Shari’s Life: New Flooring and Thrift Haul!

Shari's Life

Floor 1Last weekend I spent hours moving all my stuff into the kitchen and bathroom so that I could have my new flooring fitted in my lounge, hall and bedroom! Whilst I was lugging all my collection around (I didn’t appreciate how much I had until I had to move it!) I was questioning whether I should I have just put up with the carpet but I am so glad I did decide to get it all changed! The new floor is amazing! It changes the whole look of my flat (and unfortunately highlights the fact that the lounge needs a repaint so that’s project number 2 now!). Whilst it was being fitted a few straggler moths made an escape bid. I took pity on them and put them out the window! My new floor is Tash-approved too although she did not approve of the noise whilst it was being fitted!

Yesterday me, Sarah and Georgie went thrifting at the car-boot at Ford. I didn’t really find much for myself apart from these adorable as-new beanie boos for £2 for both! They are £9.99 each in Claire’s so that really was a steal! Georgie found a lot of stuff he wanted and his haul was a bargain too! The lot was £13 and retail the big truck alone was that much at least!Thifting 1

We also went into Chichester to squish hunt! I had such a good find in the Entertainer! They had one random Livvy the Starfish so I grabbed her! They had none of the rest of her squad tho which was a shame 😦 I also got some blind bags for my blind bag box and some more Recyclings! Claire’s are still having their buy 3 get 3 free offer so we checked that out too! I got one flip-a-mallow and then some jewellery and hair ties! Me and Sarah had also gone to Claire’s in Bognor and Chichester on Tuesday and did the offer with Squishmallows and got 6 each which was amazing! They’d had some of the blacklight squad, the new clips and the wildlife squad! If they had re-stocked on Saturday I properly would have done the offer with the squish again! 

My favourite buy of the day was this adorable caterpillar I got from Clintons. He was another steal at £9.99! It was funny as he was standing upright in the box and when I started to pull him out I was shocked at how big he was! I’ve put him on my sofa, and I can see his big happy face as I am typing this!

Squish 1Today I’m going up to B&M to get some bits for my flat and for holiday (and also to check for squish!). I then want to download the new Sims 4 high school expansion! I am very excited about this (despite hating high school myself when I was there haha!). I hope everyone is having a great weekend too!

Blog Tour: Sins of our Sons by Kristian Daniels

BLOG TOUR

Book Title: Sins of our Sons

Author: Kristian Daniels

Publisher: Extasy Books

Release Date: May 28, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Tropes: Forbidden love, murder, conversion therapy

Themes: Coming out, forgiveness, hate crime, love

Heat Rating: 3 flames

Length: 94 000 words/ 333 pages

It is a standalone book and does not end on a cliffhanger.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Amazon US | Amazon UK | Extasy Books

Contemporary MM Romance, murder, conversion therapy

Blurb

Young lovers Greg and Tyler secretly meet to spend time together, until a moment of passion by the moonlight throws their lives into chaos. When their parents learn about their little escapade, it opens a Pandora’s box that spreads family discord, resentment, and heartaches. When someone adds fuel to an already fragile situation, things get out of hand quickly. Will these two young lovers stay safe? How much can they endure before they break?

Continue reading “Blog Tour: Sins of our Sons by Kristian Daniels”

Shari’s Life: Heatwave and almost holiday time!

Shari's Life

It’s very hot in the UK at the moment. Apparently there are red warnings and scientists saying it is going to be the hottest ever recorded over the next few days. A lot of people enjoy the hot weather. I really don’t. I’m not a fan of weather full stop to be honest. I like it ‘just right’ and ideally no rain and in the UK we seem to just go to one extreme to the another!

Which is why I am super excited to be jetting off to Iceland in just under a month’s time! It’s going to be averaging at a much more tolerable (for me anyway) 13 degrees celsius (55 F)! I booked our excursions the other day. We’re going whale watching and doing the Golden Circle tour. The northern lights aren’t that visible this time of year but I think we will try for this too! We have also planned in some exploring (and shopping!) time! 

My sister is coming over tonight and we are going to go through anything we still need to organise and using this an excuse to try the new Tapas restaurant that opened in town!

IMG_9545I met the lovely lady who is going to be looking after Tash for me the other week. I am worried about leaving Tash as I have not been on holiday since I got her but I am less worried now I know she will be in safe hands. Tash approves of her temporary cat-mum too which is great! 

The weekend will probably be quite busy as I need clear up my lounge and bedroom for the carpet fitters on Monday! This doesn’t sound like it will take all weekend but with the amount of collectables and other stuff I have it really will! They were going to do the lounge, hallway and bedroom over 2 days but they now think they can do it in a day which is great! 

