Tuesday Tales - Prepare

It`s time for Tuesday Tales.

Today we have a snippet from my NaNoWriMo MF hockey romance book, Blueline, Venom #6. In this excerpt Helen and her friends/fellow Venom players are discussing wedding plans, dresses, and a certain Wildcat captain.

Our word prompt today is “Prepare.”

This story may have erotic scenes, strong social issues addressed and mature language. If those things offend now is the time to move onto another Tuesday Tales blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Morning skate was more like morning agony. The coaching staff was pushing us hard and while it was paying off in greater cohesion, overall, it was also kicking our asses. My left knee ached like a bad tooth. It had been iced immediately after skate, and now looked a bit swollen to me. The two previous sprains had weakened it, or so it felt. Maybe that was just my brain trying to get me to favor the twice torn MCL. Still, swelling or not, there was no way I was sitting out this run for the championship. I’d worked too hard, given up too much, to spend time on the bench with an ice bag on my leg.

“You up for something fun tomorrow?” Alicia asked after showers were completed.

“Like what?” I wiggled around trying to get my bra in place.

“Well, I was thinking maybe my bridesmaids could come out to the farm and we’d pick out patterns for your dresses. Since we don’t have a skate.”

Oh yeah. The wedding. I cringed a bit internally. I adore our captain and would lay down my body for her on the ice and off. I was also quite fond of my teammates. But it was a known fact that bridesmaid dresses were generally ugly. And I did not need yards of ugly hanging off me. It was hard enough finding clothes that fit me properly and were somewhat fashionable.

“That would be incredible!” Kate wiggled around me, beaming, hair still soaking wet. “I love your goats! Oh! Can I bring Bobby?”

“No,” I said but Kate just ran right over me.

“He loves goats too! And bees. Well, not so much bees. They kind of make him swell up and die, but he likes honey!” She paused. I tried to slip another ‘NO!” into the upcoming ramble but was too slow and bulky. Story of my life. “Maybe it was Mama who liked honey but not bee stings. Well, no matter! He can help Dale do farm work while we talk about dresses. I like geese too. They’re funny. One time I had this goose down pillow that was super soft, but sometimes the feathers escaped and would float around the room. Oh! There’s my phone. I bet it’s Bobby. I’ll tell him about tomorrow on the farm! Thanks for inviting us!”

Off she ran. Alicia smiled up at me. “I always feel like Dorothy Gale after her ride in the twister when I’m done talking with Kate.”

“That describes it pretty accurately. So, what color are these dresses going to be?” Please do not say pink. A woman my size in pink taffeta is not a pretty sight.

“Colors that will please the goddess,” Alicia dreamily replied then went off to meditate or align her chakras. That was helpful. Not at all. I was not prepared for this.

I went to the bus, wiggled myself across two seats, using one to keep my leg straight, plunked my ice bag onto my knee, and dug out my phone. Maybe I could get back into movie the on the way home. A sharp rap on the window behind me made me jump. I craned my head to look over my shoulder. There on the other side of the window, stood Bobby. Smiling and waving. Probably I should give him the cold shoulder, but that white rose in my bag had softened my brain or something. Instead of cutting him down as I normally did, I waved two fingers at him. His smile broke into a grin which kind of did odd and tingly things to my stomach.

“Aw, look at his love-sick face.”

I threw a dark look at Karrie peeking at me over the back of her seat. “Why aren’t you in the back stirring shit up?”

She gave me a sassy wink. “It’s more fun stirring you up.”

Copyright 2017 ©by V.L. Locey

*~*~*

Click on the link below to return to the Tuesday Tales main blog for more great reads from the Tuesday Tales authors.

Tuesday Tales

Saturday Story Spotlight/Cover Reveal - Shot at Love (Renegades 8) by Melody Heck Gatto

#MF #Hockey #Romance

Shot at Love Universal Link

Everyone needs rules to live by, but are they worth giving up your one shot at love?

Luc didn’t mean to fall for his teammate’s little sister. He had no intention of breaking the guy code: sisters were strictly off limits. Luc knew that breaking the rule could not only destroy a friendship but derail his career. And he didn’t think her brother was bluffing.

As soon as Luc found out the gorgeous brunette he’d been eyeing turned out to be his goalie’s sister, he hit the brakes. But then she 

said those four little words: I don’t date athletes.

Challenge accepted.

Now Luc couldn’t get Kassie out of his mind. She was turning his world upside down. This girl was the Juliette to his Romeo, the jelly to his peanut butter, the queen to his king. 

