Author Tina Blenke is here today on the blog with their blog tour of Life Worth Living.
Welcome to Love Bytes, Tina!
Author Name: Tina Blenke
Book Name: Life Worth Living
Release Date: December 9, 2015
Pages or Words: 63,267
Publisher: Wilde City Press
Cover Artist: Adrian Nicholas
Blurb:
Jake has been hiding in plain sight, always a few rows behind his straight-crush Quentin during their four years of college. He’s been successful so far but just as they’re about to graduate, Quentin finds out Jake’s secret and Quentin shares one of his own. He’s in the closet.
Jake isn’t about to let this opportunity pass him by especially when Quentin is scheduled to leave for the East coast in a few short summer months. Willing to keep Quentin’s secret from his upper crust politically-fueled homophobic family, Jake shares his bed and eventually his heart.
Quentin’s life in the closet is non-negotiable. His family has strong political ties and any word about their son’s sexuality would cast him out of the family and out of his inheritance which he desperately needs to finish his education. He’s been successful keeping his sexuality a secret for years until he meets the irresistibly adorable Jake at an early graduation party.
Quentin is unable to ignore his desire for Jake and makes the life-altering leap that holds his future in the balance. Locked away from the public eye, the two men admit their love for one another. In three short months, they will be forced to part ways for graduate school but the challenges of potential scrutiny, family commitment and an un-promised future may prove to be more than they can overcome.
Categories: Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, M/M Romance, Romance
What hobbies do you have for when you’re not writing?
I have many hobbies outside of writing. One of them is crocheting. I learned how to crochet from my mother when I was about seven or eight years old. I could granny stitch and that was about it until my early twenties. I found it to be dull and that’s when I picked up counted cross-stitch. Every year, I grew better and better until I was using more advanced patterns and even incorporated beading into my work. Then, over many many years and experience, I completed a gorgeous work that was submitted to the county fair where I won first in county and fifth in state. It was quite the achievement for me and funny enough, I haven’t cross-stitched since! I picked up crochet again with a new eye and learned new stitches and taught myself how to read patterns with the help of YouTube and encouragement from my sister. Within days, I was making afghans, blankets, toys, dog clothes, amigurumi and other items. I like to keep busy with my hands and it makes a nice way to stay busy when I’m binge watching TV like I did last night watching Vikings. I’m thinking of a story about two Viking warriors…
“Cora? He’s really gone, isn’t he?”
“You did what you had to do to save both your life and his career. You didn’t do a goddamned thing wrong, you hear me? You are one of the bravest men I know,” she growled.
“Yeah, right. I’m the gayest man you know.”
“You shut the fuck up right now, Jake. I don’t let anyone bad-mouth you around me and that includes you. It takes a real man to stand up for who he truly is on the inside. The easy way out would be to hide who you are and live in the closet for fear of what the world will say or do to you.”
“Now that’s not fair,” I argued immediately, thinking of Quentin’s situation.
“And for what? Admitting that you want to love another man? It’s a beautiful romantic notion, Jake. You throw yourself bare to the world for love, the noblest feeling in the world, and all you expect in return is someone to return the feeling. And what does that rat bastard do? He shows you what it feels like to be loved, only there was a condition on it, wasn’t there? As long as he could hide you from the world and not be proud of the honest, kind and decent man that you are. He should have been yelling your name from the mountains or something. Instead? Instead, he runs and hides so he can save his face from his family.”
Buy the book:
Tina is a retired Air Force brat and has lived in several states as well as a handful of countries. She has always had a soft spot for literature and is a voracious reader. When she isn’t writing, she can be found cuddled up with a good book. Though Tina adores a thrilling novel with sappy lovesick heroes, she is terrified of things that go bump in the night. This makes for quite a complicated relationship with zombies, something that she just can’t get enough of.
Where to find the author:
Tour Dates & Stops:
23-Dec: Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words, Full Moon Dreaming
30-Dec: Love Bytes, Kirsty Loves Books, Book Lovers 4Ever
6-Jan: Wake Up Your Wild Side, Divine Magazine, MM Good Book Reviews, Hearts on Fire
13-Jan: BFD Book Blog, The Hat Party, My Fiction Nook, Louise Lyons
20-Jan: KathyMac Reviews, Unquietly Me, Inked Rainbow Reads, Jessie G. Books
27-Jan: Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Dawn’s Reading Nook, Alpha Book Club, Havan Fellows
3-Feb: Happily Ever Chapter, TTC Books and More, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Prism Book Alliance
10-Feb: The Novel Approach, Bayou Book Junkie, Molly Lolly, Two Chicks Obsessed With Books and Eye Candy
Rafflecopter Prize: 3 – $5 Amazon gift cards (1 winner each)
I love the cover, it’s beautiful 🙂 I need to know if they can be together after their three months! Congrats on your new book and thanks for the chance!
Adrian Nicholas knocked this cover out of the park! I wanted a play on the dark closet that Quentin is living in compared to the light of life he could have and he did an exceptional job. As for the summer romance…you’ll have to read and see what happens. 🙂
congrats tina on the release
Thanks so much!
Good luck with the release!
Congratulations on the release!
Thank you!
Congratulations on the release of Life Worth Living! Looking forward to reading it!
This story has some really high highs and devastating lows. I hope you enjoy it.
Thanks to everyone for their kind words and for stopping by on the tour. With every book that’s released, I think the covers just keep getting better and better. Each reveal feels like seeing my book baby’s face for the first time. Thanks again for the warm welcome.
Congratulations on the release of Life Worth Living! Best wishes for ground breaking sales!