A warm Love Bytes welcome to author Lane Hayes joining us today on her blog tour for new release The Right Time.
Lane kindly answered some questions for us, shares an excerpt and there is a giveaway to participate in !
Welcome Lane 🙂
Author Name: Lane Hayes
Book Name: The Right Time
Series: Right & Wrong Stories ,Book number: 3 (Can be read as a standalone)
Release Date: June 26, 2015
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson
Pages or Words: 225 pages, 80,000 words
Blurb:
Workaholic Nate Erickson is a successful real estate developer who thrives on long hours and stress. When a Los Angeles project prompts him to relocate to Santa Monica, he welcomes the change of scenery. Nate has always considered romantic entanglements trouble, but his sexy next-door neighbor isn’t easy to ignore. Which makes no sense, because Nate is straight… or so he’s always thought.
Alex Reyes is a retired professional soccer player turned West Hollywood business owner with an insatiable lust for life. He loves his family, friends, and work. But there’s one life challenge left to accomplish: coming out publically. Respect for traditional Latino values has kept him in the closet, but Alex begins to think he and his new neighbor might help one another combat their fears. As Alex and Nate forge a strong friendship, they soon realize facing their personal demons will take more courage than either man bargained. The reward is immeasurable… if the timing is right.
Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Fiction, Gay fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance
Sales Links:
Today I’m very lucky to be interviewing Lane Hayes author of The Right Time.
Hi Lane, thank you for agreeing to this interview.
Thank you for having me here today to talk about Alex and Nate’s story!
Describe your book to us.
I find people like Nate interesting. He’s very guarded. He doesn’t let anyone in easily, but once he does, they know they’ve made a friend for life. Alex is the opposite. He’s outgoing, friendly and energetic. He’s type of person you hope to find yourself sitting next to at a dinner party. Lol! Their story begins simply. They’re just two guys who for a short time are next-door neighbors. They have mutual friends in common and not much else. But as they get to know one another, they realize that might not be true. Each man is battling his own demons and when Alex devises a plan he thinks will help them both, Nate knows that by agreeing in any small part, he may be in deeper with the Latin hunk than he thought possible.
The Right Time is book 3 in the Right and Wrong Stories series. It was no secret that this book would be Alex’s story. However, I think many readers will be surprised by Nate, who is featured briefly in The Wrong Man. Nate is an interesting character. Jake speaks very fondly of his old friend, but Nate doesn’t necessary leave a great impression with Brandon. Isn’t that just the way it works sometimes? How can someone you love and trust be close friends with the oddest people?
Have you ever read something that made you think differently about your genre? Can you tell us what it was?
I’ve read many wonderful books in the MM Romance genre. I could probably answer this question in so many different ways so I’ll just name the first book that pops to mind. I adored Strawberries for Dessert by Marie Sexton. I loved how the author juxtaposed one flamboyantly gay man to one who’d rather fly under the radar. The honesty and simple characterizations stood out for me. Cole was fun to read about while Jonathan was more like a department store mirror reflecting truths about the way we view people we don’t understand. The book is simple yet relevant. Gosh, I think I may have to reread it soon! I’m selling myself on it all over again. 🙂
Tell us about your character’s family life?
Nate doesn’t prescribe to the same view. He has a brother who lives with his family in another state, but they don’t see one another often. Nate misses him but he’s more nonchalant about the distance. Something that would drive Alex crazy
Alex is from a traditional Mexican family. He was born and raised in California but both parents came from Mexico with nothing but a dream for a better life. Alex’s father, Tonio, is difficult and set in his ways. Alex is very close to his sister, Selena and her family. His father might be challenging at times, but as Alex tells Nate in one of the early scenes in The Right Time, “familia es todo”. Family is everything.
Compare yourself to your main character.
Oooh, this is a good one! I’m like Nate in a few ways. I’m very private. I don’t let people in easily. My closest friends are people I’ve known for years. On the other hand, I can be social and outgoing when the occasion calls for it. I’m not a wallflower by any means. However, my social meter comes with an expiration date. I can’t be “on” for long stretches without fighting a strong desire to be alone. Unlike Nate, I think I communicate well with people but I understand how he became very guarded and can appreciate that not everyone bounces back from heartache without a few scars.
Describe your past week as a type of landscape or a weather forecast.
My past week has been eerily like the weather we’ve been experiencing in Southern California! Cloudy skies and cooler temps in the morning with sun breaking through around noon. High temperatures in the late 60s. Yep. That’s sums up my mood as well as the forecast! Lol! 🙂
I hadn’t worked out with a professional in years, and it felt foreign to wait for someone else’s direction.
“Any issues with your shoulders or arms? Any injuries I should know about?” he asked, handing me the weights.
“No, I’m good.”
“Great. Start with your palms facing your thighs, lift them both over your chest, then lower the left. Good. And now the right.”
