Tuesday, August 20, 2019

GRL Spotlight: E.J. Russell


GayRomLit or as some refer to it as GRL truly is the must-attend event for people who create and celebrate LGBT romance. For those who are unfamiliar with what GRL is I can try and summarize it. Every year in October (this year it’s the 17th to the 20th with pre-events on the 16th) the LGBT community consisting of authors, narrators, readers, and professionals gather to share in their love of LGBT romance. There are signings, author lounges, many events, spotlights, it really is hours of fun.
The location changes every year and on the opening night of each year the spot for the next year  is announced. During this time at GRL there are two signings. One for Registered Authors and one for Featured Authors.
At these signings you can go to the authors’ tables, talk, have them sign swag they have, books you’ve brought, pick up pre-orders, and they will even sign something you brought from home.
Lounges are set up as well these are outside the signing times. Registered authors have one and featured have two lounges.
There will also be spotlights with readings, Q&A’s and so much more.
Now until October 14th Diverse Reader is spotlighting authors that will be at this years GRL. And if you want to know more about it simply head over to the site by clicking here:

Now for our Spotlight Author of the day!








Thank you so much, Meredith and Diverse Reader, for giving attending GRL authors a chance to check in with readers before the big event!

So, about me…

I’m 100% introvert. Myers-Briggs said so, but let’s get real—I could have told them that without taking the test. Nevertheless, since starting my second (or maybe it’s the fourth…) career as an author, I’ve come to terms with the notion that I can’t just sit in my chair and write—sometimes I have to go out into the world and talk to people.

Consequently, I’ve attended a bunch of different conferences over the years. RWA Nationals (romance writer centric; really big). RT Booklovers (romance reader centric, really bigger). But my favorite has been GRL, because it’s… well… cozy. It’s nowhere near as overwhelming to little ol’ introvert me as those other really big shows—not that they don’t have good points too. But GRL is family. Everybody there already loves our genre, so I don’t have to warn anybody who comes to my table during the signing (as I do at RWA or RT), “This is a romance between two men.”

This will be my fifth GRL. For the last three years, I’ve attended as a Featured Author. Even though I have nineteen published books (twenty if you count an omnibus edition), this year I decided to scale back a bit and go for Registered Author status (the better to coddle my introvert soul). I realized last year that I didn’t want to sit in the big Featured Author signing on Saturday—I wanted to attend it! Because let’s face it—authors of LGBTQ+ fiction are also readers of LBGTQ+ fiction. I want the chance to fangirl over my favorite authors too, rather than gaze longingly at them across the giant ballroom!

My books fall into roughly three categories: paranormal romantic comedy, supernatural romantic suspense, and contemporary romantic comedy. Are you sensing a theme here? Yep. I like to keep reality a safe arm’s-distance away whenever possible!

I currently have five series plus several stand-alone stories. The ebook edition of the first in my six-book Mythmatched paranormal romantic comedy story universe, Cutie and the Beast, is on sale for 99¢ at all online retailers today (August 20th).

Oh, and by the way, I have another confession to make: I rarely attend the big evening parties, even at cozy GRL (for reasons you can probably guess *cough* introvert *cough*). But I’m more than happy chat with people over a beer in the bar, or a cup of tea and a muffin in a lounge somewhere. I hope to see some of you there!













Cutie and the Beast (Fae Out of Water #1)

Temp worker David Evans has been dreaming of Dr. Alun Kendrick ever since that one transcription job for him, because holy cats, that voice. Swoon. So when his agency offers him a position as Dr. Kendrick’s temporary office manager, David neglects to mention that he’s been permanently banished from offices. Because, forgiveness? Way easier than permission.

Alun Kendrick, former Queen’s Champion of Faerie’s Seelie Court, takes his job as a psychologist for Portland’s supernatural population extremely seriously. Secrecy is paramount: no non-supe can know of their existence. So when a gods-bedamned human shows up to replace his office manager, he intends to send the man packing. It shouldn’t be difficult—in the two hundred years since he was cursed, no human has ever failed to run screaming from his hideous face.

But cheeky David isn’t intimidated, and despite himself, Alun is drawn to David in a way that can only spell disaster: when fae consort with humans, it never ends well. And if the human has secrets of his own? The disaster might be greater than either of them could ever imagine.

(On sale for 99¢, August 19th – 20th only)









Single White Incubus (Supernatural Selection #1)

Does a bear shift in the woods?

Well, partially. That was what got grizzly shifter Ted Farnsworth into trouble. He wasn’t trying to break the Secrecy Pact. He just wants people to see the real him. So he signs up with the mate-matching service Supernatural Selection — which guarantees marriage to a perfect partner. Not only will Ted never be lonely again, but once his new beaver shifter husband arrives, they’ll build Ted’s dream wilderness retreat together. Win-win.

