When Will I Be Loved by Julie Lynn Hayes

Good morning, and thanks for having me on your blog today!

You ask what makes my story different from the rest. To begin with, I wrote it. Every author puts their own touch on everything, naturally. But of course there’s more to it than that.

I created a town called Crescent Bay in the first book, When Will I See You Again. I never actually give a location, but it’s fairly obvious from the clues I drop that it’s on the west coast, so let’s call it California. Crescent Bay is a prime tourist location, although obviously there are year-round residents as well. I set up a world in which vampires and werewolves are out of the closet, so to speak, and known to exist. So of course that removes the element of secrecy, but allows for more normalcy.

The difference is that the werewolves have SL57 (aka Wolf Tranq) and the vampires have Blut, each of which keeps them under control and allows them to interact safely with society.

I wanted to show my wolves and vamps as being people, as well, not creatures, and not monsters, but very real people, with the same sort of problems that other people have. Falling in love, making a living, having fun, etc.

The first book deals with the pain of loss and surviving it—and dealing with it or not—and touches on the idea of reincarnation. The second book is more about finding the person you’re fated to meet and fall in love with, and then dealing with everything that comes along with that. Making things work out when maybe you’ve jumped into something without knowing all the details, following the dictates of one’s heart.

Besides having to figure that out, Miller and Holt have the fanatics of C.A.U.S.E. to deal with, who are rabidly anti-supernatural and adamant about wanting them permanently taken care of. Plus there seems to be an impending conflict between the wolves and the vamps. Add to that the discovery that someone has brought V Clubs to Crescent Bay—illicit underground nightclubs where vampires illegally drink human blood.

All these things, plus my main characters, Miller Fenwick and Holt Wynne, are just some of the things that make my story different from the rest.

Thanks for having me here today! Have a great day!

Blurb:

Miller Fenwick wants the kind of happy ending his best friend got, with the hunky werewolf of his dreams. Trouble is, there doesn’t seem to be a Prince Charming on the horizon, and casual encounters don’t cut it anymore. Now that Alexx and Raoul are engaged, Miller is becoming resigned to being the bridesmaid, never the bride. But a chance encounter with a sexy stranger at Charisma has his hopes soaring, and his heart is wide open to possibilities.

Holt Wynne is the head of Helios, the largest vampire organization in the country. He’s a very influential and wealthy man, with a deep-seated hatred of werewolves. His running into Miller at Charisma isn’t entirely accidental. He’d meant to wait, but his emotions got the better of him, and he couldn’t stay away. And now see what he’s done…

Wait until Miller finds out he’s sortof just gotten married to the sexy vampire who hates the people who are Miller’s best friends. Sparks are gonna fly—and not just in the bedroom. One thing for sure—life in Crescent Bay is never dull!

Pages or Words: Approximately 115,000 words

Categories: M/M Romance, Mystery, Paranormal

Excerpt:

Miller forced himself to take a breath, unaware until he did that he’d stopped breathing.

Quit being ridiculous. Wine going to your head already?

But he’d only had the one glass. And he hadn’t even finished that. He wasn’t such a lightweight, when it came to holding his alcohol, and he knew it.

He told himself it was just his imagination. But just to be safe, he began a slow cautious turn, looking around him, without appearing to be searching for anything—or anyone.

And there he was.

Standing a heartbeat away from Miller was one of the sexiest men he’d ever seen in his life. A man every bit as sexy as Raoul Marchand, although not in the same feral way as the werewolf.

This man was light where Raoul was dark. His hair was a honey blonde which stood out by virtue of being obviously natural, in a place where most blondes were either created by the sun or came from a bottle. He stood a little taller than Miller, exuding a presence that went beyond the merely physical, possessed of the bearing and mien of a veritable god.

But it was his eyes that drew Miller in and held him spellbound. Blue and green, like staring into tropical waves, flecked with bits of pure molten gold. And the way he was staring at Miller was sending the most delicious shivers traveling up and down his spine.

