New Release – Fight For This by Suki Fleet #KindleUnlimited #giveaway

Posted on January 31, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Fight For This

Author: Suki Fleet

Publisher: Suki Fleet

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Release Date: January 31, 2020

Genre/s: M/M Paranormal Romance (fairies)

Trope/s: Friends to lovers

Themes: Admitting feelings, in denial, saving the world (sort of)

Heat Rating: 3 – 4 flames

Length: 60 000 words

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Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK

A fairy who can’t control his glamour, and the growly Guardian who adores him, must stop the Veil that protects all fairy-kind from being detected in the human world from being destroyed.

Blurb

Grey and Si have been dancing around one another for months.

Grey’s helpless attraction to fairies (and one fairy in particular) is a source of endless frustration—but as his energy can damage a fairy’s glamour, he can’t let himself get close.

Si is different to other fairies and he’s wearing down Grey’s defences. When Si discovers the Veil is thinning around the school where they both work—putting the students and teachers there at risk from detection—he needs Grey’s help to fix it.

Problem is, Si isn’t a true fairy, he’s just a magical mistake. For as long as he can remember all his glamour has done is messed up and broken stuff. Though Grey maybe older and wiser about a lot of things in the human world, he’s pretty clueless about all things magical. He doesn’t even know the Veil exists until Si knocks himself unconscious trying to save Grey’s reputation after a night out.

But it’s funny how mistakes work out. Even funnier how trusting one another can help even the most impossible events turn out all right.

Excerpt

Barely supressing a shiver, Si let the full rush of his glamour flood through him. Nothing else felt like this, the giddy flare of it as exhilarating as diving off a high rocky outcrop into a breathtakingly cold sea. Admittedly, he was probably a little addicted to the rush—magic in all its forms was notorious addictive. But more than that, for a brief second, Si was connected to everything—plugged into exactly the right place—powerful enough to affect change in the world, and unlike every other second in his life, he felt like he knew just what to do.

This was the good bit, the bit that convinced him that this time it wouldn’t go so horribly wrong.

Opening his eyes, he scrunched his toes against the soft threadbare strands of carpet and steadied himself.

Grey’s presence hummed comfortingly near. When fairies were in love, they could share their glamour, heal one another with it, share energy and connect with each another in a way that sounded so similar to the mating Grey longed for that Si wondered if it wasn’t the same thing. And the sex when you were connected was supposed to be fucking mind-blowing.

Si shook the thoughts from his head. He needed to focus.

Across the room, Greene’s eyes began to widen comically. Probably he could feel the ripple of Si’s magic as it charged the air around him, but Si didn’t care; there was nothing in his contract that said what he could or couldn’t do. And unless Greene transported him from the room somehow, there was nothing he could do to stop him either.

The urge to dramatically clap his hands together was strong. But good magic didn’t announce itself, as Levi, his mentor, used to say.

Si took a deep breath, then murmured as softly and as clearly as possible, “Let the truth be known.”

For an instant, the air shimmered, filled with the scent of dying leaves, oranges, freshly brewed black tea.

The world seemed to expand. Details became richer.

The truth was known. Si was certain of it, even if the details of how it was known eluded him.

A giddy, joyous feeling that whatever he’d done had worked danced in his chest, a feeling so at odds with the shocked expressions of everyone in the room. But it didn’t matter how they were staring at him. It had worked. He had worked. His glamour wasn’t some cosmic joke for other fairies to laugh at. It was useful. He was useful.

So why was all the air being sucked from his lungs? Why was the happy feeling disintegrating? Why was the world beginning to blur? But before he could come up with any answers that made sense, Grey’s carpet tilted towards him with the unexpected speed of a rollercoaster, and all the warm light suddenly drained from the room.

About the Author

Suki Fleet is an award-winning author, a prolific Reader (though less prolific than they’d like), and a lover of angst, romance and unexpected love stories.They write lyrical stories about memorable characters and believe everyone should have a chance at a happy ending.
Their first novel This is Not a Love Story won Best Gay Debut in the 2014 Rainbow Awards, and was a finalist in the 2015 Lambda Awards. Their novel Foxes won Best Gay Young Adult in the 2016 Rainbow Awards.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Twitter @SukiFleet

Instagram | Newsletter Sign-up

Giveaway

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a choice of one of 5 ebooks from Suki’s backlist

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Hathonatum Roundup – Guest Post from Taylin Clavelli

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

Many thanks to Taylin Clavelli for dropping by to answer some queries about her latest release, Hathonatum

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Hathonatum Roundup – Questions raised and answered.

Huge thanks to everyone who has promoted Hathonatum – especially Gay Book Promotions – totally awesome. For those who also reviewed, thank you for being honest. I found that some of the points raised were informative, and for the majority, thank you for being courteous with the odd part that wasn’t quite your bag, but recognised that it would be someone’s. I appreciate your professionalism.

Hathonatum received reviews ranging from, ‘OMG this was fabulous, when will there be more,’ ‘It was a balanced, well-paced good read, but I’d have preferred this bit to be different,’ and finally, ‘I didn’t get it.’ I always expected Hathonatum to be a bit of marmite book for reasons, too numerous to say here. So, I was overwhelmed with its high percentage of good reception.

As an author and long-time reviewer, I understand that there is not a book written that everyone likes. It is the beauty of humanity and their reading habits. A single scene or action can be interpreted in multiple ways. And, depending on experience and preferences, people connect to different characters.

It’s not for me to argue with how a reader interprets my writing because reading is subjective. Then again, so is writing and let’s face it, I’m writing fiction here. I’m in the land of fantasy – my fantasy. So, if I may, I will clarify my thought process behind writing some of the aspects raised during the Hathonatum blog tour.

The timeline between Pelethus/Earth and its effects on ageing – explained. Because I played with time differences between dimensions, it was logical to reason that there would be an issue with ageing. How could a person see a time before the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt and still be young enough to court a man in the 21st century? If I hadn’t dealt with this element, some readers would have raised queries. I didn’t want to go the way of the elves and have super long lives, as that is a common variation. It would have still ended up with Earth man dying first. I wanted my main characters to be able to grow old together. Others may have tackled the issue differently, but I decided to do it like this.