But how could he prove to her that his reputation was a thing of the past? He was ready to do anything in his power to change her mind. He only hoped her brother didn’t kill him in the process.

Flow - Venom #5 Cover Reveal/ Preorder Links

#MF #Hockey #Romance

Buy Links:

Amazon US - http://tinyurl.com/y7dna2h7

Amazon UK - http://tinyurl.com/y8g923av

B&N - http://tinyurl.com/y9vvuq5b

Smashwords - http://tinyurl.com/yaoqaubx

Blurb:

Life hasn’t been easy for Venom goalie coach, Alice Dunlop. She battled her way out of childhood poverty to earn recognition as a medal winning player in her youth. After a terrible loss ended her first marriage, she vowed to never put down roots in one city ever again. Then the offer to coach in the pros came along and with that job, a move to the City of Brotherly Love was required. She never expected to meet Bruno “The Bruiser” Bonbano, the burly ex-Wildcats defenseman. Things were supposed to be all about the physical and not so much the emotional. Guess no one told Alice’s heart that. 

As her team scratched and clawed its way through a season filled with ups-and-downs, Alice found herself forming a true bond with the city, the players, and the other coaches. She also ended up falling in love with Bruno. As her team rolls into the playoffs, Alice and Bruno are about to come face to face with devastating news. Secrets decades old will be revealed that may bring the life she now has crashing down around her. In the face of a medical nightmare, will love, family, and hockey be enough?

R-Rated Excerpt:

There were two things I could count on every morning. One was waking up with a man who was roughly the same size, strength, length, soft downy furriness, and temperament as a grizzly bear. Two was Regimental Sergeant Major Bigglestrap would be at my door precisely at seven with breakfast, the Philadelphia Inquisitor, Philly’s biggest daily newspaper, and a proper dose of dry British commentary to go along with my muffin and coffee. If the resident manager of the Philadelphia Century Way was taller, stronger, hairier, and grumpier I’d set my cap for him.

Thing Number One had one massive arm resting on my hip as he huffed into the back of my head. The hair covering his chest, stomach, and thighs tickled my back and ass but it was a pleasant tickle, not the kind that made you shriek. Figuring that Bruno wouldn’t rouse unless I dropped a safe on him, I wiggled my ass back into him, keeping my eyes shut as I willed sleep to come back. His body heat radiated out and over me. I sighed and burrowed my face into my pillow, inhaling the scent of clean linen and hot man.

“You wiggling that ass against my dick for a reason?” my bed partner asked, his arm sliding forward to allow his hand to slip between my legs.

“I’m cold,” I replied.

“Uh-huh.” Bruno grunted, cupping my mound gently as his cock slowly plumped up. Generally morning sex wasn’t my thing. Grungy mouth, unwashed body, sleep dirt in my eyes, no lipstick. Something about Bruno Bonbano seemed to make me forget a lot of my hang-ups from time to time. I’d just parted my legs for his seeking fingers when two sharp, precise knocks fell on the door. “For fuck’s sake.” Bruno snarled into the back of my head.

“I can tell him to leave the food.” His hand slipped out from between my thighs as his lips fell to my shoulder. He nipped the skin lightly then patted my stomach.

“Nah, let him in. I have to meet Alain in an hour at the practice rink to help set up that summer league.”

Knowing the hoped-for tryst was not going to happen, I sat up, thumbed some hair from my face, and enjoyed the sight of my lover leaving my bed. Bruno was a large man. He stood six feet six inches and weighed probably two-fifty or two-sixty, all that still solid muscle. Wide shoulders and lean waist, he’d been a force to be reckoned with as a defenseman back when he played for the Wildcats. The rigors of professional hockey and several concussions had nudged him into retiring. Nudged might not be the right term. According to Alain Lessard, who has known Bruno since birth, the last concussion had body-checked the man out of the sport. To this day, he’s not quite right, and I have fears…

“Are he and Viviana staying here for the summer then?” I asked while kicking off the covers and burrowing around in the clothes piled in a nicely stuffed chair for my robe. Thank God for room service and hotel laundry. Bigglestrap knocked again. I hurried to pull the quilted belt attached to my robe from the mound of dirty clothing.

“Don’t know yet. Probably.” Bruno padded past the door, turned the knob, and flung it open. I spun around and shoved my arms into the robe, bitching at Bruno all the while. “Morning, Biggie.” Bruno grunted before closing the bathroom door behind his bare ass.

“Yes, well, good morning to you as well, Mr. Bonbano. Coach Dunlop, you’re a vision as always,” the resident manager said then stepped into my room. Rick, the bellhop who always brings my breakfast scurried into my suite, parked the trolley, tapped his hat, and then hustled out.

