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 “All About Me” challenge on Facebook, I knew my guys would love to answer the questions. So, I let them. 🙂
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: Barq’s Root Beer
Glasses: No, but my fiancé looks hot on them
Cat or Dog: Definitely dogs
Evil or Good: Evilly good
Favorite Sport: Go Hawkeyes!
Favorite Animal: Hawkeyes
Weird: That’s what he said…
Do You Have Haters: Nah. I’m all sweetness and fluff
Funny or Not: Hilarious
Apple or Samsung: Apple
Smart: Average, just very good at my job
Batman or Superman: Spock
Book Blurb
Giving the commencement speech at his alma mater doesn’t fit Clay Keller’s meticulous schedule. As Chief Executive Officer of Travel Mogul—the largest travel connoisseur company on the West Coast—he 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. He’s 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 proposal—to date for a year—will help them discover that time changes a person, even when everything else stays the same.
Novella: 38,800 words
Pre-Order Links
Release Date: February 15, 2017
Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook | Kobo
Rafflecopter Giveaway
(February 9th to February 28th – Winner to be contacted March 1st)
Click here to enter the Rafflecopter and win a $20 Dreamspinner Press Gift Voucher.
Excerpt
©2017 Lila Leigh Hunter
All Rights Reserved
Clay—May ’15
Back to the future and all of that were Clay’s first thoughts as he stepped out of the car. The campus looked the same—Midwest Americana at its best. Redbrick buildings and perfectly pruned trees surrounded him, but as if the last fifteen years hadn’t happened, Clay’s world narrowed to the man waiting at the top of the portico stairs. The only thing time had changed? Them.
“Here’s your receipt, Mr. Keller,” the valet said, interrupting Clay’s musings. He didn’t remember being as young as the valet. Mr. Keller was his father, but Clay didn’t feel like correcting the man’s error.
“Thank you.”
“Not a problem. The man in the light gray suit is Professor Grant. He will be your escort today.”
“Perfect,” 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 family’s 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 hadn’t 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 he’d left behind many summers ago—a man standing like a prizefighter, waiting for Clay to reach him. With only a couple of feet between them, Clay’s step faltered. Aaron didn’t 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.
“Professor Grant, I believe you’re expecting me?” He hoped his smile would ease Aaron’s frown.
“That I am, Mr. Keller. As the university liaison, it is my pleasure to welcome you back to your alma mater and to convey the president’s and the board of trustees’ deepest regards.”
“How long did it take you to memorize that spiel? As far as I remember, you weren’t fond of formalities.” Neither of them let go of the other’s hand. Aaron’s touch, familiar and foreign, branded him in seconds.
“Ass.”
Aaron didn’t expect the hug that followed. As soon as their bodies touched, Aaron tensed, but Clay held him tighter.
“Relax, sunshine. It’s been a while.” Clay let Aaron go, but not before he rubbed his trimmed beard against Aaron’s 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, she’s still their mom’s favorite. According to the dusty diplomas on her wall, she’s 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
Author’s Page: http://www.facebook.com/HunterRomances
Lila’s 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
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