A warm welcome to author Lane Hayes joining us today here @Love Bytes on her blog tour for A Kind of Truth.
Welcome, Lane!
Author Name: Lane Hayes
Book Name: A Kind of Truth
Series: A Kind Of #1
Release Date: January 8, 2016
Pages or Words: 82,000 words
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: Aaron Anderson
Blurb:
Rand O’Malley dreams of superstardom. He hopes to one day sing the blues like a rock god. Moving to New York City and hiring a new manager are steps to make his dreams a reality. But nothing moves as fast as Rand would like, and everyone has opinions, which include he keep certain pieces of himself quiet if he plans on making it in the Big Apple. Like his bisexuality.
Will Sanders is a gifted musician who dazzles Rand with his ability to coax gorgeous notes from an electric guitar one moment and play the piano like a professional the next. He’s a geek, but Rand isn’t concerned about Will’s pressed exterior clashing with his tattoos. His focus is music. Yet there’s something about Will that makes Rand think there’s much more to the quiet college student than he lets on. As Rand’s dreams begin to materialize, he’s forced to reconsider his priorities and find his own kind of truth. One that might include Will.
Categories: Bisexual, Contemporary, Erotica, Gay Fiction, Humor, M/M Romance, Romance
Today I’m very happy to be interviewing Lane Hayes author of A Kind of Truth. Hi Lane, thank you for agreeing to this interview. Tell us a little about yourself, your background, and your current book.
Hi there! Thank you for having me here today! I’m a former designer who lives in Southern California with my husband and one of my teenage kids. My older sons live away at college now, which initially took some getting used to, but on the bright side… I have plenty of time to write full time now! A Kind of Truth is book one in my third series based in New York City. It’s a spin-off of the Better Than Stories series. Readers may remember Rand from Better Than Safe as Seth’s best friend. This was my first stab at a rock and roll story and I have to admit, it was a fun book to write.
Why do you write?
I began writing MM contemporary romance because I have a gay son. I’ve always been a romance reader, but in the few years before my son came out, I began to notice there weren’t a lot of hopeful LGBT stories. They were tragic and sad. And although I loved some of the romance books I discovered, there didn’t seem to be very many so I decided to try my hand at writing the story that was in my head. It became my first book, Better Than Good. I haven’t looked back. I love this genre and I’m proud to be an advocate for my son and the LGBT community by writing stories filled with hope.
Which of your books was the most difficult to write?
The Right Time was the most difficult so far. Though there was plenty of humor, it was by far my most angst-ridden story. The second book in A Kind Of is like that too. Emotional stories pose a real challenge for an author to do well, but ultimately they’re the ones we’re most proud of.
Give us an insight into your main character. What does he/she do that is so special?
Rand O’Malley is a handful! I really enjoyed writing his character. He’s a lovable egomaniac. Lol! He’s focused on making an outlandish goal come true, but he’s bright enough to know he’ll need help along the way. And if he’s lucky, he’ll find love too.
How much research do you do for your books?
It depends on the book. I do a little research before I begin writing all of my books, but I try to base a good deal of my books on some element of personal experience. Obviously, I’m not a rock star nor do I play guitar. However, I know NYC well and I have a few reliable sources to draw from regarding music and performing. The key is to be as true to what you know and research the heck out of what you don’t.
Who designs your covers?
Aaron Anderson! He has designed all of my covers for Dreamspinner Press. He is an amazing cover artist! I usually give him a brief snippet of the story and he comes back with a genius interpretation that leaves me in awe. I adore the one he made for A Kind of Truth!
Watching Will’s face turn pink then red was extraordinarily entertaining. I nudged his elbow playfully and tried to gain control of my smile before it threatened to take over my entire face. When I couldn’t take the building pressure of emotion, I winked at the girls then leaned in and kissed his lips, loving that I took him by surprise. The elevator doors slid open a moment later. Will stepped into the empty corridor and gave me a wide-eyed incredulous stare.
“I cannot believe you just did that.”
“What? Kissed you on an elevator? It’s not like farting, ya know.”
Will huffed a sigh that clearly said he thought I was hopeless before turning to walk down the hall. “I was talking about the underwear comment but yeah, the kissing part was awkward too. No one wants to watch two people going at in a confined space. And besides, we’re supposed to be playing this strictly straight while we’re in public.”
He stopped to unlock the door to the classroom then pushed it open, pausing to give me a perturbed look before he moved inside ahead of me. I barked a quick laugh as I set my guitar on the back table and shrugged my jacket off.
“First of all, that was hardly going at it. It was a peck. You were the one advertising I left my clothes at your place in front of a couple cute girls. And who said anything about playing straight?”
“Were we not in the same room two mornings ago talking about this?”
