Congrats to Em Woods, who won Handcuffs & Pretty Things (Rawlings Men #8) by Kim Dare!
Congrats to Jennifer V, who won Telling the Truth (Truth or Dare #2) by Lee Brazil! Telling the Truth is being released today by Breathless Press.
Congrats to Midia, who won Static by L.A. Witt! Static will be released on June 26th by Amber Allure.
It’s been a busy, busy week at work and I’m behind in reading blogs, replying to email, and pretty much everything else, too! But I’m definitely going to Twin Cities Pride at Loring Park this weekend – will I see you there?
Contests
- Blodeudd’s giving away three ebooks by Lori Brighton, but you need to enter by the end of today, July 24.
- Anna’s celebrating her blogiversary by giving away a True Blood themed prize pack! Winner announced June 30. US & Canada only.
- Book Addict Patti’s giving away a copy of Forgotten by Cat Patrick. Contest closes July 1. US only.
- Fiction Vixen’s giving away assorted romance/paranormal romance paperbacks. Comment by July 1 for your chance to win. US only.
- The Grand Rapids Writing Group is running a writing contest for all types of genre fiction. The final round judge is Miriam Kriss from the Irene Goodman Agency. Entries and fees must be received by July 15.
- Sweet Vernal Zephyr’s having a vacation reading contest! Take a picture of yourself reading “on vacation” and submit it to her by September 23 for your chance to win a box of books (US winner) or a selection of her favorite ebooks (international winner).
Bookity
- New releases and more: Lily (m/m romance), Fiction Vixen (new covers), Literary Escapism (UF/PNR), AAR (July romances), and Book Lovers Inc (romance, UF/PNR, etc).
- Book and publishing news from Dear Author and Smart Bitches.
- Tor.com on books within books, such as Seven-Day Magic by Edward Eager (which I can see on my bookshelf from where I’m sitting!). Read the comment to discover more titles.
Ebookity
- The Kansas state librarian (with the backing of the Kansas attorney general’s office) is terminating the state’s contract with OverDrive and moving their content elsewhere, due to contract language that suggests they purchased rather than licensed the content from OverDrive.
Think, Do, Make, Learn
- You can carry more things on to a plane than you maybe realize, including sex toys and more then three ounces of contact solution.
- Best and worst places to retire, taxwise (apparently Minnesota’s one of the worst).
- Use vinegar to deodorize a room. (As someone who gets migraines and asthma attacks from air fresheners, potpourri, incense, and other highly scented things, I’m definitely trying this.)
- I think Smell-O-Vision is a really bad idea. (See previous item for why.)
- People are getting clothes repaired instead of getting rid of them. (That’s part of why the selection at the thrift store’s been abysmal for the past few years!)
- Did you know there’s a fungus called Spongiforma squarepantsii?
Cookity
- Make chocolate ice cubes to turn a glass of vanilla (soy)milk into a summery treat. (via The Kitchn)
Crafty
Cool
- Last Saturday was Rock the Garden at the Walker Art Center. I didn’t attend, but you really must check out this amazing time-lapse video of the event! I love Minneapolis. 🙂
- Cthulhu slippers! (via The Mary Sue)
Cool or Wha…?
- The kilt beach towel. (via Smexy Books)
Wha…?
LOL
- Ten weekend plans autocorrect fails. (NSFWish)
- The “Army” guide to fighting zombies (make sure you read the first comment, too).
Teh Cute
- Kitten! Tanuki! Kitten! Musk ox and baby! Kittens! Lamb! Kittens! Lions! Kittens! Ferret! Kitten! Swan and cygnets! Kitten! Lions! Kitten! Baby owl! Tiger! Hedgie! Baby snow leopard! Baby skunk! Tanukis! Caracal! Galapagos tortoise and baby! Lioness and cub! Baby clouded leopard! Baby sloth!
Reading Update
Inside out (PsyCop #0.1) by Jordan Castillo Price. free online short. Very good free short m/m story about the first time Jacob saw Vic.