If I have some time, I am hoping to go thrifting as well as squishmallow / toy hunting! If I’m able to fit it in too I will be sure to post about any great gets! 

I hope everyone is managing to keep cool!

New Release Blitz: Force Majeure by Sophia Soames

RELEASE BLITZ

Book Title: Force Majeure

Author and Publisher: Sophia Soames

Cover Model: Rourke

Release Date: July 15, 2022

Genre: Contemporary M/M Romance

Trope: Childhood friends to Lovers

Themes: Jealousy, Hurt/Comfort, Set in Berlin

Heat Rating: 4 flames

Length: 32 000 words

It is a standalone story.

Goodreads

Buy Links

Universal Link | Amazon US | Amazon UK

Love is an earthquake that relocates the centre of the universe.

Blurb

Oakley Hoffman is a walking, talking natural disaster. Not only does he seem to be the only functioning adult in his family, but he also stomps around creating irrational earthquakes with every badly thought-out ridiculous move he makes. He barely survived lockdown, and with life returning to something that vaguely resembles normal, Oakley has landed himself an inconvenient infatuation with his former best friend. Well, if he’s totally honest, he’s probably nursed that crush for years. Yet, this time around, infatuation has brought a bad streak of jealousy to boot.

Force Majeure is a 32K novella featuring childhood friends to lovers in adulthood, with explicit content intended for mature readers. No trigger warnings.

Force Majeure refers to a clause that is included in contracts to remove liability for natural and unavoidable catastrophes that interrupt the expected course of events.
Excerpt

The clinking of the lock to the Demircis’ apartment kicks me out of my daydreams, and my heart jolts as I jump to my feet, almost tripping myself up in an effort to not look like I’m loitering.

“I could hear you a mile off,” Cem says, shuffling out into the hall, shivering despite the duvet draped around his shoulders like a royal cape. “You need to go to work and stop trying to scratch my head through the walls.”

He sits on the step. Too weak to fight the pull of his presence, I plonk down beside him, probably bruising my arse in the process, because I know I’ll get what I’ve been craving. Cem has always needed contact, and here I am, being squashed against the wall as he leans his body against mine and his head falls heavily on my shoulder.

“I’m a dick,” he says, bang on with the self-reflection.

“Yeah,” I want to shout at him, scream in his goddamn face, shake him until he gets his head in gear and sees how he has shattered my world. But I don’t. I can be a calm, reasonable person, and I have far too much self-control to fall apart in front of Cemil Demirci.

“I got carried away at the weekend,” he continues. “There was a party, and then I stayed over with friends, and time just kind of evaporated, you know?” Excuses. Always excuses.

“You have an exam today,” I say. If I sound angry, it’s because I can’t help myself.

“It’s under control.” He sighs deeply and turns his head so his nose is pressed into my shoulder. That’s something else he does to reel me in. Why do I let him so cheaply buy my forgiveness? “I studied all week, so I’m good. It’s all in here.” His hand pokes out of the duvet to point at his head. “I’m not worried about the exams.”

I’m not worried either. Cem is too clever for his own good. He’ll read a book and memorise every line, quoting it back at me in long, rambling sentences I barely understand. Nor have I ever seen him use a calculator. He scribbles down numbers at frightening speed on whatever surface he can find and then does the calculation in his head.

Cem knows stuff. Far too much stuff.

“I miss you,” I whisper without meaning to. Even shielded by all the jealousy and anger I feel, knowing I’m slowly, irrevocably losing him again, it’s the truth. He is the calm to my inner storm, and I will forgive him for anything and everything. And I hate myself for it.

 

About the Author

Sophia Soames should be old enough to know better but has barely grown up. She has been known to fangirl over TV shows, has fallen in and out of love with more popstars than she dares to remember, and has a ridiculously high-flying (un-)glamourous real-life job.

Her long-suffering husband just laughs at her antics. Their children are feral. The Au Pair just sighs.

She lives in a creaky old house in rural London, although her heart is still in Scandinavia.

Discovering that the stories in her head make sense when written down has been part of the most hilarious midlife crisis ever, and she hopes it may long continue.

Find me on social media @sophiasoames on all platforms

Christina Stern is a Russian based artist. Quick sketches and portraits drawn in pencil are what she likes to do the most. Her work can be found on @christinastern on Instagram

Aurelia Morris is a cover artist, photographer, Photoshop wiz and eternal fangirl. She works in many mediums under more aliases that she can keep track of.

