Aria Grace's Blog

Five Tips For A Successful Writing PartnershipIf you’ve considered cowriting but have been intimidated by the thought of sharing your stories with someone who might not love or understand them the way you do, it might be time to reconsider. It’s an excellent exercise for every author to experience at least once. Compromises are made and plot points are expanded in ways that help every author grow in their craft. At least that was my experience.The first time I co-authored a book, it was very unintentional. I wrote a scene that I thought was interesting but had no intention of ever publishing. I sent it to a friend, and the next day, she sent back a file that was twice as long. She said she loved the scene and decided to expand upon it. I wasn’t really sure how I felt about it but I added a few more scenes to what she wrote. A couple weeks later, we had a book that is still considered to be one of my fan favorites. However, not every cowriting partnership is that easy, nor should it be. There are a lot of decisions that should be made up front in order to avoid conflicts down the road. Following are five tips to help you create a productive and lucrative cowriting relationship.1. Work out the legalities and administrative stuff in advance.
Whether you plan on making this partnership a long-term relationship or just a one-time experiment, don’t assume anything. A lawyer would probably advise that you set up an LLC for the new partnership, a separate bank account for the combined royalties, and a separate publishers account so if there are ever any disputes, your personal library of books aren’t at risk. However, I’m not an attorney, and there is an easier way. At minimum, create an agreement that clearly states the royalty split (in many cases, 50/50 after expenses), who is responsible for administrative tasks (uploading files, contacting reviewers/promoters, distributing royalty payments, processing tax liabilities, etc.). It’s also important to decide if the arrangement will go on in perpetuity and the rights will be transferred to one author’s estate after death or if the book will be unpublished at some point in the future or made free to relieve the ongoing burden of such administrative tasks for eternity. And as a side to that, the ongoing royalty split is work. As long as there are significant royalties to divide, it’s exciting. But years after release, when the book is earning $7 a month across all distributors, it’s a excruciating amount of work to calculate, document, and bring up paypal to send a $3.50. If it becomes a burden, a 10% management fee paid to the author responsible for distributing payments and publication responsibilities is not uncommon or unreasonable.2. Decide how the story will be written and what the author roles will be.Will an outline be created before the project begins, with chapters or characters divided between the authors...or will each author write until they get to a stopping point then hand the file back to the other author to pick it up. As a “pantser,” I like to choose a character‘s point of view and only write as that character while my co-author takes on another character’s POV. That allows us to each keep our distinct voices without having to match our cowriter. It also gives us each a little more control in how “our” characters develop. If your book only has one POV, you can still divide up the protagonist’s lines with the antagonist’s lines. Of course, there are other methods.  I know an amazing writing team who has a system in which one author writes the bones for the entire book. Then she hands the file over to her writing partner to fill in all the details. It could take a bit of time for you and your partner to get familiar with each other’s patterns, but eventually, you’ll figure out a rhythm that works for you.3. Use technology to keep the story straight.Let’s face it, no one wants to learn new tools or spend money on tech that is just going to slow them down. But there are some tools out there that will help you work with a remote cowriter and make sure you’re never writing over files or possibly losing precious words from a previous version.I use Google Docs to actually write the story. It’s not quite as advanced as Word and nothing like Scrivner, but if you just want one document that’s always saved and can be accessed from any computer at any time...it’s an easy and free tool. Oh, and multiple people can be writing/editing it at the same time.  Here’s a sample template you can “make a copy” of if you’d like.Google sheets is great for creating a shared series bible. You can access a blank bible file here. If you’d like to use it, just “Make a copy” and save it to your own Google Drive.Google sheets is also a great way to track the royalties versus expenses in a fully transparent file. Here’s an example file (hopefully the numbers make sense in this generic file) for you to copy, if you’d like.Microsoft 365 also works in a similar way if both authors have licences (about $99/year).4. Once your book is published, then you get to promote it. One of the best reasons for established authors to partner on a book or series is to share their existing readerships. Unless you publish a book every few days (or as fast as readers can read them), there is plenty of room for all of us to share readers. Facebook takeovers, co-sponsored giveaways, and newsletter mentions are just some of the ways an author can expose their individual readers to their co-authors backlist. If you’re debut authors or starting a new combined pen name, don’t fret. You can still benefit from having a second person who is as invested in the success of your books as you are. By sharing the promotional responsibilities and evangelizing the book to twice as many readers, you have an advantage that most of us individual writers don’t have. 5. Last but not least, it’s so much more fun to write with a buddy!I should have led with this, but cowriting is so much more fun for me than writing on my own. Not only do I get to see inside someone else’s thought process to create a new world, but having that daily connection to another author who is in exactly the same spot (literally) that I am in the writing process has made writing feel so much more interesting than ever before. Not to mention that when I get a chapter back and it’s my turn, I’m much more motivated to turn it around asap because I don’t want to be the bottleneck. So if you’re trying to do rapid releases of a new series, cowriting could be a less-stressful and highly productive way to make that happen.Cowriting isn’t for everyone, but by opening your mind to other writing methods, you might be surprised by how fun and efficient the writing experience can be.  

