Rainbow snippets - 24/25 February

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook Group that invites authors to post 6 sentences of their work each weekend. It can be from anything you like, your current WIP, a recent release, the golden oldie that even you had forgotten you had written, or just a scrap of an idea (as long as it has 6 coherent sentences). Nothing of your own work worth mentioning? How about a 6 sentence review of your favourite LGBTQ+ story.

I'll be running out of reworked chapters at this rate. Welcome to the start of Chapter 2. (Don't tell anyone but it's slightly more than 6 sentences)
#WIP #historical #WW2 #submarines

Dodging past the kissing couple at the gates, Zach tried to ignore the pang of jealousy that often flared within him at the sight of that simple show of affection. Knowing he could never have that with someone he cared passionately about, he pushed it away, burying it back under lust and the chase for sexual gratification. A chaste kiss, more so than many he had seen, Zach had to wonder if the departing sailor had yet to deflower his flame-haired beauty. It could have been the fiery colour of her long wavy hair, in the style of Veronica Lake, but the girl seemed less demure than the kiss would give her credit for.

Within moments of flashing his credentials to the guard on duty hurrying footsteps echoed behind him.

“Morning.” Slightly breathless in his attempt to catch up with Zach, the young man who had been saying goodbye to his girlfriend sidled in beside him and tried to match Zach stride for stride. “Lieutenant Timothy Noble. Everyone calls me Ginger.”

Even though the book isn't ready and I have no cover and only a draft blurb, I've created a Goodreads entry, because one way or another this book will be released this year, and this should spur me on (especially if people actually add the book to their 'want to read' shelf).

Add it to your Goodreads bookshelf here.

Rainbow Snippets - 17/18 Feb

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook Group that invites authors to post 6 sentences of their work each weekend. It can be from anything you like, your current WIP, a recent release, the golden oldie that even you had forgotten you had written, or just a scrap of an idea (as long as it has 6 coherent sentences). Nothing of your own work worth mentioning? How about a 6 sentence review of your favourite LGBTQ+ story.

Have a couple of lines from my WIP.
More World War Two submarines anyone?

A strong wind blew in from the south, slamming waves into the harbour wall and sending jets of water spraying into the air. The fine mist dampened Zach’s skin as he continued staring out to sea. He’d barely moved in the last half hour and to any onlookers it would appear as if he carried out a lonely vigil. Not that there was anyone to see, not on a chilly evening such as this. The Brits he’d come across so far were a hardy breed, but even they would be curled up in front of the fire by now with a warming mug of tea.
The wind changed direction unexpectedly, whipping Zach’s blond hair back across his forehead.

Even though the book isn't ready and I have no cover and only a draft blurb, I've created a Goodreads entry, because one way or another this book will be released this year, and this should spur me on (especially if people actually add the book to their 'want to read' shelf).

Add it to your Goodreads bookshelf here.

Fiction Friday

It's time to show some love for the books I've been reading these last few weeks.

Let's start with an audio. 

Borrowing Blue (Made Marian #1) by Lucy Lennox - Audio. This was my first book by both Lucy Lennox and Michael Pauley. The story was well executed and cute as hell, utilising one of the age old tropes of romance, the pretend boyfriend. Told in first person, alternate chapters, this can sometimes be a tricky writing style but here the characters were different enough to carry it off, especially as read by Michael Pauley. The story flowed easily and the romance progressed in that same fluid way, with just enough angst to make me feel as though the characters had needed to work for their HEA. The overall tone was mostly joyful as Tristan came to terms with his sexuality in a positive way and Blue, well, Blue is one of those upbeat characters. There was shedloads of sex in this one, and I do wonder if I would have grown bored of those scenes if I’d been reading as opposed to listening, however Michael Pauley reads those scenes (and every other part of this book) with such gusto that it was hard to begrudge the lads any single moment of each of those earth shattering orgasms. While I’m on the subject of narration, MP was excellent, with each character getting a distinctly individual voice. Thoroughly enjoyed. I followed that with the free short story Brad (Made Marian #1.5) by Lucy Lennox. The instafreebie link for this one is dead. I'd have liked half as much again to give a more coherent story and less page time for the lesbian grannies and groupie. But the pair was cute and I'm pleased Brad got his HEA.

