I'm so excited that The Scholar's Heart is back out in the world today! This is the third book in my Chronicles of Tournai series (though, like the rest of the series, it can be read as a stand alone), and it's the friends to estranged friends to lovers story of Etan and Tristan finding their happily ever after. I've polished it up, but otherwise, the story hasn't changed from the original Dreamspinner edition—other than the gorgeous new cover by Natasha Snow—so if you already have it, you don't have to buy it again. And if you haven't read it yet, I hope you enjoy Etan and Tristan's romance and escaping into Tournai.

​Though he is the youngest son of a royal duke, Etan is a scholar at heart, happiest in a library surrounded by his books. He contentedly juggles his work for the prince’s government with his studies of the history and legends of Tournai, a subject of particular interest to him because he shares the secret magical Talent that runs in the royal bloodline. However, Etan’s peaceful world turns upside down when his best friend—the man he secretly loves—unexpectedly marries someone else.

Tristan is the oldest son of a wealthy merchant, raised to shoulder responsibility for the family business one day. That day comes far sooner than anticipated, and he makes a deathbed promise to his father to marry the woman his father chose and become head of the company and family. Tristan values his friendship with Etan and has always been attracted to him, but he can’t forsake his duty to his father, even if it means giving up the possibility of having Etan as a lover.

A year later, Tristan is a widower with an infant daughter and a mother who demands he marry again quickly—something Tristan resists. Circumstances throw Etan and Tristan together again, but even as they succumb to the desires they’ve always harbored, Etan battles his feelings, wary of being cast aside once more. When the unimaginable happens, Etan and Tristan must come together and support each other through the ordeal…and maybe beyond.

Add The Scholar's Heart to your Goodreads shelf.

Buy The Scholar's Heart:
NineStar Press
Amazon
Apple
Barnes & Noble
​Smashwords
Kobo

The Scholar's Heart is currently 40% off at the NineStar Press site.

​Tristan was quiet for a moment and then scooted closer and rested his head on Etan’s shoulder. “I’m fine. A little tired. What are you up to?”

“Doing some reading.”

“For work or pleasure?”

Etan suppressed a shiver at the way Tristan’s voice shaped the word pleasure. Certainly, it had to be unconscious on Tristan’s part, but it put ideas into Etan’s head he didn’t want there, not yet, not when he and Tristan hadn’t spoken of feelings between them beyond friendship. But he could see those feelings were there.

You can find more about The Scholar's Heart, including preorder links, here. Also, don't forget that all of my other books are 50% off at Smashwords (and still 40% off at NineStar Press), if you need some weekend reading. Hope you're all staying safe and well.

This post is a bit late, not only because July snuck up on me but also because I had an unfortunate incident with my computer (and the less said about that the better at this point). Reading is still hit or miss for me, which is still extremely frustrating. I've always found distraction and comfort in books and stories, and to not have the focus to do so is upsetting. Audiobooks are still pretty reliable for me, and I've been listening to a lot of favorites (just started Jordan L Hawk's Whyborne & Griffin series). I did read some new books in June, though my lack of focus really killed my planned Pride Month reading:

Golden in Death by JD Robb: Golden in Death is the fiftieth book in the In Death series, which is mind-boggling! I've been reading them since I was in high school or college, and I've read every single one. I have books in the series I like better than others, but they're always reliably enjoyable, and it's fun to revisit the characters.

When I First Saw Red by Kasia Bacon: This fantasy romance uses two of my favorite tropes—opposites attract and fated mates. It's the story of a demon and a human solider who are reluctant fated mates (very reluctant and very stubborn about it!). I really enjoyed the story and loved both main characters.

Silver in the Wood by Emily Tesh: Silver in the Woods is a m/m fantasy romance novella that draws on legends and Green Man myths and feels a bit like a fairy tale. It was really lovely, and I'm looking forward to the next in the series.

Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir: Okay, so funny story: this was the last physical book I borrowed from the library before the library closed back in March. I started it when I borrowed it, but I wasn't really in the mood. Then the library closed and the book sat on my table for months. The library reopened for returns in June, but I insisted I had to read it first (it had been in my house for months, after all!). I'm so glad I did. It was recommended to me with the line "lesbian necromancers in space" and it is that. It's science fiction and fantasy and suspense and mystery all wrapped up in a very interesting world. Gideon is such a fun and engaging character, and her relationship with Harrowhawk is intriguing as it is revealed/evolves throughout the book. So many of the supporting characters are interesting as well. I'm definitely going to read the next book when it comes out.

Let's Talk about Love by Claire Kahn: Let's Talk about Love is listed as YA, but the main characters are in college or in their early twenties, so it might be more New Adult (if that category still exists...?). Either way, it is delightful. It is told entirely in the POV of its asexual, biromantic, black main character. Alice's voice is wonderful and engaging, and her struggles with her sexuality and family and figuring out what she wants to do with her life are relatable.

