New Release - Through Roscoe's Eyes - Kory Steed

Always happy to host dear friend and fellow Evernight author Kory Steed, this time with a very interesting new release, Through Roscoe's Eyes. Read on for more details!

“Kory Steed's new book, Through Roscoe's Eyes, is a tear-jerker with a very happy ending. If you love your pets, you'll love this novel, because I think the animals stole the show in it.”

“You don't want to miss this bestseller.”

“Check out this great title from this gifted author!”

When Reggie sets out to continue his mother’s mission to feed the homeless, he never anticipated how much a chance encounter with an injured man, his small, gaunt dog, Roscoe, and sick, young cat, Cinders, would change the course of his life. With a winter storm approaching, Reggie makes a snap decision and brings the wary trio to his estate home to be cared for and nursed back to health.

Reggie learns the man’s name is Calvin, he was a quartermaster in the army, and he was dishonorably discharged prior to the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. Taking pity on the man and in need of someone to help him run his mother’s foundation, Reggie offers Calvin a job. With few prospects in sight to find shelter for his small family during the peak of winter, Calvin reluctantly accepts Reggie’s offer on a trial basis, but it is only one of many trials both men will face.

Eventually, yearnings Reggie and Calvin had buried deep inside begin to fan the nearly extinguished embers of passion in both men. With Calvin drawing emotional support from Roscoe and Cinders, and Reggie discovering an ally in his beloved housekeeper, both men explore their newfound attraction, edging them toward the precipice of an ecstasy neither could have imagined.

Will the discovery of a past connection between the two men’s families be enough to bring them together? Or will sinister, outside forces and an unexpected loss of life shatter the bonds between both families and both men for good? 

Teaser:

Reggie nodded and smiled as he closed the door behind them and then led Calvin to the foot of his bed. Placing both of his hands behind Calvin’s neck, he pulled him in and tenderly kissed his mouth. His hands slid down until he reached the top of Calvin’s shirt. He drew the shirttails from his pants and began to unbutton it.

“You’ll go slow, right?” Calvin asked as he pulled away, breaking the kiss.

“Whatever you want, Calvin. We don’t have to push this. We can just talk if you like.”

Calvin’s eyes began to twinkle. “Hell no,” he said, seductively. “The time fer talkin’s over. I want the full treatment.” Then his face turned impish. “If you please, sir.”

Reggie laughed out loud. “Well you certainly don’t have any difficulty making your wishes known.”

“That ain’t never been one of my problems. I said it, ‘coz, well, you know, I ain’t had it in a while.”

“I’ll be very gentle,” Reggie assured him, “It’s been a while for me as well, but you have had sex before, anal sex I mean, right?

“Oh, hell yeah, but it’s been more ’n a couple o’ years. Things likely t’ have un-stretched if’n ya know what I means.”

“I do, and I hope you’ll not be the only one to be re-stretched tonight, if you know what I mean.”

“I’ll do my best.” Calvin reached for Reggie’s shirt, but Reggie stopped him when he cupped his chin with his right hand and drew him toward him by the shoulder with his left. Calvin’s arms fell to his sides as a moan escaped his mouth when Reggie ran his tongue up his neck and ended behind his ear.

“God, you smell good,” Reggie whispered. “You taste even better, but there’s something I’ve wanted to taste even more for days now.” Reggie dropped to his knees and frantically yanked at Calvin’s belt. He undid the top button, and slid down the fly of his pants, then pulled them to the floor in one fell swoop. Immediately his mouth was upon the thick, seven-inch, hard shaft, drawing it into his mouth through the boxers’ fabric.

As Calvin’s legs began to tremble, he grasped Reggie’s head, steadying himself. “You’re gonna make me buckle over if’n you keep that up.”

“Mmm,” Reggie moaned.

When he slipped the mushroomed head through the boxers’ fly and sucked down the liquid-gold pre-cum oozing from the tip, Calvin grunted. “Damn, boy, you know what to do with a mouth!”

Spurred on by Calvin’s words, Reggie began to bob his head up and down, sucking extra hard as his lips passed over the head’s flange. He drew the shaft in further until his face bounced off Calvin’s belly when it reached the back of his throat.

Calvin could feel himself being brought closer and closer to the edge of orgasm as his prostate began to shudder. “No, Reggie! Wait! Please slow down.” He began to pant. “I want the first … first time I come … come with you to be … to be with you inside me.”

“So good … you taste so good,” Reggie moaned between breaths, not slowing down in the least.

