JL Merrow

I’m over at Erotica For All today for the last day of the Wake Up Call blog tour celebrating the launch of Riptide’s shared world series, Porthkennack. Today’s post is about the invisible illness suffered from by my character Kyle that’s no joke – narcolepsy.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

is what I’m talking about over at Love Bytes Reviews today. Why not pop on over and find out how I found the experience of writing Wake Up Call in Riptide’s shared world, Porthkennack.

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

… is not the title of my latest blog post on the Wake Up Call blog tour. But it could have been! 😉

Why not join me over at Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews, where I’m talking about how the perils of the sea can turn a person’s mind to religion?

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway! 🙂

Today as part of the Wake Up Call blog tour I’m over at Joyfully Jay, talking about giants and fairies and knockers, oh my!

Why not pop on over to read about the Celtic myths of Cornwall, including that of Jack the Giant Killer, and their inspiration?

Don’t forget to enter the giveaway!

The first of my contemporary m/m romances set in Riptide’s shared world of Porthkennack is now available from all good book retailers, and to celebrate, I’ll be going on a blog tour – dates here.

First off I’m over at The Novel Approach, talking about the setting for Wake Up Call:  Cornwall—a Land (and Language) Apart

Don’t forget to enter the draw for the giveaway! 🙂

South London mechanic Devan Thompson has gone to Porthkennack to track down someone he’s been waiting all his life to know. But Dev’s distracted from his quest by Kyle, a broodingly handsome local of only a few months, who’s already got a reputation as an alcoholic because of his strange behaviour—including a habit of collapsing in the street.

Kyle Anthony fled to Porthkennack to escape from the ruins of his life. Still raging against his diagnosis of narcolepsy—a condition that’s cost him his job as a barrister, his lover, and all chance of normality—the last thing he wants is another relationship that’s doomed to fail. But Dev’s easy-going acceptance and adaptability, not to mention his good looks, have Kyle breaking all his self-imposed rules.

When disaster strikes Dev’s adored little sister, Kyle steps up to the plate, and Dev sees a side of his lover he wasn’t prepared for: competent, professional—and way out of Dev’s league. With one man determined that they don’t have a future, and the other fearing it, life after Porthkennack is starting to look bleak for both of them.

Available now in ebook and paperback:

Riptide  | Amazon |Kobo UK | Smashwords

Merrow navigates [her characters’] interpersonal concerns supremely well, making each hiccup feel real and raw. Her treatment of chronic illness elicits real empathy…This tale of deep characters with real problems is a genuine treat for fans of contemporary romance – Publishers Weekly

And if you don’t celebrate Easter: Happy Spring/season of your choosing! 😉

Today’s snippet is, of course, from today’s release, Wake Up Call, (although it won’t be available from most retailers until Monday, you can download it today from the Riptide site).

Here, Dev’s attempt to ask Kyle out doesn’t quite go according to plan…

“Heard a lot about me, have you?” If Dev had thought Kyle sounded bitter earlier, his tone now could curdle clotted cream.

Dev forced a cheeky smile. “Yeah, mate. Didn’t you know? You got your own page on the Tourist Info website.”

Result. The smile was back. Except it was a bit more twisted than Dev would’ve liked. “On display for a limited time only: the incredible collapsing man.”

“Hey, we all got our problems. Listen, do you wanna go for a—” Dev broke off. Shit, had he really been about to offer an alcy a drink? He stared at Kyle, appalled. “Shit, sorry, no, course not—”

Kyle stared back for a mo, eyes wide—then, which was weird as fuck, burst out laughing.

And fell over.

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Don’t forget to check out the rainbow snippets Facebook group for more little excerpts from a whole host of talented authors.

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Wake Up Call

South London mechanic Devan Thompson has gone to Porthkennack to track down someone he’s been waiting all his life to know. But Dev’s distracted from his quest by Kyle, a broodingly handsome local of only a few months, who’s already got a reputation as an alcoholic because of his strange behaviour—including a habit of collapsing in the street.

