In celebration of book #4 of my "Howl at the Moon" series coming out on Aug 28th, I have put the first 3 books in the series on KU. They will be on KU for 3 months. So if you haven't read the series yet, check them out! Book #4 will also be on KU on Monday Aug 28th.
CLICK HERE TO SEE THE SERIES ON KU ON AMAZON
Eli
"How to Save a Life" (Howl at the Moon #4) is releasing Aug 28, 2017. It's now available on Amazon for pre-order.
CLICK HERE to read an excerpt
CLICK HERE to go to the Amazon pre-order page.
Stay tuned for my traditional desktop post on release day!
Blurb:
Rav Miller looked into the terrified, intelligent eyes of the chocolate Labrador on death row, and knew he’d do anything to save him. When the dog, Sammy, escapes and heads to Mad Creek, Rav follows. Mad Creek. The town had become legendary in Rav’s mind after he’d met that bizarre group last year. Rav dismissed his crazy suspicions back then, but when he arrives in Mad Creek, he knows it’s true. Dog shifters exist, and apparently they all live in the California mountains. It’s enough to blow a bad boy’s mind.
Sammy has something in common with Rav—neither one of them trusts people. After Sammy’s abuse as a dog, he particularly dislikes tough-looking men like Rav. But when Sammy gets a chance to work with rescued dogs at the new Mad Creek shelter, his deep compulsion to help others overcomes his fear. Rav and Sammy bond over saving strays. If they can each find the courage to let someone else in, they might find their way to love.
Sheriff Lance Beaufort doesn’t like humans moving into Mad Creek, especially not the tattooed and defiant Rav. When Rav starts a rescue shelter, the town thinks he’s wonderful! But Lance isn’t fooled. He doesn’t buy Rav’s innocent act for one second. How much does Rav know about the quickened? What is his game? And why did he have to show up now, when Lance and the other town leaders are overwhelmed by all the new quickened pouring in?
Rav knows how to save a life. But can he save an entire town? Can he rescue Mad Creek?
This is an 80,000 word novel, book #4 in the "Howl at the Moon" series. It features a new couple and can be read as a standalone, but we recommend reading the series in order.
Eli
Today I'm on Diverse Reader with a cover reveal for "How to Save a Life", which is the fourth "Howl at the Moon" book. This series features a community of dog shifters in Mad Creek, California and the humans who love them. Each book features a different couple, but there's a lot of community stuff, so it's probably best to read them in order. This book will be out by end of August!
I love humorous paranormals like Molly Harper's werewolf shifter series. My "Howl at the Moon" series is written in that tongue-in-cheek style.
"How to Save a Life", featuring the love story of Rav and Sammy, will be out at the end of August. You can see the cover reveal, read the blurb, and enter a giveaway to win any book on my backlist at the link below.
CLICK HERE FOR COVER REVEAL, BLURB, AND GIVEAWAY
Eli
The cover reveal for "Five Dares" (Riptide, Oct 2, 2017) is now up with RT Book Reviews. CHECK OUT THE COVER HERE! This is a New Adult m/m romance with two best friends who just graduated from college. Here's the blurb:
Andy Tyler has been the class daredevil since middle school. Over the years, he’s convinced his best friend, Jake Masterson, to perform some dangerous-looking stunts with him. But the dare they attempt on the night of their college graduation goes sideways. The firecrackers explode too soon and both of them end up with badly burned palms.
But hey, nothing gets the “terrible duo” down for long, and they recuperate in style at Andy’s family cottage in Nantucket. As the weeks go by, both Andy and Jake grow frustrated over the inability to use their hands for all sorts of daily activities—including getting off. So Andy begins a new series of dares that don’t just cross the friendship line, they obliterate it.
But what might be mere sexual relief to Andy is serious business to Jake, who only recently got over years of secret pining for his straight best friend. Inevitably, the burns heal, summer ends, and hearts are broken. To fix things, Andy will have to face the greatest dare of all.