The man took a step toward Miller, his hand outstretched. Before Miller quite realized what had happened, he’d placed his own hand inside of the other man’s, and he found himself being drawn onto the dance floor.

Sales Links:

About the author:

Julie Lynn Hayes first began publishing short stories and poetry in the 1990’s, when it was a different ballgame altogether, and Ebooks hadn’t been dreamed of yet. That changed in 2010 with the acceptance of her first romance novel. She’s come a long way since that first book appeared, and is finding the journey a very educational one.

She lives in St. Louis with her daughter Sarah and her cat Ramesses. She often writes of two men finding true love and happiness in one another’s arms, and is a great believer in the happily ever after. She likes to write in different genres, to stretch herself in order to see what is possible. Her great challenge is to be told something can’t be done—she feels compelled to do it.

When she isn’t writing, she enjoys crafts, such as crocheting and cross stitch, needlepoint and knitting, and she loves to cook, spending time watching the Food Network. Her favorite chef is Geoffrey Zakarian. Her family thinks she’s a bit off, but she doesn’t mind. Marching to the beat of one’s own drummer is a good thing, after all. Her published works can be found at Dreamspinner Press, eXtasy Books, Wayward Ink Press, and Amber Quill Press.

Where to find the author:

Facebook:   Facebook

Twitter:  https://www.twitter.com/ShelleyRunyon

Goodreads Link: My Goodreads

Publisher: Amber Quill

Cover Artist: Trace Zaber

Tour Dates & Stops:

7-Jun

Rainbow Gold Reviews

Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

8-Jun

Carly’s Book Reviews

Dawn’s Reading Nook

9-Jun

Because Two Men Are Better Than One

Bike Book Reviews

10-Jun

My Fiction Nook

Michael Mandrake

MM Good Book Reviews

11-Jun

Hearts on Fire

12-Jun

It’s Raining Men

Wicked Faerie's Tales and Reviews

15-Jun

Velvet Panic

Multitasking Mommas

16-Jun

BFD Book Blog

17-Jun

Inked Rainbow Reads

18-Jun

Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My

Wake Up Your Wild Side

Prism Book Alliance

19-Jun

The Fuzzy, Fluffy World of Chris T. Kat

22-Jun

Molly Lolly

23-Jun

Book Reviews, Rants, and Raves

Nephylim

24-Jun

Amanda C. Stone

25-Jun

Emotion in Motion

26-Jun

Decadent Delights

All I Want and More Books

29-Jun

Love Bytes

30-Jun

Bayou Book Junkie

1-Jul

Up All Night, Read All Day

Mikky's World of Books

2-Jul

Parker Williams

Kimi-Chan

Rafflecopter Prize: 1 copy of When Will I Be Loved and 1 copy of When Will I See You Again or if winner has that, another book from my backlist

 

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History Week Part II: Erin O'Quinn

VINTAGE CONDOMS by Erin O’Quinn

Like Dean Pace-Frech, I am fascinated by the last turn of the century … the nineteenth turning to twentieth. I set my series of Gaslight Mystery novels in 1923 and 1924, several years after my colleague’s stories. But what I have to say today about condoms can easily pertain to his time and his characters too.

This very brief look at condoms is my unabashed way of introducing a series of novels called "The Gaslight Mysteries,” published by Amber Quill Press, and found on their website bookstore:

 http://www.amberquill.com/store/m/223-Erin-O-Quinn.aspx

and on my Amazon author page: http://amzn.to/1w8PVgI

Historians of such esoteric subjects agree that condoms were first used for prevention of pregnancy, and by wealthy men only. That makes sense, since women were naturally held to the task of avoiding impregnation, and only wealthy men might wish to keep their seed from being spread outside the marriage bed.

Early condoms, perhaps worn first in ancient China, were apparently small devices that covered the glans only, made from oiled silk paper or lamb intestines. Later, in Japan, they were made of tortoise shell or animal horn. Ouch . . . not for the wearer, but for the receiver!

