JL Merrow

Fall Hard Cover Revealed

Wed, 22 May 2013 13:56:10 GMT

Delighted to see Fall Hard, my novel set in Iceland, is now up on Amazon! It won’t be out until September, alas, but isn’t that pretty? I just love what cover artist, Kanaxa, did with those brooding skies. (or should that be ?)

And here’s the blurb:

Some memories are better off lost in the mist…
Eight months ago, British academic Paul Ansell lost his lover—and all the memories of their time together—in an accident at Iceland’s Gullfoss Falls. Returning to the misty island country to resume his study of the bloodthirsty Viking Egil Skallagrimsson is tough as he struggles to pull his life back together.
First, there’s his colleague, Mags, who treats him like glass, and summer student Alex, who peppers him with discomforting questions. Then there’s Icelandic jet-boat driver Viggo, a tattooed, modern-day Viking who won’t say much about how they know each other. Leaving Paul to wonder if their volcanic attraction is fuelled by a desire to make a fresh start, or desperation to forget the past.
As more fragments of his lost memories fall into place, Paul is unsure if he can trust himself, much less anyone around him. And he begins to suspect his accident was nothing of the kind.

Warning: Contains a modern-day Viking whose boat has V8 engines for oars, and a harsh land of hot springs and hotter passions that won’t forgive any false steps.

Due out from Samhain 17th September 2013, and now available to pre-order: Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

ETA: Is it just me, or is Viggo staring at Jude's crotch, there? ;P

Cheap at 65% of the price

Wed, 08 May 2013 17:54:22 GMT

Happy Anniversary!

May 6-12, we will offer a 35% discount off all books (including in-stock paperbacks) by authors who signed with us during our third year of business: Andi Anderson, Jae Ashley, Rayne Auster, Lenore Black, Scarlet Blackwell, Anne Brooke, H.J. Brues, Brackley Burke, Mary Calmes, Tessa Cárdenas, Heidi Champa, R.W. Clinger, Rachelle Cochran, Diana Copland,J. Crow, Heidi Cullinan, Jana Denardo, Sophia Deri-Bowen, Sonia Devereaux, Libby Drew,Anne Dudley, Chelle Dugan, Andy Eisenberg, Henri Fer, Jamie Freeman, Lacey-Anne Frye, Lyn Gala, L.A. Gilbert, Roland Graeme, Cornelia Grey, Julie Lynn Hayes, S. Reesa Herberth, Violet Hilton, Jan Irving, Felicitas Ivey, Dawn Kimberly Johnson, Joanne Kells,V.B. Kildaire, L.J. LaBarthe, Amy Lane, Trina Lane, Sam C. Leonhard, Anna J. Linden, Taylor Lochland, Amylea Lyn, EM Lynley, D.W. Marchwell, Rowan McAllister,Brooke McKinley, Kate McMurray, JL Merrow, Patric Michael, Margaret Mills, Ellie Moonwater, Emily Moreton, Maggie Morton, Josephine Myles, Mallory Path, J.R. Patrick,Jeff Pearce, Devon Rhodes, G.R. Richards, Kate Roman, Persephone Roth, Linda Reilly,Lily Sawyer, RJ Scott, Rosina Scott, Marie Sexton, Barbara Sheridan, Aundrea Singer,K.Z. Snow, Jillian Snyder, Rowan Speedwell, Jay Starre, Rowena Sudbury, Lori Toland,Carolyn Levine Topol, Jonathan Treadway, Bryl R. Tyne, Matthew Vandrew, Anel Viz, Aleksandr Voinov, Edward von Behrer, Ashleigh Walton, Tedy Ward, Nessa L. Warin,Sarah Ann Watts, Rachel West, Ellen Whitehall, A. Willingham, L.A. Witt, Serena Yates, Cari Z., J.A. Zecca.

Great review for Slam!

Tue, 07 May 2013 07:47:43 GMT

…it’s a Top Pick over at The Romance Reviews!