In the way that one human year is the equivalent of seven cat years, I used a similar principle in Hathonatum. 1 Pelethus day = 1 Earth year.

The ageing of a character was determined by their planet of origin. Thus, ageing was a matter of DNA. A Pelethian on Earth would age a day for every year. It would give the illusion that Pelethians had very long lives. On the opposite side, an earth person on Pelethus would age a year for every day there. Therefore, an Earthman would look and feel very old within sixty days of being on Pelethus. Not much point in having an interplanetary romance if it was going to be short-lived.

So, there had to be a cure. Not much point in changing the ageing of the Pelethian person, but something had to be done from the Earth perspective. I introduced circumstances in which the blood of a Pelethian person could re-align the DNA of an Earthman. In the world of fiction – this is possible. Though, nothing is ever so simple, and there are anomalies. You’ll have to read the books to know more.

Jared’s story seems incomplete. Absolutely spot on. The Hathonatum novel is about Ben and Hathonatum. To include Jared’s story would have taken the focus away from B&H. So yes, there will be questions overhanging from Hathonatum about Jared, but the story arc between B&H is complete. The two will be cast members in the next book in the series. But the focus of the forthcoming novel is Jared.

Is Ashari Hathonatum controlling? Probably, but Hathonatum is not a story about who has control over what or who and the wielding of it. Ashari is a man of Royal blood, one day to be king. He is used to getting what he wants, and his orders followed. In his defence, from his own dimension, he has also seen the reincarnation of his hearts match die several times – he’s a desperate man. To lose a hearts match is excruciating. There are scenes where Ashari comes over as somewhat controlling and places where consent is given but without the full facts. And yes, there are some instances when he intends to get his way. Another time he does something so that Ben can understand all the people around him, without asking permission.

Life itself is not always run by committee. What one reader may see as controlling, another will see as strong, caring or protecting. Believe me, Ben is no wilting flower and has no problem ripping Ashari a new one when needed. There are also characters in camp Ashari, and camp Ben who voice their approval/disapproval, too. Everyone has an opinion. But as long as Ben is happy, that’s what counts. If Ashari’s reasons are from a pure heart, and Ben doesn’t mind – I’m good.

Hathonatum is not about having perfect characters, perfect relationships. It was about two people who were destined to be together and finding a way to accomplish it. Even the yellow brick road had bumps in it.

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Visit Taylin’s new blog here

Check out the blog tour for Hathonatum here

There’s still time to enter the giveaway and win a book from Taylin’s back list.

New Release – Audiobook – Love’s Trials by Janice Jarrell

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

AUDIOBOOK REVIEW TOUR

Book Title: Love’s Trials

Author: Janice Jarrell

Publisher: ACX

Narrator: Walker Williams

Release Date: January 28, 2020

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Hurt/comfort

Themes: Redemption, forgiveness

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 9 hours and 24 minutes

It can be listened to as a standalone. But listening to Love’s Magic first would be helpful in understanding the characters.

Add on Goodreads

Buy Links

Audible US | Audible UK

Amazon US | Amazon UK

When the trial is deadly enough, love can lose its way.

Blurb

Colin and Joshua faced the most harrowing ordeal of their lives with strength and courage. Believing they’d survived their trial, they looked forward to a future filled with happiness only to discover that the worst was yet to come. Sometimes surviving is the toughest trial of all.

After half a lifetime spent in short-term liaisons that allowed no intimacy, charismatic Irish police officer, Colin Campbell, found the love of his life. Dark-eyed, steady Joshua Abrams burned through Colin’s emotional barriers and taught him to look at life through new eyes, eyes that made room for the love and closeness he had always denied himself. Deeply in love and completely happy, their life together remains idyllic and their fiery passion for each other seems limitless.

They survive the Charlottesville ‘Unite the Right’ riots, though not without scars. But later that month Colin’s position with the campus police force places him in charge of an informant program designed to crack a dangerous drug ring. Fully aware of the risks, he swears to Joshua that he will oversee the program without becoming directly involved. But Colin’s promise shatters when he becomes the only thing standing between a young Nigerian exchange student and a deadly drug lord.

About the Author

My name is Janice Jarrell. I am a retired grandmother who lives in Seattle, WA. I have two children and three grandsons. I’ve been writing gay romance since I was twelve years old, only back then it wasn’t called ‘gay romance’. In fact, it had no name at all. It was the fifty’s, and it was worth your life to admit to being gay, let alone confess to being a girl who constantly fantasized about relationships between gay men. Hell, I didn’t even know what a homosexual was. I lived on a farm out in the sticks in a tiny Michigan village and I’d never, to my knowledge, even heard the word. I just knew I loved the thought of boy on boy romance. I just knew that there was something hot going on between Tom Corbett and his Space Cadets and all those guys on ‘Combat’.

I wrote slash fanfiction for 30 years, writing over 337 stories, some as short as 100 words (a drabble) some as long as a series which was over 119, 012 words. I enjoy writing my stories. I enjoyed the feedback I received from my readers. It was a creative release I’d been searching for my entire life and I blessed the Internet for leading me to this artistic oasis for my spirit.

Love’s Magic was my very first step into writing my own characters. I will always be grateful the slash fanfiction community for nurturing the budding author until she was ready to blossom into a fully realized novelist, and I am thrilled that it is now available on Audible! It’s been an amazing thing to watch the gay community’s growth over these past twenty years. My own journey has echoed theirs in many ways, and I’m grateful to all those gay activists who fought to give the gay community the rights and privileges they always deserved.

My second contemporary gay romance novel, Love’s Trials followed Colin and Joshua on their journey as men and as a couple. The readers who fell in love with them in Love’s Magic were thrilled to see their romance continue to grow and blossom, but were forced to watch our beloved boys go through some pretty traumatic trials in this book, trials which nearly shattered their relationship. But their love proved stronger than any troubles in the end and they now move forward into the happiness they know they deserve.

In Love’s Glory, my newest release, Colin and Joshua bask in the happiness that eluded them in Love’s Trials. If you’re looking for a book filled with anger, fear, and anxiety… look elsewhere. Love’s Glory is about just that… the glory of love and the continued growth of these two extraordinary men and the amazing friends who are a large part of their lives.