“And you, Sergeant Major, are full of shit. Thank you.” I took the neatly folded daily newspaper from him then lifted a few lids off the servers. Eggs, bacon, toast, coffee, and orange juice. “Looks delicious. Anything new in this?” I shook the paper before pouring myself a cup of coffee. The thin man in the black suit shook his neatly-combed head. Jane had once commented that you could plumb a house with Bigglestrap’s part, and she was right. I often wondered if he used a ruler to ensure his dark hair was parted correctly.

“No, nothing of great interest. The mayor is talking about a summer fest which could be rather refreshing. Let’s hope he doesn’t invite that tawdry chit who won that last talent show the radio station that employs Ms. West ran. I’ve heard more melodious tunes coming from my parrot, Joffrey.” He moved around the suite opening draperies as he chatted with an air of professional confidence. Why he – the resident manager – came to my room every day like this was anyone’s guess. Bruno said he thought Biggie, a nickname that Bruno had picked up from Jane, had a crush on me. I thought that was utter horseshit and had told Bruno that. Still, his coming here every morning was a bit odd but welcomed just the same. I liked him, and I loved his hotel. Renting a suite here was perfect. Month to month commitment. No roots to hold me in this city if the skyscrapers began to capture the dark memories of my lost son. “Oh! And there’s a lovely article about the Venom on the front of the sports page. Seems your women making it into the playoffs while the Wildcats didn’t is setting off the wagging tongues.”

“I figured that would twist a few panties.” I commented then took a sip of the hotel’s amazing coffee.

Tuesday Tales - Coat

It`s time for Tuesday Tales.

Today we have a snippet from a new MM hockey romance book, Lost in Indigo. In this excerpt, Mathieu Beresford first lays eyes on the all grown up Indigo Neu at the airport after being discharged from the hospital.

Our word prompt today is “Coat”.

This story may have gay erotic scenes, strong social issues addressed and mature language. If those things offend now is the time to move onto another Tuesday Tales blog. Thanks for stopping by!

Some kid ran past, screaming for his mother, nearly knocking my stupid crutch out from under my arm. I called him something bad in French but it sounded wrong to me.

“Did I say that right?” I asked Arn.

“Not a clue. I don’t speak French. My native tongue is Detroit, remember?”

“Ah yes, you speak fluent Motor City!” I laughed aloud for some bizarre reason.

Arn chuckled the entire way to the baggage claim, which is where I first saw the grown-up version of Indigo Neu. Maybe it was the pain killer still clouding my brain, but I don’t truly think it was. Indigo was the most compelling, attractive, outlandish man that I had ever seen. That cute flight attendant?

He was a slug in comparison to Indigo Neu. The kid had grown up well. Tall as me but much leaner, he stood beside Montclair, and while you could see the father in the son, the similarity in chins and the ebony hair were immediately cannonballed by the huge difference in appearance.

Montclair was all sturdy, dependable, workman with short black hair and dressed in jeans, short-sleeved cotton shirt, and work boots. Indigo was…well, I wasn’t sure what he was trying to say with his clothes or the makeup. I could see he’d put eyeliner on and colored his lips. Maybe they were just outlined and that deep pink color was natural. Kissing him would reveal the truth. Suddenly I needed to plant my lips to his more than I needed to suck in another breath. 

Arn said something. The guy beside him laughed. I stared.

Indigo’s hair was spiked up around a small black hat. A derby I think they’re called. This one had a blue and black checkered band that reminded me of hats the British police wear. His shirt was kind of a dress. I mean, of course it wasn’t a dress because men don’t wear dresses, but it sure looked like one. It was checkered like the band of his hat and hung to his knees. I had owned a coat that had that same pattern once. Flannel it had been. Warm. Soft. Probably like his lips...

Christ above but his mouth was perfection. I shook free of the spell his mouth held me in but fell right back into the lure of Indigo as my eyes continued touching him. There were no sleeves on his jumper dress thing, so his bronze arms were exposed. Nice arms they were, well-toned. I balanced on my crutches staring at his biceps for ages. Arn was talking to someone beside me as bags moved past.

My eyes got dry. I blinked and ran my gaze from Indigo’s arms to his legs. I love nice long legs on a man and even that part of the college sophomore didn’t disappoint. His black legging shorts stopped mid-calf. He wore blue combat boots with black laces. Not getting enough info, my sight roamed back up him and settled on his mouth. He wet his lips and a rush of pure lust hit me in the groin.