Have you read anything lately you loved? Or are you struggling to focus like me?

The Scholar’s Heart will be back out in the world one week from today (though you can get in on Friday if you preorder from NineStar Press)! It’s the third book in the Chronicles of Tournai series, but it stands alone as the other books in the series do. This is Etan and Tristan’s story—a friends to estranged friends to lovers romance.

I’ve cleaned up the writing a bit, but otherwise the story remains the same as the original Dreamspinner edition. It does have a gorgeous new cover by Natasha Snow, though. (Please join me in squeeing over how beautiful it is!)

Though he is the youngest son of a royal duke, Etan is a scholar at heart, happiest in a library surrounded by his books. He contentedly juggles his work for the prince’s government with his studies of the history and legends of Tournai, a subject of particular interest to him because he shares the secret magical Talent that runs in the royal bloodline. However, Etan’s peaceful world turns upside down when his best friend—the man he secretly loves—unexpectedly marries someone else.

Tristan is the oldest son of a wealthy merchant, raised to shoulder responsibility for the family business one day. That day comes far sooner than anticipated, and he makes a deathbed promise to his father to marry the woman his father chose and become head of the company and family. Tristan values his friendship with Etan and has always been attracted to him, but he can’t forsake his duty to his father, even if it means giving up the possibility of having Etan as a lover.

A year later, Tristan is a widower with an infant daughter and a mother who demands he marry again quickly—something Tristan resists. Circumstances throw Etan and Tristan together again, but even as they succumb to the desires they’ve always harbored, Etan battles his feelings, wary of being cast aside once more. When the unimaginable happens, Etan and Tristan must come together and support each other through the ordeal…and maybe beyond.

The Scholar’s Heart is currently available for preorder at NineStar and will be soon everywhere else.

​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

I'm sharing another snippet from The Scholar’s Heart again this weekend. It’s one of the books I took rights back to from Dreamspinner, and it will finally be back out in the world in a little over a week. Yay! The Scholar’s Heart is a friends to estranged friends to lovers fantasy romance and the third in the Chronicles of Tournai series, though it can be read as a stand alone. This snippet follows directly after last week’s at the beginning of the book. We’re in Etan’s POV.

The Scholar’s Heart will rerelease on July 13th. It’s currently available for preorder at NineStar (and if you preorder there you’ll have it 3 days early!) and will be everywhere else soon. Also, my other books are all 50% off in the Smashwords sale this month (they’re also still on sale at NineStar as well if you prefer to shop at the publisher’s site), so grab yourself some weekend reading! Stay safe and well.

Smashwords is having their summer sale this month, and all of my books are included! You can get them all 50% off there through July (they are also still 40% off at NineStar if you prefer to buy from the publisher site). Escape into another world for magic, romance, and intrigue cheap this month!

​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

I'm sharing another snippet from The Scholar’s Heart again this weekend. The Scholar’s Heart is a friends to estranged friends to lovers fantasy romance and the third in the Chronicles of Tournai series, though it can be read as a stand alone. This snippet follows directly after last week’s at the beginning of the book. We’re in Etan’s POV.

The Scholar’s Heart will be back out in the world on July 13th, and hopefully I’ll be able to share more info and the gorgeous new cover with you soon. In the meantime, don’t forget that all of my books are currently 40% off at NineStar Press if you need some summer reading. Hope you’re all staying safe and healthy.

I’ll have more information about (and the gorgeous new cover of) The Scholar’s Heart for you soon. Until then, the rest of my books are still 40% off at NineStar Press. Hope you’re all staying safe and healthy!

The first ever Rainbow Space Magic virtual conference is this weekend, and I’m so excited to be a part of it. It’s going to be a fun weekend of panels and readings by queer spec fic authors. On Saturday, I’ll be doing a reading at 10 am eastern, and then I’ll be on a panel discussing aro and ace characters at 6pm. Find more information and register here. Hope you can make it!

​It's weekend, and time for more Rainbow Snippets. The Rainbow Snippets group on Facebook asks its members to share six sentence snippets from their work each weekend. Check out the group's Facebook page to read all the snippets and add lots of great books to your TBR. You'll find all sorts of books with the common thread that the main character identifies as LGBTQ+

​One last snippet from The Artist's Masquerade before I switch over for a while to The Scholar's Heart (which will rerelease in one month!). I've skipped ahead a little again. This snippet is Flavian thinking about Cathal and the mess of emotions he's provoked.

You can find more about The Artist's Masquerade here. And The Artist's Masquerade and all of my other books are still 40% off in ebook at NineStar Press if you need some summer reading. Hope you're all staying safe and well!