Many thanks to Book Reviews and More by Kathy for featuring my Horizons series in your Saturday Spotlight. Chyna Doll is the latest addition to the series but can be read as a stand-alone. I’ve included enough backstory so new readers can enjoy this novel without feeling lost. We’ve moved ahead by several years and Luca is embarking on a new adventure—high school. Fans of Clark and Jody will get to see another side to this established couple as they mentor their favorite nephew while Lil and Grier are vacationing in Italy for a month. Here’s an exclusive excerpt for you. I’ve also brought along a giveaway, so stay tuned to see what you can win!
Excerpt
GRIER SPENT the next two hours exploring the area, getting a feel for the high-performance machine that glided through the hairpin curves effortlessly. His Harley was like a lumbering elephant when compared to the gazelle-like speed of the Ducati. Lil was right—getting killed on the orange rocket between his thighs was a real probability if he didn’t give the machine the respect she deserved. He’d have to be extra cautious until he got a good handle on the roads and the bike. Still, he wouldn’t trade this mode of transport for anything. He couldn’t understand how anyone would pass up the chance to experience the breathtaking views in this unencumbered fashion. There was a certain freedom to motorcycles one could never duplicate in a car, no matter how sporty that car might be. Grier felt like he was swooping through the mountains on the wings of a hawk. The ocean sparkled from his vantage point, and the setting sun cast colorful shades of gold and red to the surrounding area, giving it a magical feel. It was exhilarating, and the wind in his face knocked away the last of the anger that had crept up so unexpectedly. He adored Lil and would never hurt him deliberately. Recalling his bitter words and Lil’s shocked reaction was sobering, and he vowed to make it up to him with a leisurely session of lovemaking as soon as he got back. But first, he had to make his nightly call to Luca.
The phone rang a few times before his boy picked up. Belatedly he realized it was past Luca’s bedtime, almost midnight in Illinois, but the kid didn’t seem thrown at all.
“Dad,” he exclaimed. “I’m glad you called.”
“Sorry I’m late.”
“No worries, I was only half-asleep.”
“How come?”
“Thinking of girls.”
Grier paused. Okay, so that answered the question he and Lil had been pondering since Luca turned thirteen. “Who’s the lucky lady?”
“Remember Chyna?”
“Who?”
“Chip’s sister.”
“Isn’t she twelve?”
Luca hooted. “She’s fifteen, Dad.”
“Right. She’s that long-legged cheerleader with hair down to her ass.”
“Yeah, except she’s not cheering anymore.”
“Why not?”
“Long story.”
“So you like her?”
“Yeah.”
“How much?”
“Don’t worry, Dad. Nothing’s happened yet.”
“Shit, I wish I was there.”
“Why?”
“I’m missing out on so many firsts.”
“Daddio is more important right now, and besides, you’ve got the rest of high school to watch my firsts,” Luca said reassuringly.
“I guess you’re right. Are you really okay?”
“I’m great.”
“Well, I’ll let you go,” Grier said. “Call me if you need any advice. I’m probably the only one who’s dated girls amongst us.”
“Nuh-uh. Tito Clark had a girlfriend for a while.”
“Oh, right.”
“Except I wouldn’t be comfortable talking to him about that kind of stuff,” Luca said.
“I thought nothing was happening?”
“Yet….”
“Give me a call before anything does,” Grier suggested.
“Okay, Dad.”
“And Luca?”
“Yeah?”
“Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Like what?”
“You’ll know as soon as it happens.”
“What if I can’t stop?”
“That’s what cold showers are for.”
“Dad….”
“I’m not kidding, buddy.”
“Stop worrying.”
“I’ll stop when you’ve graduated college, have a job, a wife, a mortgage, and a couple of kids, in that order, if you get my drift.”
“Gah! You’re such a weirdo sometimes.”
“I don’t want you making the same mistakes I made.”
“Don’t worry! I won’t get anyone pregnant.”