I’m also grateful to the gay romance community, readers, authors, publishers and promoters, who are making these, my retirement years, the most creative ones of my life. When I’m not writing, I’m traveling, walking, hiking, knitting, crocheting, and weaving, and enjoying my life here in the heart of the Pacific Northwest.

🌐 Social Media Links 🌐

New Release – Say It (Fascination Series Book 1) by Sky McCoy #KindleUnlimited #giveaway

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Say It (Fascination Series Book 1)

Author: Sky McCoy

Publisher: Self-Published

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Release Date: January 30, 2020

Genre/s: Gay M/M Romance

Trope/s: Help me heal, enemies to lovers, billionaire bad boy,

straight to gay, friends to lovers, single father

Themes: Coming out

Heat Rating: 5 flames

Length: 65 000 words/ 216 pages

Add on Goodreads

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Amazon CA | Amazon AU

Blurb

“If Jeremy thinks I will ever go away and leave him to himself to destroy what I want and need from him, then he will have to—say it.”

“I like who I am. It took years to create this persona, and I’ll be damn if I allow a brash, gorgeous, hot young twink like Dorian make me into someone I’m not.”

When a straight man meets an openly gay man, sparks fly in a good and bad way. Jeremy Westbrook is running from commitment, and Dorian Hart is looking for the love of his life after being ditched by his partner. If their lives aren’t complicated enough, a man shows up at Jeremy’s door and will turn his life upside down.

Excerpt

Chapter 1

Jeremy

“No fucking way?” I murmured into the empty silence, just as I’d planned to pour myself a drink of Scotch on the rocks after I stepped out of the shower and dried off. I needed something strong. I placed the bottle down after pouring a slug. I closed my eyes for a moment, then I collected my thoughts. I wasn’t about to reach for a robe. If whoever had the nerve to show up at my door, they’d get what they were looking for—a naked ass with a hard cock.

After a quick sip, I placed the much-needed drink on the table, and sauntered over to the intercom to call security. Where the fuck was security and what the fuck were they doing? Giving each other a blowjob? I questioned.

Wasn’t it their job to scrutinize my guests and at least ask if I wanted to be bothered tonight? Or tell them I’m not here. Which wouldn’t be a lie. I glanced over at the clock. I wasn’t supposed to be here. I was supposed to be dressing so I could go over to that fucking country club. This was the third ring.

“I explicitly left orders for security to say that I’m out for the fucking evening,” I huffed, raising my finger to hit the button. Then came a loud knock.

Now I wanted to see just who had the balls to knock on my door.

I enjoyed my privacy. Everyone who knew me knew I didn’t want any company, especially since I’d been home for only a few days. Everyone except Max Gold that was. He didn’t respect my boundaries when he wanted something. I looked down at my watch sitting on a table with my keys, and saw it was later than I thought. “Fucking jet lag has my body all screwed up.”

I didn’t expect anyone today, must be a package, I rationalized. I inadvertently turned the lock, opening the door without looking through the peephole.

“What the fuck do you want?” I barked. I peered at the man in black with wide eyes and open mouth. Now I was shocked. My eyes locked on the six-foot, blue-eyed, black sheep of the Westbrook family. There’s always one in the family, and Jack Westbrook my twin brother was the one who now carried that title. Once it had been me, when my family wondered if I’d ever get married. I’d been postponing that for far too long, and everyone—especially my brothers and their wives —had started gossiping about me behind my back.

I’d been suspect of being gay, and my older brothers with their wives had questioned me at every turn.

“When are you going to marry Annalisa?” They’d corralled me at a family gathering in front of her, just to ask that question, hoping to get me to commit to something.

I did—my freedom.

They’d asked me too many times, and I’d forgotten what my excuses were. I’d finally given them different answers until even I became nauseated at the sound and thought of my voice, and the idea of marriage. The only one who didn’t appear to care had been my youngest brother, Carter, and Jack.

However, Thomas and Jarrett were wearing me down to the point that I was willing to give up my freedom, say, “fuck it,” and do the right thing—whatever that was.

Jack, nevertheless, had the balls to admit that he was gay and owned it. With me I couldn’t. I couldn’t admit that I loved men, wanted to be with one, wanted to spend the rest of my life with a man whom I loved, and turned me on in the worst way. That was my one and only desire—to find a man I could hold in my arms, look him in the eyes and say that I loved him.

I wanted to spend the rest of my life inside his hard body once I found him, go to sleep at night with my cock inside his hole. That was a dream of course, but it would never come true, because I had yet to meet anyone that incredible, who would hold my attention for more than a minute, and would make me want him the way I’d envisioned.

Besides, I was supposed to be straight and I couldn’t see starting over and having to endure what Jack had suffered by our family. A family of five fucking men, all straight and one gay. I’d say that was a good ratio. Out of five boys only one was gay—if you took me out of the equation.

“Aren’t you going to invite me in, big brother? How long do you expect me to stand out here while you gawk at me as if you’ve never seen me before?” Jack questioned as his glance wandered to his right and left, and then over my shoulder. “Don’t tell me you have company because I know you better than that, Jeremy.” Jack uttered with a weak voice. I reached for my robe on the hallstand and shrugged my arms through the sleeves, then tied the belt as I watched Jack, and I wondered what it could be this time.

“Since you know me so well, then why are you invading my privacy?”

Jack’s eyes met mine and then he pushed past me. I turned to see him march over to my glass and bottle on the table, reach for the bottle, then pour Scotch into my glass after emptying the ice into the butler’s sink, then filling the short glass to the brim, he guzzled down my expensive liquor.

“What the fuck is it this time?” I asked, standing behind him. “Who are you running from?” I met his glare as he turned, his brow furrowed making a V. Then his closed mouth curled up to the right into a tight smile.

“No one. Can’t I show up at my brother’s apartment without insinuations about my past?” Jack poured himself another drink, which fed my suspicions about him. There was something he wasn’t telling me. Someone or something had him on the run.