This cover is just perfect for Curtis
in both look and feel.

Trust with a Chaser (Rainbow Cove #1) by Annabeth Albert - Self Published. Available in KU. Read in KU. MUST have a copy for my permanent collection. I loved this book. Nash is the sort of character I adore, gruff and stoic, but I loved Mason too. 
The small town community is well fleshed out but not too intrusive and I'll definitely be heading back to Rainbow Cove for Logan and Curtis' story. 

Tender with a Twist (Rainbow Cove #2) by Annabeth Albert - Self Published. Available in KU. Read in KU. MUST have a copy for my permanent collection. Oh, look, I'm back in Rainbow Cove. 
In both books characters are manipulated by their families, even dead parents and lovers, but I was set not to like this as much as the first. I was wrong. My heart was breaking for Curtis half the time and Annabeth did a lovely job of showing Curtis blooming from the grief he'd been using as a shield to protect himself from further hurt.

I really liked this cover.
It's what drew me to this book. 

Darkling (Port Lewis Witches #1) by Brooklyn Ray - Ninestar Press. Love this cover. Ultimately this is a friends to lovers story, just with far more obstacles in the way than you would normally expect. Ryder has secrets, many many secrets, and worry if Liam, his best friend and the person he's been in love with for the last two years, will accept Ryder once he discovers he's trans is probably the least dangerous of the secrets he's keeping. The writing is lusciously descriptive, I could almost feel the dark magic swirling around me with every page I read. But that same quality gave the book an edge that meant I could never truly relax while reading. Some of the blood letting and knife play had heart in my stomach. Ryder's not the easiest person to like, but he's the only narrator and I think an unreliable one at that, because he is scared about the development of his magic and tries to cover that fear by distancing himself from the people he loves. The world building is excellent and I could easily imagine this world of witches and necromancers.



Doesn't seem like I've read much considering the last FF post was a month ago, but I did spend a fair chunk of my reading time on a massive comic book story line, DC's Forever Evil and all of the connected side stories. I really enjoyed seeing the villains become the heroes if only for a while. I'll leave you with my favourite panels.

Rainbow Snippets - 10th - 11th Feb

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook Group that invites authors to post 6 sentences of their work each weekend. It can be from anything you like, your current WIP, a recent release, the golden oldie that even you had forgotten you had written, or just a scrap of an idea (as long as it has 6 coherent sentences). Nothing of your own work worth mentioning? How about a 6 sentence review of your favourite LGBTQ+ story.

A couple of lines from my WIP seems appropriate. You'll probably be reading a lot of this in the coming weeks. World War Two submarines anyone?

“I know it has been over a decade since you’ve needed me in an official capacity, but I like to think your father named me as your legal guardian for a reason, Zachary.” Charles scrubbed a hand over his short hair, the act ruffling strands that would normally be darkened to the colour of autumn leaves by Brylcreem. Grey hair, which previously had simply peppered his temples, showed in abundance amongst the auburn. Clearly visible now Zach chose to look, and serving as a reminder of nearly two decades age difference between them. Right now, slumped behind his desk, Charles looked every one of those nineteen years. All because of Zach’s actions.

Even though the book isn't ready and I have no cover and only a draft blurb, I've created a Goodreads entry, because one way or another this book will be released this year, and this should spur me on (especially if people actually add the book to their 'want to read' shelf).

Add it to your Goodreads bookshelf here.

Valentine's Giveaway

Could running out of milk have
Jerome running headlong into love?

I'm taking part in a Valentine Giveaway. 

Join me and 19 other authors as we give away free short stories. That's 20 free short stories for about five minutes of your time. The downside, you'll be asked to sin up to our newsletters. I can't speak for the rest of the authors there but I'm as lax with my newsletter as I am with my blog, so you'll be lucky to hear from me once a month. Normally new releases and sales.