Kyle Anthony fled to Porthkennack to escape from the ruins of his life. Still raging against his diagnosis of narcolepsy—a condition that’s cost him his job as a barrister, his lover, and all chance of normality—the last thing he wants is another relationship that’s doomed to fail. But Dev’s easygoing acceptance and adaptability, not to mention his good looks, have Kyle breaking all his self-imposed rules.

When disaster strikes Dev’s adored little sister, Kyle steps up to the plate, and Dev sees a side of his lover he wasn’t prepared for: competent, professional—and way out of Dev’s league. With one man determined that they don’t have a future and the other fearing it, life after Porthkennack is starting to look bleak for both of them.

a genuine treat  – Publishers Weekly

Available now from Riptide, and at other retailers from 17th April

The first of my contemporary m/m romances set in Riptide’s shared world of Porthkennack is now available exclusively from the Riptide site, and will be out everywhere else on Monday!

Wake Up Call

South London mechanic Devan Thompson has gone to Porthkennack to track down someone he’s been waiting all his life to know. But Dev’s distracted from his quest by Kyle, a broodingly handsome local of only a few months, who’s already got a reputation as an alcoholic because of his strange behaviour—including a habit of collapsing in the street.

Kyle Anthony fled to Porthkennack to escape from the ruins of his life. Still raging against his diagnosis of narcolepsy—a condition that’s cost him his job as a barrister, his lover, and all chance of normality—the last thing he wants is another relationship that’s doomed to fail. But Dev’s easygoing acceptance and adaptability, not to mention his good looks, have Kyle breaking all his self-imposed rules.

When disaster strikes Dev’s adored little sister, Kyle steps up to the plate, and Dev sees a side of his lover he wasn’t prepared for: competent, professional—and way out of Dev’s league. With one man determined that they don’t have a future and the other fearing it, life after Porthkennack is starting to look bleak for both of them.

a genuine treat  – Publishers Weekly

Available now from Riptide, and at other retailers from 17th April

Welcome to Porthkennack, a charming Cornish seaside town with a long and sometimes sinister history. Legend says King Arthur’s Black Knight built the fort on the headland here, and it’s a certainty that the town was founded on the proceeds of smuggling, piracy on the high seas, and the deliberate wrecking of cargo ships on the rocky shore. Nowadays it draws in the tourists with sunshine and surfing, but locals know that the ghosts of its Gothic past are never far below the surface.

This collaborative story world is brought to you by five award-winning, best-selling British LGBTQ romance authors: Alex Beecroft, Joanna Chambers, Charlie Cochrane, Garrett Leigh, and JL Merrow.

And if you’re more in the mood for a historical romance, Joanna Chambers’ first Porthkennack novel A Gathering Storm is out today as well! 🙂

I’m delighted to be once again taking part in RJ Scott’s Autism Awareness Blog Hop

First, a couple of autism facts:

• Without understanding, autistic people and families are at risk of being isolated and developing mental health problems.
• Autism is much more common than many people think. There are around 700,000 people on the autism spectrum in the UK – that’s more than 1 in 100. If you include their families, autism is a part of daily life for 2.8 million people.

Source: The National Autistic Society

Invisible Illness/Disability

Autism is just one of over fifty different types of invisible condition listed by Disabled World, an independent Health and Disability news source. Others include digestive disorders, mental health issues and debilitating chronic illnesses such as ME, MS and fibromyalgia.

Unfortunately, the world tends to judge by appearances. People with impaired hearing–but who don’t wear a visible hearing aid–may be told they’re just not listening properly, and legitimate holders of blue badges/permits have been berated and even physically attacked for parking in spots designated for the disabled, simply because they don’t use a wheelchair, or are not using it on that particular occasion.

It can be incredibly frustrating and demoralising for someone living with an invisible condition to be continually told they are lazy, making it up, or a hypochondriac.  Or even just not trying hard enough.

Invisible conditions can impact on all aspects of life, including relationships and employment/employability, and it can be hard for sufferers to get the medical treatment and/or help they need–as even medical professionals are not always immune to the automatic assumption that someone who looks well/neurotypical/etc has no special needs.

