Cat’s Meow~~#Reviews That Purr~~Trainwreck by Michele Michael Rakes~~


Cat's Meow Reviews That purr books

Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Michele Micheal “Mikey” Rakes, author of Trainwreck the series.

Hi Mikey, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.

I’m a Pacific Northwest native who has been climbing trees to sit and read books since I was small. Love storytelling and had always dreamed of being an author…or an Egyptologist…and then a paleontologist. Archaeology was to be my dream job, but never quite made it there in this life. Perhaps in the next?

Trainwreck the series is about a guy who is beyond down on his luck. He’s a wreck, but he can’t even get killing himself right. A police detective, specifically an undercover narcotics officer who has been accused of stealing contraband, Vincent Sweetwater is forced to work homicide until the investigation is complete.

Meanwhile, his home life is in shambles. He lives with his estranged wife, but sleeps in his dead daughters bed so he can feel close to her…he can hear her voice at times, and can smell her on the sheets.

We meet him the night before his first day back to work and when the day comes, he’s confronted with a case involving a missing person found dead on a beach. Vince hates dead bodies and isn’t happy with his boss for sending him out on the case. A case which pulls Vince back into his former life. A secret life involving a gay man and his skills with a whip. To further compound things, Vince is punishing himself through his addiction to sex and masochism.

Books One and Two are out and I’m editing number three currently. The entire series is written, plus a sequel called Surviving Adam.

  • Talk to us about your characters in this book. What makes them unique?

Vincent Sweetwater is a masochistic sex addicted tough guy from a shitty background and all he wants is to either be dead or have his daughter back. Confronted with the fact he can’t be dead or have his daughter back, he tries to mend all the pieces of himself. His foster brother, Nick Sarafino, followed him into law enforcement, is his partner on the job. Nick helps to keep Vince sane. Mica Sweetwater, Vince’s wife and fellow foster child, just wants her husband back. She’s always known she wasn’t enough for Vince, but that has never mattered to Mica. They both struggle to move on after the death of their only child.

A mysterious man from Vince’s past, Gregory Dunne, cares about Vince, but for his own sanity he leaves the man alone. Until Vince show’s on doorstep and can no longer be ignored.

The serial killer Vince hunts, is also a man from his past, and Vince can’t quell the feelings the murder victims bring to a boil inside him.

  • What was one of the most surprising things you learned in getting your book from start to publish?

Well, Trainwreck was written in six months in 2010 and was 480k words. The time it took to edit and get comfortable with breaking it up, I wrote two short stories and two novels. Saving Kane and Fourth and Long were published with Loose Id. Two more novels are scheduled for that series, one of which is 80% complete.

So, I guess the surprising thing is there are folks who want to read my stories.

  • Have you ever gone to a convention? If so, how was it? If not, do you think it’s something you’d like to do in the future?

I’ve been to the one in Seattle. It was fun. I wasn’t a participant, but perhaps one of these days I will go a convention as a participant.

  • Would you like to be a full-time writer?

Oh hell yeah, but right now I’ve got bills to pay and mouths to feed. Ultimately, it would be a dream come true. There are so many stories chomping at the bit to get outta of my nugget, but my job is a demanding full time affair. Over- time is mandatory and my writing has to take a back seat.

  • Design the ultimate pizza.

I made the ultimate pizza this weekend. Homemade pizza dough with basil and spices mixed in, with a basil pesto/light marinara sauce, and 6 Italian cheese blend. The final topper is the mozzarella. I use a 50/50 mix of fresh mozzarella and low-moisture skim; makes a perfect cheese pizza. Then I topped it with fresh minced garlic, diced tomatoes, and purple onion.

 

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Hi y’all! Welcome back to Cat’s Meow~~Reviews that Purr. Today we have with us Michel Michael Rakes with Trainwreck. I chose this because I wanted something a bit out of my comfort zone. Something a bit grizzly and I do like a good mystery/ suspense from time to time. When I read this blurb I had to read the book.

TrainwreckCoverFinalSmall

Author Name: Michele Micheal Rakes

Book Name: Trainwreck

Series: Trainwreck Book One

Publisher: Michele Micheal Rakes(January 25, 2016)

Cover Artist: Drai Bearwomyn

Cover Photography by Dan Skinner

Editing: Tina Adamski

Categories: BDSM, Bisexual, Crime Fiction, Erotica, Fiction, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Ménage/Poly, Romance, Thriller

Pages or Words:  374 pages

Detective Sergeant Vincent Sweetwater hates dead bodies. That’s why he’s an undercover narc and not a homicide dick. So why is he standing on a sandy beach in California staring at a lifeless body—oh yeah, the suicide attempt. Lieutenant Hanson is making a statement. Something about life worth living. Shows what he knows.

As Vince examines the tortured body, he feels an empathy and déjà vu for the victim, her wounds are similar to scars he has only a vague memory receiving. An intense desire to find her killer fills his queasy belly as a dark game of cat and mouse begins.

The young woman’s death forces Vince back into a secret life dominated by sex, perversion, and sadomasochism. Estranged from his wife he still loves and longing for the man who possessed him once, Vince buries his torment deep inside meaningless sex.

*Warning: This book contains adult content and situations. NOT FOR THE SQUEAMISH.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/28644673-trainwreck

Raffle copter

A little more Trainwreck—I had three to pick from and I chose the most morbid.

The room fell silent and he turned back to the freezer. His hand hovered lovingly over the lid before he lifted it. “Hey, pretty. I know what to do with you now. You’re going to meet the son of an old friend.”

The girl had dead-fish eyes. Half-lidded, green once upon a time, they stared unseeing from a frost glittered corpse. Hair like sunburnt grass pricked her high cheekbones and full lips. He smoothed it back stiffly. The realization this would be the last time he felt her youthful body rushed through him like a phantom out of the dark. He was almost surprised at her lack of life.

On a shelf across the room was a black tarp, which he spread on the floor. With singular effort he struggled to get the partially frozen corpse from the freezer. She landed with a sick thud. The man apologized to her as though she were still living, stroking her stiff hair soothingly. He started to roll her in the black plastic, cocooning her in a final darkness, to be reborn from the chrysalis in the morning sunlight. Only then would Vincent Sweetwater come to know her and whom she represented.

MY REVIEW

 It sounds good doesn’t it? So now you suspense and mystery buffs go grab a  copy here: http://amzn.to/1Phfps1

 

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Meet the Michele Micheal Rakes:

Michele Micheal Rakes lives in a small town in the shadow of a big mountain and works as a surgical technologist assisting in the removal of tonsils and testicles. Three grown children, a one year old granddaughter named Thrasher, two psychotic Egyptian Mau’s, a husband with hair down to his knees, an Amazon for a wife, two Harley’s, and a ferret named Teeny Tiny Ferret Feet (husband insists her name Little Feet, we all know he’s wrong) life is gets pretty wild.

Note: Wife recently passed away from cancer and this book is dedicated in loving memory of Mary Louise Castleman. Love you babe!

Where to find the author:

Facebook: www.facebook.com/michelerakes1

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/michelemichealrakes

Twitter: @MicheleRakes

Blog: www.michelerakes.wordpress.com

contest ends tranwreck april 13

You can win one of three amazing prizes:  Three separate prizes: $15 GC, A copy of Trainwreck, Saving Kane/Fourth and Long gift pack.

 

a Rafflecopter giveaway

 

Tour Dates & Stops:

17-Feb

Book Lovers 4Ever, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words

 

24-Feb

Love Bytes, Mikky’s World of Books

 

2-Mar

Full Moon Dreaming, Man2ManTastic, Bonkers About Books, Bayou Book Junkie

 

9-Mar

BFD Book Blog, Velvet Panic, My Fiction Nook, Gay Media Reviews, The Novel Approach

 

16-Mar

Happily Ever Chapter, Hearts on Fire

23-Mar

Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy, Three Books Over The Rainbow

 

30-Mar

Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, KathyMac Reviews

 

6-Apr

Havan Fellows, Jessie G. Books

 

13-Apr

Cathy Brockman Romances, Inked Rainbow Reads

 

20-Apr

Divine Magazine, Prism Book Alliance

 

27-Apr

Molly Lolly

 

4-May

Dawn’s Reading Nook

 

11-May

Alpha Book Club

 

18-May

MM Good Book Reviews

 

25-May

Louise Lyons

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Thanks for stopping by the Cat’s Meow~~Reviews that purr.  Does Trainwreck look like a book you would like to read?  Book Two is coming soon!

Don’t forget..If you can dream it~~You can do it.


13 responses to “Cat’s Meow~~#Reviews That Purr~~Trainwreck by Michele Michael Rakes~~”

  1. Everything about this book sounds interesting, from Vince and his tortured inner demons to Mica, and so on. My heart goes out to him right away for the loss of his daughter. Best wishes for all good luck with your book, Mikey, and by the way, I also longed to be an Egyptologist!

    • I am reading this for review. It’s a hard read (not in a bad way, just the topic is dark) Os far it is good though! I love the cover and the Artist is on my friend’s list and I see Dan’s photo shoots of MJ all the time this is quite good!

      • When I saw the pics of MJ with his long hair, I fell in love with Dan’s photography, and became friends with him. He’s such a great guy!

        I knew I had to have those images for Trainwreck. A friend of mine does the covers for me and I’m just pleased she gets my visions for how I want them to look.

        Trainwreck is quite dark. Of all my friends and crit partners, I’ve had one person absolutely terrified of Vince and refuse to read past the infamous Chapter 9…which is now the infamous Chapter 59. Hehehe.?

        I’m glad it is holding interest and thanks again for hosting me on your blog.

        • I guess I am kinda the odd one. I like Vince…I would like to punch him at times but then wnat to grab him and hug him.. I love an unusual Character and Vince is that. I can see this Picture of MJ as Vince.. great choice.

          • Hehehe.? My editor now only sees MJ when she reads Trainwreck. When she first started editing, she wanted to punch Vince, as well. Then I received an email from her that said…this book better have a happy ending! She’d get so into it the shed have to go back and read to edit. Lol. I love that you want to punch him and hug him.

          • LOL I too see MJ walking around as Vince, at first I had a hard time imagining sweet MJ as Vince but I let go and love it. I love covers where I can see the character or characters. I am impatiently waiting meeting Greg… Maybe tonight. LOL

          • I’m completely in love with Greg. He’s the perfect man to handle Vince. Greg is a bit of a sad, but sweet character. I’m spending today working on Book Three edits. You will have more of Greg in book three.

    • Thanks, Flossie! I’ve loved Egyptology since I was seven. I was in such a dither when my older sister got to go see King Tut’s treasures when they came to Seattle back in seventy-eight, I think it was? Anyway, I was so lucky to take all my kids and grandkids to go see the treasures a few years back. Such amazing artistry!

      I’m glad you feel for Vince. He’s a character you either love, or hate.

      I hope to have book three out next month sometime. Just in the edit process now.

      • We got to see the treasures in an exhibit in Chicago years ago. It was intriguing. ( I am a lover of Vince LOL)(thanks for replying Mikey!

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