We’ve had some delightful growth in the newsletter over the past month so I want to wish all our new subscribers a warm and happy welcome. Please feel free to email me if you have any questions or ideas for things we can do to keep you engaged and reading. On the home front things have been the usual amount of crazy here. The schools are still striking so that means the kids are home on and off over the term, but after COVID I think it gives them a chance to decompress. In writing news, I’m still hard at work on Elliot and Thaddeus’s story. I’m running a little behind schedule but the story and my life have taken an unusual twist so I’ll just roll with it and see where the characters take me.

I’m delighted to announce my participation in the Class of 22/23 Debut Authors. My freebie is all ready to go, edited, cover made and even the blurb is done. I’ll put some details below for you all to see. It’s something brand new from me and I’m excited to take be taking part.

I’m also part of another builder this time for authors on KU so take a look below to see how to enter that – there are some great prizes up for grabs 🙂

And now it’s time to meet our featured authors this week!

🌅COMING SOON: MM CLASS 22/23 GIVEAWAY 🌅

Coming 5th – 18th June 2023

The 4th annual MM Class Giveaway is coming in just a few short weeks and I’m so excited to be a part of it!

This is a FREE giveaway through Prolific Works featuring brand new stories from fourteen new MM authors, including my short Inciting Chaos.

Carson Blackwell wakes up on his 25th birthday only to find his life has been immeasurably changed—again!

Thrust into a world of mystery and vengeance that was hiding in the shadows of his sheltered childhood, he makes the choice to take on the quest that was handed from his mother to his aunt and has now been thrust upon him.

“Preparation: summon a demon” proves to be more complicated than he anticipated but the demon that finally turns up in his circle is not at all what he’s expecting.

Azrael Asmodeus begrudgingly answers the summoner’s call—he had plans, but they get thrown out the window when he locks eyes with the scatty witch for the first time and realizes the Fates have a different afternoon/life planned.

The unlikely pair gets thrown straight into a world of chaos, magic and the growing mystery continues to unravel as they take on step one together: Find and dispatch Henry Adams, before the bad guys chasing them catch up.

Note from the Author: Inciting Chaos is book one of a new series of shorts titled Mother’s List. This series plans to be five possibly six books in total and will be released in short succession after the final book is finished. I hope that in part minimizes any annoyance with the happily for now (HFN)/cliff-hanger ending. The story is complete in its essence, but each story will take you on a journey through mother’s list. The main characters (MCs) will stay the same throughout.

Keep an eye out for the link coming soon!!

#ClassOf22/23PWGiveaway
#NewM/MAuthors
#MMRomance
#MMBooks
#FreeMMBooks

Enjoy reading M/M Romance with your Kindle Unlimited subscription?

10 super-talented authors have come together to offer this amazing giveaway for their KU readers!

Three winners will be chosen who will win –

1) $25 Amazon Gift Card + A book set of 6 titles of winner’s choice by the participating authors

2) $20 Amazon Gift Card + A book set of 4 titles of winner’s choice by the participating authors

3) $5 Amazon Gift Card + A book set of 2 titles of winner’s choice by the participating authors

This giveaway is sponsored by KSL Book Promotions and Author Services and Arden O’Keefe and the giveaway fulfilment will be done the promo company / Arden.

By entering this giveaway, you agree to sign up for the newsletters of the 11 participating authors – Andrew Q Gordon, A.D. Ellis, Casey Cox, CP Harris, A. M. Rose, Marie Sinclair, Andy Gallo, L.A. Kaye, Sam E. Kraemer and Me!

Raiven Matthews lives in Northern Indiana where she is surrounded by corn fields, RV’s and Notre Dame football.

An avid reader from a young age, she discovered MM romance while reading fan fiction, and never looked back.

She loves cats, her grandkids, and coffee and wine, equally.

She often plots her books on her commute to her RL job, which is full of boring numbers and spreadsheets.

She believes in writing happily-ever-after’s with a twist, and her books are full of heat, heart and lots of humor.

Raiven’s Quirky Questions

Holly: What’s your drink of choice?

Raiven: I can’t people without coffee in the morning! Then I’m a water girl for the rest of the day. At night, I love wine or bourbon.

Holly: What will I always find in your fridge?

Raiven: Eggs! I always have at least two 18 count cartons at all times. I love eggs! And I do a lot of baking, so it’s just a must. You will also always find café mocha coffee creamer LOL.

Holly: What food(s) fuel your writing?

Raiven: I consume an alarming amount of Twix candy bars when I’m on any kind of writing deadline. They aren’t even my favorite candy bar, but it has to be Twix’s bars. I don’t mess with the single size ones either. I stock up on the king size, so it’s two full-size candy bars in one package. I’m not playing around LOL.

Holly: What did you plan on being when you grew up?

Raiven: Until I was 13, I wanted to be a veterinarian. I even shadowed our country vet, who was a family friend, from the time I was 10 years old until I was 15. I worked on Saturdays, and three days a week in the summer – for no pay! (It was the eighties LOL) At 13, I knew I wanted to be a writer though.

