DANCE audio book is available on Audible!!!

*happy happy dance*

I have some great news! DANCE audio book is finally available for sale at Audible as of a few minutes ago! Coming soon to iTunes and Amazon. Oh, and right now it's on sale for just over $10! Wanna make your Christmas a bit sexier? Go get it! You can either buy it without creating an account, or get it for free with your free credit if you sign up. You'll get 1 month free trial and you can cancel at any time before the free trial is over. So, effectively, the book will be free!
Happy listening!

*click on book cover to go to the audible page*

Dreaming of Snow is LIVE!

My Christmas novella Dreaming of Snow is live on all Amazon sites, Kobo, Barnes and Noble, and the paperback is available from all big online bookshops. 

It's about all four of my boys - Jared, Fenix, Adam and Penn - and if you loved Dance and Mask, you have a nice little treat to tuck into for the holidays. Here's what it's all about:

It’s been a year since Adam and Penn moved in together, and they’ve settled down into their comfortable new life together. 
Only...not everything is as perfect as it seems. 
Penn is a bit bored after quitting his job at Queen Victoria, and Adam can’t seem to find inspiration for his latest film script.
Jared and Fenix are about to spend their second Christmas in their new home in the picturesque city of Malmö, Sweden. With a beautiful new house and a successful dance studio to run, Jared and Fenix are happy and content.
Only...not everything is as perfect as it seems.
When Jared invites Adam and Penn to spend the holidays with them in Malmö, Adam reluctantly agrees. But the two weeks filled with Christmas shopping, delicious food, fragrant wine, playing in the snow and, most importantly, spending quality time with their closest friends, proves to be exactly what everyone needs.

Find it on:

Amazon

Amazon UK

Kobo

B&N

Here's a little something to whet your appetite:

News, and stuff

I know, I know, I've been slacking off lately, not keeping my promise to update my blog more regularly, but with good reason, I promise. I've been busy with a secret project, but more on that later.
I have some great news to share! First off, Mask blog tour ends up today and it has been fantastic! The reviews the book got are so amazing that some of them made me all misty-eyed and warm inside. I'm amazed and beyond happy with the incredible support my book had received, from both fans of Dance and people who'd never read any of my books before. 
I have to share this quote from one of the reviews, because it's so important to me that I could change even one person's mind about accepting people as they are:

I’m not a fan of feminising a male character in m/m romance and at first I felt this was happening to Penn with the dressing in silk etc, but it wasn’t until I grasped and understood this diverse and wonderful character that he is that it all clicked into place. I felt kind of ashamed to put that assumption in my head and loved the message in this book in that everyone is unique and are there to be accepted for who they are.


Another great thing that happened over the past few weeks was that Dance got nominated in the MM Romance Readers Choice awards in two categories - Best Cover Art and Best Performance/Visual Arts! Thank you to whoever nominated my book - I feel so honoured. 

And, last but not least, about that secret project. I've been working on a Christmas novella about all four of my boys for a couple of weeks now. It's called Dreaming of Snow and will be released in December - the exact date to be announced soon! Click on the cover to add it on Goodreads.

Mask is LIVE!

Finally, the day has come! MASK is LIVE on all Amazon sites, Barnes&Noble and Kobo, plus you can order the paperback from most online book stores.

Join the Facebook Party for lots of prizes, chat with authors Nicola Haken, Kora Knight and Rhys Ethan, plus takovers from bloggers and book lovers. Hope to see you there!

You can also enter the giveaway for a chance to win one of the three huge swag packs, $10 Amazon giftcard or Mask ebooks.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Adam Fischer doesn’t believe in second chances. Heartbroken after his lover Charlie leaves him to chase his music career in L.A., Adam is convinced that meaningless one-night-stands are all life has in store for him. 

Until fate drops Penn Shields in his lap. 

Penn is a young, talented designer fresh out of college who has just landed his dream job as a wardrobe assistant in Queen Victoria theatre, where Adam is performing in a popular musical. 

