One of the most joyful experiences as an author (for me, at least) is knowing my book has the perfect cover. It’s not as easy as you might think. I’m not an artist and I generally have a difficult time conveying my vision to the cover artist. So I was absolutely delighted to discover this gorgeous photograph on Deviant Art. It perfectly illustrates my main character Jeremy Linden (my deceptively attractive geek) and the precise tone of Dirty Dining. In fact, Jeremy spends a lot of time in those little white shorts, until he takes them off. Check out the excerpt below to find out just what I’m talking about.

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Release Date ~ January 19

Publisher: Dreamspinner Press

Cover Photo: Ronaldo Gutierrez

Blurb

Jeremy Linden’s a PhD student researching an HIV vaccine. He’s always short of money, and when biotech startup PharmaTek reduces funding for his fellowship, he’s tempted to take a job at a men’s dining club as a serving boy. The uniforms are skimpy, and he’s expected to remove an item of clothing after each course. He can handle that, but he soon discovers there’s more on the menu here than fine cuisine. How far will he go to pay his tuition, and will money get in the way when he realizes he’s interested in more from one of his gentlemen?

Brice Martin is an attorney for a Silicon Valley venture capital firm. When he’s asked to take a client to the infamous Dinner Club, he finds himself unexpectedly turned on by the atmosphere and especially by his server, Remy. He senses there’s more to the sexy young man than meets the eye. The paradox fascinates him, and he can’t get enough of Remy.

Their relationship quickly extends beyond the club and sex. But the trust and affection they’ve worked to achieve may crumble when Jeremy discovers Brice’s VC firm is the one that pulled the plug on PharmaTek—and Jeremy’s research grant.

Excerpt

“Everyone, this is Jeremy.” Thomas introduced him to the other guys who would be working as serving boys at the Dinner Club that night, including one Jeremy recognized from the gym.

“Hi, Jeremy,” they said in chorus.

One slim blond guy with long bangs came up and gave him a not-very-subtle once-over and, before Jeremy could stop him, pulled his shirt out of his jeans far enough to get a good look at Jeremy’s abs. “Very nice.”

“Just chill, Kit.” Another guy shook his head and tugged Kit away. “You’ll scare him off before dinner even starts.”

Jeremy wasn’t thrilled with the grabby hands and hoped his client—whoever it might be—wouldn’t take liberties the way his fellow serving boys did.

“Let me give you tonight’s assignments.” Thomas spoke up to get their attention over the ensuing chatter. Jeremy was glad since he noticed some of it was speculation about him.

“Please let me have Mr. Gray.” Kit sashayed up to Thomas and tried to pull the clipboard out of his hand. The same law-abiding guy pulled him back.

“Sorry, Kit. You’ve got Mr. Yellow.”

“Oh, not so bad. I didn’t know he was coming tonight.” Kit grinned. “Or at least he will be,” he added in a singsong that had the others laughing.

“We’ve one new client, Mr. Green.”

“Let me have him!” It was another guy.

“Sorry, Rand, I think you’re a bit too much for him. I can’t have any of you scaring him off either. I think Jeremy will serve Mr. Green.” Thomas nodded at Jeremy. “He seems a little shy, so maybe you two will be a good match.”

“Okay.” Jeremy wasn’t sure if he’d been insulted or given an easy task. So far no one here seemed shy. But he needed to learn the ropes and figure out precisely what was expected of him as a serving boy.

Thomas gave out the rest of the assignments. Each client had a color-coded name, reminding Jeremy of the Tarantino film Reservoir Dogs. He hoped like hell tonight wouldn’t end up the same way, with everyone dead or wishing they were.

Once Thomas left, one of the guys came up to Jeremy. “I’m Rand. Been here the longest, so I’ll walk you through your duties. And if you’re not sure what to do, just ask me.”

“Okay.”

“First here’s your costume.” Rand handed Jeremy a box. “Open it up.”

Jeremy opened up the flaps and pulled out the flimsy pieces. Some thin filmy fabric, gold cord and not much else. “This is a costume?”

“Yeah. Every dinner has a theme. We’re Greek slave boys tonight. Tonight’s dinner has six courses, and there are six items in each costume. You take one off after you serve each course.”

Jeremy swallowed. Well, Thomas had told him he’d be taking his clothes off. He hadn’t realized quite how this would work, but it seemed easy enough. “That’s it?”

“You let your gentleman choose which piece you remove.”

“Then I take it off, right?”

“Yeah. Or if you let the gentleman do it, you get paid more.”

“Just taking clothes off? No one’s going to put their hands on me or request a lap dance or expect me to suck them off?”

Kit giggled in the background. “Only if you want to, pecan pie. And you may want to.”

Rand shook his head. “You only do what you want. If your guy asks for something, you can say no. You aren’t allowed to offer anything, or we can get in trouble for soliciting sex. There’s a menu—coded of course—and the gentlemen can ‘order’ something extra. You just let yours know which menu items are available.”

[Read the NSFW preview]

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About the Author

EM Lynley writes gay erotic romance. She loves books where the hero gets the guy and the loving is 11 on a scale of 10. A Rainbow Award winner and EPIC finalist, EM has worked in high finance, high tech, and in the wine industry, though she’d rather be writing hot, romantic man-on-man action. She spent 10 years as an economist and financial analyst, including a year as a White House Staff Economist, but only because all the intern positions were filled. Tired of boring herself and others with dry business reports and articles, her creative muse is back and naughtier than ever. She has lived and worked in London, Tokyo and Washington, D.C., but the San Francisco Bay Area is home for now.

She is the author of Sex, Lies & Wedding Bells, the Precious Gems series from Dreamspinner Press, and the Rewriting History series starring a sexy jewel thief, among others.

Visit her online Website – Blog – Free Reads – Facebook – Twitter – Newsletter – Pinterest

Email: em@emlynley.com

Word Counts – Today: 0 | December: 0 | 2014: 0

It’s been pouring here in Northern California. We’re in a drought situation, so we really need it, but it’s no fun driving in the rain. I love hearing the rain on the roof when I’m snug and warm at home.

Of course extreme weather can offer some nice opportunities for romance. I have a scene in Rarer Than Rubies where the main characters are stuck in a little hut during a monsoon rain. Talk about setting the mood. It worked perfectly for Trent and Reed–it was their first time together, way back when.  In Snow Job, my two boys are stuck in a cabin for Christmas when the power goes out and they have to keep each other warm. Then Zack and Monty go a few steps farther and it’s sizzling!

What kind of weather do you think makes the best setting for romance, and why? Leave a comment for a chance  to win a copy of your choice of Rarer Than Rubies (hot in Thailand) or Snow Job (Christmas in a cold climate).

NOTE: Please give the poll widget below a moment to load in your browser so you can vote!

Word Counts – Today: 0 | December: 0 | 2014: 0

It’s the end of September. You’ve got about a month until NaNoWriMo starts. Seems like plenty of time, right? Some of you are wondering why I’m already talking about NaNo when it doesn’t even start until November 1.

Because writing and finishing a book takes more than just the 30 days you’re planning to spend working on it during November. If this is your first time considering doing NaNoWriMo, or you’ve tried before and didn’t quite make your 50k, stay tuned because I’ll be sharing with you my tips, advice and some tricks to help you be ready to start writing on November 1, and to get 50k (or a finished story) by November 30.

Take the quick poll below so I can see what your biggest concerns are about participating. I’ll be addressing as many of these as I can before and during November, to help you hit 50k.

What makes me an expert, you may be asking. And that’s a great question. I’ve been doing NaNo for about ten years now, and have hit the 50k goal every year. Most years I’ve finished an even longer novel by November 30. And these novels have been contracted and released by a publisher—not self-published. (Bound for Trouble was my 2013 NaNo project.)