Witty sarcasm coupled with a sweet romance made for a story that's hard to put down! The story is told from Jude's POV, and he is one of the most sarcastic and funny characters I have ever read ... I'm really looking forward to reading this book again! – 5 stars, KindleRomance, The Romance Reviews

An Award for New Sun Rising

Mon, 29 Apr 2013 16:08:28 GMT

…which is rather pleasing.

New Sun Rising is the anthology of stories, flash fiction, poems, haibun, haiku, artwork and photography put together in aid of Japan after the tsunami of 2011, and contains my prize-winning lesbian flash fiction Ice Maiden. It’s been awarded Gold in the anthology category of the ELit Awards.

Available in ebook and paperback on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk.

Slam! Giveaway

Wed, 24 Apr 2013 07:44:00 GMT

Hie thee over to Elisa Rolle’s blog if you’d like to win a copy of Slam!

She’s giving away a copy to a random commenter on the post – not sure when the draw is, so better hurry!

And when you’ve done that, why not head over to the website and sign up to go to UK Meet? Places are booking up fast, and the Early Bird Discount ends on 30th April. Go on, you know you want to!

UK GLBTQ Fiction – Read it, Write it, Love it

Clock's ticking to the UK Meet!

Sun, 21 Apr 2013 13:36:17 GMT

Originally posted by clarelondon at Clock's ticking to the UK Meet!

THE UK MEET COUNTDOWN CONTINUES!!

Three months to go to UK Meet 2013 and we're edging towards the last chance saloon on a couple of things.

1) Early bird discount stops at the end of this month.

2) Panels will be inked in by the end of May, so the programme can go to print. We still have some flexibility so that anyone who wants to feature on a panel can have that opportunity, but you need to let Charlie know during the next few weeks.

Feel free to contact the team with any questions, although our FAQ page covers many of the things people want to know.

FROM THE UK MEET TEAM:

Charlie, Clare, Jamie, Jo and Liam

♥

Damned if You Do

Thu, 18 Apr 2013 11:13:57 GMT

I’m delighted to show you the new cover for my stories about Rael the male succubus and his detective lover Lars! I think artist Imaliea has done a fabulous job of conveying the tone of the stories (although I’m sorry to say goodbye to the lovely cover Lou Harper did for my self-pubbed version of A Calling for Pleasure).

For the first time, all the stories – including a brand new novella – will be available in one volume under the title Damned if You Do.

It’s due out from Riptide on June 24th, 2013, and is available to pre-order now at a discount in ebook or print.

All the stories have been comprehensively re-edited by editing ninja Sarah Frantz, formerly of Dear Author, and are now between 20% and a staggering 70% longer than their original versions as published by Torquere – and 100% better!

And the longest one of all is the brand new story, #4 in the series:

#1: A Calling for Pleasure

#2: A Blast from the Past

#3: A Wish Too Far

#4: A Glutton for Punishment

All the stories will also be available in separate ebooks.

Series blurb:

Some sins are worth the price.
Sexy male succubus Rael has an insatiable appetite for men that gets him into all kinds of trouble. And he’s just found his favorite flavor: hunky blond detective Lars Thornsson. When those cool Nordic looks combine with Rael’s smoldering dark charms, all Hell could break loose.
Lars’s job at the Paranormal Enforcement Agency means he’s supposed to be policing demons, not falling in lust—or love—with them. But there’s something about this feisty little sex demon that hits all his buttons.
With no shortage of deadly sinners in his city, from serial-killing succubi to drug-dealing demons, all Lars can do is try to keep his private life from interfering with his work. But Rael has a knack for getting mixed up in cases that threaten both their domestic harmony and their lives.

Pre-order collection | Pre-order separate titles

Slam! Blog Tour Prizewinner

Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:02:20 GMT

It’s Wednesday 17th, I’ve had my tea (veggie pasta bake, yum!) so it must be time to pick a winner in the Slam! blog tour giveaway. And the winner, courtesy of random.org, is….

bingaling2013,

who commented on It’s Hot to Flame over at Cup o’ Porn.