If you liked my other NA romances like "Blame it on the Misteltoe" and "Unwrapping Hank", you'll love "Five Dares".
Eli
Announcing Five Dares! This 70K word novel is coming out from Riptide on Oct 2, 2017. It's a light, fun, NA romance. If you liked my "Blame it on the Mistletoe" or "Unwrapping Hank", you'll love this one.
BLURB:
Andy Tyler has been the class daredevil since middle school. Over the years, he’s convinced his best friend, Jake Masterson, to perform some dangerous-looking stunts with him. But the dare they attempt on the night of their college graduation goes sideways. The firecrackers explode too soon and both of them end up with badly burned palms.
But hey, nothing gets the “terrible duo” down for long, and they recuperate in style at Andy’s family cottage in Nantucket. As the weeks go by, both Andy and Jake grow frustrated over the inability to use their hands for all sorts of daily activities—including getting off. So Andy begins a new series of dares that don’t just cross the friendship line, they obliterate it.
But what might be mere sexual relief to Andy is serious business to Jake, who only recently got over years of secret pining for his straight best friend. Inevitably, the burns heal, summer ends, and hearts are broken. To fix things, Andy will have to face the greatest dare of all.
PRE-ORDER LINK:
http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/five-dares
Eli
I'm excited to say that "A Second Harvest" is now available in audio! This book won the Rainbow Award for the Best Contemporary Romance. The second book in the "Men of Lancaster County" series, featuring a new couple, will be out this fall.
Eli
I'm hosting the Queer Romance Freebie Fan Club on Facebook this week. If you aren't already a member, you can join below. The group is manned by more than a dozen mm authors who regularly give stuff away: https://www.facebook.com/groups/queerromance/
This week I'll be giving away a few books, audiobooks, an ARC of my upcoming "Five Dares", and an Amazon gift certificate.
To kick off the week, I offered a chance to win any of my Christmas novellas in ebook or audiobook (includes "Blame it on the Mistletoe", "Unwrapping Hank", "Midwinter Night's Dream" and "Merry Christmas Mr. Miggles"). To enter to win you just need to comment on that thread in the facebook group above.
Today's giveaway is for one copy of the audiobook of "Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles". To enter, comment on this post on the Facebook group. You can listen to a sample and check out reveiws here:
AUDIBLE: MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. MIGGLES
Today's post is an excerpt from "Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles".
Excerpt (from chapter 2):
The next day when I arrived at the library at 8 o'clock, Mr. Miggles was already there. He was in Santa's Headquarters. Christmas tunes played over the library's speaker system, and he was swathed in an apparently infinite strand of gold tinsel.
He fought against the tinsel's stranglehold harder when I walked into the room, embarrassed to be caught out. It was hilarious and precious at the same time, like a video of a kitten falling off a sofa, but I kept a straight face. I plopped my backpack down and helped him unwind. He was dressed in his usual gray suit pants and starched white button-down shirt. Today his tie was navy and yellow and had subtle smiley faces on it. The tinsel strand had gotten itself entwined on a button on his back suit pants pocket. I couldn't help noticing, as I freed it, that he had a decent ass.
Did I mention that I'm twenty-four?
"I was, um, trying to judge the length of the strand," he said with strained dignity.
"By pole dancing with it?"
"Don't be cheeky." He gave me a warning glare that looked amused at the same time. "I'm glad you're in. I wanted to discuss the Christmas Surprise Box before the library opens."
"Okay. But why are you here so early? You shouldn't come in early like this."
The library ran on a very tight budget. There were only two paid employees—Mr. Miggles and me. We had a few volunteers, but either he or I had to be there at all times. So I worked 8 to 5 and he worked 10 to 7.
He waved away my concern. "Needs must. Now. The Christmas Surprise Box." He picked up his pen and notebook from the table. "We'll have the traditional chocolates, of course, but I want something new. You're young. What latest trend might we be able to afford?"
I leaned against the table and crossed my arms. "What's the budget this year?"
"Same as every year. Fifty dollars."
I gave him an incredulous look and sighed. "Well, that leaves out a smart phone."
"What about a smart phone case? Or another accessory?"
I shook my head. "There are too many phone sizes to do a case. No way to know what the winner would have. Besides, they're expensive." I thought about it. "Earbuds?"
He hummed and wrote it down. "Possibly. You're sure most people would have a mobile communication device?"
I opened my mouth to accuse him of being a hopeless Luddite, but then I saw the suppressed smile on his face. He was yanking my chain. Of course he was. He had a cell phone, I reminded myself. I even had his number in case of emergencies.
"You're not the least bit funny," I grumbled.
His grin broadened. "Just making sure you're awake, Toby. What else might be an option?"
"iTunes Gift certificate?"
"Too impersonal."
"But flexible."
Clearly this was a teaching moment to Mr. Miggles. He gave me a serious look. "A gift says as much about the giver as the receiver. How much thought went into it? Does the giver truly know the recipient’s heart? Did the giver put time and care into the selection, or was it merely a chore to be ticked off?"
"Chore," I said decisively. "Oh… you meant hypothetically."
Mr. Miggles looked rueful. "Of course, if you're the sort of person who prefers to put the minimum amount of effort into a thing…."
I rolled my eyes. "We don't know who's going to win the surprise box, so how personal can it be?"
"We know the winner will be a human being with all the needs and frailties that implies. Also, it's someone who lives in Sandy Lake and comes into the library. There are scores of information in those few data alone."
"So no alien technology then. Or dog biscuits."
Mr. Miggles gave a “this is what I have to put up with” sigh. "Something about the town, perhaps. Something for a reader."
"What about a Sandy Lake bookmark? We might be able to get something custom done on Etsy fairly cheap. We could use a photo of the town clock."
"Excellent!" Mr. Miggles wrote it down. "Is there anything I might get at the mall? I'm planning on a hike near Columbus on Sunday, so I could make the dreaded mall run."
My face must have given me away, because Mr. Miggles blinked at me. "What is it?"
I tried to downplay my frustration. "Nothing. Justin and I were supposed to go to Columbus on Sunday, but now he has to work."
"Oh. I'm sorry to hear that. I suppose you were quite looking forward to it. Do you…."
He trailed off, stopping himself. And I thought. Do I… what?
Mr. Miggles looked at me and I looked at him. In a flash, the room was full of this weird frizzle of… something. It was definitely tingly. And awkward. He clenched his jaw as if he wanted to say something. Was he going to invite me to go with him? That would be weird.
I suddenly wanted him to ask and… I didn't. The idea of having company for a trip to Columbus, not to mention going for a hike on a nice November day, sounded righteous. Why shouldn't I go out and have fun since Justin had bailed on me?
But Mr. Miggles was my boss. We didn't socialize. And there was the gay thing too. Would he think that, because I was a gay man, any invitation would be misconstrued as a come on? Mr. Miggles wasn't gay. At least, I didn't think so. Come to think of it, I had no idea what he was or even if he was anything at all. Possibly, he was asexual or he’d been kidnapped by white slavers during his formative years and castrated. That would explain his “tragic past” vibe. Hey, anything was possible.
"So, um, have fun, you know, with that," I stammered. "If I think of anything you could pick up at the mall, I'll let you know."
"Yes. Fine. Good." Mr. Miggles nodded adamantly.
I looked at the clock on the wall in desperation. The second hand edged toward 8:30, when the library officially opened. I had a few things to do to prep for that and a cup of coffee was definitely high on the list.
"I'd better…." I jerked my thumb at the door.
"By all means. Get to it."
See you tomorrow!
Eli
Hi, everyone! I hope your spring has been as beautiful and exciting as mine has been. I wanted to "decloak" my typical invisibility garb (sigh) and give you an update on what I've been writing and what you can expect and when. LATEST RELEASE
My last book published is "Snowblind" from Dreamspinner in Feb 2017. It's a romantic suspense story, sort of spy vs spy, with some steamy snowed-in hyjinks in a cabin in Alaska and then quite a lot of suspense action! The plot has a lot of twists and turns. "Snowblind" is also out now in audio. Click below to see my page with links and excerpts.
FIVE DARES
This full-length novel was written in Jan-Feb and is a contemporary NA with bffs becoming something more. Andy and Jake are pretty much nuts. They love doing dares and stunts. They're just graduating from NYU and are about to go their separate ways for the first time in their lives. At their graduation party, Andy pulls one dare too many. It leads he and Jake to spend the summer in Andy's family cottage in Nantucket recuperating from bad burns to their palms. Two risk-taking, hormone-fueled guys alone all summer without the use of their hands. What could go wrong?
The boys in my story were inspired, physically, by my favorite TV show of last year, Eyewitness. This title will be published by Riptide in the fall.
TENDER MERCIES
I just finished writing book #2 in the Men of Lancaster County series. Book #1 was "A Second Harvest" and I was thrilled that it won Best Contemporary in the Rainbow Awards last year. "Tender Mercies" can be read as a stand-alone and is about an entirely new couple but set in the same area. Here's the temporary blurb:
Eddie Graham had a dream to create a sanctuary for rescued farm animals. When his long-time partner dumps him just before their move to Lancaster County, Eddie is stuck with a 25-acre property to manage and big bills to pay on half the income he anticipated. He fears his dream has failed before it even got started. He needs help, and he needs money, but most importantly, he needs to find his power to believe again.
Samuel Miller worked hard all his life to fit into his Amish community despite being born with a club foot. But when his father learns Samuel is secretly gay, he is whipped and shunned. Alone, with just a few hundred dollars to his name, Samuel is desperate for a job and a place to stay. He responds to an ad for a farmhand and finds himself employed by a city guy who has strange ideas about animals and no clue how to run his small farm.
Tender Mercies is currently under review at Dreamspinner, but will hopefully be coming out in the fall as well. Below is an image that inspired my idea of what Samuel looks like (only, ya know, Amish).
HOWL AT THE MOON #4
I just started working on Howl at the Moon #4. This will be a self-pub, so I hope to get it out in June.
Personal Stuff
A few weeks ago, my husband and I attended my step-daughter's wedding. She's been a true daughter to me since I've been in her life since she was two-and-a-half years old. It was a gorgeous wedding in Marin County, CA and so romantic!
That's all for this update. Have a wonderful May.
Eli
If you like news and freebies, check out this new facebook group featuring me and a bunch of other fantastic authors. We'll be giving stuff away regularly. QUEER ROMANCE FAN CLUB ON FB
Mar 1, 2017 is the release day for "Snowblind", my new romantic suspense novel from Dreamspinner.
Check out the excellent early reviews on Goodreads.
You can pre-order on Amazon or Dreamspinner and get it delivered to you after midnight tonight!
You can read the first chapter here (end of the page).
My desktop post about the book will go live on this site tomorrow morning at 8am EST. I also have a few blog tour stops arranged, which I'll post here.
Exciting! This book is a bit different for me as it's the first time I've written two very alpha males and a romantic suspense plotline. I hope you all like it.
Eli
3 days only! Happy Valentine's Day!
"A Second Harvest" won #1 Best Gay Contemporary Romance in the Rainbow Awards. "How to Walk Like a Man" won #4 Best Gay Paranormal Romance.
You can see all the winners here.
I'm very much honored to have my books recognized, especially among so many other talented writers. Thanks to Elisa who puts so much work into the Rainbow Awards and to the judges.
Eli
In November I'm releasing 2 books. I won't have another release until February. So check these out.
