Hello everyone! Today we are hosting the latest stop on a blog tour for the release of Ghoul’s Gym by Eric Arvin and T.J. Klune. Some of you may remember me reviewing this a while back as part of the full Zombie Boyz Anthology and I completely loved this story. Ghoul’s Gym is now available for individual purchase (as are the other two stories in the original anthology).
Well, as most of you know Eric is in the hospital and TJ is by his side, so a bunch of bloggers (along with the awesome J.P. Barnaby) are hosting a “do it yourself” blog tour for them in honor of the release. So I have a great excerpt for you, as well as some fabulous prizes.
Since there is no official blurb for this story, I am including my unofficial synopsis that was part of the original review. Also, there is a great video of TJ and Eric talking about the book that you may want to check out. As always with them, it is hysterical, and also talks a lot about the story.
And if you are interested in donating to Eric’s support fund, check out details here.
Gym bunny Ulysses Hoak and his “lanky looker” boyfriend Jake Howell live in a perfect suburban neighborhood in a house they recently bought while they save for their dream home in Italy. They guys are totally in love, but Jake is dealing with some insecurities about his appearance. Uly is huge and buff and works at a gym full of other enormous muscle-bound men, including his boss, “Stephen Fucking Dorian,” who Jake just knows wants in Uly’s pants. Uly can tell something is off with Jake, but Jake isn’t ready to talk about it.
One day Jake finally can’t take it any more and decides to give in to temptation. He goes to see Dusty, the local supplier of steroids and other body enhancement drugs for the guys at the gym. Within minutes, he can see something is terribly wrong with Dusty and his quartet of muscle-bound “alphabet twinks.” Over at the gym, Uly starts to see something is wrong there as well. People are sick, gray and nauseous. And soon worse — violent and cannibalistic and totally out of their minds with rage and an urge to eat and kill. All Jake wants to do is go to the gym and find Uly. He is sure once they are together everything will be fine. And all Uly wants to do is survive the zombies long enough to escape and find Jake. But as the slaughter and devastation continue, Uly encounters more danger, and Jake descends even further into madness, it may be too late for these guys to make it out alive.
Excerpt
What the fuck is wrong with me?
Shit.
What the fuck isn’t wrong with me?
I try and school my face. Relax my shoulders. Not seem so combative. It’s not working. I clench my fists. Grit my teeth. My dick is still half hard, like it’s mocking me, still slick with lube and come. Go down, I tell it. Just fucking go down.
“I asked you a question,” Uly says from behind me. He’s trying to use what he calls his redneck polite voice, but we’ve been together a year now. Lived with each other half that time. I know he’s pissed. At me. Not that I blame him. I just fucked him within an inch of his life and couldn’t be bothered to make sure he enjoyed it. Uly doesn’t take shit like that lying down. Well, not figuratively.
“I heard you,” I tell him, keeping my voice low. The bathroom door is only feet away, and I have to resist the urge to go through it and close the door behind me. Lock it all out. Including him. Goddammit.
“Well?” His patience is wearing thin.
“Can we not do this now?” Or ever. That would be awesome too.
“Oh? Then when do you wanna do it? Seems to me the only time we talk now is when you tell me if you want me on my back or on my knees.”
I try not to shrink back at the bitterness in his words. He’s right, of course. How could I have let this get so bad? But then that fucker Stephen pops back into my head, and I see red again. I swear to fucking Christ I could tear him apart with my hands if I ever have to see him again. Twinkie, he calls me. Uly’s little princess. The Prince and the pea.
Yeah, Uly’s a big fucker, muscles piled on top of muscles. Some people might think it’s gross how jacked he is, but not me. There’s something about the way his veins look so pronounced that gets my cock hard. The cut and defined lines of his arms and thighs. The massive chest. Everything about him is big. Every single part of him. Personality, body, mind. Everything.
Except for me.
He says he doesn’t care. He says he doesn’t care that I’m a third his size, that he outweighs me by a good hundred pounds. He says he doesn’t care that I’m not cut, or ripped, or jacked. He says he doesn’t care that next to him, I’m just a shadow. I see you just fine, he told me once. I don’t need you big like me. I just need you to be you.