*•.¸(`*•.¸(`*• IT’S LIVE •*´)¸.•*´)¸.•*´
The first Truly Yours book is out and ready for you.
An MPreg Shifter series.
SynopsisFinding a shifter mate is tough. Dalton is open to love, but the few dates he's been on have been terrible. He's just about to give up on searching for happiness when a young shifter passes by him, providing hope that maybe this time he'll find love.
Toby has been hurt one too many times. He always picks the wrong men and doesn't believe he deserves anything better. When his best friend forces him to check out a shifter matchmaking service, he doesn't have any hope that things could work out for him. Because, why should Dalton be different than the others? However, fate knows better. And both men might be in for the shock of their lives.
Amazon.com | Amazon.de | Amazon.co.uk

Excerpt

“Hi, Toby. Nice to meet you. I’m Nathan.” The big guy shook my hand and smiled. His lean frame was about half a foot taller than mine. His light brown hair looked good with the simple, yet somehow stylish clothes. My cat immediately recognized him as an alpha…a jaguar? Wow, I hadn’t met many of them. I tried to recall whether I’d seen him at the meetings, but I came up blank. Either he didn’t attend the local meetings, or I hadn’t seen him. It wasn’t mandatory to turn up there, although most shifters came to check out the competition and look for a hookup. “Please sit down, and let’s get started.”I sighed inaudibly and dropped to the indicated chair. Let the fun begin.Nathan sat down in front of me, with much more grace than I would’ve expected, but then, he was a cat. Usually, you didn’t use clumsy and cat in one sentence. He looked at me across the tidy desk and folded his hands. “Okay, so, the first step is that you fill out a form with lots of questions. That way, we’ll learn a bit about you and what you prefer. Then I might ask more questions to clarify whatever comes up. After we have your profile ready, we’ll use an algorithm that is a mix of computer science and instinct to match you up with another shifter. We might not find a perfect match on the first try, though. It takes time and patience, but so far, we’ve found quite a few true mates.” He smiled. “Are you ready?”Not really. But you probably won’t be up for waiting until I am.I forced my lips into a small smile. “Yes, let’s do this.” Damn you, Jason. Damn you. Nathan handed me a sheet of paper on a clipboard, and I went over the first questions: Name, Age, Species, that was all pretty easy. I went to work, adding my contact information and general interests, then some more, like Job, Hobbies, Education. Those took a bit longer, but I scrawled the answers on the form. Preferences was the last headline, with several points below. Do you prefer male or female shifters, or both? Well, that was easy. Are you alpha, beta, or omega? Wow, I wouldn’t have thought they’d go into so much detail. I was an omega, but I didn’t really get why they were asking. I either clicked with someone or I didn’t. Whether he was an alpha or not didn’t matter to me. Nevertheless, I wrote omega in the indicated line.If you prefer men, are you more active or passive? What the fuck? My eyebrows shot up.“Nathan…um, do you really need to know what I want to do in bed?” I asked quietly.He looked up from whatever he’d been reading. “Yeah, Ryker added that a while ago since we had some clients who complained that they were set up with dates who were exclusively tops or bottoms. For some people, that was an absolute deal-breaker.I couldn’t imagine letting someone go just because he was also a bottom. But then, if it was an absolutely incompatible match, I could see why it wouldn’t lead to a relationship. I wrote passive on the line, but then I looked up again. “I said above what I am, but isn’t it true that all alphas are tops and all omegas are passive?”“You think? No, they’re not. Generally, yes, there is a clear tendency, but you can never be sure. I know alphas who love to bottom and want someone to take over the reins sometimes. I’ve also seen omegas who are more dominant than some alphas in the bedroom. So don’t be fooled by the status. Just because alphas outrank betas and omegas in society doesn’t mean they’re always dominant in the bedroom.”Oh. I hadn’t known that. Well, I was a bottom and an omega all the way, so I needed someone who would take care of me. It was as simple as that. But I still seriously doubted they’d find someone here for me, so it was likely a moot point. I handed the clipboard back to Nathan. He read it over, laid it on his desk, and then looked at me. “So, that was the first part. Thank you. Now, it’s time for the interesting questions. Tell me about yourself. Tell me about your dream date and your dream mate. Nothing is too silly or insane. If you could describe the perfect date, what would you do?”“Hmm…” I closed my eyes. I hadn’t ever thought about it before. I considered telling him some bullshit, but lying to him wouldn’t help me. Oh, Jason, how I could kill you… “Let me think. I want to have…a good dinner. An interesting conversation, not world politics, but I don’t want to discuss football results either. Maybe we could go to a movie or to a concert, although I prefer pop or rock, nothing classical. Afterward, a stroll through the woods? Maybe some running so our animals could meet.”“Okay, that sounds pretty good. Anything else? How would you like the evening to end? I mean, does your dream date end with a kiss because you like to take it slower, or do you head straight to the interesting stuff?”Heat flushed over my face. This was definitely notwhat I would tell someone I’d just met. “Can I refuse to answer that one?” I asked with an awkward laugh. More heat flushed my face, and I fiddled with a loose thread on my jeans.“Of course, and I fully understand if you do, but we're simply trying to learn as much as possible. If you tell me you like to date ten times before you even think about kissing a guy, then I won't set you up with someone who thinks a date is wasted time unless you end up between the sheets with each other. We're doing our hardest to find your true mate, and if you give us as much information as possible, we can do our job better. That way, you won't have to suffer through dates who aren't your match. However, I know the questions are quite intimate, so I fully understand if you don't want to talk about it.” He sounded sincere, and even though I really didn't like the question, I started thinking about it. What exactly did I want from a date? I usually went at the pace set by the men I dated, but I never really stopped to think about my wishes or needs. If they wanted sex, they usually got sex, if I liked them enough. It was like a chore I had to do. When we had a nice evening, we got to the sex part. It was as easy as that. Yes, I usually had some fun, and the sex was good, but…I’d never actually told someone I wanted to go home with them. Or not. I just took the easy path.I ran a hand through my hair and exhaled then looked up to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry. Your question surprised me. I guess I like to have a good time, laugh with someone, and then see how the evening ends. I’m not opposed to getting intimate on the first date, but more than that, I simply want someone I can trust, someone who shows me he wants me, not just any warm body. I’d love to have a partner who has time for me, enjoys simply being with me, whether it’s an evening in front of the TV or a dinner and a nice conversation.” I stopped, face glowing. I hadn’t meant to get so deep into detail, but I figured since I was already there, I could tell the truth. “So, if you can find someone who does all that…” “That sounds doable.” Nathan smiled at me, and I relaxed a bit.“Okay, what else? Right, the fees. Sadly, there is no way around that.” “Yeah, no worries. Just tell me.” I should’ve forced Jason into paying as revenge for dragging my ass in there, but it probably wasn’t worth the hassle. I listened to Nathan telling me about the payments and stuff, all the while trying not to fantasize about how nice it would be to meet a guy who fit my requirements. There wasn’t someone out there for me, and I needed to stop dreaming about it. That didn’t stop me from wishing, though.Even though I hated myself for getting my hopes up—which I absolutely refused to admit—I couldn’t stop the little glimmer of hope blossoming in my heart. Damn it. I was done with men. I didn’t need another one. They were all the same.

