Dating in Retrospect (States of Love) by Lila Leigh Hunter
Publisher: Dreamspinner Press
Cover Artist: L.C. Chase
Release Date: February 15, 2017
Pre-Order Links
Dreamspinner | Amazon US | Amazon UK | Nook | Kobo
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Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words is happy to have one of our own in the author’s chair talking about their latest novel and answering our questions on writing. Hi, Lila!
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Family Questioning
Hi, guys! I’m Lila and I have been part of the Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words family for a little over a year. I love to write stories for all of you, but reading is my first love. I have been lucky enough to find a great place to share that love with other readers. Today, though, I’m here as an author. My States of Love novella, Dating in Retrospect, comes out tomorrow. And it’s time for me to sit on the hot chair and answers the author’s interrogation. Sorry, fun and friendly questions.
How much of yourself goes into a character?
- This time, more of my husband and his friends are weaved into my characters. The story is set in Southeastern Iowa were he’s from. So, small details like wearing ballcaps instead of cowboy hats and watching the four of July fireworks from a parking lot are part of my story.
Does research play a role into choosing which genre you write? Do you enjoy research or prefer making up your worlds and cultures?
- No, I do my research after I select the genre I’m going to write. I prefer to write contemporary romances, but I have some alternate historical fantasies. In the next couple of years, I’m hoping to work on several full fantasy stories, but I’d need the time to build the worlds and everything that goes with it.
Do you read romances, as a teenager and as an adult?
- I started reading romances about four years ago. Before that, I read mostly literary fiction and autobiographies. I really enjoy learning about others’ lives. It’s interesting to see the world trough others’ experiences.
How do you feel about the e-book format and where do you see it going?
- I’m a fan of e-books. They have allowed me to read over two hundred books a year, something I couldn’t afford when buying paperbacks. I still love the smell of new books, but I buy e-books almost every day. The best part, I don’t have to leave the house to do it.
How do you choose your covers?
- I designed all the covers for my indie stories. I prefer to use one of the main characters as the main focus. I try to think of ideas beforehand, but most times, I simply look around stock photos until I find the right one. Then, I just play with the fonts until I get it right. For my trad published stories, I send all the relevant information to the cover artist and we work together to get the right cover after they presented me with some rough drafts.
Do you have a favorite among your own stories? And why?
- My favorite story is tentatively called Prescribed Discipline. It’s not out yet, but I wrote it in 2015. It’s my favorite because the character are the oldest ones I have work with so far. One is in his late forties and the other on his fifties. I love to give HEA to men that were not able to be themselves in their youth.
What’s next for you as an author?
- I’m currently revising one of my BDSM stories and writing the follow up book to Tow Trucks & New Year’s Kisses. After that, I’m stepping out of my comfort zone and working on a FF short story and a het speculative story. But don’t worry, there’s plenty of men coming your way.
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.
Category: Romance
Genre: Contemporary
Sex Content: Explicit
Pairing: MM
Orientation: Bisexual
Identity: Cisgender
Length: Novella-Words: 38,800
Pages: 101
Excerpt
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
Rafflecopter Giveaway
(February 9th to February 28th – Winner to be contacted March 1st)
Dating in Retrospect Giveaway
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.
A Jag with out-of-state plates is the last car Scott DeLaney expected to find when answering a tow call as a favor to his drunken godson. But, the tall man in the fedora seems like a nice reward until Scott finds out the stranger’s destination. Yes, he’d take care of the brooding man, but he has a selfish reason for it.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 