Copyright 2017 ©by V.L. Locey

*~*~*

Click on the link below to return to the Tuesday Tales main blog for more great reads from the Tuesday Tales authors.

Tuesday Tales

Book Spotlight - Playmaker

#FF #hockey #romance

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/l75y6lz

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/718060

B&N: http://tinyurl.com/ke9bm9q

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34753120-playmaker

Blurb:

Secrets. Sometimes keeping them in confidence is a good thing. Other times secrets can slowly allow a woman’s soul to rot. Whitney Beaupré has been hiding a big secret for years, one that’s beginning to wear her down both on and off the ice. Pretending to be something she’s not is exhausting. Wanting to be free but afraid to break out of her prison is terrifying. Seeking love but then hiding from it is crushing to the spirit, yet Whitney feels compelled to keep living the lie.

Until the night Hannah Kym appears in her life. Whitney’s attraction to Hannah is deep, fierce, and instantaneous. The Temple art major is everything Whitney has dreamed of and more. But those old fears keep clawing at the Venom center, keeping her locked in the closet despite the passion and affection she feels for Hannah. Can love finally break the shackles holding Whitney’s heart and soul captive?

Excerpt:

My cosmopolitan arrived. I handed the server a twenty and continued to sit in the shadows, enjoying the dancers and my cocktail. Everyone seemed to be paired up already. Maybe that was for the best. Maybe I should just finish my drink and go home before someone recognized me as a Venom player and—

“Did anyone ever tell you that you have an amazing brow?” A small Asian woman sat down across from me, startling me out of my ruminations. She was adorable, I saw that right off. Her face was round, her hair short and dyed aquamarine. Her mouth was drawn into a studious pucker. She shoved her hand across the table. “Also, your mouth is perfectly aligned with your nose. Hannah Kym.”

“Thanks.” I muttered and shook her hand.

She smiled, and it lit up the club. “Would you consider posing for me sometime?” The music died off and applause broke out for the DJs choice. I cocked an eyebrow. Hannah Kym snickered as a white strobe light moved over our tiny table. When she smiled, her apple cheeks nearly obscured her beautiful brown eyes. It was beyond cute. She was beyond cute. “Okay, I know that sounds like some lame come-on that a guy would hit you with. I’m really an art student. I’m in my junior year at Temple, and I’d love to paint you some time. You have this amazing face. Sensual, sad, sophisticated, sullen.”

“Suspicious.” I tacked on. Another song, this one I didn’t know, kicked to life.

“Here, let me find my student ID.” She stood up and began pawing around in the various pockets of her baggy jeans and sweater, then finally in the overstuffed tote dangling off her shoulder. She pulled out a card on a lanyard and bounced around in circles to celebrate, her arms up over her head. The motion pulled her short sweater up and exposed her stomach. Her tummy was soft, not the hard and toned abs I was used to seeing in the dressing room. Her rump and hips were rounded and lush, and her breasts were small. Men would probably stick their noses up at her curves and tiny tits but I thought she was perfectly proportioned. “There. Total proof that I am indeed one Hannah Kym, starving college student slash artist striving for my BFA.”

 I took the ID card and glanced at it. Hannah plopped down across from me, rested her elbows on the table, placed her chin on her hands, and stared at me. The ID card showed a younger Hannah and the red plastic card was clearly a Temple University ID badge. I’d seen Greg Blue Blanket’s a few times.

“I know one of your professors,” I said as I returned the ID card to her. Hannah continued to appraise me. “Greg Blue Blanket?”

“That man is awesome! And so visually stunning. Kind of like you.” I blinked at Hannah, dumbfounded. Our server appeared and asked Hannah if she’d like something. “Oh hey, yeah, how about a rum and Coke?” I handed my empty glass to the waitress and tapped it to signal I’d like a refill. “So, what’s your name and when can I put you on canvas?” She winked impishly.

My body reacted with a flash of heat that made my breasts tingle. “Why would you want to paint me? I’m far from model perfect,” I shouted over the thumping of the current song.

 “That’s what makes you desirable,” she yelled, frowned, and then moved over to sit right beside me. Her perfume was fruity. It fit her. “I love women who are confident in themselves. Take that chick over there, totally refurbished from head to toe. When you strip her down, what you get is not at all what you see.”

I looked behind Hannah to see a tall brunette who should be a centerfold in some magazine for straight dudes. She certainly had enough female admirers fawning over her.

“She’s beautiful,” I replied, to which Hannah wrinkled her flat little nose in disgust.

“She’s a fake. You, on the other hand, are perfect in your imperfections. The sharp cut of your jaw, the gap in your teeth combined with the lushness of your lashes and the heavy sway of your big breasts is true feminine beauty.”