Tour Dates
12/17 – JP Barnaby (Introduction & Schedule)
12/18 – Mrs Condit & Friends Read Books (Release Day)
12/19 – MM Good Book Reviews
12/20 – Kage Alan
12/21 – Joyfully Jay
12/22 – Brandilyn Reviews Books
12/23 – The Novel Approach
12/24 – Sid Love
12/25 – The Kimi-chan Experience
Giveaway
There are TWO fabulous giveaways going on here. First, at Joyfully Jay we are giving away a copy of Ghoul’s Gym to one lucky winner. Just leave a comment below for your chance to enter. The contest closes on Thursday, December 26th at 11:59 pm EST.
Also, there is a tour wide giveaway with three prizes: two $25 Amazon gift cards and a copy of Christmas Kitsch by Amy Lane. To enter to win one of these, follow the Rafflecopter link below to enter.
- By entering the giveaway, you’re confirming that you are at least 18 years old.
- Winners will be selected by random number. No purchase necessary to win. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning.
- If you win, you must respond to my email within 48 hours or another winner may be chosen. Please make sure that your spam filter allows email from Joyfully Jay.
- Winners may be announced on the blog following the contest. By entering the contest you are agreeing to allow your name to be posted and promoted as the contest winner by Joyfully Jay.
- Prizes will be distributed following the giveaway either by Joyfully Jay or the person/organization donating the prize.
- By entering you are agreeing to hold Joyfully Jay harmless if the prize or giveaway in some way negatively impacts the winner.
- Readers may only enter once for each contest. Duplicate entries for the same giveaway will be ignored. In the event of technical problems with the blog during the contest, every effort will be made to extend the contest deadline to allow for additional entries.
- Void where prohibited by law.
Love the support the guys are receiving and sending all my good thoughts to them and their family.
I’ve never read anything by Tj and Eric. This story sounds really good. Can’t wait to read it. Many well wishes to Tj and Eric!! 🙂
This is such a great idea to help them both. I’ve already got my copy and I wish them many more sales.
I’ve read both TJ’s and Eric’s work and I’d love to read this one – can’t imagine what they’ve come up with as one project.
This book sounds amazing, but all of their books are. Can’t wait to read this.
Even though zombies make me nervous, the excerpt is intriguing!
Trix, there is definitely a strong horror element here. It is pretty scary and gory. But I love how it written in a way that also makes it an amazing love story. It is romantic in the midst of all the body part eating, lol. Definitely give it a try if you can.
Please count me in. Thanks. I think it is great how the mm author community has rallied together to support Eric and TJ.
Ghoul’s Gym looks fantastic and the cover reveal is fabulous! I love anything and everything Zombie and then add MM mix to it!! Hottt
Not a big fan of gore but maybe I could tough it out to give this one a try. Sending good thoughts their way.
I have been following the blog posts. I wish them all the best. I did contribute to them. I cannot follow them on twitter as twitter says I follow too many people.
I loved the anthology and their in particular had me a bit teary eyed. All my good thoughts and hopes going out to Eric and TJ.
Thanks for the giveaway. Sending all positive thought to Eric and TJ.
Yes , I am! Thank you for the giveaway 🙂
I’ve never read anything by TJ or Eric but I’m hoping to get some of their stuff soon 🙂 Hopefully every book purchased helps them!
Thank you for the giveaway!
I’m not usually into zombie books but this sounds like a different twist. Prayers to Eric hope he’s better soon!
It sounds like a really interesting read. It’s the first horror MM I’ve heard of. I’m definitely intrigued.
I wish both authors well wishes and strength. And to the ones putting on this hop, you are doing a wonderful thing.
I got my Zombie Boyz anthology last week, and I’m looking forward to digging into some zombie goodness or badness soon. This isn’t quite the week for reading it, but I know it’ll be soon because I keep seeing so many wonderful things about it.
I’m not part of the troupe of friends or readers who have interacted with Eric or TJ, but I’ve read their words and seen their videos, and they’ve touched me with their intelligence, humor, heart, and love. Each day I send out only the best to Eric, and TJ, and everyone who loves and cares for them. They are ever in my thoughts.
It is so awesome to see people pulling together to support TJ this way!
Really looking forward to reading this. More importantly I am really hoping to hear good news about Eric, my heart breaks a little every time I think about what he and TJ are facing.
This will be the first blood and gore story I’ve read in a long time but the excerpts sound really good so I’ll give it a try.
Best wishes to Eric and TJ, keeping a candle litt for them with hope for a positive outcome.
It is really good. Amazingly romantic in the midst of the horror. I really enjoyed it.