When a particularly deadly strain of syphilis broke out in Europe in the late 15th century, condoms began to be developed to stop the spread of this disease. One treatise describes linen sheaths soaked in chemicals and allowed to dry. These devices, which covered the glans only, were tied on with a ribbon, giving a whole new meaning to the words baby’s bonnet.

After 1500, penis protection became much more widespread throughout Europe. They were called “condoms” gradually, starting in the mid-1600s; and they might be made of animal intestines and bladders, or of linen.

Here’s an interesting note from Wiki: 

“In the late 15th century, Dutch traders introduced condoms made from "fine leather" to Japan. Unlike the horn condoms used previously, these leather condoms covered the entire penis.”

The notorious philanderer Casanova was proud of his “assurance caps,” and was reported to have given public demonstrations by blowing into them, proudly showing their lack of holes (see photo).

In spite of opposition—mainly from the clergy—condoms, once developed, multiplied quickly. According to Wiki, they “were sold at pubs, barbershops, chemist shops, open-air markets, and at the theater throughout Europe and Russia.” Once they spread to America, land of invention and individuality, condoms became more and more sophisticated.

In my books, the characters are able to buy their protection from the gay pub or “Molly House” called Paddy’s, a logical place to find sexual appurtenances.

In the first novel HEART TO HART, Michael slips a clumsy latex condom out of his dresser drawer. It seems that, since the mid 1800’s and Charles Goodyear’s discovery of processing natural rubber, condoms could be made of stretched rubber, wrapped around the penis and held in place with a rubber ring. These early condoms were thick as a bicycle inner tube. One imagines that while one partner might barely tolerate the enlargement, the other might suffer the indignity of feeling nothing at all.

Anyway, by the time Michael was seducing Simon, condoms were being made from latex—rubber suspended in water rather than in gasoline or benzene. These protective devices were stronger, thinner, and had a shelf life up to five years.

In the second series novel SPARRING WITH SHADOWS, Michael slyly leaves a package for his flatmate. It’s a condom made of thin animal bladder, the latest in American-made protection, thin enough and pliable enough to ensure the man’s pleasure as well as the other obvious benefits.

Many of the photos that follow are taken from the following website: http://www.ep.tc/condom-envelopes/ a gallery of images assembled by Ethan Persoff, http://www.ep.tc

Thanks, Ethan. I “use” them with gratitude.

Just a note: The U.S.-manufactured Sheik and Ramses brands were well established by 1882.  Trojans, also developed in America, were popular then as now. (As a USC grad, I have to add here: Go! Trojans!)

 Paper packaging was, and remains, a popular dispensary for condoms.

In the source listed above, Ethan Persoff notes:

The very interesting book "Remember your rubbers!" (Collectible Condom Containers) by Elliott, Goehring and O'Brien published by Schiffer Publishing Co., strangely does not show any of the examples offered here on eBay by us. Does this mean these are rarer than their tin counterparts?

It also states the following on paper packaging: "Interestingly enough, both the oldest and newest rubber packages are envelopes. India rubbers, latex rubbers and animal membrane prophylactics are found in envelopes. Most hold one dozen rubbers lying flat, though a few can be found with one quarter dozen. ‘Genuine Liquid Latex’ rubbers came packaged with four (rolled) to an envelope and wrapped in cellophane. Rarer are envelopes with a single rubber in the package…"

To conclude, I need to add that my fictional men use condoms sparingly, and not at all when they become “exclusive” lovers in the novels TO THE BONE and THIN AS SMOKE. But we as readers need to realize they were not only available, but necessary in an age when syphilis, “The Great Pox,”  was a scourge and a killer.

Erin O’Quinn sprang from the high desert hills of Nevada, from a tiny town which no longer exists. A truant officer dragged her kicking and screaming to grade school, too late to attend kindergarten; and since that time her best education has come from the ground she’s walked and the people she’s met.

In celebration of History Week Part II, I will be giving away an Ecopy of my first novel, A Place to Call Their Own, which is available from JMS Books.  Comment and follow me and the other folks on Twitter to enter to win!


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