“Not that you were a mistake,” Grier amended quickly. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“I love you, Dad.”
“Love you back, buddy. I’m hanging up now,” Grier said huskily. He missed him so much, but leaving Illinois had been the right thing. He knew Lil needed to get away, and when it was all said and done, his priority had to be his husband. Luca was in good hands.
Title: Horizons by Mickie B. Ashling
Horizons Series Book One
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, M/M, Romance
Length: 250 pages
Summary:
2nd Edition
Horizons Series: Book One
College football player Clark Stevens, a popular wide receiver with a potential NFL contract, has a few problems. He’s got a jealous girlfriend, a narrow-minded and controlling father, an attention problem, and an unexpected and powerful attraction to the trauma doctor—the male trauma doctor—who treats him for a broken bone.
Dr. Jody Williams is getting some really mixed signals. He can’t ignore how much he wants Clark, because it’s obvious Clark feels the same way. For the out and proud doctor, the solution seems very simple. For Clark, it’s not! His world is not gay-friendly, and the obstacles he’s faced have led him to deny his sexuality for years.
It’s the Super Bowl of disasters, no matter how you look at it. In the end, Clark has to decide if he’s going to stick with the only life he’s ever known or take a chance on a new one with Jody.
1st Edition published by Dreamspinner Press, April 2009
Title: Taste by Mickee B. Ashling
Horizons Series Book Two
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary, M/M, Romance
Length: 240 pages
Summary:
Horizons Series: Book Two
What should have been a brief interlude turns into something deeper when Lil Lampert meets Grier Dilorio at the Taste of Chicago. Lil is in town visiting good friends Jody Williams and Clark Stevens, and he didn’t plan to hook up with a younger man and discover a mutual love for architecture, interior design, and a unique sexual kink that keeps Lil coming back for more.
By all appearances, Grier is the quintessential bad boy who loves speed, tattoos, and leather, but Lil slowly uncovers another side: selfless, responsible, and tender, especially for Luca, the son he’s had to deny. With Lil’s love and support, Grier will make a decision key to opening the door to a possible future together, one that includes fatherhood, something Lil has dreamed of but has never dared to explore.
Title: Daddio by Mickie B. Ashling
Horizons Series Book Three
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, M/M, Romance
Length: 250 pages
Summary:
Sequel to Taste
Horizons Series: Book Three
Six months after meeting at the Taste of Chicago, Lil Lampert and Grier Dilorio are living together. Their physical bond glows brighter than ever, but the couple soon realizes that it takes more than three magic words and outstanding sex to make a partnership work.
Like any fledgling, Grier is learning how to navigate his new life. His problems should have ended when Jillian signed the papers acknowledging him as Luca’s biological father and he got the opportunity to pursue a career in interior design. Instead, he’s hampered by old fears and bad habits that are hard to let go.
Adjusting to a small apartment in a four-season state—with a much younger man sporting a stubborn streak—is a challenge for Lil. His position as Luca’s “Daddio” is a delicate balancing act between doing what he thinks is right and deferring to Grier’s eight years of experience.
Life is stressed enough, but now Lil and Grier also face an unexpected complication from a powerful, far-reaching ruling body. Suddenly Luca’s safety—and their happiness as an emerging family—depends on Lil’s keen understanding of human nature and Grier’s willingness to learn.
Title: Chyna Doll by Mickie B. Ashling
Horizons Series Book Four
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Genre: Contemporary, New Adult, M/M, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Summary:
Horizons Series: Book Four
Lil Lampert’s forty-fifth birthday turns the effervescent architect into a brooding mess, and his partner, Grier Dilorio, takes him to Italy to help him regain his zest for life. The timing is bad—almost-fifteen-year-old Luca has just started high school, and his mother and stepfather are also traveling. Luca is left in the care of Chicago Bear, Clark Stevens, and his partner, Dr. Jody Williams.
