Monthly Archives: June 2024

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Celebrating Pride Month with A.J. Truman #Spotlight #Wotr24 #attendingauthor

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Hello, and thanks for being here to Celebrate Pride Month with Twinsie Talk. I’m Twinsie Tenise, self proclaimed resident MM reader and reviewer over here at Twinsie Talk. Throughout the Month of June we will be sharing Q&A sessions we had with over a dozen authors who write LGBTQIA Romance or books with LGBTQIA characters. Each day will Spotlight a different author. We hope you enjoy getting to know these wonderful authors and find lots of new books to fill your TBR.

Special thanks to all of the authors who signed up and took the time to answer the questions.
Shoutout and HUGE thank you to Twinsie Jo for the amazing rainbow graphics and Twinsie Angie for her input and assistance. Love you both! 😘

Today we are Celebrating Pride with A.J. Truman!

I discovered A.J’s work around January of this year. I read the first 3 books of The Single Dads Club in less than a week. Its an addictive series. As I type this I realized I never completed the series as I was waiting for book 4 to release then I kinda forgot. Ask anyone who knows me, I’m the queen of forgetfulness. But I digress, we are here to get to know A.J, our first Pride Spotlight.  I cannot wait to meet him in July.

A.J. Truman remembers his college days like it was yesterday, even though it was definitely not yesterday. He writes books with humor, heart, and hot guys. What else does a story need? He loves spending time with his pets and his husband and writing on his sun porch. You can email him at info@ajtruman.com.

Want to be the first to find out about his next book, including cover reveals and special sneak peeks? Want access to exclusive content like bonus stories and giveaways? Then join the Outsiders, A.J.’s mailing list for super fans. You can sign up here: http://www.ajtruman.com/outsiders/

You can also follow me on Facebook and Bookbub to be alerted when I release new books.

Facebook/ajtrumanwriter

https://www.bookbub.com/authors/a-j-truman

🏳️‍🌈What’s your name and a little about you?
 A.J. Truman is a gay man living in the middle of Indiana with his husband, son, and pets. He writes spicy romantic comedies with humor, heart, and hot guys. Think LOL meets DTF. He loves spending time with his family and occasionally sneaking off for an afternoon movie.
🏳️‍🌈What made you decide to write LGBTQIA romance?
As a gay man, I wanted to see myself as the romantic hero. I wanted to read about messy, complicated, funny characters who found joy in being gay rather than sadness and isolation. Oh, and I’m a huge fan of romcoms and wanted to make people laugh as well as swoon.
🏳️‍🌈Do you prefer to write standalones or series? Why?
I write series of standalone books. My books take place in the same world and have characters pop in from different books, but they all can be read as standalones. I’d rather do this than follow the same couple through multiple books because once they have their HEA, I don’t want to bother them with more plot shenanigans.
🏳️‍🌈Do you have a current WIP? Care to share any details?
My next book that’s releasing is the fourth book in my Single Dads Club series called The Fireman and the Flirt. It’s about a realtor who needs to clinch one final sale before year’s end, and his new client happens to be his old high school crush. Think House Hunters, but horny.

🏳️‍🌈What are your must have writing snacks and drinks?
I like to avoid snacking while writing. But I always treat myself to a sweet treat when I finish a draft or publish a book.
🏳️‍🌈If someone has never read your work, which book would you recommend?
The Falcon and the Foe
🏳️‍🌈If you could recommend 1 LGBTQIA Romance (not your own) to readers, what would that book be?
Social Skills by Sara Alva is an oldie but a goodie, and it inspired me to become an author. It’s a very sweet college romance between a nerd and the jock he must tutor.
🏳️‍🌈What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
going to the movies! I love going to the movies by myself, getting popcorn, and chilling out.


Amazon


Goodreads

This is my review for The Barkeep and the Bro. My most favorite of the 3 in the series I’ve read as of yet.

