It's time for another Friday Favourites post. My guest today is Erin Satie, author of historical romances. Her latest book, and the first in a new series, Bed of Flowers, comes out on June 19 and it's a lovely romance between girl of stunning beauty but with no fortune (who is running a circulating library of sorts with her best friend) and a disgraced and disowned lord who grows orchids for sale. Read on to learn more about the author and her upcoming release. Don't miss the chance to enter a giveaway for one ebook copy of Bed of Flowers at the end of this post.

Meet Erin

Travel is one of my passions, so this is a hard one for me. Instead of giving an answer (sorry) I'll explain a little bit of my philosophy of travel.

One of my main goals in life is to always have visited more countries than I've lived years... and since I've visited 43 countries now, you can make a rough estimate of my age. I made this rule because it forces me to discover new places instead of returning to old favorites. There are so many wonderful places in the world--to be honest, I could count on the fingers of one hand the places I haven't enjoyed visiting--so much to marvel at, so much beauty.

I believe in appreciating each place for what it is. Forget about comparisons, forget about expectations. Find out what makes a place special and then soak it in. Even, and especially, home. I love the verse from Eliot's Little Gidding where he writes "We shall not cease from exploration / And the end of all our exploring / Will be to arrive where we started / And know the place for the first time." -- I haven't really had a home for the past year because I've committed to a nomadic lifestyle, but I think about this quote all the time. For many of us, it's hardest to appreciate what's wonderful about home, because home is so familiar. You have to step outside to see it with fresh eyes.

2. Favourite food and drink

Vanilla pudding with some sort of a fresh fruit topping. Fresh fruit smoothies.

3. Favourite music/genre/artist/song

I'm not nearly as passionate about music as I used to be but anything by David Bowie makes me happy.

4. Favourite movie/TV series

I'm really obsessed with Game of Thrones. I started with the TV series, then read the books, and now I've got nothing but fanfic to keep me company until the show starts again, which won't be until next year. So it's a good thing I love fanfic.

5. Favourite hobby besides writing, if you consider writing a hobby

Travel, though at this point it's probably a lifestyle. Reading--and I've taken to preaching the many virtues of audiobooks, which have absolutely changed my life for the better (you can read anywhere! While doing dishes or driving!). More recently, yoga.

6. Favourite books

Oh no, how can I keep this short? So far this year I've loved The Duchess Deal by Tessa Dare, Making Up by Lucy Parker and A Lady's Code of Misconduct by Meredith Duran.

I was surprised to notice some similarities between the Parker and the Dare--the thought probably only occurred to me because I read them back to back--but both romances really focus on building companionship and camaraderie between the hero and heroine. They're romantic and sexy but in both cases I'd say you believe in the HEA because the hero and heroine have become such good friends over the course of the novel. A Lady's Code of Misconduct is the best amnesia romance I've ever read and really goes to show that everything old school can be new again--it's such a classic trope but Duran makes it modern and fresh.

I really enjoyed Nothing to Envy: Ordinary Lives in North Korea by Barbara Demick--which I read because whenever some topic keeps cropping up in the news, I'll try to search out a good book that will give me the context I need to understand what's going on. The news just isn't enough.

7. Please introduce your latest/upcoming release 

My new book is called BED OF FLOWERS. My original idea was to write a Beauty and the Beast story where Beauty has agency--you know how in most versions of the fairy tale, it's Beauty's father who accepts Beast's hospitality then steals a rose from his garden, and Beast who angered a fairy and the fairy who put him under a curse? Beauty seems like the protagonist of Beauty and the Beast but the one who grows and changes is usually Beast.

So I wanted to write a book where Beauty propels her own story forward, where she makes the choices and the mistakes that advance the plot. To be honest, the end result doesn't much resemble Beauty and the Beast. I doubt anyone would notice the parallels if they didn't look for them. But many of the key elements (like the fact that my heroine, Bonny, is staggeringly beautiful or that my hero, Loel, grows exotic orchids for a living) did start there.