“Reggie!” Calvin cried out as he stumbled forward.

As he fell toward the floor, Reggie’s grip was broken as Calvin caught himself against the footboard of the bed. “Damn, boy, I nearly came. You got yourself one hell of an appetite there!”

“And then some,” Reggie said, with a leer.

Calvin sat down on the floor and held his hands out in front of him. “Please, can we slow this down a smidge? We got all night.”

“Yeah, we do,” Reggie answered with lust in his voice. “And I’m planning to dine on you several times before morning.”

“Then let’s do this right.” How ‘bout a shower, or a bath first?”

“Even better. Then we’ll be all slick and slippery.”

“This here’s a different side of you I ain’t never seen, fer sure. I think I like it, Reggie, but it’s gonna take some gettin’ used t’.”

“Sorry,” Reggie said anxiously. “I’m just so worked up right now. I can’t believe this is really happening, not to me, not now, and I don’t want it to slip by.”

Calvin caressed Reggie’s face. “Me neither.”

“I was so sure I wasn’t going to let it happen. I was determined to not allow my desire for you to ruin the friendship that began to develop between us. And besides, you’re my employee.”

Calvin leaned forward and reached out to caress Reggie’s face. “I ain’t makin’ light of it, but I sure am glad you decided otherwise, ‘coz I’m gonna need help with this,” he said as he gazed into Reggie’s eyes and drew his hand to his pulsating shaft. Then he lowered his eyes to Reggie’s groin. “And I think you’re gonna need help, too.”

Calvin pushed Reggie back up and rose to his knees as he began to unfasten Reggie’s pants. As the belt came free, and Reggie helped to shimmy them and his briefs down, his eight inches of manhood sprang free. It was so thick, Calvin’s fingertips barely met when he wrapped his hand around it. So engorged with blood, its purpled veins contorted and seethed, begging for release, as the shaft swelled and bounced with each heartbeat.

Reggie moaned as Calvin caressed its length with his fingertips. “There’s only one thing that will relieve it, Calvin.”

“I know.” Calvin answered as he licked his lips and leaned forward. “And I’m gonna help you out with that right now, as best I can.”

The moment he pressed his lips to the swollen, purpled head, Calvin began to suck greedily, drawing in the briny nectar that oozed through the slit at the tip. He licked his thumb and index finger and formed them into a ring, then wrapped them around the sensitive spot behind the ridge, extending the pressure his lips exerted and gently milked back and forth across the sensitive glans. As saliva slid down the shaft, it lubricated his grip even more, sending shivers up Reggie’s spine.

“Oh, fuck!” Reggie cried out. “Oh, fuck, just like that. Yeah, baby, just like that!”

“So good … tastes so good,” Calvin moaned in response. “Gawd, it’s been so long … so damn long.”

Reggie began to slowly thrust his hips forward, advancing his cock until it pushed through Calvin’s stretched lips. He continued to thrust until it reached the back of Calvin’s mouth, nearly dislocating his jaw with its girth. Calvin gagged and his eyes watered, but he pressed on and swallowed as the head passed his tonsils, drawing the tip down his throat. Reggie shuddered as pleasure waves spread from his loins and out through his body when the thickened saliva that formed at the back of Calvin’s throat slicked the path his cock followed. “Baby, you’re bringing me close. You’re going to make me come.”

Calvin slid off his cock, choking as it left his throat. “Ain’t that the idea?” he said after wiping his mouth with the back of his hand.

Buy Links:

Amazon US

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07R5QG53K?ref_=dbs_mng_calw_1&storeType=ebooks

Amazon UK

 https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07R5QG53K/ref=series_dp_rw_ca_2

Amazon CA

https://www.amazon.ca/Through-Roscoes-Eyes-Family-Book-ebook/dp/B07R5QG53K/ref=sr_1_1?qid=1557301433&refinements=p_27%3AKory+Steed&s=digital-text&sr=1-1&text=Kory+Steed

Evernight Publishing

https://www.evernightpublishing.com/through-roscoes-eyes-by-kory-steed/

Smashwords

https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/936727

BookStrand

https://www.bookstrand.com/through-roscoes-eyes-mm

Barnes & Noble

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/through-roscoes-eyes-kory-steed/1131443594?ean=2940163206629

iTunes

 https://books.apple.com/us/book/through-roscoes-eyes/id1462198019

Kobo

https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/through-roscoe-s-eyes

LGBT Tales - Kory Steed - Lightning's Hidden Menace

As we come close to the end of my LGBT tales series, I am happy to host once more Kory Steed, who wrote such a beautiful post for his first release, From Lightning to Love. Today he is back to the Lair with the second book in that series,and another very interesting post about his experiences as a (gay) novelist. I will let him do the talking!

"Thank you so much, Katherine for inviting me to share my personal views on contemporary LGBTQ lifestyles with your readers. While thinking about what would make a suitable topic for your series, and how it relates to my novels, several questions ran through my mind. “What was my inspiration for writing my Lightning Series, and why me, a former medic? Why now? What do I try to communicate through my novels? What's important to me in my life, in my writing, for American society, for the world?” This got me to thinking about how I reached this point in my career, and why I believe I have something to offer in the gay novels that bear my name.

The adage, write what you know, has always rung true for me. To try to write anything that didn’t contain at least some part of what I’ve experienced would never come across as genuine. I’ve learned so many lessons from the people and animals I have known and cared for, both personally and professionally over the course of my lifetime. I’ve learned how to live my life, as often as I’ve learned how not to. I’ve intentionally include animals here because from a very young age, animals were some of my closest friends and they played a large part in molding my personality as a nurturer and caregiver.

While I credit many positive experiences in shaping me as a person, I cannot discredit the negative ones for there are lessons just as valuable in them as in the ones that have allowed me to soar. I think this rings true for all people, but as a gay man who has finally found a degree of love that goes far beyond the physical passion of youth, I’m at a point where I believe I can convey a depth of substance in my characters that reveals their internal struggles with morality as much as mortality. They ask the questions “Why am I here? What is my purpose? What can I offer in the time I have left on this planet?”

I think many gay men who are now in their 40’s, 50’s, or beyond, and who have done (and are done with) casual sexual encounters in all their forms, be they one night stands, the baths, the hook-ups, the drug-riddled sex parties, or even their infatuation with maintaining a youthful appearance or a toned or muscular body have reached the point where they recognize that time continues to march on and can’t be beaten. At some point they ask themselves, “What do I do now? What comes next?” This is the moment where they are presented with the opportunity to look inward to discover who they are and what is important to them. What do they want to impart on the world? What will be their legacy?

Many gay men do not have biological children so what else is there to leave behind? Good works, helping others to realize their potential, and making a difference whenever and wherever they can is a good place to begin. For Jason (from my Lightning Series), these questions arose when he was in his 20’s, and carried through into his 30’s. As an army-veteran-medic, he suffered from PTSD for over a decade. He was forced to face death on an immense scale and in doing so, he came to recognize his own mortality much earlier than most. Rescuing and caring for Aaron gave purpose to his once sequestered life because he was able to channel all his energies and attention onto another human being. The fact that Aaron was also gay and lost his lover in the airplane explosion presented both characters with a second chance at love, and they grabbed for it together and held on for dear life.

Introducing the altruistic component of Nathan’s Promise (dedicated to Aaron’s deceased lover), an LGBTQ(S) focused physical rehabilitation facility for athletes and military and law enforcement personnel, will enable them to give back to the world and make a difference in the lives of others. The fact that Jason is a billionaire, gives them the means to do it and surrounding themselves with loving, like-minded, and skilled supporting characters will give them the tools they need.

Finally, I instill these characteristics and situations into my writing in an attempt to reveal that members of the broad-spectrum LGBTQ community are no different from the heterosexual one and in doing so, hope that I can convey that we are all in this together.

In the end though, we cannot forget that this is all fiction, portrayed within an imaginary world, drawn from my own aspirations and inspirations, but that does not mean it cannot inspire us to be kinder, more conscientious, and giving people who pause every now and then to do good work."

Thank you, Kory, for this beautiful post!

And now, the book!

"From an author that really knows how to play your heartstrings and make you believe in love again, I was taken to places I totally didn't expect not only through shocking plot twists, but also when romance is found in the tender moments you wouldn't expect. "

 

Jason cannot believe that Aaron, the man whose life he saved and who helped him break free from PTSD, has suddenly returned to him. Healed, whole, and ready to renew their growing love, they begin to plan a future together. With their first night of torrid lovemaking, they dream of many more, but fate is against them.

A dark nemesis from Jason’s past reappears with lethal intent, driven by a grudge from having been disgraced by a military tribunal. The fallout for Jason and Aaron is far-reaching and heart-wrenching and tears into the fabric of the life they have so carefully begun to weave.

When hatred strikes in a barrage of gunfire, they are left fighting for their lives. Their only focus is to take back what has been ripped away from them; their only hope, that the strength of their love will be enough.

Read an Excerpt at Evernight

Or download a sample fromAmazon

Backlist Party - Kory Steed - From Lightning to Love

Here's my homage to the joy of older titles, those books that stayed in our hearts and we don't want to ever ever forget. I will be hosting eight romance authors (every Tuesday and Friday all through August! stay tuned, there may be giveaways!) with their favourite titles from their own backlist. 

I am truly proud of having as a guest today Kory Steed with his debut novel, From Lightning to love. Once more I find much in this book to relate to. But I will not stand in the way. Here is what Kory himself has to say about the story:

 "From Lightning to Love is the first installment in my Lightning Series, and it’s my first, published, M/M novel. It grew organically, in part, out of my past life experiences. In others, it reflects what it was like to be a gay man during the time period between the 1990 and 2010. Book two, Lightning’s Hidden Menace, will be released by Evernight Publishing soon.

The two main characters are very important to me for a few reasons. They’re personalities reflect how I see gay men in contemporary society; and I have to admit, I’ve put a little bit of myself into each of them, almost as if they were my children. In addition, the societal pressures placed on gay people plays a significant part in what their fears are and how they’ve been forced to live their lives. I also included a few of my passions, nature, the animals people have included as parts of their families, and cooking. Wherever I could, I tried to incorporate these loves into the story.

The story begins with an introduction to Jason, a gay, thirty-seven year old former American army medic who served two tours during Operation Desert Storm between 1991 and 1993. In 1994 he received a medical discharged for PTSD.

After leaving the service, Jason worked in a local hospital’s ER for a few years, but he became more and more disillusioned with his life because he had to live it in secrecy. On a whim, he bought a lottery ticket and won. Once a multi-millionaire, he used his winnings to purchase a secluded tract of land in the Bear River Mountains in southeastern Idaho where at the time that the story begins, he has lived for eleven years.

We meet the second main character, twenty-three year old Aaron, the morning after a violent autumn storm when Jason began to check his home and property for damage. He discovered Aaron dangling by a shredded parachute in a tree. We later learned that Aaron was the newly signed, star quarterback for a fictitious American professional football team. Because of the remote location, there was no way for Jason to get help, so he had to care for Aaron alone while he recovered from his injuries.

I created this scenario because it forced Jason and Aaron to interact with only each other, without any influence from the outside world. There was no plot or outline when I began the manuscript."

 

When thirty-seven year old army medic and Gulf War veteran, Jason, discovers an unconscious man hanging by a parachute from a tree on his secluded mountain property, little does he realize how his life will change. Isolated and alone, Jason uses his training to save the young man and soon learns he is Aaron, a twenty-three year old professional quarterback.

Having lived in near isolation for many years, Jason is ill-prepared for the physical attraction he develops for Aaron while tending his wounds. While Jason struggles with the emotions that begin to surface, Aaron’s strength returns, and his ravenous sexual appetite is revealed. In the weeks that follow, the two men become entwined in a passionate love affair that soon blossoms into a deep and caring bond.

Dare they hope for a future together? Will their new found love survive the separation of Aaron’s rescue?

 Lightning to Love has some lovely reviews on the web:

"The teasing back and forth as they discover each other is so tantalizing! Jason's struggle to let himself open up is held in masterful tension with Aaron's innocence and vulnerability as he is restricted to bed and discovering his own limitations and needs. Add in a dose of the medical restraints and the skilled tending of a seasoned Army medic and instead of the same, old seduction scene, Jason can't help himself but tend to all of the young jock's needs. This really opens up to some super-steamy scenes that are described in sweat-throbbing detail. It's as sultry as it is romantic when a love so unthinkable turns into something so epic."

"I think what I liked most besides the story itself was the way the writer handled the backstory. A lot of the time it's hard to tell it without it being very slow. Yes this was a slow burn but this enabled you to focus more on what led to them being there. I am looking forward to reading more from this author. No spoilers but for a first time author this really blew me away."

Would you like to know more?

Read an excerpt at Evernight 

Or get a sample on Amazon 

Or connect with Kory

On Twitter

On Facebook

On Goodreads

Or learn more about him

On his Evernight bio page

or on his Amazon author page

The second book in the series is already underway (I know that Kory is working on the edits right now! ;)  ) so stay tuned for it: Lightning’s Hidden Menace, coming soon from Evernight Publishing.