Guest Post and Giveaway: Love and Other Hot Beverages by Laurie Loft

We’re so pleased to welcome author Laurie Loft to TNA today on the virtual blog tour for her latest release, Love and Other Hot Beverages (such a fun title!). She’s also got a great post to share, as well as a giveaway, so be sure to check out the entry details below.

Welcome, Laurie!

Five Favorite Novels from My Childhood

I can remember crying when I was four years old because I didn’t know how to read. Once I was finally in school, I zoomed through Dick and Jane and moved on to novels. I was one of those kids reading under the covers with a flashlight and yawning all the next day. Here are five of my favorites that I read over and over again.

THE PRINCESS AND THE GOBLIN by George MacDonald is the first “chapter book” I can remember reading. I had a difficult time; there were lots of words I couldn’t figure out, but I got the gist of it. It’s also the first book I remember becoming immersed in, the first time I felt the wonder of a book taking me away. The mysterious, endless stairways that sometimes will take Irene to her grandmother and sometimes not! The horrible goblins who have no toes!

THE WITCH FAMILY by Eleanor Estes. From a very young age, I have loved stories about witches, and this is a particularly good one. Amy’s mother tells stories of Old Witch, who is so evil that Amy “banquishes” her to live on a glass hill. She can only come down on Halloween. Later, Amy sends Little Witch Girl to live with Old Witch, and eventually Baby Witchie arrives as well. There’s a magic bumblebee, rabbits who outwit Old Witch, a mermaid, and a frightening episode where Amy and Little Witch Girl change places. Add lots of magic spells, and you have one super-fun and absorbing story.

BAMBI: A LIFE IN THE WOODS by Felix Salten:  I went through a phase where I read all the books I could find that Disney movies came from. What a treasure I discovered in BAMBI! The language and story are indescribably beautiful. I particularly remember the part where two leaves on a tree talk to one another about their imminent plummet to earth, and it’s so sad!

A WRINKLE IN TIME by Madeline L’Engle: I loved this book so much that I tried to memorize it. That’s right, after seeing the movie Fahrenheit 451, I decided I was going to memorize a book, and I chose A WRINKLE IN TIME. I got about five pages along before I dropped the project. All I can remember of it now are random phrases. It was a dark and stormy night. The house shook. Wrapped in her quilt, Meg shook. …and arrived home with her blouse torn and a big bruise under one eye. Charles Wallace, Calvin, Mrs. Whatsit, It, the blind beasts. And love. Love was the way to conquer It.

THE WITCH OF BLACKBIRD POND by Elizabeth George Speare. As I said, I loved books with witches, and I picked this up, expecting it to have witches. Well, it didn’t. Instead, this book was my introduction to romance. The book has awesome couples. Kit constantly gets into and out of trouble. She and Nat quarrel. Mercy loves John in silence. Great romantic tension.

These are just a few of my favorites; I had a hard time choosing only five to talk about! What books shaped your love of reading? What books from your childhood resonate with you to this day?

About Love and Other Hot Beverages

After a rough breakup, Todd Addison wants time alone to grieve. While still dreaming of winning back his ex’s love, he moves across the country and finds work with a construction company. The last thing he needs is the cute office boy developing a crush on him, especially since he’s back in the closet.

Sebastián Nye can’t help feeling sorry for the obviously brokenhearted Todd. Though rebuffed repeatedly, Sebby chisels away at Todd’s resistance, determined to help him forget—a task potentially beyond anyone’s capabilities. He never meant to fall for the poor guy, but he does. Hard.

Desperate to hold on to Todd, Sebby hatches a sneaky plot guaranteed to end Todd’s heartbreak—if Todd doesn’t bail and ruin everything. Just when things can’t get more complicated, Todd’s ex wants him back. And Sebby’s abusive ex is just waiting to catch Sebby alone. Todd and Sebby must decide what’s worth fighting for, what’s worth sacrifice, and what’s worth compromise, or their relationship will begin and end with a broken heart.

[zilla_button url=”http://www.riptidepublishing.com/titles/love-and-other-hot-beverages” style=”blue” size=”large” type=”round” target=”_blank”] Available Now From Riptide Publishing [/zilla_button]

About the Author

Laurie Loft lives in Iowa, endeavoring to write stories to give you that rush. Her husband, cat, and dogs kindly tolerate this odd activity. Her first M/M novel came about because of a minor character in a straight romance who just took over and demanded his own book. Laurie enjoys NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) and other forms of writerly torture. She finds inspiration in her NaNo friends and her fellow Riptide authors. When not writing or working at her mysterious day job, she can often be found screaming at tangled cross stitch threads.

Connect with Laurie: Website || Blog || Twitter: @Laurie_Loft

The Giveaway

To celebrate the release of Love and Other Hot Beverages, one lucky winner will receive a $15 Starbucks gift card and a French press from Laurie! Leave a comment with your contact info to enter the contest. Entries close at midnight, Eastern time, on July 8, 2017. Contest is NOT restricted to U.S. entries. Thanks for following the tour, and don’t forget to leave your contact info!