“You know why I asked you, Jack.” I sat and observed his body language. Maybe that would tell me something. “You’re my twin and whatever the fuck you’ve gotten yourself into now, I need to know about it.”

Jack slid down heavily on the sofa across from me as if he’d been up for days, and by the looks of him, dark circles around his eyes, and his soiled clothes with coffee stains, that left only one question in my mind.

“What is it this time? A disgruntled lover or two, the Russian mob, or both?”

About the Author

Sky McCoy writes HEA M/M Romance and erotica books of men who enjoy being gay, hot, sexy and in love. Love is the theme of Sky’s M/M books where you find drama, hot men, hot sex where the sex never cools, even if the drama does.

When Sky isn’t writing, you can check the interstate, because you may discover Sky driving west after living in New York for years. You can reach Sky here skymccoy0@gmail.com anytime you want to chat.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Newsletter Sign-up | Pinterest | Email

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

a $10 gift card from Amazon, 1 signed copy of Boys with Toys book 1 from back list and a signed copy of Say It.

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New Release – Hold Me Up (Chasing Gold Book 1) by Colette Davison #KindleUnlimited #giveaway

Posted on January 29, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Hold Me Up (Chasing Gold Book 1)

Author: Colette Davison

Publisher: Independently Published

Cover Artist: Colette Davison

Release Date: January 29, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope/s: Second chance, sports, slow burn, hurt/comfort

Themes: Forgiveness, trusting others, dedication, self-care

Heat Rating: 2 – 3 flames

Length: 68 500 words

It is a standalone story.

Add on Goodreads

Buy Links – Available on Kindle Unlimited

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Blurb

Can second chance love survive past trauma?

Reece has one goal: to compete in the Olympic Games. With the gymnastics World Championships looming, his dream is one step closer to becoming a reality.

When his childhood sweetheart, Alex, walks back into his life unexpectedly, Reece’s world is turned upside down. Alex was the boy who inexplicably pushed him away and broke his heart; the boy he still loves.

When the truth behind their break-up is revealed, Reece wants to hold Alex up and give him the strength to heal.

But can Reece be Alex’s rock, and remain focused on his training, or will his Olympic dreams suffer in the process?

Hold Me Up is a MM second chance romance, with a slow-burn relationship and lots of hurt/comfort. It’s the first in a series of books that follows male artistic gymnasts as they chase gold.

Trigger warnings: Hold Me Up features a character who suffers from anxiety and panic attacks due to a past event that is briefly described.

Excerpt

“Pizza and beer, as requested.”

Alex’s smiled deepened as he stood back, allowing Reece to enter.

“Are we eating at the table, or are we going to be uncouth?” Reece made eyes at the sofa and then frowned playfully. “How can you be uncouth when you can’t be couth?”

Alex chuckled. “You’re an idiot.”

“It’s true, though,” Reece pointed out, kicking the door shut behind him. “Just like you can be over- or underwhelmed, but you can’t actually be whelmed. The English language is weird.” Raising the hand carrying the beer, he pointed to the table and then the sofa. “Table or sofa?”

Alex considered the question. The sofa would be far more relaxed, but he wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not. In just a few days, most of his barriers regarding Reece had crashed down. He was enjoying having Reece back in his life, but he felt like it was for all the wrong reasons.

Reece took the decision out of his hands. “The table is occupied by your laptop. Let’s take the sofa.” He put the pizzas and beer on the coffee table before flopping down on one end of the sofa. He looked up at Alex expectantly. “Are you joining me?”

Alex glanced at the table, wondering if he should offer to move the laptop. It would have taken him two seconds to close the lid and prop it against the wall and only slightly longer to take it back through to his bedroom, but he didn’t want to. Instead, he wandered to the kitchen units and grabbed the bottle opener from the drawer.

“Good call,” Reece said as he pulled two bottles out of the cardboard pack. He held them both while Alex flipped the lids off, and then gave one to Alex. “I got us garlic bread,” he declared. “And I seem to remember that you’re not much of a fan of topping on pizza, so I’ve got a margherita for you and pepperoni for me.” He took a swig of beer before opening up the pizza boxes and handing Alex his. Then he reclaimed the bottle. “We should have a toast.”

Alex raised his eyebrows as Reece lifted his bottle.

“To you. Reporter extraordinaire.”

Alex felt heat creep up into his face. “I don’t—”

“I do,” Reece cut him off. “Like I said earlier, your article was amazing.” He glanced around the room. “You should cut it out and frame it.”

The heat swept up to Alex’s hairline and into his ears. “My boss already did.”

“Where is it? I don’t see it up anywhere.”

“At work.”

“On the wall?”

Alex shook his head.

“You need to bring it home. I’ll help you put it up, if you want?”

Alex dipped his chin. “I—”

“It’s your first article. It’s a big deal, Alex and you should be bloody proud of yourself.”

About the Author

Colette’s personal love story began at university, where she met her future husband. An evening of flirting, in the shadow of Lancaster castle, eventually led to a fairytale wedding. She’s enjoying her own ‘happy ever after’ in the north of England with her husband, two beautiful children and her writing.

Social Media Links

Blog/Website

Facebook

Twitter

Facebook Group: Colette’s Cosy Corner

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

a $10 Amazon gift card.

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Cover Reveal – The Life Mage Trilogy, Book 1: Twin Mages by G. E. Mayberry

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

COVER REVEAL

Book Title: The Life Mage Trilogy, Book 1: Twin Mages

Author: G. E. Mayberry

Cover Artist: TrillPockets

Release Date: February 8, 2020

Genre/s: New Adult Fantasy Adventure

Trope/s: Action Girl, After-Action Healing Drama, Carnival of Killers, Mission Briefing,

Sole Survivor, Taking Over the Town, Everybody’s Dead Dave

Themes: Balance, Sword and Sorcery, War – Pain and Tragedy

Heat Rating: 1 flame

Add on Goodreads

Pre-Order on Amazon

Amazon US | Amazon UK

Power destroys without regard

Blurb

When Hyam traveled to Lisedan he was lost and in search of a destiny. Alyson and Lettie thought their lives were over when Mana Hunters enslaved their village. Together, the three of them set forth on a path none of them had ever imagined. War, and a fight for the fate of magic, would lead them across a continent and reveal secrets long hidden.