He’s also Charlie's brother. 

The last thing Penn wants is to follow in his brother’s footsteps, especially since they haven’t spoken in years. However, the attraction he feels for Adam grows with each day, and soon resisting it proves to be futile. 

As Adam and Penn get to know each other intimately, they both realise that first impressions may be deceiving, and that, sometimes, second chances come in the same packaging. 

3 days until Mask is out!!!!

I'm freaking out, big time. Just 3 days until Mask is officially released into the world. 3 days until my book takes a life on its own. 3 days until people start loving it, hating it, and letting me know all about it. 3 days until the book I worked so long on will be read by so many people (judging by the preorder count).
It's scary. It's nerve-racking. It's exhilarating.
To celebrate the fact that I managed to write another book - a fact that will never seize to amaze me - I've organised a little Facebook event where we're going to party non-stop for almost 24 hours. There will be special appearances and takeover by some of my author friends, including Kora Knight and Nicola Haken, as well as lots of games and giveaways with fun prizes.

        

Like what you see? Visit the Facebook Event page and join the party! The grand prize of the day will be a MASK paperback. The winner will be chosen from every single person who commented under any of the posts.

Isn't it gorgeous?

3 days, guys! 3 days!!!!

*twirls*

*REVIEW* Return on Investment by Aleksandr Voinov

5 huge stars!!! I ADORED this book!

Return on Investment is, according to Aleks himself, a book that doesn’t fit into any category – there’s not enough action and violence to be a thriller, and not enough romance to be a full-on romance novel. And yet, that is what I loved most about it. Its originality, its honesty, its own incredible personality. I’m so tired of books that have been pre-made and shaped in a mould that you can predict every single plot twist and ‘drama’ resolution. But, alas, that’s what publishers want, and I’d like to say a huge THANK YOU to Aleks who took the gamble to self-publish this book and bring it into our lives.

Return on Investment feels personal. I could see Aleks in every scene of the book – probably because I was aware of his financial editing background, but more so because every word felt undistorted by the publishing mould. There are a few not politically correct references and quite a few scenes that would make romance readers cringe due to the lack of melodrama, heartfelt declarations of love or regard for personal safety. It all made it real.

I must admit I know next to nothing about finance and just thinking about it makes me yawn. Despite that, I can’t remember the last time I enjoyed a book so much. I can safely say it’s one of my favourite of Voinov’s now! What I liked about the ‘finance talk’ was that it wasn’t simplified, or at least that’s the impression I got. There was a lot I didn't understand, but at the same time I walked away from this book knowing a lot more about that world than before I started. Too many authors over-simplify the terminology of the subject matter of their books, over-explaining everything as if talking to a child and I dislike that immensely.  Rest assured, that if you, just like me, don’t know anything about Wall Street or London’s City or anything to do with finance, hedge funds, restructuring and hostile take-overs, you’ll still get the story and you’ll still love every bit of this amazing book, putting everything else in your life on hold until you’re done reading.

Now, for the romance. How can people say that there isn’t enough romance? Martin and Francis’ love story is epic! It might be unconventional, it might be tough and long time in the making, but it’s still one of the most touching love stories I’ve read.

I love Francis from the very first time he appeared on page. His integrity shone through his arrogance and I knew he’d do the right thing in the end.

And Martin was absolutely adorable! I enjoyed reading about his personal and professional growth so much, and his dedication to Francis – because let’s face it, the guy had it bad from page one – was beautiful and touching.

I’ll stop rambling now, and I’ll urge you to read this book – it’s a must-read for every Voinov fan. His writing is phenomenal and I’ll never get tired of reading his books, however unconventional or ‘out-of-the-box’ they might be in the future.

Oh, and I’ll leave you with my absolute favourite quote from the book:

“I understand how not even a priest can resist you when you want him” ~Martin to Francis.

You can buy the book exclusively on Amazon.

