I adore Lynley Wayne's sexy, emotional romances. Her newest book, Facing Demons was just released and I admit I've been on tenterhooks for Seth's story ever since falling in love with him during Rocky's Road. I had the pleasure of interviewing Ms. Wayne, so scroll on down to read the Q&A along with an excerpt from Facing Demons!
Q: What inspired you to write FACING DEMONS?
A: FACING DEMONS is book three in the Scars series. After I finished book two, Rocky’s Road, I tried several times to write Seth and Cam’s story. After more than a year of tossing pages out, I had more or less given up on ever writing this story.
While working on edits for ROCKY'S ROAD, my editor asked if Seth was going to get a book. I said I wasn’t sure and explained how I had tried, unsuccessfully, for over a year. My editor told me to keep at it, because readers were going to want to know Seth’s story.
She was right.
I tossed out half a dozen starts to this book before I finally realized I had been trying to start it in the wrong place. Once I had that epiphany, the book began to come together.
I’m not exactly sure where the inspiration for this book came from. I’ve always known Cam’s backstory and I just used that to build what I felt was a reasonable present day.
Q: Do you have any favorites of the characters you’ve written?
A: I have a soft spot for Jace and Nathaniel because SCARS was the first book I sold. I fell in love with the scarred soldier who is afraid of being seen as weak and the street kid who always sees the silver lining in any given situation.
Q: How do you come up with the names for your characters?
A: Occasionally, they will pop into my head already named. Which was the case with Jace from SCARS. Other times, I have to look through names until one jumps out at me. In SCARS the character names all came from people I went to school with. I didn’t have a baby naming book or a smartphone at the time, so I used what I had, which was old yearbooks. Now days, I use baby naming apps, websites, or The Writer’s Digest Character Naming Sourcebook by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Q: Do you base any of your characters off of people you know?
A: The only character, to date, that I’ve based on a real person is, Nathaniel. He’s also the one character that people tell me is the least realistic. It always makes me laugh.
Q: What are you currently working on?
A: I’m working on the sequel to A LIFE INTERRUPTED. As well as, trying to finish a few of my two hundred plus, works in progress.
Q: What’s one thing about being an author you wish someone had told you before you were first published?
A: That writing was a very small part of being an author. As a published writer you have a lot of hats to wear. Writer. Editor. Social media/Public Relations expert. Marketing expert. Accountant. Business manager. Researcher. I’m sure there are a few I’ve missed, but those are the big ones.
Q: When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?
A: When I’m not writing or doing something writing related, I mostly spend time with my husband watching television, or sleep. If I’m lucky I can find time to read. These days, however, reading time is scarce.
At the age of fifteen, Seth Dempsey gave his heart to Cameron Reyes. Three years later, Cam shattered it when he walked away. When Cam blows back into Seth’s life years later, Seth knows he will do whatever it takes to ensure Cam doesn’t slip away again. Even if it means going up against a corrupt DEA agent and a drug cartel.
Cameron Reyes was born on the wrong side of the tracks. He fell in love with Seth, but knew the only way to keep him safe was to leave, no matter how much it hurt. Eleven years later, when his life implodes, he knows the only person he can trust is the boy whose heart he broke all those years ago.
While they fight to stay one step ahead of everyone and clear Cam’s name, can they learn to work together in order to face down the demons of the past and find the happily ever after they have dreamed of?
MLR Press | Amazon
“What’s that?”
“Nothing.” He shoved the card into his pocket. “Why?”
From the arch of Seth’s brow, Cam knew he wasn’t going to let it go until Cam told him something. Seth had one of the most expressive faces of anyone he knew. Over the years, Cam had become a master of reading those subtle movements and facial expressions.
“Then why did you jump? Whatever that card was had you so lost in thought I startled you. That’s not like you.” The little frown line appeared between Seth’s brows and Cam knew he was worried.
