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Before Kieran....

Seattle, 2000 - Ethan Mallory is counting down the days until he moves back to Toronto. He loves Seattle, but it's time to go home.

So it's just his luck that, with a month to go, he meets Rhett Solomon. Their chemistry is off the charts, and in bed, Rhett is everything Ethan's been craving. He's witty and charming outside the bedroom too.

Ethan's not about to change his plans for a man he's just met, but what could this become if they had a little more time? Is this just a sizzling hot last hurrah before he returns to Canada? Or is leaving Rhett behind a huge mistake?

• A captivating and engaging book with realistic and dimensional xjaracters,amazing  and unique plot . A really good page turner. You will be swept away along Ethan and Rhett's journey 

Seattle, Washington
Spring 2000

The clock between the top shelf rows of bourbon and vodka said it was five minutes after nine. My watch said four after, but quibbling over a minute in either direction was pointless. Jay was supposed to be here at seven-thirty. No call. No show.

Bottom line? Whichever timepiece had it right, I was getting stood up.

I threw back the last of my screwdriver and pushed the glass away. Well, that was a wasted Friday night. Question was, what to do with what was left of it? Get wasted? Or hit up one of the clubs and see if I could find someone to fill Jayís role for the night?

That thought nearly made me groan. I was sick of the club scene. That was why Iíd decided to try this whole meeting-guys-online thing in the first place. Everyone said the Internet was crawling with psychos, but so far, my luck had been decent. Connecting with someone, chatting a little, making sure we both knew what we wantedóno commitment beyond maybe a morning after cup of coffeeóand then meeting up in a public place. If there was chemistry, decent hygiene, and no symptoms of being a serial killer, going to whoeverís place was closest and fucking each other into the mattress. Simple.

The online thing was a gamble, but it was so much more efficient and to the point than meeting someone in a club. Clubs were all right, but sometimes I wanted a sure thing. Something better than trying to exchange basic information like first names over loud music, hoping the other guy wasnít thinking about soulmates and co-signed leases, and then having a frantic trial run in a menís room or a vehicle beforeÖ wellÖ going to whoeverís place was closest and fucking each other into the mattress.

I was sometimes tempted to tell a guy to just meet me at my apartment. Skip all this bullshit and forget pretending weíd met up for anything we could do in polite company. But meeting people on the web was risky, and I was much more comfortable feeling someone out in person before I took them back to my place. It also helped to make sure there was some actual chemistry, and that there was attraction. If we didnít click enough to make it work, bowing out of a bar was much easier than kicking someone out of my house.

But it was all a moot point if the guy didnít even bother to show up.

I muttered a few curses to myself. I really needed to get out of here and find somethingóor someoneóelse to do. Since the efficient and to the point technique hadnít worked out tonight, though, there was always the fallback. Seattleís Capitol Hill had a number of gay clubs. Tedious, but it wasnít like I had anything else going on tonight.

It was still early, thoughóseven or eight after nine, depending on which clock I askedóso there was no point in hustling out of here. Most places didnít really wake up until after ten.

So I flagged down the bartender and asked for an iced tea, then folded my arms on the bar and gazed down at the dining room. This was one of those bar and grill places with a semi-swanky bar up on a mezzanine overlooking a linen tablecloth restaurant. The food smelled amazing as always. Iíd heard they made a hell of a steak here. Small wonder this was the go-to place for those on the dating scene. Most nights, the clientele was pretty evenly split between straight and gay couples, and tonight was no exception.

I had no interest in a relationship right nowóespecially not when I was packing up and leaving Seattle in a few weeksóbut admittedly, I was a little envious of some of these people. Iíd been more or less alone since Iíd moved here two years ago. Most of the time, I was happy with that as long as I was getting laid on a regular basis. Sometimes, though, I missed being with someone like that. Talking over dinner, maybe sharing a bottle of wine, or kicking back in front of a movie and maybe falling asleep before the credits started rolling.

Someday. Maybe. For the rest of my time in Seattle, though, my goal was someone to keep my bed warm at night and be gone before noon. Unless the sex was really hot. Then he could stick around long enough for us to fuck a few more times. But definitely gone before noon the next day. Once a one night stand turned into two, things could getó

Oh, what have we here?