"Falling Down" is now available. I'll post a buy link in the comments below. It's a fall-themed, hurt-comfort story about a homeless youth who travels to New English to see the fall leaves and then end his life. Fate intervenes and he meets a troubled former Marine who saves them both.
"Merry Christmas, Mr. Miggles" is my Christmas story for the year (NOV 23). It's a feel-good holiday story about Toby, a small town junior librarian, who has to save his boss (Mr. Miggles) and the library's Christmas. It's a May-Dec contemporary romance with humor and a minor dollop of angst. Cover by Reese Dante. Isn't it pretty? 
FALLING DOWN:
Exclusively on Amazon for the first 90 days, then generally available.
MERRY CHRISTMAS, MR. MIGGLES:
Now available for pre-order (release Nov 23rd)
Eli
I have a new release coming up fast! I wanted to write a quick fall-themed novella to self-pub this fall, and I started working on the idea during the UK Meet trip while walking in the Cotswolds. But my heroes, Josh and Mark, had too much of a story to tell for it to be either quick or a "little novella". So here we are, 69K words later, just squeaking the book out for kind-of-sort-of still fall on Nov 9.
It's probably the angstyist book I've written but it has sweet moments and, of course, a happy ending. There will be a trigger warning on it for suicidal thoghts. Here's the info:
BLURB:
Josh finds himself homeless at eighteen, but he has a plan. He’ll head north on the bus to New England and spend October there for his mother’s sake. She always talked about going to see the fall leaves someday. And when the leaves are done and the harsh winter comes, Josh plans to find a place to curl up and let go. It will be a relief to finally stop fighting.
Mark spent his life trying to live up to the tough swagger of his older brothers until he pushed himself so far against his nature that he cracked. Now a former Marine, he rents a little cabin in the White Mountains of New Hampshire where he can lick his wounds and figure out what to do with the rest of his life. One thing was clear: Mark was nobody’s hero.
Fate intervenes when Josh sets up camp under a covered bridge near Mark’s cabin. Mark recognizes the dead look in the young stranger’s eyes, and he feels compelled to do something about it. When Mark offers Josh a job, he never expected that he’d be the one to fall.
The snow is coming soon. Can Mark convince Josh that the two of them can build a life together before the flurries begin?
GOODREADS LINK:
GIVEAWAY AND FIRST EXCERPT:
You can read the first chapter and enter a giveaway here.
WHERE YOU CAN GET IT:
The book will be Kindle Unlimited for the first 90 days, then on all platforms including ARE and Barnes & Nobel. It isn't up for pre-orders, but will be available on Nov 9.
Eli
There are a few new things going on with my "Howl at the Moon" series.
The audiobook of "How to Wish Upon a Star", narrated by Matthew Shaw, is now on audible! Click on the graphic above.
Also, the entire series, including "How to Wish Upon s Star" is again available on ARE:
https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-howtowishuponastar-2086857-145.html
Cheers!
Eli
Dreamspinner Press has a summer sale on right now at ARE. You can get 25% off some awesome new releases including "A Second Harvest". Click on the banner below.
July 1 2016 is the release day for "A Second Harvest". This is a new contemporary romance featuring a May-Dec couple. It's set in Lancaster County, PA, where I live, and is the first in a new series called "Men of Lancaster County". This is a stand-alone story and doesn't have a cliffhanger ending. Future books in the series will feature different couples and unconnected story lines.
![SecondHarvest[A]FS](http://static1.squarespace.com/static/5aae88b75417fc4054640c92/5ab04ad6e0c9384677f4c281/5ab04aebe0c9384677f4c793/1521502955631/SecondHarvestAFS.jpg?format=original)
Here's the blurb:
David Fisher has lived by the rules all his life. Born to a Mennonite family, he obeyed his father and took over the family farm. He married, had two children, and goes to church every Sunday. Now with his kids both in college and his wife deceased, he runs his farm alone and without joy, counting off the days of a life half-lived.
Christie Landon, graphic designer, Manhattanite, and fierce gay party boy, needs a change. Now that he’s thirty years old, he figures it’s time to grow up and think about his future. When his best friend overdoses, Christie resolves to take a break from the city and get his life back in order. His aunt left him a small house in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, and he heads there to rest, recoup, and reflect.
But life in the country is boring, despite glimpses of the hunky silver fox next door. When Christie’s exuberant creativity latches on to cooking, and he started gourmet-ing up a storm, he decides to approach his widower neighbor with a plan to share meals and grocery expenses. David agrees, and soon the odd-couple find they enjoy spending time together. A lot.
Christie challenges all the boundaries of David's closed world and brings out feelings he’d buried long ago. Can he find the courage to break free of the past and take a second chance at happiness?
Desktop Images:
As is my habit on release day, I'm posting images that inspired me while I was working on this story, or images that just remind me of the story. Here we go.
David Fisher
David, 41, is a Mennonite farmer. He feels much older than he actually is, having been widowed and having two grown kids in college. He lives alone on his Pennsylvania farm and has no idea what to do with the rest of his life. Below is a stock image I found that reminded me of David.
Christie Landon
Christie, 30, is a sophisticated New Yorker and a graphic artist who works for an advertising agency. He's a rather infamous gay party boy in the Manhattan club scene until he relocates to the country temporarily to settle his late aunt's estate--and moves in next to shy, serious David. Christie is fierce, stubborn, and knows his own mind. He's also has a kind heart and is a generous and loyal friend.
The visual I had in mind for Christie is based on Max Carter, a star with Cocky Boys. Max is amazing! Look him up.
David's Farm
Well, once again, I have written our own 20 acre farm into a story. :-) Here it is with snow, like in one of the scenes in the book.
You can see more pictures of our farm in this guest post I wrote for my Amish murder mystery. David's farm is based entirely on our farm, though he has a lot more acreage of fields.
The birth of the calf
I wrote a guest post about this event with photos of me attending at our calf's birth IRL. I'll post the link here when the article goes live.
Bora Bora
David was born and raised on the Pennsylvania farm where he still lives. Being a farmer it was hard to ever get away from home to travel. So he feeds his closeted adventurer with a collection of National Geographic magazines. His favorite place in the world is Bora Bora. And eventually this makes for a rather special evening. Here are some photos from that (fictional) article on Bora Bora in David's magazine.
The Maori Exhibit
During the story, Christie takes David on a surprise trip to Philadelphia to view a travelling exhibit on the Maori of New Zealand. This was based on an actual travelling exhibit. Some pictures below.
Philadephia Art Museum
Here are some photos of the gazebo at the Philly art museum they visit, and the exterior of the grounds.
The Duplex in Brooklyn
The end of the book features a duplex in Brooklyn. Here are some reference shots I found online for the duplex.
That's it for this desktop. "A Second Harvest" is one that came from the heart. It's about finding a second chance for happiness in life. I hope you enjoy it! You can read an excerpt and find purchase links on my page for A Second Harvest.
Eli
Today is the cover reveal for my upcoming novel with Dreamspinner, "A Second Harvest". This is a May-Dec romance between a widowed Mennonite farmer and his new neighbor, a younger gay man. I've always loved May-Dec romances and had fun writing one for the first time. The book is due out Jul 1.
Check out the cover, blurb, and first excerpt on Gay Book Reviews!
And here's the Dreamspinner page with pre-order links.
Eli
If you haven't tried my "Howl at the Moon" series yet, now is the time to do it. Book 1 & 2 are on sale for just $2.99. Book 3 is just release. And the entire series is in Kindle Unlimited for a short time only. https://www.amazon.com/How-Wish-Upon-Star-Eas…/…/B01FISHWJK…
https://www.amazon.com/…/…/B00T12QQOW/ref=pd_rhf_dp_p_img_1…
My Dreamspun Desires title, "Snowblind" is now available in audiobook.