Spotlight on the Something New on the Menu Series ~ Sharita Lira

Good morning. I’m happy to be here to talk about the series from Naughty Nights Press my two muses have worked on as a team. Yes, I know, two sides of me working on different books. I’m sure that makes you wonder just how crazy I am but for me this is an everyday thing.

Back to the series! It’s a collection of manlove romances surrounding food and or beverages. Each book has different settings, characters, and situations but all have a common theme. Men involved in the food industry falling in love.

In my first book under BLMorticia, my protagonist Jimmy works at a burger joint in Chicago and is a homophobe. However, when his boss offers his position to someone else, the new owner and manager Alex teaches him some very valuable lessons.

Next up is Time to Make the Donuts under Rawiya. Christopher spends a lot of time running his uncles donut shop and has no time for romance. That all changes when Andre walks in the door with his winning smile and hot body. Christopher falls for him immediately but Andre has a secret that might get in the way. Will it keep them apart?

Third is Smooth Like Latte, also under Rawiya. Brendan Walsh is the CEO of his dad’s financial company and is in the closet. When he visits the coffee shop in his building, he meets Latte, a smooth talking barista who woos him from the start. Still, he’s afraid to come out to his father but desperately wants to know Latte better. Will he let go his fears for a chance at love?

Fourth is Sugar Daddy, the latest by Rawiya. The setting shifts to Britain where Matthew Davidson wants to be in a relationship. He wants a lover who takes care of him as well. While on the computer, he finds a man who he’d like to get to know better but this hot man holds secrets of his own. What are they and will they prevent them from being a couple?

Finally, the fifth book under BLMorticia is Candyman, due out late 2012. Alain has been given the task to take care of his father’s company Diamond Candies. He has no interest until he meets one of the workers, Ty Washington. They hit it off almost immediately but Ty has hang-ups about being gay. Will they overcome these to become lovers?

There are sequels planned for Latte, Sugar Daddy, and Candyman for the exterior characters as well in 2013. Whew, a lot but I’m very proud how all the stories turned out. If you haven’t checked out my manlove romance series with food, laughs, and hot sex by now, I hope I got you interested!

Thanks for listening.

Something Fresh Served Hot from Something New on the Menu Series Book One

A gay contemporary comedy which features a Chicago homophobe by the name of Jimmy LaCosta who works at a diner called the Greasy Spoon on the Northside of Chicago near Boys Town. While working, Jimmy meets the incoming manager, Alex Seidling, a young British man who his present boss is hiring to take his place as he retires. 

After the initial meeting in which Jimmy feels uncomfortable with Alex's stares, Jimmy cultivates a friendship with Alex which develops into something totally different than he himself expects. This shocks him and he tries to fight it but because of his growing feelings he decides to pursue it despite all of what he has been taught.

Will he do what his body wants? Will Alex accept his advances even though he will soon become Jimmy’s boss?

Click here to read an excerpt

Buylinks - Amazon ARe Smashwords

Time to Make the Donuts Something New on the Menu Series Book Two

Blurb: Andre, a customer, comes in and pays him a visit. The two lock eyes and immediately connect on a personal level. Because of this, Christopher decides to pursue when Andre passes him his card. He wonders what the young man does for a living however, he’s so smitten by him, Chris doesn’t give it much thought.

Little does the shop owner know, Andre actually works for his biggest competitor as a secret shopper and has been told to use any method necessary to find out the secrets of the shop as well as convince him to sell his shop and become part of the national chain.

When Christopher finds out, he has a surprise for Andre and deals with him in a rather humorous way. Will he trust Andre once he finds out this fact? Will he give up his shop under the pressure the well known franchise?

Buylinks  ARe  Smashwords Amazon

Click here to read excerpt

Smooth Like Latte Something New on the Menu Series Book Three

Blurb: Brendan Walsh is an uptight business executive working for his father and missing out on real life due to his relentless drive for success. Fearing his homophobic father’s wrath - and the potential to destroy his financial future - Brendan hides is true orientation and lives a life of boring celibacy.

Upon meeting Davori Jenkins when the hunky barista serves him a latte just the way he likes it, Brendan takes a chance, leaving his number with the tip in the hopes of changing his future love life.

Will Brendan be able to come clean with his father - risking his fortune - or will he take a chance at losing a man who he wants as his future?

Warning: This is an m/m interracial romance. Real romance. Some sappiness is ahead with two very good looking men who are searching for that happy ever after ending.

Amazon, Smashwords, ARe

Click here to read an excerpt

Sugar Daddy Something New on the Menu Series Book Four

Blurb: Matthew Davidson wants a MAN! The setting shifts away from the America’s to Britain where Matthew and his childhood friend, Devon Peartly attend a cooking school to obtain their cooking certificates. The young man wants a partner so badly, he decides he’ll try an online dating service in hopes of finding a black man that can take care of and satisfy him romantically.

