Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Blog Tour: Day 5


I'm over at On Top Down Under Book Reviews today sharing another exclusive excerpt of my historical novel Yesterday. Stop by and throw your name in the Rafflecopter widget for another chance at a giveaway.

http://ontopdownunderbookreviews.com/yesterday-by-mickie-b-ashling-excerpt-and-giveaway/

Friday, January 22, 2016

Release Day, Review, and Blog tour: Day 3



To celebrate today's release of Yesterday, I'm  at a few different locations. First stop is Diverse Reader ( http://diversereader.blogspot.com/2016/01/blog-tour-yesterday-by-mickie-b-ashling.html)     where you can read another exclusive excerpt and a wonderful release day review.

Another stop on my blog tour: http://www.multitaskingmommas.com/2016/01/blog-tour-excerpt-giveaway-yesterday-by.html

I'm also over at Clare London's blog: ( http://clarelondon.com/2016/01/22/birthday-blog-month-jan22-mickie-b-ashling/) sharing another excerpt with a chance to win a gift certificate.

Finally, at the DSP blog after 1:00 P.M.Eastern Standard. (http://bit.ly/1UghL8P) where I'll be discussing the series of events that inspired Yesterday.

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Blog Tour: Yesterday


Hi all! Here's the schedule for the tour. Stop by any one of these awesome blogs to read an exclusive excerpt and throw your name in the hat for some freebies.

Tour Schedule
Jan. 20 - Hearts On Fire
Jan. 21 - The Novel Approach
Jan. 22 - Diverse Reader
Jan. 22 - Multitaskingmommas
Jan. 25 - Charlie Cochet
Jan. 26 - On Top Down Under Book Reviews
Jan. 27 - Love Bytes
Jan. 28 - Prism Book Alliance
Jan. 29 - MM Good Book Reviews
Feb. 1 - Rainbow Gold Reviews
Feb. 2 - Sinfully

Friday, January 15, 2016

Mayon Redux



My historical romance set in post-World War II Philippines has undergone major edits, as well as a beautiful new cover, created by Catt Ford. The second edition will release on February 23,2016 under the DSP Publications imprint. Here's a short excerpt for your entertainment. It's available for pre-order on the DSPP site as well as Amazon.

Excerpt


He grazed the smooth shoulder resting right below his chin with a soft kiss and jerked in surprise when Greg stirred and mumbled, “What are you doing?”
“I’m… sorry,” John stammered, “I must have been dreaming.” There was no way to hide the erection pressing against Greg’s buttocks, so he embraced the lie. “It’s been a while since I’ve woken up with anyone in my arms, so you’re stuck with my morning wood,” John mumbled and quickly rolled away. He got up and headed toward the stream, praying Greg wouldn’t follow. The thundering of his heart and the beads of sweat dotting his forehead were precursors of imminent danger, a feeling he’d been all too familiar with throughout his stint in the Pacific. Flirting with death had been much easier than fighting the attraction threatening to unman him in front of Greg. Jesus, if this got out, Ignacio’s offer would be rescinded. He squeezed his traitorous member, willing the stubborn organ to retreat instead of surrendering to his carnal needs. He relieved himself against a tree, gratified to feel his body subsiding to a normal state. Walking around in a state of arousal was not only embarrassing, it would give Greg ammunition in case he decided to sabotage John for honing in on his job.
Glancing over his shoulder, he could see Greg watching him with a wary eye. Christ, what must he be thinking? Did he buy into his sorry excuse for what just happened? Greg walked up to him and released his own organ unselfconsciously. He hit the high grass with a steady stream of morning urine. John could smell it from where he stood, and instead of turning him off, he felt the arousal creeping up again. There was something so basically male and primal about sharing a morning piss in the middle of nowhere. Dear God….
“Why did you kiss me?” Greg asked after he’d tucked himself away. He looked John in the eye without a trace of anger.
“I told you,” John explained. “I was dreaming about a girl back home.”
“Then how come you’re still hard?”
John glanced down at the bulge in his pants and grinned sheepishly. “My dick’s got a mind of its own.”“Does it?” Greg asked. “Perhaps you should do something about it.”
“What do you suggest?” John asked in a strangled voice. The morning sun was starting to creep over the horizon, and the golden rays peeking through the lush vegetation dappled across the hard planes of Greg’s smooth chest. He’d removed the wife beater the night before, casually mentioning he preferred sleeping without it, but the chill in the air had raised goose bumps and turned his dark brown nipples into stiff nubs. Greg’s face was partially hidden in shadows, but the hunger in his green eyes was clearly visible, and John was aroused by the blatant scrutiny. The dawning light played tricks on his imagination, turning Greg into some ethereal being. He was temptation personified, and John felt like Adam succumbing to the lure of the luscious apple. Years of discipline and a rigid moral code were no match for the power of the sexual tension drawing them together in their private Eden.
Greg pointed at his own growing desire. “Your problem seems to be contagious.”
John snorted. “We can always rub up against each other like dogs in heat.”
“Is that what you do in the Marines?”
“Hell no,” John protested. “If anyone got caught in that kind of situation, it would be the end.”