Set forth on a fantasy adventure in the Noble Mages verse, where magic runs through everything. This exciting introduction to the Life Mage Trilogy will have you on the edge of your seat with each exciting twist. Get to know the diverse cast of characters that make the verse the extraordinary place that it is.

Excerpt

“On three, we begin the assault. One… two… three,” I said. The illusion on the alley dropped as I dived out into the street. I spotted two guards standing not twenty feet from where I exited the alley and began my assault by casting a confusion spell. “Spirit Mind Confuse,” I incanted, directing my mana at the two guards. The first fell into the confusion easily, but the second had protected his mind behind a layer of spells. Before I could break into his mind, he cast a counterspell and attempted to push back into my mind. I focused my attention on him.

“Attack the guard on the right,” I ordered my squad. “I’ve got the one on the left.”

With my orders issued, I left the other guard to my allies and focused on the mind mage. His attacks were weak but unpredictable, so I decided not to counter-attack. Instead, I layered protections on my mind and, hidden beneath the protections, a break spell that grows stronger the more it’s attack. “Spirit Mind Strengthen and Break, Spirit Mind Strengthen and close, Spirit Mind Strengthen and Grow, Spirit Mind Close and Renew,” I incanted. Several layers of protection went up around my mind.

I walked calmly towards him, letting him know I was not afraid. He broke through fire one layer of protection, then another, and another. I was less than five feet from him now. I could see the moment in his eyes when the final layer of protection broke, and his mind broke with it. the sheer terror as the world around him morphed into something from his worst nightmare. I did not let him suffer for long. I pulled a dagger from my belt and slit his throat in one quick slash.

I took a quick look around. The other guard was dispatched quite easily. A third guard had come up from behind us. He was quickly dispatched as well.

First guards eliminated, moving on* I said telepathically to Alyson and Anisha.

“Keep moving forward,” I ordered out loud, leading the charge past Alyson’s group, who had already eliminated three guards and only had two left standing. Anisha’s group was just engaging and were locking into a battle of five on five, though I could see three more down a side street.

Alyson, once you’ve dispatched your guards, back up Anisha’s squad, I ordered and lead my squad farther onward still.

Confirmed, came Alyson’s reply.

“We didn’t have far to go before we reached the barricade of soldiers, at least ten, with more on the way. Things were starting to get dangerous, and we were still six blocks away from the tower. a wall of flame burst up between us and the enemy soldiers as they began sending spears made of earth and ice raining down on us.

“Earth Geo Control and Protect,” I incanted. I brought up small bits of earth all around us that redirected the spears enough that they hit the ground around us instead of hitting us. Even still, I saw one of my squad fall as an ice spear went through his ankle.

The hail of ice and earth kept coming, as more Enualians joined the barricade. This fight delayed us, and the other two squads caught up. they started throwing their own earth and fire spears back at the Enualians while the water mages attempted to douse the flame barrier. I watched as we gained the advantage. I continued deflecting the enemy’s projectiles and, just when it looked like we were going to win and push through, the unimaginable happened.

About the Author

Guinevere E. Mayberry is a fantasy novelist and the author of the new book, Twin Mages, the first book in the Life Mage Trilogy, and the exciting new storyverse, Noble Mages. The Noble Mages verse started with a simple question: What would the world be like if everybody could use magic? From there it took off, and Guinevere had no idea how tightly this idea would grip her imagination. From what was intended to be a single romance novel, her writing evolved into two fantasy adventure trilogies and 3 supplementary novels.

When growing up, books were a constant companion to Guinevere. From the romance stylings of Nicholas Sparks, to the fantasy that is the Harry Potter series, Guinevere would read anything she could get her hands on. Her classmates were known to comment on how she could always been seen, walking down the hallways with her nose in a book. And even back then, she knew what she wanted to do. She wanted to be the next author that a new generation would look back on and say “Her books helped me through a dark time.”

Social Media Links

Blog/Website | Facebook | Tumblr | Instagram

Newsletter Sign-Up | Other

Blog Tour – Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4) by Morgan Brice #giveaway

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4)

Author: Morgan Brice

Cover Artist: Natania Barron

Release Date: December 30, 2019

Genre/s: Urban Fantasy, MM paranormal romance

Trope/s: Spooky supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, dark magic.

Themes: Trust, loyalty, commitment, partnership

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and

features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.

Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

Length: 62 000 words/ 220 pages

Add on Goodreads

As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand?

Blurb

Cold cases, old enemies, ex-lovers, and vengeful spirits are making life dangerous for psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his boyfriend, homicide detective Vic D’Amato.

The ghosts of Myrtle Beach are restless, trapped by love, secrets, scandals, and spells, keeping Simon busy protecting the living from the unhappy dead. Someone from Vic’s past is out to destroy him and everyone he holds dear, and the high-profile trial of the first case Simon and Vic worked together puts them in the spotlight—and put a target on their backs. As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand?

Loose Ends is an urban fantasy MM paranormal romance with spooky supernatural suspense, hot sex, hurt/comfort, feisty friends, found family, ghosts galore, and dark magic. It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels. Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | Nook

Excerpt

“I’ve been poking around on the Buccaneer story since the place shut down,” Josh said. “My team’s visited probably a dozen times. Plus, I knew people who worked on the construction and dismantling, and who ran the rides when it was open.” He leaned forward, dropping his voice. “They won’t talk on the record, or to the police, but I’ve heard all their stories. And the rumors that got out? They’re just a fraction of how fucked up that place was.”

Simon sat back in his chair, settling his lanky body and long legs as best he could. He warmed his hands on the hot paper cup and tucked a strand of long chestnut hair behind one ear. “Tell me.”

“One of my sources was a crane operator when they were installing the Riptide Roll steel coaster,” Josh confided. “He saw one of the workmen fall from the top of the first hill when they were assembling the ride. Says the guy died on impact. The company paid to hush it up. Same thing happened when another worker was crushed to death. A load of steel pipe shifted, and he ended up underneath it.”

“Jesus.”

