#WhatToReadWednesday | My Favourite Gay Romances…that I’ve written

It says #WhatToReadWednesday on my to-do today, and my mind is completely blank. I feel like I’m recommending the same books over and over again, so today I’ll do a self-centred post and recommend my own books. Fun, right? 😆

The thing is, there is a sale over at Smashwords, in case you’ve missed it, and most of my books are 50% off throughout July, so if you’ve missed something…

It’s hard to pick favourites among my own books because every story has something that intrigues me or I wouldn’t have written it in the first place, but some are dearer to me than others, even though it often depends on what kind of day we’re on 😁

But I thought I’d do an Ofelia favourite and a Holly favourite in different subgenres.

Contemporary

Contemporary isn’t my favourite genre. I write it when an idea pops up, but most often they don’t LOL When something starts taking form in my mind, there are magic and monsters. But I have quite a few contemporary stories. Most of them are Ofelia books, but I have a few as Holly too.

A favourite of Ofelia’s is #PictaBook. We have a librarian with anxiety issues, a murderous cat, and a hot carpenter. Lots of fun.

My pick of Holly’s will have to be… The Dragon Next Door. It’s a fun grumpy/sunshine story and I love Adrian.

pictabook (small)

Jules Rose leads a quiet life working as a librarian. He’s happy to spend his spare time reading books and talking to his homicidal cat. What more could he wish for? But when his cozy Friday night is shattered by a friend request on his book community app, politeness gives him little choice but to accept. Jules doesn’t want to talk to anyone, but he can’t be rude. Besides, if he had to talk about something, books is the topic he’d pick.Phoenix Ford is dyslexic and avoids everything that has to do with the written word, but when the colleague he’s trying to impress calls him stupid, he decides to convince the other man, he’s mistaken. All he needs is the right book to make him look smart, a perfect balance between intelligent and short. And who better to ask for help than a guy who loves books so much, he labeled one boner-worthy on a book app?When Jules finds out Phoenix never has read a book from start to finish, he’s on a mission. He will find the right book, the book that will make Phoenix fall in love — with reading. Phoenix’s plan might have been to listen to the book Jules picked for him to impress his colleague, but that was before he got to know him. Talking about books is a sure way to Jules’ heart, but is it enough for him to agree to go on a date?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

thedragonnextdoor

Adrian Green’s new next-door neighbor isn’t really a dragon, but he does snarl an awful lot. The first time Adrian saw Lorcan Walsh, he knew he needed Adrian’s help. Lorcan has a fractured leg and an empty apartment. Luckily, Adrian doesn’t mind helping him fill his lair with gems, and Doris’s second-hand shop has everything a dragon could possibly want. The problem is, Lorcan doesn’t seem to want his apartment decorated, and sneaking presents past a grumpy dragon isn’t easy. All Adrian wants is to cheer Lorcan up, but when Lorcan’s ex appears at the door, Adrian fears not even vintage coffee cups will get them their fairy-tale ending. What if the way to a dragon’s heart isn’t lined with treasures?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Paranormal

This is much harder. I have many paranormal stories and it all depends on what you’re in the mood for. Most of them are fated mates, interspecies couples, but I have some that aren’t.

Of Ofelia’s stories, I think I’ll go with… ugh, it’s hard to pick. Part of me wants to go with Soul Eater, but I think I’ll go with Elevator Pitch. It’s short and cute. A bat shifter and a bear shifter are trapped in a lift during a blackout.

As for Holly, it’s an impossible task to pick one! But I’m gonna with A Vampire Chew Toy. It has hurt-comfort, found family, not to mention lots of M&Ms and everyone needs some chocolate in their lives!