Bingaling, I haven’t got contact info for you, so please get in touch with me on jl(dot)merrow(at)gmail(dot)com to claim your prize:

A free signed paperback copy of Hard Tail, plus I’ll write you a limerick on a subject of your choosing (it may be as well to specify clean or dirty, too!)

Please get in touch by the end of April 21st, GMT, or I’ll sadly be forced to pick another winner.

Thanks so much to everyone who commented on the tour – I had a great time reading and answering all your comments!

It’s the last stop

Tue, 16 Apr 2013 13:19:05 GMT

…for the Slam! blog tour, and I’m winding up (or winding down?) with Cole over at The Armchair Reader with

Poetry – It’s Not Just Writing in Rhyme

where I make a shameful confession *g* and muse on modern verse.

Why not pop along and join me for your last chance to enter the giveaway:

I’m offering a free signed paperback copy of Hard Tail (I’m happy to ship internationally) to a randomly chosen commenter on the Slam! blog tour, plus I’ll write the winner a limerick on a subject of their choosing!

I’ll be making the draw around teatime on Wednesday 17^th April, GMT. Good luck!

It’s Hot to Flame

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:14:54 GMT

The Slam! blog tour continues with its penultimate stop over at Cup o’ Porn, where I’m musing on the lack of flamboyant main characters in m/m romance in It’s Hot to Flame. Why not pop on over and share your thoughts?

Giveaway:

I’ll be making the draw around teatime on Wednesday 17^th April, GMT. Good luck!

Slam! is an ARe bestseller!

Fri, 12 Apr 2013 10:22:25 GMT

I got an email this morning, and they’ve sent me this little button, which is rather cool.

Gratifying to see how many other m/m books are on the list, too.

Caution Author at Work

Thu, 11 Apr 2013 11:32:32 GMT

…is the latest stop on the Slam! blog tour, and today I’m visiting the lovely Jenre at Well Read (and trying not to spill my wine all over her this time! *g*) Why not pop on over, and find out what you need to watch out for (apart from a deluge of Pinot Grigio) if you’re unfortunate enough to be acquainted with an author!

Make sure you leave a comment to be in with a chance in the giveaway! Good luck!

Bubbles tells all

Wed, 10 Apr 2013 12:59:35 GMT

…over at Tam Reads, Writes & Rambles today! Come and meet the canine star of Slam! as he talks about Jude, poetry and his own love life in An Interview with Bubbles.

Don’t forget to comment for a chance to win the giveaway:

Giveaway:

I’ll be making the draw around teatime on Wednesday 17^th April, GMT. Good luck!

Slam! blog tour starts today at Joyfully Jay

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 12:01:40 GMT

The Slam! blog tour kicks off today at Joyfully Jay, where I’m waxing lyrical about limericks! So if you’d like to learn more about a sadly undervalued art form (ahem!) why not join me over here: Got to Love a Limerick – and maybe share a favourite limerick of your own.

Giveaway:

I’ll be making the draw around teatime on Wednesday 17^th April, GMT. Good luck!

Slam! out today

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 09:58:51 GMT

Hurrah! Slam! is finally here! (Maybe it’s just me, but I feel like I’ve been waiting AGES for release date).

Limericks, lies, and puppy-dog eyes…

Jude Biggerstaff is all the way out and loving it—mostly. The Anglo-Japanese university graduate is a carnivore working in a vegan café, an amateur poet with only one man in his life. His dog, Bubbles.
Then there’s “Karate Crumpet”, a man who regularly runs past the café with a martial arts class. Jude can only yearn from afar, until the object of his affection rescues him from muggers. And he learns that not only does this calm, competent hunk of muscle have a name—David—but that he’s gay.
Jude should have known the universe wouldn’t simply let love fall into place. First, David has only one foot out of the closet. Then there’s Jude’s mother, who lies about her age to the point Jude could be mistaken for jailbait.
With a maze of stories to keep straight, a potential stepfather in the picture, ex-boyfriends who keep spoiling his dates with David, and a friend with a dangerous secret, Jude is beginning to wonder if his and David’s lives will ever start to rhyme.

