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Showing posts with label #GayRomance. Show all posts
Showing posts with label #GayRomance. Show all posts

Monday, October 26, 2020

Storm Warning by Thom Collins - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hi, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Thom Collins and his new book, “Storm Warning”!  For other stops on his Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Thom and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!

Storm Warning

by Thom Collins

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GENRE: Gay Romance

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BLURB:

Jamie Johnson is going to sea for the first time in his life. Atlantic Star is one of the most luxurious cruise ships in the world, and a two-week trip to Iceland offers Jamie the perfect escape. His life has been on hold since the death of his husband and a working holiday onboard a state-of-the-art ship is an opportunity to explore the world he’s been hiding from. A chance to think about his future and decide what he wants to do with the rest of his life. 

When Dexter Fordyce steps onboard, all he wants is a good time. The cruise is his first holiday in years, and workaholic Dexter is ready to relax and enjoy himself. If he can manage a little fun with someone like Jamie, even better. Jamie is flattered by the attention. Dexter is handsome, charming and great fun and proves impossible to resist.

Jamie’s hopes of romance died with his husband. The prospect of a shipboard passion is attractive, but Jamie’s heart has been broken for too long and he can’t take the risk of falling in love. With stormy weather ahead, the two men are set for a voyage they will never forget.

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EXCERPT ONE:

“Beautiful, isn’t it?” he said, gazing into the night. Straight ahead he could see nothing but dark, the blackness was complete, but leaning on the balcony and looking down, he saw the moderate swell of the ocean and the white-capped waves hitting the side of the ship.

“We’re moving at a fair speed,” Jamie said, glancing at the wake they gave off.

“I suppose we have to, to cover the miles.”

Jamie stepped near to him, their upper arms touching as they stood against the railing.

He’s regaining his composure, Dexter thought.

Somewhere inside Jamie was a desire to be loved again, Dexter was sure of it. To be desired and wanted and not to spend the rest of his life alone. His love for Tyler could never be doubted, but Jamie was too young, had too much of his life remaining, to be on his own forever.

Dexter took a mouthful of champagne and swallowed, choosing his words. “I know this is new for you, and that it can’t be easy. I don’t want you to do anything you don’t want to, or aren’t ready for. What I’m trying to say is this is all up to you. How much or how little we do together, you decide. I won’t push you into anything.”

Jamie took a deep breath and sighed. He moved his hand from the railing and put it on Dexter’s waist. “I know what I want. And he’s standing right here.”

Dexter turned to face him. How handsome, how striking he looked, in the early hours of the morning, so far out to sea. He caressed Jamie’s face with the tips of his fingers, along his cheek and the lean length of his jaw. “You’re taking my breath away right now; I hope you realise that.”

Jamie put his own hand on top of Dexter’s. “Let’s go inside.”

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GUEST POST:

2020 has been a devastating year for so many different businesses and industries. Covid19 has brought previously successful companies to the point of collapse. And while everyone is feeling the pain, the cruise industry seems to have been hit harder than most. As of now, there are only a handful of ships which have returned to reduced operational service. The majority are moored up in ports or anchored off shore, most of their crews laid off with little prospect of return in the next year. 

My new novel Storm Warning is based on a cruise I took to Iceland in June 2019. No one would have believed then what that future had in store. The company I sailed with went into administration in August and their ships are in the process of being auctioned off. It’s devastating.

I love everything about cruising. It’s the most exciting way to travel and see the world. Even when the ships are battling huge waves and gale force winds, there’s nowhere else I’d rather be than at sea. There’s a glamour and romance involved with sea travel that I haven’t encountered elsewhere. Dressing for dinner, sunset cocktails, music, entertainment, a different view every time you look out the window. Every moment of a voyage is special.

That is something I wanted to capture in this book and give the reader a hint of what it’s like to be at sea on one of these beautiful ships. That cruise to Iceland was one of the most magical experiences of my life and I knew straight way that it would form the backdrop for my next novel. When the cruise industry finally gets back on its feet, it won’t be like it was for many years. So, for now, I’d like Storm Warning to offer readers a glimpse of how special it was before. Going out to sea is a great adventure. Come along and join Jamie and Dexter on the trip of a lifetime.

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AUTHOR BIO:

Thom Collins is the author of Closer by Morning, North Point and the Anthem Trilogy. His love of page turning thrillers began at an early age when his mother caught him reading the latest Jackie Collins book and confiscated it, sparking a life-long love of raunchy novels.

He is currently working on a new series.

Thom has lived in the North East of England his whole life. He grew up in Northumberland and now lives in County Durham with his husband and two cats. He loves all kinds of genre fiction, especially bonk-busters, thrillers, romance and horror. He is also a cookery book addict with far too many titles cluttering his shelves. When not writing he can be found in the kitchen trying out new recipes. He’s a keen traveler but with a fear of flying that gets worse with age, but in 2013 he realized cruising is the best way to see the world.

Check out his website for news updates and a free ebook The Night.

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CONNECT WITH THOM:

Website:

www.thomcollins.co.uk

Email:

thomcollinsauthor@aol.com

Twitter:

https://twitter.com/thomwolf

Pinterest:

https://www.pinterest.com/thomasbrison

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/ThomCollinsAuthor

Goodreads Author Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15604598.Thom_Collins

Goodreads Book Page:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/55153740-storm-warning

Amazon Author Page:

https://amzn.to/3kwEDV3 

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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon US Kindle eBook:

https://amzn.to/3on5R2Z

Amazon US Paperback:

https://amzn.to/3dXFdJd

Amazon UK eBook:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08GNH34CQ

Amazon UK Paperback:

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Storm-Warning-Thom-Collins/dp/B08KKJYGSB

Amazon CA Paperback:

https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08GNH34CQ

Amazon AU Kindle eBook:

https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08GNH34CQ

Amazon AU Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com.au/Storm-Warning-Thom-Collins/dp/B08KKJYGSB

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GIVEAWAY INFO:

Thom will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.

**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Monday, September 14, 2020

Born for Leaving by Mia Kerick writing as Jude Munro - Book Tour - eBook Sale - Book Review - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hi, lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Mia Kerick writing as Jude Munro and her new book, “Born for Leaving”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post – except the Available at Amazon picture, which takes you directly to the Amazon Book Sale Page.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $20 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Mia and to increase your chances of winning!

This eBook is on SALE during the book tour for ONLY $0.99!!!  See below for more details.


Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


Born for Leaving
by Mia Kerick
writing as Jude Munro

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GENRE: Gay Romance

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BLURB:

When they say be careful what you wish for, do you pay attention?

Neither did Oliver Tunstead.

Oliver wishes for nothing more than to get his mind off his crappy bartending job, pile of debt big enough to swallow him whole, and playboy ex-boyfriend/boss who refuses to back off. Too bad distractions, like the hot little convertible he has his eye on, cost megabucks. And Oliver is flat broke. Renting the spare bedroom in his rundown beachfront cottage is his only option to pick up the cash he needs—a risky proposition, as Oliver is the polar opposite of a people-person. When he responds to a bizarre ad in the Waterfront Gazette seeking summer housing, he gets more than he bargained for. But Oliver can cope… After all, how much harm can a single quirky tenant do to his tightly guarded life in three short months?

Where Oliver is a loner by design, urban cowboy Bodie is a loner by necessity. A family dispute long ago dropkicked him onto the path of a lifelong wanderer. This changes when Bodie moves into the tiny beachfront cottage and starts working the door at Oliver’s bar.

Despite Oliver and Bodie’s nearly paralyzing instinct to avoid commitment, they fall into a wary romance. And to their surprise, life as a couple is sweetly satisfying; that is, until their jealous boss devises a cruel plan to destroy the tentative bond they’ve built. True to form, Bodie hits the road, leaving Oliver to lick his wounds alone.

Can these wounded souls defy their urge to flee and fight for love?


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EXCERPT ONE:

“You said there was an outdoor shower.”

“Oh, yeah. It’s on the deck off the kitchen.”

He drops his bags in the hall between the bedrooms. “You cool if I borrow a towel? No room for ’em on the bike.” His cheeks turn pink. “I’ll hit the store tomorrow. Ya know, I can pick up sheets and towels and shit like that.”

“No worries—I have plenty of towels. Come here.” I lead him into the hallway and point to a narrow closet. “I have extra sheets too. Don’t waste your money on that stuff. You’re only gonna be here for a few months.”

Bodie nods. Once, of course.

“You can use the bathtub if you want to freshen up before you go to work.” I do my best to fight the blossoming image of a burly naked cowboy with a crown of dark red curls, swallowed up in a pile of bubbles, lounging in my old clawfoot tub. I fail and hear my own extended sigh. “It sort of brings you back to childhood. You know, soaking in a tub.”

“Nah.” His shoulders stiffen. “I like the outdoors better.”

“Okay, then. And for your fingers, there are bandages in the bathroom medicine cabinet.” Bodie grunts his acknowledgment and grabs a faded pink bath towel out of the closet. Then he shakes off his boots and pulls his T-shirt over his head as if he’s alone in his bedroom.

And just as I figured… a golden brown six pack appears beneath a light spray of copper chest hair. “Um, I’ll leave a key for you on the kitchen table.”

“Cool.”

When he starts to push down his sweatpants, I flee. The last thing I need is to witness a sexy cowboy perform a seemingly inadvertent striptease in the hallway by my kitchen. I’m through with great-looking men worming their way into my life and leaving me more alone than before I let them in.

“Just lock up when you leave.” I stand at the front door, back turned to him and my hand fastened on the doorknob. Ready to run. “You’re heading to your job in a little while, right?” I glance at him over my shoulder.

“That’s right.”

I should ask where he works—what he does for a living—but his sweatpants are looped around his ankles and I’ll admit to being somewhat flustered at the sight of his rugged thighs, not to mention the amazing curve of his backside in nothing but his Calvin’s. “Well, I guess we’ll catch up later, Bodie.”

“You bet your ass we will.” When he laughs—a deep rumble—it’s like he knows something I don’t. Whatever the case, the prickles of heat I’ve been unsuccessfully trying to ignore turn into goosebumps and shoot down my arms. Shoulders, wrists, and fingers—all tingling. Which can’t be good.

What have I gotten myself into?

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MY BOOK REVIEW:


This book brought on a rollercoaster of emotions over the course of the story!!!

The author has a unique way of creating stories that are filled with easy to relate to characters, overcoming obstacles, and finding acceptance amongst the turmoil.

The author further lends a voice and provides a safe place for young readers to express, understand, and just really be themselves.  I feel happy to know that teens can turn to this author and her books for comfort.

What also really stood out about this book was the high emotional content, the raw and gritty details, the thought-provoking passages, and the complex multidimensional characters.

I liked the main characters, Oliver and Bodie.  These intricate characters (and total opposites!!!) are likable, genuine, and realistic.  These characters are easy to connect to and relate with.  It is clear from the get-go that both of these characters are hurt, damaged, and struggling with their own secrets and baggage.

Although I am not part of the LGBTQIA life, I can still appreciate intriguing characters and enjoyable story lines, like this book cleverly provides.

I really enjoyed that the author created flawed and damaged characters that really showcased her writing style and ability to push her characters to reach their full potential over their arc.

A strong character development journey to root for and enjoy watching it unfold!

This book has a creative story line that flows, excellent writing style with well-described scenes, and strongly developed characters!!

There are some predictable scenes.  However, there are still a few very unexpected twists and turns that you won’t see coming!

This book is Book One of the New England State of Mind Book Series.  It can be read as a standalone.

I would remiss if I didn’t mention a content warning label that should be attached to this book.  There are many difficult topics that are addressed in this story and can be quick triggers for anyone with previous history or ties to them.  As one of those readers, but who has worked hard to be able to overcome and skip past certain scenes, I would feel horrible for not warning someone – especially if they were not as far along in their recovery, going into this book blindly.

All in all, I enjoyed reading this book and would absolutely recommend it!  I think all Gay Romance fans or LGBTQIA fans will like this book too!  So, add it to your TBR List and get to reading – you won’t be disappointed!

**Disclaimer: I received a complimentary copy of this book and have voluntarily provided an honest, and unbiased review in accordance with FTC regulations.**

Did you find this review helpful?
If so, please, please, please mark it as helpful on Amazon here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/review/R33GYAC4Q594UX

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AUTHOR BIO:

Like Jude Munro, her fictional characters in her gay romance novels are drawn to the beach. They’ve sunbathed on the sands of many alluring East Coast beaches, along with the fantastical beaches in Jude’s books. They’ll answer questions like “Who do you think you are, the sun god?” (which they often resemble) if they can hear you over "Boys of Summer" cranking on their headphones. To most of Jude’s men, no shoes and no shirt is really not a problem. But even on the sunniest of beach days, the guys in Jude’s books do have problems… as in, serious relationship issues. Many of which seem insurmountable. And each character must earn his day at the beach. (Yes, there is always a HEA).

