fuonlyknew

Welcome to my stop on the virtual book tour for Grayality organized by Goddess Fish Promotions.

Author Carey PW will be awarding a $50 Amazon or B&N Gift Card to a randomly drawn winner via rafflecopter during the tour. Don’t forget to enter!

And you can click on the tour banner to see the other stops on the tour.

Garyality

by Carey PW

Genre: LGBTQIA Contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Love knows no gender.

Pate Boone, a twenty-six-year-old transgender man, embarks on a new adventure when his childhood best friend, and yes, ex-lover, Oakley Ogden, convinces him to escape their hometown in hopes for something new.

They land in Cloverleaf, a tiny rural town in Montana, so that Oakley can care for his granny who is battling breast cancer. She pressures the two young men to enroll in a nearby college. Pate immediately becomes enthralled with Maybelle, a young, vivacious freshman to whom he fears revealing his transgender identity. Still, he finds it impossible to resist Maybelle, even after he meets her ex, Bullet, a large, violent man determined to keep Pate away from “his girl.”

But there are others who accept Pate immediately, like Stormy. An outdoorsy, rugged freshman, Stormy warns Pate away from Maybelle and Bullet, but Pate’s too infatuated to heed these warnings.

Oakley tries to support his friend’s new love but finds himself entangled in his own emotional calamity when he unintentionally falls for Jody, a gay and ostentatiously confident drag queen. This new relationship awakens deep internal conflicts in Oakley as he struggles to accept his bisexuality, lashing out at Pate and causing friction between him and Jody.

Oakley must decide if he can overcome his insecurities so he doesn’t lose the love of his life. And Pate must discover if the love between him and Maybelle is strong enough for her to accept him as a transgender man, or if she will break his heart.

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Enjoy this peek inside:

“Do you not realize that all these things you do hurt me?” he asked.

“I apologized for that. I thought we were over that,” I pleaded.

“Then you call me your boyfriend, but you don’t tell your parents,” he continued. “And you know that people around here already know about us, yet you won’t hold my hand at lunch. Not to mention that you still won’t touch me.”

I looked down in shame. “I told you it’s hard for me.”

“So when does it get hard for me, Oakley? How long am I supposed to date someone who seems repulsed by me?”

I shook my head. “I don’t know what to say. You know I’m straight.”

Jody wiped some tears from his eyes. “Maybe that’s the problem. I shouldn’t be wasting my time on a straight guy, or at least a guy who keeps insisting that he is straight. I told you upfront that we could be friends and that if you wanted to pursue this, then you needed to be ready to actually do it.”

“Are you breaking up with me?” I asked desperately. Jody finally made eye contact.

“No, not yet anyway. But I’m not waiting for you, Oakley. You need to figure this out because my heart isn’t a tool for you to figure out your sexual orientation.”

“I promise. I’ll try harder. Don’t give up on us yet.” I grabbed his hands.

Jody smiled and went to touch my cheek with his hand, but I pulled away. He shook his head in disappointment.

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Interview with Author Carey Pw

Do you have any tattoos?  Where? When did you get it/them? Where are they on your body?

    I have a lot of tattoos. I was too scared to get any in my twenties because people kept swaying me against it. Finally, I just decided to be myself.

    I have a lot of patchwork tattoos on my arms. I have several Mario characters but mostly villains like Bowser, Gumba, and several of Bowser’s children. I also have the Skull Kid from Majora’s Mask on my left forearm. I have an owl on a tree on my right upper arm that I got the day that I defended my dissertation for my Ph.D. in 2013. The owl stands for wisdom. I have a monkey holding the Chinese flag on my upper left arm with the Great Wall of China behind him. I am a monkey in the Chinese zodiac and lived in China for three years, so I wanted something to share that part of my journey.

    My legs are horror themed. I have Jason, a critter from Critters, Billy the Puppet from Saw, Slimer from Ghostbusters, the Elite Hunting logo from Hostel, and Peachfuzz from Creep. I also have a classic American traditional skull and dagger tattoo.

    My most meaningful ones would be my hand tattoos because they show my identities. On my right hand, I have an asexual cupcake. On my left, a nonbinary cat. Written above them are the words, goth and punk. I also have the years when I came out tattooed on my upper fingers. I love displaying my pride.

Is your life anything like it was two years ago?

    Two years ago, we were deep into the pandemic, so yes, my life is different now. Probably the most noticeable difference for me would be my physique. I was less than two years on testosterone, and now, I have facial hair and a leaner, masculine build. I feel way more congruent in my body. I also got into baking two years ago as a way to stay busy during the pandemic. Now, it’s one of my favorite pastimes. I also came out as asexual in 2020, which brought a lot of relief to my life. I have one kidney now, too since donating one this past December. In many ways, I am a totally new person; in others, I am completely the same.