He stood over me diligently, making slight corrections when needed. My supine position gave me an interesting perspective. When I looked up, I noted how his strong brow offset his twinkling eyes. I swallowed uncomfortably and turned my head, only to find myself staring at his crotch. His dark shorts seemed to hint they were covering a generous package.
Holy fuck.
“You doing okay?”
“Uh yeah. Hey, weren’t you going to tell me about your Friday night?” I needed him to talk. I didn’t trust my thoughts anymore, and I was stuck in my current position crazily aware of a man in a way I hadn’t been in over fifteen fucking years. Diversion in any form was welcome.
Alex snorted. “I already told you. I went dancing, and oh yeah, I did get lucky.”
He added the last part with a hearty chuckle, no doubt catching my wide-eyed expression. I hadn’t expected that.
“Oh.”
“You asked.”
“Right.” I did? The strong flash of jealousy took me by surprise, but I pressed on. “Did you go back to the beach to get those girls’ numbers last weekend?”
He looked confused for a second, but a slow cocky grin soon spread across his handsome features as he crouched so his face was close to mine.
“No, I told you they weren’t my type.”
I gulped and watched his eyes lower to my throat. He licked his top lip and reached out to adjust my wrist.
“Lift ’em both at the same time, Nate. That’s it. Push it. Harder.”
I sent up a quick prayer I wasn’t sporting a tent in my shorts. Alex’s voice, touch, and yeah, the unintentional innuendos were making me nuts. And horny. I felt terribly out of my element. I wasn’t sure what we were talking about anymore, but the potent silence made me more uncomfortable than speech. Keep talking, I thought.
“So a dance partner?”
“What? Oh. Yeah, I think so. I can’t remember. It was just one of those things, you know? Sit up. Let’s give your arms a break.”
“Just one of those things?”
“Yeah. One night. No numbers exchanged. No hassle, no fuss.”
I had no words. Literally.
Alex chuckled gleefully as he led the way to a leg machine. He gave instructions and stood back to observe me for a moment.
“It’s not necessarily my favorite kind of sex, but hey….” He shrugged his shoulders with his hands outstretched as if to say “what’s a guy to do?”
I recognized this cue. It was my opportunity to commiserate about the trials and tribulations of being a single man with a healthy sexual appetite. Now was my chance to admit it was nice every once in a while to have sex of the nonsolo variety with someone who knew the score. But I was tongue-tied and equally aware of a completely different undercurrent. One I wasn’t brave enough to explore.
“You can stop having fun at my expense any time.”
Alex squeezed my shoulder and smirked playfully. “You’re easily rattled.”
“How so?”
“You seem like someone who has a place for everything and likes everything in its place. You have a routine, and you don’t appreciate any deviation. I should be flattered you came to the gym with me at the spur of the moment.” He paused, running his tongue over his plump bottom lip. “If you’re not careful, I’m gonna think you like me.”
The air between us crackled. Alex leaned forward so his handsome face was mere inches from mine. His proximity alone seemed to issue a challenge. Daring me to confess I was more than I appeared to be. I doubt he expected any revelations, but his intent was certainly to… how had he put it, rattle me. And damn, it was working.
Lane Hayes is finally doing what she loves best. Writing! An avid reader from an early age, Lane has always been drawn to romance novels. She truly believes there is nothing more inspiring than a well-told love story with beautifully written characters. Lane discovered the M/M genre a fews ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel, Better Than Good, was a 2013 Rainbow Awards finalist. She loves travel, chocolate, and wine (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and their very old dog in an almost empty nest.
Where to find the author:
Facebook: Lane Hayes https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100008562883399&fref=ts
Facebook Author Page: LaneHayesauthor
Twitter: LaneHayes3 https://twitter.com/LaneHayes3
Tour Dates & Stops: May 26, 2015
30-Jun
2-Jul
7-Jul
Cathy Brockman Romances
Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
9-Jul
Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews
14-Jul
16-Jul
Vampires, Werewolves, and Fairies, Oh My
Because Two Men Are Better Than One
21-Jul
23-Jul
Sinfully Addicted to All Male Romance
24-Jul
25-Jul
Rafflecopter Prize: $25 gift card & e-book copy of ‘The Right Time’
Congrats on your new novel. I want this so bad! Thanks for the chance to win.
Thank you! Good luck! xo
Congrats on the new release. The books sounds great. Thanks for the excerpt and the giveaway.
Thank you Tammy!
Congratulations!! Can’t wait to read The Right Time!! Thanks for the giveaway. karadg@hotmail.com
Thanks Kara. You’re welcome! 😉
Congratulations on your new release! It sounds so good!
Thanks Mary! I appreciate it! <3
Congrats! Have books one and two and hope to read them in a few days! Thanks for the chance with this giveaway!
Wonderful! Hope you enjoy them all! Thanks Jennifer! 🙂
Congratulations, Lane–it sounds fantastic!
I just bought the first two books this weekend; almost through the second one, can’t wait for the 3rd!
Congratulations on your new release.
congrats on the new book
Congrats on your newest book! It sounds great. Thanks for the excerpt and contest. 🙂