About Chris McHartChris McHart lives in Germany, with her husband, slave, Dom, partner in crime, and muse (all in one person, not even she's that kinky!). She loves her husband, men in kilts and Scotch Whisky. Her idea of a perfect evening is to curl up with her laptop and write (the other options are not suitable to post in public).She also owns LGBT Romance Deals, a great newsletter with freebies, deals and hot releases.Homepage: http://www.chrismchart.comHomepage: http://www.lgbt-romance.comNewsletter: http://www.subscribepage.com/x0i5n4Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008256641886Facebook Author page: http://www.facebook.com/chrismchartTwitter: www.twitter.com/chris_mchart
More books by Chris McHartAlex’s Surprise (Gay M-Preg) Unexpected #1Saving Alex (Gay M-Preg) Unexpected #2Mate Me, Hate Me, Date Me, Love Me (Gay M-Preg) Unexpected #3Two Ruined Christmas EvesSmall Steps (Rainbow Awards Runner Up!)Grenzen (Love in Germany #1)Expanding Horizons (Love in Germany #2)Never WrongSexy to Go Halloween Box SetStorming Love (Vulcano) Daniel & CameronFrom Lon To AdamGerman books:Doppelt Ruinierter HeiligabendLanger Weg zum GlückVon Lon An AdamItalian books:La sorpresa di Alex (Sorpresa #1)Salvando Alex (Sorpresa #2)Amami, se puoi (Sorpresa #3)Due vigilie di Natale disastrose
About Aria Grace
Born and raised in beautiful California, Aria enjoys the year round sunshine and laid back environment of the west coast. Her career started out in tech writing and web development and has evolved into all things marketing with fingers in everything related to book publishing.

She lives with her husband and two children and more pets than she can keep track of. Despite her crazy schedule, she loves the time she carves out to read and write. Whether it's on the beach or on the couch at 2am, she is a woman obsessed!

She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to drop her a note or visit her at www.ariagracebooks.com.

If you'd like to know when Aria's next book is coming out or where she'll be signing, join her mailing list at: http://bit.ly/AriaGraceFanList
More M/M Romance books by Aria Grace: More Than Friends seriesMore Than Friends (Free)*Drunk in Love (#2)*Choosing Happy (#3)*Just Stay (#4)*Hands On (#5)*Best Chance (#6)* Mile High Romance seriesWhen It’s Right (#1)*When I’m Weak (#2)*When I’m Lost (#3)*When You Were Mine (#4)*When I Fall (#5)*When Whiskey Stops Working (#6)*When Thunder Rolls (#7)When The Bough Breaks (#8)When Words Fail (#9)When Doves Cry (#10)

Learn more at www.AriaGraceBooks.com or become a kick ass fan and join my mailing list for updates and free book opportunities.ariagracebooks@gmail.comhttps://twitter.com/AriaGraceBookshttps://www.facebook.com/ariagracebookshttp://www.amazon.com/author/ariagrace

Many of us are blessed with good health, loving families and plenty of food on the table every night. But that's not the case for everyone. This holiday season, I've joined together with a few authors and a handful of dedicated readers to help a mom that is struggling to provide a nice Christmas for her boys. If you're out shopping and come across a toy or winter coat that you'd like to pick up for these kids, please consider doing so. And if you're shopping online and want to take advantage of free shipping to send an extra something to this family, the details are below.
Thank you so much for any help you can offer.
***
Mom is a member of "Girls Gone Writing" A Romance Reading Group on Facebook. She lives and works at a motel in Ohio with her two sons. She makes a modest salary but doesn't have much left over at the end of the month to provide her boys with the Christmas they deserve. The boys' dad is not in the picture so she is both mom and dad to these kids. And when I pressed her for what SHE wanted, she insisted there was nothing. Just that her kids could have a happy Christmas for once.Marquis, 11Needs winter clothes. Size Youth 18 in pants and shirts or adult small.Underwear XL in boys or adult smallShoes 8 1\2-9 wide widthDrew, 10 Winter clothes: 12H pants, 14-16 shirts,Underwear in size Youth LG Size 7 in shoes Toys The things they are into are
RobloxMinecraft Five nights at Freddy'sTeenage mutant ninja turtlesWrestlingSuper heroesLegosWeekly Bible study Gift Cards They Could Use WalmartKroger AmazonDream Gift?We asked the boys what they would want more than anything and they said: Xbox with Dragonball XenoverseA tabletAnd for Mom...She doesn't want anything. But, I know she's an avid reader so any books (YA or Romance) would be appreciated. She has a tablet and can read ebooks on the kindle app. And I'm hoping to arrange a Kindle Unlimited subscription for her.
Do you want to help?Contact me for shipping information. ariagracebooks@gmail.comYou can ship directly to me and I'll wrap (unless you send a wrapped gift) or you can send to Mom. She's able to accept packages at her work so we can ship directly to her and she'll wrap up anything received for the boys.

