GUEST POST: Wayward Son by Shae Connor

Today we are joined by Shae Connor on the last stop of the tour for Wayward Son. Shae shares with us some of the background in getting the exact covers for the “Sons” books. There’s also a great giveaway.

Wayward Son

by Shae Connor

Sequel to Unfortunate Son

Sons: Book Two

Blurb

After his move to Atlanta and away from the influence of his conservative parents, Mikey O’Malley finally feels free to be himself: art student, aspiring animator, and out gay man. He has friends, a new job, and not one, but two men interested in him. Cory Lassiter and Jimmy Black have been a happy couple for years, occasionally bringing a twink into their bed, but only for a brief roll in the hay. When Mikey meets the pair, the attraction is immediate, and it runs three ways. Mikey just can’t believe they’d have room in their lives for a permanent addition.

When Mikey’s newfound life is shattered by a lawsuit that accuses him of molesting a child years earlier, he’s determined to face his troubles on his own, but Cory and Jimmy are just as determined that he not have to go it alone. To reconcile his need for independence and his desire for love, Mikey has to learn that being a man isn’t just about standing on your own two feet. It’s about letting yourself lean on the ones who love you.

Guest Post: A Book and Its Cover

Great big thanks to my hosts for welcoming the last (but never least!) stop on my blog tour for Wayward Son. Today, I’m talking about one of my favorite subjects—cover art.

I’ll admit: I’m a bit of a cover art snob. Well, maybe that’s not the best way to put it, but I do have strong feelings about book covers. I know what I like and what I don’t, but mostly when I see them. A good artist can sell me on something I never would’ve considered.

One of the best things about publishing with Dreamspinner Press has been the cover art. From the way the staff involves the author in the process (something that’s unheard of with many publishers) to the beauty of the finished products, Dreamspinner does cover art right.

For Wayward Son, I knew we’d be working from the same template as Unfortunate Son, a design by the amazing Paul Richmond that I loved.

I didn’t have a cover model this time around, though, so I went looking for stock art that I thought might work. I found the model I wanted on Shutterstock long before the book was finished and sent it in with the cover art information sheet. I was thrilled when Paul told me he could use that exact photo! It’s absolutely my Mikey, right down to the blue hoodie he wears in the book.

This series also has a little something extra in addition to the front cover image. For Unfortunate Son, Paul had also introduced a design element on the back cover for the paperback: a shot of Evan’s tattoo. To carry over that concept again, I suggested pencils and a sketchpad for Mikey, who’s an art student. Once again, Paul came through. 🙂

Book three, I’m afraid, may be a little more difficult to complete. I’ve been searching for the right model to be Shaun, but it’s tough. Shaun is black, and sadly, images for diverse characters are hard to find. But I know Paul, and I know that between the two of us we’ll find the perfect image.

First, though, I need to finish the book, so I’m back to it! Enjoy Wayward Son, and I’ll see y’all again next time around!

Giveaway

Rafflecopter Giveaway – $25.00 Dreamspinner Press Gift Card and a Backlist Book

Click here or on the image to enter the Rafflecopter.

Buy Links

Dreamspinner Press | Amazon | Goodreads

About the Author

Shae Connor lives in Atlanta, where she’s a lackadaisical government worker for a living and writes sweet-hot romance under the cover of night. She’s been making things up for as long as she can remember, but it took her a long time to figure out that maybe she should try writing them down. She’s conned several companies into publishing her work and adds a new notch on her bedpost each time another story is unleashed onto an unsuspecting universe.

A member of the Romance Writers of America and the Rainbow Writers chapter, Shae was first published in 2010 and has a lineup of short stories, novellas, and novels available from Dreamspinner Press, Wilde City Press, MLR Press, and Amber Allure.

Shae is part Jersey, part Irish, and all Southern, which explains why she never shuts up. When she’s not chained to her laptop, she enjoys cooking, traveling, watching baseball, and reading voraciously, and she’s an annual volunteer for the Dragon Con on-site publication, the Daily Dragon. You can find her hanging out on Twitter most any time @shaeconnor, but for the more direct route, you can email her at shaeconnorwrites@gmail.com or visit her website at shaeconnorwrites.com.

TOUR SCHEDULE

5/11 – The Novel Approach

5/12 – Sinfully Sexy

5/13 – Love Bytes Reviews

5/14 – M/M Good Book Reviews

5/15 – Prism Book Alliance

5/16 – Joyfully Jay

5/17 – Because Two Men Are Better Than One