Author spotlight Carter Quinn, The Way Back. Guest Post & Giveaway.

** Warning, this is an adults only M/M Contemporary Romance **

 

In freshman year, Riley Evans met the best friends he ever thought he'd have, Jason and Eric. But then his friendship with Eric turned into something much more. That relationship ended almost as soon as it began, and Riley hasn't let anyone near his heart since. Until now.

When Riley needed him most, Jason helped pick up the pieces. Six years later, he's once again part of Riley's life. Riley is slowly letting Jason past his defenses and is starting to see how good they are together. They're even planning a romantic weekend getaway. Then, out of the blue, Eric calls, claiming he wants Riley back.

Riley has been dreaming about Eric for six years, but suddenly he can't he stop thinking of Jason. Jason, who has always been there when Riley needs him-who puts Riley's happiness above his own, even if that means his own heart will suffer. Jason insists Riley face his old feelings for Eric to make sure they're really gone. But are they? If Riley can't learn from his mistakes, he may be destined to repeat them-and Jason won't wait forever.

 

I loved this book! I laughed, I cried, I laughed while I cried.. this book is just a complete plethora of emotion.

Riley Evans has finally found happiness with his long time friend, Jason. It was a long road travelled to get to where they are. Six years ago Riley was in love with Jason’s brother, Eric. In denial about not only himself, but his feelings for Riley as well, Eric broke something inside Riley when he left and married a women. Jason has only just come back into Riley’s life and is helping him rebuild his broken heart when Eric calls out of the blue, telling Riley he wants him back.

I was thankful that Riley didn’t try to hide anything form Jason, he was open and honest with him from the start. Riley isn’t quite ready to give Eric that second chance at his recently mended heart, but he’s spent the last six years wondering what if? Jason knows that if Riley doesn’t deal with the situation he will always wonder, so he makes Riley promise to meet his brother and then decide if he wants to give him a second chance.

My heart broke slap in half as Jason had to watch his brother court the man he loved. Jason had already buried his feelings for Riley once for the sake of his brother, and what he thought Riley wanted. Now he has to know definitively if Riley loves him, his brother, or the shadow of the man Riley thinks Eric is. Has Riley found the man he needs with Jason? Or is this second chance with Eric opening the door for them to finally be together? Or is Riley so screwed up that he ends up pushing both men away, destined to be alone and miserable?

I will tell you that you will get your HEA, I just can’t tell you who exactly gets that HEA. I loved the author’s ability to make the reader actually feel what the characters were feeling throughout the story. Definitely an emotionally wrought, passionate and intense read, with a lot of ups and downs. Riley grows so much throughout the story, and I loved his character development. He was flawed but real and unsure of himself, what he felt. But once he figures out who he is, therefore exactly who he’s meant to be with, he will stop at nothing to attain his goal.

Must read for fans of the genre, but I’d recommend this one to those hard core romantic readers as well. There is some hot as hell guy action, let me tell you! The “bareback” scene is my absolute favorite. But the lunchtime scene is a close second. Quinn managed to keep the story light with a bit of humor, like Riley’s best friends husband (I did not need that visual!) and some quirky anicdotes (helium!) as well.

 

Carter Quinn was born and raised in a very small Western Kansas town where cattle vastly outnumber humans. Because he’s contrary by nature, upon graduating high school, he went East, young man, hoping to find more people like him (shh: the gays!). After stints living in places as different as Omaha, Nebraska, and Ft Lauderdale, Florida, he settled in Lawrence, Kansas, and attended the University of Kansas (Rock Chalk!). Although he still bleeds (Crimson and) Blue, Carter recently relocated to Colorado where he can be closer to his beloved Colorado Avalanche. He is the paw-picked human companion of the sweetest dog on the planet, a Beagle-surprise mix named Yashe.

 

For more info about this author, visit his website.

Quinn has a couple of free short stories available on his site as well..

In the Crease and I'm every Goalie

 

Guest Post Spotlight with Author Carter Quinn. Music as an Influence in writing.

 

Hello, everybody. First, I want to thank Tams for having me here and for requesting to

review The Way Back. It amazes and humbles me that almost a year after publication, people are

still picking it up. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have you all read Riley, Jason and Eric’s

story. Anyone who knows me will attest to the fact that I’m a little bit…quirky. Hey, you try

having a bunch of hot gay men in your head, jostling with each other to tell their stories and see

how quirky you become! One of the quirks that I fully embrace is my love for, and the influence

upon me of, music.

 

My older sisters like to tell the story about how, as a three-year-old who couldn’t read, I

could unerringly bring them the 45 RPM records they requested. Somehow I could distinguish

between “Island Girls,” “Running on Empty,” and “Don’t Go Breaking’ My Heart.” I’d like to

think I was a boy genius, but if that’s true, what the hell happened to me?

 

 

 

As Trisha Yearwood sang in 1993, the song remembers when. So it shouldn’t come as

any shock that the writing of The Way Back was greatly assisted by music. You know that one

scene where Jason does that thing he didn’t mean to do? Thank Melissa Etheridge’s “Similar

Features.” Or that lunchtime blowjob? INXS. Good lord, I’ll never hear “Pretty Vegas” again

without thinking of that scene. What I had forgotten until a few minutes ago was that the book

was inspired by Dolly Parton’s “Once in a Very Blue Moon.” I heard the song and wondered

just what would happen if my very own version of Eric reappeared. The story grew from there,

though Eric surprised me by being a better man than I had envisioned.

 

 

 

But back to the music.  When I was floundering for a short story to write for the Cup

of Porn birthday bash, I put the iPod on shuffle and went outside to clear my mind. Whitney

Houston’s “I’m Every Woman” came on and Trick practically knocked me down screaming so

hard about how that was him—he was every goalie! I still love that part of the story.

 

For the last two years, I’ve been working on my next book,  Out of the Blackness. I

thought I had it finished in October, right after GRL, but after some feedback from a couple of

fantastic beta readers, I realized a major rewrite was in order. Because Avery, my protagonist,

is in such a dark place, it was exceedingly difficult to get back into that mindset. I struggled for

months, trying to force myself to work on it, but allowing myself almost any out not to. Two

weeks ago, I changed the music on my iPod (it runs 24/7 as background music) and suddenly I

was right there, inside Avery’s head, ready to go. I made major progress for the first time since

finishing the first draft. With any luck, I should have it finished by the end of June.

 

After that, I’ll start on Eric’s story, The Way Forward. That one is inspired by a song,

too. I can’t wait to write that scene. What song? Oh, you’ll just have to wait to find out! So what

about you? How does music inspire your creativity or even just your daily coping skills? 

 

 

 

So there are the links for some of the songs Quinn listed in his post that were instrumental in the writing process for The Way Back. After reading the novel my song for Riley and Jason is Pink featuring FUN, Just Give Me A Reason. Thank you so much author Carter Quinn for sharing your musical inspirations with us today, until next time!

 

 

 

 

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