Sinnerman (Warder #4) by Mary Calmes. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a warder who’s not doing very well at all – he’s been taking too many chances ever since his hearth left him for another man. At least fighting with that pesky not-quite-a-demon’s been keeping things interesting…
Winterlude by Tam Ames. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about two guys who literally run into each other on a wintery Ottawa street and decide to get to know each other a bit better…
Deefur Dog by R.J. Scott. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a widower with a two-year old daughter and a giant, unmanageable dog who belonged to his late husband. Strangely, they’re having trouble keeping a nanny for longer than a few hours. 😉 Recommended if you’re looking for a sweet, non-instalove m/m romance with more story than sex.
British Flash by a whole lot of authors. free ebook collection. Delightful free collection of very short stories in a wide assortment of genres, united by the common theme of being British and gay (be it male or female). I did skip some of the stories that weren’t to my taste, but I really enjoyed the ones I read and wished many of them were longer – particularly the one about the rook shifter. 🙂
Sex, Lies and Edelweiss by J.L. Merrow. ebook. Good m/m romance about a guy on holiday in the Alps with his adoptive mother who meets a cute waiter and misunderstandings abound.
Hot Head by Damon Suede. ebook. This book about two straight NYC firefighters, one of whom needs money so desperately that he does some gay porn, was a really mixed read for me. The first two-thirds of the book dragged enough that I kept wandering away to read other things. But I really liked the last third of the book – the pace felt better and the story drew me in so much that I couldn’t put the book down until I finished reading, well after my bedtime. 🙂
All Work and No Play by Anah Crow & Dianne Fox. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a couple who are supposed to be heading out of town for a long weekend… Will the workaholic’s going in to work instead be the end of them as a couple?!
Vengeance Paid with Blood (Drone Vampires #13) by Stephani Hecht. ebook. Pretty good paranormal m/m romance continuing the saga of the Drone Vampires and their wizard allies as a small group road trips to take out a dark wizard. Alas, the scene with the dark wizard was rather anticlimactic. 🙁
Passing Time by Ash Penn. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a guy who’s back in England after 20 years because his mother’s in a coma and dying. He hooks up with a college student and keeps his emotions at bay by talking to his dead lover. This just never came together for me, particularly the whole ghost/dead lover thing.
Smashed into Pieces (Clear Water Creek Chronicle #2) by Scarlet Blackwell. ebook. My major problem with this book was that it basically just took the love of a good man and some hot sex to cure ten years of emotional, physical (broken bones, burns), and sexual abuse. Oh, hell no.
…..zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz….. -Chaos
I’m in two minds about Hot Head. A week or so ago I was ready to rush out and buy it, but since then I’ve read good and bad reviews and now I’m not sure…
Aw look at Chaos’ fluffy rounded tummy. I just want to give it a big ole tickle!
A recent post from Jenre..Review: Wild Passions edited by SL Armstrong
That Barbie skirt must be the ugliest skirt ever
A recent post from blodeuedd..Review: Shadow’s Son – Jon Sprunk + I am being interviewed ->
Sometimes iPad and I don’t agree with each other *sad face* When I open a link it pops up a new window, I read and close to go back here I tab the mini screen to become full screen and then it re-loads the page {}#>**+=^%#* amd eats my comment.
So here I go agai :
Chaos, after the week I had I want to catch some zzzzz as well!
When I read the blurb of Hot Head I instantly clicked the buy button but as you know I kinda got caught up in another series 😉 These two firemen still await my attention 😀
PS; I saw my first gay smexy scene on youtube…yeah…I kinda was sitting in my chair with elivated bloodpressure watching it and feeling really kinky. At the end I was in desperate need of an ice cube filled glass of water. And the author who tweeted me the link an unfiltered first reaction. The laughter is stil ringing in my ears *smiles*
Have a great weekend!
A recent post from Leontine..And a hawt series continues…
Do you have trouble with natural scents (i.e., essential oils)? I’m extremely sensitive to synthetic scents, but have no trouble with most essential oils/hydrosols. (But I know people who can’t be around those either.) My husband can’t stand the smell of vinegar, so that’s not really an option in my house.
My husband would love the Bender balaclava 🙂
A recent post from Alison..Long Time
This is quite a lot of linkity today!
A recent post from trek..Mostly about reading
Have a great time at Twin Cities Pride! 😀
Your linkity is helping me to find some distraction while I’m waiting *yet again* for a phone call about a bid on a house. And when I’m done with the link hopping I’m going to buy some very good looking books from your list. 🙂
A recent post from Janna..Guest Review: Music of the Night by M.L. Rhodes
Chris, did you make pink fuzzy slipper cookies for May? What a life, Chaos.
A recent post from margene..Got A Life
Great linkity & selection of books.
Have a great weekend at Twin Cities Pride!
Is it Friday already?
I like the tank top pattern. Phat knits! Very fun.
BTW, I made the 5-minute ice cream a couple of weeks ago. Not bad at all!
The cats have been sleeping too much lately. Hmmm.
And that baby owl! *cries from adorable*
Have a wonderful weekend! <3
You mean i have to pack the club like sex toy in my checked bags? Sheesh
A recent post from marylou..Always Label
Nice linkity.
I’ve put off reading Hot Head. First came great reviews, than came not so great ones so the book’s just sitting there waiting for me.
Have fun this weekend.
How can it be friday if I haven’t finished mondays work? GAH!
Great round up of items this week! And thanks for the info of British Flash being a freebie. Went and downloaded it, now just need time to read it.
Vinegar is awesome stuff. For the past few years, I’ve been using it in the laundry (filling the softener and bleach cups with it for each load), and my laundry has never been better. No static, no soapy residues, no perfumy smells (no vinegar smells, either). Love it!
A recent post from Marsha..Segue
I haven’t yet checked out Pottermore but I’m so looking forward to HP ebooks.
Dog-eared Kindle??? Deep-fried KoolAid????? LOL
Not sure what to think about Social Media background checks…
Loved the pink crayon dress! Not that it would be practical but really, how cool.
The Barbie skirt, not so much… it’s kinda bizarre looking!
I don’t think I’ll ever question the price of razor refills again. 🙂
Totally loved the Zombie Army video. The best part was seeing how many of them I recognized. 😀
The only one I’ve read so far is Winterlude which I really enjoyed although I’ve got a few others on my eReader.
A recent post from Lily..What’s new this week…
Love those chocolate ice cubes! Ditto on the chocolate peanut butter fudge.
That Celestine looks really cool! But, I don’t do “fiddly”. 😉
I loved Inside Out. Don’t you get the sense that Vic would have no memory of the event (so self-absorbed/checked out) and Jacob would have it burned into his memory.
Deefur Dog is on my wishlist at ARe awaiting payday!
Now I’m wondering how TSA defines ‘club-like’ sex toys that you can’t carry on, and who at TSA thought to add that clause. I’m sure it involved a meeting of some sort. Probably was a very interesting meeting, too.
A recent post from Ava March..Giveaway & Ryan’s New Friend
The last few times I’ve been to the thrift store, not only have the selections been abismal but the place has been packed.
Everything doesn’t have to be scented, certainly not USB drives, and I’m pretty sure I don’t want smell-o-vision.
I like the pink fuzzy slipper cookies.
I’m not likely to wear one, but the bok choy dress looks nice.
Fun linkity!
My major problem with this book was that it basically just took the love of a good man and some hot sex to cure ten years of emotional, physical (broken bones, burns), and sexual abuse. Oh, hell no.
*heads desk* No. No. No. No. Or else I’m going about everything the wrong way!
Chaos – you’re just begging to be stroked – on your tummy – in that position 🙂
Hmm, I wouldn’t wear that Crayon Dress in the hot summer sun, crayons do melt.
Love the Doctor Who at Fawlty Towers, I sent that link to my husband.
I just got Inside Out – thanks for the link.
I also have Smashed Into Pieces to read for TBB. Hmmm…not really looking forward to it now. lol
A recent post from Tracy..What I Read Last Week
That crayon dress is amazing! As are the street art kittehs. And the persistence of kittehs. And…and…and….wowza linkety today!
A recent post from Carrie#K..Pretty!!
Food on a stick reminds me of the MN state fair 🙂
A recent post from mrspao..At home again
Apparently I am the only one of your reader old enough to remember Fantastic Voyage, the 1966 movie wherein a miniaturized submarine with a crew of medical professionals was injected into a person to save him; I immediately thought of that movie when I read about the injest-able Japanese camera.
Must disagree with the opinion that airline food is expensive and not very good. I flew Frontier from Denver to LaGuardia and back, and the chicken salad sandwich I bought onboard ($6, included a small bag of chips) was excellent — fresh, tasty, seemed homemade. I was pleasantly surprised. Maybe Frontier is the exception?
A recent post from kmkat..Catching up and stuff.