“We were. In fact, we were naked in your bed. Decidedly un-straight. But the way I remember it, I was one who was holding back the gay while you were the one going for it. But let’s go back to the elevator. I think you purposefully blew my cover back there with those girls. Were you jealous?”
He snorted and rolled his eyes. “You’re unbelievable.”
“Thanks.”
“It wasn’t a compliment,” he quipped as he made his way to the piano.
“Well, the next time you announce you’re holding my underwear hostage in a crowd, all bets are off, baby.” I gave him a lascivious once-over and waggled my eyebrows before tightening the strap on my guitar.
Will chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind. But I’m pretty sure your tighty-whities never came up. My comment was perfectly innocent. There’s a big difference between hats and underwear.”
“I’m on to you, Will. You wanted those girls to know something’s going on between us. They’re probably talking right now. Bet they’re wondering if we’re in here having sex. Hell, they could be outside that door listening. Maybe we should give ‘em something to talk about.” I made a show of unbuckling my belt and the top button on my 501s. “Is there a camera in this room?”
“Keep your pants on. I’ve got two months left till graduation and I’d prefer not to get kicked out of school, please,” Will said primly, smacking my hand away.
“You won’t get kicked out. I doubt we’d be the first anyway.”
I rezipped my jeans and started to back up, but at the last second, I reached out to cup his chin between my thumb and forefinger. I traced his jaw and let my thumb roam higher to caress his cheekbone just under his glasses. His eyes fluttered shut. I loved the contrast of his fair skin and darker lashes and eyebrows. He was so damn pretty. And those lips. They were sensuous. That was the word. I leaned in and brushed my nose against his. I could feel his breath on my lips. The urge to plunge my tongue inside and take what I was very sure we both wanted was strong, but I waited for his permission.
When he didn’t respond, I let my hand fall to my side and started to pull back. Maybe he really was serious about propriety in the classroom. I wasn’t used to curbing my impulses to suit someone’s else’s sensibilities. I’d spent twenty-five years doing only what I wanted. Screw anyone else. Now here I was, attempting to hide my gay side publicly while trying to follow Will’s lead in private. It felt strange, I thought, just as Will launched himself at me.
I grunted in surprise when he wrapped his arms around my neck and crashed his mouth over mine. He softened the connection and tilted his head as he raked his fingers through my hair. I responded but let him control the tempo. Until he tentatively licked my lips. Fuck, he tasted sweeter than I remembered. Like peppermint candy or hot chocolate. I pulled him flush against my chest and slid my tongue alongside his, twisting and colliding in a passionate fusion. When he gasped for air I pulled back only to have him grind his hips into mine and lick my jaw. He swayed into me with a moan and lost his footing.
“Steady there.”
Will was sexier than he knew, which spelled potential danger for me. It was better to let the music take over for now.
Buy the book:
Lane Hayes is grateful to finally be doing what she loves best. Writing full-time! It’s no secret Lane loves a good romance novel. An avid reader from an early age, she has always been drawn to well-told love story with beautifully written characters. These days she prefers the leading roles to both be men. Lane discovered the M/M genre a few years ago and was instantly hooked. Her debut novel was a 2013 Rainbow Award finalist and subsequent books have received Honorable Mentions in the 2014 and 2015 Rainbow Awards. She loves red wine, chocolate and travel (in no particular order). Lane lives in Southern California with her amazing husband and the coolest yellow Lab ever in an almost empty nest.
Where to find the author:
Twitter: @LaneHayes3
Tour Dates & Stops:
12-Jan: Prism Book Alliance, KathyMac Reviews, Carly’s Book Reviews, Hearts on Fire
14-Jan: Happily Ever Chapter, Nic Starr, Joyfully Jay, The Novel Approach
19-Jan: Havan Fellows, Three Books Over The Rainbow, Love Bytes
21-Jan: Unquietly Me, Gay Book Reviews,
26-Jan: Bayou Book Junkie, Elisa – My Reviews and Ramblings, Gay Media Reviews, Open Skye Book Reviews
28-Jan: Book Lovers 4Ever, Molly Lolly, Alpha Book Club, Full Moon Dreaming
2-Feb: BFD Book Blog, MM Good Book Reviews, Scattered Thoughts & Rogue Words
4-Feb: Divine Magazine, Book Reviews and More by Kathy, Wicked Faerie’s Tales and Reviews, Inked Rainbow Reads
Rafflecopter Prize: $20 gift card from retailer of choice and choice of book from Lane’s backlist
Congratulations, Lane! The book and series sound wonderful!
Congrats on a new book and series release. Giving this one a try – adding it to my TBR.
Thanks for the post and chance of the giveaway.
Congratulations on your new book.