Book Blitz: Lost in Amber + Excerpt

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RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Lost in Amber (RELIC #4)

Author and Publisher: Maz Maddox

Cover Artist: Shaleah Poster

Release Date: June 7, 2022

Genre: M/M paranormal romance

Tropes: Second chance, hurt/comfort, enemies to lovers

Themes: Being brave when it’s hard to do, forgiving yourself, lots of humor

Heat Rating: 3 flames     

Length: 58 000 words

It is a standalone story and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

 

Buy Links – Available in Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link  |  Amazon US  |  Amazon UK

Blurb

Being alive for millions of years means I’m rarely surprised.

In the long expanse of my existence, I’ve been rescuing fossils for only a breath. During that time, my path has crossed with many different people — shifter and human alike.

Some friendly, some nefarious.

A hundred years ago, one such man graced me with his presence.

He was one of the few to have almost killed me.

Imagine my surprise when I see him again, buying the rarest amber fossil to have ever been discovered.

Precious. Beautiful. Unique.

A true treasure millions of years in the making.

I won’t let him get away again.


Excerpt 

“Leave me alone.”

“First time was in the desert.” He tapped the spot where I had shot him and I flinched against my will. “You told me that day not to push you but I did it anyway.”

“That’s right,” I did my best to sound threatening, but it sounded more like a question. “And I found you hiding out in Shanghai after you stole from me. That’s twice you’ve lost when I told you not to mess with me. Don’t push your luck.”

He strolled around the bed, giving the slowest chase I had ever been trapped in. The space between the wall and bed were narrow, leaving no chance for me to rush around him so I wasn’t boxed in.

“D-don’t come any closer!” I fumbled for a weapon, decided on a painted bronze lamp with years of wear around the base. My body jerked awkwardly as I tried to heave the thing off the table, realizing with horror it was bolted down. The table stumbled from my effort and my reflex was to try and catch it instead of flee, which was my fatal mistake. Yulong was on me, and I swung my fist in a last ditch effort to escape.

My wrist was caught and pinned to the wall beside my head, a thigh pressed between my legs to keep my from my next move of kicking as hard as I could. My brain scrambled with terrified spikes of cold dread and irresponsible tingles of heat at the feeling of someone’s leg between mine. Yulong loomed over me, the pressure against my wrist firm but not painful, like he was toying with his food before consumption.

The effort of my heart trying to hammer its way free made my breathing strained, adrenaline rushing over me in a panic while my hormones flooded other bits I didn’t need in that exact moment. Yulong’s gray eyes were bluer at that proximity, the dark circle encasing the color would have been gorgeous if I wasn’t about to get my ass kicked.

“And the third time you surprised me…” he started in a low rumble, the tone doing horrible things to my sense of self preservation. “Was how you looked at me when you invited me inside for cocktails.”

The pupils in his shale eyes flexed, widening as they skipped over my face and landed on my mouth. I felt the muscles in my jaw clench, my molars tightening in defiance. Somehow through the noise of the open balcony, the distant horns and engines mixed with bird songs, I could hear his calm, steady breathing. Heavy, silk strands of black hair spilled around his face, the scent of warm, deep wood incense drifting from him like smoke.

“I-I have connections.” I swallowed to try and ease the scratch in my voice. “Hurting me will make them come after you.”

“What makes you think I want to hurt you?”


About the Author

Maz is an m/m romance fanatic, dabbles in yaoi, adores dinosaurs and writes romance stories with a healthy heaping of adventure mixed in.

When she’s not pairing up Centaurs with bank robbers, she’s plotting new stories and sending inappropriate texts to her friends.

 

Author Links

Website  |  Facebook

Twitter  |  Instagram 

 

 

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Spotlight & Excerpt: I Am Not Your Chosen One + Giveaway

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Book Title:  I Am Not Your Chosen One

Author: Evelyn Benvie

Publisher: Mischief Corner Books

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Release Date: June 14, 2022

Genres: High Fantasy Humor, M/M Romance, Demisexual romance

Tropes: Refusal of the Call, Slow Burn Romance

Themes: Found family, self-acceptance, finding home

Heat Rating:  1 flame   

Length:  102 000 words

It is the first book in a new series and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

 

Buy Links

Amazon US   |  Amazon UK

B&N   |  Kobo  |  Apple

 

Magic in Allune is dying.

The stars and the goddess call out for a Chosen Hero to save it.

Unfortunately, all they get is Kell.

 

Blurb 

IKell Hồ Sinh Porter is twenty-six years old and desperate to leave his unhappy life and his dead-end town. One night his wish is granted by a mysterious voice—though not in any way he would’ve imagined—and he finds himself in the semi-magical land of Allune where everyone thinks he’s the “Chosen One.” Kell politely disagrees, and absconds from his duties. On the search for an adventure that doesn’t come with world-saving responsibility attached, he’s joined by companions. Every adventurer needs them, but his turn out to be Ansel, a sheltered fallen angel, and Fre, a half-orlk who wants to be a hero.

