LD Blakeley is a Canadian M/M author who I met through another author friend. It’s nice to connect with other Canadian authors. There are a few on the blog tour, but I think she’s the only Canadian M/M author you’ll be seeing during the tour. Check out her holiday interview, stick around to hear about Shadowy Pines, and be sure to enter her contest!
What is your favourite Christmas song?
I’m really not a big fan of most Christmas music, but I do love Fairytale of New York by the Pogues.
What food do you most look forward to over the holidays?
All of it? Seriously. I make a mean turkey stew every year with the carcass and any leftovers – I look forward to that.
Do you have a holiday beverage you like? Alcoholic or non-alcoholic?
Mulled wine. I learned to make it myself. But I love going to the Toronto Xmas Market in the Distillery and sitting in the outside bar by one of the fire pits with a glass. It is so yum.
Is there a book you like reading at this time of year?
There isn’t one specific title that I reread each year, but I do gobble up as many of the holiday-themed romances that hit the shelves this time of year. Mr Winterbourne’s Christmas by Joanna Chambers is up next. 🙂
Do you participate in Boxing Day shopping? Is Boxing Day a tradition in your country?
Yes, Boxing Day is a tradition here in Canada. But I avoid the in-person shopping. I do like to browse online, though. 🙂
Do you get your shopping done in advance or leave it to the last minute?
Historically, I’ve been a last minute kinda girl. But this year, I don’t know what happened – I was finished by the first week of December.
I love getting my shopping done early. I hate the big crowds and the full parking lots. When do you decorate your house?
Usually a few weeks before Christmas. And they have to come down by Jan. 2.
When you were a child what was the best Christmas gift you remember receiving?
I have two – both of which are going to date me, in a BIG way. In 1975 (maybe ’76?), I got the Cher Barbie Doll and it was THE best. The waist-length hair and the Bob Mackie gown were just everything. Then a few years later, I got Pink Floyd’s The Wall on vinyl. To this day, it’s my favourite album.
Is there a unique holiday tradition your family keeps?
We like to watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation. Does that count?
Sure does! When do you open Christmas presents?
Christmas morning, as soon as everyone has a hot cup of coffee in hand.
What’s your favourite outdoor winter activity? If it doesn’t snow where you live what makes it feel like Christmas to you?
Tubing is pretty fun (despite the torrent of ice to the face.) And, even though I haven’t been in years, I’d love to give skiing another shot. Maybe this will be the year I get brave enough to try. LOL.
Contest!
For a chance to win two ebooks as one combo prize (The Power of Peppermint & Best Worst Ever) comment on the blog and tell LD Blakeley about your holiday plans, or ask her a question of your own. A winner will be selected randomly on January 3rd, and will have one week to be in touch about their prize.
BLURB
When an over-educated, underemployed millennial is called home to help with the family business, he jumps at the chance to leave his crap job, crappier love life, and the city behind.
But moving to Shadowy Pines isn’t quite the idyllic life change Finn Parks imagined.
How the hell do you cope when you find out magic – actual magic – is real? Or that you also happen to come from a long line of powerful witches? And that handsome man with all the sizzle? Yeah, he might be trying to kill you.
FML.
WHERE TO BUY
Amazon | Apple iTunes | Barnes & Noble | Bookstrand | | Kobo | Smashwords
EXCERPT
“You’d be surprised how easily swayed I can be by a handsome face.”
Not for nothing, but Finn was fairly certain that was a come on. It had been a while, but he did remember what one sounded like. This one was … nicer, somehow. It still had the promising lilt of innuendo, but it didn’t sound like it had been rehearsed or lifted from bad porn dialogue.
“My aunt says you’re new in town, too. What’re you here for?”
“Business. Boring family business.”
“How vague,” Finn teased.
“Seriously. My father sent me back here to check out a vineyard. He’s interested in adding it to the wine brewing facility we already run, the Sharpe Wine Butler on the outskirts of town. You know it?”
“Can’t say I do, but it sounds more interesting than why I moved here.”
“Why are you in Shadowy Pines?”
“Jude and Poppy needed my help, I had nothing worth holding on to in the city, so—here I am.” Finn shrugged. “Now that’s boring,” he added with what he hoped was a charming smile.
“You don’t give yourself enough credit, Finn.” Owen pulled his chair closer and placed his hand on Finn’s knee. “Feel that?”
Of course he did. It felt as though a live wire had been placed against his bare skin.
“Yes.” Finn cursed the breathy, needy tone his voice had taken on. “What…” He wasn’t sure how to phrase his question so it wouldn’t offend. “What is that? I mean, I get the concept of electrical attraction, but this? This isn’t normal.”
When Owen didn’t reply right away, Finn prodded, “Right?”
“No, not really.” Owen’s fingers were slowly caressing Finn’s leg and inching their way up his thigh “Not for most people.” Owen leaned forward and took Finn’s face in both hands and brought their lips so close Finn swore he could taste him. Owen’s eyes visibly blazed in a way that barely seemed human. Finn froze, his breath catching in his throat.
When Owen finally pressed their lips together, Finn felt another jolt of electricity arc through his entire body and he gasped at the sensation. Owen’s fingers at his nape trailed delicious sparks across Finn’s skin as he licked at the seam of Finn’s mouth. Finn opened eagerly and nipped at Owen’s bottom lip. Never had a kiss made him so crazy with want. He needed to touch, wanted to crawl inside of Owen and feel him from the inside, out. But as Finn reached out a hand, Owen pulled away, his breathing every bit as labored as Finn’s.
“We’re different, Finn.” Owen licked at his lips and watched Finn’s eyes follow the tip of his tongue. “You’re different. You know that, right?”
Finn had no response. None that made any sense. Right now all he wanted was to tear at Owen’s clothes and taste every last inch of the man. But for some reason, Owen had put on the brakes and wanted to discuss—what, exactly? Finn was at a loss. And his dick could have cut glass.
“The woman in the grocery store. You mentioned that wasn’t the first time you’d seen her, right?”
“Right.” Finn’s voiced faltered slightly. Not sure where Owen was going with this, he gestured for him to continue.
“I think she saw you for what you are.”
“And what exactly is that?” Finn asked, not sure he wanted an answer.
“You’re a witch, Finn.”
Owen’s face was so serious, so earnest, Finn almost believed him for a split second.
Almost.
He threw his head back and laughed uproariously. He laughed so hard, he could feel tears well up in his eyes. Well that’s an effective way to kill an erection.
But Owen’s expression hadn’t changed an iota. He simply sat and stared at Finn.
“Are you—oh, god, you’re serious aren’t you?”
Dammit! He knew there was a reason he’d established his dating embargo. He certainly could attract the crazies.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
L.D. Blakeley is a pragmatist with a romantic soul & a dirty mind. She loves horror movies, hot sex, and happily ever afters. She’s easily distracted by shiny things, and is a slightly neurotic, highly ambitious dreamer who enjoys dabbling in photography & pretending she can carry a tune.
In another life, L.D. was a newspaper reporter, an entertainment & music writer, travel writer, website content editor, and a marketing shill. Now she prefers to spend her time writing hot, steamy fiction (with a healthy dose of romance) about intriguing, sexy men. Although she dreams of living some place isolated with an endless supply of wine and an infinite number of titles on her eReader, she currently lives in downtown Toronto with her husband and their rock star cat.
Find L.D. online:
Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Amazon | Goodreads