When Whiskey Stops Working #6  Amazon  |  Nook  |   iBooks  | Audible  |  iTunes Audiobook | Createspace Paperback

Excerpt:  “This one’s on me.” The man who’s been trying to catch my eye for the past twenty minutes covers my hand with his and waves down the bartender.“Thanks, but I’ve got it.”“No, really.” He gently squeezes my fingers for a second then releases his grip. “I insist.”When the cute bartender with a black ponytail and bright baby blues appears in front of me, I roll my eyes and give him a slight nod. He glances at the dude next to me and winks before sliding another glass of Jameson across the bar. “Here ya go.” I almost wink back before catching myself. This guy is just working for his next tip. With a tip of my glass to the man beside me, I force a smile then take a long swallow. Tonight, I can be normal. I can pretend my life isn’t crumbling around me. I can be a regular customer in a bar, half-heartedly watching the Broncos get their asses whooped.“Thanks,” I say after setting the glass down on the shiny bar.“Sure.” He takes a draw from his beer without turning away from me. I can feel his stare burning a hole into the side of my face and it’s getting real old, real fast. “So, what’s your name?”“Cooper.” No one ever accused me of being loquacious. And if they did, that was a long time ago. Despite the heat from his gaze on my stubbled cheek, I don’t bother turning toward him. After another thirty seconds of silence, he holds his hand out in front of me. “I’m Ted.”“Look.” I huff out a breath and lean back from the bar. “It’s good to meet you, Ted, but I’ve had a long day and I just want to sit here and watch the game.”“Yeah, yeah.” He nods and shoves a plate of nachos toward me. “Of course. You just looked like you could use a friend.”Yeah, that’s the understatement of the year. Drake is my best friend in the world, but he’s busy saving our company and rebuilding his own damn life. He doesn’t have time for me. Not that I want him to make time. Whenever he reaches out, I find excuses to avoid him. It’s too hard to watch him put his life back together so easily while mine is cracking and splintering at every end. I chuckle under my breath. “Yeah, well, that's part of the reason I just want a quiet night, you know.” I look him in the eye, imploring him to understand what I'm saying. 
“Yeah, of course, man.” He turns to his own beer, and I'm grateful for the peace. Unfortunately, that only lasts for a few more minutes. As soon as the Niners get another touchdown, he turns to me. “Looks like tonight isn’t the night to be drowning yourself in a game.” 
I pretend not to hear him and keep my eyes locked on the screen mounted high on the wall. 
“I don't know if they're just cocky from last year's championship or what, but those guys look like a bunch of idiots out there.” 
The bartender appears, saving me from saying what I want to say to Ted. “Anything else?”
I spin around on the barstool and look out at the tables. Most have groups sitting at them but a few just have a single guy staring at the TV or his phone. Nowhere for me to escape. “Yeah, I'll have one more.” 
The hot burn of my liquid best friend helps to cool my annoyance at the bothersome dude sitting beside me. He continues with his one liners and annoying groans throughout the game…but it’s easy to ignore him with my mind starting to fog. The only thing I know for sure is my bartender, Jet, according to the customers that have approached him by name, seems to be amused by Ted’s interest in me. 
I’m not amused in the least, but if it makes Jet smile wide enough for that dimple under his eye to appear, then I can tolerate him for another few minutes.
The Broncos lose as expected, and I lift my arms up above my shoulder to stretch. My back is killing me from the tension I'm carrying all the time. 
“Can I close out?” I ask Jet when he walks past me. I try to keep my eyes on his dimple, but I can’t stop from glancing at his mouth now and then. 
“Sure thing.” He turns to the register and my eyes immediately lock on his round ass. He’s wearing tiny booty shorts that display his perfectly shaped muscles. The kind of muscles that could milk me dry without any effort at all. 
My gaze is still locked below his waist when he turns around. It takes me a second to realize I’m now staring at his crotch…and he’s watching me stare at his crotch. With a casual shake of my head, I redirect my eyes to the receipt he’s placed in front of me. Fifty-six bucks in whiskey and that’s not counting whatever Ted bought. How many does that make? 
Five? Six? More? 
Doesn’t matter. All that matters is the guilt is at bay and my smile is less forced as I do finally wink at the gorgeous bartender before standing up. “I’ll see ya around.”
“Hey, can I call you a cab?”
I shake my head and wave without turning back. “I’m good.”
Once my Uber has been ordered, I stand at the corner and breathe in the fresh air. Denver is beautiful in late spring and the cool breeze feels good on my flushed skin. Fortunately, Cedric, my driver, arrives in a white Malibu before the crisp air kills my buzz. I’m gonna need a foggy head if I have any hope of sleeping tonight.