And this is why awareness campaigns are so important. The more people know about invisible conditions, the more understanding they will be. And the less people living with these conditions will have to hear “But you don’t look sick/autistic/disabled.”

Graphics are taken (with permission) from Molly’s Fund Fighting for Lupus.

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Giveaway:

Five of my ex-Samhain books are now back on the virtual shelves (with more coming soon). I’d like to offer an e-book of winner’s choice from these titles to a randomly-chosen commenter on this post:

To enter, just leave a comment wherever you read this post – but if you’re commenting elsewhere than on my WordPress blog, please make sure you leave an email address so I can contact you if you win!

The winner will be chosen around tea time on May 1st, so there will be plenty of time to enter. Good luck!  🙂

My Rainbow Award-winning romantic comedy, Slam!, is out today in second edition, with its lovely new cover by Garrett Leigh:

Limericks, lies and puppy-dog eyes

Amateur poet Jude is a carnivore working in a vegan cafe. His little dog, Bubbles, is the only man in the Anglo-Japanese graduate’s life—but Jude yearns from afar for “Karate Crumpet”, a man who runs past the cafe window every Saturday night leading a martial arts class. Jude’s swept off his feet when he’s rescued from muggers by the object of his affections—and when Jude finds out the calm, competent, hunk of muscle is also gay, he’s in seventh heaven.

Trouble is, the universe seems to be conspiring to stop them getting together. While Jude’s ready to jump straight into bed with his saviour, David’s still got one foot in the closet and wants to take things slowly. Then there’s Jude’s best friend, who has a dangerous secret, and his mother, who’s desperately trying to keep her own love life on track by lying about her age—meaning Jude has to pretend to be a schoolboy!

With a maze of different stories to keep straight, a potential stepfather to keep happy, and ex boyfriends who keep turning up on dates, Jude’s getting increasingly confused. Poetry in motion, it’s not!

Available now 

exclusively on Amazon & on Kindle Unlimited

Note: this book was previously published by Samhain Publishing. This second edition contains only minor revisions.

And in case you missed it: my Shamwell Tales all have shiny new covers too, revealed today on Sinfully Gay Romance Book Reviews.

This week’s snippet comes from this week’s re-release: Fall Hard, my Iceland-set, Viking-saga-influenced romantic suspense. Our amnesiac hero, Paul, is visiting an exhibition on Egil’s Saga and is about to realise there may be a reason why he’s blocked out those memories…

Then I came to the Nidstöng, the scorn-stick. It was another grotesque exhibit, a representation of a half-rotted horse’s head, set upon a stick carved with runes. Again, there was the smell of must, of closed rooms and things long dead. I stood paralysed, lines from the saga running through my mind:

Egil took a horse’s head and fixed it on a pole. After that, in solemn form of curse, he thus spake: “Here set I up a curse-pole, and this curse I turn on King Eric and Queen Gunnhilda.”

I’d seen something like this before. But not here. And it had been different; the head had been a skull, its bones shining whitely in the grey light that came through our window…

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Don’t forget to check out the rainbow snippets Facebook group for more little excerpts from a whole host of talented authors.

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When you’ve already paid the price for falling, is it safe to trust again?

An accident at Iceland’s Gullfoss Falls robbed British academic Paul Ansell of his American lover—and his memories of all their time together. Eight months later, back in the volcanic land to resume his research on bloodthirsty Viking Egil Skallagrimsson, Paul is still struggling to get his life back together. But trying to deal with his growing feelings for enigmatic Icelander and jet-boat driver Viggo is even harder.

Is Paul’s explosive attraction to this tall, tattooed, modern-day Viking all physical—or sparked by hidden memories?  Paul’s drawn to the idea of a fresh start, but troubled by Viggo’s odd reluctance to talk about their friendship before the accident.

Meanwhile, Alex Winter, a Boston history professor on a working holiday, won’t stop asking disconcerting questions. Unsure whom to trust, and unable to trust himself, Paul begins to suspect the fall at Gullfoss was no accident—but he’s about to learn that some things are better off forgotten.

Available in ebook on Amazon & on Kindle Unlimited