#spotlight on...

SPOTLIGHT ON… LYNNETTE YIADOM-BOAKYE #WIA #lynnetteyiadomboakye #painting #womeninart #womensart

By Brooklyn Rue

Lynnette Yiadom-Boakye uses suggestive, imprecise brushstrokes to create her expressive portraits, which are usually of Black men and women in unclear time periods and settings. She works with oil paint, which she told Dodie Kazanjian in an interview with Vogue she likes for its dirtiness and messiness as well as the fact that it is “fleshy and unpredictable — it has a kind of…

Spotlight on... Artemisia Gentileschi #womeninart #wia #wearewia #womensart #spotlighton

Artemisia Gentileschi Artemisia Gentileschi Artemisia Gentileschi 

15 November 2019, Paris

Yesterday Artemisia Gentileschi’s painting, Lucrece (Lucretia) was auctioned, doubling the price reached for her work two years ago in 2017.  Work by the artist rarely comes to market, and this newly discovered work was bought for Euro 4.8m, significantly more than the estimate of Euro 600,000 to 800,000.

D…

Book Blurb:

From the bestselling author of the acclaimed DCI Lambert series comes The Controller, a gripping serial killer thriller introducing Sam Lynch and Special Agent Sandra Rose. 

  It is six years since special agent Samuel Lynch left the FBI following the disappearance of his son, Daniel. Lynch believes an underground organisation known as The Railroad is responsible and has never stopped searching. 

  When Special Agent Sandra Rose investigates a house invasion gone wrong, she discovers the assailant has the legendary, and infamous, Railroad tattoo carved onto his back and he claims to know Daniel’s whereabouts.

  Rose draws Lynch in to her case, and together they become embroiled in an unparalleled world of violence and evil.

  It seems that to see his son again, Lynch will have to confront his greatest fear and face the ultimate test: an encounter with the Railroad’s enigmatic and deadly leader, The Controller.

    About Matt Brolly:

Following his law degree where he developed an interest in criminal law, Matt Brolly completed his Masters in Creative Writing at Glasgow University. He is the bestselling author of the DCI Lambert crime novels, Dead Eyed, Dead Lucky and Dead Embers. The fourth in the series, Dead Time, was released by Canelo in May 2018 and a prequel, Dead Water, will be published in September 2019. In 2020 the first of a new crime series set in the West Country of the UK will be released by Thomas and Mercer (Amazon Publishing).

  The Controller, released in May 2019, is the first of a new thriller series set in Texas. Matt also writes children’s books as M.J. Brolly. His first children’s book, The Sleeping Bug, was released by Oblong Books in December 2018. Matt lives in London with his wife and their two young children. You can find out more about Matt at his website MattBrolly.co.uk or by following him on twitter: @MattBrollyUK

    Social Media:

Twitter: https://twitter.com/MattBrollyUK @MattBrollyUK

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mattbrollyauthor/

Website: https://www.mattbrolly.co.uk/

  Purchase Links:

Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Controller-Lynch-Rose-Book-ebook/dp/B07P8953TK/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_3?keywords=the+controller+matt+brolly&qid=1557341148&s=gateway&sr=8-3-fkmrnull

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Controller-Lynch-Rose-Book-ebook/dp/B07P8953TK/ref=sr_1_fkmrnull_1?keywords=the+controller+matt+brolly&qid=1557341298&s=gateway&sr=8-1-fkmrnull

    Publishing Information:

Published by Oblong Books in ebook format on 24th May 2019

Ashton Townsend is the most famous celebutante of Manhattan’s glitterati. The black sheep of his wealthy family, he’s known for his club appearances, Instagram account, and sex tape. Most people can’t imagine him wanting for anything, but Ashton yearns for friendship, respect, and the love of his best friend—amateur boxer Valdrin Leka.

Val’s relationship with Ashton is complicated. As the son of Ashton’s beloved nanny, Val has always bounced between resenting Ashton and regarding him as his best friend. And then there’s the sexual attraction between them that Val tries so hard to ignore.

