✦✦✦ Author Spotlight✦✦✦ Rae Lamar

Last, but certainly not least of our June Author Spotlights, we have Author Rae Lamar.  Let’s jump right in to get to know Rae and her work…

 

Hi Rae! Welcome to My Reading Nook!  To begin, tell us a little about yourself and your writing.

Reading was a huge part of my childhood. Although my brother was always scribbling stories on a legal pad every chance he got, I didn’t start thinking about writing until I reached high school. It would be another ten years before I decided to get serious about it – I remember pushing myself to enroll in a writing workshop one summer and telling myself that, if I was going to bother writing at all, I would be authentic and do this thing with some integrity. That workshop is where the first pages of my first solid story were written. Years passed as my writing came in fits and starts…and then I wrote the last word and published my debut novel a few months after that in 2010. That was the start of it all for me, and I’ve been writing ever since. Mostly contemporary romance and women’s fiction – I enjoy writing stories about relationships, exploring what love looks like and the choices we make for ourselves and for others along the way.

Best/worst advice you’ve been given about writing and/or publishing?

Best advice – no days off. Now I think writing every day of every year for years on end is a real stretch the way my life is set up, but I don’t take it literally. It just reminds me that consistency is key as a writer, so it’s important to get those words down as often as possible and don’t give up.

What book do you wish you had written?

Behind Those Eyes by T. P. Carter. It was before I’d published my first novel; I can remember the moment I finished the book… I was speechless. It was sooo good! The book I didn’t know I wanted to write but wanted to write. And just like that, it was too late, lol. I was so bummed.

What are you looking forward to this summer?

A dull moment and a beach.

What’s your superpower?

Jumping to the worst possible conclusions in a single bound. 😉

Describe yourself in three words.

Clever. Hungry. Sweet.

Morning person or night owl?

Night owl. Mornings are evil.

Find Rae on the interwebs:  

 Website・Facebook • Twitter •  Goodreads • Amazon • Instagram

♦♦♦ SYOPSIS ♦♦♦

Blur

Jade Warner is back home. The bad part? Starting over. The best part? Reconnecting with Kyle Malone. Picking up where they left off years ago, it feels just like old times…except for the mutual attraction and questionable feelings, which are all brand new. For Jade and Kyle, it’s unthinkable to hook up given the history of their fail-safe friendship, but anything can happen when you live under the same roof…

Read an excerpt from Blur from the Because My Heart Said So Friends-to-Lovers Collection

Kyle eased to a stop behind the car in his driveway. After memorizing every single detail including its license plate, he cut the lights and killed the engine.

What should have been an all-nighter ended up being a lot shorter once another photographer arrived at the site. Kyle had called Freddie to step in and take over, having full confidence that he would finish it off beautifully now that the client’s complaints had been mitigated by Kyle’s ability to quickly relocate to an ideal setting. In record time, they arrived at the studio owned by a close friend who didn’t hesitate to offer it up to the group as a favor to Kyle.

It had all been resolved in less than two hours.

On his way home, Kyle refused to think about why he had been so quick to remove himself from the chaotic scene. Any other night, he would’ve had no problem taking over and finishing the shoot himself. That’s why he’d received the call in the first place; the enraged client had fired the contracted photographer due to creative differences. With time ticking away, the remaining staff scrambled to figure out what to do next until several of the models on set announced their collective recommendation.

They all wanted Kyle Malone.

But Kyle wanted to get back home to Jade.

When he arrived on set, Kyle immediately voiced his gratitude for the glowing endorsement, assessed the scene and got to work. This was his element; he naturally thrived in tense, tumultuous environments.

But this time, it felt…different.

Dismissing the internal disruption, he did his best to push through it but the night’s chaos soon brought clarity. Before he could question his decision, Kyle chatted with the models, strategized with the client, made some calls and found a way to fully satisfy everyone involved before rushing back to his car.

Rushing back home to Jade.

Kyle pressed a button above his head to active the garage door, still staring at the unfamiliar car in his driveway. After sitting quietly for a few seconds, he got out and stalked toward the front entrance of his house. Just as he arrived, the door swung open to reveal the profile of an anxious Jade, who was too busy frantically waving her hand to rush the owner of the unfamiliar car through the entryway to notice Kyle watching her every move. When she finally shifted her gaze to find Kyle staring back at her, Jade’s eyes widened in surprise.

Kyle shifted his gaze to the man standing behind her.

“Kyle,” Jade said in a shaky voice. “Umm, hey… you’re back pretty early…”

“Kyle? So you’re the big brother Jade talks so much about.” Stepping through the doorway, the man looked Kyle in the eye and extended his hand. “What’s up, man…I’m Daryl.”

The look Kyle gave him was lethal.

Jade glanced at Daryl and smiled in apology. “Maybe you should go. I’ll call you later.”

Daryl hesitated, causing Kyle to take a step forward and Jade to nod anxiously for him to leave. Shrugging, Daryl mumbled goodnight and walked away.

“I’m really sorry about that,” Jade said to Kyle after Daryl was out of earshot. She attempted a genuine smile…and failed. “How’d the shoot turn out—”

“Hey!” Daryl yelled from the driveway. “I’m blocked in!”

Jade looked past Kyle to see Daryl standing with his arms spread. She pressed her lips together and reluctantly lifted her eyes to Kyle’s in a silent plea to move his car so Daryl could leave. When he didn’t budge, she sighed. “Kyle, please—”

“Who the fuck is dude, Jade?” Kyle finally asked in a low voice as he pinned her with a steely glare. “And what the fuck is he doing in my fucking house?”

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Of the 4Writers4Love crew, Rae is a completely new author to me. I just love when an anthology introduces me to someone new!  Getting to know Rae for this month’s spotlights has been wonderful. I’m also looking forward to reading more of her work after seeing some e-friends and fellow bookworms raving about The Dawn of Aris.  

Find Rae’s book list below:

I hope you’ve found your next favorite book!

Xoxo,

Coco