-By Chelsy RanardBy Chelsy RanardThere are many misconceptions about the MM romance genre, and its origins and modern progression is no exception. Gay romantic literature has been around for a long time and there is a common misconception that MM romance originated from those roots. It makes sense to assume that a genre of fiction about a sexual relationship between two men would start with homosexual literature written by men, for men. However, the truth is that the progression of MM romance started with fan fiction and slash fiction, and then created its own subgenre from there – and was mostly written by women. Fan FictionFan fiction is where it all started as far as MM romance goes. Fan fiction is fiction written by fans about the characters, setting, or idea of an original piece of work. The practice of creating a story based on another has been around as early as the 1930’s, but the modern phenomenon gained popularity with the Star Trek fandom in the 1960’s. Even back then, women dominated this genre with 90% of fan fiction authors being female by 1973. In this genre, authors were able to take characters, places, and ideas that they loved from other works and put them in a world that they created. Their own imagination, their own love interests, and their own storylines created a piece of work that allowed them to do what they wanted with their favorite books, movies, or television shows. E.L. James’ Fifty Shades of Grey is one fan fiction book that has gained widespread popularity in recent years – and it’s based off of an extremely popular phenomenon many know of called Twilight. There are many legal issues with fan fiction and its connection to copyright infringement, but authors like Stephanie Meyer, author of the Twilight Saga, and J.K Rowling, author of the Harry Potter series have embraced much of their fan fiction, even including links to them on their websites.Slash FictionThe appeal of fan fiction was to take characters, places, and ideas from a work that you love and creating something of your own out of it. Slash fiction is a subgenre created from fan fiction that takes this idea to a more sexual place. Think Spock and Kirk in the throes of passion and you have the right idea. Slash fiction took fan fiction and romance and meshed the two together creating an entire collection of work created by fans showcasing their favorite male characters engaging in lovemaking. Harry and Draco from Harry Potter, Sherlock and Watson from Sherlock, and Stiles and Derek from Teen Wolf have all been portrayed in popular slash fiction by fans of their original shows. And, of course, this genre is also primarily written by women who want to see their favorite male characters in loving embrace. Slash fiction is originally based on sexual relationships between male characters, but there are also slash fiction works depicting a whole array of characters, genders, and cross-show pairings being created from the original slash fiction. These genres stemming from slash fiction include fem slash fiction where female characters are portrayed together sexually, real person slash about celebrities, and many others with the same idea.MM RomanceFan fiction is about expanding existing stories that are popular, slash fiction is about expanding those stories in a homoerotic fashion, and MM romance is creating a story about two men in a romantic relationship with an original storyline. Take away the big fan base, the characters that have already been created, the story lines they have, and their environments and leave the skeleton of the idea and you have a genre that focuses on romance about two men. MM romance was created from an idea that anyone can write sexual stories about the male characters they love, and it morphed into a genre on its own that focuses on original work. Authors create their own characters, settings, dialogue, story lines, and background and create a world that showcases two men in a romantic sexual relationship. And it was all started by the idea that you can write the next part of the story of a fandom you love. The progression of MM romance is a surprise to many that aren’t familiar with the genre and its beginnings. In a genre that focuses on homoerotic stories, it’s natural to think that the background in this type of literature would stem from the homosexual literature that has been written for generations. However, the modern view of this phenomenon starts at an unexpected place and took some interesting turns to get where the genre is today. The world of MM romance and homoerotic fiction is full of surprises.

-By Mary Grace (Not related to Aria)

M/M romance novels that have been written by women, for women have been considered by some cultural appropriation or fetishization of a sexual relationship between two men, but it isn’t. It’s a fantasy.
There are a thousand and one reasons women love M/M romance novels. They explore relationships without a competing element (no other ladies), they explore a relationship of equals, and for straight women, it means that all of the characters in the story can be sexualized. We sure didn’t read Twilight because Bella was an interesting character, we read it for the super-hot vampire-werewolf action!
“Bella is my favorite character” - Said no one... ever...

What Romance Novels Do For WomenRomance novels offer women an escape into a world filled with romance, adventure, and the opportunity to quench a thirst for a plethora of fantasies. Whether you want to know what it’d be like as a monk-hermit high in the mountains with a group of your best friends care taking for an ancient stone temple or if it’s about reintegrating love back into your life. Whether it’s the lack of female characters that allows women to completely escape into the sexual fantasy, or just a lack of pressure that the mental distance gay romance offers; MM romance novels are an escape into a new world for many women.
Why it Isn’t Really About Gay Men
While MM fantasies do include relationships between two men, it’s rare that they accurately depict a relationship. While this could be harmful if those romance novels spread inaccurate information (like that dinosaur cloning wouldn’t get you immediately eaten by a T-Rex, or that condoms shouldn’t be worn) that is not the norm, and when it is stated, it is clearly in a fantasy setting.
When looking at a typical MF romance novel, there is a regular character formula, with the female character being a blank slate that could be anyone, but that often leads to a vapid, empty character, devoid of deep thought. Evolving that blank slate character means isolating some readers from the experience; whereas a relationship between two men evolves in a way where a woman can imagine herself with one or both of the characters. Much like lesbian porn, where it’s not about those women being actual lesbians, in a loving committed relationship, having relations after a magic evening. But rather the idea that either of those women would be open to the viewer joining in and a distinctive lack of gender competition in the scene.
MM romance novels aren’t about championing the gay community, or fetishizing a real relationship between. It’s about lust, romance, and relationships that involve two people of the gender that you are attracted to.
Does MM Romances’ Fantasy Status Make it OK?
Fantasy has a pass, it’s the backwash from our society. While we could spend this time picking through why some women like MM romance, or why it’s not about gay men, or why it might be kind of about gay men, that time would be wasted. All fiction draws elements from real life, but that doesn’t make them all statements about society.
Fantasy novels and movies are a way for people to read and watch what they want to, at the scary end of fantasy there are murder romance novels, and at the soft end of fantasy, there’s dragons and love. It’s all okay to think about, to want, to love, to read, and write about. Because that’s what you like, and you can’t change that.

Enticing Journey Book Promotions presents... Wrapping Up Cover Reveal Week More Than Friends Series by Aria Grace Final Day: Looking for Home & Choosing Us Available Now
Evan was heartbroken when Nick left him two years ago to live a party life. He focused on his job as a truck driver and put his own needs on the back burner.Georgie is a favorite at Paddles, providing personal entertainment to anyone looking for a sexy femme boi. When they meet at a party, it doesn't seem like more than a superficial connection. Neither expect to find actual happiness from each other. A sweet and heartbreaking story that you won't be able to put down until it's finished.  
  Steve and Joey have a perfect life. They're happy with the home they've built together and have no plans to change anything. When Joey runs into Adam, a past coworker from his days at a male brothel, old feelings are stirred up.Adam has been living on the streets, barely getting by, but not without resorting to a vice he thought he'd long kicked. He's losing hope and afraid to trust anyone when Joey walks back into his life. While searching for a missing friend, Joey finds Adam in a park. Sick and alone, Joey can't leave him. He takes him home, knowing he and Steve can help him find what he's looking for.It's awkward at first, but feelings between the three men quickly develop. Promises for a future are made but Adam has no intention of being around long enough to see them fulfilled. a Rafflecopter giveaway a Rafflecopter giveaway Born and raised in beautiful California, Aria enjoys the year round sunshine and laid back environment of the west coast. Her career started out in tech writing and web development and has evolved into all things marketing with fingers in everything related to book publishing. She lives with her husband and two children and more pets than she can keep track of. Despite her crazy schedule, she loves the time she carves out to read and write. Whether it's on the beach or on the couch at 2am, she is a woman obsessed!
She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to drop her a note or visit her at www.ariagracebooks.com.
If you'd like to know when Aria's next book is coming out or where she'll be signing, join her mailing list at: http://bit.ly/AriaGraceFanList
Cover Reveal Week Recap                                                                                                                    