I’ve collected the worksheets and techniques I use for developing a novel into an easy-to-use novel planning kit, How to Be a NaNoWriMo Winner.

Giveaway: Leave a comment for the chance to win a copy of my book How to Be a NaNoWriMo Winner

Word Counts – Today: 0 | September: 0 | 2014: 0

It just released on Wednesday, and Spaghetti Western is already getting some wonderful reviews and comments from readers! I wanted to share a few choice snippets here. You know I’ll be going back to read these when the snarky ones start to appear.

We’ve also hit the top of ARe’s Cowboy category, the Dreamspinner bestseller list, and Amazon gay romance lists in every country! Thank you to everyone who has already got your copy. If you liked it, please tell a friend or leave a review.

★★★★★ I absolutely loved this story. I found their romance breath-taking and hot. I loved the recipes at the end and can’t wait to make some!—Cat, MM Good Book Reviews 

★★★★⋆ (4.25 stars) This gem: a sweet, moderately angsty novel full of smex, cowboys, and sunsets. The writing was fabulous. I got totally lost in the story and may have cursed up a storm. –Dani, My Fiction Nook

★★★★★ This story grabbed me from page one and I could not wait to find out what happens next. These characters get under your skin, and you root for them the whole way! Go grab a copy and settle in for an awesome read. Whatever EM Lynley puts out next, you can believe I will be first in line to read. – Heidi, Goodreads

★★★★ Yeah, I adored this book, in case you couldn’t tell. Excellent writing, great flow, no lulls in the action, fun moments with a Le Cordon Bleu trained chef on the open range feeding a bunch of weathered and ravenous ranch hands salad and fruit – it was glorious.—Sandra, My Fiction Nook

★★★★★ I have been in love with EM Lynley’s books for a while, and this one is a particularly great story. I love the characters, especially the plethora of good ol’ boys on the ranch (I grew up on a farm, so there were a lot of characters that I felt particularly close to). –KT Hicks, Amazon review

Don’t forget the Rafflecopter giveaway! Grand prize is this gorgeous pendant. I love it so much, I got one to keep for myself.   a Rafflecopter giveaway

Spaghetti Western

A Novel in the Delectable Series

Cordon Bleu-trained chef Riley Emerson arrives in Aspen, Colorado for a summer at the best restaurant in town, only to discover his jerk of a boyfriend has dumped him, leaving his heart and his plans in tatters. Doubting himself and longing for a change of pace, he takes a low-paying position at the Rocking Z guest ranch, though he expects nature up close and personal won’t hold a candle to his exciting Paris lifestyle.

When born-and-bred cattle rancher Colby Zane spots a newcomer being pawed at by a passel of horny cowboys at Aspen’s Club Rawhide, he rushes in, throws the guy over his shoulder, and rescues him. Sober, Riley Emerson is sweet and sexy, but not interested in more than a one-night stand. Still, Colby’s over the moon when Riley later arrives as the new cook on his family’s ranch.

But all’s not well at the Rocking Z. Unsurmountable financial problems force them to seek a cash infusion from outside investor Fitz Wellington. Fitz is hot for Colby, and he won’t sign on the dotted line without some very personal incentives. The future of the ranch is at stake, and Colby’s just that desperate, but saving the Z might mean losing Riley.

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press

Amazon

Barnes and Noble

All Romance eBooks

Word Counts – Today: 0 | September: 0 | 2014: 0

September 20 marks three years since Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed!

In the past three years, the United States military has made some incredible changes to embrace LGBTQ rights and support of Military Pride. What better way to see what the new military looks like than with this incredible box set of 13 all-new novellas, some 900 pages (300,000 words) of brave, sexy, dedicated fighting men and the men brave enough to love them. We’ve even got stories set in the UK and Canada!

Here’s what you can find in the Unconditional Surrender Box Set, coming October 13. If you pre-order, you’ll get this amazing bundle for just 99 cents. (Amazon (also available at Amazon in the UK, CA, FR, DE, JP, AU, and just about everywhere), iTunes, All Romance Ebooks, B&N)

Strong. Sexy. Sizzling.