He finds that man, Antwon Bantu on an online dating site and is instantly intrigued. Little does Matthew know that Antwon is involved in a “convenient” marriage and is seeking a younger partner so he can finally get on with his life. Instead of confessing the truth, he decides to hide it, fearing he’ll lose the chance with Matthew if he informs him. To complicate things, Antwon’s wife claims to be in love with him. Antwon must choose what’s more important; loving Matthew or saving his impeccable reputation as a top barrister in the London courts? 

Which will he choose?

Click here to read an excerpt

Amazon, Are, Smashwords

BLMorticia is currently a published writer with Naughty Nights Press and Rebel Ink Press. Her first two novellas, My Lieutenant and Something Fresh Served Hot are Silver star recipients on All Romance Ebooks. She writes bi weekly for Red Lipstick Diaries, guest blogs monthly on the Naughty Nights Press blog and a writes column twice a month on Blak Rayne Books. For more info, please visit, Erotica With Snark

RAWIYA is the more sensual erotica writer in the BLRawiya duo. Rawiya's first sole author book, “Time to Make the Donuts” is now available in multiple digital formats through online vendors and her first MMF Living In The Now was released in April from Naughty Nights Press.

Rawiya loves multiracial characters who overcome obstacles other than race. Sweet, sassy, and spicy would be the best way to describe her work. Happily married mother of two, loves music, computers, and travel. She blogs regularly at Wicked Sexy Writers. For more please visit the Rawiya’s blog on Wordpress.

The Literary Triad - http://www.thelitriad.com/#!

Michael Mandrake – http://tabooindeed.blogspot.com

BLMorticia - http://blmorticia.wordpress.com

Rawiya - http://rawiyaerotica.wordpress.com

Twitter - http://twitter.com/#!/rawiyamikembl

Facebook - http://www.facebook.com/TheLiteraryTriad

Kindlegraph - http://www.kindlegraph.com/authors/rawiyamikembl

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Update On TLOM 2: Living in Shadows

Last night I had a dream ~ Okay, that sounds pretty weird, but it was a dream that had me rethinking the storyline in The Lines of Marsden: Living in Shadows. We all know Michael is my main focus in the first 6 books. In book two I was thinking of bringing Gypsy joining the family as the main focus, but last night Doyle cracked the shits big time, and so today, I am going back through and making Gypsy a secondary storyline, and stepping Doyle up. So for all of you who are interested; it is gonna take me a bit of time to get this new thought line inter-phased with what I already have in place.

Honestly, I think this may answer some of those questions people have about Doyle... If not it will give you more questions. Living in Shadows is probably the only book that doesn't end in a HEA... but that just can't be helped. I am hoping you will all forgive me in this, but I just can't think of any other way to end it. I promise I am also working on Pools of Amethysts at the same time. So I am hoping there won't be yonks in between books 2 & 3 being released.

If any people had questions I never answered in book one feel free to ask me, and I will try and answer them in the next few books. As you all know my mind works a mile a minute, and I don't want to overlook anything. Lets face it; we all know that is possible with me - seeing as how easy I get distracted.

How Much Sex Is Too Much?

I have spent a lot of time reading and I have to ask - "How much sex is too much?" Whatever happened to the main focus of the book actually being the storyline? I have come to the conclusion that some people believe that gay men & women spend 99% of their time fucking... I am like: Seriously, how is that even possible?

While I am having my mini rant on all things writing. I know people like their HEA in their stories and I put my hand up with them all saying I am just like the rest. But, come on, we all know that real life isn't HEA some of the time - lying/cheating/bullying all of these things happen. (I know we all want to escape from reality for just a bit but then for us writers our wonderful editors  need the stories to have some semblance of realism about them). I have two books where there are instances of cheating in them. I know without a doubt some people will just refuse to read them, and I have to ask: Why? sometimes the cheating is there to make the story better; especially when the story line revolves around the problems they must face and overcome because of it. For those of you who will avoid them like the plague I will forewarn you they are: Windblown Kisses: My knight in Tarnished Armour & Taking Chances: Lie to Me.

I am finally over my rant for now so I will say goodbye and will talk to you all on another day.

Kris Jacen's Challenge

Okay, as I promised yesterday here is my contribution - please just gloss over the glaring bad editing (as we all know how much I suck at editing).

Hello Darlin'

As the last strains of The Last Fight played out into silence Grey Stevens couldn’t help but feel his whole body fill with intense loneliness. The song was a reminder of what was and could never be again. The last song for the night was inspired by a fan- of sorts. Just someone who sent him long rambling letters about everything and anything – while never once leaving their name; hell he didn’t even know if they were male or female. All he knew was something in the letters called out to him.