Quentin Bertrand-Harrington, scion of an incubus dynasty, has abstained from sex since nearly killing his last lover. When his family declares it’s time for him to marry, Quentin decides the only way not to murder his partner is to pick someone who’s already dead. Supernatural Selection finds him the ideal vampire, and Quentin signs the marriage agreement sight unseen.

But a mix-up at Supernatural Selection contracts Quentin with Ted. What’s Ted supposed to do with an art historian who knows more about salad forks than screwdrivers? And how can Quentin resist Ted’s mouthwatering life force? Yet as they work together to untangle their inconvenient union, they begin to wonder if their unexpected match might be perfect after all.










Stumptown Spirits (Legend Tripping #1)

What price would you pay to rescue a friend from hell?

For Logan Conner, the answer is almost anything. Guilt-ridden over trapping his college roommate in a ghost war rooted in Portland’s pioneer past, Logan has spent years searching for a solution. Then his new boyfriend, folklorist Riley Morrel, inadvertently gives him the key. Determined to pay his debt—and keep Riley safe—Logan abandons Riley and returns to Portland, prepared to give up his freedom and his future to make things right.

Crushed by Logan’s betrayal, Riley drops out of school and takes a job on a lackluster paranormal investigation show. When the crew arrives in Portland to film an episode about a local legend of feuding ghosts, he stumbles across Logan working at a local bar, and learns the truth about Logan’s plan.

Their destinies once more intertwined, the two men attempt to reforge their relationship while dodging a narcissistic TV personality, a craven ex-ghost, and a curmudgeonly bar owner with a hidden agenda. But Logan’s date with destiny is looming, and his life might not be the only one at stake.











Nudging Fate (Enchanted Occasions #1)

Not exactly a match made in Valhalla.

Half-norn event planner Anders Skuldsson is under strict orders from Asgard not to meddle with Fate. But with Enchanted Occasions’ latest booking—a competition for the hand of Faerie’s one true prince—crashing around his ears, it’s really difficult to toe that particular line. But if Andy pretends to be a contender for the prince…. It’s only temporary, so Odin can’t blame him. Right?

Conall of Odstone’s half-brother, Prince Reyner, was supposed to choose a mate before being crowned and wed. But the idiot left Con to impersonate him. Again.

When Con meets Andy, his anger turns to desire… and despair. Even if Andy forgives him for his imposture, how could someone eligible for a prince’s hand settle for the court outcast? And the double-deception isn’t their only obstacle. Unless Andy makes the right choice, their fates could be sealed by…well… Fate.









Clickbait (Geeklandia #2)

After the disastrous ending of his first serious relationship, Gideon Wallace cultivated a protective—but fabulously shiny—outer shell to shield himself from Heartbreak 2.0. Besides, romance is so not a priority for him right now. All his web design prospects have inexplicably evaporated, and to save his fledgling business, he’s been compelled to take a hands-on hardware project—as in, his hands on screwdrivers, soldering irons, and needle-nosed pliers. God. Failure could actually be an option.

Journeyman electrician Alex Henning is ready to leave Gideon twisting in the wind after their run-ins both on and off the construction site. Except, like a fool, he takes pity on the guy and offers to help. Never mind that between coping with his dad’s dementia and clocking all the overtime he can finagle, he has zero room in his life for more complications.

Apparently, an office build-out can lay the foundation for a new relationship. Who knew? But before Alex can trust Gideon with the truth about his fragile family, he has to believe that Gideon’s capable of caring about more than appearances. And Gideon must learn that when it comes to the heart, it’s content—not presentation—that matters.

Now exclusively on Kindle Unlimited






GRL pre-order form (orders accepted through September 15th to allow for delivery time): 








 About E.J. Russell



E.J. Russell—grace, mother of three, recovering actor—holds a BA and an MFA in theater, so naturally she’s spent the last three decades as a financial manager, database designer, and business intelligence consultant (as one does). She’s recently abandoned data wrangling, however, and spends her days wrestling words. Her paranormal romantic comedy, The Druid Next Door, was a 2018 RITA® finalist and the winner of the 2017 Rainbow Award for Best Gay Fantasy Romance.

E.J. is married to Curmudgeonly Husband, a man who cares even less about sports than she does. Luckily, CH loves to cook, or all three of their children (Lovely Daughter and Darling Sons A and B) would have survived on nothing but Cheerios, beef jerky, and satsuma mandarins (the extent of E.J.’s culinary skill set).

E.J. lives in rural Oregon, enjoys visits from her wonderful adult children, and indulges in good books, red wine, and the occasional hyperbole.

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Where to find E.J. at GRL (other than hiding behind a convenient potted palm):

Registered Author Signing
Thursday, October 17th, 10:00AM – 12:00PM

Author Lounge
Thursday, October 17th, 3:00PM – 3:45PM









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