In the end, BED OF FLOWERS is about a heroine, Bonny, who lives to make other people happy, who would never intentionally harm another soul, and who falls in love with the one man who her family could never accept. She's lovely and optimistic and generous, and I'm really excited about building a series around a core of female friendship and cooperation, but Bonny has to make some hard choices to get her happily ever after.

Blurb 

Bonny Reed is beautiful, inside and out.

A loyal friend and loving daughter, she’s newly engaged to her small town’s most eligible bachelor. She’s happy for herself—but mostly for her family, who need the security her marriage will bring.

An old enemy shatters her illusions.

First Baron Loel cost Bonny’s family her fortune. Now he’s insisting that her fiancé has hidden flaws, secrets so dark that—if she believed him—she’d have to call off the wedding.

How will she choose?

When the truth comes out, Bonny will have to choose between doing what’s right and what’s easy. Between her family and her best friend. And hardest of all—between her honor and the love of a man who everyone wants her to hate.

Purchase links: Amazon - iBooks - Barnes & Noble - Kobo - Google Play

Blurb

Purchase Links: Publisher / Amazon / iBooks / B&N / Kobo

Author Bio and Links

Website / Twitter / Facebook  

It's time for my Friday Favourites post and today I'm very excited to welcome Dal Maclean, author of m/m crime mystery romance, on my blog. Her second book, Object of Desire, was just released and it's a compelling murder mystery with strong romantic elements (and HFN ending!) which I absolutely adored. Read on to get to know Dal better and learn more about her book. 

Friday Favourites

I’m going to be completely useless at this because I don’t do absolutes well. I just don’t have ‘a favourite’ in most things. So please bear with me while I waffle?

1. Favourite place: Uuuum. This isn’t a good start. I’m shuffling because I don’t have one exactly. It depends? I love London and New York. Anywhere in the US really. Oxford. Singapore (specifically Raffles - yowser). The Dordogne in France. Sydney. Laos. Java. Hong Kong. Tokyo’s brilliant. Or my garden. My garden would be the easy choice.

2. Favourite food and drink: squirming in agony. Ummm. At this second, oranges and dark chocolate. And drink… I’ll go with cocktails of any description.

3. Favourite music/genre/artist/song: It depends -- again. I love bits of just about everything from classical and opera through blues to rock, pop, R& B. I probably like indie/alternative rock best though. I’ll go with what I’m listening to right now which is The Heavy who’re Indie/Blues rock. “Same Old” and ‘Short Change Hero’. But it could be a totally different tomorrow.

 -

4. Favourite movie/TV series:  I’m going to fail at this one tooooo…. TV - I love old-fashioned British mysteries and also police procedurals like Marple, Poirot, Morse, Lewis and Endeavour. Also harder core stuff like The Fall, Line of Duty, Broadchurch etc. I really love some sci-fi like Firefly. But currently I’m watching Lucifer and its oddly… compulsive. Movies - I like film noir as a whole. I love ‘The Uninvited’ (the b & w one) ‘The Name of the Rose’, ‘Presumed Innocent’, ‘My Cousin Vinnie’... I love the new Sherlock Holmes movies (the R Downey ones) and some of the Marvel stuff for pure entertainment value… I’m no use at this am I?

5. Favourite hobby besides writing, if you consider writing a hobby: I think probably gardening. It’s a mix of creativity, nurturing/science/practicality and hard work (Hey- that was actually a straight answer!)

6. Favourite books:

Argh. This is so hard. Non fiction - I read history books. One I love a lot is ‘The Time Travellers Guide to Medieval England’ by Ian Mortimer. It was such a clever concept to show not tell how alien so many aspects and attitudes of the distant past can be. I’m currently reading something that’s not history though -- “Mistakes Were Made. (But not by me)” which is a superb analysis of the lengths we go to to avoid admitting to ourselves we got things wrong.

In fiction, I read mysteries mainly – murder ones, supernatural ones. I like tension, a puzzle, suspense to keep me hooked -- something to figure out and hopefully a surprise. I’m trying to catch up on the Harry Hole books by Jo Nesbo, which everyone else read years ago. In MM, I read across the genre to see what’s up. So to speak. Theres so much great writing and story telling in MM. But if I have to choose one I think my fave MM of all time ever ever, is probably The Adrien English series by Josh Lanyon

7. Please introduce your latest/upcoming release

It’s called ‘Object of Desire’ and its set in London and in the same universe as my first and only other book to date, ‘Bitter Legacy’. But it’s not a sequel. This one is a psychological thriller/mystery/romance and its much less of a slow build than ‘Bitter Legacy’ in that the core events take place over a matter of days, as opposed to months.

The point-of-view character is a successful model called Tom Gray who finds his life beginning to disintegrate around him after the death of his female boss. And he has to turn for help to the man he cut out of his life two years before.

I'd say the book explores among other things the power of manipulation; the limited returns of celebrity, despite our idealization of it; the psychology of emotional self-protection driven by fear of vulnerability – and the hard reality that we can never be sure we truly know someone else.  Most of all though, I really hope it’s a page turner.

Blurb

Tom Gray is one of the world's top models–an effortless object of desire. Self-contained, elusive and always in control, he's accustomed to living life entirely on his own terms. But when Tom comes under suspicion in the gory death of his employer, his world spirals into chaos.

Someone's framing him. Someone's stalking him. And as old secrets come to light, Tom finds his adversary always one step ahead. 

Will Foster is the only man Tom trusts to help. But Tom brutally burned all bridges between them two years before, and Will paid a bitter price. If he wants to survive, Tom must prove his innocence to Will–and to the world.

  Buy links: Amazon / Smashwords 

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook / Instagram

It's Friday Favourites time again and release day for Pas de Deux, my guest's Lynn Turner, second book. Read on to learn more about Lynn and her book which is ownvoices contemporary romance starring a Black ballerina and the dancer-turned-choreographer who fell for her. It's a brilliant romance which I enjoyed very much and will be reviewing on the blog next week. So, go read this book and see some mesmerising dance performances put into words. 

Meet Lynn

Big Island, Hawaii. Black sand. Giant sea turtles. Tons of little pockets of space to get lost in. 

Chocolate and wine go together like me and my pillow.

3. Favourite music/genre/artist/song

Oh my gosh, I swear this changes every day. Spotify is my happy place. Lately, I’m obsessed with anything by Banks, Labrinth, Kehlani, Alessia Cara, Andrew Belle and Alina Baraz.

4. Favourite movie/TV series 

Pride & Prejudice! The movie from 2005, the series from 1995 (hello, Colin Firth). No matter what new show or movie I fall in love with, it never seems to top P&P.

5. Favourite hobby besides writing, if you consider writing a hobby 

I’ve been drawing a lot more lately, and my proportions when drawing faces are improving. I fancy myself an artiste now. 😉 

6. Favourite books 

Oh God, this gives me anxiety in the best way, hahaha. ::takes deep breath::

Romantic comedy: 

Anything by Emma Hart, Talia Hibbert, Lucy Parker, or Penny Reid. Their stories make a fool of me in public places, laughing aloud and talking to the characters. I’m looking forward to reading A Princess in Theory by Alyssa Cole.

Emotional terrorism:

Kennedy Ryan, Brittainy Cherry and Jessica Hawkins. I have to take breaks as I read their stories because I drown in my feelings.

Classics:

The Nonesuch by Georgette Heyer, Pride & Prejudice (SHOCKER, I know), historicals by Kathleen Woodiwiss and Beverly Jenkins. Octavia Butler’s world building in her science fiction novels makes me weep.

7. Please introduce your latest/upcoming release (what inspired you to write, what can the readers expect from it, etc.)

I am so excited to introduce Pas De Deux to readers! As the subtitle suggests, “pas de deux” means “a dance for two.” I’ve wanted to write a ballet romance for a long time but didn’t out of sheer terror because I’ve never danced and the choreography and lifestyle, while intriguing, felt so intimidating. Then one day, I watched Misty Copeland’s “A Ballerina’s Tale” on Netflix and a story slowly started to take shape in my mind. I was so moved by Misty’s journey to success, and her unique experiences as a black ballerina, that writing a black ballerina became like air for me: I needed to do it. I was also inspired by the movie, “The Cutting Edge,” because of the amazing sparring and sexual chemistry between the leads. 

Readers can expect a journey of two damaged souls brought together by love for their art. Mina and Zack bump heads a lot, but their story is peppered with humor and little moments of recognition that were so fulfilling to write.

This is a special edition of my Friday Favourites features. I have not one but three guests today, Carla de Guzman, Angel C. Aquino and Chi Yu Rodriguez, all part of  #romanceclass - is a community of Filipino authors who write romance in English, and also the readers of these books. The community holds classes (mostly free and online) to help authors finish more romance books in English. Over 80 authors have finished over 160 books so far, and the published ones are listed on site: romanceclassbooks.com. You can see a video intro about the community here: https://youtu.be/geJNHfDfk6E

1. Favorite Place
Favorite place in the world (or at the moment) is the Square Rene Vivani in Paris, next to Shakespeare and Co., across the Notre Dame. Sitting in this spot with a cup of coffee, watercolors and music would be the perfect afternoon.

2. Favorite Food and Drink
Anything from Ooma! Cupcakes by Sonja! Nono's cakes! Toby's Estate Coffee! TWG Silver Moon tea! How can you ask me this question!

3. Favorite Music/Genre/Artist/Song
I love listening to the Staves. Their harmonies are always on point, and so beautiful. But then again, I love any song on a guitar--Joni Mitchell, John Mayer, James Bay, Hozier, HAIM.

4. Favorite TV Series
I'm watching Brooklyn Nine Nine at the moment, it's the funniest, most uplifting/least offensive thing on TV right now. And I love Ru Paul's Drag Race so much, it's changed my life, henny. I keep it in the background when doing other things.

5. Favorite hobby besides writing
When I'm not writing, I paint. I love playing around with watercolor, and sometimes when the writing isn't happening, I end up with a brush in my hand making carefully controlled strokes on paper. It's theraputic, and clears my headl!

6. Favorite Books
Uhm. I shall try!
Regency Romance (my favorite genere in between new #romanceclass books): Julia Quinn's Romancing Mister Bridgerton and The Viscount Who Loved Me, Tessa Dare's the Duchess Deal is one of my ALL TIME favorites.

Contemporary Romance: Lucy Parker's Pretty Face is so witty and fun, and you just want to give both Lily and Luc huge hugs. Laura Florand's The Chocolate Kiss is super slow burn, but the Paris setting makes it fun. Alyssa Cole's A Princess in Theory is also one of my favorites!

#romanceclass books: All of them, really.

7. Latest Release
My latest release is called Chasing Mindy, a book about a pair of Filipino kids who end up in Paris, of all places. Javi and Mindy are at something of a crossroads in their lives, where they both feel a little trapped by the roles set out for them. But Paris is a wonderful place to understand who you are, and fall in love. Expect lots of food, walks along gorgeous gardens and a pair of characters you just want to smoosh together to kiss!

Chasing Mindy






7. Upcoming release
Hello! I’m Angel C. Aquino and I’m about to release my first novel, Love At First Run. The story is about 23-year-old Diana, who finds love when she joins a running club and trains for a half marathon (see full blurb below).

The book is available for pre-order on Amazon (release date: April 30). Print copies will be available for Philippine residents starting April 28. Order a copy here: https://angel633.typeform.com/to/IDfF3y

Love At First Run 




Angel C. Aquino is a freelance writer, editor, and content creator based in Manila. She believes she can make her tiny corner of the world just a little bit brighter by writing stories filled with positivity, hope, and love. Love At First Run is her first novel.



1. Favourite place
My Bedroom. I practically live in it since I work from home, but it’s my favorite because it’s mine. Having my own space is so important for my well-being.

2. Favourite food and drink
I love food in general but aside from Filipino food, Korean food is straight-up comfort food. As for drinks, I’m a coffee or wine drinker.

3. Favourite music/genre/artist/song
I’ve been listening to Korean Pop for over a decade. Yes, I’m one of the people. 😉

4. Favourite movie/TV series
Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind will always be a favorite, White Oleander too, and 50 First Datess. As for TV series, I’m a big fan of procedurals like CSI, Criminal Minds, Grimm. I also like a lot of Korean Dramas and of course, Rupaul’s Drag Race!

5. Favourite hobby besides writing, if you consider writing a hobby
I love to drive around alone. Is that a hobby? If not, then it should probably be Photography.

6. Favourite books 
Newly-released and still steaming: Start Here from various #romanceclass authors. It’s awesome!

7. Upcoming release
The Art of Shifting Gears - Add to Goodreads / Buy on Amazon
The Bye-Bye Bouquet - Add on Goodreads / Buy on Amazon

My guest in today's New and Debut is Nem Rowan, author of Witcheskin, trans m/m fantasy with a bit of horror thrown in, which was just released by LT3 press. Come meet the author and learn what books he likes to read and write.

Following the disappearance of his father, Owen returns to the Welsh village where his parents grew up to live with his mother and her boyfriend. While pursuing the mystery of cattle mutilations in the area, he meets Maredudd, an old friend of his mother's, and learns something about his parents that they've never told him...

Purchase links: Publisher / Amazon

Author bio and links

Nem Rowan lives in Wales with his wife of 13 years and his two German Shepherds. He enjoys studying mythology, the occult and British folklore, and is an avid bird-watcher. He is also fascinated by psychology and the dynamics of diverse romantic relationships. Nem’s characters are facets of his own personality and he uses writing as a means of exploring his own psyche, sexuality and persona. However, he believes that a story with a sad ending isn’t worth writing!

Website/ Twitter

My guest today is the author of queer stories Xan West. Read on if you are curious to get to know Xan better and to learn more about their short story Tenderness included in the Queerly Loving Anthology vol. 2 which was just released. Xan also shared a short excerpt from the story which you can read the end of this post. 

PS: Don't miss Xan's recommendations for favourite contemporary romances with bi MCs. They have never stirred me wrong re good books. Make sure also to check their book review site - Corey's Book Corner. 

1. Favourite place: I love libraries and bookstores. One of the ways I treat myself is to include a trip to the library in with my errands. My favorite library these days is the central branch of the Berkeley Public library.

2. Favourite food and drink: These days I’m all about licorice tea as far as hot beverages go. For cold, I am favoring Wild Cherry Diet Pepsi. Foodwise, I have been over the moon recently for full sour garlicky pickles, everything bagel with lox and cream cheese, and smoked almonds.

3. Favourite music/genre/artist/song: I love showtunes with all my heart, and when I sing, that’s usually what I’m singing. I have a soft spot in my heart for soul, particularly Otis Redding, and for jazz standards (I love Ella Fitzgerald). I also have a deep love for particular artists and bands that cross musical influences and genres, like Leonard Cohen, Candye Kane, Nina Simone, and The Shondes.

4. Favourite movie/TV series: Picking a favorite movie is impossible. Top 12 movie musicals:

·         Victor/Victoria

·         Fiddler on the Roof

·         Guys and Dolls

·         Funny Girl

·         My Fair Lady

·         Singin in the Rain

·         Dreamgirls

·         Hello Dolly

·         Cabaret

·         A Chorus Line

·         Yentl

·         Gentlemen Prefer Blondes

5. Favourite hobby besides writing, if you consider writing a hobby: I don’t think of writing as a hobby, more like a vocation. Reading is close to that as well, but is a bit more like a hobby. I like puzzles, that would be more like a true hobby. And I like playing solitaire.

