BLOG TOUR STARTS TODAY!

Why follow me on my blog tour? You’ll get to read exclusive material, character interviews, learn some dirt about me and my bad taste in music as a kid, see what Devon thought of Stone when they first met, and by visiting these places, you’ll put a smile on my face and make the lovely bloggers who’ve agreed to help a gal out with promotion very happy!

 Preorder Seven Minutes from Dreamspinner Press or Amazon.com

December 1 MM Good Book Reviews

December 6 Kimmers’ Erotic Book Banter

December 7 RELEASE DAY! Tibby Armstrong.com

December 8 Alpha Book Club. org

December 9 Open Skye Book Reviews

December 12 Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words

Holiday Author Book Hop and Ahimsa

This week has not been easy to digest for any of us in the LGBT+QIA community or for any women who values prochoice. I've voiced my opinion and met with opposition and have had friends who have been punched or insulted by those who wish to take their rights away. I feel like the world has gone completely mad, and yet for there to be this much animosity, I realize this underbelly of racism and hatred was always there. That alone is a terribly sad realization.

According to the Washington Post, millennials, regardless of religion, race, or ethnicity, believe contraception, inclusive of Plan B, should be accessible and affordable. Also 7% identify as something other than heterosexual. –The Washington Post.com, March 27, 2015. My friend, a middle school teacher, cites her students prefer to be labeled as fluid. These are the voters of the future and they give me hope during this period where our rights appear to be threatened. Whatever happens in the next four years, we will meet it with stern opposition. No person, regardless of race, gender, or sexual preference, should be seen as less than.

Ahimsa is a Sanskrit term, which translates as non-violence. It can be expecting too much of yourself, gossiping about others, or acting out of fear. The Gaia website offers this thought, “Make a decision to intentionally respect and even love the limitations you and your body have. Accept then release the negative thoughts about yourself or others.” There is no doubt I completely loathe the man our country has elected. Releasing negative thoughts about the state of our country seems contrary to what my gut says.

The truth is, I can’t change what happened. I voted and did my civic duty, though it lacked the result I desired. I can’t change him. He is a rich, privileged, white man, who seems to value opinions of other rich, privileged, white men, and who has an agenda that does not align with my beliefs. The only things I can change are my thoughts. I can become proactive, offer others support, sign petitions, protest, and fight for equality and the environment. I will forgive myself if the battle gets too hard at times and I need a break because I know it will leave me stronger to fight later. I invite you all to do the same. Be kind to yourself.  Love is stronger than hate, and let’s stay united.

Now for something completely different…and much needed LOVE! LOVE! LOVE!

So many good books coming out this holiday season promoting LOVE! Visit http://www.nickijmarkus.com for a list of authors, including Nicki, who have some holiday cheer to spread. We could all use a little love right about now.

Two Blogs

Coming December 7th: Seven Minutes

Hello, my pretties! I'm very excited to announce Seven Minutes will be available through Dreamspinner Press on December 7--just in time for Christmas. Although not labeled as a Christmas story, the ending is at Christmastime, and the HFN ending will have you singing Deck the Halls!

I'll post the cover soon!

Two BLOGs..
I've found that WordPress has better SEO but I love my Blogger. So torn, so very torn. I think I'm going to keep all my fun personal uplifting messages here and reserve the WP site for more business-like things, but don't hold me to it; I have commitment issues.
https://gracekiliandelaney.wordpress.com

Here's the blurb!

Can love be found in seven minutes?

Heavy metal singer Stone Manson never acknowledged his attraction to men. But when he meets sexy cross-dresser Devon at a party and spends Seven Minutes in Heaven with him, he can’t deny his reaction. His confusion leads him to mess up—big time—with Devon, but after some soul-searching, Stone decides to do whatever it takes to show Devon he’s worth the risk.

Devon’s got a thing for hot, tattooed rock stars—just not the sexually conflicted and closeted ones. Stone’s persistence has Devon warming up to the idea of the singer in his bed, and maybe even in his life until a threat emerges from Devon’s past. Now it’s Devon’s turn to trust Stone or both their lives could be in jeopardy.

