TRAINING SEASON AUDIOBOOK! EXPERIENCE MATTY ALL OVER AGAIN! #gay #romance

Whooooo!!! NOW AVAILABLE! Training Season on AUDIOBOOK! Buy it Amazon & Audible. And now at iTunes!

“Does Training Season by Leta Blake live up to all it’s crazy hype? IT SO DOES!” – Breann, Boy Meets Boy Reviews

Michael Ferraiuolo, known for narrating the Five Borough books by Santino Hassell, did a fantastic job. Check out the sample! Absolutely thrilled with how the audiobook turned out!

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Unquestionably talented figure skater Matty Marcus is willing to sacrifice everything for his Olympic dream, but his lack of discipline cost him the gold once before. Now the pressure’s on. He needs a coach who can keep him in line, but top coaches don’t come cheap, and Matty can’t afford to stay in the game no matter how badly he wants to win.

When a lucrative house-sitting gig brings him to rural Montana, Matty does his best to maintain his training regimen. Local residents turn out to be surprisingly tolerant of his flamboyant style, especially handsome young rancher Rob Lovely, who proves to be much more than a cowboy stereotype. Just as Matty requires a firm hand to perform his best on the ice, Rob shows him how strong he can be when he relinquishes control in the bedroom. With new-found self-assurance, he drives himself harder to go straight to the top.

But competition has a timetable, and to achieve his Olympic dream, Matty will have to join his new coach in New York City, leaving Rob behind. Now he must face the ultimate test. Has he truly learned how to win—on and off the ice—during his training season?

This book contains BDSM elements.

Leta Blake Recommends Kit Brisby’s ROGUE MAGIC! Check it out! #gay #romance

I’m thrilled to welcome Kit Brisby today to talk about her excellent book Rogue Magic! It was one of my favorite books I beta read last year and I highly recommend it!

Let’s get started:

1. Rogue Magic is deeply romantic, but more than that it’s a wonderful but never heavy-handed allegory for persecution based on religion, race, or any other human quality that might go against the values of the established culture. Was this intentional on your part?

 

Persecution based on religion, race, and countless other identities has existed for centuries. It’s a common theme in stories, and I don’t think I was doing anything revolutionary here! When I wrote this book, the political climate in the United States hadn’t quite reached its current fever pitch. I’ll be honest – I hoped that by the time the book was released, our nation might be entering a time of healing under the leadership of the first female president.

But that’s another story entirely.

Ultimately, I believe #ownvoices is incredibly important, and while ROGUE MAGIC might be read as an allegory about what marginalized people face today, I urge readers to seek stories written by members of those populations. I’m a queer white woman with anxiety. I can speak to those experiences, but I can’t begin to speak to the lived experiences of people of color, Muslims, and other marginalized people. I’m touched that readers have drawn parallels but a direct parallel was not my intention.

 

2. Do you remember the first moment this story came alive in your mind? The point of inspiration? Can you tell us a bit about it and how it made you feel inside?

 

The opening scene was always the foundation of this book. The act of sacrifice and the immediate consequences. The mix of confusion and fear and empathy. I get a little squiggly feeling in my stomach over that scene, and it’s that kind of excitement/inspiration that fuels me as a writer as the story unfolds.

 
3. Was there a point with this story when you felt like it was too much, or that you’d never be able to complete it satisfactorily? What got you through that time and led you to persevere?
I’m always very excited for the first 15,000 words of a new draft. Then I enter the “despair and whining” phase until I’ve got about 15% left. I stick to a fairly stern drafting schedule that gets me through the agony of the “I’ll never finish this garbage” doldrums. Revisions and line edits can be rough, but in this case I had amazing guidance. That always makes the hard work more gratifying.

 

4. Many authors write with music playing or use songs to drive inspiration and channel emotion. Is there a particular song (or songs) that will forever be attached to Rogue Magic or its characters for you?

 

I listen to moody Google Play Radio stations when I’m writing. I also listen to short, curated playlists that help me get into characters’ headspaces. The Shins played a large part in ROGUE MAGIC’s playlist, along with a little Belle and Sebastian. I have a feeling that was more Levi’s influence than Byron’s.

 

5. You have an annual star chart you use to track your writing and edits. I found it deeply inspiring and started doing a similar one for myself. Do you want to briefly explain it?

 

I’m deeply inspired by author V.E. Schwab. She popularized the “star chart” method and uses monthly calendars. Her productivity is amazing, and she’s very transparent with her fans about the amount of labor that goes into producing a book. Using a star chart to tracking drafting is particularly motivating, but I’ve found a lot of value in visualizing revisions, which aren’t nearly as sexy as cranking out brand new words. (But they’re so much more important!) I use a year calendar from NeuYear.net to track my book-related work.

 

6. What is the one thing you hope readers take away from Rogue Magic and what is the one thing you are most proud of when it comes to the book?

 

I hope readers enjoy themselves as the story unfolds. I’ve found great comfort and escape in books throughout my life, and it’s truly the greatest honor to offer that to others.

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Thank you, Kit! Congratulations on the release of Rogue Magic! 

“Funny, cute, snarky and just plain fun.” Review: Will & Patrick Wake Up Married by Leta Blake & Alice Griffiths #gay #romcom

“I love this set up for the story…drunk and married in Vegas! This is very funny, cute, snarky and just plain fun. Looking forward to the next installment.”

via Julie, Goodreads

 

“This is a stunning story.” Diverse Reader’s Review of Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn

Diverse Reader’s review of Vespertine:

 

“I love Leta Blake’s work so hard. This was the first time I read any of Indra Vaughn’s. ( I will be rectifying that now)

Now, I was skeptical at first when I read the blurb. Scared even. A priest. a rocker. long ago lovers. As a Christian I feared it would be insulting. I also feared it would be preachy. I’m sure some of you feel or felt the same way. I’m here to tell you it is none of those things.

Leta and Indra were so respectful.

Nicky and Jazz. Were there ever two men who loved more than these two did each other? I doubt it. A love that was like walking through a battlefield. Each hit hurt, each hit scarred. Each scar, a memory. Time was killer for them. Only when they reunite after Nicky not only hit rock bottom but crashed straight through to Hell’s bedrock do we see their story. A story of long ago crashing into the present.

This is a friends to lovers back to friends back to lovers story LOL. This is a tale of strength, courage, trust, healing, and loyalty. God does work in mysterious ways. His answers aren’t always clear and through Jazz we get such a crystal clear view of the struggle of choosing a path. One forever or the right forever.

Nicky and Jazz. Badger and fox. two sides of the same coin. One a saint one a sinner. And yet for them to be together makes so much sense.

This is a stunning story.”

 

 

 

Can a priest and a rock star obey love’s call? 

Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.

Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.

As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.

Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.

Review: The River Leith – I’m With Geek “Ultimately, The River Leith is a delight: devastating, hopeful, sexy, romantic, and true.” #gay #amreading

“The River Leith is a short book. It could be completed in a day, and it is engrossing enough to do so. As with her previous book, Training Season, Blake showcases her skill for writing unique, involved and developed relationships. Her sex scenes are also wonderfully written, realistic and free of purple prose while still being romantic (but I’m With Geek will be sure to discuss them in more detail in a later Between the Sheets article.)

Ultimately, The River Leith is a delight: devastating, hopeful, sexy, romantic, and true.”

via Review: The River Leith – I’m With Geek.

“A sweet, powerful, and sexy romance. I can’t recommend it enough.” Review: Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn

“I wasn’t ready for how beautifully moving this book ended up being. I was completely floored by these characters and the raw and gritty honesty in which we get to know them. They were so beautifully flawed and so beautifully human that it seriously took my breath away. This story was so much more than a romance, it was a testament to the human condition. How we make mistakes, how we learn from them, and how we move on from them. I won’t spoil a bit of these story for you guys because I want you to FEEL and EXPERIENCE every single moment without me preparing you. This book was written to resonate and it has with me and I assure you that if you have a beating heart and are made of human bone and flesh it will touch you too. A sweet, powerful, and sexy romance. I can’t recommend it enough.”

Will & Patrick Wake Up Married Bundle Episodes 1-3! Only $4.99! #gay #romance

“I truly adore this series more than words can express. The writing is stellar and the storyline just keeps getting better and better.” – Bayou Book Junkie Reviews

“Ms. Blake and Ms. Griffiths have crafted an endearing tale full of promise, humor, tension, drama, sadness, and forgiveness. An incredible read!” – Alpha Book Club

“If you haven’t read these stories yet what are you waiting for?” Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews

 

BUY EPISODES 1-3 FOR ONLY $4.99!

“Beautiful, compelling and above all, believable. I couldn’t put it down.” Review of Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn

“Beautiful, compelling and above all, believable. I couldn’t put it down. Hope to see more from this writing pair.”

Source: Amazon.com: Elr’s review of Vespertine

 

“Beautiful story told with sensitivity and grace.” Reviews: Smoky Mountain Dreams by Leta Blake

“Beautiful story told with sensitivity and grace. A difficult subject approached with truth and honesty while including lots of hot m/m romance. I can’t decide who I love best. Would love to see where their story goes from here.”

via Amazon.com: Customer Reviews: Smoky Mountain Dreams.

 

Sometimes holding on means letting go

After giving up on his career as a country singer in Nashville, Christopher Ryder is happy enough performing at the Smoky Mountain Dreams theme park in Tennessee. But while his beloved Gran loves him the way he is, Christopher feels painfully invisible to everyone else. Even when he’s center stage he aches for someone to see the real him.

Bisexual Jesse Birch has no room in his life for dating. Raising two kids and fighting with family after a tragic accident took his children’s mother, he doesn’t want more than an occasional hook-up. He sure as hell doesn’t want to fall hard for his favorite local singer, but when Christopher walks into his jewelry studio, Jesse hears a new song in his heart.

“There is no way to make this any better. Just do yourself a favor and read it.” Review of Vespertine by Leta Blake & Indra Vaughn

“This is an absolute must read! So, so many good things can be said about this. The angst and love is out of this world. Nicky is so broken and Jazz is just the absolute best. There is no way to make this any better. Just do yourself a favor and read it.”

Source: Amazon.com: seastwood1’s review of Vespertine

 

 

Can a priest and a rock star obey love’s call? 

Seventeen years ago, Jasper Hendricks and Nicholas Blumfeld’s childhood friendship turned into a secret, blissful love affair. They spent several idyllic months together until Jasper’s calling to the Catholic priesthood became impossible to ignore. Left floundering, Nicky followed his own trajectory into rock stardom, but he never stopped looking back.

Today, Jasper pushes boundaries as an out, gay priest, working hard to help vulnerable LGBTQ youth. He’s determined to bring change to the church and the world. Respected, admired, and settled in his skin, Jasper has long ignored his loneliness.

As Nico Blue, guitarist and songwriter for the band Vespertine, Nicky owns the hearts of millions. He and his bandmates have toured the world, lighting their fans on fire with their music. Numbed by drugs and fueled by simmering anger, Nicky feels completely alone. When Vespertine is forced to get sober, Nicky returns home to where it all started.

Jasper and Nicky’s careers have ruled their lives since they parted as teens. When they come face to face again, they must choose between the past’s lingering ghosts or the promise of a new future.