Cover Reveal Week More Than Friends Series by Aria Grace Thank you for sharing the covers Series is Available Now Giveaways Still OPEN (goo.gl/Gjs8SZ)(goo.gl/OmC3oT)
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Enticing Journey Book Promotions presents... Cover Reveal Week More Than Friends Series by Aria Grace Day 4: My Name is Luka & Finally Found Available Now Brad spends his days swinging a hammer and his weekend nights pouring drinks just to keep his nose clean. At only twenty-one, he's already had enough trouble to last him a lifetime. But when he realizes the boy upstairs has new injuries that coincide with loud shouting matches from that apartment, he knows he has to do something to help. What the fuck is that? I open my eyes and take a look around the room. I must have fallen asleep on the sofa because there’s a game show on TV and shouting coming from the apartment above me.
I grab the remote and turn off the screen, leaving my apartment in silence as I strain to hear what’s being said through the ceiling. I can’t make out anything more than jumbled words but the wall shakes as something pounds against it. My guess is a fist but it could be anything.
The building is silent for a moment then another pounding on the wall and something falls to the ground. After hearing a door slam, there’s a soft dragging overhead that gets me worried. More worried than I was before.
I don’t like to butt into other people’s drama. It’s not my business. God knows I’ve been on the other side of curious stares and concerned looks in my time. And all I ever wanted was for people to look the other fucking way and not ask me what’s going on. But the slow dragging above me has me picturing a dead body being shoved into a suitcase or something. Maybe I shouldn’t have mixed beer with the pain killers because I’m not usually so dramatic.
While I’m contemplating whether this is the kind of shit that happens every day while I’m at work, I hear another door slam and pounding of boots on the staircase.
I take a step into the shadow of my hallway and watch as a heavy set man in some kind of uniform jacket lumbers past my window with a lunch box in his hand. He’s probably in his early fifties but is wide enough that he could do some damage if he wanted to.
The image of the boy from earlier makes my heart stop. Did this guy and that kid come from the same apartment upstairs? I never noticed who moved in because I’m rarely home. I work all day then head to the gym and eat out every night, unless I’m working at Ray’s. I only come home to sleep and change so I’m never around during normal human hours.
The sound of shuffling above me sets me at ease. At least someone is alive up there. I decide to give him ten minutes then I’m going up. I’ll ask to borrow a cup of sugar or some lame shit like that. I just need to make sure there isn’t someone bleeding out upstairs because I was too lazy to check on them.
I watch the clock. Time seems to be crawling until I can’t wait any longer. I grab a small coffee cup and step outside. It’s not exactly a measuring cup but I don’t cook or bake so I don’t have that stuff. I do, however, drink an assload of coffee so this will have to do.
Just as I take my first step on the stairs, I see the kid from earlier. He’s sitting on the top step with his head leaning against the railing and his eyes shut. If I couldn’t see his narrow chest taking shallow breaths under the bloody wife beater, I’d think he’s dead.
I clear my throat quietly to get his attention. He rouses slowly then opens his eyes. I expect to see surprise but the fear reflecting back at me is heart breaking. “Hey, you okay?”
I take a step forward and he leans back and shakes his head. Does that mean he’s not okay or he doesn’t want me to move any closer?
“It’s okay.” I raise my hands out in front of me. “I just wanted to check on you.”
“I’m fine.” His voice is so quiet I almost don’t hear him. He opens and closes his mouth a few times like he tastes something funny then he looks around with a panicked expression. “I’m gonna be sick.”
I take the steps three at a time and reach him as he bends over the rail and pukes. I don’t want to spook him but he doesn’t look stable and I don’t want him to take a header over the side so I stand close enough behind him to grab him if he leans too far over, without actually touching him.
After he empties his belly and spits a few times, he seems to be more coherent. But he still doesn’t look at me and his body is tense again. “Sorry about that. Um, I should go lay down.”
I take a step back and nod. “Is there anyone home that can keep an eye on you?”
He frowns as he looks up at me. “I’m not a baby. I’m fine by myself.”
I offer a small smile and pat his arm gently. “I know. I just mean, if you’re feeling sick, you might get worse. Is someone home that can get you to the doctor if you need to go?”
“I don’t need a doctor.” He stands to his full height of six feet, exactly my height. “I’ll be fine.”
I take a deep breath and look around. The small complex is unusually quiet. There doesn’t seem to be another soul out tonight. “Look, I’ll feel a lot better if you aren’t alone. Want to hang out with me for a while? I was gonna order a pizza.”
“No, thanks.” He glances up at me but his eyes stop at my mouth. “Um, I’ll be okay.”
Now I’m watching his mouth. His full lips look extremely kissable even though I know he just puked. He’s classically handsome with a sharp jawline and nose that may have been broken once or twice. It’s perfect.
“Come on.” I lift my hand and show him the cast. “I just broke my wrist and I’m stuck home for a couple weeks. It’s only been a few hours and I’m already bored out of my mind. Just help me eat a pizza so I don’t inhale the whole thing and turn into a ball of dough while I’m waiting for this to heal.”
The corner of his mouth turns up just a bit. Seems like he doesn’t smile too often. That makes me want to give him a reason to smile even more. “Yeah, okay.”
“Great.” I watch him steady himself for the climb down the steep staircase. I climb just a step ahead of him so if he does lose his balance, he won’t go far before I can catch him.
We get inside my place and I walk to the fridge. “Want some water or…” I dig around toward the back. “I’ve got a can of 7-Up in here. That might settle your stomach.”
“Anything’s fine,” he says quietly.
I look up and see he’s swaying on his feet, still standing just inside the door. “Have a seat, um, I don’t think I caught you name.”
“Oh, Luka. My name is Luka.” He reaches for the can of soda I offer and takes a seat in the far corner of my couch. “Is this okay?”
I notice he’s gesturing to his position on the couch. “Of course.” I can feel my brows furrow as I watch his timid motions. “You can sit anywhere you want.”
“Thanks.” He leans back and pops the top on the can.
“Anytime, Luka.” I sit in the armchair next to him. Close but not too close. “I’m Brad, by the way.”
His eyes meet mine and hold there. Afraid to make any sudden movements, I don’t even breathe while he’s inspecting my face then letting his eyes linger down to my chest.
That’s when I remember I’m not wearing a shirt. No wonder he was scared when he first saw me. The dragon wrapped around my side and blowing fire across my belly is probably a little intimidating. “Sorry.” I stand and walk across the room. “Let me just grab a shirt.”
Luka quickly turns away without saying a word. He’s certainly a quiet kid. Nothing like me when I was his age. What is his age anyway?
I return wearing a faded Seahawks t-shirt. I’m probably projecting but he seems to be almost disappointed.
“So, Luka,” I open a water bottle and take a seat, “Wanna tell me what happened to your head?”
“Walked into a door.” His words sound rehearsed, almost instinctive. And very obviously a lie.
“I know that’s not what happened,” I say calmly, hoping to win his trust. “You can tell me the truth. I might be able to help.”
His eyes grow wide and he shakes his head, then winces at the movement. “You can’t. I’m fine.”
“Okay,” I want to comfort him in some way but there isn’t any appropriate way for me to touch him so I don’t move. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to. But, I promise not to judge you or cause any trouble.”
I pause to see if he’ll respond. He doesn’t but his eyes flit to mine before they lock on his hands in his lap.
“Just know that if you want to talk, I’m here.”
Luka nods almost imperceptibly then pinches the bridge of his nose.
“Headache?”
“Yeah.” He takes a slow breath then peeks over to me. “You got any Advil I can borrow?”
I smile at his choice of words. Unless he thinks he’s gonna puke it back up and return it to me, it’ll be a gift instead of a loan. “No Advil with a concussion but I’ve got some Tylenol around here. Gimme a sec.”
With his eyes still closed, he takes a sip of the soda and relaxes into the back cushion. The couch isn’t fancy but it’s damn comfortable. I head into the kitchen and dig through a basket on top of the fridge where I toss random stuff. There are rolls of gauze and packets of antibacterial ointment and several half full containers of pills.
I spill two white and red capsules into my palm then set the bottle on the table in front of Luka. He’ll need more later if he feels as bad as he looks.
When I realize he’s asleep, I take a moment to really look at him. His chiseled features bear zero resemblance to the man I saw leave his apartment earlier. He must look like his mother, unless that asshole that knocked him around isn’t actually his father. Maybe he’s a stepdad. Who the hell knows? What I do know is that he needs to rest and I don’t want him to leave.
It takes me a minute to battle with myself over whether or not to wake him. I know it’s fine for him to sleep even if he has a concussion but he doesn’t look comfortable at all. He’ll wake up in more pain than he started in if I don’t get him to lie down.
“Luka,” I whisper, nudging his arm. That’s when I notice all the bruises on his arms that are in various states of healing. Fucking bastard must do this on a regular basis. “Luka, how about you lie down so you’re more comfortable.”
He doesn’t respond so I start to get nervous that maybe he has slipped into a coma but then he wakes with a jolt. “What? What happened?”
“Nothing,” I say, rubbing a clear patch of his arm. “I just wanted you to lie down so you can get some rest.”
He looks at me with confusion for a minute then remembers where he is. “Oh, thanks but I should go home. I’m really tired.”
My hand instinctively closes around his arm, holding him in place. He tenses and fear fills his eyes as he slowly looks down at my hand.
I immediately release my grip and step back. “Please, stay.” I give him a small smile that I hope looks concerned and not creepy. “I’ll wake you up every few hours to see how you’re doing. But I’ll worry all night if you’re up there alone.”
He watches me for a long time. His eyes move from mine to my mouth and then to the hand that was just holding his bare skin. He is considering it but still on the fence.
“I promise you’ll be safe here.”
For the past six years at the University of Oregon, Trey has been completely focused on studying. With no time for relationships, he’s had to rely on the occasional hookup to fulfil his physical need for companionship. Now that he’s almost done with his Masters in Biology, his attention is on his career. Relationships will have to wait. Again.Chuck is hitching his way down the coast, taking odd jobs to survive while trying to stay off the radar of an abusive ex. He just wants to get to L.A. in one piece so he can start over. His job skills are limited, but even working in porn will be better than what he’s running from. Hiding is hard but Chuck isn’t ready to be found. Born and raised in beautiful California, Aria enjoys the year round sunshine and laid back environment of the west coast. Her career started out in tech writing and web development and has evolved into all things marketing with fingers in everything related to book publishing. She lives with her husband and two children and more pets than she can keep track of. Despite her crazy schedule, she loves the time she carves out to read and write. Whether it's on the beach or on the couch at 2am, she is a woman obsessed!
She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to drop her a note or visit her at www.ariagracebooks.com.
If you'd like to know when Aria's next book is coming out or where she'll be signing, join her mailing list at: http://bit.ly/AriaGraceFanList
Cover Reveal Week Recap