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CONNECT WITH JUDE:

Website:

Facebook:

Twitter:

Goodreads Author Page:

Goodreads Book Page:

Amazon Author Page:

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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINK & BOOK SALE INFO:

**The Born for Leaving eBook is on SALE during the book tour for ONLY $0.99!!!**



~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFO:

Jude will be awarding a $20 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase is made, I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.

Monday, August 13, 2018

Lovesick Titans by Amanda Meuwissen - Book Tour - Guest Post - Giveaway - Enter Daily!


Hi lovelies!  It gives me great pleasure today to host Amanda Meuwissen and her new book, “Lovesick Titans”!  For other stops on her Goddess Fish Promotions Book Tour, please click on the banner above or any of the images in this post.

Be sure to make it to the end of this post to enter to win a $25 Amazon or Barnes and Noble Gift Card!!  Also, come back daily to interact with Amanda and to increase your chances of winning!

Thanks for stopping by!  Wishing you lots of luck in this fabulous giveaway!


Lovesick Titans
by Amanda Meuwissen

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GENRE: Gay Romance, Superhero

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

BLURB:

Not even a Titan can always stand up to a God.

Malcom Cho is in over his head, wrapped up in a love affair with his superhero nemesis Zeus, who most people in Olympus City only know as Detective Danny Grant.

Lovesick Titans begins where Lovesick Gods left off, after a heist gone wrong that ended with a museum guard dead and Mal and Danny beaten and exhausted from their fight with the new threat in town, Cassidy Ludgate—Hades.

Unaware that Ludgate’s true motivation is revenge for the death of his father at Zeus’s hands, Mal wants only to keep Danny close, while Danny races to solve the cases surrounding Ludgate to stop him from whatever he has planned for them next.

What Mal doesn’t know is that Danny didn’t pursue him with the purest of intentions but sought to break his heart in retaliation for not being there when he needed him in the fight against Thanatos. Even though Danny no longer seeks that end, the lies between them loom like a shadow about to descend upon them both.

And Hades has only begun to toy with them…

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

EXCERPT ONE:


Danny let Mal hold his hand in place on his arm, while his other hand strayed, drifting down to Mal’s hip and resting at the edge of one of his larger scars. Mal had many, from years of abuse and a hard way of living. Normally, when Danny touched one, he pushed on with confidence, but tonight, the raised scar tissue made him snap to his senses like he’d been in a trance.

“Sorry,” he said and pulled both hands away.

But Mal reached for them, hung onto them, and brought Danny’s hands back to his skin. “It’s okay. Broken bottle one night when Dad got drunk. Now I get to add another knife wound to the collection.” Mal smirked as he nodded at his bandaged arm.

Danny smiled with him, but it was a sad, shattered expression. He teased the tips of his fingers over the scar tissue. “Are all these really from…” With a startle, he tried to pull away again as if he’d said something he shouldn’t.

“My father?” Mal said, refusing to let him go. “Not all. Most though. Some are from prison. Some dumb mistakes. Fights like tonight. But most…yeah, they’re his.”

Taking Danny’s hand still resting on his hip, Mal drew it upwards, guiding it across his bare chest until he reached his shoulder and the faint circular scar tissue near his clavicle. 

“Freezer burn. From his powers. Because I broke my leg when I was eight and I cried. He wanted to teach me a lesson. Teach me how to keep pain in and never let anyone see it. So he held the tip of a frozen finger there until it burned.”

Danny’s brow furrowed with indignant anger. 

Mal trailed the hand lower to a particularly bad scar across his stomach—his worst and the one he remembered the clearest. “First knife wound. Caught me with a boy in my room. Would have killed him if I hadn’t stood in the way. I took the brunt of it. Let him run off. Never brought a boy home again, not ‘til Dad was gone. Brought a couple girls home,” he shrugged.