Social Media Links

 

Hosted by Gay Book Promotions



Shari’s Life: New flooring, general sorting out and Squishmallow hunting!

Shari's Life

It’s been quite a busy week or so for me lately. There was Broken World’s release on 8th and I’ve been focusing on getting a lot sorted out in my flat too. One thing I really wanted to get was new floors in the lounge, hall and bedroom. I had a carpet moth infestation in 2021 and they did quite a lot of damage 😦 I have decided to go for wood-effect vinyl which looks lovely, is easier to keep clean and no moths will want to eat it! I’ve had a quote and its going to be fitted at the end of the month. I went for a light coastal oak colour and am so excited for it to be done! I had a company quote for custom curtains in my lounge but they said it would be nearly £1,000 due to the size of my bay window :O I’ve found some online myself which are a fraction of the cost so I will be getting these and putting them up myself instead! 

I’ve also been doing a lot of sorting out (I had so much for the charity shops!) and its starting to look a lot better. When I moved in, I just kind of dumped everything in place and never really got around to sorting it. I wish I had done it sooner as it just looks so nice. Once the new floors are down I will take some photos to share with you! 

SquishmallowsOn Saturday we went up to Hilsea again for another Squishmallow / toy hunt and this time it was a major success! Smyths had restocked and I was able to get so many that I wanted! They had the Squishville playsets on reduced so I was able to grab the two that I was after for £9.99 each which was awesome! I found Xiomara the cat who I really wanted last time but they didn’t have! I also found Maggie the stingray in B&M and my sister bought me Mony the butterfly on the facebook group! 

Of course, the star of the haul is the Squishville version of Misty the Mouse. I had been trying to get her for weeks (I bought so many capsules!) and then I found out that she is in the pink ones only! They had four pink ones in Smyths and I was trying to peep through this tiny hole in the bottom of the capsule with help from my phone light to see if I could see her! My sister said that would never work as she wasn’t the only grey one in the set but I was quietly confident I had picked the right one – and I did! We both agreed that opening that up and finding her was the best moment of the day! 

DragonWe also went into Portsmouth to continue the hunt but apart from series 2 capsules in Tesco there wasn’t much sadly. I went into the crystal shop and I bought this really cute dragon incense burner! I’ve got back into using incense again and my stick burner is really old (I’ve had it since I was 17!). Another issue I have is Tash keeps trying to grab the stick! This dragon one is really neat as it uses the cone incense. You can lift the dragon off the base and light one under it and smoke rises up and comes out of holes in his nose! I cannot wait to try it out! I remembered when I got home that I had this log stand that I have never used for anything so I put the dragon on that and think it looks really neat!

Writing: What’s Next

Thank you so much to everyone who helped make Broken World’s release day such a success! I am so happy with how it went and hope that everyone enjoys reading the latest instalment!

Now that it is out there, I am planning what I will be working on next. So far, I am undecided between starting Book 4 in the series or returning to where I left off with Demon’s Life. I have the first scene for Perfect World 4 already mapped out in my head and the series will be taken in exciting new directions going forward! Demon’s Life is halfway complete and it would make sense to finish that first so I am leaning towards doing this. 

I also want to continue my fantasy novel which is also currently in progress! I would love to do all 3 but the most I can manage is probably two at once. I always like to have two books on the go at any one time as it helps if I have writer’s block with one I can change to the other until inspiration returns.

Once I have decided I will be sure to post an update and let you all know. If you have a preference of what you would like to see next do please comment and let me know, as I always take my readers’ thoughts into consideration 🙂

New Release Blitz: Music from Stone by Brenda Murphy

Title: Music from Stone

Series: University Square, Book Four

Author: Brenda Murphy

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 07/05/2022

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Female/Female

Length: 67900

Genre: Contemporary, LGBTQIA+, Romance, contemporary, family-drama, BDSM, interracial, lesbian, stone mason, concert pianist, stalker, PTSD, over 40, performance arts, visual arts

Add to Goodreads

Description

Celebrated concert pianist Nüwa Zhou had it all. Until she didn’t. Forced out of the closet while testifying at the kidnapping and murder trial of her obsessive former assistant turned stalker, she retires from the high-pressure world of performing to recover at her parents’ estate.

Stone mason, and frustrated sculptor Julia Johnson, spends her days stone building walls and patios while dreaming of quitting her day job.

After a chance encounter with Julia leads to more, Nüwa imagines a life with Julia. When her stalker returns, determined to kidnap Nüwa and end anyone who stands in his way, Nüwa will do whatever it takes to keep Julia safe, but will it be enough?