Product Warnings

Contains a tangled web of little white lies, a smorgasbord of cheesy limericks, a violin called Vanessa, some boots that mean business, and the most adorable little dog ever. Poetry, it’s not...

Samhain | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

Coming (very) soon: the Slam blog tour – I’ll keep you posted!

Slam! Blog Tour

Fri, 05 Apr 2013 21:13:13 GMT

Slam!’s release date of 9th April is almost upon us, so look out for the Slam! blog tour starting next week:

Tues Apr 9: Joyfully Jay: Got to Love a Limerick

Weds Apr 10: Tam Reads, Writes & Rambles: Bubbles: Canine Star of Slam!

Thurs Apr 11: Well Read: Caution: Author at Work

Mon Apr 15: Coffee and Porn: It’s Hot to Flame

Tues Apr 16: Armchair Reader: Poetry: Not Just Writing in Rhyme

Giveaway:

I’m offering a free signed paperback copy of Hard Tail (I’m happy to ship internationally) to a randomly chosen commenter on the tour, plus I’ll write the winner a limerick on a subject of their choosing!

I’ll be making the draw around teatime on Wednesday 17^th April, GMT. Good luck!

Hard Tail in Hard Copy

Tue, 02 Apr 2013 10:14:30 GMT

Yes – for all you reluctant e-readers, Hard Tail is now available in traditional, touchy-feely, scratch-and-sniffy, dead tree format! *pets it*

It’s available at a reduced price for a limited time at the Samhain site here – but psst! It’s even cheaper at Amazon.com (or here for fellow Brits).

Blurble blurble:

Finding love can be a bumpy ride.

His job: downsized out of existence. His marriage: dead in the water. It doesn’t take a lot of arm twisting for Tim Knight to agree to get out of London and take over his injured brother’s mountain bike shop for a while. A few weeks in Southampton is a welcome break from the wreck his life has become, even though he feels like a fish out of water in this brave new world of outdoor sports and unfamiliar technical jargon.
The young man who falls—literally—through the door of the shop brings everything into sharp, unexpected focus. Tim barely accepts he’s even in the closet until his attraction to Matt Berridge pulls him close enough to touch the doorknob.
There’s only one problem with the loveable klutz: his bullying boyfriend. Tim is convinced Steve is the cause of the bruises that Matt blows off as part of his risky sport. But rising to the defense of the man he’s beginning to love, means coming to terms with who he is—in public—in a battle not even his black belt prepared him to fight. Until now.

Warning: Contains an out-and-proud klutz, a closeted, karate-loving accountant—and a cat who thinks it’s all about him. Watch for a cameo appearance from the Pricks and Pragmatism lovers. May inspire yearnings for fresh air, exercise, and a fit, tanned bike mechanic of your very own.

Slam! Giveaway at Stumbling over Chaos

Wed, 27 Mar 2013 09:01:51 GMT

The lovely Chris at Stumbling over Chaos is giving away a copy of Slam!

To enter the draw, just leave a comment on her blog post.

Contest closes 7 pm CST, Monday, April 8. Good luck!

Here’s the blurb:

Limericks, lies and puppy-dog eyes
Jude Biggerstaff is all the way out and loving it—mostly. The Anglo-Japanese university graduate is a carnivore working in a vegan café, an amateur poet with only one man in his life. His dog, Bubbles.
Then there’s “Karate Crumpet,” a man who regularly runs past the café with a martial arts class. Jude can only yearn from afar, until the object of his affection rescues him from muggers. And he learns that not only does this calm, competent hunk of muscle have a name—David—but that he’s gay.
Jude should have known the universe wouldn’t simply let love fall into place. First, David has only one foot out of the closet. Then there’s Jude’s mother, who lies about her age to the point Jude could be mistaken for jailbait.
With a maze of stories to keep straight, a potential stepfather in the picture, ex-boyfriends who keep spoiling his dates with David, and a friend with a dangerous secret, Jude is beginning to wonder if his and David’s lives will ever start to rhyme.
Warnings: contains a tangled web of little white lies, a smorgasbord of cheesy limericks, a violin called Vanessa, some boots that mean business, and the most adorable little dog ever. Poetry, it's not...