Cha-cha-cha Changes

This is a delayed post. Usually I aim for the 8th of the month but I've been combating a move, spiders, contractors, a deadline, and finishing a second draft. 

Changes can make us stronger and can inspire. They can also make us feel defeated. Sometimes all we can do is roll with them and wait until the ride is over. That's the beauty; everything passes in time. 

Whatever change is going on, take a moment and imagine your are through it. How does it feel?

My full book reviews will have to wait until next time. If you're into Mercy Celeste, I'm loving her last two releases. 

Transition

For me and many of my friends and acquaintances, this year has been a time of major transition. The United States has nominated two presidential candidates, who have been the most controversial and historical to date. As a global society, we have lost some of the greatest musicians, Prince and David Bowie, seen terrorism ruin many lives, and divided ourselves into a Us vs.Them mentality. Personally, I believe the sensationalism of the media and the immediate gratification the Internet brings is caustic, promoting violence through hype while the facts become diluted, and often misrepresented (I’m guilty of it, passing along a quote or something I believed true without the proper research. I vow to do better). 

I want us united as a people, to rise above our differences because it is necessary. Our precious planet is suffering its own transition. The air is harder to breathe. Temperatures are rising. The creatures so dependent upon fragile ecosystems are suffering and becoming extinct, whether we believe it’s a product of human consumption, or like some of the less scientifically minded believe, God’s will. What remains is: our planet is heading toward crisis. Its decimation will continue to increase as the population grows and requires more habitat to provide shelter and food for us humans. This future is dark, and it is a future we all share.

Sign petitions. Protest. Stand up for this world. There are injustices. Change is inevitable. Gandhi said, "If we could change ourselves, the tendencies in the world would also change. As a man changes his own nature, so does the attitude of the world change towards him. ... We need not wait to see what others do."* 
I’ve failed at times and I’ve succeeded at other times. I encourage all of us to keep trying to learn, to grow, to direct this transition toward protecting the fragile planet for future generations and for the denizens who depend on us, who don’t have a voice but do have a right to live wild and free. One voice can change the minds of many, but we have to act as a collective to make the required changes to protect our home, planet Earth. I invite you to start small. Transition can happen in baby steps. This month pick one thing you’d like to change, either about yourself or about the world, and take action toward it. 

*Brian Morton, “Falser Words Were Never Spoken,” New York Times, August 26, 2011, accessed August 7, 2016.

Counting Daisies by Nicola Haken is a story all about transition. Cameron and Dylan were childhood best friends, torn apart without getting to say goodbye. Years later, Cameron is a successful chef, who finds Dylan in a dire position. Despite the significant change in his childhood friend, all Cameron can see is the boy he once loved and is compelled to help Dylan rise above the hardships he's endured.
SPOILERS
What I love about Haken is she addressed the issue of addiction in a very believable manner. I've had many people in my life who have struggled with various substance abuse problems. It is something they constantly battle, minute by minute at times, and Dylan conveys how immensely difficult addiction can be. Haken is a admirable storyteller, and while this story isn't for those who want a light fluffy romance, it is a powerful, well-written romance. FIVE STARS

 One Giant Leap by Kay Simone is one of the best thought out romances I've read lately. The format bounced back and forth using press interviews to forward the plot of Curtis and Patrick's evolving relationship. At first I found it distracting, but it grew on me.
Curtis is a bad boy astronaut, who inspired Patrick to work for NASA. When Patrick finds himself tossed in the role of spacecraft communicator, he finally gets to meet his hero. Sort of. Curtis is floating above him in space. During the course of the mission, Patrick is Curtis's tether to life on Earth and through skillful engineering, he's able to talk in near privacy to the single-handed savior of NASA. Curtis has no idea what Patrick looks like, but he recognizes they share an amazing connection and looks don't matter. He'd fallen for the man.
This is a sweet romance and I loved every minute of it. My favorite part was when Curtis and Patrick finally meet. It's so perfect and almost funny. Simone is a gifted writer and I immediately devoured her other books after this one, though this one remains my favorite. FIVE STARS