Continue reading “New Release Blitz: Music from Stone by Brenda Murphy”

New Release Blitz: Space Stars by Mell Eight

Title: Space Stars

Author: Mell eight

Publisher: NineStar Press

Release Date: 07/05/2022

Heat Level: 3 – Some Sex

Pairing: Male/Male

Length: 37800

Genre: Science Fiction, LGBTQIA+, space travel, robotics, musicians, celebrities, established couple, spies, secret agents, nerds, scientists, porn star/sex industry

Add to Goodreads

Description

This book is two short stories with one thing in common—the stars in space shine brightly, whether you’re on planet or soaring on a ship.

Cole’s star is rising like a rocket as his band tours the galaxies to sing to their adoring fans. Except, Cole’s real job isn’t lead vocals—it’s espionage.

Tarle’s star fell long ago after a horrific accident during a mecha showcase event for his new robot. Then he meets Aster, a porn star on the run. Hiding away together is far more appealing than being alone, but no one can hide forever.

Continue reading “New Release Blitz: Space Stars by Mell Eight”

Broken World: Out Now!

Broken World Banner

Eric Rawlins has made the people of England a promise. That he will stand for them against Ivan Williams and the L.S.A, but with politics and agendas threatening to dictate his every move, Eric struggles to find allies that he can trust.

When a daring mission to rescue Adam’s staff goes awry, Eric finds that he is starting to question himself in ways that shake him to the very core. Whilst grappling with his inner turmoil, Eric can also see that Adam is struggling against his own demons.

As the pressure begins to build, Eric takes the fight to Williams. However, Adam’s dangerous obsession with revenge threatens to not only put the entire operation in jeopardy, but his relationship with Eric too.


Today is the release day for Broken World (Perfect World Book 3)! I am so happy to finally be able to share more of Eric and Adam’s story with you all. Thank you so much to everyone who supporting the release, I appreciate it so much! I hope you all enjoy the third instalment of the series. 

If you are new to the series, the other books in the series are currently on promotion! 

Kindle Countdown Deals

Perfect World (Perfect World 1) – 99c from 8th-15th July 2022!

New Era (Perfect World 2) – 99c from 8th-15th July 2022!

Free!

Adam (a companion novel to the Perfect World series) – from 8th-12th July 2022!

 

Broken World Excerpt

This is the final excerpt before Broken World’s release tomorrow! I hope that you have enjoyed reading these previews!


1652373383Adam swallowed hard and momentarily Eric saw him hesitate. Then his expression hardened into one of resolve once more.

“We can still have that future, but only if you step aside and let me end this.”

“No,” Eric refused. “Adam, if you pull that trigger then you have no future. I cannot protect you from the consequences of this.”

“Then don’t!”

“You can’t mean that! Think about all the progress that you have made since we first met. You have proven to everyone that there is so much more to you than the villain that Williams tried to turn you into. You are brilliant, fearless, and compassionate. You have helped so many people, including me!”

“None of that matters anymore!” Adam snapped fiercely.

“Why? Why is killing him so important?” Eric demanded.

“How can you even ask that?” Adam’s tentative control over his emotions faltered again. This time he did little to reign them back in.

“You talk about our future as though it is so easy! That I can just put the gun down and we can live happily ever after!”

“Of course, it’s not going to be that easy. But it is the first step in the right direction. Revenge is for people who have nothing to lose, and you still do!”

“I don’t!” Adam cried out in anguish. “It doesn’t matter what I do! Ivan is inside my head! He got inside there years ago, and he has never left! And he never will unless I end this now!”

At this acknowledgment of the internal struggle that Adam had tried so hard to hide, something seemed to give inside of him. For the first time, Eric realised that he could see the true misery and pain that Adam was in. His hand holding the gun began to shake and his eyes welled up with untold agony. Without thinking of any consequences, Eric moved forward and embraced him. As he pulled Adam tightly against his chest, he could feel the cold press of the gun between them. Rather than resist, he felt Adam collapse into his arms.

“I’m sorry,” Eric whispered against his ear. “I am so sorry. I didn’t realise just how much pain you are in.”

“I can’t see an end to this, Eric,” Adam rasped as his breath began to catch in erratic sobs. “I don’t even remember a time when it did not hurt. Everything I am and everything that I have done is because of him.”

“I know, I know,” Eric eased back enough to take the gun from Adam’s trembling grip. He did not resist as his despair overwhelmed him.

“I’ll get you help,” Eric promised as he drew Adam against him once more. “You can come back from this. I told you I would save you, Adam, and I will.”