elevator pitch

Bjorn Ritter only wants one thing — to live his life away from nosey, demanding bears. That’s easier said than done when you’re the son of the female running the Bayside Bear Community. Cecil Baxter might be a bat, but he grew up away from shifter communities and he’s doing his best to continue to keep his distance. Shifters aren’t an accepting bunch and Cecil has never fit the norm. Already facing a dreaded meeting with his mother, the last thing Bjorn needs is a stranger using his elevator to escape a pack of werewolves. And Cecil, whose day just seems to be getting worse and worse, could really do without the added stress of finding himself trapped in an elevator with a huge bear shifter. Still, what could go wrong in three minutes?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

avampirechewtoy

Devin Jace lives in a huge mansion together with six other people, five of them turn furry, and one needs to drink blood to survive. Sometimes, he suspects it’s all a dream. Four years ago, he had no idea supernatural beings existed. It wasn’t until he was snatched off the street and forced to live as a blood slave he realized vampires are real and don’t sparkle. Three years ago, Mars O’Ceallaigh was part of the team who saved a badly scarred and severely traumatized Devin. As the only vampire on the team, he got to work undercover. To keep up the facade, he tasted Devin’s blood. Not a day has gone by since without him thinking about it, both the taste of the blood and Devin. But he wants Devin to be happy, and since he knows vampires are his worst nightmare, he does his best to keep out of his way. When the team learns Devin’s captor has escaped prison, Mars is convinced he will come for Devin. Devin might fear Mars, but there is someone he fears more, so when Mars swears to keep him safe, Devin trusts him. Mars more than enjoys being by Devin’s side at all times, but will spending every minute of every day with him be enough to keep him safe?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Sci-Fi

Ah, fun and games, fun and games 😆 I don’t write a lot of alien romances, but I probably could spend all my time doing that and not grow bored. Here I’m gonna go with It Doesn’t Translate for Ofelia, and There Will Be Aliens for Holly. They have a few similarities – fated mates, communication problems, tails LOL. 

It Doesn't Translate

Noir Kioko had only ever seen one human before his undercover work brought him to the diner at the Luna Terminal, and that was at a distance. Humans are rare, most of them disappear without a trace, and he hopes hanging around the restaurant will give him a lead on the smuggling ring he’s investigating. There was no way he could’ve known the human would turn out to be his mate, and no way he can let it show without putting his mate in danger and possibly jeopardising his mission. Max Welch is the proud owner of the only restaurant within a light year’s distance. He left Earth four years ago to create a better life for himself, but he hadn’t considered the possibility of scary alien pirates making his restaurant their favourite hangout spot. As a measly human there isn’t much he can do about it, but as one of the pirates starts coming by almost every day he has to come up with something before he loses all his customers. That the giant cat man is rather nice to look at changes nothing. When rumours of another human arriving at the space station start to circulate, Noir’s species trafficking infiltrate and observe only mission may need a revamp. But will Noir be able to protect his mate and another one of his rare species?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

therewillbealiens - small

Carlo Russo is having the worst day. Not only has he lost his job, caught his boyfriend cheating, and had one too many shots with his best friend Grace, now he’s seeing aliens too. Big, black, tail-equipped aliens. After a futile struggle, he and Grace find themselves on a spaceship leaving Earth. Zenon Scoreceds Qhainqons doesn’t know what it is about the earthling male. Their mission is to bring back ten females in hopes of them being able to provide their planet with children, but he wants the male. What he’s going to do with the male, he doesn’t know, but he’s claiming him as his payment for going on the mission. Carlo doesn’t approve of kidnapping, but the aliens aren’t too bad, and once the language chip is installed, he finds it entertaining to talk to them. Zen in particular. They’re standoffish and never show any emotion, but Carlo has no problem cuddling up next to Zen at night. All Zenon wants is to spend time with Carlo, but it’s his job to get them all home in one piece. Will he be able to keep Carlo safe from all the dangers lurking along the trip? He has to because Carlo is his, and he’s not letting him go.

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Post-Apocalyptic

Hmm… I think I’ll go with The Maddest of Men for Ofelia since everyone loves a living lie detector, right? These guys are on the wrong side of the law.

Then I think I’ll say A Drop of Moonshine. Those guys aren’t following the laws either, but it’s an adventure LOL And who doesn’t love a slobbering dog?

The Maddest of Men

To prove his loyalty to Cham, Grayham is willing to do anything, and he does. He helps Cham run his empire by finding out the truth by any possible means. It’s not as hard as it may seem, all he has to do is ask the right questions, and his internal polygraph will tell him if someone is lying or not. And when they lie—well he deals with that too. Life as an executioner can get quite lonely, not that Grayham plans on doing anything about it. It would kill him to have to off a lover. Creed is a retrieving agent on a mission. He is to infiltrate one of Carona’s drug organisations to get to the inquisitor. Rumour states the man with the fiery red curls has supernatural powers; it also says anyone coming close to him disappears. Creed has no idea how he’s going to make it out alive or why his supervisor sent him in without backup. But, when an opening to work as a waiter at one of the drug lord’s parties presents itself Creed sets to work. In a world where people compensate for the years of bombings and starvation with clinic-bought physical perfection a man with crooked teeth and mismatching eyes stands out. Grayham notices the waiter watching him straight away. If he’s there to harm Cham, he’ll deal with it. Creed knows he must get his hands on the inquisitor so when he is invited to the man’s flat he agrees to come even though he knows it might be the last thing he’ll ever do.

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

a drop of moonshine

In a world where the government controls everything, and every citizen is given one government-approved kill, Sid Barker is doing his best to keep his head down and not get noticed. At some point, he must have failed. Being a potato farmer doesn’t generate enough income, and Sid is making moonshine on the side to keep himself fed, but one day a liquidation agent shows up at his farm, not to kill him, but to blackmail him into giving away his moonshine for free. Thorn Hull is a liquidation agent. Every time someone hands in an application to have someone terminated, he or one of the other agents has to perform the kill. It’s a well-paying job, but no money in the world can fill the void in Thorn. He regrets ever becoming an agent, but no one has ever quit the agency and lived to tell the tale. One night in a bar, Thorn runs into Sid, who’s far from the dirty little kid he’d been the last time Thorn had seen him. Sid remembers Thorn from his childhood and asks him to help him talk sense into the agent who’s blackmailing him. Things soon escalate, and Sid and Thorn find themselves on the run from the liquidation agency. How will they be able to deal with the blackmailer at the same time as they’re on the run from the government’s trained killers?

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Horror

I don’t have anything as Holly that I would categorise as horror. There are some pretty graphic books, but not horror. I’ll still mention The Snowflake though because it doesn’t get nearly enough love 🤣 I mean who says serial killers don’t have emotions? They can fall in love too, and if they happen to turn a bit stalkerish, it’s not their fault.

I love this story! It’s bloody and dark, but I’ll still claim it’s a romance 😁

thesnowflakeNothing inspires art like love. Theophile Lekas has spent the last seventeen years trying to build a name for himself as an ice sculptor. Ice is his world, but he lives for Dylan Mincer. But loving from afar isn’t enough, and if Theo wants to win Dylan’s heart, he’ll need to sweep him off his feet. And what better way to do it than with a sculpture that will leave Dylan breathless and the world in no doubt of Theo’s genius? After an argument leads to murder, Theo is hit with true inspiration. And he has the perfect block to begin his project. For Dylan, Theo will create his masterpiece. And it will be as unique as a snowflake Great art requires the perfect muse.

Smashwords (50% off throughout July)

Cover Reveal | Hearts and Claws

We have a cover! 🥳 Hearts and Claws is a box set of three paranormal romance stories about connections. In all three stories, one character needs to be close to the other to be able to function, but something is pushing them apart.

I don’t have any links yet, but I thought I’d show you the cover anyway 😊 It will be out on August 12th.

Jaeger’s Lost and Found was the first story I ever submitted to JMS Books. It feels like a lifetime ago. I’ve always been fond of that story, and the plan was to write more in that universe, but… 

Ready to see the cover??

heartsandclawsboxset

Absence does not make the heart grow fonder; it kills it.

What would you do if the person you can’t live without kept putting distance between you? In this box set, you’ll find three paranormal MM romance stories about men who have a special connection to someone they need to be physically close to. But something or someone forces them apart.

Black Bird: For seven years, Arlo Barman has been on the move. All he wants is a place to call home. But as a caladrius healer, he has to separate himself from those he’s healed, and has to find a place to stay in a new town. Nash Silver is a werewolf, and from the moment he lays eyes on Arlo, he needs to be close. When Nash is injured, Arlo heals him and has to leave. But can Nash survive without his mate?