Growing up with two dads and two gay uncles has given Luca a unique perspective on gender roles, but not all the answers. He’s had a secret crush on his straight best friend, Chip, for years. Suddenly, Luca finds himself attracted to Chyna, Chip’s twin sister. Now he’s wondering if this means he’s bisexual.
Born with a sexual development disorder, Chyna should have been raised as a male, but due to an epic parenting fail, is being raised as female. Hiding the truth becomes more difficult when Chyna hits puberty, and crushing over Luca adds another element to Chyna’s struggle to fit in.
Is Luca’s moral compass strong enough to guide him successfully through this period of discovery or will he succumb to peer pressure and shatter Chyna’s dreams for happiness?
Author Bio
Mickie B. Ashling is the alter-ego of a multifaceted woman raised by a single mother who preferred reading over other forms of entertainment. She found a kindred spirit in her oldest child and encouraged her with a steady supply of dog-eared paperbacks. Romance was the preferred genre, and historical romances topped her favorites list.
By the time Mickie discovered her own talent for writing, real life had intruded, and the business of earning a living and raising four sons took priority. With the advent of e-publishing and the inevitable emptying nest, dreams were resurrected, and the storyteller was reborn.
She stumbled into the world of men who love men in 2002 and continues to draw inspiration from their ongoing struggle to find equality and happiness in this oftentimes skewed and intolerant world. Her award-winning novels have been called “gut wrenching, daring, and thought provoking.” She admits to being an angst queen and making her men work damn hard for their happy endings.
Mickie loves to travel and has lived in the Philippines, Spain, and the Middle East but currently resides in a suburb outside Chicago.
Connect with Mickie
Email | Facebook | Website | Blog | Goodreads and Ask the Author
Purchase Links
Dreamspinner | Amazon | ARe
Giveaway
To celebrate my new release, I’m giving away an ecopy of Chyna Doll and one other ebook in the Horizons series, winner’s choice! See below on how to enter the Saturday Series Spotlight contest.
You must Do TWO of the Following:
1. Sign up for e-mail updates (upper left corner). One email daily with the day’s posts.
OR:
2. Be or become a fan of Book Reviews & More by Kathy Facebook page
OR:
3. Follow me on Twitter (@BookReviewsMore)
Make sure you have filled out the contest entry form:
4. To be eligible to enter contests on Book Reviews and More by Kathy you MUST fill out the contest entry form (found HERE). This form only needs to be filled out ONCE. Your privacy is important to me, and I will not share your information.
And don’t forget to:
5. Fill out the form below by 5 PM Mountain Time Monday afternoon.
CONTEST OVER
*I am the only person who will have access to info that is submitted to me UNLESS a publisher or author has donated an eBook for the giveaway. For a prize donated by an author or publisher, I will forward your e-mail and format selection to the person responsible for distributing the eBook. In the event the contest form is not working, please leave your book selection in the comments below.*
It’s that easy! The winner will be selected using random.org. Ms. Ashling will e-mail one lucky winner a digital copy of Chyna Doll and one other eBook of their choice in their preferred format. The winner will be posted HERE on Tuesday.
***The eBooks in this giveaway have been donated by Mickie B. Ashling.***
Follow the rest of the tour:
March 2 – The Novel Approach
March 3 – Cup o’ Porn
March 4 – Hearts On Fire
March 5 – WoW…from The Scarf Princess
March 6 – MM Good Book Reviews
March 7 – Book Reviews & More by Kathy
March 9 – Prism Book Alliance
March 10 – Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
March 11 – On Top Down Under Book Reviews
March 12 – Sinfully…Addicted to All Male Romance
Thank you for spotlighting the Horizons series!
This was a great excerpt! Thanks for sharing that bit and much success!
Happy to see Luca’s story!
Thanks for the blog stop, excerpt and giveaways!
Thank you for the excerpt! Congrats on the newest addition to the series =)
The more of on Chyna Doll the more that I have to read this.