Due out from Samhain Publishing 9th April 2013, and now available to pre-order.
Samhain | Amazon.com | Amazon.co.uk

First review in for Slam!

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 13:44:20 GMT

… and it’s a good one!

Jude is abso-freaking-lutely adorable….I loved this book! It had me wanting to move to their town and be part of their inner circle. The characters were fun and entertaining, but with enough depth for me to feel their pain when things took a turn for the worse. I really loved the humor. I was smiling and laughing the entire time I was reading. I definitely recommend it – 4.25 stars, Andrea at Reviews by Jessewave

Slam! will be out in ebook on 9th April – and I noticed today it’s already at the new release reduced price, so get it while it’s cheap!

A Mother’s Role in Historical Fiction

Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:34:55 GMT

In honour of today being Mother’s Day (in the UK at least, but I believe one or two other places as well), the Macaronis are having a mini motherhood fest, with excerpts from published historical fiction and new writing. Why not pop along and read about Charlie Cochrane’s redoubtable Mrs Stewart, and my musings on the role of a mother in historical fiction?

Hard Tail in Hard Copy

Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:40:35 GMT

Being the lovely people that they are, Samhain sent me a present to welcome me back from the West Country. Isn’t it lovely?

As seems to be the new thing for Samhain covers, it’s matt, not glossy. And rather delightfully, it has an ad for Barging In by the lovely Josephine Myles in the back.

Hard Tail will be out in print on April 2nd, which is just a week before Slam! hits the virtual shelves. And then it’s Get Writing on the 20th. It’s going to be an exciting month!

Things I do when I should be writing

Thu, 28 Feb 2013 11:42:33 GMT

And it’s all Alex Beecroft’s fault!

Is it not absolutely spiffing?

Make your own here. And don’t blame me for all the happy hours you’ll waste!

You can check out Alex’s version here.

Back from the Burlesque, and bearing news of Free Books!

Mon, 25 Feb 2013 17:07:37 GMT

Hi all! I’m back from an exhausting but fun weekend, spent visiting an old friend in Gloucester and living it up with the lovely Josephine Myles at a burlesque show in Bath. Also visited the fashion museum at The Assembly Rooms in Bath, where Jane Austen boogied on down back in the nineteenth century. I’m clearly a child of the roaring twenties, although whether it’s the 1820s or 1920s has yet to be decided – my two fave frocks were a gorgeous gold flapper dress and a lovely blue patterned regency style.

And re the free books: It’s Jock Week over at Joyfully Jay, and to celebrate, they’re giving away free ebooks! Two of which are mine:

And if you don’t fancy either of those, there’s loads more, all featuring sportsmen of some ilk. Just leave a comment with your preferred choices on the post at Jay’s before 2nd March to be in with a chance of a prize! Good luck!

An interview, and a giveaway

Mon, 11 Feb 2013 15:26:07 GMT

I’m over at Hearts on Fire Reviews today (isn’t the logo lovely?) answering questions about writing different nationalities, my characters and what’s in store for Lars and Rael in their new novella due out in June from Riptide, A Glutton for Punishment.

Everyone leaving a comment on the post at Hearts on Fire will be entered into a draw to win an ebook of your choice from my backlist. Good luck – you’ve got until the 18th to enter.

Blog tourette winners!

Mon, 04 Feb 2013 15:56:01 GMT

I offered a giveaway on Joyfully Jay and one on Well Read last week, and I can now announce the winners, courtesy of my great friend, the Random Number Generator:

From my post on Joyfully Jay, Please Feed the Authors: Yvette

From my post on Well Read, Hooked on History: Sandra Lindsey

Congratulations to the winners! You each win an ebook of your choice from my backlist (including my recent releases) and I’ll be in touch with you shortly to sort out the details.

To everyone else: thanks for playing! It was great chatting with you all.