With a sigh, he pulled Seth down on the couch next to him. “It’s nothing really. Someone gave me a card to get into a club. That’s all.”
“Oookay. And that required all of your thought, why? What kind of club is it and why did they give you this card?”
He couldn’t help the wicked grin that appeared on his face. “Well…” Cam shifted. “I’m not sure I should tell you.”
“Why is that?”
“It’sasexclub,” Cam mumbled, suddenly bashful. Although he wasn’t sure why. He had been sleeping with Seth for the last year and a half. There wasn’t much they hadn’t tried at least once. Plus, there was the whole, Cam didn’t get embarrassed, ever, thing.
Leaning forward, Seth turned toward Cam. “What was that?”
Angry at himself, Cam growled, “It’s a sex club.” Louder than he meant to.
It took a few seconds for it to sink in, but he knew the moment it did. Seth’s eyes widened, his jaw dropped open, his mouth forming an “O.” Cam let his eyes drop lower and saw the pulse in the side of Seth’s neck as it picked up speed.
Glancing lower still, Cam watched as Seth’s body reacted to the news. From the look of things, the idea of a sex club was something that appealed to him. At least in theory.
“Stop that,” Seth chastised. He grabbed the nearest throw pillow and covered his lap with it.
It made Cam smirk. “You like that idea, yeah?”
“Maaaybe.”
“So, you want to go check it out with me this weekend?” He didn’t have a clue what he was thinking inviting Seth to a club he was supposed to be going to in order to find out if they were moving drugs. He didn’t want Seth involved in anything to do with that part of his life, but with the way he had reacted, there was no way Cam couldn’t take him. Besides, having someone with him might make him seem less suspicious. Right?
A smile spread across Seth’s face and his eyes sparkled with excitement. “Are you serious? You really want to go to some sex club?”
Not really. “Sure.” Cam shrugged. “Why not?”
“Okay. What about Landon?”
“What about him?”
“Should we see if he wants to go, too?”
Cam gave it some thought. If Landon was there, he could keep Seth occupied while Cam did a little snooping. So maybe that wasn’t a bad idea. “Sure.”
“He’s going to freak out. Can I be the one to tell him?”
Chuckling, Cam shook his head. “Knock yourself out.”
Seth popped up and headed for the kitchen to call Landon. A few seconds later he heard the laughter in Seth’s voice when he demanded Landon get his ass over here, now.
There was a pause and Cam assumed Landon was asking why. His suspicions were confirmed when Seth next spoke. “I’m not going to tell you on the phone. So get over here.”
Seth was still snickering, his eyes dancing with merriment, when he joined Cam in the living room.
“He’s going to flip.”
“You, sir, are enjoying this wayyy too much.” Unable to resist a happy Seth, Cam leaned up and kissed him. Seth’s earlier laughter turned to moaning in a matter of seconds.
As always, Cam’s body responded to Seth, to his taste, to his touch, to his nearness. He shifted, trying to readjust things a bit. His jeans grew tighter by the minute.
His oxygen starved lungs burned and he had to pull away. They were both breathing heavy and Seth’s eyes had the sexy glazed look that turned Cam on. Anytime he heard the term “bedroom eyes” this was what he pictured.
Grabbing at his shirt, Seth stood and tried to haul Cam with him toward the bedroom.
“We can’t.” Cam cursed himself and Landon, even as the words left his mouth.
“What? Why?” Seth gave him puppy eyes and Cam almost caved, but he wasn’t about to have Landon catch them in the act.
“Landon,” Cam said, prying Seth’s fingers open.
“What’s he got to do with it?”
At Seth’s genuine confusion, Cam laughed. “You called him not five minutes ago and told him to get his ass over here. Did you forget?”
With a noise close to a whine, Seth dropped back down on the sofa. Not even attempting to hide it, Seth adjusted himself and Cam moaned at the bulge in his boyfriend’s pants. It was such a shame to waste a good hard-on.
