A very big warm welcome to author Devon Rhodes who is the next author we welcome at Love Bytes on a GRL featured blogger stop !

Devon talks to us about reading , books , sharing an excerpt on two of her stories and is offering a giveaway on the bottom of the post!

Welcome Devon!

A Different Kind Of Anniversary

I’ll be celebrating my sixth anniversary next month. (Thank you, thank you.) No, not my wedding anniversary, and it isn’t anything to do with writing or publishing milestones either (though my first two contracts were almost exactly five years ago this week).

Believe it or not, what I’m fondly recalling is my first e-book purchase.

I’ve always been a bit behind the curve. The last of my friends and family to get a CD player, a cell phone, a DVD player. Still don’t have an iPod or any kind of gaming systems, and just got my first e-reader less than a year ago.

So when I discovered the world of erotic romance, imagine my shock when I found that the e-book option on book purchases, which I had previously unilaterally ignored, was the only option for some titles I was interested in!

It was a rather nervewracking experience going through the purchase process that first time. What if they don’t send it? How am I going to feel not being able to hold it in my hand? Why on earth don’t they just print copies? I most likely would still be in the e-book dark ages if it weren’t for the fact I had a healthy Paypal balance from my E-Bay business (another nervewracking learning curve I had to go through).

I bit the bullet and hit purchase, then went through the payment process on Paypal. Then I was sent back to the publisher, who kindly thanked me for my purchase. For the life of me, I couldn’t see where to get the darn book from. After suffering through that sinking ‘I knew it!’ feeling, I finally figured out that with that particular site, the link is e-mailed.

Once I’d downloaded it and figured out where to save it to, I whizzed through it. The book itself was mediocre. What hooked me was the instant gratification—no waiting for snail mail shipping, no trips to the store. I could look for a book, find one that appealed to me, and be into the first chapter within minutes.

An almost addictive rush.

I can’t tell you how much I’ve spent on e-books in the six years since then. Hit my Goodreads page for an idea—in the thousands, and I only have a fraction of what I’ve read listed there. Once I started writing, I did a LOT of reading to try to get a feel for what I needed to accomplish in order to write something which had a chance of being accepted for publication…by an e-pub.

Now, of course, it’s commonplace, but back then… Imagine, a whole industry out there that publishes primarily in e-book format. Besides the obvious environmental plusses, the fact that non-traditional genres are now instantly and privately accessible was eye-opening. And thought-provoking.

My writing was in very early stages when I discovered manlove, m/m erotic romance. I was really taken with it, began writing it, and most of what I’ve published to date is m/m.

And I never would have even considered it if I hadn’t stumbled across the e-book world. That little ‘trip’ helped me find my calling in life.

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One of my latest releases, A Grand Prix Romance with TA Chase, came out last month at Totally Bound.

Two men who share a passion for speed find out what can happen if they slow down enough for a Grand romance.

Paolo’s more than just a football player—he plays at life. But underneath the party boy image, he’s well aware that his career is stagnating and a big move might be needed. Before anything like that can be decided, though, he’s going to enjoy his annual trip to Monte Carlo for the Grand Prix.

The only thing Johann loves more than his Formula One racing is gambling in the glittering atmosphere of Monaco. This year, he finds that high stakes applies to more than just cards—his heart is going all in and if he bets it all and loses, it could cost him everything.

Reader Advisory: This book contains characters from At First Touch but can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Well aware of Johann’s gaze on him, Paolo made sure to put a little bit of swagger into his walk. The door thudded closed behind him then before he realized Johann had moved, he was being tackled to the thick Persian rug. He was thankfully able to use his quick reflexes to get his arms out to catch himself. But even if he hadn’t, he would’ve been okay—Johann made sure to keep hold of him and rolled slightly at the end so he was almost spooned in front of him.

Paolo reached back to grasp Johann’s hip and bring him closer against his ass. Johann growled and threw his leg over Paolo until he was lying fully on top of him, pressing him into the carpet. Paolo groaned and arched his back, prompting a thrust from Johann. If only they didn’t have their clothes on…

Fuck, yes. Clothes off.

He squirmed a bit, trying to shift Johann’s weight off him. “This would be even more fun if you let me take my pants off.”

“I don’t want to move.” Johann rotated his pelvis against Paolo’s ass and Paolo could feel the hard ridge of Johann’s cock. His own was erect and canted at a slightly uncomfortable angle, but in a way it felt good, too.

“Fuck, me either, but naked would be good. And lube… Oh shit. No condom.” Paolo’s heart sank—he hadn’t thought to bring anything, not even a condom. He hadn’t known they were even going anywhere when he’d left the hotel room.

“Damn you’re hot. And I have supplies,” Johann whispered in his ear then sighed. “But they’re in my jacket pocket…downstairs somewhere, wherever Jacques hung it.”

Paolo thumped his forehead against the floor in frustration. “Are you kidding me?”

Johann levered himself up off Paolo, and he immediately missed his warmth. “Let me look around. There might be something in the bathroom. Otherwise I’ll go back downstairs and demand my jacket back.”

Paolo rolled over and pressed his hand to his cock. “All right. Take your time. I’ll just be here on the floor, dying of sexual frustration.”

Buy Links :

Totally Bound

Amazon

 

Also just out from Totally Bound, I’m sharing this year’s GRL anthology, An Unconventional Chicago, with my fellow GRL authors, TA Chase, Amber Kell, Stephani Hecht and Jambrea Jo Jones—great company!  Here is look at my story, Bonfire Heart:

Sometimes fires burn and destroy, but from the ashes, new growth can heal and cleanse.

Thierry Alexander is the deputy mayor of Chicago, a city he loves but can’t save on his own from the corrupt political system. His assistant and lover, Eduardo, is also known as Cesar, the head of the underground resistance movement. He has been working behind the scenes for years and finally gets what he needs—enough information to get the US government involved and take down the criminal elements strangling the city he loves.

But they need to act fast because legislation is about to be enacted that will give rise to social and ethnic purging in Chicago. Not knowing who they can trust, they will have to put their faith in one another and risk everything to save a city.

 

“You okay?” Eduardo pulled the sheet up over them then lay with his arm across Thierry’s stomach.

“Just thinking about what to do now. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad we got out of there when we did, especially with what you received, but all the slinking around really goes against my grain. I don’t want to be a rat in the gutter, like them.”

Eduardo stroked his naked chest thoughtfully. “Mi abuela used to say, the good people of the world—like you—they got an extra light in their heart. Shines out of them, and if it’s protected, it grows higher and stronger and shows other people the way. It can be vulnerable, though.” Pain turned his reminiscent smile into a grimace. “My cousin Tomas was like that—he had that flame of goodness deep inside. God, if he’s”—he took a shuddering breath—“still alive, I hope and pray he was able to shelter that part of him. Bank it down so it’s not out forever.”

Thierry was riveted by the raw emotion on his lover’s face. He ached with the need to pull Eduardo in and kiss away his troubles, but he instinctively knew that Eduardo needed to get this out without a gesture that might cause him to lose his tenuous grip on his control.

“And you…” Eduardo swallowed heavily but didn’t continue right away.

Thierry prompted quietly, “You think I have this light?”

He was shocked when Eduardo snorted then gave a laugh. “You? You don’t have a light, man. You have a fucking bonfire of goodness in your heart.” Sincerity shone from Eduardo, causing goosebumps of want and something else to race through Thierry.

Eduardo pulled back a bit, bracing himself up on one elbow, and Thierry shivered as he finished by whispering in his ear, his breath skating against his skin, “And that’s why you are meant to be the one to lead us out of the darkness. And that’s why you will succeed.” Eduardo’s voice lowered to a rumble as he slid his hand along Thierry’s jaw. “And that’s why I love you.”

It was the first time Thierry had heard those words from Eduardo, and it seemed so right and necessary now, in the wake of what was changing around them and the hope of what was to come.

And it made Thierry’s decision about what to do next crystal clear…

Buy Links :

Totally Bound

Amazon

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About Devon Rhodes

Devon started reading and writing at an early age and never looked back. At 39 and holding, Devon finally figured out the best way to channel her midlife crisis was to morph from mild-mannered stay-at-home mom to erotic romance writer. She lives in Oregon with her family, who are (mostly) understanding of all the time she spends on her laptop, aka the black hole.

Website: http://www.devonrhodes.com/

Blog: http://devonrhodes.blogspot.com/

Twitter: devonrhodes

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/devon.rhodes

 

 

Devon is giving away a copy of both books mentioned in the post above

  Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway