Today I am so pleased to welcome Rhys Ford to Joyfully Jay. Rhys has come to talk to us about her latest release, Rebel (415 Ink • Book One). She has also brought along a great giveaway. Please join me in giving Rhys a big welcome!

415InkTourBanner

 

Hello and welcome to the 415 Ink: Rebel Blog Tour. I’d like to say I’m Rhys Ford, your host but the truth is, I am merely a stealer of space and time. Their space, your time. BUT I hope I can make it worth your while.

Because dudes, I’ve got a book I want to tell you about.

If you know me at all, you know I have a few tattoos and well, have a hardcore love for art. Skin art to be exact. It’s a difficult medium and well, there’s a culture surrounding it as well. Being a tattoo artist is more than a profession, it truly is a calling, or it is for the great artists, the ones who push at the boundaries of skin and ink and do fantastical things on a living canvas.

The 415 Ink series hopefully will capture a part of that culture and also showcase five foster brothers who have made their own family. Set in San Francisco, I will introduce you to each of the five in a series of books where they find love and in some cases, their true path in life. The first, Rebel, is about Gus, the true middle kid in the bunch, and the man whose love he’d won, lost and hopefully will love again.

As all of my blog tours, I want to present you with something unique at each stop as well as a giveaway. So, for each blog, I will give you a story (or part of a story as I’ve split most into two pieces) about a tattoo… involving a character from one of my series. Check out the blog stop list to get a sneak peek at the characters!

The giveaway? You’ll be entering to win a $20 USD gift certificate to the online retailer of your choice!

Now, onto the tales of tattoos and where you can find Rebel, on sale December 29th through Dreamspinner, Amazon and other fine bookstores.

 

San Francisco — Kane Morgan
Part One of Two

Kane Morgan still felt the burden of his star in his back pocket. Every step he took had a greater weight to it, a seven-point piece of metal with a number — his number — anchoring him the city beneath his feet. It was a familiar symbol, one he’d grown up playing with when his father came home and shed parts of his uniform at the end of his day. One of Kane’s first arguments in school had been how many points does a star have and the teacher, a sweet young woman with hopes and dreams to lead joyful children towards knowledge, found herself embroiled in a heated battle concerning how to draw a proper star.

He hadn’t been much more than five, but Kane had been adamant. Stars — true stars — had seven points and a number engraved in them.

Now he had a number. Now he had a seven-point star. Now he came home… the same home he’d grown up in since he just come out of the Academy and didn’t make enough money to have his own place… and shed parts of his uniform nearly in the same spots as his father had.

As his brother Connor had as well.

Kane wouldn’t of said he lived in Connor’s shadow but sometimes it was hard to get out from under his older brother and his father. He’d — he still — worshiped both of them, even found himself trying to do things like they did. The badge, however, was his own.

Even if he was the third Morgan to be issued a seven-point star in San Francisco.

And from the multiple trips to the principal’s office for arguing with their teachers, it looked like the twins Kiki and Riley would be following in their footsteps.

Quinn, his fractured, stained glass, brilliant next younger brother, probably wouldn’t and it broke a little bit of Kane’s heart knowing his green eyed, quirky sibling would not have a star of his own.

“He’ll find his own place,” their father, Donal said one day when a 10-year-old Kane wondered aloud about what path Quinn would follow in life if he wasn’t going to be a cop. “And who knows? Ye might be changing your mind, boyo. Ye can be anything ye want, son. Ye don’t have to wear the badge and blues just because I do. It’s hard and thankless at times. There are some days when it seems like no one wants ye around or hate ye because of that badge. It’s an honor to wear it but it’s also a burden. Aren’t ye sure ye don’t want to be an artist instead?”

Kane reminded his father of that conversation on the day he stood proud and tall while his own badge pinned to his uniform for the first time. Donal laughed, saying it hadn’t been the first time he’d had that conversation and it hadn’t been the last.

As his eyes raked over the cluster of Morgans standing around their short, redheaded mother, he’d said, “I might have one more — maybe two — to go. But my answer will always remain the same. All I want for any of ye is to be happy, to love, and to be loved.”

Kane was working on the first and dabbling second and the third. He was young, not even in his late twenties and for some reason, tramping through Chinatown on a rainy Saturday night looking for the alleyway entrance of a tattoo shop.

“It’s right over there.” Connor’s deep voice echoed through the tight streets. His older brother was practically vibrating with excitement and an overabundance of energy. “I’ve seen one that he’s done on someone else and I really liked how it looks like the patch but it’s better. I wanted one like it but not exactly. He said that wouldn’t be a problem. I’m excited to see what he’s got.”

“So ye haven’t even seen the Art?” Donal’s eyebrow lifted and Kane instinctively took a slower step, leaving Connor well within his father’s firing range while taking himself out of Donal’s field of view. “Ye be meaning to tell me that my son is going to be putting something permanent on his skin — something he will have to defend it to his mother — and he doesn’t even know what it is?”

“Well, I know it’s going to be Gold In Peace, Iron In War and there will be a phoenix on it. I just don’t know what to look like exactly. But Da, you should see what he’s done.” Connor’s broad shoulders shrugged, and he gave their father a sheepish look. “Besides, I might’ve told him more than one of us will get a tattoo tonight.”