Blurb
2nd Edition

The Philippines, 1946

After being discharged from the Marines, John Buchanan is offered a position as overseer for plantation owner Ignacio Saenz. The offer is unexpected, considering he knows nothing about coconut farming, but the presence of Mount Mayon, an active volcano within sight of the property, tips the scales in Ignacio’s favor. Finally John has a chance to put his lifelong passion for vulcanology into practice.

Gregorio Delgado, the current overseer, takes exception to this turn of events. He views John as an interloper and Ignacio’s offer as a thinly disguised excuse to marry off one of his six daughters. What neither of them expects is the powerful physical attraction that simmers between them. Could John be a kindred spirit, or is he just using Gregorio for his knowledge of farming to ingratiate himself with his potential father-in-law?   

As John and Gregorio begin a tour of the haciendas, John discovers he has far more in common with his new acquaintance than he thought possible. Torn between honor and desire, John struggles to define who he is and what Gregorio could mean to him. Like the unpredictable volcano, equal parts beauty and danger, Gregorio becomes an obsession that could erupt at any minute and destroy them both.   

1st Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, 2012.

Pre-order Links:





Wednesday, January 13, 2016

Wednesday Sneak Peek!



Father handed me an iced drink the minute I walked into the bar. It was the same Rose Collins I’d had the night before, and I drained it in three gulps. Turning to the Pakistani bartender, I asked for a refill. When he returned with a fresh drink, I thanked him and requested he write the ingredients on a paper napkin in case I ever got a craving for the stuff back home. Pulling a stubby pencil from underneath the bar, he scribbled down the recipe and listened intently as I read it aloud to make sure I could read his writing.
“Three tablespoons of vodka, lemon and lime juice.” I paused. “Do you mean lemon or lime?”
“No, sahib. You must use both.”
“Okay.” Continuing, I recited, “Two tablespoons of rose syrup, one teaspoon of Campari, a lemon wheel, and a sprinkling of coarse sugar. Is that it?”
“Yes, sahib.”
“Seems easy enough,” I commented. “Thank you.”
“My pleasure, sahib.”
“Come on,” Father interjected. “Our table is ready.”
Since I had lamb for lunch and grilled chicken at the picnic, I ordered scampi and pasta. Father liked my choice and ordered the same with a house salad to start. While we waited, he asked how I’d spent the day. I recounted as best I could, starting with the foray into the Empress Bazaar.
“What’s the prince like?” he asked. “Is he as arrogant as the rest of the Pahlavis?”
“No, he’s actually quite nice. He’s invited me to attend a polo match tomorrow.”
“Is that wise?”
“What do you mean?”
“Two days in a row? People might speculate.”
“That’s silly, Father. He’ll be on the turf, and I’ll be in the stands cheering him on.”
“But there’s usually some sort of gathering afterward.”
“I’m new in town, so there’s no reason why anyone would consider it odd. I don’t have the word queer tattooed on my forehead, do I?”
Father snorted. “No, you look quite normal.”
“Thanks for the endorsement,” I quipped. “We don’t all run around in drag, you know. Some of us actually pass for real men.”
“I wouldn’t know.”
“Then it’s about time you educate yourself,” I said forcefully. “Now that your son fits in that demographic, you’ll be meeting more and more of my friends. I would hate it if you said the wrong thing because you didn’t bother to get the right information.”
“You’re preaching to the choir, son. Diplomacy is my job.”
“And you’re very good at it, but you’ll stumble like anyone else if you don’t have the right tools.”
“Point taken,” Father said, nodding. “Is your prince gay?”
“I don’t know.”
“Don’t you people have some sixth sense about these things?”
“Usually, but Kamran is very religious, and I doubt he can reconcile one with the other.”