“Are you sure you’re not a poetry major?” Hannah laughed, her hand coming to rest on my thigh. A hot curling of desire ignited between my thighs.

“It might be my minor.”

Book Spotlight - A Most Unlikely Countess, To Love a Wildcat #2

Painfully shy Liz Argon probably shouldn`t be dreaming of Veikko Aho, star goalie for the Philadelphia Wildcats. As she works side by side with 'The Count of the Crease' on his memoirs, she finds herself falling for the handsome goaltender. His tender ways with her and her mentally fragile mother are slowly claiming her heart. 

If only Veikko wasn`t already engaged to a woman far better suited to move in to 'The Count`s' world. In book two of the To Love a Wildcat series, we`ll see if a glass slipper can survive in the rough and tumble world of professional ice hockey.


KU Link

Here's a small snippet where Liz is searching for her escaped ferret in Veikko's mansion...



 Veikko cocked an eyebrow questioningly. I shook my head then pattered to the closet. I emerged fifteen minutes later with no ferret, but with an enormous amount of envy that his wardrobe was so much better than mine. As was the closet that held it. I headed for his private bath.

 “Elizabeth, perhaps if you didn`t chase him he`d come looking for you? We used to have a cat when I was a young boy that would mince right up to you, then, when you would reach for him to bring him in for the night, he would streak off. It was a game to him. Come, sit down beside me. We`ll wait for Gandalf to come to you.”

“It won`t work,” I said, my feet rather stuck to the spot I was in. Veikko lifted his upper body up to rest on his elbows. 

“You won`t know if you don`t try. Please, I beg of you, come sit down quietly and wait for him,” he implored, patting the empty spot to his left. “I`ll tell whatever you wish to know,” he added as an incentive.

“I should have my tablet,” I whispered, struck with a gasping seizure of terror. Heart thundering he shook his head.

“This is not for the book. This is just between friends.” He yawned so widely his jaw cracked. Okay, sure. Friends. Of course. Yippee for friendship.

“Piglet and Pooh,” I murmured forcing my cold feet to move me to the bed. I crawled up onto the mattress. Grabbing the discarded duvet I covered myself to my neck. Veikko`s head rolled left. A quirky look appeared.

“Please, relax, Elizabeth.” His hands came to rest on his flat stomach. I inhaled through my nose. Okay, that didn`t help one damned bit. “What would you like to know? We`ll play truth or dare, only I will not make you do something stupid like run down Fenimore Lane wearing a chicken suit.” 

“Do you own a chicken suit?” I asked. He chuckled and my muscles relaxed just a bit.

“Is that your question?” he slyly asked. I wiggled my toes as the bed`s warmth began to seep into my flesh.  

 “No. Well, sure, yeah, let`s start with that. Do you own a chicken suit?” I asked with utmost journalistic professionalism. The heater kicked on. Warm air circulated through the bedroom. 

“No, but I did once date a woman that owned a feather whip.” The scamp winked. Heat seared my neck and ears. Burying my face into the cover, I shook my head as I clucked like a schoolmarm. “My turn,” he said then yanked the covers down so he could see my eyes I reasoned. “How many piercings do you have?”

“Do you mean now, or ones that I let heal closed?”

“All that you`ve ever had done,” he said. I did a quick mental count, making sure I tallied all studs that at one time had lined my ears. 

“Twenty.” 

“Why so many?” he inquired, rolling to his side. I shrugged. “No, you can`t not answer.” 

“You already asked your question,” I informed him. He inclined his head graciously. “How old were you when you got your first kiss?” 

“Elizabeth, such racy things you ask!” he feigned a swoon then laughed heartily at the snort that got free. “I was six. It was from a terribly forward girl who lived next door to my grandparents. One day, I was out picking flowers for my mother when she appeared. She took the bouquet, said thank you then kissed me on the lips. I thought it was the nastiest thing I had ever experienced! She then told me if I brought her a bouquet the next day she would show me what was inside her panties.”

“No she did not!” I gasped, holding onto my ankles. He looked very sincere. 

“Oh, but she did! Of course, I had seen what girls have inside their panties. I had two little sisters who refused to wear pants or diapers for a solid year, but as I thought about it later, perhaps little Agda had something different? So, I gathered another bouquet and met her behind my grandparents’ tool shed. She showed me hers then I showed her mine. She seemed very fascinated by mine at the time but it must not have been too fascinating for she never asked for another peek or bouquet again.” 

“That`s too funny,” I chortled, stretching my legs out in front of me, the bottom of my feet just touching his left thigh. 