Jaeger’s Lost and Found: Gael Murray has lost his connections. A vampire can’t survive without the energy exchange he has with his coven members via mental links. To locate them before it’s too late, he hires a finder. Jaeger’s Lost and Found is the only finder shop on the west coast, but Archibald Jaeger seems to be defective. A terrible finder is better than no finder, though. Together, they set out to save Gael’s life.

Nine Stones: The only thing worse than having a hot neighbor you’re too intimidated to talk to is hitting his cat with your car. Felix Lane was perfectly content to spend the rest of his days in his quiet little corner of the suburbs, but when he hits his neighbor’s cat with his car, he has no choice but to face the music and Kirk. But Kirk, with his unusual eyes and bad boy looks, is nowhere to be found.

 

#SalesSaturday | Finding Home

#SalesSaturdayIt’s release day!!! 🥳 Finding Home is now live. It’s a collection of three of my Up North stories, so we’re talking small-town contemporary gay romances. 

This box set includes Around SevenBanger Challenge, and Once in May which are some of my favourite stories. It’s always hard to pick favourites, but these are all dear to me.

Around Seven and Once in May take place in Nortown, whereas Banger Challenge is a road trip story. The opening scene is in Nortown, but they’re having car troubles between a lot of places after that 😆

They all have a bit of hurt-comfort going on, Once in May being that with the most trauma in the background… or they all have trauma, but of different kinds. 

Once in May is past abuse which had led to John struggling with pretty severe PTSD. Around Seven is childhood trauma due to unfit parents, and Banger Challenge is dealing with the death of a parent.

But these are romance stories, so they’ll find their happily ever after with their special someone before the story ends. 

Below you can read the first chapter in Once in May, and you can grab Finding Home for 20% off in the JMS shop until the 3rd of March.

Finding Home

finding home boxset

Can a restless soul find a home? 

Three contemporary gay romance novellas. Three characters looking for a place to belong. Follow them as they put down roots in the small towns of the north. Oswald has never had a place to call home, but he can’t live in his car forever. Zen is lost after the death of his father and spends his time on the road. Zach returns to his hometown after several years away and finds something he never believed he would. 

Contains the stories: 

Around Seven: Oswald Sattle has been sleeping in his Toyota Camry for the last nine months. Out of money and out of options, he’s on his way to Nortown for a job opportunity he can’t turn down. Joshua Roth has everything he needs, but he wants to make Oswald smile. He keeps suggesting things that will make Oswald stay, but Oswald doesn’t want to overstay his welcome. Maybe it’s time to move on again? 

Banger Challenge: A month after losing his father, the only thing holding Zen Zeppelin Cave together is focusing on a charity junk car race to raise money for cancer research. He had planned on completing the race on his own, but a spur-of-the-moment decision changes that when he invites the adorable, blushing police officer whose driveway he’s blocking to tag along. 

Once in May: To hide from his past, John Welsh has spent the last few years building walls around himself. He knows the best way to stay safe is to keep people at arm’s length. He should’ve known the peace he’s found wouldn’t last. One day everything is fine, the next Zachary Fane shows up wherever he goes. All Zachary wants is to be close to John, and if following him around is the only way, then so be it. 

Buy Links 

Contemporary Gay Romance: 102,893 words 

JMS Books :: Amazon :: books2read.com/FindingHomeBoxSet 

Chapter 1: Phone Calls & Problems

March

John Welsh banged the front door closed, locked the deadbolt, put the security chain in place and reached up to push the latches closed. Not until then did he dare breathe. He had no real memory of driving home from the café, but since he was here unharmed, he figured it had gone well enough.

As the tremors started up again, he hurried through the small log cabin, checking first the kitchen then the combined living room and office. When he couldn’t find any signs of anyone having been there, he dived for the phone on the old desk in the corner and headed to his bedroom.

It wasn’t really a bedroom. When he’d moved in, it had been a small storage space, but the first time he’d inspected it, he knew it would be where he slept. Big enough to fit a narrow bed and still leave a small aisle between it and the wall, the small space was crucial, as was the lack of windows. With only one possible way into the room, there would be no surprise visits.

Unlocking the door took longer than usual, but once he had it open, he slipped inside and shut it without a sound. It was a solid front door, not meant to be inside a house. He locked the three deadbolts he’d installed, double checked they were locked, and grabbed the cover off the bed. The hard, cool press of the walls against his shoulders as he slid down to the floor helped calm him down enough to hit the speed-dial button on the phone.

“Yeah?” Timothy’s deep grumble surrounded him like a blanket, and John drew in one shuddering breath.

“John? John, are you there?”

“Yeah, yeah I’m here.” He pushed the blond tresses out of his face, pulled his knees to his chest and let his head fall back against the unyielding wall.

“You want to talk?”

“No…not really.” Hearing Timothy breathe was enough.

“What happened?” An alertness crept into Tim’s voice, sending a wave of guilt crashing over John. He shouldn’t have called, shouldn’t burden Timothy. That was why he had the rules—to ensure Tim didn’t have to worry, but he’d ruined it by calling.

“I was too late.”

“Too late for what?”

John remained silent for longer than he should. He could tell Timothy was getting restless on the other end of the line. “I went to have breakfast.”

“You did? That’s great!”

No, it wasn’t great. He shouldn’t have gone. The rules allowed him not to go into town this week. He’d told Timothy he wouldn’t, and yet he had gone. Why had he gone?

“I didn’t make it out until…until…some people came.” His hands started shaking at the mere remembrance. That man—the owner of the dog he’d found—had come too close. He’d been about to touch John, but Tom had stopped him.

“So…you had breakfast in a public place while other people were around. That’s great!”

“He almost touched me.” John hoped Timothy couldn’t tell from his voice how shaken he was.

“He? Who?” The growl was comforting, even though John knew Timothy didn’t think a verbal thank-you counted as nearly touching. In John’s defence, the guy had taken a step in his direction.

“The owner of the dog that came by the other day.”

“He touched you?”

“Erm…no. He said thank you.”

A chuckle? Really? Timothy was laughing at him? “Oh, babe. People usually do when you find their long-lost pets.”

“He wasn’t long lost, he was recently lost,” John tried to grumble, but instead, he sighed. He rolled his head a little as his shoulders loosened. Timothy was on the other end, listening to every breath he took, probably measuring how fast they came.

“Are you starting to feel a little better?” Timothy had turned serious again.

“Yes, a little. Thank you.” He did feel better. His limbs were heavy, and he had to suppress a yawn.

“Anytime. I take it there won’t be any other breakfast visits this week?”

“No…I…I think I’ll stay in for a few days.”

“It’s only Monday, though. Maybe you’ll feel ready later on, around Friday maybe?”

“I don’t have to. I talked to several people last weekend.” He’d delivered eggs to the egg hunt. He’d talked to that Tristan guy when he and Tom had come to pick up the dog, and he’d even said hi to Tom in the café today.

“You never have to, John. You’re the only one who says you do. I’d love for you to eat breakfast in the café every day, gossip with the locals or whatever, but I want you to do it because you want to.”

John changed the subject. Nothing he could say about his rules or timetables would change how Timothy saw things.

“When are you coming to see me?”

“Soon, babe. It’s just… It’s a mess here. Anna isn’t…she hasn’t been doing well lately. I’ve had Lily a lot and…” Timothy’s voice trailed off.

“I’m sorry.” Timothy didn’t want to talk about Anna. She was Tim’s sister and, from what John understood, she’d been in and out of some recovery program. He thought it was alcohol, but Tim hadn’t been clear on it. Either way, she wasn’t around a lot, most often leaving her daughter with Timothy.

He shouldn’t burden Tim with his problems.

“No, no, I like having her. It’s just…a little too much to do sometimes. Talking about, did you look at the work I did on the site?”

John let him change the subject; it didn’t matter what they talked about. All he wanted was to hear Timothy’s voice, but he grew more tired by the second. Even if it was only Jen in the café, the breakfasts were exhausting. Today had been…

John yawned and tried to forget about it. After a few more minutes, they hung up, and John crawled into the bed, hoping sleep would make him forget.