Kane slowed his walk even further. Just in case.

His father said nothing at first. Donal merely gave his oldest son an assessing look then said, “If I come home with another tattoo, yer mum is likely to something to say about it. Let’s see how yer man is first. And if he’s not good enough, he will not be putting in any ink on ye. Because that is just asking for yer mum to kill me. ”

The alley way reeked, and the tattoo shop was practically a cliché. Tucked in between a fortune cookie factory and an all-you-can-eat Szechuan buffet, Lucky Cat Tattoos’ door was a slender black plank painted with a grinning maneko underneath a pink neon arrow flashing open with a nearly seizure inducing frenzy. There were no windows to see inside of the shop and judging by the three-foot distance between the black door and the two open security doors on either side, there didn’t seem to be much space to walk much less have a tattoo shop.

As if Connor could read Kane’s mind, he said, “He said there is going to be a long hallway in then the space opens up to the shop.”

“I am still reserving judgment,” Donal murmured under his breath. “Let’s see what is on the other side of the door first.”

“If we open the door and there is a large blue temple surrounded by clouds with a horned dog screaming Zuul at us, I am closing the fucking door and they can have Connor,” Kane replied to his father’s mostly low whisper.

“Just remember, son,” the older man gave Kane a mischievous wink. “If anyone asks if yer a God, ye say yes.”

“Da, if I’m a God, what does it make you?”

“A fool for letting yer idiot brother talk us into going with him to get inked in a Chinatown alleyway tattoo shop.” Donal shook his head. “Well, if things go south, at least he has armed backup.”

“Unless a giant marshmallow man shows up. Then we’re fucked.” Kane smiled broadly at his brother who was holding the shop’s door open.

“You two know I can hear every word you’re saying, yes?” Connor gave Kane a light punch on the arm. “I’m standing right in front of you.”

“Really?” Kane teased. “I thought you SWAT guys couldn’t hear over your own awesomeness. Good to know. And if you end up with something that looks like a zombie duck flying over the Golden Gate Bridge, I am going to laugh my ass off.”

 

Catch up with the stories and be sure to hit up each of these blogs for a chance to win at every stop! Check out the pairings preview and plan your visit!

  • 12.26    Joyfully Jay (Kane, Part One)
  • 12.27    Sinfully Gay Romance (Kane, Part Two)
  • 12.28    It’s About The Book (Damien and Miki, Part One)
  • 12.29    The Novel Approach (Damien and Miki, Part Two)
  • 12.31    Boy Meets Boy Reviews (Cole and Ichi, Part One)
  • 1.1       Ndulgent Bloggers (Cole and Ichi, Part Two)
  • 1.2       Smexy Books (Gus and Bear)
  • 1.3       The Blogger Girls (Kane and Miki)

Blurb

415_Ink_Cover_RhysFord_CroppedRebel: 415 Ink, Book One
The hardest thing a rebel can do isn’t standing up for something — it’s standing up for himself.

Life takes delight in stabbing Gus Scott in the back when he least expects it. After years of running from his past, present and the dismal future every social worker predicted for him, Karma delivers the one thing Gus could never—would never—turn his back on; a son from a one-night stand he’d had after a devastating break-up three years ago.

Returning to San Francisco and to 415 Ink, his family’s tattoo shop, gave him the perfect shelter to battle his personal demons and get himself together… until the firefighter who’d broken him walked back into Gus’s life.

For Rey Montenegro, tattoo artist Gus Scott was an elusive brass ring, a glittering prize he hadn’t the strength or flexibility to hold onto. Severing his relationship with the mercurial tattoo artist hurt but Gus hadn’t wanted the kind of domestic life Rey craved, leaving Rey with an aching chasm in his soul.

When Gus’s life and world starts to unravel, Rey helps him pick up the pieces, and Gus wonders if that forever Rey wants is more than just a dream.

Purchase 415 Ink: Rebel at…


Bio

Bioheadshot_Rhys-FordAbout Rhys Ford
Rhys Ford is an award-winning author with several long-running LGBT+ mystery, thriller, paranormal, and urban fantasy series and was a 2016 LAMBDA finalist with her novel, Murder and Mayhem. She is published by Dreamspinner Press and DSP Publications.

She’s also quite skeptical about bios without a dash of something personal and really, who doesn’t mention their cats, dog and cars in a bio? She shares the house with Yoshi, a grumpy tuxedo cat and Harley, an off-kilter flower-faced grey and white cat-dog , as well as a ginger cairn terrorist named Gus. Rhys is also enslaved to the upkeep a 1979 Pontiac Firebird and enjoys murdering make-believe people

Rhys Ford’s books can found at Dreamspinner Press (http://www.dreamspinnerpress.com), DSP Publications (https://www.dsppublications.com/) and all major online book stores.


Giveaway

Rhys has brought a $20 gift card to give away to one lucky Joyfully Jay reader. Just leave a comment at the end of the post to enter. The contest ends on Saturday, December 30th at 11:59 pm ET.

  • 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.
  • All book prizes are in electronic format unless otherwise specified.
  • 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.
FILED UNDER: Giveaway, Guest Post
TAGGED: