This week I’m joined by Lila Leigh Hunter who has an upcoming release in the Dreamspinner Press States of Love series. I love the whole idea of this collection which features a book set in each state of the USA. It’s a chance for readers to travel around the US and get a sense of the time and place. I’ve got a book coming up in the World of Love collection which has a similar concept but is global.
So let’s hear about the book, Dating in Retrospect, and meet one of the main characters. Plus there’s a giveaway!
All About Me: Cast Edition – Clay Keller
Thank you, Nic, for letting me introduce one of the main characters from my new States of Love novella, Dating in Retrospect, to your readers. I love learning more about my characters and when I saw the โAll About Meโ challenge on Facebook, I knew my guys would love to answer the questions. So, I let them. ๐
Full Name: Clay Keller
Single or Taken: Very taken
Crush: Nyle DiMarco
Height: Six-feet one
Favorite Color: Red
Kids: Not yet
Snapchat: Yes, and I love the flower crown filter
Zodiac Sign: Taurus
Last Drink: Barqโs Root Beer
Glasses: No, but my fiancรฉ looks hot on them
Cat or Dog: Definitely dogs
Evil or Good: Evilly good
Favorite Sport: Go Hawkeyes!
Favorite Animal: Hawkeyes
Weird: Thatโs what he saidโฆ
Do You Have Haters: Nah. Iโm all sweetness and fluff
Funny or Not: Hilarious
Apple or Samsung: Apple
Smart: Average, just very good at my job
Batman or Superman: Spock
ย 
Book Blurb
Giving the commencement speech at his alma mater doesnโt fit Clay Kellerโs meticulous schedule. As Chief Executive Officer of Travel Mogulโthe largest travel connoisseur company on the West Coastโhe has no time to get back in touch with his country roots. He left fifteen years ago without a second look, but a medical scare makes him change his mind about the speech and brings him face-to-face with his only regret.
Time always moves slower in Southeastern Iowa, and Aaron Grant loves it. Heโs added solar farms to the Grant Lanes portfolio and has been teaching at the local university for a decade. The last thing he needs is to have his tenure application compromised by the return of his ex-boyfriend. If he had known who the commencement speaker would be, he would never have volunteered to be the administration liaison.
A proposalโto date for a yearโwill help them discover that time changes a person, even when everything else stays the same.
Novella:ย 38,800 words
Pre-Order Links
Release Date: February 15, 2017ย
Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook | Kobo
Rafflecopter Giveaway
(February 9th to February 28th โ Winner to be contacted March 1st)
Click here to enter the Rafflecopter and win a $20 Dreamspinner Press Gift Voucher.
Excerpt
ยฉ2017 Lila Leighย Hunter
All Rights Reserved
ClayโMay โ15
Back to the future and all of that were Clayโs first thoughts as he stepped out of the car. The campus looked the sameโMidwest Americana at its best. Redbrick buildings and perfectly pruned trees surrounded him, but as if the last fifteen years hadnโt happened, Clayโs world narrowed to the man waiting at the top of the portico stairs. The only thing time had changed? Them.
โHereโs your receipt, Mr. Keller,โ the valet said, interrupting Clayโs musings. He didnโt remember being as young as the valet. Mr. Keller was his father, but Clay didnโt feel like correcting the manโs error.
โThank you.โ
โNot a problem. The man in the light gray suit is Professor Grant. He will be your escort today.โ
โPerfect,โ Clay responded, smiling at the mention of having an escort at his service, especially one whose body he knew well. With a nod and a tip, Clay left the valet behind, turning his attention back to Professor Grant. Professor. Aaron had done it after all. Clay had never doubted it, even after Aaron decided to stay and work at his familyโs farm instead of moving with him to LA. Now he needed to find out if he had a chance with Aaron. At least having him there, waiting for him, had to be a good sign. Today was his lucky day indeed. True, he hadnโt expected to see Aaron so soon. He had planned to stop by the farm after the commencement, but he was ready either way. Life had been rough lately, but having the opportunity to see Aaron again was worth coming back to the middle of Nowhere, Iowa.
He walked casually toward the man heโd left behind many summers agoโa man standing like a prizefighter, waiting for Clay to reach him. With only a couple of feet between them, Clayโs step faltered. Aaron didnโt seem happy to see him, more like he was ready to bolt before Clay got to him. Shaking his head and keeping his eyes on his prey, he closed the distance and extended his hand in greeting.
โProfessor Grant, I believe youโre expecting me?โ He hoped his smile would ease Aaronโs frown.
โThat I am, Mr. Keller. As the university liaison, it is my pleasure to welcome you back to your alma mater and to convey the presidentโs and the board of trusteesโ deepest regards.โ
โHow long did it take you to memorize that spiel? As far as I remember, you werenโt fond of formalities.โ Neither of them let go of the otherโs hand. Aaronโs touch, familiar and foreign, branded him in seconds.
โAss.โ
Aaron didnโt expect the hug that followed. As soon as their bodies touched, Aaron tensed, but Clay held him tighter.
โRelax, sunshine. Itโs been a while.โ Clay let Aaron go, but not before he rubbed his trimmed beard against Aaronโs clean-shaven face as he moved back.
Meet the Author
Lila Leigh Hunter is the pen name of a Puerto Rican author with a hyphenated surname. Born and raised on the island, Lila grew up making up stories her siblings pretended to like. But no matter what they say, as the youngest of six, sheโs still their momโs favorite. According to the dusty diplomas on her wall, sheโs an architectural designer living in Southern Texas with her husband and four military brats.
She spends most of her free time writing homoerotic romances about middle-aged men finding happiness and the rest hiding from pesky house chores. When outside of her cave, she likes to observe people and try to guess their stories. Sometimes she wishes the voices in her head were real; going out with the boys in her books sounds like a plan made in heaven.
Social Media
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/ctHk41
Authorโs Page: http://www.facebook.com/HunterRomances
Lilaโs Cabana on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/groups/LilasBooks/
Facebook Profile: https://www.facebook.com/LilaLeighHunter
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/Hunter_Romances
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lila_leigh/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/Hunter_Romances/
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/HunterRomances
Website: http://lilaleighhunter.wordpress.com
Email: llhunter.romance@gmail.com
โญโญโญโญโญ
What to share this post? Here’s a ready-made tweet.
CLICK TO TWEET: WIN a $20 @Dreamspinnersย GIFT VOUCHER thanks to @Hunter_Romances #FriendlyFriday ๐๐ฌ๐ #mmromance #gayromance http://wp.me/p4tUbj-10qย ๐ #mmromance #gayromance
Thank you for letting me talk about my story with your readers! <3
Thanks for stopping by ๐