Quirk is My Kink

Hi! I’m Tara Lain. I write the Beautiful Boys of Romance and this week, I’m celebrating the release of my new fairy tale romance, DRIVEN SNOW. Now, I’m known for my quirky heroes, but I think my main character in Driven Snow may top the list – or very nearly. His name is Snowden Reynaldi and is, of course, called Snow. He’s a brilliant student of physics, a chess Grandmaster, and an adorable nerd. He’s as pretty as a girl, but never knew a pair of khakis he didn’t love – especially if they’re a couple sizes too large. He has a nice apartment – with no furniture except a rug and a rocking chair. He does everything, including sleep, on his rug. When he invites the guy he has a secret crush on over for tutoring, he has to furnish the entire apartment. He grew up with his grandmother who was hard of hearing, so he mostly talks to himself in long internal dialogues during which he argues both sides of any subject. He can’t drive even though he’s 20 and walks or rides his bike everywhere. Snow epitomizes quirky.

Recently, at GRL, I did a storyteller panel with the great Amy Lane and Z.A. Maxfield where we all talked about why we love quirky heroes so much. One of the things I said was that quirks are a shorthand way that I can signal to my readers that this character is more than he seems. Perhaps he appears to be a dyed in the wool alpha male like my hero, Cole Harker, in the Pack or the Panther. But Cole stutters when he tries to talk in groups, letting the reader know that he’s not as invincible as he appears. My big hunky football center, Jamal Jones, in Canning the Center, has a passion for root beer, which kind of sums up his whole Ferdinand the Bull attitude toward life. Snow is kind of the opposite approach. He’s so quirky, that even he has to discover his inner hero. I hope you enjoy my quirky guy and that you love DRIVEN SNOW.

“There are rumors here and there, but I’m a big guy, and nobody says it to my face.”

Snow shrugged. “So why change now? You’re a senior. You can do what you want next year.”

Riley leaned his head back against the couch. “Because it’s chickenshit, like I said. People are always going to give gay guys crap when they don’t know anyone who’s gay. I can change that. A lot of people think they know me. I mean, look at you. Chess champion. Much bigger than I’ll ever be. But you never claim to be anything but gay.”

“I’m so weird, nobody’s surprised.”

“No, you’re not. You show the world that gay guys can be brilliant geniuses and beautiful. I can show them that gay guys can be big and strong and well coordinated. We all have a part to play.” He chuckled. “I have to confess, I practiced that speech, but I’m hoping it’s true.”

Snow’s heart beat so loud he could barely hear. Could this really be happening? “Umm, so you said you have enough experience to teach me.” He stared at his moo shu.

Riley sat up and got a very serious expression. “You see, Mr. Reynaldi, it’s all a matter of physics. Your quantum physics says that electrons can be in two places at the same time.” He leaned forward and pulled Snow across his lap, somehow managing to not spill any Chinese food in the process. “It’s like my tongue can be in my mouth—” He ran his soft tongue across Snow’s barely parted lips. “—and inside your mouth at the same time.” He insinuated inside and kissed Snow slowly and thoroughly. So that’s how it feels. Invasive and completing at once.

Riley pulled his lips back from the kiss but kept them close to Snow’s so his breath warmed Snow’s wet mouth. “And just as particles can be waves and waves particles, so I can feel completely relaxed and completely excited simultaneously.”

Snow grinned. “I knew physics could be fun, but this is far beyond my expectations.”

“You didn’t have enough faith in your subject matter.”

“Clearly.” He smiled and whispered, “What happens now?”

“First, I want to know if you’re interested in me, or am I just living in fantasyland?”

Snow’s eyes widened. “Oh, did I not show enough interest?”

Riley laughed. “Yes, but I don’t want to take anything for granted. You’re too special.”

My, that moo shu is interesting. “I’ve been dreaming about you ever since the first time I saw you. I didn’t think you were gay, so I never even hoped it could be more than a dream.”

Riley caressed Snow’s hair. “Think of all the time we wasted dreaming about each other.”

“In quantum physics, particles in contact become quantumly entangled. Perhaps we simply needed more time for the entangling to occur.” Snow smiled softly. This had to be a dream.