“That’s not all of it. The place was only open for barely two seasons, but the ride operators had stories that would curl your hair. Riders got whiplash, one girl lost a couple of fingers, and a kid died from head injuries when his ride car came loose and crashed. Not to mention the operator who got electrocuted when he had to run his ride in the rain.”

“If the owners had to cover all that up, no wonder they went bankrupt,” Simon said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe they didn’t get shut down.”

“Their rides continued to pass inspections from the state office—or maybe someone got paid off. Still, they closed suddenly before the end of their last season,” Josh said. “Whistleblowers went to the media. The situation was going to be ugly. But then it turned out to be even worse.”

Simon remembered the end of the story. Investors clamored for their money back when the park abruptly shut down, only to find out that the accounts were empty, the books had been cooked, and the profits were never real. Before it could turn into a media circus and authorities asked for serious jail time, Ellington killed himself, and Stevens skipped town.

“Any clue about who’s haunting the place?”

Josh chewed on his lip and looked at Simon. “I was hoping you’d come over with us this afternoon and help me figure that out. I’m doing my best to learn, but my skills aren’t as powerful as yours, and I don’t know how to really use them. I can sense when spirits are nearby, and I see them better than the average person, but having a conversation is beyond what I can do.”

About the Author

Morgan Brice is the romance pen name of bestselling author Gail Z. Martin. Morgan writes urban fantasy male/male paranormal romance, with plenty of action, adventure and supernatural thrills to go with the happily ever after. Gail writes epic fantasy and urban fantasy, and together with co-author hubby Larry N. Martin, steampunk and comedic horror, all of which have less romance, more explosions. Characters from her Gail books make frequent appearances in secondary roles in her Morgan books, and vice versa.

On the rare occasions Morgan isn’t writing, she’s either reading, cooking, or spoiling two very pampered dogs.

Series include Witchbane, Badlands, and Treasure Trail. Watch for more in these series, plus new series coming soon!

Read a copy of my Badlands short story Restless Nights here for free

Social Media Links

Facebook Group | Pinterest (for Morgan and Gail) | Twitter: @MorganBriceBook

Follow me on BookBub | Instagram

Giveaway

Enter the Rafflecopter Giveaway for a chance to win

one of three ebook copies of any book in the Badlands series

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

Book Blast – Earnest Ink by Alex Hall

Posted on January 27, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

BOOK BLAST

Book Title: Earnest Ink

Author: Alex Hall

Publisher: Nine Star Press

Published: October 14, 2019

Cover Artist: Natasha Snow

Genre/s: Queer Spec Fic, Sci-Fi/Fantasy, Thriller/Suspense

Trope/s: Found family

Themes: Mystery/adventure

Heat Rating: 1 flame

Orientation: Asexual, Pansexual

Identity: Cisgender, Trans

Warning: Depictions of Trauma, Blood, Violence, Murder,

Eating disorders, Body hatred, Transphobia, PTSD, War

Length: 72 100 words/244 pages

It is a standalone book.

Add on Goodreads

Blurb

While twenty-year-old FTM Hemingway is making an excellent living as a tattoo artist in a near-future version of Hell’s Kitchen, the rest of the country is splintered and struggling in the wake of a war gone on for too long. Technology has collapsed, borders rise and fall overnight, and magic has awakened without rhyme, reason, or rule, turning average unwitting citizens into wielders of strange and specific strands of magic.

Hemingway’s particular brand of magic has made him a household name. Not only is he a talented artist, but his work comes to life. Literally.

When NYC’s most infamous serial killer—the East River Ripper—abducts Hemingway’s best friend, Grace, he has only days to save her. Hemingway teams up with his stoic cop roommate to hunt for the killer and rescue Grace before she becomes the Ripper’s latest victim. But as the duo chase clues to the serial killer’s identity, Hemingway begins to fear the magic he and the Ripper share might eventually corrupt him too.

Buy Links

NineStar Press | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Smashwords | B&N | Kobo

Excerpt

Earnest Ink

I work without speaking because that’s the way I prefer it. The vibration of my machine, the softer buzz of the fluorescent lights overhead, the tap of my foot on the pedal—it’s the best music in the world.

When I hit a ticklish spot, the girl I’m working on gasps, jolting in my chair.

“Don’t move,” I say. And then, with a salesman’s false cheer: “Almost done!”

The girl is sweating down the crook of her neck. She’s got silver glitter paint on her eyelids and cheeks, a new fashion trend I just can’t quite get behind. Under my lights the mix of perspiration and makeup looks like a blurry constellation.

She wanted a bee inked onto her collarbone, one of those tiny honeybees you find on good tequila bottles. Easily done, and she met the cash requirement. She’s eager, nervous, and breathing in and out in little puffs.

I can’t remember her name, but that’s fine. Customer relations is Eric’s job.

There’s another kid leaning over my glass counter, watching eagerly as I work. “Does it hurt?” he asks. “When the magic happens?”

The bee’s fat yellow thorax wriggles from side to side as it begins to wake, fighting the pressure of my needle, hungry for life.

“It looks like it hurts,” the kid says. I ignore him.

One minute more and—thanks to my peculiar magic—this bee will fly free.

I’m perched on a swivel stool, a wet paper towel in my hand to wipe away ink. It’s too hot in my studio, even with the industrial fans whirling overhead and the door propped wide open. Evening light slants in through the door and the north-facing, floor-to-ceiling window panes that look out onto West Forty-Sixth. It’s muggy, too warm for New York in October, and all of Hell’s Kitchen is wilting, including my client.

“What does it feel like?” the kid demands. He’s leaving greasy fingerprints on the surface of the glass as he strains to get a better look at what I’m doing. I study him out the corner of my eye, wiping sweat off my nose with the back of my wrist before it drips on my customer. He looks like one of the street punks who have taken to running in packs near the cruise terminals, sleeping in old, abandoned cargo containers and panhandling up and down the marina.

He’s skinny and tall, hair dyed an unsettling violet and styled into spikes all over his head. He’s got a silver ring in his septum and more hoops in his ears; his eyelashes are coated with purple mascara to match his hair. Green glitter paint sparkles on his lids. His T-shirt and jeans are torn and dirty, and he’s got a pack of black-market cigarettes rolled into one sleeve against his upper arm.