“You think he’s left yet? I can call him and tell him to give us an hour.” Cam started shaking his head in the negative before Seth even got it all out. “Why are you shaking your head at me?” Seth huffed. His lower lip stuck out in an all too tempting way.
“For one, he’s probably already left. For two, there is no way you are going to call Landon and ask him to wait so we can fuck.”
“Fine.” Seth let out a sigh worthy of a drama queen.
Cam leaned over and kissed him again, sucking on the bottom lip that had been taunting him. Seth reached for him, drawing Cam closer and doing his damnedest to get Cam to straddle him.
“No.” Cam pushed Seth back, ignoring the growl his action elicited. He stood. When Seth reached for him, Cam jumped back, shaking his head and holding out his hand in the stay back gesture. “No more kissing until after Landon leaves.” He put enough steel in his voice so Seth would know he was serious.
Which was easier said than done, seeing as he was breathing like he had run a marathon.
He pointed to the chair on the other side of the room. “I’m going to sit over here. You.” He pointed at Seth. “You are going to stay right there and behave.”
As he lowered himself into the chair, Seth leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. A lecherous grin on his face. “Or what?”
Lynley Wayne is the pen name of a thirty-something female living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. When not writing, she can usually be found reading and thinking up creative ways to avoid housework. She is married to a very understanding man who doesn’t complain when she spends hours in front of the computer, or talks for hours about whatever story she’s working on, or asks random off the wall questions. He also keeps her fed on those occasions when her muse has taken over and she loses days at a time. Yeah, basically he’s vying for sainthood.
Lynley strongly believes everyone is entitled to their own version of happiness, no matter how it may differ from the norm. She writes characters she wants to read and hopes others like reading about them as much as she enjoyed writing them.
It is her hope that one day society will be able to look past the labels and see the person behind them. That they will realize we are all the same. Until that time comes, she will continue telling stories of a love others may believe is wrong, but she thinks is nothing short of beautiful.
Find Lynley Wayne on the Web: Website | Twitter | Facebook
Q&A with Lynley Wayne
Q: What inspired you to write FACING DEMONS?
A: FACING DEMONS is book three in the Scars series. After I finished book two, Rocky’s Road, I tried several times to write Seth and Cam’s story. After more than a year of tossing pages out, I had more or less given up on ever writing this story. While working on edits for ROCKY'S ROAD, my editor asked if Seth was going to get a book. I said I wasn’t sure and explained how I had tried, unsuccessfully, for over a year. My editor told me to keep at it, because readers were going to want to know Seth’s story.
She was right.
I tossed out half a dozen starts to this book before I finally realized I had been trying to start it in the wrong place. Once I had that epiphany, the book began to come together.
I’m not exactly sure where the inspiration for this book came from. I’ve always known Cam’s backstory and I just used that to build what I felt was a reasonable present day.
Q: Do you have any favorites of the characters you’ve written?
A: I have a soft spot for Jace and Nathaniel because SCARS was the first book I sold. I fell in love with the scarred soldier who is afraid of being seen as weak and the street kid who always sees the silver lining in any given situation.
Q: How do you come up with the names for your characters?A: Occasionally, they will pop into my head already named. Which was the case with Jace from SCARS. Other times, I have to look through names until one jumps out at me. In SCARS the character names all came from people I went to school with. I didn’t have a baby naming book or a smartphone at the time, so I used what I had, which was old yearbooks. Now days, I use baby naming apps, websites, or The Writer’s Digest Character Naming Sourcebook by Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Q: Do you base any of your characters off of people you know?
A: The only character, to date, that I’ve based on a real person is, Nathaniel. He’s also the one character that people tell me is the least realistic. It always makes me laugh.
Q: What are you currently working on?
A: I’m working on the sequel to A LIFE INTERRUPTED. As well as, trying to finish a few of my two hundred plus, works in progress.
Q: What’s one thing about being an author you wish someone had told you before you were first published?
A: That writing was a very small part of being an author. As a published writer you have a lot of hats to wear. Writer. Editor. Social media/Public Relations expert. Marketing expert. Accountant. Business manager. Researcher. I’m sure there are a few I’ve missed, but those are the big ones.
Q: When you’re not writing, what do you like to do?
A: When I’m not writing or doing something writing related, I mostly spend time with my husband watching television, or sleep. If I’m lucky I can find time to read. These days, however, reading time is scarce.
About Facing Demons:
At the age of fifteen, Seth Dempsey gave his heart to Cameron Reyes. Three years later, Cam shattered it when he walked away. When Cam blows back into Seth’s life years later, Seth knows he will do whatever it takes to ensure Cam doesn’t slip away again. Even if it means going up against a corrupt DEA agent and a drug cartel. Cameron Reyes was born on the wrong side of the tracks. He fell in love with Seth, but knew the only way to keep him safe was to leave, no matter how much it hurt. Eleven years later, when his life implodes, he knows the only person he can trust is the boy whose heart he broke all those years ago.
While they fight to stay one step ahead of everyone and clear Cam’s name, can they learn to work together in order to face down the demons of the past and find the happily ever after they have dreamed of?
MLR Press | Amazon
Excerpt from Facing Demons
Fingering the black business card and lost in thought, Cam didn’t hear Seth come up behind him.“What’s that?”
“Nothing.” He shoved the card into his pocket. “Why?”
From the arch of Seth’s brow, Cam knew he wasn’t going to let it go until Cam told him something. Seth had one of the most expressive faces of anyone he knew. Over the years, Cam had become a master of reading those subtle movements and facial expressions.
“Then why did you jump? Whatever that card was had you so lost in thought I startled you. That’s not like you.” The little frown line appeared between Seth’s brows and Cam knew he was worried.
With a sigh, he pulled Seth down on the couch next to him. “It’s nothing really. Someone gave me a card to get into a club. That’s all.”
“Oookay. And that required all of your thought, why? What kind of club is it and why did they give you this card?”
He couldn’t help the wicked grin that appeared on his face. “Well…” Cam shifted. “I’m not sure I should tell you.”
“Why is that?”
“It’sasexclub,” Cam mumbled, suddenly bashful. Although he wasn’t sure why. He had been sleeping with Seth for the last year and a half. There wasn’t much they hadn’t tried at least once. Plus, there was the whole, Cam didn’t get embarrassed, ever, thing.
Leaning forward, Seth turned toward Cam. “What was that?”
Angry at himself, Cam growled, “It’s a sex club.” Louder than he meant to.
It took a few seconds for it to sink in, but he knew the moment it did. Seth’s eyes widened, his jaw dropped open, his mouth forming an “O.” Cam let his eyes drop lower and saw the pulse in the side of Seth’s neck as it picked up speed.
Glancing lower still, Cam watched as Seth’s body reacted to the news. From the look of things, the idea of a sex club was something that appealed to him. At least in theory.
“Stop that,” Seth chastised. He grabbed the nearest throw pillow and covered his lap with it.
It made Cam smirk. “You like that idea, yeah?”
“Maaaybe.”
“So, you want to go check it out with me this weekend?” He didn’t have a clue what he was thinking inviting Seth to a club he was supposed to be going to in order to find out if they were moving drugs. He didn’t want Seth involved in anything to do with that part of his life, but with the way he had reacted, there was no way Cam couldn’t take him. Besides, having someone with him might make him seem less suspicious. Right?
A smile spread across Seth’s face and his eyes sparkled with excitement. “Are you serious? You really want to go to some sex club?”
Not really. “Sure.” Cam shrugged. “Why not?”
“Okay. What about Landon?”
“What about him?”
“Should we see if he wants to go, too?”
Cam gave it some thought. If Landon was there, he could keep Seth occupied while Cam did a little snooping. So maybe that wasn’t a bad idea. “Sure.”