A face in the dining room caught my eye, and my drink almost slipped out of my hand. Whoa. Iíd never seen him before, but I sure saw him now, and he was sure easy on the eyes. Built like he knew what a gym was. Neatly cut sandy blond hair. A dusting of five oíclock shadow along a sharp jaw line. Eyes that, even from across the restaurant, shrank my vocabulary to expletives and racy suggestions.

Apparently I was that horny tonight. Stood up, and now zeroing in on the most gorgeous face in the crowd. Except that was an exceptionally gorgeous face. The man Iíd come here to meet didnít hold a candle to this guy. Wow.

Pity he was here on what appeared to be a date with someone.

On the other hand, he looked like he was enjoying his date the way most people enjoyed standing in line at the DMV. He leaned against the back of his chair, as if to put as much distance between him and his date as he could. His expression alternated between neutral-edging-toward-boredom to outright uncomfortable.

The guy sitting across from him didnít seem to notice or care. He gestured animatedly, sometimes with his highball, and whenever he laughed, his date squirmed a little more. At one point, the guy with his back to me shook his head, apparently laughing, and his date grimaced behind his own drink before downing most of the contents in one swallow.

Just before he lowered the glass, his eyes flicked up and met mine. I jerked my gaze away, cheeks burning as I realized Iíd been staring. But then I glanced his way again. He stared right back. His forehead creased, and his face said nothing if not Help?

I raised my eyebrows. What do you want me to do?

He broke eye contact.

That was weird. Iíd probably just imagined it, but I swore thereíd been a momentary connection. A telepathic exchange, or at least an attempt at one. And the guy did seem pretty miserable. What exactly was a stranger going to do about it, though? I wasnít even much of a wingman for my friendsówhat was I supposed to do here?

The guy said something to his date, gestured at his empty glass, and got up.

And dear God, he strode right across the dining room and up the stairs to the mezzanine where I was sitting. The bar was almost entirely deserted except for myself and a couple at the other end, so he couldíve stood anywhere, but he stopped right beside me. He flagged down the bartender and asked for a couple of beers. While he waited, he didnít look at me.

ìWaiting for someone?î he asked.

ìNo one whoís going to show up, no.î

This time he glanced my way, arching an eyebrow.

I shrugged. ìEveryone gets stood up sometimes, right?î

He laughed dryly. Before he could say anything, though, the bartender handed him his two drinks.

The guy paid, but didnít collect his drinks right away. Instead, he asked for a pen, then wrote something on the back of a coaster and slid it toward me. Without a word or even another glance, he took his drinks and headed back down to the dining room.

I turned over the coaster. On it, there was a phone number, and below that:

If you call this # in 2 min, Iíll buy you a drink @ After Hourz.

My heart skipped. I glanced his way again. He was back at his table, casually sipping his drink and listening to whatever his date had to say. His eyes flicked toward me, but his expression offered nothing.

I had almost no signal in the bar, so I paid my small tab and stepped outside. I was getting low on minutes, but curiosity trumped any concern I had about overage fees, so I entered the number and hit Send.

After two rings, he answered. ìThis is Rhett.î

ìWell,î I chuckled. ìNow I know your name.î

ìShit, are you serious?î He paused and exhaled. ìAnd you couldnít callófine. Fine.î

I suppressed a laugh. God knew what story he was going to feed his date, but he deserved an Oscar for sounding legitimately annoyed and concerned.

He went on, ìIíll be there as soon as I can. Thanks.î

And then he hung up.

I stared at my phone for a moment. This definitely wasnít how Iíd expected my evening to play out, and where it went from here, I had no idea. But meeting up with a stranger who Iíd just bailed out of a bad date seemed like a better direction than moping about my own failed date before searching for some anonymous sex at a club. It was a more interesting turn of events, that was for sure.

With no idea what to expect, I walked over to After Hourz, sat down at the bar, and waited.


February 26 - MM Midnight Cafe, Mirrigold: Mutterings & Musings, Sarandipity Book Reviews
February 27 - Booklove, Xtreme Delusions
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March 2 - Drops of Ink, Bayou Book Junkie

About The Author

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didnít lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but donít tell Lauren. And definitely donít tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shutÖ

Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com
E-mail: gallagherwitt@gmail.com
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com
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For the last year, Jay Warren has struggled to find the nerve to tell his wife he's gay. Every time he gets the chance, though, he freezes up. He's ashamed of hiding it all this time, he doesn't want to hurt her, and the guilt has been almost unbearable.