About the Author

Sarah Remy/Alex Hall is a nonbinary, animal-loving, proud gamer Geek.

Their work can be found in a variety of cool places, including HarperVoyager, EDGE and NineStar Press.

Author Links

Blog/Website | Twitter: @sarahremywrites

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

New Release – Ted of the d’Urbervilles by Rob Rosen

Posted on January 23, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Ted of the d’Urbervilles

Author: Rob Rosen

Publisher: JMS Books

Release Date: January 18, 2020

Genre/s: Contemporary M/M Romance, Comedy/Humour, Erotic Romance, Dark Comedy, Gay/Straight romance

Themes: e.g. Personal growth, poor to rich

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 63 600 / 195 pages

It is a standalone story.

Add on Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | JMS Books | GooglePlay

Love is Love—though who they will find it with remains a mystery until the very end!

Blurb

Ted is an orphan, a young gay man living on the streets following the death of both his parents. Hope seems futile, though hope is exactly what he finds when a surprising email informs him that an unknown wealthy relative has died, that a reading of a will is soon to occur clear across the country. Ted will inherit something, but what that something is remains to be seen.

Benny is a young, homeless drug addict, straight except for when cash is involved. Benny has never had a reason to be hopeful about anything until a chance encounter with Ted.

Both men are soon traveling together from state to state, making ends meet however they can, rushing to the reading of the will that may or may not change both their lives forever. An unexpected friendship quickly forms, and then just as unexpectedly blossoms into something more as their adventure ultimately leads them to their fates.

At turns darkly funny and tragic, deeply erotic and poignant, Ted of the d’Urbervilles uniquely shines a light on the phrase Love is Love—though who they will find it with remains a mystery until the very end.

Excerpt

I found myself in a tangle of trains. Not passenger trains, but the kind that carries stuff. Coal, lumber, crates. No train cars. Nothing I could hop into so much as on. I wasn’t counting on this. I thought I’d slide open a door and bum a ride. But a ride to where? Even if I could hop on, where would I wind up? I clearly hadn’t given it enough thought. To be fair, my head was full of Chuck at the time, a peg missing its hole. It was, as analogies went, a fine one.

I needed to travel east. East I could figure out. East was away from the Rockies. But all the trains were parked. Which way were they headed once they left? And what if I hopped on and the train never stopped until its destination? What if we started east and then headed south?

I sat on the track. My salvation was somewhere in front of me. Eeny, meeny, miny, which one would the mo choose?

“Where you headed?”

I jumped. I fell backward. I stared up, shielding my face with my hand. A guy stood there staring down at me. He was on the dirty side, young, like me, gaunt, shorter by a foot. I’d seen men like this around San Francisco. I avoided men like this. You wound up homeless for a lot of reasons. You also stayed homeless for a lot of reasons. This guy either started or wound up that way because of drugs. His hand twitched. His right eye did the same. Manic would’ve been a good word for it. Or a bad one.

“Just looking,” I said as I righted my butt back on the tracks. “I like trains.”

I turned away from him. I hoped he’d take the hint. Sadly, he sat down next to me instead.

“You can’t hop them,” he said. “They check. They’re watching you right now even.” He pointed up to a lamppost. I could see the camera. It didn’t matter; there was nothing to hop into. And even if I could make it on top of a car, it would be crazy dangerous. And windy. And cold. Not an adventure so much as an ordeal. “Benny,” he said, holding out a hand. He had long nails. Dirty nails. His current state had always been a possible future for me. I seemed to always be running from it. But in which direction, away or towards?

I didn’t shake his hand. I nodded his way instead. “Ted.”

He put his hand by his side. He frowned. I felt bad. I was homeless. He was homeless. It wasn’t a bond so much as a prison sentence we shared. “Where you headed?” he repeated.

“New York.”

“That’s where I started.”

My heart pulsed. If he started from there, he knew which way to head. I pointed in front of me. “Which one goes that way?”

His grin returned. His teeth were in need of a brushing. He looked like a scrawny, shorter, pimplier Justin Bieber—if Justin Bieber hadn’t showered in a week or had a haircut or shave in ten. I felt bad for Benny. I felt scared of Benny. Were people scared of me when they saw me? I was judging a book by its cover, but covers are a pretty good indication of what’s inside. I sensed Benny was rotting from the inside out, that all he had left was a tattered cover. I didn’t want to be a part of Benny’s story, but our plotlines had intersected just the same.

In any case, he shrugged. “Been in Denver a month. My train has long come and gone.” Again, he pointed. “That one goes east.”

“How do you know?”

The shrug hadn’t moved. “That terminal is a dead end. Trains enter that way and go back the way they came. That train came from the east. Do you have any drugs on you?”

It was an unsettling segue. Benny was unsettling. You could turn a bend and wind up like Benny. Benny had no hope. You could see it in his eyes. That is to say, you couldn’t see it. “I don’t do drugs.”

“Smart.”

“You shouldn’t do drugs.”

He rested his head on his knee. “Yep.”

“It’s not that easy though, right?”

He turned his face my way. He’d been cute once. You could see it if you tried. How many people still tried? “Nope. Any money for drugs? I could trade you.”

I knew what he had to trade. I had the same thing to trade. “I have less than six dollars on me.”

He sighed. He turned his face back to the starting position. “Figures.” We sat there in silence. The trains didn’t budge. Maybe this was a graveyard of sorts. Maybe trains came here to die. Maybe Benny came here to die. Me, I had other plans.

About the Author

Multi-award-winning and best-selling author/editor/anthologist Rob Rosen is the author of Sparkle: The Queerest Book You’ll Ever Love, Divas Las Vegas, Hot Lava, Southern Fried, Queerwolf, Vamp, Queens of the Apocalypse, Creature Comfort, Fate, Midlife Crisis, Fierce, And God Belched, Mary, Queen of Scotch, and Ted of the d’Urbervilles. His short stories have appeared in more than 200 anthologies. You can find 20 of them in his erotic romance anthology Good & Hot. He is also the editor of Lust in Time: Erotic Romance Through the Ages, Men of the Manor, Best Gay Erotica 2015 and Best Gay Erotica of the Year, Volumes 1, 2, 3 and 4.