How long have you been writing?

    Third grade is my first memory of writing and learning that I loved it. But other than writing for some school assignments, I don’t recall writing in my free time until high school. I wrote a lot of poems to sort out the depression and gender dysphoria I was experiencing at the time. I started writing novels in college, but I got discouraged after graduation and didn’t write for ten years! Finally in 2013, I wrote another novel that was a fictional work about my experiences in China. It’s only been within the past two years that I started writing heavily. I hope to keep that up because I feel like it’s been a missing element in my life.

What advice would you give a new writer just starting out?

    Do the work and don’t give up. Writing is a lot of work. It’s not just writing the draft, but it’s hours of editing and revisions. Also, it takes time to write blurbs and query letters and other promotional materials. Marketing is probably the most time-consuming part. I never expected to spend so much time on social media! For me, I treat it like another job. I have to devote the hours and meet my deadlines. I also did a lot of research and continue to research this industry.

Tell us something about your newest release that is NOT in the blurb.

    It’s not just a lovey dovey romance. The characters are young, but their conversations reflect deep, intricate issues around sexuality and gender identity. Don’t get fooled by the new adult genre. This book may offer something to people of all ages.

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About Author Carey PW

Carey PW (he/they) is a debut author, college instructor, and mental health counselor. Carey is currently completing his next manuscript, Acing the Game.

Carey lives in Montana, and identifies as nonbinary, transmasculine (AFAB) and panromantic asexual. Due to the lack of resources in rural communities, Carey has discovered that writing about his lived experiences is a therapeutic outlet for him and hopes that his readers relate to his own personal struggles and triumphs shared through his characters’ narratives. Carey is particularly interested in exploring relationship conflicts around sexuality and gender differences. He has also worked as a high school writing instructor and college writing instructor, earning a B.A. in English Literature, a M.Ed. in English Education, and Ph.D. in Social Foundations of Education all from the University of Georgia. In 2020, Carey earned his second M.Ed. in Counselor Education and works as a licensed clinical professional counselor, LCPC. He has a strong passion for working with the unique mental health issues of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Readers can learn more about Carey from his blog, www.careypw.com. When he is not writing, Carey is busy training for marathons, parenting his six cats, sharing his culinary talents on social media, serving on the board for the nonprofit Center for Studies of the Person (CSP) and learning photography.

Carey PW loves to hear from readers. You can find his contact information, website and author biography at http://www.pride-publishing.com.

Other links:  Blog / Instagram / Twitter / Facebook

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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!

For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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Everything changes in one night, when Tessa
Benson is snatched from the streets and tied to a bed, a camera set up to
capture her dying moment…

By Michelle King

 

 

 

Breathe in. Breathe out. This mantra gets Tessa Benson through the day. The man she loves walks all over her, and she just wants to get by without her heart shattering to pieces. If she could find her voice, she’d scream. Everything changes in one night, when she’s snatched from the streets and tied to a bed, a camera set up to capture her dying moment. And the person who paid to watch her die…is still out there somewhere. Tessa prowls dark neighborhoods in a quest for justice, but she doesn’t find the killer. Not until they strike again…in the place Tessa is least expecting, and where it hurts most.

“Dark. Disturbing. Absolutely out of character for Michelle Bellon (compared to her other books). You absolutely feel for Tessa. Your heart & soul breaks with her. You will get angry & you will cry with her. Simply amazing.” – Amazon Reader

“This story is a very, very dark thriller. It has some things in it that might upset some people. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED! Tessa is trying to just get through each day with the man she loves. He is not a nice man. He walks all over her, belittles her, he is a scum bag! Then she gets kidnapped one night and tied to a bed. There is a camera on her to show someone or some people just how she is going to die! Can she get away? Who would do such a thing? You will need to read the book to find the answers.” – Amazon Reader

Book Information

Release Date: November 15, 2019

Publisher: Limitless Publishing

Soft Cover: ISBN:  978-1640347953; 272 pages; $13.99; Read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon

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As the phoenix eternally
rises from the flames, so shall she…

Something more insidious than
guilt or embarrassment engulfs me. I’ve felt both of those frequently in my
life. This is shame all the way to my core. I’m crying so hard now I can hardly
make out the features of his face. Scrambling like a rag doll, I stagger out of
the car and nearly fall on my face when my left ankle turns inward, just like
it did in front of his home the week before. I stumble and catch myself. Beyond
humiliated, I want nothing more than to hide. As soon as I’m upright, I break
into a run. I’m in heels, so I stagger-step multiple times, but I’m determined
to get anywhere but right here.

Blindly, I run across the lot.
As I round the corner, I run smack into someone as they are coming the opposite
direction.  

“Tessa? Are you okay?”