There’s nothing like a man in uniform, and thirteen of today’s hottest gay romance authors are celebrating military heroes and the men brave enough to love them.

These brand-new novellas feature all branches of the service and offer something for every reader. Almost 300,000 never before published words!

Kerry Adrienne – Cruise Control
One Maserati brings Parker and Blake together, but will Blake slow down and discover the important things aren’t in the fast lane?

Annabeth Albert – Resilient Heart
When a wounded soldier is forced to accept help from his former best friend, both men discover the true strength of their entwined hearts.

Keira Andrews – Arctic Fire
Can an army captain who can’t forget Afghanistan make new memories with a ranger in the Arctic?

Brit Blaise – Storm Out
An Army Ranger suffering from PTSD finds coming out the biggest storm he’s ever faced.

Cassandra Carr – Civilian Master
Clay’s home for some R&R after a Special Ops mission goes terribly wrong. Can Flynn help him find his true self?

Lia Davis – His Guarded Heart
Being Senator Beckett’s bodyguard while staying out of his bed becomes Judd’s biggest challenge as passion ignites between the men.

Sasha Devlin – Hometown Hero
Sparks fly when injured Marine Colin returns home …and ends up in the arms of the man he left behind.

Rhi Etzweiler – Blood & Peyote
“I almost did it, Api. I had the Glock in my mouth and my finger on the trigger.”

Lucy Felthouse – Desert Heat
Their love is forbidden by rules, religion and risk. Yet they still can’t resist.

Amelia C. Gormley – The Houseboy: Initiation
Being Fowler Vale’s houseboy may open more doors than Bryce ever dreamed possible.

Cat Grant – The Only One Who Cares
Committed couple David and Josh have overcome years of struggle to arrive at their happily-ever-after. But what happens when fate has one last killer right hook in store?

EM Lynley – Irresistible Forces
DADT kept them apart, but old flames reignite as Logan and Brody succumb to irresistible forces.

L.A. Witt – Flight Risk
Sex with a co-worker is all fun and games until your friendship crashes and burns…

Enter the choose your own prize giveaway!

Simply select which prize(s) you would like to win and we will try to match winners up with their first or second choice. Based on winner choices, we reserve the right not to award all prizes. Where possible, we will award more than one of each item.

–
a Rafflecopter giveaway

Out of the Gate released on Monday and it’s already a bestseller at Dreamspinner Press and in five different countries on Amazon.

Thank you so much to everyone who has purchased the book! This has been one of my all-time favorite books to research and write. It’s the story of a British actor in Hollywood who buys a racehorse with some of his friends, then falls for the horse trainer. I was lucky enough to spend a month shadowing a local trainer at nearby Golden Gate Fields for my research. I think it brings a real taste of authenticity to the story.

Here’s more about the book and an excerpt to whet your appetite:

BLURB: British actor Wesley Tremayne thinks he’s close to hitting the big time—a film career—with his role as a hunky explorer on a popular American TV show. Success should be just around the corner, as long as he keeps his sexual orientation a secret. Wes’s best friend and beard, Julia Compton, forms the other half of a glamorous Hollywood couple that’s merely a façade.

Evan Taylor left his acting career behind five years ago without looking back. He’s always been more comfortable around horses than people—especially Hollywood types. His new life training racehorses is a dream come true, but increasing financial problems and an abusive boyfriend have him doubting himself and his choices.

Then Wes and his friends buy a third-rate racehorse—partially for publicity—and send him to Evan’s stable. Wes’s friendship with Evan soon develops into an overpowering attraction he can’t act on. He’s never met a man like Evan, but if there’s any chance for a future together, Wes must choose between a career he loves and the man he adores.

Excerpt

photo by EM Lynley

“I see exactly what you’re doing.”

Wesley Tremayne put down his binoculars and turned around to see Vanessa Vandermere wagging a long pink-and-black fingernail at him. Best not to reply. He willed his heart—beating like a jackhammer—to slow as he pasted the perfect, innocent grin on his face. Years of acting—onstage and off—had taught him to dissemble.

“Think you can spot the winners before they even get to the ring?” Vanessa continued, her tone teasing, cheerful, not accusatory. “Or were you checking out the shapely blonde leading the third horse?”

He inhaled slowly when he really wanted to gulp in much-needed oxygen. He’d overreacted. No, he’d responded just in time to what could have been a disaster. As much as he was enjoying the day out at the racetrack with his friends, he was restless. He’d been the center of too much attention, and he was fraying at the edges.

“You caught me,” Wes replied, playing up his right dimple.

“Oh, Jules, good thing you’re here.” Vanessa grabbed onto Julia Compton’s arm. “You need to keep Wes on a shorter leash. He’s got a wandering eye.”

Julia gave Wes an appraising look, then turned back to Vanessa. “Vee, I’m not worried Wes will run off with another woman. I trust him completely.” She slid an arm around Wes’s waist and he gave her a suitably adoring look. “Only we’re not a couple. How many times—”

“You can fool some people, but not me. You two are the worst-kept secret in Hollywood, honeybuns.” Vanessa gestured as she spoke, and Wes wondered how she didn’t poke her own eye out with her outrageously long fingernails.

“Think what you like.” Julia let go of Wes and took the binoculars from him. She held them to her face and trained them on the track.

“I’m heading down to watch them saddle the horses so I can decide which one to bet on.” Vanessa gave them a dangerous wave of her talons and left them alone in the private grandstand box.

Julia gave the glasses back to Wes. “He’s gorgeous.” She winked.

“Which one do you like?” Wes asked, again looking through the binoculars.

“I thought we were talking about which one you like?”

“Number four.” Wes glanced down at Julia’s head. She was a good six inches shorter, and it was the view he often had to settle for.

“Oh, really? I thought you’d go for one. Or at least his trainer.” She gave a silvery laugh and put her arm around his waist again.

photo by EM Lynley

Wes kept the glasses focused on runner number one’s trainer as he reached up to adjust the horse’s bridle. His navy sport coat rode up, giving Wes—and anyone else looking—a nice view of his arse in well-fitting dark-blue jeans. Wes held in the smile the sight induced and resigned himself to admiring the good-looking man from a distance. His light-brown hair fell in wavy curves and the full-lipped smile made Wes want to lick his own lips. Something about the chiseled chin and the shape of the man’s nose twigged a hazy memory Wes couldn’t quite bring to the surface.

“Let’s go down to the saddling ring so you can get a closer look, Wes.” Julia tugged his hand, then gave an encouraging squeeze.

He didn’t know what he’d do without Julia Compton. She’d gone from costar to friend to lifesaver in the space of a year. He followed her down the steps and into the sunshine as the runners for the third race at Santa Alamita were saddled up. Wes pulled the baseball cap out of his back pocket and settled it onto his head, a moment too late.

“Look, is that Wes Tremayne?”

“Wes! Hi Wes!”

“Go ask him for his autograph.”

“He’s with Julia Compton. I told you they’re dating!”

Wes smiled and waved, but didn’t stop for autographs. By the time they reached the paddock, the hot horse trainer was gone. Probably just as well; someone might have noticed if Wes paid him too much attention. There was a limit to his acting abilities, but so far he’d fooled everyone. Some days he fooled himself, but during lonely nights he wished away the talent and fame he’d achieved.

If he hadn’t upped sticks and made his way from the London stage to Broadway and then to Hollywood, he might be living a boring, settled life with a man he adored. He’d chosen a career he loved over a private life.

But Julia was tiring of her role as Wes’s love interest. When she quit the production, he’d have some tough decisions to make. For now, he replaced his mask and took Julia’s hand and kissed it.

The audience should love that performance.