 
Cover Reveal Week More Than Friends Series by Aria Grace Day 5: Looking for Home & Choosing Us Stay Tuned..Coming August 26, 2016 HOSTED BY:

Enticing Journey Book Promotions presents...Cover Reveal WeekMore Than Friends Series by Aria GraceDay 3: Hands On & Best ChanceAvailable Now
Patton is new to town and hasn't met a lot of people outside of the salon he works at as a masseur. He wants a relationship but he's quick to fall in love and even quicker to scare away most men he's interested in. When he meets an outgoing bartender named Caleb, he is immediately attracted but isn't sure he can date someone that has to flirt for tips all night long. Unfortunately, that's not the worst thing Caleb does to make a living. 

Vinnie is happy as a bartender at Ray's and not looking for anything serious to complicate things. He has great friends and a simple life. When Chance comes into his bar, he brings more than just the possibility of a fun fling. Vinnie isn't sure he's ready to commit, especially when there is a toddler in the mix.
a Rafflecopter giveaway Born and raised in beautiful California, Aria enjoys the year round sunshine and laid back environment of the west coast. Her career started out in tech writing and web development and has evolved into all things marketing with fingers in everything related to book publishing. She lives with her husband and two children and more pets than she can keep track of. Despite her crazy schedule, she loves the time she carves out to read and write. Whether it's on the beach or on the couch at 2am, she is a woman obsessed! She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to drop her a note or visit her at www.ariagracebooks.com.If you'd like to know when Aria's next book is coming out or where she'll be signing, join her mailing list at: http://bit.ly/AriaGraceFanList Cover Reveal Week More Than Friends Series by Aria Grace Day 4: My Name is Luka & Finally Found Stay Tuned... Coming August 25, 2016 HOSTED BY:

Enticing Journey Book Promotions presents...Cover Reveal WeekMore Than Friends Series by Aria GraceDay 2: Choosing Happy & Just StayAvailable Now Zach's ex, Steve, is living in Portland with many regrets. He has alienated the people he cares most about by making bad choices that continue to haunt him. When he meets a kid that's in a bad relationship and needs some help, Steve reluctantly offers it, knowing it's his chance to redeem himself. What he doesn't expect is to find happiness. It's there, all he has to do it choose to accept it.

[image error] When Spencer agreed to help take down the leader of a Portland crime family, he didn't realize he'd end the night with the bloodied body of an unknowing accomplice in his arms. His initial interest in Dylan was purely physical but when Dylan stepped in front of Topher's gun and saved Spencer, the lust quickly turned into something more. Something he wasn't sure he'd ever find in the fast-paced dot com world he was from. 
Interview with Steve from Choosing Happy Enticing Journey: Steve, thanks so much for taking the time to meet with us today. I know you’ve got a lot going on right now.
Steve:  No problem. I’m happy to be here. Rachel is watching the cart so I’m good.Enticing Journey:Excellent. So let’s just jump to it. How are things going with you and Joey?
Steve:  Joey is good. We’ve got to deal with a few demons in his past. But once I get a few things straightened out, I think he’ll be just fine.Enticing Journey:And when you say demons, what are you referring to?
Steve:  He has a debt that he’s been working off, so to speak. But he um, quit that job, so I’m going to take of that debt for him.Enticing Journey:You’re just paying off his debt. He’s basically a stranger. Why would you do that for someone you barely know?
Steve:  When you put it that way, it does sound a little strange. But the truth is, he’s a good kid that just needs a break. I’ve hit rock bottom a few times in my past and it wasn’t until someone held out a hand to me that I was able to get my shit together. Joey isn’t in the same situation I was but I feel like I owe it to him to give him that same chance someone once gave me. Enticing Journey:And who was the someone that helped you out?
Steve:  It doesn’t matter now. He’s gone. Motorcycle accident. The point is, I’ve screwed up a lot of lives in my past. Now I’m at the point where I can start helping people. I dunno. It just feels like what I’m supposed to be doing.Enticing Journey:And after his debts are paid, do you see anything more coming from your relationship.
Steve:  I’m not gonna lie and say I haven’t dreamt about something like that but I’m no fool. Joey has a lot of living to do before he should even think of settling down. It’s a nice idea but totally unrealistic. That’s not why I’m helping him. Although, if he wanted to take my swing for a ride, I wouldn’t say no.Enticing Journey:The swing! Is that an important part of your sex life?
Steve: Important? No. Part of it? Yes. Most of the guys I bring home are looking for as much of an escape from reality as I am. I don’t use it often, but it’s a fun way to spend an evening. But I wouldn’t even consider it until after his current situation is resolved. That prick DeMonaco might not give him up so easily. 
Enticing Journey: Well, promise us you’ll be careful and keep in touch. Whether Joey stays in your life or not, we want to know what happens with his debt.
Steve: Will do. And thanks for sharing my story. Now, I better run. Rachel has to pick up her daughter in an hour and if she’s late, she makes me pay the $5 per minute late fee. Preschools are a total racket these days.
Enticing Journey: Okay, okay. You get out of here. Just promise not to be a stranger.
Steve:  No worries. I’ll come back in a few months with an update. Born and raised in beautiful California, Aria enjoys the year round sunshine and laid back environment of the west coast. Her career started out in tech writing and web development and has evolved into all things marketing with fingers in everything related to book publishing. She lives with her husband and two children and more pets than she can keep track of. Despite her crazy schedule, she loves the time she carves out to read and write. Whether it's on the beach or on the couch at 2am, she is a woman obsessed!
She loves to hear from readers so please feel free to drop her a note or visit her at www.ariagracebooks.com.If you'd like to know when Aria's next book is coming out or where she'll be signing, join her mailing list at: http://bit.ly/AriaGraceFanList Cover Reveal Week More Than Friends Series by Aria Grace Day 3: Hands On & Best Chance Stay Tuned... Coming August 24, 2016 HOSTED BY: