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Jewel Cave, Gone Away and Scintilla are both priced at only $2.99! All three are always available in paperback in Kindle Unlimited.    Click on the banner to see each collection.     My teaser today is from Shifting Chaos (book 4 of The Sleepless City). The Sleepless City is an urban fantasy/paranormal romance series cowritten with Anne Barwell.  “What I did to all those people was no accident. I told you we weren’t monsters and that wasn’t entirely true. You’re not a monster,” Forge said softly. “Declan knew what I’d done this whole time?” Blair nodded. “And now you know everything. Lucas, Simon, and Ben do too?” Again, Blair nodded. Forge looked down at his knees. He cleared his throat, but still his words came out wet and in a whisper. “I suppose my stuff is sitting on the lawn, and I should go away?” Blair huffed loudly. “My God, Lucas is right. You have a skull that could crack a boulder in half. Are you that damn dumb, and worse yet, do you think the rest of us would do that to you? Did you ever stop to consider our bond and that I’d never give up on you?” Blair pulled something from the nightstand drawer. “I found this when I was translating Declan’s journals. I changed the digital version and took this page out and hid it.” Forge took the old, tattered journal page and read it. Declan had written the journals in French, and Forge’s French was sketchy, but he understood enough to get the gist of what it said. “You knew this ever since you came to Boggslake?” “I didn’t really understand what that part about the settlement meant until now. But, yes, I knew. I also knew I didn’t want you to be hurt because of it,” Blair admitted quietly. “And yet you still kept saying I was some sort of hero,” Forge whispered. He looked at Blair and was graced with a truly epic eye roll. When he opened his mouth to speak, Blair clamped down on his hand and ordered, “Stop talking.” Blair used his free hand to make a circle in the air. “We aren’t a we without all of us. Yes, you should have told me from the start that, given the right conditions, you could become the vampire edition of a great white shark. However, it likely would have scared the hell out of me, and we wouldn’t be having this conversation.” The entire The Sleepless City series is available in paperback, eBook and in Kindle Unlimited.
 Hello! Autumn is my favorite time of year! This week's snippet is from Electric Candle which takes place about this time of year.  “It’s there. Lucas, I know it is. Maybe this is why I never found a solid connection,” Forge said. When Lucas shook his head and Simon arched an eyebrow, Forge nodded. “Okay, point taken. Worry about what we have in front of us.” He looked away for a second when a group of three or four men in their early twenties entered and went straight for the bar. Watching them carefully, Forge sat back in his chair. “Either way, Simon’s suggestion about sticking close to the castle is a valid one.” Ben straightened, motioned at Blair, and said pretty much what Forge expected him to say. “Neither of us are children, and we both lived our lives and took care of ourselves long before ever meeting you.” “No one said—” Forge started, but Ben predictably cut him off. Of their two newest members, Ben was not only the more outspoken but less intimidated by this world they’d been dropped into. “I don’t need you or Simon or anyone to take care of me,” Ben snapped. “What are you going to do, Ben? I doubt you can Taser this thing, and silver-tipped darts won’t work. It’s a freaking cloud!” Forge retorted. He nearly bit his tongue off to stop from snarling at Simon that Ben was his problem. “It outruns vampires and is stronger than werewolves,” Lucas said quietly. “None of us have much defense against it, not really.” Find many more snippets at the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. Electric Candle is book 2 of The Sleepless City series, cowritten with Anne Barwell. All the books in the series are available in eBook, paperback and through Kindle Unlimited.
 Griff expected Clint to inhale the food since they’d last eaten in the early morning. Instead he picked at the edges of the paper plate until Griff finally asked, “Do you want something else? We can go out or—” Clint looked at him, moist eyes meeting Griff’s gaze. “Are Phoenix and Fern really with Matt’s kids?” “Of course they are. I wouldn’t lie about something like that, Clint.” Clint pushed the plate away, put his elbows on the table, and folded his hands together. He rested his forehead on them and drew a deep, shuddering breath, then another. “He…. Dylan… he told me…. Phoenix bit him, and then he told me I’d never have to worry about them or you ever again. I really didn’t think he’d get the drop on you, but Fern couldn’t fight her way out of a paper bag, and he had a gun… and….” Griff stood and hurried around to the other side of the table. He put his arm around Clint’s shoulders, and Clint leaned against him. “One of the neighbors found them running loose. They spent a night in doggy prison, but weren’t hurt. The shelter had them checked by a vet when they got there. As soon as we’re home, we’ll go get them. They miss you, I could tell.” Clint wiped one hand over his face and straightened. “They do?” Resting his hand on Clint’s head for a second before sitting back down, Griff said, “Of course they do.” After eating, they settled on the bed and found a movie to watch. Clint slipped his arms around Griff’s waist and pushed his legs between Griff’s, head resting on his chest. Griff didn’t think they were through the opening credits before Clint was out cold, soft breath blowing against Griff’s chest. Griff made it to the end of the movie, but finally gave in to his own fatigue and fell asleep holding Clint. When he woke up in the morning, Clint was still tucked to his side and in his arms. It struck Griff that it had been months since they’d slept so close together. Despite the circumstances leading up to the previous night, it felt good waking up holding one another. Griff realized how much he’d missed it. Jewel Cave is available in eBook, paperback or in Kindle Unlimited.
Click on the banners and find amazing and diverse assortments of books. They're on sale and/or in Kindle Unlimited.     My snippet this week is from Strays.  Fingers pressing into the muscles along Kyle’s back, Daniel turned them and walked them backward until Kyle’s legs hit the bed. Flopping back he pulled Daniel down on top of him. Fisting the material of Daniel’s shirt, Kyle pulled and tugged until Daniel lifted his arms and the clothing slid away. “Maybe you could, you know, be naked too?” “If you insist,” Daniel said, kissing along Kyle’s collarbone and chest as he eased away, sat back, rolled to the side, and unlaced his boots. He got his belt loosened and shimmied out of his pants before covering Kyle’s body with his own again. Find other snippets at the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. Strays is available in eBook and in Kindle Unlimited.
SI Clarke has a new quirky queer sci-fi book out (ace/aro/agender): The Left Hand of Dog. And there's a giveaway! Escaping intergalactic kidnappers has never been quite so ridiculous. When Lem and her faithful dog, Spock, retreat from the city for a few days of hiking in Algonquin Park, the last thing they expect is to be kidnapped by aliens. No, scratch that. The last thing they expect is to be kidnapped by a bunch of strangely adorable intergalactic bounty hunters aboard a ship called the Teapot. Falling in with an unlikely group of allies – including a talking horse, a sarcastic robot, an overly anxious giant parrot, and a cloud of sentient glitter gas – Lem and the gang must devise a cunning plan to escape their captors and make it back home safely. But things won’t be as easy as they first seem. Lost in deep space and running out of fuel, this chaotic crew are faced with the daunting task of navigating an alien planet, breaking into a space station, and discovering the real reason they’re all there… Packed with preposterous scenarios, quirky characters, and oodles of humour, The Left Hand of Dog tackles complex subjects such as gender, the need to belong, and the importance of honest communication. Perfect for fans of Charlie Jane Anders’ Victories Greater than Death – especially ones who enjoy endless references to Red Dwarf, Star Trek, and Doctor Who. This book will show you that the universe is a very strange place indeed. Warnings: anaphylactic shock, minor injury to a dog, this book is not for TERFs. Giveaway
SI Clarke is giving away four eBooks with this blog tour: Direct Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47201/? Excerpt
Copyright © 2021 by SI CLARKE - All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review. Startled by the sound of movement behind me, I whirled around to face three … they had to be children in bunny costumes. ‘What?’ That’s what they had to be, right? I mean, they weren’t actually rabbits. Definitely not. For one thing, they stood upright. Real bunnies don’t normally do that, do they? For another, they were about the size of Spock. But the costumes looked real in that no skin showed through – not even on their faces – and I couldn’t see any zips. Also, I was pretty sure rabbits didn’t come in pastel rainbow colours. Actually, they reminded me of a toy I’d had as a child. Bunnyboo, I’d called it. Four-year-old me was terribly inventive. ‘Check out your floopy-floppy ears! How adorable are you?’ Nervous sarcasm still intact then. I was nauseated enough that shaking my head seemed like a bad idea. ‘It was beer I had last night, right? Not, like, psychedelic mushrooms? Maybe some natural tree spore that makes a person have trippy visions?’ No one answered me. Or even looked at me. Spock sat neatly and dropped her brain in my lap. She lifted a paw towards the nearest of the bunnyboos – for want of a better word. The creature’s mint green fur matched the emerald hue of its humongous Disney princess eyes. ‘Yip,’ said Spock in her smallest, most polite voice. This is not happening. I must be dreaming. Or hallucinating. Something. Pulling a device from a holster like a carpenter’s apron, the bunnyboo pointed it at Spock. Or maybe it was merely reading what was on the screen – if it even had a screen. Who was I kidding? I had no idea what they were doing. Another, slightly taller bunnyboo – this one periwinkle blue with eyes like Wedgewood plates – stepped forwards and ‘spoke’ to Spock as well. That is, its mouth moved and Spock’s full attention was on it. But no sound emerged. Spock yipped again in response to whatever it was I couldn’t hear. Spock pointed at me with her long, sable nose then looked back at the bunnyboos and emitted a low noise, not quite a growl. ‘Would someone please tell me what the bollocking pufferfish is going on here?’ I demanded. Okay, not demanded. Requested. Well, pleaded. Whined, maybe. Whatever verb it was I verbed, no one paid me any heed. The bunnyboos of my strange hallucination were too deeply engrossed in their silent conversation with my very real dog to spare me any of their attention. It was like watching a TV on mute – except I could hear movements and breathing and the sound of my heart beating a drum on the inside of my chest. After a few further moments of this bizarre fever dream, Spock leapt down out of the coffin and turned to face me. She sat on her haunches and looked me in the eye. Then she lifted one paw at me in a clear imitation of the ‘stay’ command I used with her. A bunnyboo with heather purple fur lowered a rope lead over Spock’s head. Spock stood and followed them from the room. ‘Where are you taking my dog, you fluffy bastards?’ I clambered out of the coffin-bed and scrabbled after them as fast as my besocked feet would carry me. But the thick metal door slid shut seconds before I got to it. I pounded impotently on the door, screaming, ‘Spock! Come back. Don’t let those fuzzy arseholes hurt you.’ Unable to find a door knob or control panel or anything, I leant against the wall next to the door and slid down until I landed on my arse. I shivered and hugged my knees to my chest. Why can’t I wake up? Letting my head fall forwards, I cried for a bit, whimpering Spock’s name periodically. Author Bio
SI CLARKE is a Canadian misanthrope who lives in Deptford, sarf ees London. She shares her home with her partner and an assortment of waifs and strays. When not writing convoluted, inefficient stories, she spends her time telling financial services firms to behave more efficiently. When not doing either of those things, she can be found in the pub or shouting at people online – occasionally practising efficiency by doing both at once. As someone who’s neurodivergent, an immigrant, and the proud owner of an invisible disability, she strives to present a diverse array of characters in her stories. Author Website: https://whitehartfiction.co.uk Author Twitter: https://twitter.com/clacksee Author Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/clacksee Author Liminal Fiction (LimFic.com): https://www.limfic.com/mbm-book-author/32693/ Author Amazon: https://www.amazon.co.uk/SI-CLARKE/e/B082GXW66G/ 
This week my teaser is from Gone Away. It's part of the Circles mystery/suspense/thriller series and it's on sale for 2.99 (eBook)! Or read in KU! Mason stretched awake under the thick blankets. The luxurious feel of the soft sheets against his legs and groin and the way it caressed the hair along his legs and around his balls was sensual. He’d almost forgotten how much he enjoyed the sensation of sleeping naked. What he hadn’t forgotten was how wonderful it felt having the warm body of the man who was beside him tucked to his side.
He wasn’t in any hurry to get out of bed. Riece had spent a few hours last night experimenting with his camera and getting shots of the night sky. He’d shown Mason different filters and how they worked with night photography. Although he’d left Riece in his own room, it wasn’t long before he was at Mason’s door. Mason had finished the kiss he’d begun after dinner, and they’d used another of the couples’ kits, taking their time rediscovering each other’s bodies. He closed his eyes, shifted to the side, and ran his hand lightly over Riece’s chest and belly to feel his body roll and stretch beneath Mason’s touch. Riece sighed, and Mason felt how his chest expanded beneath his hand. When he opened his eyes, Riece smiled at him. “I’m glad we stopped here instead of driving straight through to South Dakota.” Mason moved so he could speak near Riece’s ear. “Me too, and that you’re enjoying yourself.” “I’m enjoying you too,” Riece said and blushed. Brushing the backs of his fingers over Riece’s beard, Mason said, “That little bit of flush looks good on you.” “You’re so proud you can make me blush, aren’t you?” Mason moved his hand lower on Riece’s body until his fingertips brushed over the soft curls between Riece’s legs, making him shiver and suck in a deep breath. As he leaned over Riece and kissed his cheek, Mason spread his fingers out and slipped his hand over Riece’s hip. He moved his thumb in a steady motion, skimming the soft skin of Riece’s inner thigh. This week's snippet comes from A Barlow Lens, part of the Circles romantic suspense thrillers.  “Val.” Wyatt exhaled and inched over the few feet of cement separating them. “Christ, you’re too still.” He pulled himself to Val’s side. He pressed one hand to Val’s chest and let out a long, loud sigh of relief. Val’s chest rose and fell in a stable rhythm, and his heart was beating, strong and steady. He was sprawled flat on his back. A large purple and red bruise covered one cheek. Wyatt pulled himself closer and brushed Val’s hair away from his face. “This is my fault. I’m so sorry.” Even though Val was younger than Kevin, quick and agile, the fact remained he was no match for a man well trained in hand-to-hand combat. Kevin had come prepared for Wyatt to escape the car. The tire iron was likely as much for the glass of the windows as it was to use on Wyatt if needed. The Taser was no doubt Kevin’s insurance to make sure he took Wyatt down. They had trained together for years. A fist fight between Kevin and Wyatt was a fairly even contest. Kevin was too smart to trust that he’d be victorious and had taken into account Wyatt’s extra incentive in protecting Val.  Hop on over to the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group for more diverse snippets. A Barlow Lens is available in eBook, paperback and in Kindle Unlimited.
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