Category Archives: Randonymity

Today is the last day to enter the contests for Guarding Morgan and The Other Side of Night: Bastian & Riley!


Congrats to Sarah S, who won The Other Side of Night: Bastian & Riley by S.L. Armstrong and K. Piet!

Congrats to Tisha, who won Guarding Morgan by RJ Scott! Guarding Morgan will be released by Silver Publishing on October 15.

Congrats to Marie*, who won The Zero Knot by KZ Snow!  The Zero Knot is being released by Dreamspinner Press today.


“Without Mom, there’s no one to throw my hot pink furry mouse so I can play fetch. Woe.” -Mayhem

Last day to enter the contest for Across the East River Bridge by Kate McMurray!


Today is the last day to enter the contest for Across the East River Bridge by Kate McMurray! Contest closes at 7 pm CDT… more or less. I’ll be on the road, so if you can still leave a comment on the contest post, you can still enter the contest.

Congrats to Kate M, who won Across the East River Bridge by Kate McMurray! Across the East River Bridge will be released by Loose Id on October 11.

Congrats to Paula, who won Marked Yours and Together Bound (Sentries 1-2) by Elizabeth Noble! Together Bound is being released today by Dreamspinner Press.

Congrats to SusieQ, who won RSVP (Pushing the Envelope #2) by Kim Dare! RSVP was released by Amber Allure on October 9.


“Hey, big kitty, why do you think Mom took all those bags and her pillow when she left earlier?! That seems bad.” -Mayhem

Some incoherent thoughts from vacation, plus my out-of-control Reading Update

So the best thing about being the last person reporting in on a vacation trip is that so much has already been written about it by others. 🙂 Please note that some of the links below will have NSFW components!

For some reason we took our group photo after Tracy left – from the left, me, Jen, Tam, and Kris:

And here’s Tracy at Yaoi-Con, with some yaoi clutched in her hand and a mysterious pink-haired person sitting next to her:

Does anyone know what the heck this gelatinous blob, found amongst the washed up seaweed on the beach at Carmel, could be?

Look at the tasty gf beer in a frosted glass I had at Allegro Gourmet Pizza in Carmel! (Alas, no photos exist of the delicious gf bacon cheeseburger pizza I devoured there.) (And yes, that is CarrieK‘s arm across the table – I had the chance to hang out with her for a few days, too. I think we knitted together for maybe 20 seconds or so.)

Check out the yummy gf veggie panini and gf red velvet cupcake I ate at Cafe Mariposa!

Meeting blog friends is always wonderful. I would go on vacation with them again, should I ever have the chance.

The best part about Yaoi-Con was meeting all the authors! I’m pretty sure I’ll miss someone, so please forgive me in advance. I met Clare London, Felicitas Ivey, Marie Sexton, Lynn Flewelling, Andrew Grey, Mary Calmes, Amy Lane, TC Blue, ZA Maxfield, Belinda McBride, EM Lynley, Astrid Amara, Ginn Hale, Nicole Kimberling, Rowan McBride, and… *mind goes blank*

The chocolate-covered macaroons from Hot Cookie were the best I’ve ever had… and they’re even available in less graphic shapes than the video might suggest. 🙂

San Francisco is really, really hilly. You can’t properly appreciate that until you’ve been on a death march with Kris or Tracy.

It’s hard to resist the HRC Store – such a great cause, amazing staff, and cool stuff.

I barely get motion sick at all on electric buses. Damn diesel fumes on regular buses!

NaNoBloMo may kill me, compulsive commenter that I am. Alas, NaNoBloMo peeps, I’m not going to be able to comment on all your posts, no matter how much I’d like to. In part, that’s because work is going to get progressively more crazy throughout the month.

My beloved car experienced brain death while I was on vacation. It is currently awaiting a brain transplant. Please think happy healthy car thoughts for me, ‘k? Also, why the heck would you put a woman who begged for a junker loaner into a 2011 BMW?! *takes deep breaths*