About the author

EPIC Award winner and Lambda Award finalist Aleksandr Voinov is an emigrant German author living near London, where he works as a financial editor. His genres range from science fiction and fantasy to thriller, historical, contemporary, thriller, and erotica. His books were/are published by Random House Germany, Samhain Publishing, Riptide Publishing and others.

If he isn't writing, he studies sports massage, explores historical sites, and meets other writers. He single-handedly sustains three London bookstores with his ever-changing research projects. His current interests include special forces operations during World War II, the history of chess, european magical traditions, and how to destroy the world and plunge it into a nuclear winter without having the benefit of nuclear weapons.

Contacts

Website

Blog

Twitter

Teaser Tuesday

The official release date for MASK is approaching fast - just two weeks till November 6th! I'm very excited for everyone to finally meet Adam and Penn! 
For those who are impatient, here's a few picture teasers I made to whet your appetite ;)

MASK preorder is live on Amazon

I'm super excited to announce that MASK is live for preorder on all Amazon sites! Make sure you get your copy delivered at 12am on release day and preorder today ;)

Amazon.com

Amazon.co.uk

Audio books excerpts

Dance audio book excerpt #1

Like what you hear? Get Dance on Audible, Audible UK, Amazon and iTunes!

Dance audio book excerpt #2

Mask audio book excerpt #1

Get Mask on Audible, Audible UK, Amazon and iTunes

Mask audio book excerpt #2

Mask audio book excerpt #3

MASK release day announcement, blog tour signup and news update

Hey!
Sorry I've been a bit quiet lately but I was deep in writing and revising Mask, determined to finish it before the end of the month. And ta-daaaa, it's done!!!

The release date is set for November 6 2014. The book also had a cover makeover and I'm in love with the new cover!!!

The wonderful Ena and Jennifer at Enticing Journey Book Promotions are organising the blog tour and we all would love it if any bloggers reading this, who love MM Romance, sign up! I've prepared some wonderful giveaway prizes and I'm open to ideas for any fun blog posts you'd like to do. I'll also provide ARCs at least 10 days before the scheduled blog tour date.

SIGN UP FORM

Also, I've created a Facebook event for release day and I have so much stuff to give away, plus I'm hoping to get a lot of interesting guests attending! Join us for some fun, games and prizes, and invite your friends over.

Facebook Party

DANCE audio book excerpt

I got the advanced copy of Dance audio book yesterday and have been listening to it pretty much non stop, mortified at the smut I have written. It's excruciating to listen to your own book! Especially when it's so full of sex! I swear it doesn't sound so dirty in my head!

Anyway, I've been moaning on Facebook about it, and due to popular demand, managed to piece together a sample. So here it is, about 2 minutes of hot sex. 

You're welcome.

***NSFW***

***MATURE CONTENT***

*EXCLUSIVE* review of Bad Things by Varian Krylov

 *****5 Huge Stars*****

Blurb:

Xavier makes a lot of people nervous. The rest, he flat-out scares. More than his hulking, tattooed body, it's his predator's gaze that makes people feel vulnerable, as if he had the power to read their thoughts and see their soul. For his lovers, it's Xavier's ravenous appetite for all things carnal—for the taste of flesh under his tongue and the feel of a trembling body under his control, for whispered pleas and muffled cries—that makes him dangerous. 

But recently, driven by a festering rage against the men who attacked his sister a decade ago, Xavier has developed a taste for a different kind of hunt and conquest: stalking men who do truly bad things and punishing the predators he sniffs out. The problem with vigilante justice, though, is sometimes the man in your trap is innocent. 

Carson suspects he's playing a risky game with dangerous men. But the lies are convincing, especially when they're slipped to him among hundred dollar bills. He never guessed how big and dark the secret hidden under all the lies and money could be. And he has no idea he's not the predator, but the prey, until it's too late. 

And you can't beg for mercy when there's a gag in your mouth. 

But when Carson escapes from Xavier's trap, he's forced to accept that Xavier is far from his most dangerous enemy. Xavier may even hold the key to overcoming the painful past that has kept Carson prisoner for almost two decades.