Mitch is looking for yet another bartender. Staffing his bar is becoming increasingly difficult as the years progress and Mitch is just… tired.
Charlie’s life is in the gutter right now, he’s staying with an old friend and needs a job like yesterday! He finds somewhere locally hiring but he’s not sure Mr. Dekker would want to hire him. You see, Charlie dated Mitch’s daughter. He also dumped Mitch’s daughter so, yeah, there’s also that.
Mitch and Charlie couldn’t hide their mutual attraction. There were multiple things standing in the way of them acting on said attraction. Ignoring it all together seems like a fantastic plan. I didn’t agree with this plan but no one asked me. Annnnnd moving on… when these 2 geniuses finally came to their senses it was fire! I was really looking forward to reading this book and it did not disappoint. Even the parts that irritated me. They were essential to their story and you gotta get through all the annoying stuff to get to the best part so I guess I liked those parts a little bit too. Whatever.

https://www.facebook.com/ajtrumanwriter/?locale=id_ID

Horror, Mystery, Thriller

#mystery #thriller #family #horror – Home is Where the Bodies are by Jeneva Rose

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From New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage and You Shouldn’t Have Come Here comes a chilling family thriller about the (sometimes literal) skeletons in the closet.

After their mother passes, three estranged siblings reunite to sort out her estate. Beth, the oldest, never left home. She stayed with her mom, caring for her until the very end. Nicole, the middle child, has been kept at arm’s length due to her ongoing battle with a serious drug addiction. Michael, the youngest, lives out of state and hasn’t been back to their small Wisconsin town since their father ran out on them seven years before.

While going through their parent’s belongings, the siblings stumble upon a collection of home videos and decide to revisit those happier memories. However, the nostalgia is cut short when one of the VHS tapes reveals a night back in 1999 that none of them have any recollection of. On screen, their father appears covered in blood. What follows is a dead body and a pact between their parents to get rid of it, before the video abruptly ends.

Beth, Nicole, and Michael must now decide whether to leave the past in the past or uncover the dark secret their mother took to her grave.

Goodreads

Amazon

Review by Twinsie Angie

Home is Where the Bodies are by Jeneva Rose

I purchased this audio book.

I was scrolling on TikTok when I saw a post about this book.  The cover was amazing, but ya’ll did me dirty with this recommendation.  I read the blurb, and I was sold.  I mean it sounded like a book I would devour.  I knew there would be some thriller/mystery aspects and they aren’t usually my favorite, but I was all in because a friend keeps telling me I need to give mystery/thrillers another shot.  I was ready to love this book but that is not what happened.

When I started this book, I knew there would be world build and character building, so I settled in.  However, I felt there were so many spots where it was just 10 minutes of describing things…things I really didn’t care about or need to know.  I got bogged down with allllllllll the descriptions/details.  I honestly felt like 10 chapters could have been cut because it was almost a filler of sorts with all the descriptions.

The beginning story line was great.  I mean who killed Emma and where did Brian go plus why???  I was really wanting to get to the bottom of this especially after what mom spills in the first chapter. Again, I feel like it took forever to get to the bottom of the plot/story.  I feel like there was so much stuff and nothing really happened until chapter 40 of 48.  Then the story flew by and was over

I do think marketing the book as horror is completely not true. Seeing horror is what made me jump but there wasn’t anything really that was horror except a little girl is missing and presumed dead.  But that isn’t really “horror.”

I did like the book at the end when everything started to shake out but it took me 2 weeks to read this book because I kept putting it down and would read something else.  Would I reread?  No.  Might I try another book by this author as it was my first?  Maybe.

eneva Rose is the New York Times bestselling author of The Perfect Marriage, One of Us is Dead, The Girl I Was, You Shouldn’t Have Come Here & Home is Where the Bodies Are. Her work has been translated into more than two dozen languages and optioned for film/tv. Originally from Wisconsin, she currently lives in Chicago with her husband, Drew, and her English bulldog, Winston.
Want to be a part of Jeneva Rose’s exclusive reader group on Facebook? You can join here – https://www.facebook.com/groups/jenev…

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Celebrating Pride Month with T.S. Ankney #Spotlight #Wotr24 #attendingauthor

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Hello, and thanks for being here to Celebrate Pride Month with Twinsie Talk. I’m Twinsie Tenise, self proclaimed resident MM reader and reviewer over here at Twinsie Talk. Throughout the Month of June we will be sharing Q&A sessions we had with over a dozen authors who write LGBTQIA Romance or books with LGBTQIA characters. Each day will Spotlight a different author. We hope you enjoy getting to know these wonderful authors and find lots of new books to fill your TBR.