6. Favourite books (feel free to list as many as you want; all-time favourites or newly released ones; grouped by sub/genre or other criteria)

Okay this is simply not a fair question. Top 15 fave contemporary romances with bi MCs (as the MC of the story I discuss in the next question is bi).

·         The King of Bourbon Street by Thea de Salle

·         Knit One, Girl Two by Shira Glassman

·         So Sweet by Rebekah Weatherspoon

·         Fast Connection by Megan Erickson and Santino Hassell

·         Wrong to Need You by Alisha Rai

·         A Boy Called Cin by Cecil Wilde

·         Tactical Submission by Ada Maria Soto

·         The Boss by Abigail Barnette

·         The Submission Gift by Solace Ames

·         Team Phison by Chace Verity

·         Sated by Rebekah Weatherspoon

·         The Love Song of Sawyer Bell by Avon Gale

·         To Seek and To Find by Tamryn Eradani

·         F*THS by GL Thomas

·         Illegal Contact by Santino Hassell

7. Please introduce your latest/upcoming release (what inspired you to write, what can the readers expect from it, etc.)

Xan West is the nom de plume of Corey Alexander, an autistic queer fat Jewish genderqueer writer and community activist with multiple disabilities (including chronic migraines, like Judith in Tenderness). Xan adores vulnerable tops; strong, supportive bottoms; red meat; long winding conversations about power, privilege, and community; showtunes; and cool, dark, quiet rooms with comfortable beds. Their recent collection of queer kink erotica, Show Yourself To Me, is out from Go Deeper Press, and has been described by M. Christian as “a book that changes what erotica can and should be.” Xan is currently working on Meet Cutes, a lighthearted polyamorous butch/femme/genderqueer butch kinky romance novella centering autistic and disabled Jewish queers, a couple of whom have cameos in Tenderness. Xan also has a queer kinky polyamorous romance novel in the works, Shocking Violet, which centers disabled characters, many of whom are trans and non-binary, and includes a cameo from Shiloh, who appears in Tenderness.

Website / Twitter / Goodreads

Excerpt from Tenderness

Shiloh had been giving Judith massages to help her migraines since they’d met. In fact, it was how they met.

Gideon had brought Shiloh to where Judith was hiding out in his bedroom and said, “This is Shiloh and ze is really good at massages. How about you let zir try to ease your migraine, so maybe you can rejoin the seder?” Before that moment, Judith had never tried massage for her migraines. Maybe Shiloh’s big hands knew what to do, because it actually had helped. The migraine hadn’t disappeared, but had faded enough that she was able to return to the table.

Touch was intense today. Judith’s body had retreated into a shell and Shiloh was making the shell walls thinner with the massage. It was almost too much to have zir hands on her, but when ze started to work the tightness in her neck, it hurt in a way that was easier to manage than the rest of zir touch. Like her body welcomed the sharpness. It made her more clear-headed, this pain. She was trembling, though. That was a new thing to manage. Shiloh ran zir palms down her hair and everything felt so huge all of a sudden, she had to wrap her arms around herself she was shaking so much. Then the tears started.

Shiloh led her to the couch, and wrapped her in zir arms. Judith was mid-sized, rarely the smaller one, but Shiloh was much broader, fatter, and taller than her, and she felt wonderfully engulfed. She could not stop shaking, or sobbing, safe in the circle of zir arms. She rode the wave of it all the way through, her head on Shiloh’s chest as ze murmured softly. Afterwards, Judith was exhausted. She scooted down to lie on the couch with her head against Shiloh’s furry thigh, zir hand stroking her back. Ze began to sing, softly, and she let herself drift to the sound of “Try a Little Tenderness” in Shiloh’s raspy sweet voice.