Enough already, what book can I get?
I'll be giving away 'Waiting for a Spark', which includes the ficlet 'When the Boat Comes In'

What's happening in the writing cave

It’s been a while since I did a round-up of what I’m planning and the start (ish) of the year is as good a time as any.

Let’s recap on last year first. I had four releases, three new and one re-release.

Renaissance was released in April
Just Hanging Out was released in June
Calamine & Christmas Cake was released in December
And Lesson Learned was re-released in August

Not bad for someone who only writes part time, and slowly.

This year I’ve got off to a slow start, the mad rush to get Calamine & Christmas Cake out in time for a Christmas release and several beta reading projects taking its toll. Plus I find I can get sucked into reading and dragging myself away from my TBR to produce something to add to someone else’s can be hard.

This year I plan to finish a manuscript that’s been hanging about in one form or another for nearly a decade. Under the Radar is set in a submarine during WW2 and I started revisions last week. It’s a slow process but I’m definitely going to get it to the stage where I can send it out for submission.

The other story I definitely want to write this year is Village Love #3. This will be Trevor’s story, there was a hint at the end of Renaissance as to where Trevor’s love life was heading and some strong hints of his past relationship and both of these will hopefully be explored more thoroughly in his own story. I say hopefully because I’m a pantser and I’m never quite certain what might happen. I’m looking at starting that about April with hopefully a September/October release date.

Barefoot, my story from the Taste of Honey, will be re-released this year. It’s more or less ready to go if you don’t want smut but I’m being goaded by one of my beta readers to stop teasing and put my money where my mouth is, or something similar. I certainly want to revisit these guys for Christmas this year, so I may save the smut for then.

As for anything else, well that would be a bonus. I’m currently collating all my scrappy notes in various notebooks into one large ideas notebook so that I can find everything easily. The effort writing these notes longhand is making these ideas start to take root in my mind again, so who knows whether one of these may germinate into my next manuscript.

Rainbow Snippets - 3rd - 4th Feb

Rainbow Snippets is a Facebook Group that invites authors to post 6 sentences of their work each weekend. It can be from anything you like, your current WIP, a recent release, the golden oldie that even you had forgotten you had written, or just a scrap of an idea (as long as it has 6 coherent sentences). Nothing of your own work worth mentioning? How about a 6 sentence review of your favourite LGBTQ+ story.

Since Calamine & Christmas Cake, has just been transferred to Kindle Unlimited I think I'll post a segment from that.

“Jesus Fucking Christ! What the fuck have you done to yourself?”

The shrill words tugged me from a troubled sleep, reverberating around my head despite the fact that my skull seemed to be stuffed with cotton wool.

Had I drunk that much last night? I felt as groggy as hell. I searched through clouded memories, but I could only recall a bottle of Peroni, left mostly untouched beside a half-eaten dinner.

“Glenn, I’m talking to you.”

Buy Links

Universal Amazon link: myBook.to/christmascake_LF

Add it to your Goodreads bookshelf here.

Now Available on Kindle Unlimited

Calamine & Christmas Cake is now available on Kindle Unlimited. 


Calamine & Christmas Cake

There could be worse places to be quarantined over Christmas, especially when your waiter might just be an angel in disguise.

A romantic getaway at an all-inclusive boutique hotel over Christmas seems the perfect way for Glenn Trevor to celebrate the festive period with his boyfriend.

But he could have done without waking up on the first morning delirious and covered in spots. Abandoned by his boyfriend, Glenn’s only saving grace comes in the dynamic form of Bastian, the waiter assigned to attend his every whim, and who might just be an angel in disguise.

Bastian, has only two rules: always make the guests feel as comfortable as possible—not a problem with his innate nurturing disposition—and never ever get involved with a guest. But the quarantined guy in 210 needs someone to take care of him, and Bastian’s more than up for the challenge of making Glenn Trevor’s stay the best ever, even if he has to run himself ragged to do it.

If Bastian can learn to accept the same nurturing care he hands out so readily, and Glenn can get over the farce of his previous relationship, between them maybe they can make it the Christmas of Glenn's dreams.

Buy Links

Universal Amazon link: myBook.to/christmascake_LF

Add it to your Goodreads bookshelf here.