Special thanks to all of the authors who signed up and took the time to answer the questions. Shout-out and HUGE THANK YOU to Twinsie Jo for the amazing rainbow graphics and Twinsie Angie for your input and assistance. Love you both!

Today we are celebrating pride with author T.S. Ankney!

T.S. is a new member of the Writers on the River family. I’ve yet to meet T.S. in real life but from the interactions we’ve had online I think we will get along great. I cannot promise the first time we meet that I won’t be awkward as all get out. That’s just how I roll. Haha!  I look forward to meeting in July and learning about all your books.


T.S. Ankney read their first romance novel at age twelve, when they snuck a book with a risqué cover out of a relative’s cabinet and read it at night under the covers with a flashlight to avoid getting caught relishing the “good parts.” They are a tiny blue dot in a big red state in the Midwest US and they love a sad song, a happily ever after, and believe representation matters. When not writing, you can find TS streaming documentaries, reading new books by their favorite authors, or indulging in reality TV competition shows like Project Runway or Great British Baking Show.

Connect with T.S. through their website: www.tsankney.com

🏳‍🌈What’s your name and a little about you?
T.S. Ankney
🏳‍🌈What made you decide to write LGBTQIA romance?
I’ve been an avid reader of MM Romance for years, so I decided to try my hand at some. My alter-ego writes diverse MF contemporary romance so it wasn’t a huge leap. Plus, everyone deserves their HEA!
🏳‍🌈Do you prefer to write standalones or series? Why?
Depends on the story, but I do love being able to sink into a world over several books and go deeper with characters and settings.
🏳‍🌈Do you have a current WIP? Care to share any details?
Well, I just finished up book three in my latest MM romantic suspense trilogy, Guardian Alliance Security, about a trio of former SEALs who have started a private security training facility and are investigating the mysterious deaths of their friends.
🏳‍🌈What are your must have writing snacks and drinks?
Water, coffee, and my music. No snacks. I forget about all of it anyway once I’m in the writing groove.
🏳‍🌈If someone has never read your work, which book would you recommend?
If you like short, steamy reads, then I’d suggest book one in my Hot Takes series, Right-Hand Man. If you’re looking for a little mystery/suspense/military with your MM romance, then I’d start with book one in my One of Our Own series, Shoot to Kill
🏳‍🌈If you could recommend 1 LGBTQIA Romance (not your own) to readers, what would that book be?
Anything by KJ Charles. She’s one of my all-time favorite authors!
🏳‍🌈What do you enjoy doing in your free time?
Reading, watching movies and TV, playing with my dog Karley, adult coloring apps on my new iPad.
🏳‍🌈Anything else you would like to add?
Can’t think of anything right now. Looking forward to meeting everyone at my first WotR!

Goodreads

Amazon

Social Media Links – Amazon Link/B&N/Kobo/Etc
Part of a Series, Sweet Romance, Teen & Young Adult Contemporary, Writers on the River Attending Author, YA

#wotr #attendingauthor #ya #partofaseries Dear Emilia (Love Notes 8) by Danielle Keil

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Everyone at Ryder High knows what it means to have a teal envelope taped to their locker on the first day of the month.

Skye Turner came close to having one, but considering she and her boyfriend, Andrew Del Marco, had been dating for a week already, she couldn’t take it.

So she decides cheat the Secret Admirer system and divert the teal envelope to someone else.

Emilia Rosemary is just like every other girl when she gets her envelope— shocked.

But the envelope isn’t from a real Secret Admirer. It’s from Skye, posing as Emilia’s crush, Chase McNeill.

Skye and her friends develop a plan to have both Emilia and Chase surprised with the big reveal at the Homecoming dance.

But when Chase learns the truth, will the plans be ruined?

Will Emilia be upset when she finds out her friends deceived her?

