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Congrats to Kate, who won The Love of a Mate (Pack Discipline #4) by Kim Dare! The Love of a Mate will be released by Total-E-Bound on June 6.

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Contests

• Sweet Vernal Zephyr’s giving away The Truth about Vampires by Theresa Meyers. Contest closes June 5.

• Janna’s giving away Eternal Seduction and Eternal Hearts by Jennifer Turner. Comment before June 7 for your chance to win.

• Book Addict Patti’s giving away Awaken the Highland Warrior by Anita Clenny, Ripe for Pleasure by Isobel Carr, and Face of Danger by Roxanne St. Clair. Comment by June 14 for your chance to win.

• Book Addict Patti’s also giving away two copies of Heart of the Highland Wolf by Terry Spear. Contest closes June 17. US & Canada.

• Author RJ Scott’s giving away a signed copy of The Heart of Texas, All the Kings Men, or Back Home to a reader who suggests what missing scene (from one of RJ’s books) that they’d like to read. Closes June 30.

Bookity

• New releases and more: Elisa (LGBT), Tor.com (YA paranormal, UF/PNR, fantasy, science fiction), Book Lovers Inc (UF/PNR/romance), AAR (romance audiobooks), and Literary Escapism (UF/PNR).

• Book news linkity from Smart Bitches and Dear Author.

• This week’s drama in Romancelandia: a disparaging article claiming that romance novels are addictive and dangerous to the family.

• Ten interesting bookcases/shelves (via CRAFT). Twenty interesting bookcases/shelves (via TeleRead).

• Is this parking lot all that remains of the real yellow brick road?

• Trek’s started a list of summer reading incentive programs that don’t have local residency restrictions.

• Lifehacker has some tips to build your summer reading list. (Really, I don’t need help with that…)

• Kassa wonders when it’s time to break up with an author.

• All About Romance rants a bit about romance covers.

• VacuousMinx shares an amazing (free!) poster about the rights of the reader.

• Paperback Writer shares some of her tips on picking character names.

• Diary of a disappointed book…

• Weird things customers say in bookshops… (via Neil Gaiman)

Ebookity

• Kim Dare has a free short m/m romance story in her June newsletter that was inspired by a photo I took in San Francisco!

• Joely Skye’s paranormal m/m romance, Marked, is free for Kindle and as a non-DRM epub from Barnes & Noble.

• Kmkat found three free Bordertown stories online.

• If you bought any ebooks directly from Borders, you might want to transfer them over to Kobo…

• Tips and tricks for the Nook Color.

• Trek explains how Kindle ebook lending works via Lendle.

• Some of the Knitting Reference Library’s 19th century knitting patterns and manuals are available free online.

Learn, Do, Make, Think

• According to the American College of Sports Medicine, the Twin Cities are the healthiest cities in the US. Go, us! 🙂 (Thanks, Jodi!)

• The “Food Pyramid” has been replaced by the “Nutrition Plate”.

• According to DNA tests, half of the fish sold in the US is not the type that it’s been labeled.

• The World Health Organization stated that cellphones are possibly carcinogenic. Here’s a list of other things that have the same rating.

• For-profit colleges are going to have to prove that their graduates can actually get jobs, or students attending those colleges will not be eligible for federal financial aid.

• Students underperform if you remind them of their race or gender before a test (and they belong to a race or gender that is stereotyped as not doing well on a particular subject).

• If you believe you have free will, you do.

• Cursingmama shares her experiences getting uninformed hate propaganda about the Minnesota “Defense of Marriage Act” from her Archdiocese.

• Watching certain types of ads can create fake memories.

Cookity

• Cinnamon roll cake. (via The Kitchn)

• Candy graduation caps.

• Make your own ice cream bars.

Gluten-Free

• Soon we’ll be able to buy gluten-free beer in a can.

• Lucky UK celiacs – you now have gluten-free rules for caterers!

Crafty

• Sock monkey inspired birthday hat.

• Crochet some slippers.

• Crochet pincushion storage jars.

• Crochet a double wedding ring quilt.

• Sew a feather mohawk.

Cool

• Archie Comics is tackling the issue of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

• This cover of “Gimme Shelter” (Rolling Stones) will give you chills.

• Kris (who lives in Perth) has verified this is a real photo of the sky in Perth, Australia, from 2007.

• The Gripzila universal kickstand looks handy for propping up a smartphone or ebook reader.

• Cat, craft, and cooking linkity from MrsPao.

• In vitro geek twins. (via The Mary Sue)

• Three Leias in the TARDIS. (via The Mary Sue)

• Amigurumi of Captain Mal from Firefly.

• Cassette tape crochet.

• Keyboard use visualized.

• Anatomy skeleton made from LEGOs.

• Careful closing that window…

• Batman vs. Wolverine, a French black & white noir fan film.

Cool or Wha…?

• If May sees this, she’s going to be really jealous.

• You lucky (?) Brits, you – you have the amphibious ice cream van.

• Make your own money-shredding alarm clock.

• Turn antique doll heads into planters…

• Spine candles.

• A musical about zombies in love.

• The Maizesaber.

• That trash compactor scene from Star Wars… interpreted in cake.

• Chew-BACH-a. (via The Mary Sue)

Wha…?

• It’s the wearable hummingbird feeder that has me puzzled…

• Star Wars Muppets? (via The Mary Sue)

• The “Booty Pillow”…

• I got nothin’.

• In Tennessee, it’s now a crime to share your Netflix password with someone else.

LOL

• Checking in on some computer repairs… (Thanks, Limedragon!)

• Fifteen most popular autocorrects from Damn You Autocorrect in May.