“This next one is for a friend I like to call ‘Darlin’, they inspired the very essence of this song, through letters which mean so much to me. Well Darlin’, Anything and Everything is just for you.”

Tapping his foot to the beat he counted of the intro as he stared at the stage, slowly he began to sing as he lifted his head and stared out into what part of the audience he could see. Lately, Grey had been getting the feeling as if Darlin’ was out in the audience watching him and listening to him. So tonight for the first time ever he wanted to give back just a little bit of himself to the one person who seemed to know him so well.

By the time the lights came up for the last time, Grey was already off the stage and making his way toward the sanctity of his dressing room. Photographers and journalists from various publications would be waiting for him, but tonight they could just wait. Grey needed a bit of ‘me time’. A smile graced his face when the first thing he saw was a very familiar envelope lying on the floor from where it had obviously be slid under the locked door.

“Well hello, Darlin’.” Grey whispered as he picked up the much thinner envelope and sat on the couch and tore open the envelope. His body reacting just as it always did when a new letter came. This time instead of the usual three or four page letter there was a single sheet of paper with seven words adorning it:

Thanks for the answers.

Yours always,

Darlin’.

Grey gently folded the piece of paper and placed it back in the envelope. He had been right, Darlin’ had been somewhere listening as he sung out the replies to everything he had ever been asked. It felt a little weird knowing he had a friendship with someone he really didn’t know a thing about. His manager Hayden kept telling him over and over the sender was just some crackpot with illusions of grandeur, but in some ways Grey thought Darlin’ was probably one of the most honest people out there – Darlin had shared bits of him/herself without ever asking for anything in return. In his own heart he believed/hoped Darlin’ was man, because he was already partway in love with them. A female would only throw a spanner in the works, considering his body was hardwired to love another man.

“Five minutes,” one of the roadies yelled through the door letting Grey know he had only a short amount of time to get himself presentable for the sea of paparazzi that wanted a piece of him. He knew after the introduction of Anything and Everything, they would all want to know about Darlin’.

What was he gonna tell them?

The truth?

Or make something up to satisfy the masses?

A timid knock sounded at the door breaking into his thoughts. “Enter.”

The first thing Grey noticed was the mop of brown curls framing one of the most gorgeous faces he had ever seen. The man’s slight build made Grey want to pull the guy in for a hug, his body reacting in an instant the moment the other man smiled. The only thing stopping him was the press pass hanging around his neck.

“Can I help you?” Grey asked as he eyed the man. Somehow the nervousness of the man standing before him seemed to set off some sort of recognition. “Hello, Darlin’.”

Grey held out his arms, and waited for Darlin’ to cross the room to fill them. Their mouths met in a furious kiss. Hands exploring what they could, and dimly, somewhere in the back of his mind Grey knew he was going to definitely be late for the press conference.

A Couple Of Awesome Reviews

Top 2 Bottom Reviews 

Top 2 Bottom Reviews

Playing Catch-Up & A Kris Jacen Challenge.

I was going through and tidying up my computer files, and came across this picture this is a closer up picture of Doyle Kerwin from The Lines of Marsden. I also purchased this one from the fabulous DW Skinner.

Someone once told me I didn't pick really sexy guys as my inspiration. I was like Hello!!! Not everyone has the same idea of what beautiful is. Weirdly, I really like this guy, and he suits my image of Doyle (messy hair and all).

I am in negotiations with the awesome Lex Valentine to make me some trading cards images... I can then have made up into sets of each line of Marsden - I am concentrating on the first line though & am still looking for my ever elusive Gypsy - I should just take a picture of Emily and use her as she is my Gypsy. Mind you she may kill me for doing it which wouldn't be good at all.

I have been so busy of late in my real life that my writing life has been relegated to the back burner for the moment. I need to get back into the swing of things. What better way then to try my hand at one of Kris Jacen's challenges. (See below for details).

BUNNY:

So here are the boys…they’re both coming to me every time I hear three different country music songs. It’s definitely the tone of the second two songs but there’s the vibe of the first.

Feel Like a Rockstar (Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw)

Time is Love (Josh Turner)

Shinin’ on Me (Jerrod Niemann)

Neither of them are giving me names…One of them is definitely a country music star, can see him moving on stage while singing. The other I believe is a paparazzi (or a reporter) that’s following him (not stalking) because he believes he’s “family. Doesn’t want to out him but wants him for his own.

CHALLENGE:

See if you can write me a scene with MC1 performing and coming off stage and dragging MC2 off to burn off MC1’s performing high.

PS: I will post my part of the challenge tomorrow.

New Contract

Just letting you all know I just signed a new contract with MLRPress for my Christmas story: Christmastime at Papa Lee's. "I AM SO STOKED" (yes that was me yelling it fro the roof tops.)