Gothic

Dress Up, Dress Down with L.M.Brown #MFRWAuthor

Please join me in welcoming L.M.Brown to the LAM Blog. What do you think of when you think of vampires?  Elegant and sophisticated is often what springs to my mind.  The classic Dracula as portrayed by such greats at Christopher Lee in the old-fashioned suit, for example, is such a staple in how vampires are portrayed.  Men frozen in time and wearing clothes of another era, no matter how many centuries have passed.

I don’t know about you, but I believe vampires would have to adapt a little better than that, if they hoped to stay under the radar and avoid all those vampire slayers.

Tom, the vampire hero (and I use the word hero in the loosest sense) of my newest release has been around for about a hundred years, but unlike the vampires of literature he does his best to blend in and adopts modern clothes to help him do that.  Rather than finding him in a dark suit and cravat, he’s more likely to be found slobbing around the house in jeans and a t-shirt.

My vampire is one who moves with the times and his clothing reflects that.

That doesn’t mean he is entirely against the classic vampire attire, but he sticks to that sort of garb at Halloween, when he’ll still manage to disappear into the crowd.  Of course when the crowd is a bunch of half-dressed, covered in body glitter, Twilight fans, he still sticks out like a sore thumb.

But he does try not to draw attention to himself, even if he isn’t very good at it.


frenchkissingvampiresforbeginners_432French Kissing Vampires for Beginners by L.M. Brown

A male/male romance

Blurb

Tom is your typical modern vampire.  He lives in a detached house in the suburbs, pays his taxes, and bemoans the price of bottled blood.  He doesn’t usually tell people what he is, but sometimes it can’t be helped, like now, when he has toothache and needs the assistance of a dentist.

Martyn’s night isn’t going too well at all. He’s working late, his patient is a vampire, and now they’re being mugged. But what sort of a vampire is Tom if he can’t leap to the rescue and use his superpowers to save them?

There’s only one way to find out and Martyn, a self-confessed geek with a love for all things vampire, intends to get to know Tom better, despite the bloodsucker’s fear of dentists.

Excerpt

Outside, the street seemed to be deserted, but in this part of town, you could never quite tell for sure.

“Where are you parked?” Tom asked.

“The staff car park, round the back.” Dr Coleman gestured down the street, toward the corner he had hurried round earlier.

“I’ll walk you to your car,” Tom said.

“Why?”

“Because it’s late at night, and this is a rather disreputable area.”

“I’m a grown man and perfectly capable of taking care of myself.”

Tom could tell he’d insulted the dentist, but decided to ignore the man’s annoyance. He walked toward the alley leading to the car park and waited for Dr Coleman to join him.

The dentist rolled his eyes and marched ahead of him, leaving Tom hurrying to catch up.

Half way down the alley, a shadowy figure stepped into their path.

“Your wallets, now,” the mugger demanded.

Tom caught the quick flash of a blade, and he flashed a smugly satisfied, albeit brief, smile at Dr Coleman.

Dr Coleman stared at him expectantly. Tom frowned. He had a feeling the dentist was trying to convey some silent message to him, but he had never been particularly good at interpreting body language. Mind reading would have been real handy right now. Unfortunately, while fictional vampires had the ability, Tom didn’t.  Life as a vampire had been disappointing from day one, and it hadn’t improved over the years.

“Hurry up,” the mugger snarled. “If you poufs can stop making googly eyes at each other.”

“Excuse me?” Tom asked. “What did you call me?”

The mugger jabbed the blade toward them. “Stop stalling and hand ‘em over.”

Tom sighed, gave a moment of thanks that he had very little cash on him, and tossed his wallet at the mugger.

“What are you doing?” Dr Coleman asked. “Aren’t you going to fight him?”

“Fight?”

“Using your, er, unique abilities.”

“I don’t have any.”

Dr Coleman frowned. “What? None at all?”

“No.”

“But you insisted on escorting me to my car. Wasn’t the reason in case something like this happened?”

“I was being polite.”

Buy Links

MLR Press Amazon (universal link) All Romance Ebooks

Kobo

Bio

L.M. Brown is an English writer of gay romances.  She believes that there is nothing hotter or sweeter than two men in love with each other… unless it is three.

When L.M. Brown isn’t bribing her fur babies for control of the laptop, she can usually be found with her nose in a book.

Links

Where to find L.M. Brown

Website & Blog – http://lmbrownauthor.wordpress.com/

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/L.M.Brown.author

Twitter - @LMBrownAuthor

 

#EggscerptExchange:Linda Nightingale

eggsAuthors from all over the world are celebrating the season by guesting on each other's blogs--an Eggcerpt Exchange. Please join me in welcoming award-winning author, Linda Nightingale and learn about her book, GAMBLER'S CHOICE.

image English aristocrat gand a Virginia socialite go head-to-head—and feet-to-feet—in a battle for ownership of a very special horse.