When Ashton flees his glitzy lifestyle, he finds refuge with Val in the Bronx. Between Val’s training for an upcoming fight and dodging paparazzi, they succumb to their need for each other. But before they can figure out what it all means—and what they want to do about it—the world drags them out of their haven, revealing a secret Val has kept for years. Now, Ashton has to decide whether to once again envelop himself in his party-boy persona, or to trust in the only man who’s ever seen the real him.

Read the full first chapter on Riptide’s website!

Available now from Riptide Publishing & Amazon:

About the series

New York City—home of soaring skyscrapers, concrete boulevards, and the hopes and dreams of millions. A city where opposites attract and romance is found in unlikely places. From the glittering penthouses of Manhattan to the blue collar neighborhoods of Queens, values get tested, cultures clash, and connections made. Men of diverse backgrounds examine their lives, test their sexual boundaries, and seek success in an unforgiving urban landscape that moves fast and stops for no one. Despite the odds, there’s love to be found in the five boroughs as long as they’re willing to work for it.

Check out the Five Boroughs Universe here.

Buy or reserve your copy online at*: Amazon (Kindle) | Riptide Publishing

Concourse by Santino Hassell Series: Five Boroughs Published by Riptide Publishing on May 1st 2017 Genres: Contemporary, Gay, LGBT Pages: 321 Add it to your To Read shelf: Goodreads

Find the Author: Website, Blog, Twitter, Facebook, Goodreads, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr, Google+

Ashton Townsend is the most famous celebutante of Manhattan’s glitterati. The black sheep of his wealthy family, he’s known for his club appearances, Instagram account, and sex tape. Most people can’t imagine him wanting for anything, but Ashton yearns for friendship, respect, and the love of his best friend–amateur boxer Valdrin Leka. Val’s relationship with Ashton is complicated. As the son of Ashton’s beloved nanny, Val has always bounced between resenting Ashton and regarding him as his best friend. And then there’s the sexual attraction between them that Val tries so hard to ignore. When Ashton flees his glitzy lifestyle, he finds refuge with Val in the Bronx. Between Val’s training for an upcoming fight and dodging paparazzi, they succumb to their need for each other. But before they can figure out what it all means–and what they want to do about it–the world drags them out of their haven, revealing a secret Val has kept for years. Now, Ashton has to decide whether to once again envelope himself in his party-boy persona, or to trust in the only man who’s ever seen the real him.

*This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

  Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Concourse, one lucky tour reader will receive a $25 Riptide credit! Leave a comment below with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on May 6, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!

What’s sexier than a bad boy? A bad ass man who’s got his shit together.

Max Alexander is nearing thirty-five. He’s built a successful company, and he’s conquered the professional world, but he’s never been lucky in love. Focusing so much time on his business and raising his daughter, adulting has come at the expense of his personal life. His social skills are shit, his patience is shot, and at times, his temper runs hot. The last thing he has time for is the recently single, too gorgeous for her own good young woman he hires to take care of his little girl. She’s a distraction he doesn’t need, and besides, there’s no way she’d be interested. But you know what they say about assumptions?

This is book 3 in the Roommates series, but each book can be read as a complete standalone as they all feature new couples to fall in love with.

Find it online at Amazon* | Amazon UK | iBooks | B&N | Kobo | GoodReads

About the author

A New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author of more than two dozen titles, Kendall Ryan has sold over 2 million books and her books have been translated into several languages in countries around the world. Her books have also appeared on the New York Times and USA Today bestseller lists more than three dozen times. Ryan has been featured in such publications as USA Today, Newsweek, and InTouch Magazine. She lives in Texas with her husband and two sons.

Find Kendall online at her website | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest | Goodreads | Amazon Author Page. For the latest book news, and fun extras Subscribe to her Newletter.

*Denotes GraveTells affiliate link

Oh, White Christmas, how I love thee!

Not the actual white of a snowy day—unless viewed from completely indoors (that stuff is COLD!)—but the much-loved holiday sounds of Bing Crosby’s White Christmas. That’s one family tradition I just can’t get enough of. Turns out Kathleen Collins’s heroine Julianna Norris ain’t so big on the movie, but her fellow agent and werewolf partner Nathaniel is. I can tell that Nathaniel and I would be fast friends. Kathy, set up a meet, eh? *wink*

Kathleen is my latest victim in the 2017 Coastal Magic Convention Flash Fiction Challenge, and—thanks to my holiday-fueled excitement—her prompts were a doozy! Here’s what I threw her way…

Format: Word doc

Length: 400-800 words

Setting: A cottage or cabin on the beach, at the start of what promises to be a record-breaking snow storm

Song lyrics to somehow incorporate: “Baby It’s Cold Outside”

Movie to include: White Christmas with Bing Crosby. One of the characters is absolutely obsessed with it!

Item to include: A cuckoo clock that consistently tells the wrong time

Tone: Exasperated, humorous, persistent

Characters to include: Any characters from the Realm Walker series

She hit every prompt too! See if you can spot the song lyrics—they’re sneaky and subtle!

Juliana Norris leaned against the railing on the small porch of the little cabin on the beach watching the storm roll in. She shivered in her leather trench coat as a particularly strong gust of wind blew a few stinging snowflakes into her face. After stepping back into the cabin, she slammed the door shut behind her. Cursed weather mages. It was not supposed to be snowing in Florida. Especially in July. She blinked as she took in the scene before her. Her friend and partner, Nathaniel West, sat cross-legged in front of the television. He was supposed to be on the phone with the Agency trying to find the cursed mage so they could put an end to this storm. Early predictions had it dropping two feet of snow on an area that wouldn’t be prepared for two inches. “What are you doing?” she asked, keeping her voice calm. He looked over his shoulder at her excitedly. “White Christmas is coming on. You know how much I love that movie.” She groaned and pinched the bridge of her nose. “First of all it’s like two months until Christmas. Why are they playing holiday movies already? Secondly, why aren’t you on the phone with the locate mages?” The werewolf waved a hand through the air in dismissal. “They said they’d call when they had something.” He was practically bouncing he was so excited to see his favorite movie. The cuckoo clock next to her head sounded three times making her jump. Juliana frowned as she looked at the other clock in the room. It was ten to four. She moved the minute hand around to set the clock to the correct time. The wind began to howl around the cabin and shake the walls. Juliana shivered. Gods, she hated the cold. Walking over to the small bar in the corner of the room, she poured them both a glass of whiskey. Nathaniel gave her a nod of thanks as he took the glass, eyes still glued to the TV. A glance out the window showed the sky was several shades darker than even a few minutes before. With a sigh, she pulled out her phone to see if there was any update on the location of the weather mage. Nothing. She started to pace the floor, her boots sounding especially heavy. A quick gesture had a fire burning in the small fireplace on the far side of the room. Anxiety and irritation coursed through her veins making it impossible for her to calm down. “I can’t stop pacing the floor. “ Nathaniel glanced at her. “Well at least you made the fireplace roar.” “Maybe we should just scurry and try to find him on our own.” “Seriously, what’s the hurry?” She frowned at him in disbelief. Besides the sheer number of deaths a storm like this could cause, he knew how much she hated the cold. Lifting her glass to take a sip, she was surprised to find it empty. Nathaniel appeared in front of her with a questioning glance. “Maybe just half a drink more.” “Check your phone again while I pour.” The wind was blowing the small flakes so hard, it was almost impossible to see the next cabin over. “Do we have any neighbors you think?” He moved over to stand beside her and handed her the glass. “Wow, its bad out there.” She sipped the alcohol and curled her lip. “What is in this drink?” Nathaniel shrugged and downed his just as her phone vibrated at her hip. She pulled it out to find a text with a longitude and latitude. “Time to get to work, wolf.” “But my movie…” His lip stuck out as he pouted and she barely resisted the urge to roll her eyes. The cuckoo clock sounded as she put her glass on the counter. If she believed the clock, it was six even though it had been ten to four only fifteen minutes ago. “Stupid clock,” she grumbled. Wrapping her coat more tightly around herself she opened the door and grimaced as the wind whipped around them. Nathaniel stepped outside with her, not even wearing a jacket. As a shifter his body heat was naturally much higher than hers. He just grinned when she glared at him. Smug bastard. “You know, it’d be a real shame if you got pneumonia and died.” He laughed and they headed out into the Florida snow.

Wanna read more?

I highly recommend Kathleen’s Realm Walker series! This is gritty, grisly, good ole fashioned urban fantasy, with dark fae and werewolves and vampires, oh my! New readers should start with the first book in the series, Realm Walker* (or, even better, the short prelude The Making of Michael Bishop*). Those of you already indoctrinated into the ways of dark fae mage and agent Julianna Norris (and her sexy, commanding mate, Master Vampire Thomas), dive into the third book in the series, Blood Slave…

Can she find a killer in a town where the basest desires are allowed to run free?

There are zombies in the Dead Zone and Juliana Norris is sent to take care of the problem. And for there to be zombies, there had to be bodies. When vampires are found to be the culprits, Juliana is sent undercover in the red light district of Kansas City. Lying to her mate, Thomas Kendrick, isn’t something she wants to do, but she’s in another vampire’s territory and Thomas would not be pleased. Besides, she’s more than capable of doing the job and she needs to prove it to everyone. Most of all herself.

Charles Morgan is in control of the Kansas City area, making a rich living off his various enterprises. Juliana goes undercover at the strip club Lust and gets sucked into his dark, decadent world. More victims turn up and the Agency is positive they’ve got their man, but Juliana is not so sure. When the Agency refuses to listen, she reluctantly turns to Thomas for help. He intervenes but finds Juliana unaware of the danger she is in and discovers she may just be too deep for him to save.

Get your copy online at Amazon* here! Or add it on GoodReads here.

See the full series on GoodReads here!

Or snag the first book here:

About the author

Kathleen Collins has been writing since Kindergarten. And while her ability has drastically improved, her stories are still about monsters and the people who play with them. The rare instances that she actually finds some spare time, she spends it playing with her two boys. Three if you count her husband. She is currently hard at work on her next book.

You can visit her online at her website | Facebook | Twitter

  Still not registered for Coastal Magic?

Join Kathy and a TON of other truly fantastic authors and readers at Coastal Magic Convention in Daytona Beach next February! This is my very favorite reader-focused convention because we have so many opportunities to meet and hang out with our favorite authors and to meet new ones who are sure to become new favorites. If you can only make one convention next year, go to this one! Clicky below for registration and travel info!

*Denotes a GraveTells affiliate link

Holiday books. Love ’em or hate ’em, one thing’s for sure: they definitely know how to set the mood.

‘So, Sue…’ you may be thinking, ‘why would I HATE them when they celebrate this awesome holiday spirit?’ Well, if you’re like me, and you don’t want to think about the OMG-stressful-month-called-December until after Thanksgiving, going to any retail space after October 1 means being inundated by the very thing you’re avoiding until ABSOLUTELY NECESSARY. I love the holidays, don’t get me wrong, but I do not love hearing the same ten songs on repeat for two months.  Or the incessant jingling of bells in front of every store. So it makes sense that I don’t want to start reading holiday romances until at least November.

Now that Thanksgiving has officially come and gone, I can share with you my favorite holiday romance reads!

These four books span multiple genres, heat levels, and tropes but they all have one thing in common: thinking about them makes me smile. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have!

via GIPHY

#1: How I Met Your Father by LB Gregg

Why I loved it: BOY BAND! I <3 them so much! Also: hot dad, killer chemistry, tropical island goodness.

The man of your dreams could be sitting right next to you.

Former boy band member Justin Hayes isn’t looking for a man. He just wants a quiet, scandal-free Christmas at home in Chicago, out of the public eye. But his best friend and bandmate is subjecting everyone to his destination wedding, and Justin can’t dodge the “best man” bullet. All he has to do is get to the island on time, survive the reunion, and get Chuck to the altar with as little drama as possible. What could possibly go wrong?

Jack Basinger’s own plans for a quiet Christmas have been dashed by the summons to his daughter’s hasty wedding with a man Jack has hardly met. On the bumpy flight to the island, he finds himself comforting a nervous — and extremely attractive — young man. One hasty sexual encounter in an airport bathroom later, they both feel much better. No one ever has to know, after all.

Now Justin and Jack must find a way to explore their attraction, despite the distractions of disapproving family members, unexpected announcements, an impromptu concert, and an island paradise that proves there’s no place like home.

Read the GraveTells review here

Buy it on Amazon here*: Kindle | Audible

#2: Oh Come All Ye Kinky (anthology featuring Joey W. Hill)

Why I loved it: Kink! And Christmas! This diverse, sexy anthology has something for everyone. Joey Hill’s Submissive Angel short is beautiful and haunting, a must read.

Christmas is a time of love and joy, and the New Year is a time of renewal. But they are also times of stress and strife, family drama, pressure and heartache—a potent mix of high expectations and conflicted emotions. Add in power exchange relationships, kinky gift swaps, and unconventional love in a sometimes unforgiving world, and you have a formula for a sizzling anthology of stories that tug at your heart.

From Ava March’s forbidden Regency love between men, to Katie Porter’s scorching hot contemporary tale of two women discovering holiday happiness, everyone will find a favorite here. Pervertible toys abound: Lambda Literary Award finalist L.A. Witt’s candy cane, Jane Davitt’s wrapping paper and tape, and Alexa Snow’s Christmas candles all please and delight. Newcomer Elyan Smith and fan favorite Kim Dare both celebrate New Year’s Eve with romantic flair and kinky fireworks, while bestselling author Joey W. Hill’s poignant story of discovery and commitment will lead you home.

Whatever your desires, we invite you to explore new fantasies and old with these eight kinky tales of holiday happy endings.

Read more about it in the GraveTells spotlight here

Buy it on Amazon here*: Kindle

#3: North of Need by Laura Kaye

Why I loved it: This book SLAYED ME. It captures all the emotions that make us human, and exposes all the vulnerabilities the holiday season can bring. BYO box of tissues.

Desperate to escape agonizing memories of Christmas past, twenty-nine-year-old widow Megan Snow builds a snow family outside the mountain cabin she once shared with her husband, realizing too late that she’s recreated the very thing she’ll never have.

Called to life by Megan’s tears, snow god Owen Winters appears unconscious on her doorstep in the midst of a raging blizzard. As she nurses him to health, Owen finds unexpected solace in her company and unimagined pleasure in the warmth of her body, and vows to win her heart for a chance at humanity.

Megan is drawn to Owen’s mismatched eyes, otherworldly masculinity, and enthusiasm for the littlest things. But this Christmas miracle comes with an expiration—before the snow melts and the temperature rises, Megan must let go of her widow’s grief and learn to trust love again, or she’ll lose Owen forever.

Read the GraveTells review here (and find out why it was our 2011 Book of the Year!)

Buy it on Amazon here*: Kindle

#4: The Bite Before Christmas (anthology featuring Jeaniene Frost & Lynsay Sands)

Why I loved it: Well, Bones (from Night Huntress) gets possessed. Who can resist him, anyway? And Police Chief Teddy from the Argeneau Vampires series finally gets his HEA. In a cozy winter cabin. Oh yeah.

In Lynsay Sands’ “The Gift,” Katricia Argeneau knows grey-eyed cop Teddy Brunswick is her life mate. She just needs to convince him they belong together, and being snowbound in a secluded cabin will make this a Christmas neither will forget.

It’s “Home for the Holidays” in Jeaniene Frost’s Night Huntress series. Cat and Bones may long to wrap presents and set up a tree, but this Christmas, an evil vampire and long-buried family secrets will threaten to take a bite out of their holiday cheer.

Read the GraveTells review here

Buy it on Amazon here*: Kindle

  What are YOUR favorite holiday reads? Leave a comment and let’s chat!

  *Denotes GraveTells affiliate link.