Destiny, bad luck, and the gods conspire against him. The Dawn Goddess wants him to take up his Chosen One mantle, which Kell is sure means becoming cannon fodder in an ancient divine war. The Lich King’s demonic minions carry out sporadic attacks in an attempt to kill him and prove he is not the Chosen One. Temperamental elves, talking stars that aren’t all that helpful, image-conscious demons, maddening pieces of prophecy that everyone thinks Kell should already know, and his growing feelings for Ansel all mix in a frustrating stew as Kell tries to juggle his feelings, his duties, and all the things trying to kill him. No one asked him if he wanted to be anyone’s Chosen One, and he can’t begin to understand why he was chosen. Kell needs to figure out who to trust and how to forge his own path before it’s too late for Allune and for him.

 

 

Excerpt 

Kell woke up slowly. Awareness filtered back to him in pieces. Rough wood under his palms. The warmth of the sun on his skin. The low, tumbling murmur of gathered people. Something weighing hot and heavy against his ribcage. The scent of fresh baking and old sweat mixing on his tongue. He wrinkled his nose and blinked his eyes open.

He was lying on a platform near the middle of town, judging by the smell and the noise. That wasn’t necessarily troubling in and of itself. But the sky …

It was blue, yes, and the sun was midmorning high and bright enough to make his eyes water. But there were stars speckling the sky all above him, little pink pinpricks of light dusting what should have been a solid-blue backdrop. Kell stared at them hard for a long moment, then closed his eyes again.

Weren’t dreams supposed to end when you woke up? What was this, a dream within a dream?

Whatever it was, he didn’t feel up to dealing with it right now.

Apparently the world wasn’t going to give him a choice. Someone nudged at his leg, gently at first but with increasing insistence.

Someone, Kell thought, with perhaps an edge of bubbling hysteria, or something. He giggled a little, biting his lip to keep the sound in. God, what is with me?

Maybe he had heat stroke. It was unusually warm out now for only being March.

What had happened last night? Fuck it. He didn’t remember getting drunk enough to pass out in the middle of the street. He didn’t remember planning on drinking at all.

A throat cleared above him, polite but impatient. Oh, well. Time for him to get up anyway before he got cited for public drunkenness or whatever. Kell made an effort to lift his head, but it was hard, and he was tired, and staying here a little longer couldn’t hurt, right?

Was public drunkenness even a real crime?

“Oh for the love of Skuache …” someone muttered, and then Kell found himself being gripped firmly on either side and hauled upwards. He let out a yelp of surprise, flailing around as strong arms did their best to hold him steady. The world spun as he opened his eyes, and it took a moment to get his feet under him. He staggered a bit, keeping his eyes trained on his feet for balance until he felt he wouldn’t fall over at any moment. Not that his rescuers had any intention of letting him go any time soon, with the way they held onto his arms just this side of too tight.

Shouldn’t have wished for the cops last night if this is where it gets me.

“Really, goddess,” the person continued to mutter. They sounded close. And important in a kind of college professor way. The kind used to lecturing and looking down on failing students. Kell dubbed him Professor Throat Clearer and entertained a brief image of a stuffy man in tweed giving lectures on how to properly interrupt conversation with discreet noises. It sounded like a fun class. Kell would have taken it.

“I have faith in your efforts, I truly do,” Professor Throat Clearer continued, speaking low and to himself. “But I swear, these Chosen get worse every time.”


About the Author  

Evelyn Benvie is the wooly jumper in a family of black sheep. Both a cynic and a romantic at heart, she writes diverse poetry and queer-positive spec-fiction with strong characters, quirky romances, and (almost always) happy endings.

​Sometimes she’ll try to be funny, to varying results.

 

Author Links

Blog/Website   |   Facebook

Twitter   |   Instagram

 


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Spotlight & Excerpt: Crown Court Killer + Giveaway

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Crown Court Killer

London Podcast Mystery Series Book 3

by Dahlia Donovan

Genre: Cozy Mystery, M/M Romance

 

Months after saving their flamboyant theatre friend from disaster, Dannel Ortea and Osian Garey are back with a thrilling murder investigation in the third London Podcast Mystery series novel.

Dannel and Osian’s breakfast double date rapidly devolves into a murder mystery when a dead body is found in their solicitor friend’s car. Wayne is taken for questioning by police. He was last seen arguing with the deceased.

When Wayne’s tie is identified as the murder weapon, it’s hard to refute the growing evidence stacked against him.

Convinced of their friend’s innocence, Dannel and Osian throw themselves into the investigation. When Wayne’s boyfriend, Roland, finds himself suspended from the police, they realise powerful people are involved in the murder.

With a philandering crown court judge, two disgruntled wives, and an angry client as suspects, the clock is ticking for them to find the killer before Wayne winds up arrested—or dead.

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crowncourtkiller - excerpt

Chapter One
Osian

“A massive thanks to our special guest—solicitor extraordinaire Wayne Dankworth, whose insights into criminal litigation have been fascinating. As always, I’m Osian Garey. My partner in crime is Dannel Ortea.” Osian winked at his husband-to-be, who simply rolled his eyes. “Hope you’ve enjoyed this week’s episode of our London Crime Podcast. Don’t forget to tune in next time. This has been Oz and D. Signing out.”
Dannel waited until Osian hit pause to let out a loud groan. “And you’d done so brilliantly right until the end.”
When Osian looked at Dannel, he was always reminded of Richard Ayoade, if the actor were taller, buffer, and a retired firefighter. Whereas Osian felt like a washed-up version of the actor who’d played Constantine on the telly, less buff, shorter, and scruffier.
“Nothing wrong with Oz and D,” Osian insisted. They had this debate at least once every podcast. He got up to stretch, having sat for several hours getting their recording together. “I’m knackered.”
“Are you still not sleeping well?” Wayne paused in sifting through the papers he’d brought to glance at Osian in concern.
“Nightmares aren’t conducive to a good night’s rest.” Osian believed healing started with being open with his friends and family. “My therapist thinks being trapped in the well aggravated my post-traumatic stress.”
A former paramedic, Osian had resigned after losing a patient through no fault of his own. He’d spent over a year trying to unpack the trauma left behind. His recovery had taken a hit three months ago.
While trying to solve a murder, Osian had come face-to-face with the killer. He’d been forced into an old well along with their elderly neighbour, Ian Barrett. Rescue had eventually arrived.
His nightmares had begun not long after. Dannel often sat up with him, and they’d play video games or listen to a cast album of whatever musical had grabbed their attention until he was too exhausted to remain awake.
Thanks to the lack of sleep, Osian felt a hundred years old and not thirty. His therapist did help. It would simply take time.
He fully intended to avoid old wells in the future.
And killers.
And fake ghosts haunting theatres masquerading as killers.
“Are you joining us for coffee and footie in the morning?” Wayne went back to packing up the files. “Chelsea versus Tottenham. Clash of the titans.”
Wayne was shacked up with Dannel’s younger brother, Roland. The latter had moved into the former’s swanky flat. They had a larger telly, so Dannel and Osian occasionally went over to watch their rival Premier League football teams do battle on the pitch.
“Of course.” Osian nodded. Dannel readily agreed as well.
“Bugger.” Wayne checked his phone when it beeped, muttering a few additional curses under his breath. “I’ve got to go.”
“Problem?” Osian followed him to the door, watching him drag on his overcoat.
“Barnaby being Barnaby.” Wayne rushed out the door, shouting a “goodbye” halfway down the stairs.
“Who’s Barnaby?” Osian wondered. He closed the door when it became clear Wayne had already made it out of their building in record time.
“A barrister.” Dannel had begun packing up their microphones. “Rolly mentioned Wayne had quite a dust-up in Crown Court with the man.”
“Did they throw their wigs?” Osian always found the court accoutrements to be entertaining. “Swirl their robes around dramatically?”
“Words were exchanged.” Dannel snorted in amusement at Osian as he waved his hands around. “They were chastised by one of the judges. Not sure Wayne wears a wig. Isn’t that just for barristers?”
“We’ll ask Wayne tomorrow to give us the juicy details.”
“Or we could mind our own business?”
“In the face of potentially interesting court gossip?”


Ghost Light Killer

London Podcast Mystery Series Book 2

 

Several months after their first brush with death, Dannel Ortea and Osian Garey are back with a thrilling murder investigation in the second London Podcast Mystery Series novel.

While helping their flamboyant neighbour with his play, Dannel and Osian discover more than a ghost haunting the stage at the Evelyn Lavelle theatre. It’s all fun and games until a friend is found kneeling over a dead body.

Is he the murderer or an unfortunate witness?

When one body turns to two, then to three, will the killer ever be found?

As Dannel and Osian work together to solve the mystery, the murderer focuses on them. Their drive to clear their friend’s name puts them centre stage. But not everything under the glow of the bright lights glimmers.

Will anyone be left when the curtain falls?

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Cosplay Killer

London Podcast Mystery Series Book 1

 

What happens when an autistic firefighter and his paramedic boyfriend share a thirst for true crime?

Osian Garey and Dannel Ortea live together in a colourful flat in Covent Garden. They run a podcast and throw themselves wholeheartedly into Cosplay, video games, and musical theatre. This year, they’re all fired up to attend their annual convention with a group of first responders.

When Osian finds a paramedic friend murdered in the middle of the crowded venue, the police immediately turn their attention to him.

They have one question on their mind.

Is he the first witness on the scene or the killer?

As the mystery unfolds, Osian has to face the trauma of his last job as a paramedic. Somewhere in those memories, a killer waits to exact revenge. They’ll have to prove Osian’s innocence and fight for their own survival when the killer puts them both in their sights.

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Dahlia Donovan wrote her first romance series after a crazy dream about shifters and damsels in distress. She prefers irreverent humour and unconventional characters. An autistic and occasional hermit, her life wouldn’t be complete without her husband and her massive collection of books and video games.

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