Holly: Were you a reader as a child? What was your favorite book/author?

Raiven: I can’t remember a time in my life that there weren’t books in our house. My mom and dad are huge readers, and my godmother was a teacher. She bought me books before I was born. As a young child, my favorites were “Where the Wild Things Are” along with “Green Eggs and Ham”. My grandmother used to read it to me whenever we visited. As a young pre-teen and teen, “The Catcher in The Rye” made me question so many things, and “The Outsiders” by S.E. Hinton was my most reread book. To my thirteen-year-old brain, it was life changing.

Holly: What is the most meaningful thing a reader has said to you?

Raiven : I had a reader message me after reading my second book. She told me that she downloaded my book based on our interactions on FB, without reading the blurb. She quickly realized it was mpreg, something she never reads. Then she realized it contained light D/s, which she also never reads. But she fell in love with one of my characters, and their story, and she loved it. She ended the message by saying “whatever you write, I will read it.” It made me cry in the best possible way.

Holly: Let’s talk to your characters for a minute – what’s it like to work for such a demanding writer?

Raiven: This book is Jamie and Sebastian’s story, so I’ll ask them.

Jamie: She has a bad habit of telling some of us to stop jabbering at her and wait our turns. But she also lets us tell her our secrets in our own time. It’s about the only time she’s actually patient. It’s funny when she tries to plot. We all know she’s a complete pantser, and we act accordingly. Meaning we are doing whatever we want to do. She doesn’t even try to wrangle us anymore, just let’s us do what we want.

Wade: She thought I was going to be a throw away, secondary character, and I promptly told her I wasn’t having any of that. She’s seen things my way ever since, so she’s fab.

Jamie: Brat, we are talking about my book. You had your book already. Sit down.

Wade: And I’m in your book, so there’s no issue. I’m in ALL the books, so I win.

Sebastian: I think she’s quite lovely, and I appreciate that she learned how to make a proper cup of tea for me. Wade, you are a menace, and no one was speaking to you. Why are you even here?

Holly: How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?

Raiven: This is my fourth book. I love them all for different reasons, but I think “His Sassy Omega” will always be my first love. It was my first book, and I poured so much of myself into it. And my MC, Quinn, is basically me LOL. It’s a very personal book for me.

Holly: Which scene in this book was the most fun to write?

Raiven: So many! There’s a scene where my MC, Sebastian, and my secondary character, Wade, are having a heated conversation and they are exchanging British slang swear words, back and forth between them. That was a lot of fun to write. And I had a lot of fun writing a scene between Jamie, his mom, and some monster shaped dildos. I also got to research who would win in a fight between a honey badger and a king cobra, so that was really interesting. (If you want to know the answer, you can find out in my book LOL).

Holly: If you’re planning a sequel, can you share a tiny bit about your plans for it?

Raiven: I’m planning three more books in the Sweet Alps series. The next one will be about Gabe and Asher and is a Daddy/little book. I’ll also tell you that we haven’t seen the last of the Sinclair brood just yet.

Holly: What would you and your MCs talk about if you went out for coffee?

Raiven: I think Jamie and I would gossip about his family, while Sebastian tried to convert me to drinking tea. (I won’t. I’m team coffee all the way). When that didn’t work, I think we would talk about his son. Honestly, with his English accent, he could talk to me about his dirty laundry and I’d listen.

Raiven’s Writing Buddy Declan!

Jamie Sinclair

Meeting my fated mate in the middle of a top-secret assignment hadn’t been ideal. Eight years ago, he’d disappeared without a trace, and everyone assumed he was dead. Except me. I foolishly believed we would see each other again. I just didn’t expect him to turn up with a trail of dead bodies in his wake, or a child who could be my double. Despite the years that separated us, the anger, and the deceit, one thing remained –my love for him.

Sebastian Hollingsworth

My entire relationship with my fated mate was built on secrets. Eight years ago, I’d needed to disappear for my own safety. When my life was once again threatened, I’d run to the one man I knew would protect my son with his life. What I hadn’t expected was the burning anger I saw in his eyes when he looked at me. Or to realize that despite the secrets and our short time together, I had somehow fallen in love with him and had never stopped.

Was there a chance for us to build something real when everything between us had been lies?

*Trigger and Content Warning** On page deaths of a bunch of bad people, who you won’t care about and will probably cheer when they meet their maker. In all seriousness, this book does talk about the serious subject of human trafficking. While this all takes place off page and does not go into detail, the reader should be aware. There are also instances of children being in danger, but no harm is done to them. If any of this content may be triggering to you, please use your best judgment.

“His Dangerous Omega” is the fourth book in the Sweet Alps Mates series. While it is not necessary to have read the previous books, some readers find it more enjoyable since a few favorite characters make appearances. This book contains fated mates, shifters, heats, knotting, mpreg, a whole lot of secrets and lies, a snarky kid and an HEA. Please note that no king cobras were harmed in the making of this book, I promise.

Excerpt/ Teaser

NSFW

He paused once, kissing the inside of my thigh, and my tightly closed eyes blinked open to look at him. My slick covered his face, glistening even in the darkness, and the pupils of his eyes were blown. The blue of them looked nearly black, and he had the most blissed out expression on his face. “You taste delicious, Bash. Like marshmallows toasted over a fire, and honey. I could eat you out every day and never get tired of it.”

“Okay,” my voice was throaty and a bit raw. I’d been making the most embarrassing, loud noises against my hand. But I’d gladly agree to this kind of torture every day of my life.

My legs were trembling with need and being in a position they weren’t used to. Jamie lowered them gently to the bed, and I spread my legs wide in an invitation. “I need you inside me.” It was nothing short of a whined plea, but he shook his head.

At some point while he was feasting on my ass, he’d unsnapped his jeans, dragging the zipper down. His thick cock was in plain view, and I realized he wasn’t wearing any underwear.

“Commando?” The thought of it made me burn hotter inside. There was something sinfully sexy knowing Jamie was bare beneath his jeans.

“Always.”

Well, that was…convenient and I filed that piece of information away for future use.

Raiven’s Social Links

Raiven’s Reading Rebels | Facebook
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Susan’s Quirky Questions

Holly: If you could be an animal for a day what would it be and why?

Susan Mac Nicol: An owl. I love them, they look so cool and they don’t have a frenetic lifestyle. I could be an owl 😊

Holly: If you could have any superpower what would it be and why?

Susan Mac Nicol: The ability to look like anyone. I’d have a lot of fun pretending to be a celebrity, a politician, or a famous artist. If I was a politician, think about the good I could do cancelling all the awful decisions my ‘replicant’ made.

Holly: If you had to write yourself a warning label what would it say?

Susan Mac Nicol: My husband always say if someone wrote a book about my life it would be titled – She Did it Her Way.

Holly: Does writing exhaust you or energize you?

Susan Mac Nicol: Definitely energise. When I’m writing, the world feels ‘more’, as if different worlds leap off the page and draw me into their depths. It’s truly invigorating to listen to your characters as they make their mark in your words.

Holly: What’s your writing process like?

Susan Mac Nicol: I’m pretty much a pantser, not planning any story structure at all. I sit down in a comfy place, and simply write. I do keep brief notes on my characters, and also the research I do as part of the writing process, for quick access. But honestly, the story simply rolls itself out as I write.

Holly: What one book have you written that you think best shows off your writing style? Why?

Susan Mac Nicol: I think that would be Living On Air. I love writing angsty stories, where characters go through hell to come out the other side. I also believe that sometimes there isn’t a magic process characters go through to become truly healed. In this book, Cary comes to terms with who he is but he still has so many issues. I believe in investing reality in the books I write.

Holly: What’s your most annoying habit?

Susan Mac Nicol: I have restless leg syndrome so when I sit down at night, my feet are constantly moving against each other. It drives my husband crazy.

Holly: Which household chore do you find the most agitating?

Susan Mac Nicol: I despise hoovering. My husband and I have a pact, he does the hoovering, and I find something else to do, like polishing, cleaning the kitchen, when we clean the house.

Holly: Explain your book terribly in a few words. (For example two men meet and hate each other, until they don’t)

Susan Mac Nicol: Grumpy aerialist meets PTSD war photographer and makes his life miserable, until someone dies.

Holly: Where did your inspiration come from for your MCs?

Susan Mac Nicol: I love pole dancing and aerialist displays, so after watching a friend of mine on the silks, I decided to model a character after him. Cary was born, then Rhys came along to keep him sane. I decided to set the book in a circus because it was different and didn’t seem to have been done before. It also gave me the opportunity to do the research while staying in the actual circus itself!

Living on Air

READERS’ FAVORITE BOOK AWARD WINNER

Cary Stilwell has been existing since he was ten years old, and each year it gets harder to find meaning in his bleak life. The only exception – his work. As a top-billed aerialist in a popular travelling circus, he enjoys accolades and applause, but little else. When notable photographer, Rhys McIntyre, joins the circus to catalogue its inner workings, Cary fights the attraction that hits him from the moment they meet. But a kind soul wrapped in a beautiful body has a way of battering all the walls Cary has built around his cold, dark heart.

Rhys McIntyre is on his third iteration of reinventing himself. Once a hotdog financier, he embraced his passion for photography and became an eminent war photo journalist. Until one too many bullets lodged in his body, and he gave up the front lines for the softer side of chronicling life. When he accepts the assignment to record life in a circus, the last thing he expects is to find the man crush of his dreams. Except Cary Stilwell is a cold, tortured man who seems incapable of any warm emotion, never mind love. But Rhys is known for his persistence, and this time the pay-off might be more than he could have ever imagined.

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Damont could run real fast, and even when caught manages to wiggle out of Rebel’s clutches. But the shark is on a mission and that means Catching Damont.

Okay, beautiful people, I think I’ve said everything I needed to say and shared everything I needed to share 🙂

I hope to see you all here again next week, and until then…

Find a Spark of Magic Every day