• Brown Recluse Spiderman! *knows that Bron will not be able to resist clicking, arachnophobia notwithstanding*

• Nothing like a cat to liven up a dreary Plato monologue. (Thanks, Jase!)

• Are you dating a cat?

• The cat who became human.

• Eeep!

• Things that cats love/hate.

• Why you shouldn’t let kitties cook.

• I’d suggest saying no…

Teh Cute

• Kitten! Baby alpaca! Kitten! Baby elephant! Kitten! Ducklings! Kitten! Baby sloth! Cat hugging kitten (gif)! Zebras! Kitten! Tiger and cub! Kittens! Fox kits! Cat and kitten!

Reading Update
Bob the Book by David Pratt. ebook. Excellent story about a gay book named Bob, as he travels from bookstore to armchair and beyond. It’s also a story about love found and lost, about discrimination and acceptance, about learning and growing… basically about life. Highly recommended.
A.J.’s Angel by LA Witt. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a tattoo artist trying to understand why his cheating ex has shown up in his shop four years later to get a tattoo commemorating a mysterious “A.J.” If the ending of the story had had been longer, this would’ve been five stars for me. Forgiveness happened too fast, then the ensuing struggles were merely alluded to in the epilogue.
As Advertised by Jaime Samms. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who discovers some unpleasant things about his boyfriend at a party before he’s rescued by the hostess. I liked that one of the main characters suffered from migraines (I can relate) and the other suffered from OCD – it made things feel more realistic.
Apples and Regret and Wasted Time by Cornelia Grey. ebook. short. Very good short, poignant m/m story about two men who love each other… but that love isn’t enough in itself. (I love this cover! It really should be on a novel, rather than a short.)
Stranger in Black by Devon Rhodes. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who realizes his boyfriend is cheating on him, so arranges to attend a masquerade ball incognito to see the proof for himself and help himself move on.
Heaven (Heaven Sent #1) by Jet Mykles. ebook. reread. Very good yaoiesque m/m romance about a straight hotel manager who’s surprised by his attraction to some of the male members of a band staying and playing at the hole.
The Wicca Man: Tongue-Tied by Emily Veinglory. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a university professor who’s also a witch. He accidentally uses a love binding spell when defending himself from a vampire attack, then isn’t sure how to free the handsome and enthralled vampire without getting killed. I really enjoyed the sly and smart alecky bits of humor throughout. If anyone knows of a sequel…
Eclipse of the Heart (Eclipse #1) by Emily Veinglory. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a coyote-wolf shifter who moves to a new town with his oblivious-to-the-paranormal human boyfriend and gets caught up in the paranormal politics against his will. This is going to be one that people either love or hate…
Here Comes the Sun (Eclipse #2) by Emily Veinglory. ebook. Pretty good paranormal m/m romance continuing the story of the coyote-wolf shifter and his human boyfriend, told from the boyfriend’s point of view this time. Unfortunately, this felt like a partial story because of how it ended… and there doesn’t seem to be a third book. Not good, since this was published in 2008.
Snared by J.L. Merrow. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance about a man on a hiking holiday who gets scratched up freeing a wildcat from a trap, not knowing that things aren’t ever going to be the same again.
The Buff Storm Type by Vic Winter. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a guy who writes adventure romances featuring the absolutely perfect man, Buff Storm. Then the writer meets the personification of Buff Storm…
Bachelor Auction by Vic Winter. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a professor participating in a bachelor auction fundraiser who’s surprised both by the amount he brings in and by who bought him.
Jumping the Fence (OC Pride #1) by Stephanie Vaughan. ebook. reread. Good m/m romance about figuring out who you really are and what you need to be happy.
Crossing the Line (OC Pride #2) by Stephanie Vaughan. ebook. reread. Good m/m romance about a guy who owns a lucrative import car repair business. He hasn’t had much luck with love, but that doesn’t stop him from pursuing a handsome, skittish waiter.
Catch Me If I Fall by Riley Knox. ebook. Good m/m romance about a computer programmer who works from home and lusts after the obviously straight divorced dad/construction worker who lives next door.
Bound by Love by Cassidy Ryan. ebook short. Good kinky short m/m romance about an artist who has an informal arrangement with a businessman/Dom, but fears he’s broken the arrangement by falling in love.
Four Days with Jack by Kelli A. Wilkins. ebook. Ok short m/m romance about a guy who’s been in love with his best friend for years, but has been in denial about it. Unfortunately, the writing was choppy and the numerous unclear pronoun references drove me crazy.
When I Dream of You by Mychael Black & Shayne Carmichael. ebook short. So-so short m/m romance about a guy with an abusive father who’s rescued by a sweet-tempered bodybuilder. While this was a storyline with potential, awkward writing and an abrupt, inconclusive ending definitely detracted.
Exceptions to the Rule by Fae Sutherland & Marguerite Labbe. ebook. So-so m/m romance about two unlikely guys (a bartender and a business analyst) getting together. I had a hard time finishing this one – besides the insta-love, the language was of the overwrought, overblown sort that I expect to find in an old-school m/f romance with a swirly pastel cover.
Diamond: Double Cross by Winnie Jerome. Meh paranormal m/m romance about a guy who works for a magic enforcement agency and holds a grudge against the guy who took his virginity over 20 years ago, then vanished. The books was a continuous infodump – all telling and no showing. Of course, with the amount of plot crammed into a completely insufficient number of pages…

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“I don’t think I approve of being used to demonstrate photo effects.” -Mayhem

The photo effects today and Tuesday were created at pixlr-o-matic.