I’ll start by saying that I did not expect to like this book. Quite the opposite – based on my impression of Xavier from Dangerously Happy (you can read my review of Varian’s other fabulous book HERE), I was fully prepared to hate him. And how do you love a book when you dislike its main character so intensely? On top of that, I’m not a fan of BDSM...

It’s safe to say that I dived into the story quite nervously, but I was super excited at the same time. Varian wouldn’t let me down, would she? Her writing is perfection, surely she can make me feel something other than dislike for Xavier?

Dear Lord, did she! By the end of the book I loved Xavi so bad!

"The new guy looked like he belonged to another species, not just because he was unusually tall and incredibly broad, but because there was something strange, something animal about him."

I don’t want to give away too much of the story because I feel it will be better if everyone jumps into it without any expectations. I didn’t even read the blurb. I knew who Xavi was from Dangerously Happy, but nothing else. It was such a beautiful experience to unveil every layer of the story without knowing what to expect.

Bad Things is an intense book on every level imaginable. It was very hard to read at times, the brutality of the situations painted so vividly by Varian’s exquisite writing, that I had to stop and take a breather. I’m not even talking about Xavier’s behaviour, but about the backdrop of the story. Unfortunately, human trafficking is not something Varian imagined for her novel. It’s something very real and very close to each and every one of us, even if we don’t actually see it with our own eyes. It’s easy to ignore things we don't see, but it’s so painful to read about them, especially when the writing is so amazing you can practically see those women in your mind’s eye; feel their pain; hear their screams.

That aside, the intensity of Xavier and Carson’s relationship is indescribable. It’s not your usual romance, not at all. It’s brutal and passionate, sometimes violent, but always honest. I do not recommend this book for anyone who can’t handle anything darker than a fluffy, easy, sexy romance. The relationship between the MCs is quite unconventional in this book, and I was prepared to hate Xavier for putting Carson through everything he did, but ended up understanding his actions. I wasn’t looking at it through my own eyes – I was looking at it through Xavier and Carson’s eyes. It was what they both needed, even though it hurt them both so badly.

"Looking into his eyes, like holding someone's gaze as they fall from the edge of a cliff, as they plummet down into an abyss so deep you can't see the rocks that will break them."

I’d like to thank Varian for trusting me with her book more than 2 weeks before the official release date, and to recommend it wholeheartedly to anyone. It’s an emotional, intense story of two people trying to find themselves through each other. Two people not afraid to hurt and get hurt if the emptiness inside them will be filled again in the end.

"Can you be naked for me? Always?" Xavier asked. (...)

"Yes." (...)

"That means you have to be naked to yourself."

"I know." (...)

"But you have to be naked too, Xavi."

Oh, and there’s a pretty hot cameo by Aidan and Dario. Did I mention the sex in the book is off-the-charts hot?

Go preorder Bad Things HERE

 You can buy Dangerously Happy HERE

Varian's Blog

Varian's twitter

Varian's Facebook page

Blogger interview - Kelsey Burns from Kelsey's Korner Blog

Everyone, please give a warm welcome to another blogger friend of mine - the wonderful Kelsey Burns from Kelsey's Korner Blog! 

Teodora Kostova: Hey Kelsey, welcome! Tell me about your blog and why people should visit it.

Kelsey Burns: Hi Teodora and thank you for having me.

I like to think my blog is a fun place to hang out. I post as much as possible and the posts include cover reveals, freebies, reviews, giveaways, spotlights and I have the occasional page takeover. I've also been involved in hosting live events. You name it I tend to give it a go. I love to interact and get feedback from my followers about the books they are reading and really enjoy chatting to everyone. I'm really passionate about my book world and I like to try and help get the word out about as many authors as I can. Be it established authors or newbies just starting out, I feel that everyone deserves a fair crack of the whip. I especially love interviewing authors for my spot on my website  In The Korner with Kelsey . I have a kind of alter ego me and I transform into her as soon as I start an interview. I love to make the interviews fun and witty.