Pre-order Links: 

Tuesday, January 12, 2016

Giveaway!



There's a giveaway going on over at Stumbling Over Chaos. Click on the link and leave a comment for a chance to win an e-copy of Yesterday which releases on January 22.

More details here: http://www.stumblingoverchaos.com/archives/28625


Wednesday, January 6, 2016

Yesterday Sneak Peeks



I slathered on the Coppertone to make sure I’d tan and not burn. Odds were in my favor, as I’d inherited my mother’s genes in that respect. We always looked like toasted coconut by the end of summer, and the contrast with our blond hair was quite stunning. I checked myself in the mirror once more and was satisfied that I’d pass muster. The baggy shorts hung down to the top of my knees and kept the package under wraps. No one would be throwing stones at this homo today.
The only people outside were foreigners. Nobody in this part of the world would willingly lie in the sun half-naked, burning layers of skin and expecting not to end up with an extreme case of sunburn. After thirty minutes, I knew I’d have to take this intense heat seriously and temper my sessions by the pool if I didn’t want to look like a lobster or end up with heatstroke. I might have fared better than most, given my good genes, but the sun blazed fiercely in this desert climate, and I knew now why people ran around covered in layers of cloth from head to toe.

I decided to move over to a covered section for a cool drink. I shrugged on a loose cotton shirt and headed toward the bar. “A large iced tea with extra lemon, please,” I ordered, turning to look at the people lying around the pool I’d just left. It had been impossible to see them clearly while I was baking under the ferocious rays, but here in the shade and hidden behind sunglasses, I could stare without appearing rude. I would have loved to pull out my movie camera, but surprisingly, people objected to being filmed without permission, and the amount of effort it took to get them to consent wasn’t worth the bother. There was no one out there who looked remotely interesting until Kamran showed up with his two bodyguards flanking him like twin buttresses. Christ, they could probably snap me in half if they chose to get aggressive.
He saw me and waved, breaking into a beautiful smile that changed his face dramatically. In repose he looked menacing, a studied look he’d no doubt perfected, but when he cracked a smile, the contrast was significant. I could forget for a few seconds that he wasn’t the untouchable nephew of a world leader. He was dressed in white again, a color that definitely suited him. The loose pants and long tunic top was a traditional garb of some kind and looked comfortable.
“Grady,” he called out in the deep baritone, rolling the r in my name appealingly. “You look like you’ve been basting in an oven.”
I laughed. “It felt exactly like that,” I admitted. “This is why I’m here instead of out there. Would you care for a drink?”
“I’ll have whatever you’re having,” he replied.
I turned toward the bartender. “Another iced tea, please.”
“Why don’t we sit down at a table?” Kamran suggested. “I don’t like to drink standing up. It makes me feel like a camel.”
I grinned. “Not much of a barhopper, are you?”
“Hardly,” he said. “I told you I don’t touch alcohol.”
“Right.” I remembered he’d mentioned something last night about being Muslim. “It’s against your religion?”

Blurb
In June of 1978 Grady Ormond, eighteen-year-old son of diplomat Peter Ormond, accompanies his father to his new posting as US Ambassador to Pakistan. Neighboring Iran is on the brink of a civil war, with the monarchy in danger of being overthrown.
Grady will be leaving for New York City in late August to study cinematography and has been warned to keep his homosexual orientation tightly under wraps while on vacation. Repercussions in the predominantly Islamic region could be severe.  
 On their first night in Karachi, his father hosts a cocktail party to meet the local dignitaries. Grady is introduced to His Highness Prince Kamran Izadi, nephew of the shah of Iran. Twenty-three-year-old Kamran has recently returned from the UK, where he spent eleven years, first as a student, and then as a financial analyst.
The attraction is immediate—unforeseen and dangerously powerful—but neither one dares to make a move. Odds are so stacked against them it's futile to even entertain a friendship, but they do, and their world tilts precariously.
 With his country in turmoil and Grady about to leave for college, Kamran makes a decision that will change their lives forever.