I glance up through the stream of
tears to see a blurry image of Gerald. “No, no. I just want to go home.” I push
off his chest and stumble backward, then turn and flee the opposite direction
without saying a word, ignoring Gerald’s plea of confusion as the distance
between us widens. I pray he won’t follow. I just want to get away from this
place.

I keep running until I’m at least
a few blocks away. Winded, fatigued, and little sick to my stomach, I stop. I
lean against the wall of a building, taking in sharp gasps of air, and look
around. Thankfully, Gerald didn’t follow. Where am I? Terin. I left Terin back
at the club. I can’t go back there. I’ll have to call her and let her know I’ve
gone home. She’ll be fine.

My phone? Where is my phone? It
was in my handbag. I had my handbag when I left the club with Tom. Shit. It
must be in his car. Fear, pain, shame, anger, guilt, all well up tight within
my chest and rise until I feel as if I will go mad. I run my fingers through my
hair and cry so hard I start to gag again. I want to puke. Get that
man out of me. Get him out!

“Can I help you? Are you okay?”

Startled, I spin around. The man
from the library is standing at the corner, maybe fifteen feet away. My crying
wanes as muddled thoughts spin around in my mind, trying to make sense of it all.
Why is he here? Did he follow me from the club? His brow is pinched with a look
of concern. He takes a step forward. “Are you okay?”

My knees and hands are trembling
violently. “I’m…I’m fine.” I drag both hands across my face, swiping away the
tears.

He takes another step forward.
“Are you sure? You seem upset. Are you ill?”

I take a step back. I don’t want
any further interaction tonight. I’ve had more than enough. All I want to do is
go home. And this guy…he seems friendly, but he freaks me out. “No, really. I’m
fine. I’m just on my way home.”

Another step forward. “Do you
need a ride?”

Another step back. Why won’t
anyone listen to me? “No. I’m fi…”

Something is pulled over my head
from behind. The world is dark and muffled. I scream. Hands go around my waist.
My arms arc outward, side to side, hoping to hit anything in my path. What is
happening? Fear, stark and white, drains the blood from my head to my toes. I’m
dizzy.

Voices bark out sharp orders but
I’m flailing about and screaming so I can’t make out what they’re saying.
Another set of hands grab my legs and pull them out from under me so now I’m being
carried by two men…one by my waist and the other by my legs. I writhe and
twist. I have to get out of this. I need to get away. What is happening? My
breath plumes in and out in short, hot gasps inside the small bag over my head.
Claustrophobia flares up. A stronger wave of panic follows. I’m…going…to
pass…out. 

 

 

 

 

Michelle King lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband Chayne and her children. She loves coffee, Superman, rollercoasters, and has an addiction to chapstick.

She works in healthcare management and in her spare time writes novels. As a multi-genre author, she has written in the categories of romance suspense, young adult, women’s fiction, and literary fiction. She has won four literary awards.

She is the author of the thriller, Breathe In.

Visit her website at https://www.authormichelleking.com/ or connect with her on Twitter and Facebook.

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

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For a list of my reviews go HERE.

For a list of free eBooks updated daily go HERE

To see all of my giveaways go HERE.

I am an Amazon Affiliate. Product images are linked.