“He’s going to freak out. Can I be the one to tell him?”
Chuckling, Cam shook his head. “Knock yourself out.”
Seth popped up and headed for the kitchen to call Landon. A few seconds later he heard the laughter in Seth’s voice when he demanded Landon get his ass over here, now.
There was a pause and Cam assumed Landon was asking why. His suspicions were confirmed when Seth next spoke. “I’m not going to tell you on the phone. So get over here.”
Seth was still snickering, his eyes dancing with merriment, when he joined Cam in the living room.
“He’s going to flip.”
“You, sir, are enjoying this wayyy too much.” Unable to resist a happy Seth, Cam leaned up and kissed him. Seth’s earlier laughter turned to moaning in a matter of seconds.
As always, Cam’s body responded to Seth, to his taste, to his touch, to his nearness. He shifted, trying to readjust things a bit. His jeans grew tighter by the minute.
His oxygen starved lungs burned and he had to pull away. They were both breathing heavy and Seth’s eyes had the sexy glazed look that turned Cam on. Anytime he heard the term “bedroom eyes” this was what he pictured.
Grabbing at his shirt, Seth stood and tried to haul Cam with him toward the bedroom.
“We can’t.” Cam cursed himself and Landon, even as the words left his mouth.
“What? Why?” Seth gave him puppy eyes and Cam almost caved, but he wasn’t about to have Landon catch them in the act.
“Landon,” Cam said, prying Seth’s fingers open.“What’s he got to do with it?”
At Seth’s genuine confusion, Cam laughed. “You called him not five minutes ago and told him to get his ass over here. Did you forget?”
With a noise close to a whine, Seth dropped back down on the sofa. Not even attempting to hide it, Seth adjusted himself and Cam moaned at the bulge in his boyfriend’s pants. It was such a shame to waste a good hard-on.
“You think he’s left yet? I can call him and tell him to give us an hour.” Cam started shaking his head in the negative before Seth even got it all out. “Why are you shaking your head at me?” Seth huffed. His lower lip stuck out in an all too tempting way.
“For one, he’s probably already left. For two, there is no way you are going to call Landon and ask him to wait so we can fuck.”
“Fine.” Seth let out a sigh worthy of a drama queen.
Cam leaned over and kissed him again, sucking on the bottom lip that had been taunting him. Seth reached for him, drawing Cam closer and doing his damnedest to get Cam to straddle him.
“No.” Cam pushed Seth back, ignoring the growl his action elicited. He stood. When Seth reached for him, Cam jumped back, shaking his head and holding out his hand in the stay back gesture. “No more kissing until after Landon leaves.” He put enough steel in his voice so Seth would know he was serious.
Which was easier said than done, seeing as he was breathing like he had run a marathon.
He pointed to the chair on the other side of the room. “I’m going to sit over here. You.” He pointed at Seth. “You are going to stay right there and behave.”
As he lowered himself into the chair, Seth leaned forward, resting his forearms on his thighs. A lecherous grin on his face. “Or what?”
About Lynley Wayne:
Lynley Wayne is the pen name of a thirty-something female living on the Mississippi Gulf Coast. When not writing, she can usually be found reading and thinking up creative ways to avoid housework. She is married to a very understanding man who doesn’t complain when she spends hours in front of the computer, or talks for hours about whatever story she’s working on, or asks random off the wall questions. He also keeps her fed on those occasions when her muse has taken over and she loses days at a time. Yeah, basically he’s vying for sainthood.Lynley strongly believes everyone is entitled to their own version of happiness, no matter how it may differ from the norm. She writes characters she wants to read and hopes others like reading about them as much as she enjoyed writing them.
It is her hope that one day society will be able to look past the labels and see the person behind them. That they will realize we are all the same. Until that time comes, she will continue telling stories of a love others may believe is wrong, but she thinks is nothing short of beautiful.
Find Lynley Wayne on the Web: Website | Twitter | Facebook
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