Reading Update
Bedtime Story for a Stolen Child by Anna Mayle. ebook. Excellent m/m dark fantasy about a man, stolen by the Fae when he was a child, who returns to the human world to confront the Changeling who took his place. Recommended.
The Trap by Indigo Wren. ebook. Very good m/m romance about two college roommates, best friends, who planned to start a technology company together… until one of them basically flees into the night without a word. And that’s all I’m going to say about it, because part of what really drew me into this story was having events unfold for me, without really knowing what was going to happen.
Blacque/Bleu by Belinda McBride. ebook. Very good paranormal m/m romance about a deeply closeted werewolf (because there supposedly aren’t any gay werewolves) who gets involved with a vampire… and then his pack responsibilities become more pressing.
The Strength of a Gamma (Pack Discipline, Book 2) by Kim Dare. ebook. Very good kinky paranormal m/m romance about two gamma wolves who are best friends with deeper feelings for each other, but one of them doesn’t believe that he’s good enough to be the other’s mate.
Almost Heaven by Kimberly Gardner. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s training for the priesthood and teaching at a parochial high school until his reaction to the much older brother of one of his students has him doubting his chosen path. I had a small niggle about this one, which could’ve been handled with one sentence about how the Ryan situation was resolved. 🙂
Trust Me by Jeff Erno. ebook. This m/m romance was a very mixed read for me. I really liked the base story, about two boys, one extremely religious, growing up in the 80s and trying to come to terms with their attraction to other boys. But I kept feeling as if I were being drawn into the story, only to be shoved out again, perhaps because there was too much telling and not enough showing? Additionally, the story had these odd, very meta-feeling lecturey interludes that did not work for me at all.
Manfred’s Curse by Shawn Lane. ebook short. Cute short paranormal m/m romance about a guy getting freaked out by the weird storm he’s weathering alone, with only his black cat Manfred to keep him company…
Eat Me by Mia Watts. ebook short. Good short paranormal m/m romance about a man who was cursed 400 years ago to live as domestic lynx belonging to a family of witches. All that remains of the family is a single male descendant, who doesn’t seem to have any curse-breaking magic… I wish this story had been just a bit longer, because the ending happened way too fast.
Oliver and Angus (Shifting Perspectives, Book 1) by Nerine Petros. ebook short. Short paranormal m/m romance with lots of potential that wasn’t quite realized, primarily because too much story was crammed into too few pages, giving the story a very choppy feel. Hopefully the next story about the dingo shifters who’ve sought asylum in a wolf shifter-controlled town in the Australian Outback will be longer, or at least have more transitions and exposition.
Unbound (Bonded II) by Jay Lygon. ebook. Good paranormal m/m romance continuing the story of Viking vampire and romance novelist, Brandr, and his vampiric go-go boy housemates. Read the other books first, because in this one, questions are answered and it will make more sense if you know the questions before you get the answers. 🙂
Faerie Bound by Jenna Castille. ebook. Good kinky paranormal m/m romance about an Alpha wolf shifter and pack leader who’s been hiding his need to be mastered because other shifters would think him weak and challenge him. How will he balance his needs and those of his pack as he seeks his mate? I’m pretty sure there are additional books planned, based on where part of the storyline was left at the HFN end of the book.
The Horror in Dunwich Hall by Johnny Murdoc. ebook short. Good steamy short Lovecraftian m/m story. I absolutely love the first two lines: “There was a naked jock on my bed and a thing with tentacles coming out of my toilet. One of these things did not belong, and if you tell me that it was the naked jock, you shouldn’t be reading this story.” You can read it for free online.
I Take Thee by Zoe Nichols. ebook short. Good short m/m romance about a guy, addicted to E and pot, whose boyfriend has just returned from treatment and is dedicated to staying clean.
Chainbreaker by Kate Roman. ebook short. Very good short m/m romance about a San Francisco bike messenger and his boyfriend.
Someplace in This World, edited by Lee Benoit. ebook collection. Good m/m romance collection about finding the place (or person) where you belong and feel safe and happy.
What You Can’t Live Without by Eden Winters. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Sweet m/m romance about a rich doctor who can’t understand why the doctor he desires has chosen to return home to El Salvador to help his family, rather than staying to become rich in the US.
Where a Hand Is Always Needed by Kara Larson. ebook short. Doctors Without Borders Charity Sip Blitz. Good short m/m story about a teenager visiting family in the Outback, trying to sort out whether he’s gay.
Marked by Sean Michael. ebook. Ok paranormal m/m romance about two werewolves who are mates, but who have been separated for ten years, living half lives, because one can’t shift and was cast out from the pack. If the word “mate” had been used half as many times, it would still have been excessive. Unpleasant as this cover image is, it’s an actual, unmodified stock photo. Ewww!
A Real Boy by J.L. Merrow. free ebook short. Enjoyable (and free) twisted m/m retelling of Pinnochio, with a few other stray fairy tales thrown in around the edges.
Pricks and Pragmatism by J.L. Merrow. ebook. Very good m/m romance about a guy who’s almost done with his university degree. He has no money, so he’s been staying with various guys, basically exchanging sex for food and lodging. But what’s up with the nerdy engineer he’s just moved in with, who doesn’t seem interested in him in that way?
Corruption by Jack Greene. ebook short. Steamy short m/m romance about a straight guy who finds himself unaccountably drawn to a woman dancing in the club Corruption… even after he realizes the woman is actually a twinky boy.
My Girl by Stormy Glenn. ebook. Why do I torture myself so?!? Meh m/m romance about a guy hiding as a woman in witness protection. The weird references to GA Hauser and her books were annoying (rather like a GA Hauser commercial) and the plot holes were classic Stormy Glenn.
Needing Harte (1-800-DOM-help, Book 1) by Marilu Mann. ebook. So-so kinky m/m romance about a closeted cop who’s intensely attracted to a submissive stripper during an investigation and is subsequently given the 1-800-DOM-help number to help him learn about bdsm. This would’ve been much better without the insta-love and an odd bit of woo-woo related to the 800 number.
At Piper’s Point by Ethan Day. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a guy who finally returns to the island where he spent his childhood summers with his unorthodox grandmother. He’s planning to quietly spread her ashes and set her house in order before he leaves in the fall, but things don’t quite go as he’d hoped. I would’ve enjoyed this book more if it had been a bit shorter and more focused.
Blood Heat (Dangerous Ground, Book 3) by Josh Lanyon. ebook. Good romantic suspense in which our agents try to bring in a suspected terrorist and everything that can go wrong does.
River of Need (Tennessee Cops, Book 4) by Shayla Kersten. ebook. Ok m/m romance about a cop who bails out his ex, who’s been picked up for prostitution. I wanted a bit more from this story – a bit more length, a bit more depth.


