Blog Tour - Character Bio & Giveaway: Tackling The Tight End by Tara Lain

Hi Everyone!! I'm happy to host Tara Lain today!
Meet Dennis! He's one of the heroes in Tackling The End! 

Meet the Serpent – 

Name: Dennis Hascomb

Age: 21

Ethnicity/Nationality: American; “the whitest man on earth”

Hair: pale blond

Height: 6 ft. 

Weight: Slender, about 165

Sexuality: Confused; attracted to men, but being gay is very inconvenient (and perhaps life threatening)

Occupation: college senior film student; a key player in his “family business”

Personal goals: to rescue his sister; to live to see tomorrow

Family: Antoinette and Mercer; grifters and con artists

Greatest desire: to have a friend who genuinely likes him; to have a life of his own

Greatest challenge: Survival

Inspirational Image ONLY

Copyright Disclaimer -  we do not own or claim to own the rights to this image

Tackling The Tight End
(Long Pass Chronicles Series, #3)
By Tara Lain

Blurb:
Everyone wants the best for SCU student and tight end, Raven Nez—and they know exactly what that is. Enter the NFL draft, become a big football hero, promote his tribe’s casino, and make a lot of money to help people on the reservation. Just one problem. Raven really wants to work with gay kids, and while he loves his tribe and likes football, his visions for the future don’t mesh with theirs. Then the casino board hires a talented student filmmaker to create ads for the tribal business and asks Raven to work with him. But the filmmaker is Dennis Hascomb, a guy with so much to hide and a life so ugly it’s beyond Raven’s understanding. Still he’s drawn to Dennis's pain and incredible ability to survive. Captivated by Raven’s stories of the two-spirited and by the amazing joy of finally having a friend, Dennis knows he has to break free from everything he’s ever been taught was good—but that’s a struggle that could kill him and Raven, too. Is there a chance for “the great red hope” and the “whitest guy on earth”? A future for the serpent and the raven?

Available for purchase at 

      

 

You can also order your copy at

Also available in paperback from Dreamspinner Press

Excerpts

Raven laid out paper plates with pizza, two Cokes, and a bowl of potato chips on a box he used for a coffee table in front of the couch. He set them up so that Dennis either had to sit on the floor—not too comfortable, considering it was very worn carpet—or sit beside Raven. Maybe he could get Dennis to relax a little.

The movie started, and Dennis took a bite of cheese and artichoke hearts. He sighed and closed his eyes for a second.

Raven smiled. “Good?”

“Oh yeah. I always have dinner with my parents, which means I never get to eat anything normal.”

“They must really have bought into all that crap about eating together keeps the family together.”

“Yeah.” He pointed at the screen. “Okay, so you know this was partly an homage to the old western serials, right?”

Raven wrote in the air as he said, “Cowboooooys in Spaaaaaace.”

“Exactly. But it goes a lot deeper. It’s a real Biblical epic battle of good versus evil. I mean Luke, right? This is the book of Luke. And the Force. Interesting that most of the ordinary dumb bad guys make fun of the ancient religion, but Darth Vader knows and uses the Force. That’s what makes him so powerful. Darth, of course, is a play on Dark, and all the Darths in the series are the most dangerous villains.”

“Vader is short for invader?”

“I think that’s where it came from, but did you know that vader means father in Dutch?” He laughed. “They probably weren’t so surprised at the whole ‘Luke’s father’ revelation in the Netherlands.”

“No kidding?”

Dennis leaned forward for a piece of pepperoni pizza just as Raven grabbed for the same one. Their hands touched as they both held the crust. Raven grinned. “If they did this in a movie, you’d probably say it was contrived, right? Could never happen. The director should get a more original idea to get them together.”

“Yeah.” Raven heard Dennis swallow.

“So now that you have us here, director Hascomb, what do you plan to do with us?”

Dennis swallowed again, lifted his thumb, and gently rubbed Raven’s little finger.

Well damn, he’d had a fair amount of sex in his twenty-one years, but nothing had ever dived straight to his dick quite as fast as that gentle caress. “Man, you do it for me.”

“I-I do?”

“Yeah. That’s no demand or even request. I just want you to know.”

“What’s it like to kiss a guy?”

Their fingers stroked and twined. Nothing else moved if he didn’t count the expanding of cocks. “I don’t know. It’s great. Maybe not that different from kissing a girl. More stubble, I guess.” Raven wiped his other hand across his chin. “But not from me. No beard.”

“I’ve never kissed a girl. I tried to have sex a couple times but skipped the kissing part.”

“Well, hell, man. That means—”

On the screen, the 3-D projection of Princess Leia popped out of the communication device in R2-D2. Dennis stared at their linked hands. “Help me, Obi-Wan Kenobi—”

Raven joined in. “You’re our only hope.” He reached a hand around Dennis’s head and pulled him closer, then pressed half-open lips to Dennis’s closed mouth. Stroking gently, he persuaded those full pink lips apart and slipped his tongue slightly between. Dennis startled, but Raven held his head just tight enough to keep them in contact, but not so tight as to scare him.

Dennis shivered, made a little gurgling sound in his throat, brought his hands up against Raven’s shoulders, and then—some dam gave way. He dissolved in Raven’s arms, even wrapping his own around Raven’s chest, and oh God, his mouth opened, accepting all of Raven’s tongue. Sweet. As Raven’s tongue slid in, Dennis sucked. Jesus, Raven practically came just from the heat of that suction. 

The Long Pass Chronicles Series

About the Author

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her best­selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul­mate husband and her soul­mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at

               

Giveaway

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Presented By

Cover Reveal Blitz: Tackling The Tight End by Tara Lain

Tackling The Tight End
(Long Pass Chronicles Series, #3)

By Tara Lain

Blurb:

Everyone wants the best for SCU student and tight end, Raven Nez—and they know exactly what that is. Enter the NFL draft, become a big football hero, promote his tribe’s casino, and make a lot of money to help people on the reservation. Just one problem. Raven really wants to work with gay kids, and while he loves his tribe and likes football, his visions for the future don’t mesh with theirs. Then the casino board hires a talented student filmmaker to create ads for the tribal business and asks Raven to work with him. But the filmmaker is Dennis Hascomb, a guy with so much to hide and a life so ugly it’s beyond Raven’s understanding. Still he’s drawn to Dennis's pain and incredible ability to survive. Captivated by Raven’s stories of the two-spirited and by the amazing joy of finally having a friend, Dennis knows he has to break free from everything he’s ever been taught was good—but that’s a struggle that could kill him and Raven, too. Is there a chance for “the great red hope” and the “whitest guy on earth”? A future for the serpent and the raven?

Release Date: 
January 15,  2016

You can pre-order your copy at

Also available for pre-order in paperback from Dreamspinner Press

Excerpt

Dennis’s heart kept pounding in his throat as he crawled out of Walt’s car in the parking lot of the burger place and watched Raven’s long legs emerge from the front seat onto the pavement beside him. Jesus, he was about to go eat with this guy who looked like a god. Man, that was some kind of new milestone. He leaned over and peered in the front seat. “Thanks for driving, Walt. And for including me. Good to meet you.”

“Yeah. Same here.” Walt gave a wave to Raven. “See you later, lover.” After Raven slammed the door, Walt drove off.

“He seems like a great guy.”

Raven nodded as he walked toward the door of the diner. “Yeah, he’s the best. Been my friend since we were kids.” All those strong planes in his face seemed to soften. “Sometimes I’m not sure how I’d get through a day without Walt.” He pulled his jacket tighter and seemed to shudder against the breeze. Weird that Dennis wanted to wrap his arms around Raven to keep him warm. Weirder since he probably couldn’t get his arms halfway around the guy’s chest.

“But Walt’s not your boyfriend?” He swallowed hard.”

Raven seemed to take a breath. “Uh, no. Just friends.”

“I heard he was your guy.”

He shrugged. “We exaggerate our friendship a little to keep our families from trying to hook us up. I’d appreciate it if you kept it to yourself.”

“Sure. No big.” Why did he want to laugh? Maybe just because Raven Nez trusted him with a secret.

They got inside and were given a booth in the back. Walking behind Raven, Dennis got to watch people stare. Women’s lips parted and stayed open like they couldn’t catch their breath. A few people nudged each other, probably recognizing him from TV or the newspapers. The height, the hair, the overall gorgeousness. Hell, who wouldn’t stare? They slid onto the bench seats opposite each other and ordered burgers with fries and Cokes.

Raven smiled. “I really enjoyed getting to see that film in a new light. You were right. I’d never noticed the complete lack of law in the film—except for the law of the crooks. But the nihilism thing. I don’t know. The film is so exuberant and full of fun. I don’t think it says that God or meaning is dead, you know?”

Dennis grinned. Wow, Raven got it. The waitress brought their food, and Dennis dug in. So great getting to eat something his mother hadn’t cooked, and with another person—kind of like a friend. Of course, Raven wouldn’t be anything like a friend if he knew who Dennis was and what he did. He fought a shudder.

Raven took a huge bite, chewed, then tried to talk around his swallow which was kind of cute. “Butch and Jules get away, don’t they? I mean, it seemed like they both found something.”

“Yeah, interesting observation. I mean, it’s like one found God.”

Raven nodded. “And the other found love.”

Together they said, “Same thing.” Raven laughed and spit some bread on the table. It was fun to see him a little less than cool.

Dennis wiped his mouth with his napkin. “You ever been in love?”

“Not yet.”

“Is, uh, falling in love with a guy the same as falling in love with a girl?” He snorted. “Sorry. Dumb question. You just said you’ve never been in love.”

“And I’ve never been with a girl.”

“No kidding? Not even in high school or anything?”

“No. I knew I was gay when I was little. My grandfather raised me to accept the idea that some people are two-spirited, so I was actually excited when I realized I was. I rushed to tell my folks.” He shook his head. “As you can imagine, they weren’t quite so thrilled.”

“That must have been tough.”

He shrugged, but he didn’t look casual. “My grandfather intervened and told them stories of the old ways.” He shoved a couple of fries in his mouth.

“So your grandfather brought your parents around?”

“Not really. They accept my being gay, but they don’t like it.”

“Hell. Accepting is huge compared to some people I know.” Dennis shuddered. “So Indians, I mean, Native Americans accepted, uh, homosexuality?”

“Some tribes. It’s not the Native way to deny something out of existence or make laws against stuff that happens in nature. In some communities the two-spirited were actually revered and considered closer to spirit. Of course, often they were more like what we might call transgender. Not just guys who love guys.”

“Hell, that seems a lot better than being told you’re bad by your church for something you can’t change.” Jesus, he should change the subject. This one made him want to cry.

Raven shoved back his empty plate and sipped his Coke. “Yeah. I volunteer at the Gay Youth Shelter and, man, between their parents throwing them out and their churches calling them perverts, a lot of those kids barely escape suicide.” He stared at the dark liquid in his glass. “Some of them don’t escape.”

“That’s crazy.” So crazy he totally got it.

The Long Pass Chronicles Series

About the Author

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her best­selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul­mate husband and her soul­mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at

               

Presented By

Book Review: Quarterback Draw (Play by Play #9) by Jaci Burton

Quarterback Draw 
(Play by Play #9) 
By Jaci Burton
Narrated by Lucy Malone 

Blurb: 
Playing For Keeps

Grant Cassidy knows how to be a football star—flash that dazzling smile, throw the winning pass, get the girl. But while the hot quarterback loves the game and the lifestyle, no woman has come close to catching his heart. Then he matches wits with a smart, gorgeous model, and Grant finds himself wanting more than a fling.

Supermodel Katrina Koslova might live in a world of glitz and camera flashes, but she works hard to provide for the family that relies on her. She doesn't have time for fun—much less a boyfriend—but Grant seems determined to be the exception to Katrina’s rule.

Their explosive chemistry is undeniable, but Katrina’s afraid to let go and rely on anyone but herself. Grant intends to ease her fears and prove he’s a man of style and substance.

      

Viviana's Review: 
Let me start by saying I've always LOVED the covers of this series and they have always grabbed my attention enough to pick them up and read the blurb. The blurb have also intrigued me, but as the saying goes, too many book never enough time and I've been trying to be oh so good with not over committing myself with reviews. However, when the opportunity came up to review "Quarterback Draw", again, great cover, awesome blurb... OMG - its the 9th book in the series!!! Uhm... can I commit to a new series? How lost am I going to be if I haven't read the previous ones? Do I HAVE to read the previous ones (okay... for many us book-a-holics, if we start a new series mid-way, we WILL go back to the beginning. Its just who we are!!)?  Do I have the capacity to fall in love with a new bookboyfriend? BREATHE!!!! I PMed my fabulous friend and fellow book blogger Kelly from Books-N-Kisses and asked about the series to get her input and yup, she raved about "Quarterback Draw". You can check out her review here if you're curious. 

Book Review: Canning The Center by Tara Lain

Canning The Center
(The Long Pass Chronicles Series, Bk #2)
By Tara Lain

Blurb:
Six foot seven inch, 300 pound Jamal Jones loves football, so when he finds out the ultra-conservative owner of his new pro football team fired their current center because he’s gay, bisexual Jamal decides to stay in the closet and hang with the females. Then, at a small drag show, he comes face-to-face with his sexual fantasy in the form of Trixie LaRue, a drag queen so exquisitely convincing she scrambles Jamal’s hormones -- and his resolve to nurse his straight side.

Trevor Landry, aka Trixie LaRue, hides more than his genitals. A mathematician so brilliant he can’t be measured, Trevor disguises his astronomical IQ and his quirk for women’s clothes behind his act as a gay activist undergrad at Southern California University.

To Trevor, Jamal is the answer to a dream -- a man who can love and accept both his personas. When he discovers Jamal’s future is threatened if he’s seen with a guy, Trevor becomes Trixie to let Jamal pass as straight. But Trevor risks his position every time he puts on a dress. Is there a closet big enough to hold a football pro and a drag queen?

Available for purchase at

   

Viviana's Review:

After reading the first installment of the The Long Pass Chronicles Series "Outing The Quarterback" I couldn't wait to get my hands on "Canning The Center"! It did not disappoint!!

Where to start? How about Jamal! YUM! He's sweet, loving, family oriented, will stand up for his friends but he has a secret he's carrying around and its getting heavier by the day! He's at a very good place in his life and things are going great! His football career is taking off! Too bad the owners of the team are not open minded at all! At least Jamal still has his BFF Will around!! Will and Noah from the first book make an appearance, they are the ones who take him to the drag show and introduce him to Trixie LaRue! Talk about "BAM" "Interest at first sight"! And both Will and Noah KNEW IT!! They new it would occur! I smiled when I read the reactions. That's one of the things I adore about Tara's writing, you're going through waves of emotions with the characters but you feel like you're part of it.

Enter Trixie! She's the entertainer many come for her beautiful voice! Jamal is mesmerized! Can't keep his eyes off her! Yet, he knows, Trixie is a he! This intrigues him more! Here is one of my favorite interactions between Trixie and Jamal because Trixie pulls no punches and Jamals knows exactly what he wants!

As we flip through the pages we learn that Trevor is also hiding who he truly is from basically everyone! Jamal is the only one he believes he can be his true self with and that scares him. Both need to learn to be themselves before the can be with each other but the can do that together.

They truly are perfect for each other. Trevor gets a man who loves him unconditionally and all of him, both for his smarts and his dresses! For Jamal, how enjoys the ladies as well, Trevor/Trixie is a dream come true! Both get the support they need to be able to be themselves.

I'm sure you're waiting to know all about their chemistry? The guys are HOT! STEAMY!!! Yet they have their sweet moments as well! To be honest, I knew Jamal was a sweet guy but I didn't know he was THAT sweet!

Overall, a great read that you won't want to put down until you've hit the last page. Then you'll want to know when the next book in the series will be released! Can't Wait!!!!

Rating: 4.5 - Really LOVED IT!

Disclaimer: 

We received a complimentary copy of the book from Tara Lain, Author, in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Cover Reveal: Canning The Center by Tara Lain

Canning The Center
(Long Pass Chronicles Series, #2)
by Tara Lain

Blurb:

Six foot seven inch, 300 pound Jamal Jones loves football, so when he finds out the ultra-conservative owner of his new pro football team fired their current center because he’s gay, bisexual Jamal decides to stay in the closet and hang with the females. Then, at a small drag show, he comes face-to-face with his sexual fantasy in the form of Trixie LaRue, a drag queen so exquisitely convincing she scrambles Jamal’s hormones -- and his resolve to nurse his straight side.

Trevor Landry, aka Trixie LaRue, hides more than his genitals. A mathematician so brilliant he can’t be measured, Trevor disguises his astronomical IQ and his quirk for women’s clothes behind his act as a gay activist undergrad at Southern California University.

To Trevor, Jamal is the answer to a dream -- a man who can love and accept both his personas. When he discovers Jamal’s future is threatened if he’s seen with a guy, Trevor becomes Trixie to let Jamal pass as straight. But Trevor risks his position every time he puts on a dress. Is there a closet big enough to hold a football pro and a drag queen? 

Release Date: 
December 17, 2014

You can pre-order your copy at

Also available for pre-order in paperback from Dreamspinner Press

Excerpt

He’d nestled the Cadillac all the way at the rear of the lot, against the chain that separated it from someone’s backyard. Some eucalyptus trees lined the division. Not everyone’s favorite part of the lot, since it was kind of dark and looked like a good spot for a mugging. Who’d mug him? Only someone with three friends and a horse. There were advantages to being a giant.

He beeped the car lock, opened the driver’s door, and reached up to pull off his leather jacket. A breeze ruffled the tree branches.

He heard a scraping sound and turned, tense, ready to defend himself. What?

The moonlight shone off shining yellow sequins, but their glint didn’t equal the halo shimmering off the pale blonde hair. Walking straight toward him across the rough dirt lot was—Trixie LaRue.

He opened his mouth—and closed it. If this was a dream, he didn’t want to wake up.

She got to the rear of the car and stopped. “Hello.”

“Hello.”

“I noticed you’ve been to see me twice this week.” Her speaking voice was almost as musical as her singing and just as androgynous, neither low nor high.

“I’m sure lots of people come to see you every time you perform. I’m surprised you noticed me.”

She smiled. Sunrise. “Few people are as—memorable as you are.”

He grinned. “What? You don’t have a lot of giants in your audience? No orcs or ogres?”

Her lips tightened a little like she was trying not to laugh. “You’re our chocolate bunny.”

“What?”

“That’s what Lucretia calls you.”

“And you?”

She glanced down at her golden high-heeled shoes. “You look rather like dessert to me too.”

Oh crap, his heart couldn’t beat that fast and survive, could it? “You must really have a sweet tooth.” His voice sounded breathy.

She nodded slowly. “Yes, I do.”

He stared at her. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what to do here. I’m a very big guy and this is a dark parking lot. I don’t want to appear creepy or be presumptuous.”

She glanced up. “You don’t want to presume that my flirting means anything else?”

“Exactly.” He smiled and let all his teeth show. “Since this feels like some dream I conjured out of pure desire, I wouldn’t want to scare you away.”

She took two steps closer and stopped. His estimate of her height seemed right on. About five ten, plus the very high heels she wore, which still made him four inches taller. She gazed up at him. “You do understand that under these clothes there’s a man?”

He nodded. “I’m counting on it.”

About the Author

Tara Lain writes the Beautiful Boys of Romance in LGBT erotic romance novels that star her unique, charismatic heroes. Her first novel was published in January of 2011 and she’s now somewhere around book 23. Her best­selling novels have garnered awards for Best Series, Best Contemporary Romance, Best Ménage, Best LGBT Romance, Best Gay Characters, and Tara has been named Best Writer of the Year in the LRC Awards. In her other job, Tara owns an advertising and public relations firm. She often does workshops on both author promotion and writing craft. She lives with her soul­mate husband and her soul­mate dog in Laguna Beach, California, a pretty seaside town where she sets a lot of her books. Passionate about diversity, justice, and new experiences, Tara says on her tombstone it will say “Yes”!

You can find Tara at

               

Presented By