When his wife dies suddenly, Jay's conscience threatens to eat him alive.

Funeral director Scott Lawson deals with the bereaved every day, and he's all too familiar with the inside of the closet. He offers Jay some much-needed compassion and understanding, and from that connection comes a friendship that quickly - perhaps too quickly - turns into something more.

But are grief, guilt, and loneliness the only things tying them together? Or, will Scott get fed up with being used as an emotional crutch before Jay realizes what he has?
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My review

A poignant, emotional and engrossing book that will take you along a journey of grief and love. A unique perspective and original plot thst will stay with you for a long time


January 29 - Dog-Eared Daydreams, Cupcakes & Bookshelves, Mirrigold: Mutterings and Musings, Making It Happen
January 30 - Gay Media Reviews, Lelyana's Book Blog, Booklove
January 31 - Diverse Reader, Mainely Stories, MM Good Book Reviews
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February 2 - Reading In Sarah's Corner, Bayou Book Junkie, Xtreme Delusions, The Blogger Girls, A Book Lover's Dream Book Blog, Drops Of Ink, BooksLaidBareBoys

Tonight, Iím going to tell her.

Yeah right. Just like I was going to tell her every night for the past several months. Probably creeping up on a year at this point. A year of long evenings of pacing back and forth across the living room or the kitchen, gesturing with my drink and talking to myself as I rehearsed the words that I had, to date, never been able to say in her presence. A year of psyching myself up and telling myself tonight was the night, only to lose my nerve the second she came through the front door.

L.A. Witt is an abnormal M/M romance writer who has finally been released from the purgatorial corn maze of Omaha, Nebraska, and now spends her time on the southwestern coast of Spain. In between wondering how she didnít lose her mind in Omaha, she explores the country with her husband, several clairvoyant hamsters, and an ever-growing herd of rabid plot bunnies. She also has substantially more time on her hands these days, as she has recruited a small army of mercenaries to search South America for her nemesis, romance author Lauren Gallagher, but donít tell Lauren. And definitely donít tell Lori A. Witt or Ann Gallagher. Neither of those twits can keep their mouths shutÖ

Website: http://www.gallagherwitt.com
E-mail: gallagherwitt@gmail.com
Twitter: @GallagherWitt
Blog: http://gallagherwitt.blogspot.com

“Waking Isabella” by Melissa Muldoon – Guest post about Giorgio Vasari a famous 15th-century artist from Arezzo



Ciao a tutti! 

I am the author of “Dreaming Sophia” and “Waking Isabella.” I am also the “Studentessa Matta.” In Italian that means “crazy student.” For the past seven years, I have been writing a dual language blog in Italian and English to promote the study of the Italian language and culture. My journey to learn the language has brought me even closer to a country that I have now adopted. The friendships I have made and the experiences I have had of living and traveling in Italy have given me insight into so many wonderful stories, traditions, and cultural ambiguities that many people have never even heard of. It has also given me opportunities I never thought imaginable, like zip lining in the Basilicata, taking part in the jousting festival in Arezzo, attending a friend’s wedding in Naples, even meeting Miss Sophia Loren in person! 



In my books, I strive to weave together a bit of the Italian language as well as art history. I want people to be inspired to learn the language and realize that art can "talk" to you if you listen. My novels are set in modern times, but they also take the reader back into the past to get a feeling for Italian personalities from previous eras. The stories weave together historical and contemporary information, as well as a bit fantasy and time travel as well.



Being an Art Historian I love to talk about Italian painters and paintings. Since my novel “Waking Isabella” is set in the small Tuscan town of Arezzo, today I’d like to share a little bit about someone who the Arentini are quite proud of. His name is Giorgio Vasari and his was a not just a painter, but an architect, writer, a the man who we honor as being the “father” of Art History as he is the author of the first book about his contemporary artists called: “Lives of the Most Excellent Painters, Sculptors, and Architects.”



Vasari was born in Arezzo in 1511, in Tuscany. During my recent stay in Arezzo I walked the very streets that Vasari walked, had breakfast in the loggia that he designed in the Piazza Grande and I visited the house where he lived. Even after several century’s the artist’s house has been preserved and remains unchanged. The rooms, magnificently frescoed by Giorgio Vasari himself, show Biblical and Mythological scenes, sacred and profane allegories as well as scenes of antiquity.

Although he dedicated his life to painting and architecture, the Vasari’s true claim to fame is the little book he wrote about his friends and contemporaries, Michelangelo and Leonardo.

 The book dedicated to Cosimo I de’ Medici is a compilation of biographies of the most important painters of his day and age. As informative and true to many facts as Vasari was, his stories are also sprinkled with funny anecdotes and invented gossip, so the book should be read with eye to this as well.

Vasari enjoyed a long and prestigious career. He spent time in his home town of Arezzo as well as in Florence and Rome. He built the loggia in Arezzo as well as the loggia that graces the Uffizi Gallery. He also was commissioned by Cosimo I de’ Medici to build the corridor that connects Uffizi with the Pitti palace. He also painted the murals in the Palazzo Vecchio’s Salone del Cinquecento, covering up the failed attempts of Leonardo and the initial beginning renderings of Michelangelo!



I will be returning to Arezzo this coming September. If you too would like to work on your Italian and immerse in language and culture, I invite you also to come along with me on my next trip. There are more details on my website “Studentessa Matta,” (studentessamatta.com / melissa@studentessamatta.com) a dual language blog that I write in Italian and English. There are also many tips to help you learn the language!

Alla prossima! Melissa



Here is a link to a video featuring Vasari’s house

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OIIxT99-UI








On the Studentessa Matta language learning site you can find lots of free ways to practice Italian. I write both in Italian and English so you can flex and improve your communication skills - for free. Each week I post about Italian language learning as well as fun and interesting stories about Italian culture. You can find all the videos from this channel on the blog as well, with transcripts and translations.


For those of you who want to dive in a little deeper into Italian language studies in Italy, I also organize small group language immersion programs. This year the programs will be held in Montepulciano and  Arezzo. I invite you to join me! Please visit the Studentessa Matta site for more details: www.StudentessaMatta.com

Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost is the exciting second installment in a new series of adventure mystery stories that are one part travel, one part history and five parts adventure. This second book in the series continues the adventures of Kitty Hawk, an intrepid teenage pilot who has decided to follow in the footsteps of her hero Amelia Earhart and make an epic flight around the entire world. After flying across North America Kitty's journey takes her down south to Florida where she plans to get a bit of rest and relaxation before continuing on with the rest of her long and grueling flight. As Kitty explores the strange and magical water world of the Florida Keys her knack for getting herself into precarious situations sweeps her headlong into the adventure of a lifetime involving mysterious lights, ancient shipwrecks, razor-toothed barracudas and even a sighting of the great Ernest Hemingway himself. This exhilarating story will have armchair explorers and amateur detectives alike anxiously following every twist and turn as they are swept across the landscape and history of the Florida Keys all the way from Key West to the strange and remarkable world of Fort Jefferson and the Dry Tortugas.

Kitty Hawk and the Hunt for Hemingway's Ghost is a perfect book to fire the imaginations of readers of all ages. Filled with fascinating and highly Google-able locations and history this book will inspire anyone to learn about and experience as much of our amazing world as they can - just like Kitty Hawk herself.

My review:-
In this book we follow Kitty Hawk as she prepares for her solo flight on her plane,De Havilland Beaver on the same date as Amelia Earhart,her ideal, started her own solo flight around  the world in 1937 and then we travel along Kitty on her journey from Canada along different stops to finally land her in Fort Jefferson.

She, being the curious and adventurous Kitty Hawk, sets camp in the national park to relax and absorb the beautiful scenery.  This is where she comes in contact with the ghost of Hemingway. The book pickd up pace soon enough and combining it with Iain's writing style ,you feel immersed in the story as if you were there yourself.

The book is greatly beneficial for young adults for its boatload of facts and materials that arr delivered in a fun way. Also, there is no romantic setup in the book and that is hard to find in a YA book nowadays so it makes it a perfect read for younger children.
This book is a standalone but you will have more fun if you start the series with the first book Kitty Hawk and the curse of Yukon Gold, an equally entertaining and captivating book.
In short, I  loved this adrenaline filled, fast paced adventure and can't wait to read more of the Kitty Hawk series

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