…..zzzzzzzz….. -Mayhem

Apparently May’s plan to stake out my suitcase and prevent me from leaving again was more exhausting than she anticipated…

Ebook Giveaway: Pride and Joey by Devon Rhodes [CONTEST CLOSED]

Many thanks to Devon Rhodes for donating an ebook copy of her forthcoming paranormal m/m romance, Pride and Joey, for a lucky commenter to win! Pride and Joey will be released by Total-E-Bound on October 25. (Yes, that is Wind-in-Hair Guy!)

Vance thought his pride meant everything to him…until fate sent Joey into his lair and into his heart.

Vance grew up the odd one out in a macho and very insular pride of lion shifters. Differences like enjoying the cool fall weather are bad enough – his pridemates would kill him if they learned he was gay. Still, his pride is all he knows. He’d never even met a shifter of another type…until he discovers an unconscious cougar male in his lair.

Joey is on the run and wants to keep Vance at arm’s length, especially since someone very close to the lion is the root of all his troubles. But there is something irresistible about Vance, something which has Joey wanting more than he ever dared to dream.

When their lives are threatened, Joey must choose whether to sacrifice himself, or try to live and keep Vance close…for the very short remainder of his life.

Excerpt (scroll down and expand)

Other Books

About Devon

Devon started reading and writing at a young age and never looked back. After a creatively sapping career in the business world, she gratefully took some time off to be at home.

At 39 and holding, Devon finally figured out the best way to channel her midlife crisis was to morph from mild-mannered stay-at-home mom into erotic romance writer.

She lives in Oregon with her husband and two children, who are (mostly) understanding of all the time she spends on her laptop, aka the black hole.

For all the latest, visit her blog.

Contest Rules

  • To enter, leave a comment stating that you are entering the contest. Contest closes 7 pm CDT, Monday, October 25.
  • If you haven’t commented before, your comment will not be visible until after I moderate it. Please do not leave a second comment because your first doesn’t show up! The blog gnomes will decide your comments are spam and then only ritual dust bunny sacrifice will salvage your entry…
  • If your comment is actually an advertisement or if your CommentLuv link turns it into an advertisement, your comment will be deleted. (Most of you do not need to worry – this refers to some pretty clever comment spam.)
  • Winners will be selected by random number.
  • You must leave a valid email address in the “Email” portion of the comment form.
  • Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from stumblingoverchaos.com!
  • If a winner doesn’t respond to my congratulations email within 48 hours, I will select another winner.
  • If you win, please respect the author’s intellectual property and don’t make copies of the ebook for anyone else.
  • This contest is open worldwide!

“Why are you laughing at me, Mom?!” -Chaos

Sorry, no room in the portable kitty caves today. Move along.

Congrats to Lily, who won the copy of Mobry’s Dick by K.Z. Snow, which is being released today from Loose Id. (Congrats, K.Z.!)


  • It’s been ages since I did a random update on my life and stray thoughts.
  • When last we spoke, I was worried whether the new refrigerator would arrive before the old refrigerator died.
  • It did!
  • The new refrigerator was delivered on April 29 by two guys who were unnaturally cheerful about carrying refrigerators up and down three flights of stairs at 7:30 am.
  • The new refrigerator is more spacious despite being smaller (I know!) and is quieter.
  • The kitties remain deeply suspicious of it.
  • On Saturday, I finally wandered over to the hardware store and picked up a patch for the screen.
  • I’m sure the kitties are sad about that.
  • Yes, her birthday was two months ago.
  • Give me a break – it’s nearly 80F, so she’s not going to be wearing wool socks for months!
  • Sheesh.
  • I’m trying to figure out what the three sickly trees in front of our building are.
  • I know that they are not ashes, elms, oaks, maples, boxelders, lindens, any sort of evergreen, sycamores, gingkos, hophornbeams, cottonwoods, or aspens.
  • You’d think I’d get a bit further than that with a forestry degree, wouldn’t you?
  • Quit laughing, Mel. (We have the same undergraduate degree.)
  • Hmm. Apparently I’ll be leaving both cat carriers portable kitty caves out for a while. I hate to discourage this sort of behavior:

*….zzzzzz….* -Mayhem

*….zzzzzz….* -Chaos

In which Mayhem channels Dirty Harry

Congrats to Laurie, who won the copy of K. Z. Snow’s m/m romance, The Prayer Waltz!


  • Will my current refrigerator last long enough for my backordered refrigerator to arrive?
  • Inquiring minds really, really want to know.
  • Although I’m pretty sure it makes no difference to those ten-year old pickles…
  • *ahem*
  • Monday night I had to work an upgrade.
  • My part consisted of staying awake until 1:25 am (yay! they didn’t think they were going to be ready for me until 3:00 am!), then doing quality assurance testing for one hour.
  • After which, I couldn’t fall asleep until 3:30 or 4:00 am.
  • Later in the morning, I was sitting on my couch in a stupor and preparing to log in and work for a few hours when my boss called to tell me about a noon meeting that I really, really needed to attend.
  • It was 11:45 am.
  • Eeep!
  • I managed to shower and get there by 12:30, which I thought was pretty good.
  • I think my boss was just happy that I got there. 🙂
  • I spent the rest of the day feeling as if I was having an out-of-body experience.
  • Have I mentioned that I really don’t do sleep disruption very well?

Go ahead, make my day.” -Mayhem

Shhh! Sleeping Kitty Zone!

  • I have no idea why the CommentLuv plugin is reduced to a single sad checkbox without text below the comment box. If you have some idea, please do share.
    • Last night, I was harmlessly sitting in my bathroom when Chaos, apparently attempting to leap out of the tub and chase after May, got tangled in the shower curtain and fell into the water dish.
    • What? You don’t have a kitty water dish in your bathroom? What happens when they lock themselves into the bathroom when you’re not home? (The toilet is kept closed to keep kitties from playing in it, so it’s not available as a water source.)
    • The kitty treat trick worked very well on Chaos (aka Mr. Food Motivated).
    • He started to get a clue as he was zipped in, but it was too late! *bwahaha*
    • May suspected something was amiss and didn’t jump into the other carrier, but she was too slow to flee the scene. *bwahaha*
    • Verdict #1 from the vet: tartar! Both kitties will need to go back to get their teeth cleaned.
    • Verdict #2 from the vet: May continues to maintain her perfect self (quote from the vet on a prior visit: “She poops rainbows!”), but Chaos…
    • Chaos needs to lose a pound and… has an ear wax issue.
    • Back on the prescription vitamin D, hi-ho, hi-ho.
    • Still waiting on the official test results letter from my doctor to see what else might be awry.
    • Hmm. Not hiding that I’m in a bit of a mood very well, am I?
    • So… Tell me something that will cheer me up! Anyone who leaves a cheering comment on this post by 6 pm CDT, April 11, will have the chance to win their choice of one of the following mix cds: Coffee, Everybody Wants To Be a Cat, Eh Canada, Werewolf Moon, Vampire Life, Books, or ManLove. Winner will be selected by random number. [CONTEST CLOSED]

    *…zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…* -Chaos

    In which absolutely no kitties will be going to the vet today *nudge nudge wink wink*

    • Crazy, crazy weather here – yesterday, it hit 80F.
    • The normal high for April 1 is 49F; the record was 82F… in 1882.
    • It’s been really dry, so things aren’t as green as you would expect with those temperatures.
    • The flooding you hear about is from our too-fast snowmelt while the ground was still frozen.
    • We do have rain in the forecast for the next few days…
    • Nothing to worry about re: the title of this post – just their regular annual checkup.
    • I prepare for this event by getting both cat carriers out a few days early.
    • At this point, if I don’t ‘fess up to leaving one of the cat carriers out all the time, Jeanne will share that tidbit for me. 😉
    • What can I say? I don’t want the cat carriers appearing to be a “zOMG! Flee! Flee! Flee!” trigger.
    • And they like to nap in the carrier that I leave out all the time.
    • I tossed some kitty treats in each carrier last night… baiting the kitty traps, as it were.
    • It never fails to amuse me that in the property description for my condo, my outdoor parking spot is described as my “garden apartment”.
    • Can’t say much for its ambiance.
    • Have a great weekend, everyone, be it a holiday for you or not! 🙂

    “I’m sure that you heard wrong, blog reader. I’m sure Mom’s not going to take us to the vet. That would just be mean.” -Mayhem