Please visit him at

Blog/Website | Facebook

Follow the tour and check out the other blog posts and reviews here

New Release – Loose Ends by Morgan Brice #giveaway

Posted on January 22, 2020 by Gay Book Promotions

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Loose Ends (Badlands Book 4)

Author: Morgan Brice

Cover Artist: Natania Barron

Release Date: December 30, 2019

Genre/s: Urban Fantasy, MM paranormal romance

Trope/s: Spooky supernatural suspense, hurt/comfort, dark magic.

Themes: Trust, loyalty, commitment, partnership

Heat Rating: 4 flames

It is part of a series but can be read as a standalone and

features an evolving, established romantic relationship with all the feels.

Intended for readers 18 years of age and older.

Length: 62 000 words/ 220 pages

Add on Goodreads

As a deadly trap closes around them, can Simon and Vic tie up the loose ends to stop the threat, or will they become the newest ghosts of the Grand Strand?

Blurb

Cold cases, old enemies, ex-lovers, and vengeful spirits are making life dangerous for psychic medium Simon Kincaide and his boyfriend, homicide detective Vic D’Amato.

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Kobo | Nook

Excerpt

“The hauntings are worse than ever. Someone else is going to get killed.” Josh Ryan hunched over his steaming cup of coffee. Out front, Mizzenmast Coffee was packed with java addicts

waiting in line for the best, and only, pirate-themed specialty coffees on the Grand Strand.

That was why Simon Kincaide had ushered his guest to the less- used second seating area, which still had a full-sized pirate statue, a treasure chest, and a motley stuffed parrot from its days as a bucca‐ neer attraction. Tracey Cullen, Le Miz’s owner and Simon’s best friend, had turned a building she couldn’t afford to redecorate into Myrtle Beach gold with her hit café. Only the regulars ever both‐ ered to come into the second room, which meant Simon and Josh might have a chance to talk uninterrupted.

“You guys explore a lot of abandoned places. I’ve never seen you rattled by ghosts before,” Simon observed.

Simon owned Grand Strand Ghost Tours, a logical undertaking for someone with a strong gift as a psychic medium and a Ph.D. in folklore and mythology. His abilities were the real deal, and when he wasn’t leading ghost tours or helping deal with bothersome haunts, he was an official consultant with the Myrtle Beach Police Department on supernaturally-linked crimes, along with his boyfriend, Homicide Detective Vic D’Amato.

“Yeah, well. Usually we run into cold spots, see a few orbs, maybe hear something we can’t explain,” Josh replied. “We’ve never had a ghost push one of my team off a roller coaster platform. If Cam hadn’t been a gymnast, he’d never have been able to catch himself on that beam, and he’d be dead.”

“You’re sure he didn’t slip?”

Josh shook his head. “Not Cam. He’s like a cat. And he said afterward that he felt hands on his back before he was pushed.”

Simon sipped his latte as his mind raced. Josh headed a team of urban explorers and paranormal investigators who prowled around abandoned buildings, old ruins, and the sites people left behind. They documented the beauty of decay with their cameras and video and tried to verify reports of ghost sightings. Josh was also one of Simon’s “Skeleton Crew,” the joking name given to the young, untrained psychics who found their way to Myrtle Beach and strug‐ gled to control or understand their abilities. Simon knew that Josh’s ability to sense ghosts was real. So if he said he’d seen something…

“Cam’s all right?”

Josh nodded, ducking his head to take a gulp of coffee and hide the worry in his eyes. “He pulled some muscles. It was a hell of a dismount. But nothing broken. It could have been way worse.”

“Did you get any idea who the ghost was?”

“No. But we knew there were rumors that the park was haunted —even before it shut down for good.”

Buccaneer Thrill Park had a snakebitten history. A couple of rich out-of-state investors thought a pirate-themed major amuse‐ ment park was the kind of idea that couldn’t fail. Simon vaguely remembered reading about the park opening ten years ago before he’d moved to Myrtle Beach from the state capital in Columbia. The park had promised to offer the tallest and fastest coasters, trendy bars, a star-studded celebrity launch, and all the high-tech hoopla money could buy.

They built it, but no one came. By the end of the second season, Buccaneer closed for good, amid whispers of hushed-up visitor

deaths, paid-off injuries, and financial mismanagement. The front‐ man, Greg Ellington, was found shot to death in his office a day before the press broke the story of embezzled funds and colossal ineptitude. Thad Stevens, the other partner and principal investor, vanished without a trace.

“I’ve been poking around on the Buccaneer story since the place shut down,” Josh said. “My team’s visited probably a dozen times. Plus, I knew people who worked on the construction and disman‐ tling, and who ran the rides when it was open.” He leaned forward, dropping his voice. “They won’t talk on the record, or to the police, but I’ve heard all their stories. And the rumors that got out? They’re just a fraction of how fucked up that place was.”

Simon sat back in his chair, settling his lanky body and long legs as best he could. He warmed his hands on the hot paper cup and tucked a strand of long chestnut hair behind one ear. “Tell me.”

“One of my sources was a crane operator when they were installing the Riptide Roll steel coaster,” Josh confided. “He saw one of the workmen fall from the top of the first hill when they were assembling the ride. Says the guy died on impact. The company paid to hush it up. Same thing happened when another worker was crushed to death. A load of steel pipe shifted, and he ended up underneath it.”

“Jesus.”

“That’s not all of it. The place was only open for barely two seasons, but the ride operators had stories that would curl your hair. Riders got whiplash, one girl lost a couple of fingers, and a kid died from head injuries when his ride car came loose and crashed. Not to mention the operator who got electrocuted when he had to run his ride in the rain.”

“If the owners had to cover all that up, no wonder they went bankrupt,” Simon said, shaking his head. “I can’t believe they didn’t get shut down.”

“Their rides continued to pass inspections from the state office —or maybe someone got paid off. Still, they closed suddenly before the end of their last season,” Josh said. “Whistleblowers went to the media. The situation was going to be ugly. But then it turned out to be even worse.”