots under his belt, his mind still reeling and not a goddamn word written on the page.

He forewent the tumbler for his sixth and seventh swallows, the amber liquid finally warming his belly and washing away the fog in his brain. Unfortunately, it didn't cloud the shame in his heart so once he’d screwed on the cap and shoved the bottle away again, he put the frame back in the drawer.

>>>Rafflecopter link<<<

BIO

K-lee Klein has lived in one part of Western Canada or another for her entire life. She’s a doting mother of three now-grown kids, and has had characters and plots running around her head for as long as she can remember.

She lives with a patient husband who totally does not get her thing for gay men, two spoiled but wonderful sons (who don’t get it either), and two also spoiled but beautiful cats. Her days are filled with texts and phone calls with her daughter who has already left the nest, and an abundance of fabulous gay men, large and small, bouncing off the walls of her skull, competing for their turns to tell their stories.

You can find all of K-lee’s books on her website:

http://www.kleeklein.com

And K-lee herself at

http://chaosinthemoonlight.blogspot.ca

https://twitter.com/Klee_Klein

https://www.facebook.com/kleemoon

Fun Facts with Edmond Manning!

I cannot believe I got Edmond Q. Manning to do fun facts with me and I cannot believe I didn't ask him sooner! I shouldn't be surprised he accepted, he's a very fun guy. I met him at GRL last year and I'm very much looking forward to hang out with him again this year. I've made him an honorary Viking, because he'd fit right in here in Iceland, and dubbed him Edmond the Fierce (because he battles zombies in his spare time...or at least plans to once the zombie apocalypse breaks out).

1. First off, I lied about my middle initial being Q. It’s not. 

What do you mean, you lied?? Just for that, I'm sticking a picture of John Cleese as Q instead of that new hottie Ben Whishaw (God, Ben's soooo hot!)

2. For many years I had a favorite shirt, thick yellow and blue stripes. It dissolved after many, many wears. Then, I purchased a new favorite shirt, dubbed Favorite Shirt II because it was also thick yellow and blue striped. After many years use, I lost Favorite shirt II on a tubing trip. Somewhere along the way it drifted quietly down the river, like an Eskimo death for the elderly. I think I miss ‘Favorite Shirt II’ more than I do ‘Favorite Shirt.’

Men and yellow shirts. Douglas Black has one too, though is isn't lost because he's not allowed to wear it outside.

Edmond's jam.

3. Generally, I don’t eat jam. I've got nothing against jam but when I’m eating toast, I’ll only use jam about 15% of the time. I love blueberry jam best, strawberry second, raspberry third. I also make a ton of raspberry jam from the raspberries in my back yard and give jars as birthday gifts and as a host/hostess gift when they invite me over to dinner. 

So that's what all that jam's for? I was wondering if you were stocking up for the apocalypse, maybe to pull a possum act and use as fake blood if the zombies come into your house. 

4. I own Return To Gilligan’s Island on DVD, a 50 cent buy from a Blockbuster’s bin years ago but I’m afraid to watch it because it’s going to make me sad and feel weird about that TV show. I’m not sure if Gilligan’s Island was big in Iceland, but it was a staple of my childhood. Do I really want to watch them turn that lonely deserted island into a resort? I think there was a “special” where the Harlem Globetrotters visited Gilligan’s Island. Ish. I’m afraid to watch it.

It never aired in Iceland, but every respectable adult in Iceland knows that Americans love Gilligan's Island.

Believed to have been the property
of the mythological creature,
Edmondus Manningus.
(Photo by Xandert)

5. I buried a small treasure, something I value, at the base of a redwood tree in Muir Woods in northern California outside San Francisco. The tree is off the path and pretty far back in the woods, so I’m confident it will never be found, certainly never by me. But I like to believe someone will discover it, perhaps hundreds of years from now.

6. I never cheated on a test in high school or college. Tempted, yes. I remembered and profited from previous students who would share stuff like, ‘this professor likes essay questions about Chaucer…’ But never consciously cheated. 

I did. Once. I couldn't remember how to say "boots" in Danish and my friend (unasked) wrote it on her eraser and gave it to me. I've never forgotten that word since, so you see, people learn best from cheating!

7. My mom once told me that if I had been born on August 1st, they were going to name me ‘Augustus.’ I would have been Augustus Manning. Weird. Probably would have gone by Gus Manning. Sometimes, I wonder if I would have been the same person if I had been named Gus.

If you'd be different as Gus, then I'm glad you weren't born on August 1st ;)

8. I had skin cancer in my twenties. I had a melanoma removed (those are the kind that successfully kill you). There’s a long story about how I got diagnosed and treated, but the short version is that an administrative secretary behind a desk was the first person to take my concerns seriously and she snuck me into a cancelled appointment the next day instead of making me wait four months for an appointment. I would have been dead. That administrative secretary saved my life. 

Wow, I'm so glad she did *hugs*

An egg to be defiled deviled...
and devoured.
(Photo by DuBoix)

9. At parties, I always want more deviled eggs than I allow myself to eat. I know what a pain they are to make. I want to eat twelve of them, but I limit myself so that others can enjoy them, too. But if there were 300 deviled eggs on the table and no one was in danger of not getting any, there is possibly no limit to how many I would consume.

I've never had a deviled egg. They look yummy.

10. I always wished I had black hair. I think black hair is sexy as hell. 

Ohhh, me too. Sexiest ever. Seriously, ask my cousin, Thora. We strongly disagree on this matter.

Edmond has just released his second novel, King Mai:

Adopted from Thailand and never one to fit in with the local bubbas, life has been rough around the edges for Mai Kearns, even before he came out of the closet. Now, almost ten years past the torture of high school, Mai still can't catch a break: he and his parents stand to lose their beloved farm.

How will a “King Weekend” help change Mai’s fate? What has narrator Vin Vanbly been up to for the four weeks he’s been sneaking around Mai’s hometown? At the urging of a ransom note from ‘The Lost Kings,’ Mai embarks on an impossible treasure hunt chasing mystic poetry, Fibonacci Hopscotch, ancient prophecy, the letter ‘x,’ and a confounding, penguin-marching army.

The stakes are high: if Mai fails, the Lost Kings will permanently claim him as their own. Finding the treasure may unlock the secret to saving his family farm. But can this angry farmer risk opening his broken heart before the weekend is over? Mai Kearns has 40 hours to get very, very curious in this second installment of The Lost and Founds.

Available on Amazon and ARe.

Curious about the first book? Here's King Perry:

Fun Facts With Douglas Black

Remember Douglas Black? He's my editor for the College Fun and Gays series. We've gotten along great and, since I think he's a funny guy, I asked him to do Fun Facts in honor of his new release, A Secret Love.

1. When I started working on archaeological digs, I named my trowels. One is called Indie; the other is called Junior. When I qualified I had their names engraved on them. (I am by no means the only archaeologist to have a bit of a thing for Indiana Jones!)

You know how my eyesight is still blurry? I read "towels" and went "Okay, that's just weird", lol.

2. My favourite shirt is a bright yellow Inka Kola t-shirt that I bought from a market stall in Cusco a few years ago. Sadly, on account of its garishness, I have been banned from wearing it outdoors. 

I went to look for an image of Inka Kola and my display driver crashed - not kidding. I can only imagine the effects a t-shirt would have!

3. As a student, I spent six months working on a flower farm on the Isles of Scilly. The experience bred in me a deep loathing of ‘scented pinks’.

I'm not a fan of the smell of roses either. 

4. I can recite the entire script of the 1971 film Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory from memory. Perfectly. Talk about a misspent youth…

For me, it's the Interview with a Vampire ^.^ I bet everyone has one of these.

5. Venice is my favourite place on earth. I want to live there one day.

© IvanBliznetsov

6. My ex-boyfriend is now a Catholic priest. I really hope that decision wasn't entirely because of me!

He cannot love another mortal after loving you ;)

7. I can solve a standard 3x3x3 rubik’s cube in under three minutes. This ability, disappointingly, has not made me any more sexually attractive.

I can't even get three in a row...

8. I once reversed a Toyota Hilux off the edge of a cliff. It wasn't a big cliff, and I wasn't hurt, but it was painfully embarrassing considering I was working as an off-road driving instructor at the time.

© Dazdraperma

9. Garden peas taste like soap. I have conducted many experiments over the years, and have concluded this to be true.

How do you know what soap tastes like? ^.^

10. I am such a boring individual, I can’t think of a tenth fun fact about me. Which is pretty upsetting, actually…

I have one: Douglas lives in Scotland! That, in itself, is very interesting. I bet you have a kilt and wear it commando ;)

Thanks for stopping by, Doug! Or Dog, with my accent. Here's the blurb to your latest release:

A Secret Love

James is nervous when he pulls into the car park of the secluded and conservative Caledonian Hotel. He slips off his wedding ring, gives a false name at reception and checks into his room.

When Mark finally arrives James expects their time together to conform to the usual pattern, but Mark surprises him. Mark wants candlelit dinners and walks on the beach. James, well, James just wants to make up for lost time. More importantly, he doesn't want to get caught. They have six months left before they can leave behind everything they know and start a new life together and James is desperate to be discrete. Unfortunately, he never could control himself around Mark. Throw in an interfering old couple and some very public displays of affection and Mark and James’s short hotel stay might just be about to destroy not only the secrecy that has always shrouded their relationship, but also their plans for a future together.

Available on Amazon and Evernight Publishing.