Goodreads https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/62837531-dear-emilia

Amazon https://amzn.to/3wMHX9Q

Review by Twinsie Dee

i bought this book her is my honest review

Dear Emilia,
our sweet girl with her nose in a book and pencil in her hand, for someone so smart yet so not willing to open up and let your feelings be known don’t worry we got you
Love Us…….
Emilia was the brains of Ryder High too smart for her own good but wanted to have someone who made her just as happy as the others around her. Well, our girl is in luck when she finds the famous teal envelope on her locker will she be able to find her admirer before the month is up or will she be embarrassed when it comes out who is behind the envelope. This proves just how far a friend is willing to go to make their friend a happily ever after. But the journey will surprise you, how it ends will have you swooning, and always remember the follow the second star to the left and straight till morning, will Wendy and Peter get their happy ever after? after all you just need faith trust and can’t forget the pixie dust.

Danielle Keil grew up and spent the majority of her life in the Chicagoland area. A recent transplant, she is enjoying the Mississippi life, especially the pool in her backyard.
Danielle is happily married for over 10 years, and has two young children, a daughter and a son, who are exact replicas of her and her husband.
She also is a fur mom to their Corgi, Cozmo, who loves barking, mud, and peanut butter.
Danielle’s love language is gifts, her Ennegram is a 9w1, and she loves everything purple.
The way to her heart is through coffee, chocolate and tacos (extra guac).

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Celebrating Pride Month #biography –Rainbow Warrior My Life in Color– by: Gilbert Baker

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Today we are kicking off Pride Month by honoring the late, great, Gilbert Baker.

 

All of the above photos were included in the book Rainbow Warrior.

I slowly made my way through this book as I needed frequent breaks due to some of the content. As I processed these amazing moments in history, it made me sad. We’ve come a lot further since the creation of the first rainbow flag in 1978– yet in some ways its as if nothing much has really changed at all.

Gilbert fought Political and Religious wars for Gay rights his entire life. He spoke up when others remained silent. And he kept moving forward for the cause, though his heartache from all of those he lost had to be physically draining. To be anyone in the GLBT community during the AIDS epidemic and the war on gays during a couple decades there would have been equally sad and scary af! Could you imagine having a friend during that time just disappear? Only to find out later they died from gay cancer and their family quietly packed up their things and had them buried without any sort of thought going out to the friends who certainly would have wanted to pay their respects.

Gilbert’s story made me smile and laugh while also breaking my heart. I don’t know if it hit me harder because I am a lesbian. Putting myself in their shoes is scary. There were some brave men and women who fought hard for the rights my wife and I have today. Some paid with their lives. I choose to honor those wonderful humans throughout the month of June.

To give you an idea of just how MASSIVE the mile long rainbow flag, created in memory of the 25th anniversary of the Stonewall uprising, here are some specs mentioned in the book…

  • 150,000 square feet
  • 7000 pounds
  • 1 mile long
  • would take 2500 people (at minimum) to carry

A one mile long strip of 6 different colors that then had to be sewn together to create a rainbow. This Queen had a big ol bright colorful dream she brought to fruition with the help of a whole lot of gays and their ally’s. Oh to be present during such a memorable moment in history.

I wanted to use Gilbert to kick off Pride Month because without the Gay Betsy Ross, would we even have a pride Month to celebrate? Stay tuned the rest of the month, all the odd days in June. Each day we will have a Q&A with an author who writes books with LGBTQIA characters. You won’t want to miss it!

GOODREADS

AMAZON

Gilbert Baker was the creator of the Rainbow Pride Flag and the meaning of each color. In 1978 Gilbert began creating the first rainbow flag for the San Francisco Liberation Day Parade. THEN in 1994 he wanted to make a mile long rainbow flag to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Stonewall. Yes, you read that right. 1 mile long. This book follows Gilbert on his journey through life. He was often depressed and never saw his worth. Then again he was a feminine-ish gay man living in a really messed up time in history. Gilbert is one of the forefathers of the gay rights movement. If not for humans like him, would gays even be allowed to marry today? Men like Gilbert, Harvey Milk, and a slew of others paved the way for us modern day gays. I will forever be grateful for them and will remember them as Pride Month approaches.
I listened to the audio book and it is read by one of Gilbert’s good friends, Graham Halstead. He put this book together after Gilbert passed using Gilbert’s notes and journals.