“Girls?” Danny asked with a touch of humored skepticism bleeding through his concern. He splayed his hand flat against Mal’s stomach, warm and intimate in his touch.

“Occasionally. Not as often.”

Danny nodded but his smile quickly faded, his eyes trained on the scar and the affectionate way he traced it with his fingers. “Sometimes…I think my dad hates me because…” he trailed and the motion of his hand slowed. “There’s something I never told you. About the night I killed Thanatos.”

The smile dropped from Mal’s lips as well as he waited for Danny to continue. 

“He killed my mom.”

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GUEST POST:

The Character I Identify Most With

Many authors identify with their heroes. In my case, my ‘hero’ is an actual superhero. He’s also more villainous than his nemesis.

The Lovesick Series, made up of Lovesick Gods and the new release Lovesick Titans, has two equal protagonists – Danny Grant, who is secretly the Lightning Elemental superhero Zeus, and Malcolm Cho, better known as the Ice Elemental thief Prometheus. The real villain and antagonist of the story is both a separate villain, Hades, and the emotional hurdles faced by the characters as they grow closer and try to find a relationship through their difficult pasts and behaviors.

It’s not a spoiler even for the first book to say that Danny isn’t being his best hero self at the start of this tale, as he immediately decides that the only way to get out of his recent depression is by hurting someone who once hurt him—Mal. He wants Mal to fall in love with him just so he can break his heart, and hey, getting some no-strings-attached sex isn’t a bad bonus.

Now, I never enacted any sort of elaborately cruel scheme like this, but the portrayal of Danny’s bipolar depression, how he acts out, how amazing his supports structure is to bring him back, and having a partner who forgives and relates and still wants to be with him, is all a reflection of my own experiences.

Too often we try to ignore mental disorders and disabilities faced by the people around us, or maybe we simply don’t know how to help. Sometimes talking is enough, sometimes medication is needed, sometimes it just takes time and patience, or maybe a combination of all the above.

It was a very therapeutic process for me to write this story and to pull Danny through the worst of his rock bottom and back on a road to recovery. We think of heroes as invincible, especially in comic books, which this tale is largely inspired by since I am a comic book geek, but what makes them well-rounded and interesting is when they reflect us, and we see that not even the ‘best’ of us is ever perfect or even okay some of the time.

And it’s okay to not be okay.

I’ve had many fans tell me how impactful reading this was for them, because they’ve been there too, and seeing a real portrayal of depression with a real ray of hope at the end gives us all a little more strength to push on.

I was writing this long after the brunt of the worst of my depression had passed, and yet it still snuck up on me as something I didn’t realize I needed to tell as a unique story. This series makes it finally feel like a chapter I’ve closed (however much I continue to cope each day) through characters I adore, with an emotional ride of angst (but I promise with a happy ending) and the enemies-to-lovers trope turned on its head in a way I could not be prouder of.

I hope anyone who enjoys comics, superheroes, rollercoaster romances, or who just needs to read about a relatable character at their darkest moments gives this tale a try.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AUTHOR BIO:


Amanda Meuwissen has been writing and posting online for many years, including maintaining the website and blog for the software company Outsell. She is an avid writer and consumer of fiction through film, prose, and video games, and is the author of the paranormal romance trilogy The Incubus Saga and young adult novel Life as a Teenage Vampire. Amanda lives in Minneapolis, MN, with her husband, John, and their two cats.

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CONNECT WITH AMANDA:

Website:

Blog:

Facebook:

Twitter:

Tumblr:

LinkedIn:

Goodreads Author Page:

Goodreads Book Page:

Amazon Author Page:

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AMAZON BOOK BUY LINKS:

Amazon Kindle:

Amazon Paperback:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

GIVEAWAY INFO:

Amanda will be awarding a $25 Amazon or B/N GC to a randomly drawn winner via Rafflecopter during the tour.


**This post contains affiliate links and if clicked and a purchase made I may receive a small commission to help support this blog.  This does not cost you anything, it just helps pay for all those awesome giveaways on here.**

This contest is sponsored by a third party. Fabulous and Brunette is a registered host of Goddess Fish Promotions.  Prizes are given away by the sponsors and not Fabulous and Brunette. The featured author and Goddess Fish Promotions are solely responsible for the giveaway prize.