Daily Deal on Magazines - Backpacker for $5

I just found this deal over at Amazon: Each day in April, they will discount the price of a (paper) magazine subscription on their April Daily Deals page.

Today's deal is a one-year subscription to Backpacker for $5. You do have to pick the auto-renewal subscription, but you can cancel the renewal at any time, with no penalty. This is one I already subscribe to, so I'm adding a year to my subscription while it is at this great price.

Free Book - The Siren and the Sword

The Siren and the Sword ($6.99 $0.99 Kindle), the first in the Magic University series by Cecilia Tan, is today's free book at AllRomance (and steeply discounted at Amazon). This series is somewhat akin to a (very) adult version of Harry Potter - if it were NC-17 rated. You can pick up the next two in the series at Amazon at a bargain price, as well: The Tower and the Tears ($4.72) and The Incubus and the Angel ($5.49).

Book Description
Kyle Wadsworth arrives at Harvard eager to start his new life as a college student away from the cold and distant great-aunt who has raised him. But he walks into a building that only magical people can see, confusing both himself and the administrators of Veritas, the secret magical university hidden inside Harvard. There he first sees a beautiful girl who seems magical to him in every way.

Soon Jess Torralva is tutoring Kyle in the ways of magic, sex, and love. But trouble is afoot at Veritas. Rumors abound that a siren is haunting the library, and when Kyle's best friend is attacked, Kyle is determined to use his newly learned skills in erotic magic to catch the culprit. But which is more important, his quest for justice or his search for true love?

Click HERE for the free book. It may show full price until you click on Buy Now or Add to Cart; once you start to checkout, you will see a 100% discount and your total will be zero (if it isn't, stop and try again from their home page, as you need to see the discount to get it free). Available (DRM-free) formats are: Mobipocket (.prc), Adobe Acrobat, Epub.

Free Book (nook) - A Fool Again

A Fool Again, by Eloisa James, is available as a free pre-order at B&N. There was an untitled pre-order by the same author available last October in the Kindle store, but it has never been delivered (and the ASIN is now missing from the store), although the orders have not been cancelled. There's a good chance it may turn into this same title when it is released on the 26th, as this is just one of the novellas that will be contained in the upcoming multi-author anthology, The One That Got Away ($6.99 Kindle), which is set to (re-)release on May 3.

Synopsis
A Fool Again is the story of Genevieve, who once made a dash to Gretna Greene to marry, but was caught by her father. Now, a few years later, the story opens at the funeral of her elderly husband (not the man she ran away to marry)...and that's all I'm going to say, besides to tell those of you who enjoyed Fool for Love that the hero of this story is Darby's brother, Tobias.
-Eloisa James

Free Book Updates (EPUB/nook)

Ok, after this post, I'm taking an hour or so off! The following list is books where an EPUB version has shown up as free today, either from B&N or one of the Adobe ADE vendors (or both). Links are to the original posts, which contain updated links to all available (free) outlets.

1. Wings (Free with Bonus Material)
2. Heart of the Sea
3. The Gospel of Ruth
4. Thicker than Blood
5. Paid in Blood
6. The Secret Holocaust Diaries
7. Trusting God
8. Becoming a Woman of Freedom

Free Book - Acting Naughty

Acting Naughty ($4.99 Kindle), the first in the LGBT Action! series by GA Hauser, is today's free book at AllRomance.

Book Description
Keith O’Leary has been trying to break into acting for ages. When a part in the newest cable television drama, Forever Young, is offered, Keith struggles with the idea of playing a gay man. Adam Lewis, his agent, persuades Keith to accept the role, knowing it’s a chance to star in the biggest new hit on TV. Keith reluctantly agrees, dreading working in a diner like his roommate/girlfriend, Patty, to make the rent money. When Keith meets his fabulous co-star, Carl Bronson, his anxiety is piqued. He has to kiss this man on camera, and much more.

Luckily for Keith, Carl is warm, understanding and willing to coach Keith during some nerve-wracking scenes. Soon the episodes sizzle with their erotic contact and declarations of love.

For Keith those words are beginning to feel like the truth as he grows to love the man he is kissing and touching in very passionate ways. And going through the same exact experience, Carl feels the same way.

As their romance blossoms on and off camera, someone threatens to expose them as real lovers, putting a shadow of doubt on their future in the business. Will they follow the advice of Adam Lewis, and deny, deny, deny, their true feelings to the tabloids? Or take the chance and expose themselves and their love and possibly risk their careers? In part one of two, Carl and Keith learn there’s more to a relationship, than acting.

Click HERE for the free book. It may show full price until you click on Buy Now or Add to Cart; once you start to checkout, you will see a 100% discount and your total will be zero (if it isn't, stop and try again from their home page, as you need to see the discount to get it free). Available (DRM-free) formats are: Adobe Acrobat, Microsoft Reader, HTML, Mobipocket (.prc), Epub.

The author has a handy guide to her characters and stories here, The Guide to Hauser's Erotic Universe, and a free holiday-themed short story here, Fun with Dick, for anyone who's interested in trying out more.