****

Becca McQuaid came to England to find the perfect horse but instead met a darkly mysterious challenge in Austen Heath, Baron of Hampton. She’s determined to buy Austen’s stallion Gambler’s Choice. He’s determined not to sell, but the rivals are thrown together by an accident that leaves Austen with a broken leg and the threat he’ll never ride again.

Austen Heath has the title, heritage and manor house…but not the fortune. Becca is wealthy. Her charms are irresistible, but he believes she’s shopping for a Ladyship to go with her money. He has another reason to hold the sexy blonde at arms’ length—the unexplained disappearance of an old friend everyone thinks was his lover. When her body is discovered on his property, he becomes a suspect in her murder.

Excerpt

Rebecca McQuaid was in England for one reason.

To find the perfect match.

Size was important. Becca was a tall girl. Money was of no consequence whatsoever. Becca was a wealthy girl. Heart mattered most. He must have the heart to go the distance. She dreamed of a partnership that would last a lifetime. But looks did rank quite high on her list of

“I simply can’t ride an ugly horse. That would be like dating an ugly man.” Tossing her long blonde hair over her shoulder, she laughed and winked at her friend.

Meg shot her a frown, her tone accusing Becca of being an uncivilized colonist. “Rebecca McQuaid, you say the damnedest things.”

An appreciative chuckle turned her around to squint into the sun. A tall, elegant shadow of a man on a magnificent horse caught her imagination mid-stride. She couldn’t see the rider’s face, but she knew he’d overheard the exchange with her friend. He saluted her with a tap of his whip to the brim of his hat as he rode past. Excitement capered over her, and she smiled. The horse’s muscled, rump glistened. The stallion was sixteen-two hands, fit and impeccably groomed.

“Nice buns. That one’s good-looking enough for me.” She elbowed her friend. “Who is it?”

Meg shaded her eyes. “Gambler’s Choice and Austen Heath. Both horse and rider satisfy your criteria, my dear girl.”

“The horse is handsome.” She wished she had gotten a better look at the bay, but he was a mahogany blaze in the morning sun. “Are you telling me the rider is?”

“That’s the general consensus, but Austen hides in that rambling, dark mansion of his.” Meg studied the pair picking up a trot along the arena. “Fierce competitors. Hard to beat at Intermediate. We’ll see how they handle Advanced.”

“An Advanced horse?” Becca wriggled her shoulders. “I’m in the market.”

“Look elsewhere.” Meg’s finger jutted at Becca’s nose. “Austen won’t sell Gambler for love or money. Guaranteed. Not even for the kind of money you’re willing to spend.”

“Meggie.” She linked arms with her friend. “Everything has a price.”

Meg balked like a donkey. “You’re in a different world, princess.”

“Well, not everything. Love doesn’t have a price.” Pain wrenched her heart as a memory of the breakup with Daniel flashed through her mind. The hurt was too fresh to even think of another man. “But I’m not in the market for love.”

imageAbout Linda:

Born in South Carolina, Linda has lived in England, Canada, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Atlanta and Houston. She’s seen a lot of this country from the windshield of a truck pulling a horse trailer, having bred, trained and showed Andalusian horses for many years.

Linda has won several writing awards, including the Georgia Romance Writers Magnolia Award. She is the mother of two wonderful sons, a retired legal assistant, member of the Houston Symphony League, and enjoys events with her car club. Among her favorite things are her snazzy black convertible and her parlor grand piano. She loves to dress up and host formal dinner parties.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LNightingale

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindaNightingaleAuthor

Web Site: http://www.lindanightingale.com – Visit and look around. There’s a free continuing vampire story.

Blog: https://lindanightingale.wordpress.com/ - Lots of interesting guests & prizes

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4839311.Linda_Nightingale

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/lbnightingale1/

Austen, please tell us a little about yourself!

Nickname: Austen is difficult to shorten. As luck would have it, no nickname from childhood stuck. Once upon a time, I was called Pooh Bear by my mother. Can you imagine a 3-Day Eventer called Pooh Bear? Currently residing in.. Somerset, England in my country estate though Virginia with its spirited fillies sounds quite nice Favorite type of pet – One of my best friends is a Mastiff named Dane. The other is Gambler’s Choice, a handsome bay stallion., Neither are pets, per se. Most important goal – To be the top of my sport and a renowned horseman. Wealthy, poor, or somewhere in between? I’m the Baron of Hampton. I have the manor, the title but not the fortune. I am not destitute but it costs a lot to keep up Hampton Hall, and for now my dreams of sports fame must languish in the wings. Secret desire or fantasy – To find the woman I love, settle down, and sire the heir to the barony. Book Video: Gambler's Choice