The man was a furnace. Within minutes my soles were glowing. That was how it started—with one story about a bouquet (pronounced boo-ket) for a curious girl. The night moved around us, time slipping past unknown and unseen as we talked about siblings, parents, music, and art, what makes us laugh hard and what makes us cry. I had never shared so much with another human being. Veikko pulled me close without ever touching me. We lay on our backs, all traces of unease gone from my body. I don`t remember dropping off. Sleep crept up on me on stealthy tippy-toes to tug me unknowingly into its embrace. I recall waking up a few minutes later though. 

My eyelids sluggishly crawled upward. Sky blue eyes enveloped me. We were lying facing each other, Veikko and I. I wanted to say something witty or erudite but nothing came. All I did was nod when he silently asked for permission with his eyes. He rose up on one elbow. His head dipped. Just as his lips brushed mine I closed my eyes. That soft brush of mouth on mouth sent my pulmonary system into a wild spiraling escalation. Using every sense but sight I emblazoned this moment onto my memory banks, because I knew, I just knew, nothing would ever top his mouth on mine. 

New Release - Playmaker is Now Available!

Venom fans and those who love LGBTQ+ romances are going to be happy to hear that Whitney and Hannah's novella is now available! This is my first F/F romance and I must confess that I totally fell in love with these two young women. I think you might too!

You can grab Playmaker now at the following retailers:

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/l75y6lz

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/718060

B&N: http://tinyurl.com/ke9bm9q

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34753120-playmaker

Blurb:

Secrets. Sometimes keeping them in confidence is a good thing. Other times secrets can slowly allow a woman’s soul to rot. Whitney Beaupré has been hiding a big secret for years, one that’s beginning to wear her down both on and off the ice. Pretending to be something she’s not is exhausting. Wanting to be free but afraid to break out of her prison is terrifying. Seeking love but then hiding from it is crushing to the spirit, yet Whitney feels compelled to keep living the lie.

Until the night Hannah Kym appears in her life. Whitney’s attraction to Hannah is deep, fierce, and instantaneous. The Temple art major is everything Whitney has dreamed of and more. But those old fears keep clawing at the Venom center, keeping her locked in the closet despite the passion and affection she feels for Hannah. Can love finally break the shackles holding Whitney’s heart and soul captive?

Cover Reveal for Playmaker

Venom fans are going to be pretty happy to hear that a novella is coming out to bridge that long gap from book #4 of the series to book #5. Playmaker is now available for preorder! This F/F romance is an emotional story about one woman's struggle to discover herself while striving to become the team player she needs to be. Below is the amazing cover - done once again by Amber at Reverie Design & Formatting.

Whitney and Hannah's story releases on May 3.

Blurb:

Secrets. Sometimes keeping them in confidence is a good thing. Other times secrets can slowly allow a woman’s soul to rot. Whitney Beaupré has been hiding a big secret for years, one that’s beginning to wear her down both on and off the ice. Pretending to be something she’s not is exhausting. Wanting to be free but afraid to break out of her prison is terrifying. Seeking love but then hiding from it is crushing to the spirit, yet Whitney feels compelled to keep living the lie.

Until the night Hannah Kym appears in her life. Whitney’s attraction to Hannah is deep, fierce, and instantaneous. The Temple art major is everything Whitney has dreamed of and more. But those old fears keep clawing at the Venom center, keeping her locked in the closet despite the passion and affection she feels for Hannah. Can love finally break the shackles holding Whitney’s heart and soul captive?

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://tinyurl.com/l75y6lz

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/718060

B&N: http://tinyurl.com/ke9bm9q

Add to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34753120-playmaker

Snap Shot Release Day!

Oh boy, I am so darn excited I can barely sit still long enough to type this!

Finally, the first book in the Cayuga Cougars LGBTQ hockey romance series is out and it's Mario and Lila kicking off this long-awaited series. So may readers have been waiting for this romance, and I'm thrilled to be able to bring it to those faithful fans.

Snap Shot is just the first in what will be at least five books for the Cougars. I hope you enjoy this sexy, funny, emotional tale. I've just fallen in love with Lila and her kilted man. And Mario surely does adore his Lila! And as always, thank you all for your support. It truly means the world to me. *hugs*

Blurb:

Mario McGarrity has been around the block – and rink – more than a few times.

He’s creeping up on retirement age, has some dings and dents, and says what’s on his mind. Not exactly what most would consider a luxury ride, but his beautiful Lila - the transgender woman who stole his heart - loves him like no other woman ever has despite a little rust here and there.