The ship now seemed entirely emptied, and she got a message on her earpiece, “Frank! Answer me! Did we hear an explosion, are you, all right? For fuck sake, Frank answer!” She turned on her vocal emitter, and said, “Yes, I caused the explosion.” Her superior officer, Commander King, had orders to keep Frankie safe at all costs, and right now, she was several hundred meters away from him in a ship full of very hungry Rakes, “How the fuck do you suggest coming back? You blew up the only passage to their working teleportal beam!”
Frankie, with a cool tone in her voice, answered, “It was a risk I was willing to take.” The Commander didn’t find it one bit amusing, “That’s funny because see. I am the Commander, and you’re the Lieutenant. I make the decision, you follow my orders.” Frankie followed a curving corridor and decided to slow down, “Yeah, well I came here to chew bubblegum, and kickass. I have two plasma guns with a few shots left, and no bubble gum. You do the math.”
Frankie knew Commander Nakamo King wouldn’t understand her reference. Nobody on her ship understood her puns from the twenty-first century since she was the only one out from her timeline. She then turned off the device entirely. Frankie knew she would find her crewmates approaching the place where they were ambushed by Rakes, that according to King, weren’t supposed to be onboard the abandoned ship. The air was heavy and humid, the stink of the place burned inside Frankie’s nostrils who wanted to beam out of the ship as soon as she could. But first, she had to free her men.
Frankie might not have been military material, or at least she thought so until saved by Icefall II’s Captain. But she had proven herself time, and time again. All those hours spent playing warfare video games were suddenly paying off, and helped protect herself from something she possessed that made her quite precious to the Captain of her ship.
The cries were loud, long, and agonizing. The mumbling, and what sounded like the chewing sounds of animals crawled its way to Frankie’s ears who feared what she was about to see when turning to the room on her right. She looked at her forearm bracer where it displayed a monitor screen of all Icefall II members. She saw the fainted life signs of her crewmates and then turned on the 3D holographic blueprint of the ship showing that on her left would be the feasting room.
She closed her eyes, knelt to the ground as slowly as she could, and crawled close to the entrance of the room. Once opened, what she saw, created a sudden gag reflux. There was no more time to be discreet, as she threw up bile on herself. She jumped on her feet and shot the two crewmates. Both of them hung from the ceiling by metallic hooks resembling ones used by fishermen. It pierced through the bruised flesh on their backs. Denuded, the two men were hanging, their head falling forwards. A wide X incision covered their abdomen, buckets at their feet, letting the blood drip down as Rakes exposed their tongues.
When Frankie saw the scene, she expected as much, but not for both crewmen to lift their heads up, orbits emptied from their eyeballs, and screaming without a tongue to articulate their pain. She shot them both between the eyes, and their heads fell forward instantly once she shot them both out of their misery. Twenty-eight Rakes came forward, angry, as they showed their long curving claws perfect to grip their prey as she stepped back. Frankie analyzed the situation rapidly and calculated her chances of survival if she ran through the ship. 9%. Not high enough. She thought to herself, she needed another strategy.
Frankie noticed a tall man with a black uniform, and a helmet covering his head. Impossible to see through, she blinked and hoped her ocular scanning lenses took a picture. She noticed his belt with a scarab looking device attached to it. “You’ll have to do mate!” She propelled herself onto the man, elbowed his head, and then his stomach before injecting herself with the decoding serum, and entered the code, “Sextans A, NGC 3115, Slicer LSS, Authorization Code 05bw3d.”
Frankie shot at the Rakes coming her way until she felt her body dematerializing leaving a sensation of absolute relaxation. Then everything disappeared until she felt stretched out into a tube and instantly rematerialized.
“What was the idea, Lieutenant Stein?”
“Yes, I’m happy I’m alive too.”
“Lieutenant!”
Frankie got back on her feet. The man covered in a black military suit was about to lift himself up, so Frankie kicked his head and knocked him out for the third time. She walked down the circular Decoder pedestal, holding her head with one hand. She was covered in soot and sweating like she just went for a hundred-kilometer marathon. King was yelling at her. She had to follow his orders when away on missions. Then Frankie felt shivers grabbing onto her spine crawling its way to the back of her neck when he walked in the room.
“Lieutenant Stein, what is this Khe Agent doing on my ship?”
It seemed as if Frankie lost her words, the entire language indeed. She walked back to the Khe Agent, grabbed his teleportal device also known as a PBU, and unlocked his helmet. She then caught on to its ocular lenses on his eyeballs and retrieved the chip placed in his bracer. She walked down the Decoder and handed it to Captain Caldwell, who had turned forty-nine years old the week before.
“This Khe Agent was the relic we were looking for.” Frankie admitted, “I read his signature when we teleported about the supposedly abandoned ship.” She mentioned slowly looking at her superior officer with a frowned as he affirmed the wrecked ship deserted by the crew. “These objects, once I analyze them, will prove to be the missing parts of previous encoded Grey artifacts left behind. It also proves our theory of the Rakes working alongside the Dome…um…Sir.”
Frankie looked down when her Captain asked with his grave, and commanding voice, “How were you able to use the PBU? You needed access to a Rake code.” Frankie wasn’t about to reveal all of her secrets to her Captain, and so she answered, “As for the Portable Beaming Unit, I…um” She cleared her throat before King said, “She disobeyed my orders, and went on a silly mission to—” Caldwell raised his hand before King, and uninterestingly nodded, his eyes fixed on Frankie, “Yes, yes, yes, subordination, who gives a fuck Commander. We’re at war.”
He had Frankie look into his eyes, “How did you get that code?” She had to think fast, “I hacked their system, and copied one of their codes when I knew a Khe Agent was onboard the ship.” Captain Caldwell smiled, “Moved the prisoner to the brig until Dr. Gillman can start the rehabilitation process.” Before leaving the room, Caldwell glanced at Frankie one last time, subtly winked, and grinned before saying, “Good work, Lieutenant.” Followed by, “Both of you take a shower, and report to Dr. Gillman.”
Frankie couldn’t help but smile, and with the objects in her hands, about to walk out she felt King’s grip on her shoulder. She knew he would again lecture her about how the Captain was a weirdo, and not to let him inside her head. He tried his best to have the Captain lose interest in Frankie, but it never worked. She would get away with many things, but then again, “I’m not a real soldier, Nakamo.” She said. ​​

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