TK: How did you get into blogging?

KB: I was asked by a friend of mine to help her out with her blog, I wasn't very tech savvy so I was reluctant at first but I gave it a go and things spiralled from there. I decided to start my own blog and that's when Kelsey's Korner was born. I also help out with the sharing on two or three other blog pages. It's all about sharing and caring.

TK: Do you think something has changed in the bloggerverse ever since you started blogging and if so, what?

KB: My blog is relatively new and I'm struggling to find the answer. I've watched more and more blogs appear which is a good thing for authors. The more we can shout about them the better. I tend to watch behind the scenes as trends come and go. I'm not one to follow trends and I'll always do my own thing.

"Her own thing" seems to be getting her boobs signed at every possible occasion LOL

 

TK: What are your biggest challenges as a blogger?

KB: Keeping my blog interesting. I want readers to follow my blog and get a buzz. I tend to think outside the box whenever possible and try something different and exciting. I had a great time when a ton of my favourite authors turned the tables and interviewed me. There were some very up close and personal questions and we did this live! My wonderful author friends took great pleasure in embarrassing me with extremely quirky and fun questions. It was a challenge in itself answering them!!

 I tend to get something into my head and focus until I get it right. Sometimes it takes over my life completely. Another challenge is letting go. It's often hard to remember that this is my hobby and pastime.

TK: Did you ever think about giving up?

KB: Yes I would be telling lies if I said I never thought about giving it up occasionally. We're all human right? It's nice to be appreciated and at times people take bloggers for granted and just expect. You have no idea how many emails and messages I get every day asking me to share, post or review. 90% of the time people are courteous and I do try to accommodate their requests. Sadly there's a minority out there who have no manners. When I have down days and wonder why I do this crazy blogging stuff all for love of it I speak to my close author friends who set me on track again.

TK: If you had to think of a single moment that makes all the hard work worth it what would it be?

KB: I can't single out one I'm afraid because I've had some very special moments! I've been very lucky to have had my blog name and quotes from reviews on the back of 3 books. I've also had dedications to myself personally which brought tears to my eyes. I love to beta read and give my thoughts, I'm very honest and critical but always try to be constructive. When my authors say "Kelsey that makes a difference thanks for your input" I feel like the happiest woman alive and the buzz is amazing. The icing on the cake and funniest moment yet was having a full chapter wrote about myself and two friends using our real names. We were having fun times with a male escort. The day of publication my phone never stopped buzzing and my mother read that book!!!!

I travelled to Chicago to meet a wonderful group of friends from all over the world and attend an author signing. Meeting them was a huge highlight in my life and I'll never forget how that made me feel but one other thing always sticks in my mind. A lady follows my blog page religiously and while I was wandering around at the event she made herself known to me, she said "I'm a great supporter of your blog Kelsey." I'm a big softie at heart and the tears welled in my eyes as I realised who she was. I couldn't believe she was waiting in line to chat and get a picture with me.

There's been many more moments I'll treasure. Including having my boobs signed!!

Yes, Kelsey, we remember the previous photos LOL

 

TK: What’s the best and worst thing about being a book blogger?

KB: The best thing about being a blogger is meeting like-minded people. I love to form relationships and bond. Blogging has enabled me to connect with thousands of people who love what I love. I've been extremely lucky to have met lots of authors, bloggers and readers over the past year at author events and each time I meet someone different and make great friends. The worst thing about blogging for me is reading negative and nasty comments on the internet. There's times I just need to take a step back from it all and have a break. Anyone who has the courage to write is a star in my opinion.

TK: If you stopped blogging all of a sudden, what would you do with all that free time?

KB: Read!!

TK: Do you have any advice for bloggers just starting out?

KB: I'm still learning something new every day. If anyone asked for my advice I'd say don't get dragged into the dramas, be yourself and support the authors and readers who support you.

TK:  What’s your day job, if you have one, and how does it fit in your blogging life?

KB: My day job is perfect for my blogging life. I work on school transport and I take 3 wonderful children who have special needs to school every morning, then deliver them back to their parents on an evening . My husband is the driver so I get perks too, like time off to go to author events etc. Life is good, I get all day to read and blog.

TK: Do your family and friends know about your blog and if so, what do they think about it?

KB: Yes. Everyone knows about my blog but no-one really has the same passion for reading that I do. My son is a web designer and created my website therefore he shows interest. My daughter thinks I'm boring and thinks I spend too much time on my computer. My mother is 80 years of age and reads a book a day, she has made the occasional guest review and is known as The Dark Mamma in my social circle. Anyone who writes a dark read wants my mother to read it and get her feedback. I have one or two close friends who say I've found my forte and have always known I should be doing something like this. Then I have friends and family who called me a boring geek when I started. I'm quite happy to prove them wrong and tell them about my travels to Chicago, Ireland, Las Vegas and Great Britain meeting great authors and friends, what a shame I'm such a geek and my life is so boring.

TK: What do you love to read in your free time, when it’s not a blog obligation?

KB: I don't have a favourite genre but I do like something gritty and dark. I can read almost anything as long as it grips me. I'm a little bit sick so the more a book makes my tummy churn the more I enjoy it. I like an author to take risks and not write for the masses. If there's cheating, death m/m then I get excited. I don't need a happy ending and I like when an author makes it real. I don't believe in stars and rainbows but I respect that readers also want to find a happy place and escape in their books. I've read full series' in science fiction romance and love lots of paranormal. When I'm in the mood for it I enjoy some erotica but I need to have a good story with my sex! If someone makes me LOL in a book I will love them forever.

 Flash round:

·         Backstreet Boys or Nsync

Backstreet Boys

·         Batman or Superman

Batman

·         Morning or night

Night

·         True Blood or Vampire Diaries

True Blood

·         Books or audio books

Books

·         Disney or Dreamworks

Neither

·         Sushi or pizza

Pizza

·         Rock or pop

Rock

·         TV series or movies

TV series

Thanks, Kelsey, for this amazing interview! 
Kelsey's contact details are below - make sure you follow her! 

2014 has been incredibly busy for her and 2015 is shaping up to be even more so - Kelsey will be attending LovenVegas author event in October in Las Vegas and assisting in York and Dublin next year.

                       

Facebook 

Website 

Twitter  

Friday Hottie - Nelsan Ellis

Lafayette is one of my favourite True Blood characters! He's such an amazing, funny, gorgeous guy! So, for today's True Blood hottie I've got some gorgeous pics of Nelson Ellis for you all.
Enjoy!

Throwback Thursday - Then, Now, Forever

Mask Update

Thank you all for emailing me and messaging me on Facebook and Twitter and Goodreads about Mask. I'm still unable to believe how a book I haven't even written yet has generated so much interest. It's surreal.
But what's more, all of your lovely messages make me keep writing.
Because let me tell you, writing Adam and Penn is not easy. I almost gave up a couple of times, and had more than a few dramatic freak outs.
Fenix and Jared were such a pleasure to write! I was so calm and relaxed the whole time I was writing Dance. Adam and Penn are a completely different story. They either refuse to talk to me, or wake me up at 7am on a Sunday morning, screaming their asses off. No joke.
They refuse to do what I tell them to and I never know what to expect. My initial outline is ruined.
Sometimes I dread sitting down and writing because I'm scared what this book will turn out to be. I know one thing for sure though - it won't be what I planned.
I'm sorry if some of you are disappointed that it's taking me so long to finish writing it, but it's really hard. I can't give you a certain release date yet, but what I can say for sure is this - I will finish this book if it's the last thing I'll ever do, and it will be published this year.
I'm not sure how people will react to it because it's so different from Dance and explores theme some may find weird, but it is what it is.
Blame it on Adam and Penn.
Thanks again for all your support, guys. I wouldn't be able to do any of this without you.
Love you!