Everything is good - no, great - aside from the distance issue, until a surprise from Lila’s past crops up and moves in with her. Can Mario be the family man that Lila needs, or is this one game the old vet is unable to skate in? 

Buy Links: (Others Coming Soon)

Amazon- http://tinyurl.com/lc6mngb

Amazon UK: http://tinyurl.com/l5pnpvd

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/snap-shot

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34429408-snap-shot

Book Spotlight - Rj Scott's New Release "The Heart"

I'm thrilled to be able to help Rj Scott kick off the release of the second book in her M/F Ice Dragons hockey romance series, The Heart. It's an amazing read! I'm crushing so hard on Simba it's not even funny. Grab your copy today!

The Heart (Ice Dragons #2)

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31481775-the-heart

Cover Design: Meredith Russell

Ice Dragons Series

The Code (Book #1) - http://rjscottauthor.blogspot.co.uk/2017/02/the-heart-ice-dragons-hockey-2.html

The Heart (Book #2)

The Legacy (Book #3) – Out Summer 2017

Blurb

The team captain and the rookie firefighter never meant to fall in love; but they’ll fight tooth and nail to protect what they have.

Alex Simard, captain of the Ice Dragons hockey team, didn’t intend on rescuing a baby from a burning car. Doing what anyone else would’ve done doesn’t make him a hero. Add the press hounding him, to on-ice injury, warring Russians, and the season from hell, and he’s losing focus. Getting his team to the Stanley Cup is his priority; falling in love isn’t even a footnote on his to-do list.

Jo Glievens, rookie firefighter, never meant to fall in love with a hockey player. Her career is everything to her and right now she doesn’t want to add a man to her life. She has a plan and is sticking to it. But someone is out there planting bombs, destroying lives, and she has to make choices when this criminal's actions hit way too close to home.

The Face-Off Show - Vic and Dan Interview Mario & Lila from Snap Shot -Cayuga Cougars #1

Welcome to The Face-Off Show! Today Vic and Dan sit down with Mario and Lila, the stars of Snap Shot, for an interview.

I hope you enjoy the following sit-down. I had a blast writing it. I truly adore Lila and Mario as well as the Kalinski-Arou’s. Just one thing…

This is Victor Kalinski. He is/was a hockey player married to a hockey player who spends most of his time with a team of hockey players. Rude talk about sex, genitalia and bodily functions is a given. Foul language and sarcasm are to be expected. If these things knot your knickers it’s best to leave now because Victor does not hold back.

*~~*~~*

Vic taps mic – “Is this thing on?” *glances at V.L. seated off stage and gets a thumbs-up* “Oh cool, okay, so Donald Trump, Mike Pence, and Steve Bannon walk into a gay bar…”

Dan – “Uh, Vic, I’m not sure you should finish that joke.”

Vic – “That was the joke. Get it? Because those three would never walk into a – You know when you have to explain a political joke it kind of loses all its punch.”

Dan – “I’m Canadian. We’re just standing in our houses eating Timbits and watching the politics down south through our windows, you know?”

Vic- “Lucky fucks have Trudeau and we have to deal with the above-mentioned spawns of Beelzebub.”

Dan – “You want I should hum our national anthem?”

Vic – “Can you hum it on my dick? What was that noise? Oh, it’s V.L. waving her hands around trying to get my attention. Does she look pasty to you? Yeah, yeah, I see you tapping on your watch. Guess we better get to it then. This month we have two people who Dan and I call friends, like real friends, not the shady friends who only latch onto you then drop you as soon as you’re sent to Cayuga. Yeah, Bertram at the Kinko’s, I’m looking at you, you miserable cockroach dropping.”

Dan – “Okay, so while Vic glowers at someone who can’t see him because this ain’t TV, I’ll welcome Mario and Lila out.”

Vic hits the phone lying on the table beside his chair. “My Girl” by The Temptations plays. Mario and Lila leave Vic and Dan’s kitchen and sit down in the makeshift stage in the guy’s living room.

Vic- “I picked that song for you guys.”

Lila – “It’s a lovely tune, Victor.”

Vic- “Yeah, I know. So, you two look good. Am I supposed to play Joan Rivers – bless her fashion criticizing heart – and tell everyone what we’re wearing too, V.L.? For Christ’s sake. Fine. So McGarrity is in some Scottish t-shirt that says something about the size of his shillelagh or something…”

Mario – “Uh, dip shit? A shillelagh is a walking stick that’s associated with Ireland.”

Vic – “Your point? Oh, Ireland and Scotland. Different. Got it. So, he has a shirt and his skirt is purple. Lila is in a pink dress and looks foxy as hell. There, fashion corner is over. What? Oh, for fuck sake V.L.! Me and Dan are in jeans and Cougar’s sweatshirts. Can we end the clothing bit now? Thank you. Man, authors are so freaking bossy.”

Dan – “Here, have a Coke.” *pulls a can out of the ice tub and lobs it at Vic* “While he gets happy again, let’s talk about your new book coming out on April 6. What’s it like to have a book all about you?”

Lila – “Well, of course it is very exciting. I never thought that people would respond to Seamus and me as they did.”

Vic – “Let’s tackle that Seamus thing. Why do you call him that instead of Mario?”

Lila – “It just rolls off the tongue better when one is in the throes of passion. Also, I like having a unique moniker for him that’s mine and mine alone.”

Mario – “That’s my girl. Always so fancy and sexy.” *reaches over to squeeze her thigh*

Vic – “Which leads me to ask her -yet again – what the hell she’s doing with a thundering ass clown like you.”

Lila – “Oh now Victor, I know deep down you love Seamus as much as I do. As for the nicknames, don’t you and Daniel have pet names for each other?”

Dan – “Oh yeah we do. I call him ‘Babe’ and he calls me ‘Sweets’.

Vic – “Okay, see the point of this here show is me asking the guests questions. Not the other way around. So, if we can get back to me asking? Thank you. One of the members of V.L.’s readers group over on the Book of Face, Emily, wanted to know how you and the big doofus in the kilt met.”

Mario – “I’ll take this one, baby, if you don’t mind?”

Lila – “Not at all, Seamus.”

Mario – “We met one night when the Cougars were playing in Scranton. Fate kind of tossed us into the same bar. She was sitting there sipping on some sweet fruity drink, long legs crossed, and looking as fine in her red dress as I had ever seen a woman. I had to get closer, you know? Smell her, maybe talk to her. I offered to buy her a drink. She gave me a long once-over, leaned in real close, and whispered ‘I always did want to discover what a Scotsman wears under his kilt’ and that, as they say, was that. She found out and I never could get her out of my head afterward. I think I might have fallen in love with her a little bit that night and just didn’t realize it until I saw her again later.”

Vic – “That was when we shoved the fist of revenge right up Prescott’s homophobic ass sans lube. Good times, good times.”

Dan – “So tell us a little about Snap Shot, your book that’s coming out in a couple weeks. We know that it’s the first of the Cayuga Cougars series but is there anything you can tell us that won’t spoil the whole book?”

Lila – “I think it’s safe to say that while Snap Shot is a hockey book, it’s also a family tale as much as it is a sports romance.”

Mario – “Yeah, I agree with that. There’s a ton of family drama, laughter, hot sexy times with my woman, as well as friendship and ice time.”

Dan – “Cool! I won’t probe too much about the book so I don’t ruin things for the readers. How important is it, do you think, that this series kicks off with a bisexual man and a transgender woman as the lead couple?”

Lila – “I think it is of the utmost importance. Every day we see the rights of trans people being trampled. Students now are no longer protected in schools, trans men and women are beaten and killed at alarming rates. So much of this anger and hatred is based on fear. People are afraid of what they do not understand. This is why it’s so important to have people read about trans characters. Get to know them, grow to love them. Only through love, information, and understanding can we allay the fears of the uninformed.”

Mario – “That was so beautifully said, baby.”

Vic – “Hashtag representation matters. Lila, for serious, if this galoot ever decides to act like a dick-head, you come hang out with me and Dan.”

Mario – “You got no worries about that. Trust me, I know what kind of sweetness I got. I ain’t fucking this up for nothing.”

Lila – “You boys are too dear.” *leans over to press a kiss to three cheeks.

Vic – “Wow, well I guess this is a good place to wrap things up. Remember to add Snap Shot to your Goodreads Want-To-Read shelf using this linky-link right here...

Snap Shot - Cayuga Cougars #1 on Goodreads

There will be no preorders so make sure you put that red circle on your calendar for 4/6 so you can grab your copy. Who are we looking at next on The Face-Off Show, Danny Boy?”

Dan – “This is going to be cool! Looks like we’ll be having Whitney Beaupré of the Philadelphia Venom on next. She’s the star of an F/F novella, Playmaker, coming out on May 5th.”

Vic- “Nice! More LGBT hockey goodness. Oh fuck, I sounded like V.L. there. Shit. Now I know it’s time to end this show. See you next month. Maybe. If I feel like it.”

Dan – “We’ll be here. No worries.” *winks at reader*